Interview With Melanie Hooyenga

I'd like to welcome Melanie Hooyenga to the blog today for an interview. I've reviewed a bunch of her books recently and wanted to share more about her as an author!

Onto the interview! 

 Do you have a set routine for writing?

Lately it seems to be “guilt trip myself until I sit down to write,” haha. Launching The Quiet Unraveling of Eve Ellaway took a lot of time and energy, and in the few weeks around the publication date, everything else had to wait. Now I’m trying to get back into my routine, which consists of me bringing a cup of tea to my office first thing in the morning, settling in my chaise chair, starting the playlist for my book, and writing for 45 minutes to an hour. I have an 8–5 day job, and writing first thing in the morning before the rest of the world and my responsibilities creep in leaves me feeling satisfied because I’ve accomplished one big to-do for the day.

I should point out that this is my ideal routine. All kinds of things can disrupt that routine, and I’m very cranky when they do, but life happens and I just make sure to do my best to get back to it the following day.

What's your favourite tip for newbie writers?

Keep writing and tell the voice in your head to shut up until you’ve finished the first draft. One of the most challenging things when you first start is believing that you can actually do it. (Honestly, that doesn’t go away, but it’s especially daunting on the first manuscript.) It’s tempting to polish and edit and make that first scene/passage/chapter perfect before moving on, but the best thing you can do is keep pushing forward.

One trick I like to do is if I’m stuck trying to figure out the right word but can’t think of it, I give myself one minute, and after that I put the next best choice in brackets so I know during edits that’s not the word I wanted. More times than not I remember it’s the wrong word when I come across it, but it satisfies my inner critic while I’m writing.

Do you hoard notebooks or anything else writing related?

I own all the pens and markers known to humankind. Okay, maybe not all of them, but I have more writing devices than any one person really ought to have. In fact, I once did a giveaway asking people to guess how many I owned. People often gift me pens and markers — WHICH I LOVE — and I still can’t resist them when I stroll down the office supply aisle.

Which genre is your favourite to write in?

YA! All ten books that I’ve published are young adult, and while I don’t have any plans to deviate from that, the first two books I wrote (but haven’t published) were written for an adult audience. I may tackle an adult novel at some point, but I’m in no rush.

Would you ever use a pen name? And if so, why?

Hooyenga is technically a pen name because it’s my maiden name. I wasn’t married when I published my first book in 2012, so I planned all along to continue writing under that name.

I’m currently only writing young adult books, but I know a lot of YA authors who’ve switched to a pen name when they publish books for an adult audience, or books that are a very different genre (from romance to science fiction, for example). At the moment I don’t have plans to add a pen name, but I’ve learned to never say never!

Which social media do you enjoy using the most?

I’m on Facebook a lot, but that’s more for keeping up with friends and events in my area. I really like the vibe on Threads and have been spending more time there lately. Instagram will always have a soft spot in my heart because I love photography and have a background in design, so I’m well-suited for that platform. I’m still mourning Twitter’s demise. Bluesky hasn’t quite filled that loss for me, and TikTok is one of my least-opened apps.

Do you have any pets?

Boy, do I! I have a Miniature Schnauzer named Gus who is ALL personality. He has an Instagram (@greetingsfromgus) with over 15K followers, but most of those followers are from our previous dog, Owen. Gus is three years old, can jump three times his height, and barks at absolutely everything. We brought him home a month after I started working remotely, so he’s very attached to me. Schnauzers are very smart and pretty high energy, and Gus keeps us on our toes.

Do you keep good reviews and reader comments?

No, but now you’ve given me the idea! A lot of authors avoid reading reviews, and you’ll regularly see advice to avoid Goodreads like the plague, not because it’s a horrible place, but because it’s a place for READERS. Once a book is published, you as the author no longer have control over how people interpret what you wrote and any opinions — good or bad — that come with it. And people can be mean.

But people can also be so delightfully amazing. One of my favorite things about writing is hearing how the stories that came from my brain affect living, breathing people. Even better if I can watch them while they’re reading and store those reactions for times when I’m second-guessing myself.

I have been collecting what I think are funny reactions to TQUEE. Things like “what did I just read?!?” and “This book was a trip.” I just need a minute to sit down and put it together.

Paperback or ebook? And why?

Ebooks, definitely. I almost always buy paperback copies of my friends’ books so I do have a nice collection, but I tend to read in bed and I like the simplicity of not having to move and just clicking the button to change pages.

Where do you see yourself, and your writing, in ten years?

Hopefully on even more bookshelves than I am now! I recently signed with an agent so my plan moving forward is to be a hybrid author, meaning my books will be both traditionally- and self-published. I’m working on the first book my agent plans to pitch to editors and I have several ideas for after that. I’m really excited to see where that goes!

You can follow Melanie on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Goodreads, and Bookbub! 

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here