295: Writing an Unlikable but Sympathetic Protagonist — Interview with Claire Waller

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hey there word nerds!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Claire Waller.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Claire is a secondary school teacher who works with teenagers with mental health issues. She has had two adult horror novels (Predator X, Nine Eyes) published by Australian indie publisher, Severed Press. FUGLY is her first YA novel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Claire lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat called Hiccup, and various dinosaurs. Her interests include drawing, baking, palaeontology, horror, and roleplaying.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode Claire and I discuss:</span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The very personal inspiration for</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Fugly</span></em></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The toxic love of cruelty online</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Writing a character that behaves in a problematic way</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Expectations for negative female characters verses male ones</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Bringing personal experience to a fictional character</span></li> </ul> <h4><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plus, her #1 tip for writers.</span></em></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For more info and shownotes: <a href="http://www.diymfa.com/295" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">www.diymfa.com/295</a></span></p>