in the series of Crimelines interviews, today I’m talking to

Kay Ryder

[©2014 K.Ryder]

Tell us how you got involved in the Crimelines project?

I was invited to submit a story for consideration, as I’m a student on the MA Creative Writing for Children at MMU. I write YA fiction, so the chance to write a crime story for teenagers was exactly the kind of opportunity I was looking for. I wrote for my favourite genre, science-fiction, and I’m excited to be part of the launch and promotion too.

Was it your first time at writing a short story to be published?

Yes, it was. I’ve written short stories before but they’ve languished on flash drives and been forgotten. Doing the MA has really focused my writing so I keep working on stories and don’t forget about them, and it’s opened up a world of possible connections.

What is it you enjoy most when writing short stories?

I love to write scenes. I like the idea that you can convey character, plot – a whole new world – in such a short space of time and that you have to be economical with your writing. Creating something engrossing, that packs as good a punch as a novel, in so few words means that I really have to focus. I think you can be more playful with short stories.

What are the main difficulties?

Getting a whole story into a short-space isn’t easy and knowing where to stop can be difficult. In fact, knowing the best point to start is probably harder. You need impact, but a short story should be more than a scene – it needs a definite ending or resolution.

Tell us a little bit about what’s ahead of you as a writer.

I’m writing my first novel now, which I hope to finish by the end of the year. Once I’ve written the first draft, I’ll be spending time editing and polishing it but also working on the sequel. I’m delving back into the world of poetry this summer, studying and writing poetry for children and working on a short story collection with fellow MA students.

Thank you Kay for this interview.