Q: So Lanette what inspired you to become a writer?
A: I always loved to read as a child and ever since then I inspired myself to write and express myself through my writing. Ever since then, I’ve been in and out of writing, taking creative writing classes in school and majoring in journalism. I’ve just always been the person to write about stuff.
Q: What genres were you particularly interested in and which authors influenced you as a writer?
A: Mostly suspense, thrillers, and anything action-packed. I guess I don’t really have a specific (person) who inspired me to write, I just always had it in me. I’ve always written short stories, I’ve always done little things here and there, and I’ve always had different things that I wanted to write about so I just wrote what I felt like writing and I try to stay focused on doing that.
Q: What is your big goal with your writing, like do you plan on going onto to something larger?
A: Hopefully, I get published first. Probably eBooks first because it’s cheaper, and then eventually print. Then, hopefully, probably movies, maybe plays, but I’ve got to stay focused because I might have a little issue with focus about completing a full play or movie, but eventually I hope to get there so everybody will see my play or my movie, and my writing, and then it’s all good. So, hopefully novels, movies, and plays are down the road.
Q: Are you trying to have any kind of impact on the world through your work or do you hope influence mainstream media?
A: I guess one thing would be to have more African American big names out there. You only have like Spike Lee and Tyler Perry as far as plays and movies, so hopefully in the future I can be up there in the ranks, and also, being a female, my works can be well known like Maya Angelou and that kind of stuff so everybody can remember me now and after I’m dead, so people will still be borrowing my work. Hopefully I can be on that level of success where everybody knows my name.
Q: You mentioned eBooks, so how do you feel about this whole transition into the digital age?
A: At first, I thought it sucked because I majored in print journalism and now print is getting smaller and smaller by the years. But now I have to deal with it and kind of adapt to anything online and other media, and learn new skills in media. So now I’ve had to up my ante and just continue with both print and online, becoming more well-versed in both areas, so either way I can make some money somewhere.
Q: Any inspirational words or words of encouragement you want to leave fans or any other aspiring writers like yourself?
A: Just keep writing and keep writing good stuff. Nothing crazy, you know, but keep it good, keep it where you want it with your own style, and in the future someone will eventually picks it up and you’ll be a big success!
To read more from Lanette Lee you can see her short stories and blog at www.creativemindset.weebly.com. And that’s all for today, folks!