Christopher Labaza used to hate writing about himself. He preferred to pen fantastical stories set in fictional lands. But recently, the North Carolinian has challenged himself to write stories rooted in reality and to write more introspectively. This, says Christopher, has helped him see others in a new light. In today’s Featured Writer Q&A, Christopher elaborates on the evolution of his writing and where he sees his craft taking him in the future.
Your piece “Two Mutts” was named Runner Up in our Flash Fiction Competition! What kind of experience, if any, did you have with this genre prior to entering the competition? Can you tell us a bit about your writing process for this story?
I actually really love flash fiction. It’s nice and short but packs a punch. It forces the writer to only include the essential parts of the story. When you only have 99 words, each one must be perfect. The key to writing excellent flash fiction is giving the narrator a distinct and powerful voice. Your words don’t have to be eloquent or flowery. Sometimes, depending on the theme or purpose of the story, I like to give it a rough edge by using almost broken English.
I like to hinge my stories off one, or a few, simple ideas. These ideas may pertain to a certain character, place, or phrase. In the case of “Two Mutts”, I began with the image of a "spitting sky”. From there, the character blossomed. And from the character, a story. Once I had the gist of the story down on paper, I checked my word count and then began to chip away at the expendable words and ideas. I really think it came alive in the editing process. That was where the narrator’s voice stuck out and all the other pieces fell into place.
Who or what are some of your biggest writing inspirations?
For a long time, I was afraid of writing about myself. I wanted to put my story in fantasy worlds where I would never go, or to write about things that I could distance myself from. But after some intense thinking, I saw the flaw in my reasoning. I began to look inside myself to find my own voice. It’s almost like I use myself as a specimen for studying people, both as individuals and in relation to one another. This has really helped me come to understand others in a new light. I can project myself onto them, which is kind of like walking in their shoes. And another part of that is letting others walk in your shoes.
I’m also inspired by people. In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens says, "A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.” I am inspired to write to try to unlock those secrets and to share the secrets of myself with others.
You come from a family of five boys. What’s it like having a big family—especially one with so many boys?
It is nice to have a gang of companions to hang out with—even if we do quarrel sometimes. We tend to enjoy the same things and we are always very busy. My poor parents run around all over the place to try and keep up with up with us between school, clubs, soccer practices, etc. But I think the best part about being from a big family is that you’re never alone. You always have a buddy to start something new with, and there’s always someone to talk to or play with. Sometimes it is hard to get away from it all to sit down and write, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Where do you see your writing taking you in the future?
I hope that I can make a living out of writing some day. A year or so ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. I was young, bright, hard working, and very curious, which basically meant I could be anything I wanted to be. With endless possibilities, it was hard to choose a path to follow. But, in the past year, I have been writing a lot more. It’s really the only thing I want to do. Luckily, there are many routes a writer can take—from technical writing to journalism to creative writing. If everything works out the way I hope it will, I will become a novelist and write and dream all day long.
When and where do get your best writing done?
For me, there is no perfect place, but rather a Goldilocks zone. I prefer to write on my laptop, but I also will write on my phone from time to time. And I like to write when it is quiet. But if not, I can always put in my ear buds and drown out the noise with music. I find it a lot easier to write at night, but it’s not a necessity.
You’re from Raleigh, North Carolina. If you had to create mini travel guide for someone visiting the area, which attractions and activities would you put on the list?
One of my favorite things to do in Raleigh is to visit one of the many museums. There’s the North Carolina Museum of Art, the North Carolina Museum of History, Marbles Kids Museum, and, my personal favorite, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, which my family calls the Dinosaur Museum because of its great dinosaur exhibit. There are also some great parks and forests in the area such as Umstead State Park. Seasonal attractions I would recommended are sporting events like a North Carolina State basketball and football game. You could also attend a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game. In the fall, the State Fair attracts visitors from across the state who enjoy fun, games, and food.
