March is Women in Horror Month, and Don Anelli, who is growing a global horror community online, has been showcasing women in horror on his platform. His site is full of book and film reviews, as well as interviews with authors and directors.
I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by him for WiHM. Read on and enjoy our discussion about creative influences, tips to break into the horror genre, bits about Sick, and my exciting new project.
WiHM Special – Christa Wojciechowski
An accomplished author with plenty of accomplished work in a multitude of styles and formats, Christa Wojciechowski has left a strong mark on her career, with her work earning her acclaim for her books and other writing. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in writing, her “SICK” series of books, and other projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Christa Wojciechowski: As a kid, some of my favorite movies were the likes of Aliens, Predator, and Terminator. It was also the time of iconic lighter stuff, like Gremlins, Little Shop of Horrors, Ghostbusters, and Tales from the Crypt. Later on, I got into more psychological horror like Boxing Helena, Misery, Silence of the Lambs, Se7en, and Flatliners. I didn’t realize how much of an influence film had on me until I started writing.
Me: Who were some of your favorite writers growing up? Do you try to take influences from their style with your own voice in your work?
CW: Getting a chill down my spine was an addiction, so I loved reading novels about ghosts when I was a kid. As I got older, I devoured Anne Rice novels. I was mesmerized by their historical scope and the long, complex development of characters who lived dozens of lifetimes. My favorite is classic Russian literature, like Dostoevsky, which is horrific on a psychological level. Later, I got into modern transgressive fiction, so this explains the weird combo of styles in my work.
Me: What was the starting point of becoming a writer? Were you always into writing growing up?
CW: I was always into writing and dreamed of becoming an author since I was a kid. I wrote mostly for myself and shared it with friends. I never pursued it seriously because getting published seemed too farfetched. It wasn’t until self-publishing became a legitimate avenue that I said, “Hey, I can make this happen!” After getting my footing in dark fiction, I began to write short stories and became a professional author.
Me: Is there any specific genre you prefer to write? Is there a style or format that you find easier to get into, even if you don’t have a preference?
CW: I am obsessed with psychological fiction. People are endlessly fascinating. They are universes unto themselves—their personalities, traumas, hang-ups, secret cruelties, and desires. On the other side is their unlimited capacity to love and the need for love, their binding together for a cause, and their existential imperative to grow. I never tire of exploring myself and others through writing fiction, and then playing out their growth through the dynamics of the story.
Me: Having contributed to various anthologies early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future projects?
CW: Being in anthologies is a great opportunity for an author. Many novelists are not comfortable with writing short stories or don’t feel like they will pay off. But being included with other authors of the same theme or genre opens you up to new fans. It also builds your body of work for more credibility when you do want to approach a publisher with a manuscript. On top of that, some anthologies are nominated or win awards, which gives the author’s name extra prestige.
Me: What is the general process for getting involved in these projects?
CW: To get involved in anthologies is to first know what they want and how you might fit in. You may have stories already written that you want to sell. If you have time, you can write something new specifically for that submission call.
In my case, I had stories already stashed that I tweaked to better fit what the publisher was looking for. I was lucky that what I had was already close to the themes they were covering. But this didn’t always work. (People never see how many of a writer’s stories are rejected!) In some cases, the stories I already had written were not exactly on topic, so I hacked them up and bent them in unnatural ways in an attempt to fit in a call.
In the end, I wasted time and effort, overediting the story till it lost its core. So be very discerning about the projects you choose to adapt.
Me: How did you settle on the plots for your writing? With your work involving both ‘The Sculptor’ and ‘Sick’ series of novels, what type of prep-work goes into making sure everything contains enough throughlines to the past entries in the series?
CW: I’m not much of a plotter. I have a vague idea for a story and begin. I work on developing my characters and have learned that whether I make a detailed outline or not, they take over the story, and it unfurls according to their choices.
As for keeping consistency in the series, I read and rewrite many times to make sure I keep my character’s arc on the right trajectory and that the plot is sound. Also, I know my characters so well that I feel their experiences are my own. So when writing subsequent books, I’m writing as them and drawing on their memories of what they had been through.
Me: What is your writing process? How do you stay focused on writing?
CW: My writing process is largely intuitive. Many of my premises, like Sick’s, have come from dreams and nightmares. I also have an ongoing list in my phone—random questions I have about the world, peculiar occurrences, and notes from people-watching. When I need a story idea, I choose a few seemingly unrelated elements to combine them into a story.
As for staying focused, there are times when focusing on writing is all I can do, when the story is gushing from you so powerfully that your fingers can barely keep up. Unfortunately, that is not often the case, and writing can be a slog. So I stay focused by making a container around me. I use brown noise or binaural beats to create a bubble of sound. Most importantly, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb and try to restrain myself from opening any windows or apps.
Me: Your most recent release, “Sick,” collects the original novellas into a single collection. What went into the decision to release them in this format?
CW: When I first wrote Sick, I didn’t think it would go beyond the first novella. But readers wanted the story to continue. So I released each part in a series as I finished it. When I approached Blood Bound Books, it seemed the logical thing to do was to combine the novellas into a full-length novel.
Me: During the original writing sessions, was there anything about the characters that you were surprised by in telling their stories?
CW: Oh, yes. I was shocked by what my characters were capable of. In Sick, I knew John was capable of some devious shit, but Susan was the one who subverted my expectations. Even as my characters’ creator, I have no idea what’s lurking within them until the story plays out. Many artists feel as though they are channeling their creations rather than actively and consciously molding them. That is how I feel. And that is why I don’t plan or plot much. I don’t want to spoil things by making my characters who I think they should be and have the plot go where I think it should go.
Surprises for me make surprises for the reader. I don’t know why or how it happens, but I am not going to ask or mess with the creative process. We’ll just leave it as a mystery.
Me: Once it was finally written, what was the process for having it published?
CW: With Sick, I self-published the first editions. It was a lot of work because I designed the covers, did the formatting, publishing, positioning, and marketing. I enjoyed every minute of the book creation process, and it taught me how to do every step along the way. But after the series was finished, I could only take it so far.
Working with Blood Bound Books has been such a great experience. They are a publisher that really cares about their authors and the horror community. I’m no longer surviving in the wilderness on my own. Now I feel like part of a bigger literary movement with other uniquely talented authors.
Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
CW: I need a lot of alone time to function. Conversely, I also need to go out into the world, meet new people, and have new experiences. A solid daily Vedic meditation practice is the foundation of everything. I am always in the middle of a psychology, neuroscience, and mystical book. Self-discovery is a never-ending process that continues to feed me creatively, so I journal regularly. This works in tandem with exploring the inner workings of fictional characters. They teach you about yourself in ways you never could’ve imagined.
Me: What else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?
CW: I have taken a hiatus from writing to pursue a new creative project— The Write Catalyst App. It’s a system that combines what I’ve learned about psychology, consciousness, and the creative process into something to help fiction writers reach their full potential.
It starts with determining your Writer Archetype, a creative personality assessment based on Jungian psychology that I applied specifically to creative writing. Writers discover why they’re called to write fiction and what they’re trying to express. They learn what their greatest strengths are and their unique roles to embrace. The process identifies the fears and self-limiting beliefs that keep writers from shining their creative force.
The other features of the app include mindset, tracking, and productivity tools to help writers create at their highest level. I have always struggled with distractions, impostor syndrome, and keeping on track. Basically, I’m creating the app I need to give myself a kick in the ass! Writers can take the quiz to find out their Writer Archetype at https://writerarchetype.com
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
CW: Women in horror are taking the genre to a new standard—with more rawness, depth, and nuance. They are making bold statements and shifting paradigms. There is still work to do, but we are blessed to be alive in a time where we are free to step up and make our voices heard. Our female ancestors, even as recent as our mothers, could never express themselves as honestly as we can now. The horror, the rage, the fear that we have collectively held in for thousands of years can now be unleashed and help other women not feel so alone.
My advice to women in horror is to take full advantage of this freedom. Be the voice for all the women who endured the centuries behind you in silence. Be your most audacious and true. Don’t hold anything back!
To follow Christa’s work online, check out her links below:
Website:
https://facebook.com/ChristaWojo22
https://instagram.com/christawojo
Sick on Amazon
https://christawojo.com/sickbook
Writer Archetype Quiz
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Thanks to Don Anelli for interviewing me and for supporting Women in Horror.
You can see the rest of his Women in Horror interviews on his site. https://donshorrorworld.blogspot.com/
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