Minutes
with:
Karen McManus,
author of ‘One of Us is Lying’.
What made you want to become a writer?
I started writing when I was in second grade. I always loved making
up characters and telling stories. As I got older, though, I strug-
gled to finish longer books, and decided I didn’t have what it takes.
When I finally returned to writing many years later, I forced myself
to stay at my computer and keep writing, even when the story
didn’t seem to be going anywhere. When I finally finished a draft I
realised that writing is half natural desire and talent, and half sheer
will and discipline. Plus LOTS of revisions.
What inspired you to write your book ‘One of Us is
Lying’?
I was driving to work one day when the song “Don’t You Forget
About Me” came on the radio. I thought it might be fun to write
something inspired by The Breakfast Club. The phrase
“The Breakfast Club - with murder” popped into my head, and the
idea started to take shape.
It stuck because it has several storytelling elements that I love:
unreliable narrators, a closed-door mystery, and people getting
thrown together by circumstance and learning they have more in
common than they think.
What is your cure for writers block?
I sit at the computer and write anyway. It doesn’t
have to be good, but if you let a blank page stay
blank for too long, it becomes intimidating. Get
some words out, and then make them better.
What advice would you give to young
aspiring authors?
Be persistent. There are very few overnight successes in publish-
ing. Writing is absolutely a craft that improves with time, practice,
and industry knowledge. Also, find your writing people! My writing
improved so much when I began working with beta readers and
critique partners who were at the same point in the publishing
journey as me. Exchanging work with other writers helps hone your
skills, and also makes the process less solitary.
Your book has 4 main characters.
How did you give each one a distinctive voice?
I had separate playlists for every character, and I used them to
help switch my perspective while writing. I also tried to give each
character pet expressions and thought/speech patterns that
were specific to them. For example, when Nate believes someone
is taking on an impossible task, he says, “Good luck with that.” But
Bronwyn says, “I doubt they’ll have any luck.” Subtle differences,
rooted in how they view the world and interact with others.
22 Whateva - Issue 1
One of Us is Lying
£7.99
Amazon