Time is a precious commodity of which there never seems to be enough. There are seldom nights I fall into bed (the best feeling !) that I don’t wish there had been a few more hours in my day. I always see this as a positive though, that my day was so good I want more of it, even if I didn’t have time to accomplish everything. I feed off the challenges and opportunities each daybreak presents.
Since serious writing became a part of my life five years ago, the distribution of time in my day has changed dramatically. Never in my wildest imagination had I any idea of the demands as one steps, tentatively or boldly, into the world of writing and publishing. When I think of it now I always envision a Pandora’s jar (often mistranslated, apparently, as a box) kind of scenario, opened out of curiosity with a seemingly never-ending release of everything I didn’t know about what I now need to do. In Pandora’s case it was evil spilling out. In mine it’s all the rest of the “stuff” that becomes part of a writers’ world if I so choose. I’m not a good enough blogger, nor do I have the t i m e to list it all here. Read Patricia Caviglia’s fabulous blog to learn in detail about everything that came tumbling out. She gets it. She doesn’t miss a detail and in the series of her posts offers truly helpful information to writers beginning their journey who have yet to open that jar. In the end when Pandora put the lid on it, so to speak, Hope was left in the bottom. I believe Hope remains in mine too. It is an important aspect to life and drives much of what I do.
What sparked my thoughts on this today was a post I happened upon on one of my favourite websites, The Creative Penn. I have subscribed to Joanna Penn’s all-encompassing and informative site since I discovered it in my early days of writing. The content is incredibly helpful. This particular post engages its readers in offering really thoughtful feedback about the pros and cons of how a writer’s time is best spent. It’s a question that certainly occupies my mind a lot and the post and responses are well worth reading. I hope it offers you the same food for thought.
Time’s up! At least for this part of my day. Now I’ve got to find a few hours to write before I … and then … oh yes, and then … oops, I almost forgot about … but first I have to … I know you get the picture. Onward!
Patricia Caviglia
Get to know author Patricia Caviglia
Patricia Caviglia is a bright new voice on the roster of Canadian writers. 
An exotic mix of Brazilian, Italian and French cultures influence the personality of this young woman in her mid-thirties. After growing up in Montreal and tasting life abroad with a six-month stay in Italy in her twenties, she moved to Toronto 5 years ago. Somehow she manages to juggle a full-time career, raising a three-year-old daughter, and a dedication to writing. Her first published work, Masks, is a novella that has a message for all ages but is primarily directed to the YA readers.
An exotic mix of Brazilian, Italian and French cultures influence the personality of this young woman in her mid-thirties. After growing up in Montreal and tasting life abroad with a six-month stay in Italy in her twenties, she moved to Toronto 5 years ago. Somehow she manages to juggle a full-time career, raising a three-year-old daughter, and a dedication to writing. Her first published work, Masks, is a novella that has a message for all ages but is primarily directed to the YA readers.What was your primary inspiration for your novella Masks?
In 2008, I was at a crossroads in my life. I had become a new mom and realized I was my daughter’s first and most important example of a woman. I felt that I could only teach her to pursue her dreams by pursuing my own – even if, in the end I failed. I hadn’t written in years, but it had always been my dream to be a published author. I went for it.
In 2008, I was at a crossroads in my life. I had become a new mom and realized I was my daughter’s first and most important example of a woman. I felt that I could only teach her to pursue her dreams by pursuing my own – even if, in the end I failed. I hadn’t written in years, but it had always been my dream to be a published author. I went for it.
How do you initially develop your characters and do you find they begin to take on a life of their own as the story progresses?
I don’t think I develop my characters at all. Something will trigger their existence in my mind. With Masks, a movie [Tout est parfait (Everything Is fine)] about a clique of suicidal boys reminded me so much of being a teenager that I couldn’t shake off the feeling. A few days after seeing the movie, Rebecca, the main character in Masks, appeared in my mind.
My characters always have a life of their own. They have their interests, likes, dislikes, thoughts, pasts, dreams, bad habits, etc. Although they may only exist in my mind, they are fully formed people. If I want to know something about them, I ask them. I don’t debate whether something fits their life or not.
This sounds a little crazy but I’m sure a few fiction writers would say the same.
I don’t think I develop my characters at all. Something will trigger their existence in my mind. With Masks, a movie [Tout est parfait (Everything Is fine)] about a clique of suicidal boys reminded me so much of being a teenager that I couldn’t shake off the feeling. A few days after seeing the movie, Rebecca, the main character in Masks, appeared in my mind.
My characters always have a life of their own. They have their interests, likes, dislikes, thoughts, pasts, dreams, bad habits, etc. Although they may only exist in my mind, they are fully formed people. If I want to know something about them, I ask them. I don’t debate whether something fits their life or not.
This sounds a little crazy but I’m sure a few fiction writers would say the same.
Are you drawn more to crafting short stories or is there a novel waiting to be unleashed?
I enjoy writing both. At times, I don’t feel like writing and have to push myself. Writing a short story can be just as hard as writing a novel. It all depends on the story. But with the short story, if I force myself to write, I know I will reach an ending fairly quickly. That makes it easier to motivate myself. With a novel, the page count alone leaves me a little ill. When I look at the bottom of the screen and see 235 words as the total word count, I think “Only 69 365 to go for a novel.” That’s scary!
Having said that, I love writing. Whether it’s a well crafted letter or e-mail, a blog post, a short story, song lyrics, or a novel, I enjoy it all.
I enjoy writing both. At times, I don’t feel like writing and have to push myself. Writing a short story can be just as hard as writing a novel. It all depends on the story. But with the short story, if I force myself to write, I know I will reach an ending fairly quickly. That makes it easier to motivate myself. With a novel, the page count alone leaves me a little ill. When I look at the bottom of the screen and see 235 words as the total word count, I think “Only 69 365 to go for a novel.” That’s scary!
Having said that, I love writing. Whether it’s a well crafted letter or e-mail, a blog post, a short story, song lyrics, or a novel, I enjoy it all.
As writers, we all have hopes as to what our readers will take away from a story. What were yours with Masks?
My stories don’t have any morals. I read because I enjoy a good story. I write because I enjoy writing. I hope my readers will enjoy my story. I hope that for a few hours, they will get lost in someone else’s life.
My stories don’t have any morals. I read because I enjoy a good story. I write because I enjoy writing. I hope my readers will enjoy my story. I hope that for a few hours, they will get lost in someone else’s life.
How does your writing reflect your personal view on life?I like to dream about the possibilities, but I live with both feet firmly planted on the ground. I write stories that could be about anyone one of us. I’m sure there is a technical term but I don’t know what it is. I think of myself as a a real life fiction author.
You are such a busy woman. With a full-time career and a delightful three-year-old daughter, how do you find time to write?
I sleep little and mainly write after I get home from work around 10 PM for as long as I can. Last night, I was revising Masks for Kindle Publishing until three thirty.
I sleep little and mainly write after I get home from work around 10 PM for as long as I can. Last night, I was revising Masks for Kindle Publishing until three thirty.
Was there anything that came as a big surprise to you in your journey to become a published author?
I was surprised by how supportive my friends have been. They are proud of me for having finally published. They have always seen me as an author and were happy for me when I decided to pursue my passion.
I was surprised by how supportive my friends have been. They are proud of me for having finally published. They have always seen me as an author and were happy for me when I decided to pursue my passion.
What advice would you offer to writers who are considering publishing for the first time?
Start building your social media network when you decide publication is what you want. Blog, Tweet, Facebook. Do it all. If you don’t know it already, you will be hitting your head against the wall for weeks and months trying to figure all this stuff out. You need it to build an audience and promote your work. Get familiar with the sites.
I understand you are currently working on a couple of manuscripts. Are you willing to share anything about your next novel with us at this point?
One is a story about a rock star. I am debating how to publish it. It might be a serial of short stories. We’ll see.The other project is an offshoot of Masks. The main character is Diana Rainville, the awful best friend. It takes place a few years after high school and she’s still dealing with the consequences of her betrayal. I really like her. I hope readers will like her too. Lastly, I am currently revising Masks and releasing the new version as an e-book only on Amazon and Barnes & Noble on April 3.
To read samples of Patricia’s work and keep up with her latest projects, visit her website and leave your comments at http://www.patriciacaviglia.com
