"5 Questions" with Tayler Wright

What do you think makes a good story?     

To me, a good story is something that makes the reader feel something. If a person is reading a story, and that story manages to make them cry, laugh, throw the book at the wall, anything then it’s a good story. By making the reader connect with the story, they’ve made a difference in the life of that one person.

Do you use events from your own life?

Absolutely! I think it’s easier to pull emotions from things that have happened to me and make my characters experience these them then trying to make them fit the criteria for something completely foreign. Is it a cop-out? Probably. Does it make for effective writing? Yes. Readers want to immerse themselves in the emotions of the characters. If they can’t connect to the characters because what the characters are feeling doesn’t reflect the situation, then it isn’t a believable story.

Do you plot extensively or do they sit down and start writing without a clue where the story might take you?

When I first started writing, I sat down and just let the story unfold before me. I let the story tell itself and even I was surprised about where it went. That was because I didn’t have any other ideas for novels and it worked that one time. Now, I have several ideas, and while I did write a rough outline for them already, when it comes time to actually do the writing, I’ll make a better outline. Having too many ideas at once can get overwhelming for some people.

What does your family think of your work?

My family loves the idea that I’m a published author, but my Dad and my sister-in-law are the only two people in my family are the only ones who’ve actually read my work. They both say they love it, but I don’t know if they’re just saying that to make me feel better about myself or…

What thought, idea, or question sparked this story?

The trilogy came about because after reading The Hunger Games, I went on a frenzy and researched every book that I could that had to do with the end of the world. Naturally, I stumbled across all of the zombie literature and read every one of them I could get my hands on. Eventually, I ran out of things to read and I really couldn’t find a zombie book to satisfy this need I had for one. So, I decided to write an extremely short version (a 5 page paper for English class) that eventually turned into the first book.