How Desmond Hall Sits Down & Writes
Fans of Jason Reynold's 'Long Way Down' will want to grab a copy of Desmond Hall's 'Your Corner Dark' ASAP.
Things can change in a second:
The second Frankie Green gets that scholarship letter, he has his ticket out of Jamaica.
The second his longtime crush, Leah, asks him on a date, he’s in trouble.
The second his father gets shot, suddenly nothing else matters.
And the second Frankie joins his uncle’s gang in exchange for paying for his father’s medical bills, there’s no going back...or is there?
As Frankie does things he never thought he’d be capable of, he’s forced to confront the truth of the family and future he was born into—and the ones he wants to build for himself.
Your Corner Dark is perfect for fans of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds and American Street by Ibi Zoboi.
We caught up with Desmond and chatted with him about drawing inspiration from his career experiences, creating a mood through music, and being a plotter from the moment he wakes up.
Q: Where do you like to write the most?
The basement of the Brookline Public Library is quiet. Down there they have these glass rooms that sort of stick out of the building, so you get silence and sun. What I also like is that I can leave my stuff in the room, and take a walk to look at all the pretty books.
Q: When do you like to write the most?
It’s key for me NOT to have a preferred time. I just have to write whenever I get the chance to sit and open my laptop. It’s important NOT to desire the perfect light, the perfect cup of coffee, or the right words from my muse. I have to be more of a soldier, or as Eddie Murphy once said, “A Karate Man!”
Q: When it comes to drafting, do you prefer writing on a computer or freehand?
Computer for sure. However, I have noticed that when I write by hand the editor in me plays a bigger role. What I mean is I think a lot more about the prose when I write by hand. When I write by computer I focus on the big picture: plot, theme, etc.
Q: Are you more of a plotter or pantser?
Oh, I wake up plotting, trying to figure out ways to put my characters in tense situations where they have to make a choice that uncloaks their true character.
Q: Stephen King has a great line in On Writing that says “the scariest moment is always right before you start. After that, things can only get better.” That scary pre-start moment often inspires procrastination in writers. Suddenly, you have to clean your entire house, do the laundry and play Candy Crush for an hour before you can actually start writing. Is there anything you need to do before you can actually sit down and work?
Stephen King is a genius.
I like to create a brief outline of the scene I’m going to work on before I write. I jot down the character’s intentions, the obstacle to those intentions, and thoughts on what the turn might be. Those plot points “bake” in my mind, and when I sit down to write I take them out of the oven, so to speak.
Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what music? Is your choice of music inspired by the project you’re working on?
Sometimes, but only to create a mood. For example, I was listening to conscious Reggae when I was writing Your Corner Dark: Popcaan, Capelton, Sizzla, and Vybes. When I feel the vibe that helps inform the scene I’m trying to create, I turn the music off. I prefer to write when it’s quiet.
Q: Some writers believe you have to write every single day. Is that true of your process? How often do you write/how long for each session?
I love writing every day, and for as long as I can. I think the more you write the better you are at writing. That’s true for most crafts I think.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give an aspiring author?
There’s a great quote that goes something like; published writers are the ones who didn’t give up.
Q: Where do you normally find story inspiration?
I draw from past experiences and I do a lot of research.
Q: Your Corner Dark is being compared to both Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds and American Street by Ibi Zoboi. Did you look to these works, or any others, for inspiration while writing Your Corner Dark?
It’s an honor to be compared to Jason Reynolds, and I did love Long Way Down. I haven’t read American Street, but it’s on the list. The book I drew a lot of inspiration from was Richard Price’s Clockers. He layers so much humanity into his crime stories.
Q: Your career resume includes time as a high school teacher, counselor for ex-cons, and advertising creative director. How did these experiences play a role in your writing process?
I think all those experiences come into play. I remember talking to the great screenwriter, Budd Schulburg. I asked him how he came up with that great line from the awesome movie, ON THE WATERFRONT. “…I coulda been a contender…instead of a bum.” He said he was in Gleason’s boxing gym and overheard a palooka saying those words to his manager. Mr. Schulburg said he quickly jotted down the line because he knew he would use it in a script one day.
Essentially, he was telling me to draw from all my experiences.
Q: Contemporary settings need a fair bit of world-building. The setting in Your Corner Dark feels like a character in and of itself. How did you go about setting the stage for your novel?
Thanks for saying that! I love Jamaica. I’ve driven all over the island with my dad, and my uncles, and I’ve lived in several different areas, so I know it well. I drew from all my past experiences, and from my constant research. I read the Jamaica Gleaner every day, and I always search for articles from other sources.
Q: What is your entry point when creating your characters? Did you have a favorite one to write?
I’m a huge fan of Robert McKee, the storytelling guru. During one of his exercises he had us write a character’s name in the middle of a blank page, and then surround him or her with “forces of antagonism”—people, places, ideas, and even weather that will serve as obstacles. I love that exercise because it helps to heighten the stakes for the character.
In regards to your second question: I loved writing Aunt Jenny. If you read Your Corner Dark, you’ll see why.
Q: What's the last book that kept you up late?
Sadie, by that roughneck, Courtney Summers.
Grab a copy of Your Corner Dark at Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, or Bookshop.org.
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