Alanna Petty

What do you write?
I generally tend to write short stories with elements of metafiction and magical realism, as well as bitter spoken-word poetry, but recently I’ve ventured into radio script and choose-your-own-adventure stories too. I write for adults; I’ve never written anything for children. Whatever it is, I’m not usually satisfied unless it has a strong narrative voice; I rarely write anything in the third person because I feel like I can show more in first or second. But as long as I can really get inside my characters’ heads, I’m happy.

Pen & paper or computer & printer?
Whatever’s at hand when ideas come. I even have sections of prose, description, dialogue, notes and entire poems saved on my phone! I have a bad habit of coming up with ideas while falling asleep or walking to town or even when I’m drunk. Writing on computers makes it much easier to edit though, so I tend to stick with technology; I can type much faster than I can write, so there’s less risk of forgetting something before I have a chance to write it down.

Where do you write?  Where would you like to write?
Anywhere and everywhere, though I tend to get distracted at home. Writing on campus at Uni is most useful as it’s away from social media, and I can really get myself in the zone. I feel like over the years, even during my BA, I’ve conditioned myself to work at Uni and relax at home.

Which do you enjoy more – researching, writing or editing?
As much as I adore the researching and writing processes, they can be exhausting. I tend to find editing the most satisfying; the stage where all your hard work starts to come together and you get to fine tune it to be as effective and poignant a piece as possible. Also it’s the most useful for me, as I never write chronologically; I just write as the ideas come, in whatever order they do.

First book or poem you fell in love with?
Dr Seuss – Did I ever tell you how lucky you are?
I made my dad read it to me so much when I was little that he had it memorized.

Cat, dog, budgie, bunny or goldfish?
Yes. Please. Right now.