Blogs by Ella Fisher

Background & Inspiration

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself to readers who don’t yet know you?
   Everyone assumes 😉 my name is Ella Fisher, but that’s not true. My real name is Wendy. I’m 41 years old, a mother of two beautiful daughters. I work as a Team Assistant to two VPs and their teams. I've held that position for nine years. In my free time, I love writing—working on books, blogging, journaling, etc.
2. What’s your first memory of storytelling?
   I had a typewriter when I was younger, but before that I’d always been writing in little notebooks—wild stories, mostly about love (I was into romance early). I wrote about meeting 3T (fanfiction), The Backstreet Boys, Hanson, even The Kelly Family. Later, I got more rebellious and wrote a lot about the guys from Jackass. But I never did anything with those—somewhere I felt it was a bit weird, haha.
3. Which books shaped you most as a child?
   Stephen King’s books. I was (and still am) crazy about thrillers.
4. Who or what inspired you to become a writer?
   Stephen King, and maybe my Dutch teacher in secondary school (mavo/havo). She gave me strong grades in Dutch—one of those was for my book presentation on Stephen King.
5. What did literature mean to you while growing up?
   A lot. Reading is good for your brain, you learn so much, it fuels your creativity and imagination. It’s nice to accumulate knowledge, so later you can converse about many topics.
6. Did you have a mentor or role model?
   My father. He was a sharp writer, so I think I inherited (or learned) a lot from him.
7. How important was reading in your upbringing?
   Important, but not over the top. My parents read to me often when I was a child, and I myself did a lot of reading. So yes—I grew up surrounded by books and stories.
8. Do you keep old notes or diaries?
   Yes, though they’re mostly unreadable now because I always scribble over them when I retype into Word. I almost never revisit them. I probably should toss them the moment one is full. That’s a good plan for when I fill another.
9. Which life event influenced your writing style?
   I always wrote, but never completed a long story or finished one properly. I often fumbled the ending because I’d jump to a new idea I wanted to write. When I met my partner, he encouraged me to go all in on writing, to live my dream. The result: four books written so far.
10. Which author do you admire most, and why?
    Stephen King. Because what must an immense thrill it be to see your stories turned into films and shown in theaters? Also, his perseverance—after countless rejections, he still succeeded.
11. Who is your literary “family” or movement?
    Suzanne Vermeer. I’ve even been told I write better than her 😊 which is a sweet compliment. I see myself in the “lasting” genre, but when I look at my third book, I’d call it a romantic thriller. My first two and my latest book fit more into the K‑drama style. I wonder, if someday a Korean person reads my book, would they agree? Haha.
12. Which other art forms inspire you?
    Music tops the list alongside writing. I’m not big on instrumental music—I lean more toward lyrics. I watch a lot of K‑dramas, thrillers, horrors, but I also enjoy a rom‑com now and then.
13. Do you write to express yourself, or to move the reader?
    Moving the reader is tricky. When I hear “move,” I think of writing something so sad the reader cries. But if “move” also includes feel‑good moments, getting lost in the story, yes—then I aim for that too. But honestly, I don’t usually start with that intention. I write for myself, to put into words the ideas I have in my head. Later, when I reread and think, “Did I really write that?”—that’s the magic. I’ve had that with my first two books, and it’s a great feeling.
14. How much autobiography is in your work?
    People who know me well will recognize that things characters say can be autobiographical. But the question is which things 😉 I won’t lay everything bare here. Typically, the protagonist is a woman whose character sometimes matches me, sometimes doesn’t at all. Keeping secrets keeps life—and writing—interesting.
15. How does current events influence your writing?
    A little, sometimes—but never too much. I like to keep my work unique. Too many writers lean on current events; I enjoy avoiding that.
16. Are you more a dreamer or observer?
    A dreamer. That’s why I write fluidly. I daydream or nightdream story ideas, then quickly work them out.
    
    

The Writing Process

1. What does a typical writing day look like for you?
   I have to admit: I don’t really have a “typical” writing day anymore, ever since my daughters came along. But usually I carve out a few hours on a free day or in the evening. When I write, I start by hand, jotting ideas in a notebook. I set a 10‑minute timer and write nonstop. After ten minutes I take a 5‑minute break and repeat. I write fast by hand. If I typed directly into Word, it would feel different—and probably shorter. I drink tea or coffee while writing and eliminate distractions (phone off, no music, silent room).
2. Do you use a strict plan or follow intuition?
   Maybe strict planning could work, but I usually let the writing moment guide me. Sometimes I lose motivation (not often), and then I’ll do something else. Ideas often resurface, or the block vanishes—that’s just how it goes.
3. Do you prefer to write morning or night?
   If I have the choice (which I get maybe one day a week), I prefer morning. That’s when my mind is sharpest and creativity flows best.
4. How do you juggle writing with other obligations?
   Sometimes it’s challenging, especially with kids and a social life. I always get one day off, and at least part of that day I devote to writing—though I also have chores and errands. Evening writing is possible, but there’s so much tempting on Netflix (Warrior, Alice in Borderland season 2) that I don’t often do it. I also work out at least one evening per week, so that evening is out too.
5. Do you write better in silence or with music?
   Silence, without a doubt. With music, I get distracted and drift off to other things.
6. How much research do you do before writing a story?
   Usually not much in advance, but I do research during writing when a topic comes up. I’m currently writing about someone who uses coke, so I’ve looked up how coke affects the body, what addiction does, etc.
7. Do you use outlines or mind maps?
   Neither, really. But once I’m far along, I make an overview of all chapters to see if the flow works, whether chapters should be moved, deleted, or added.
8. Do you use writers’ software (Scrivener, Notion, etc.)?
   I always finalize my writing in Word. That works best for me.
9. Do you write chronologically or skip between scenes?
   I once received feedback saying my story becomes more exciting with flashbacks and flashforwards, so now I write “more exciting”—not always linearly. I used to be purely chronological.
10. How do you handle writer’s block?
    I watch K‑dramas. That’s the answer for me. I wish I’d discovered those series earlier.
11. How long do you normally work on a book?
    On average, two to three years. But I think it could go faster. Sometimes I don’t write for weeks—not from a block but simply lack of motivation. Between my 32‑hour-per-week job, family, and social life, I tell myself: it will come.
12. How many times do you rewrite before you’re satisfied?
    Not many times. This isn’t arrogance; it’s just how I write. I believe I produce good text, so rewriting isn’t usually necessary. What I do often is cut overly detailed sentences—frequently I delete sentences.
13. Do you have others read your work mid‑process?
    I used to, but I don’t anymore. I prefer to have someone read the full, finished manuscript. That way, I receive feedback at once. Otherwise I feel I’ll never finish, haha.
14. Do you use beta readers or editors during the process?
    For my third book I did enlist beta readers via Instagram, and it helped greatly. Whether I’ll do it again? I’m not sure. I use ChatGPT to catch typos or language issues, and I also ask for feedback there.
15. Do you keep notebooks or digital notes?
    I have a notebook at home where I write everything before transferring to Word. Sometimes I record voice notes on my phone or email myself ideas.
16. Do you prefer long writing sessions or short fragments?
    I prefer long sessions. It forces me to write in one flow, and I’m much more productive. Short sessions force me to recapture the feeling of each scene, which I find hard sometimes.
17. How do you stay motivated on big projects?
    I’m naturally very positive. I tell myself there will come an end to the story. I just keep going and refuse to worry.
18. How do you decide when a book is “finished”?
    When I’ve written everything I wanted to say. When plotting new twists feels forced. When I see I’ve produced a hefty novel (200+ pages), and I can no longer think what else to write. Or when I feel I’m trimming or chopping too many chapters.