Q. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
A. As a kid, I wanted to be a writer. I read constantly, even while I walked to school, and I was crazy about L.M. Montgomery’s Emily books, a series about a girl (an orphan– I had a great family but I was fascinated by orphan stories) who wanted to be an author. I wrote a lot of stories about boarding schools, horses, magic and, of course, orphans.
Q. When did you start writing?
A. In high school, I kept journals but I burned them all when I was twenty because I didn’t want anyone else to read them. I regret that now—I wish I still had them. Then I got busy with university and traveling and relationships and jobs, and somehow I forgot about writing until I was in my thirties and my son was born. I started writing again just before my son’s first birthday. Mostly I wrote long hand in a spiral-bound notebook that I kept under my son’s stroller—we’d walk until he fell asleep and then I’d stop at the nearest coffee shop and write until he woke up! I wrote my first book that way—it’s called Impossible Things, which seems appropriate.
Q. Do you have a daily writing routine?
A.Yeah– I write whenever I can. I have a young child, so I mostly write before my he wakes up and after he goes to bed. But I keep a pen and paper with me always so that I can jot down the ideas and fragments of dialogue that pop into my head. I wrote a whole chapter in the waiting room of my dentist’s office.
Q. What age do you prefer writing for?
A. Actually, I love writing for all ages. I’ve published some short stories for adults, and my book Ben’s Robot is for six to eight year old kids. I’d love to write an adult novel someday, and I’d love to do a picture book as well… I do seem to be drawn mostly to writing about teenagers and young adults though.
Q. What are you working on now?
A. A few different things actually. I have a new YA novel still in the first draft, tearing my hair out phase. I have just finished the edits on an early chapter book which will be coming out in April… which is very exciting. It’s called Ben’s Robot and was written at my five year old son’s request. I should probably confess that most of the best bits were his ideas. It will be my first book to be illustrated and I am so excited about the pictures.  The illustrator is David Parkins, and his art work is fantastic. I also working on the edits for a new middle grade novel called Liars and Fools. It will come out next fall and I won’t describe it too much except to say that it includes such things as sail boats and psychic fairs. I’m also hoping to find the time to write a few short stories… I have some ideas percolating that I’d like to get down on paper…
Q. Do you work from an outline?
A. No. Mostly not. I think outlines are a great idea but I can’t do it. It doesn’t seem to work for me. I like to write the same way I read– to keep turning the pages to see what happens next. Sometimes I’ll outline a little when I get stuck, but I often veer from the plan. I do a lot of rewriting though… which may be related to my lack of a outline!
Q. Are all your books published by Orca?
A. Yes. Orca is an awesome publisher to work with. (Happy 25th anniversary, Orca!  You guys are the best.)
Q. I’m an aspiring author and I want to know whether being published has changed your life. Has it? And how?
A. Writing has changed my life in many ways but publishing? Not so much. And the best part of publishing, for me, is the editorial process. I learn a lot and my books get better. So it’s still all about the writing. Being published means you are busier because of the time-sucking demands of the business side of writing, and it means you get to fantasize about making a living. But hey– you can do that without getting published too.
Do you have a question you’d like me to answer here? E-mail me at: robin@robinstevenson.com