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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Perfect. So hopefully, we'll start to see people

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: coming in soon.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, I can see some people perfect Okie Dokie, then.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: hey, everyone, I'm Sarah from prowritingaid. Thank you for joining us today. If you can see and hear me, please drop your name and location in the chat as usual. I'm just going to keep an eye out for that when people start to come through.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Let's see. There we go. We've got Arthur from the Netherlands. So that's a good sign. You can see and hear me. Nice one, Okie Dokie. So I will just wait for people to start filtering in. And in the meantime, let's get going with some housekeeping items.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So firstly, you can access your horror. Writers fest replays by going to the Hub page. You can find the replays along with other session materials posted within the session listings. The time it takes for this can vary due to processing times with Zoom and Youtube, but they will be added as soon as possible.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: They'll also be added to our community page for all members to view. By November first, st

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: all horror writers. 1st participants will receive early access to our upcoming Black Friday sale, which will get you 50% off premium and premium pro plans for both yearly and lifetime.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: I

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: don't know if you can hear that. But there's like a bunch of helicopters going over right now. That's quite annoying. So you will automatically receive an email with more information close to the sale. But if you don't receive anything by November 16, th please reach out to hello@prowritingaid.com, and we'll be happy to help you.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: And then, if you would like to keep talking about horror writing, then we'd love to have you in our private online writing community joining is easy. You simply visit the link on the screen, and I will drop the links in the chat right now as well. So everyone can see them. There we go

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: that good. So there's the links for you.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: And you just hop over to the the on that link, and then sign in with your pricing aid info, and then you can join us in the live event. Chat to talk to other attendees.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: so we'd appreciate. If you could. Please provide your feedback on horror. Writers fest in the typeform survey that I've linked in the chat as well, and it's also on the Hub. We'd love hosting these events, and we'd really like to hear your feedback as it plays a pivotal role in our future planning. So you can tell us what you loved, what you think can be improved for next time, and what you'd like to see at a future event.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: And then we also have a fun brand new writing challenge coming up, called 5 K. In 5 days, where participants in our community will write 5,000 words or more between November 4th to the 8th we'll have daily teachings, writing prompts, discussion, forums, and even live write-ins that you can take part in. It's free to sign up, and we'd love to see you there. So I've also added the sign up link in the chat, but it's also on the hub as well.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: And then we just have some reminders for this session. So if you have a question for our guests, then please please use the Q&A box. You can find that in the button for that in the center of your zoom screen, and if you would like to chat with other viewers, then please use the chat, and be sure to select everyone in the drop down, menu to make sure that it's visible to all viewers. Otherwise your messages will just come to our guest and me.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: and then links to the offers from prowritingaid, and our guests will be available. Well, our guest links will be available on the horror. Writers fest hub. So I believe that is everything

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: for

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: housekeeping items. So let me just do that. Alt tab. And then today we are joined by V. Castro.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So V. Castro is a two-time bram stoker. Award nominated Mexican-american writer from San Antonio, Texas, now residing in the Uk. She writes horror erotic horror and Science Fiction. Her books include the haunting of Alejandra, Alien Vasquez, mestiz of blood, the queen of the cicadas out of

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Posadas Rebel Moon, which is the official netflix film novelization and goddess of Filth. Her forthcoming novel is immortal pleasures from Del Rey. So

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: I think with all of that being said, we're ready to dive in. Thank you for joining us today, Vikastro.

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V. Castro: Thank you for having me.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Right. I'm going to quickly grab up the chat in

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: at the side, so I can see what everybody is saying. And then also the Q&A, and then I can get started with our questions. So

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: there we go, right.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So let's just dive right in. So what 1st drew you to writing, and the horror and erotic horror genres.

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V. Castro: Yeah. Well, you know, I grew up with a lot of urban legends and folklore.

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V. Castro: and you know creepy tales, and it is

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V. Castro: pretty much been there since I was very little.

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V. Castro: I'm 45

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V. Castro: so I remember watching all of the eighties nineties. Horror films

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V. Castro: way, too young reading, you know.

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V. Castro: Stephen King and Rice

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V. Castro: pretty young. It's just always been there. I've always liked

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V. Castro: Halloween vampires, you know, being Mexican. American day of the dead is very big

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V. Castro: and

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V. Castro: I'm in San Antonio right now in Texas, and I went to a day of the dead festival, and it's I mean it's

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V. Castro: to an outsider it might be pretty morbid, but it's a beautiful thing, and its death is celebrated, and you have, of course, skeletons. And

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V. Castro: you're talking about the afterlife and communicating

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V. Castro: with.

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V. Castro: yeah.

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V. Castro: you know, people who have passed on. And it's it's just something that's always been there in my life in my culture.

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V. Castro: And I love writing about it. And I, you know, from a young age, loved reading about it and watching it in film.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: that's awesome. And so, were there any. I mean, you mentioned a couple there, but any specific stories or writers who inspired your own stories.

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V. Castro: You know

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V. Castro: I didn't. There weren't. There haven't been a lot of Mexican Americans writing horror

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V. Castro: just like we didn't have a lot for years and years a lot of women writing horn and writing horror stories from the female perspective.

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V. Castro: So I like to say, you know.

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V. Castro: I just

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V. Castro: kind of read everything. And yeah, there's inspiration. But I'm more inspired by the tropes, the actual tropes. So, for example, zombies, vampires, werewolves

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V. Castro: possession. Not so much other writers, because I feel as a writer, you need to be really careful with that. But I've been more inspired by the tropes and wanting to take those, and run with them.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense so kind of on a similar vein. So I personally love the cultural themes and the folklore and all of the representation that's woven into your stories. So could you just go over maybe the like, how you conduct research for those stories.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: and obviously any kind of inspirations.

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V. Castro: Yeah, I mean, basically, I read a lot of nonfiction books. So, depending on what I'm writing about.

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V. Castro: I will go and search that immortal pleasures I had. I went and read a lot of

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V. Castro: texts about the Conquest.

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V. Castro: You know the

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V. Castro: the ones that survived really are

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V. Castro: quite old. So

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V. Castro: you have to kind of take it.

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V. Castro: Think about the the

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V. Castro: the context of which it was written. So you're having Spanish priests writing about

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V. Castro: you know the indigenous populations you need to take that into account. You need to.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: Really sift through history

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V. Castro: and be mindful about what you're reading.

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V. Castro: and be respectful of it. So for me, it's just something I'm passionate about, and I'm mindful when I'm going through it.

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V. Castro: But a lot of the urban legends. So, for example, in mestiz of blood, I write about something called Donkey Lady Bridge, which really exists

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V. Castro: awesome.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Cool.

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V. Castro: Yeah, exactly. And so I've heard the story. And I said, Oh.

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V. Castro: why does she look like that? And just put it in the context of

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V. Castro: a story. Same with La Llorona.

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V. Castro: the crying woman. I put it in the haunting of Alejandra

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V. Castro: and tied it into postnatal depression and mental health, motherhood

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V. Castro: relationships.

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V. Castro: So for me, I've just

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V. Castro: I don't know. I have a very active imagination.

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V. Castro: And

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V. Castro: so it just kind of comes to me when I'm thinking about it

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V. Castro: and wanting to write something.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that sounds amazing. So I was going to. My next question is about Queen of the cicadas, because that draws from the Mexican folklore, and.

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V. Castro: We've got.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: The character Lorena de las Chicharest. Is that how you pronounce it.

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V. Castro: La Brena de Las Chicharas. Yes.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: That you have.

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V. Castro: That's basically Spanish for the queen of the cicadas.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So and then so what inspired you to incorporate this specific legend? And how did you go about balancing cultural authenticity with the horror elements.

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V. Castro: Well, because I'm Mexican American, you know. It isn't that big of a stretch. So. But if you're writing outside of your culture, then again. You have to be

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V. Castro: just mindful.

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V. Castro: Be respectful.

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V. Castro: but because it is my own culture, and it's like I know it inside out. It wasn't difficult.

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V. Castro: And the urban legend is something I completely made up. I was actually inspired. I wanted to write the kind of Latino version of Candyman because I love Candyman

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V. Castro: concept of Bloody Mary. And that's basically what it is. It's like the latino Bloody Mary. But I come from a family of farm workers, and I wanted to also weave in the history of farm workers in the country, but also something called the Bracero Program, which brought a lot of Mexican workers during World War 2 to Texas.

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V. Castro: And so it just made this kind of.

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V. Castro: It's like a wasp's nest, you know. It's just this big thing, and you've got the wasps inside and then boom! You know it. It just

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V. Castro: she comes out and

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V. Castro: well, you have to read the book. But yeah, yeah, I

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V. Castro: I wanted to show that representation

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V. Castro: also with the folklore, with the Queen, the Queen of the dead. In Aztec.

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V. Castro: Yeah, mythology

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V. Castro: there are so many characters and goddesses and gods in the mythology. It's so rich, and it hasn't really been

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V. Castro: utilized.

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V. Castro: And that was another thing. You know.

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V. Castro: I looked at my bookshelves, and I thought.

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V. Castro: hmm! I'm missing. I'd like to read about this. I'd like to read about that. No one has done it. Let me do it.

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V. Castro: And I think that's really important. If you're looking into writing, is that you know.

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V. Castro: instead of saying, I want to write

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V. Castro: this type of story like Stephen King did, or Kuntz did, or whomever

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V. Castro: I want to write the next the passage.

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V. Castro: Look at your bookshelves. Look what's on the shelves.

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V. Castro: It can be intimidating to say, I'm going to write something completely different. I'm going to take the trope

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V. Castro: in this different direction. But that could actually be the thing that sets you apart. That could be the thing where you find your voice.

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V. Castro: And I think it's really important for new writers to not be afraid to try things, to express themselves, to express

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V. Castro: their own identity and culture through horror, instead of trying to be the next

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V. Castro: XYZ.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that's actually a really good point. I was just thinking so. Would you say that representing your own culture and obviously getting yourself into the writing and the stories. Would that play quite an important part of the creative process for you.

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V. Castro: Absolutely absolutely like I said.

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V. Castro: I like seeing what hasn't been done. Where? Where does my mind want to go? And then I let it go there. I don't let it hold me back. And again, because there haven't been a lot of

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V. Castro: historically women writing horror.

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V. Castro: Obviously you have famous ones like Frankenstein, Mary Shelley. But that's

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V. Castro: few and far in between.

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V. Castro: And you certainly don't have a lot of

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V. Castro: Mexican-american women writing these stories. You have more now.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: But it's definitely something that

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V. Castro: is part of the process. I have written a lot of some like short stories that don't.

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V. Castro: that are just kind of, you know.

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V. Castro: I don't want to say normal, but I just love writing from my perspective and using.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Good.

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V. Castro: Technology and weird creatures. So.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: You know Chupacabras and Lala Chusa, which is like a witch, a witch with a witch head, and like a owl body, and she goes, and she

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V. Castro: grabs children in the night.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Scary stuff. I read the haunting of Alejandra, and I had to have a

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: after reading that, and like it was the scariest show I think I've ever taken. So yeah. And it's it's interesting. How like horror can can kind of sit with us. Do you like creating those.

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V. Castro: I do! I love it.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: I love it. I like scaring people.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Perfect. Okay, you're definitely writing the right kind of genre for that. So my next question is about walking through the creative process. So from beginning a new horror story. So do you start with a specific theme, a character or a concept? Where does that? Where does a story begin for you?

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V. Castro: You know.

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V. Castro: there are many starting points. I think there's no right or wrong way to start a story. So, for example, I've had stories that started with a song.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

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V. Castro: I've heard a song, and I was like, Oh.

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V. Castro: that makes me think of

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V. Castro: this scenario.

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V. Castro: and then I'll go from there and I'll start writing it.

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V. Castro: you know I will also goddess of Filth. It was a short story call for an anthology. So I wrote the call.

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V. Castro: I wrote the story

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V. Castro: for sorry about that.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: It's okay.

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V. Castro: I wrote the story based on this anthology call.

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V. Castro: and it didn't make it into the anthology, but it ended up being a novella

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V. Castro: and

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V. Castro: you know, being nominated for a Bram stoker award.

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V. Castro: So it just depends. It really really depends on

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V. Castro: what I'm doing, what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling they're just various things that go on. And again for any new writers. I don't think there's any right or wrong way to start a story. You just have to do it. You just have to be prepared

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V. Castro: to

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V. Castro: be courageous enough to follow through. And even if that means you need to stop and put it aside for a bit. Let the idea gel, that's okay, you know. Again, there are no hard and fast rules for writing. I know there are a lot of

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V. Castro: you know people who have very strong opinions on that.

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V. Castro: But

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V. Castro: I would say to really let your creativity

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V. Castro: fly.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Hmm.

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V. Castro: You should just kind of let go of those rules first, st

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V. Castro: and then maybe apply things in the editing process. But to get the good story. You need to really be as free as possible.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Perfect.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: and then horror requires a unique blend of tension and pacing. So do you have any tips for balancing suspense without giving too much away.

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V. Castro: Yeah, I mean development, character development.

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V. Castro: Setting the scene

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V. Castro: really kind of draw people in, whether it's a scene, whether it's a person.

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V. Castro: So the queen of the cicadas, for example, you have Belinda, and she's

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V. Castro: heading to a wedding, and I'm just setting it up. How she's feel with her emotions.

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V. Castro: This, you know, just

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V. Castro: this. She's melancholy, this

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V. Castro: This sadness in her.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Hmm something.

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V. Castro: We've all felt

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V. Castro: so just connecting to the right, to the reader, 1st and foremost.

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V. Castro: through the setting, through the character's emotions, what they're going through.

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V. Castro: and then you can start unraveling it.

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V. Castro: I I just.

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V. Castro: That's how I typically go with it. You know the handy of Alejandra. She's in turmoil. She's in the shower.

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V. Castro: you get. You're like what's going on with her. She sees this figure, you know.

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V. Castro: I'm creating the atmosphere.

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V. Castro: You want to know more about what it is. So that's kind of for me.

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V. Castro: If you get that right and you kind of

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V. Castro: start to develop the story.

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V. Castro: you'll the pacing should come through

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V. Castro: saying that I'm also it's easier I feel for me. Some people might disagree to do that with short stories as opposed to a novel. So, for example, there, I'm editing a novel right now, and some of the edits from the are.

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V. Castro: This moves a little fast in this section

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V. Castro: space it out. Watch your pasting.

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V. Castro: but the overall pacing of the novel is good, but in this passage, so if you're writing a novel, the pacing.

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V. Castro: you know there's the pacing of the entire novel. Then there's the pacing within the chapters. So

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V. Castro: that's why a short story, or even a novella, is a little bit easier.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, and talking about scenes and pacing and things like that. So do you tend to aim, to terrify, disturb, or provoke thoughts with your scenes. And also, how do you know if that's what you're aiming for when that scene works as such like when it's when it's done.

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V. Castro: I don't know, because everybody gets terrified by different things.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: That's fair. Yeah.

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V. Castro: I'm just like.

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V. Castro: I just go with what I feel like in my gut, like, okay, this needs to happen, or this, I want this to be there. And honestly again, once you reach a certain level in your writing career and you have an editor.

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V. Castro: they may turn around and say, Yeah, this doesn't work.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Hmm.

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V. Castro: Or they'll have an opinion.

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V. Castro: So

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V. Castro: You need to just again go with your gut if you end up selling whatever you the novel, The Novella, the story. You're going to have an editor

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V. Castro: come in and tell you

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V. Castro: it works. It doesn't work, because sometimes you're so close to it, and you're like, Oh, this is so creepy. People are going to love it. You just never know but you can't be precious about your work.

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V. Castro: I just go with what I feel is scary where I think it would be.

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V. Castro: But you just don't know. Once you get your work out there, it's no longer yours.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, talking of that, do you find any of your work actually like scares you as you're writing it like, do you have that feeling that you're hoping that the reader will have like. Do you go there as such?

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V. Castro: Hmm!

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V. Castro: None of it has really scared scared me. I think

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V. Castro: I've cried more.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

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V. Castro: My writing where the really emotional

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V. Castro: we are talking about pain and grief and all of these other emotions. That's where it gets me. Not so much the scary parts.

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V. Castro: but rehashing those emotions and sharing those.

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V. Castro: But that's also where you get the connection with the reader where the reader can say, Oh, my God!

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V. Castro: Especially like with the haunting of Aljandra. I've had a lot of moms. Say.

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V. Castro: Oh, my God, I've been in that situation, or parents are like, Wow.

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V. Castro: yeah, that's it's kind of

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V. Castro: hope that answers your question.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely so you mentioned as well about

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: writing a short story that ended up being a novella, and then obviously finding it easier to write scenes in like the shorter form work. And I know that your work is a range you've got like a range of different lengths.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So would you say, you know, before you start writing, whether a story is going to be a novella or a short story? Or do you just let the story kind of go and then see where it goes.

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V. Castro: So typically.

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V. Castro: I know.

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V. Castro: But then again, you just have to be open minded. So, for example, goddess of filth.

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V. Castro: was a rejected short story.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yep.

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V. Castro: Because it wasn't meant to be a short story. It was meant to really be explored into a novella, which I did, and I think it's perfect as a novella

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V. Castro: saying that I have a novella that I get the rights back to hairspray and switch blades in February, and I plan to expand that, expand it because it does have it lends to a bigger world.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: It was always my intention to either write a sequel to it, or and now I'm just going to make it into a novel.

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V. Castro: Alejandra. I knew I was going to be a novel because I wanted to go through generations. So if you're doing something across generations or family

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V. Castro: or time. Then, you know, it's a novel. It's really hard

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V. Castro: to do that with short

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V. Castro: fiction. If you're going to be dealing with generations, you're really getting into time.

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V. Castro: But most of the things like immortal pleasures. She's a vampire unless you're doing a vampire story where it's a snapshot of their existence.

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V. Castro: But if you want to give like this sweeping history of their of them, and they're an ancient vampire as opposed to one that's just been created

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V. Castro: in our time frame.

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V. Castro: You're gonna it's gonna be

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V. Castro: a longer.

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V. Castro: a piece of work. So

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V. Castro: those are. That's kind of the rules. But again, I

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V. Castro: I just go with the flow, and I allow

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V. Castro: things to develop

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V. Castro: as opposed to being very rigid.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Awesome. Yeah, that definitely answers my question. Okay? And then we've talked a little bit already about character development being quite an important part. So your stories often feature really strong, complex female characters. So how would you? How do you normally approach developing these characters within the horror context?

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V. Castro: You know, I like to challenge

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V. Castro: The

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V. Castro: what society says is acceptable

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V. Castro: when it comes to

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V. Castro: relationships. Sexuality.

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V. Castro: our roles religion.

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V. Castro: And

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V. Castro: again I will just get the idea of the character or a scene.

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V. Castro: and then I go from there.

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V. Castro: and

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V. Castro: I don't know. I just let it happen. And I want I want it to challenge. I want to talk about things that we don't want to talk about. So, for example.

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V. Castro: Alejandra. Postnatal depression, you know, because we we say, Oh, motherhood, is this amazing, beautiful, great thing, or parenthood can also apply to men as well.

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V. Castro: But no one wants to talk about when it's really hard. And you're like, I really don't feel like showing up as a parent.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: I re, I'm exhausted, or I'm sick, or I'm stressed.

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V. Castro: people don't want to talk about that because it's like, Oh, my God! You know. There, it's this blessing. It's amazing, and it is. However, it's fucking hard. Sorry, it's hard. It is very difficult. So what? Let's talk about it. You know,

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V. Castro: and how it changes your body, how you feel during it during pregnancy, or why your partner's pregnant, like, what are the emotions

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V. Castro: in

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V. Castro: immortal pleasures, you know, talking about a woman who doesn't tie love and emotion and a relationship to sex, you know she was

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V. Castro: you know.

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V. Castro: died when she was 28 from smallpox, and she was enslaved.

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V. Castro: and she has a second chance to live her life, and she's just like I'm going to live it. I'm going to have fun. I'm rich, I'm you know. I'm healthy. I'm beautiful.

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V. Castro: and she just goes out and lives her life. Obviously. Then she finds, you know, because there is that romance element, you know she meets these 2 men, and it challenges her.

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V. Castro: her identity and what her life plan and

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V. Castro: it goes from there.

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V. Castro: But I like to explore those things because I feel horror in general gives you the opportunity to talk about, explore

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V. Castro: emotions, history, ideas that

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V. Castro: are not always

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V. Castro: that you can't really go into. If, say you're writing a cozy mystery or you're writing a

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V. Castro: a normal romance, you want to do a darker romance. You want to write erotic fiction or erotic horror, you can explore those darker

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V. Castro: kind of taboo

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V. Castro: subjects.

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V. Castro: And there are readers that want to read that

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V. Castro: and horror lends itself to grief, for example.

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V. Castro: Oh.

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V. Castro: and you don't have to shy away from it. You can use the tropes to express these things.

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V. Castro: So, for example, I've written about shifters, jaguar shifters as opposed to werewolf.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Hmm.

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V. Castro: And it's all about transformation. Same with vampires. It's all about transformation, you know, in immortal pleasure. She's dying, and she knows she's dying.

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V. Castro: But how does she go from being this enslaved, captive woman

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V. Castro: to being having ultimate freedom? Immortality

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V. Castro: like that's huge, and using the vampire trope to express that.

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V. Castro: you know, is great, because you can just do a lot with it.

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V. Castro: and it won't seem like out of place.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, yeah, I love that. So you would say, then the horror genre is particularly well suited for examining, maybe cultural and social topics that people don't like to go to as well, because I noticed that obviously quite a few of your stories do try and tackle some of these, and the lack of representation like you've already touched on female horror writers. But also there are

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: things in your in your books that I've noticed that other people just don't seem to be going there. But you you don't seem to have that fear of going there which I quite like.

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V. Castro: Thank you. Yeah, absolutely again.

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V. Castro: I just I I will go there because I want to.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that's amazing. So next question slightly off from that. But do you prefer writing psychological horror, physical horror, or a blend of both? Is there any specific sub genres that are your absolute favorites to go to when you're wanting to write a story.

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V. Castro: I I all of the above like I love everything, you know.

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V. Castro: I've just turned in my 1st crime novel, and that's straight crime. There's no supernatural. It's still very, very, very dark.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: But you know

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V. Castro: I just all of it. Again.

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V. Castro: I get an idea, and I run with it. I let the idea guide me.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that's amazing. So do you find any

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: challenges when trying to stick to specific tropes of the subgenres or other genres? Obviously like with crime, trying to meet reader expectations when you also want to make it dark. For example, so do you find any challenges with those or any experiences that you want to share.

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V. Castro: You know, if you're writing something that's very grounded in reality, then you have to make sure that yeah, all everything lines up. Whereas if you're writing something where it's supernatural, you can use

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V. Castro: a dream, a vision. You, you have all these like little loopholes to express things.

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V. Castro: whereas things that are grounded.

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V. Castro: You have to make sure that they stay that way, that that you are firmly in reality.

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V. Castro: And so for me, that's like a bit of a stretch, because I've always have that. And that's kind of why I wanted to write that. And you know, I've also started like a solid, soft romance.

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V. Castro: and

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V. Castro: that's been okay.

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V. Castro: because I'm really exploring

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V. Castro: emotions and love and relationships.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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V. Castro: Now, the one that I've really struggled is, I'm writing a Ya collection. And so finding the temperature

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V. Castro: for a young adult versus an adult that has been tough.

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V. Castro: Now that is, that is where I'm but I'm stretching, you know. I'm I'm stretching myself and challenging myself

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V. Castro: to see if I can get the temperature right for

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V. Castro: a younger audience when it comes to scary and horror.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So how many.

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V. Castro: Well.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Do you normally have on the go at any one time, because it sounds like you've got quite.

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V. Castro: Lots lots.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay, that's cool. And then so do you find when it comes to developing them? Is it based on what you feel like writing today? Or do you have specific deadlines? How do you manage a workload like that?

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V. Castro: Yeah, I always have deadlines.

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V. Castro: but I also creatively have other things I want to work on. So I always have multiple projects.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: I like that.

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V. Castro: I'm work, you know. This is my full time job, so I always have things going.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, yeah, that's fair. Nice one. Okay? And so when it comes to horror, obviously, we've talked about a lot of things to do with it. But how has your understanding of horror evolved since you began writing in the genre? So from your 1st versions of horror stories through to what you think of doing now.

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V. Castro: It's evolved in in the sense that I feel like I can do a lot more than I thought.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

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V. Castro: I can dig deeper than I thought. That there's more you can express and explore in horror than than you. You think. That's on the bookshelves, or you know, for example, I'm writing mythology from you know my Mexican

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V. Castro: as Mexican history. Aztec mythology, Mayan mythology.

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V. Castro: Urban legends from Texas.

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V. Castro: so it's evolved in in the sense that

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V. Castro: I feel

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V. Castro: I can do a lot more than just stick to what

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V. Castro: we typically think

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V. Castro: as horror or

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V. Castro: sticking straight to the tropes.

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V. Castro: That's probably the biggest evolution I've had is like, Oh, wow! I can just write whatever I want.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: that's lovely. And what do you love the most about writing horror? Then.

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V. Castro: You can really dig deep into your emotions into

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V. Castro: heartache.

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V. Castro: pain. Trauma.

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V. Castro: you know those things. Yeah, you know. Obsessive love. So in February have a for Valentine's Day. It's called the Pink Agave Motel, and it's all about obsessive

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V. Castro: infatuation and love

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V. Castro: not a soft like. Oh, you know cozy love like obsessive like. I can't stop thinking about this person. I want them. I crave them. I need them. And really like that animal lust, that animal hunger.

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V. Castro: And so, for example, you know, that's the pink agave motel, and you have all of these creatures that are in this motel.

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V. Castro: Being able to just go into that.

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V. Castro: To talk about infatuation and lust in that way

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V. Castro: is great.

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V. Castro: because you, you know, in romance you need the happily ever after, and you need certain things to, as you mentioned before, readers expectations, whereas in the pink agave motel you're like, Oh, my God!

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V. Castro: Oh, my gosh! It really feels like that, or, Oh, my God, they're doing what.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, yeah.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: I can't wait to read that.

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V. Castro: Yeah, so it's like, you know, they're all wearing stilettos. And

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V. Castro: yeah, I just.

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Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Perfect. Okay? And then to kind of flip that on its head a little bit. So what would you say you find most? Not like a dislike, but like maybe most difficult about writing, especially, I don't know if there's anything that you get blocked on. For example.

366
00:36:15.626 --> 00:36:23.290
V. Castro: Again. You know I've had a little like with the Ya, because you have to obviously write for a younger reader

367
00:36:24.075 --> 00:36:26.500
V. Castro: and and take their maturity

368
00:36:26.540 --> 00:36:30.793
V. Castro: and their fear level, you know. Be mindful about that. Yeah.

369
00:36:32.020 --> 00:36:54.170
V. Castro: But other than that, if I feel blocked I'll just put something aside and like, let it gel a bit, you know I don't beat myself up, and I always encourage other writers. Okay, you get you hit a wall, don't beat yourself up. Just set it aside. Go for a walk, work on something else. It will still be there. Do not beat yourself up. There are no hard and fast rules.

370
00:36:54.850 --> 00:36:57.050
V. Castro: When it comes to storytelling.

371
00:36:57.390 --> 00:37:01.719
V. Castro: When you're getting that 1st story down. Be kind to yourself.

372
00:37:01.860 --> 00:37:07.220
V. Castro: you know. The more you you like er the the harder it's gonna be. So just

373
00:37:07.440 --> 00:37:11.429
V. Castro: go with the flow. Let it go work on something else. Go. Yeah.

374
00:37:11.580 --> 00:37:12.819
V. Castro: it's okay.

375
00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:14.530
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Nice.

376
00:37:14.530 --> 00:37:17.410
V. Castro: I'm I'm fine. Yeah, I'm I just.

377
00:37:19.060 --> 00:37:24.529
V. Castro: I'm very easy when it comes to working on a story, letting it sit for a minute.

378
00:37:24.530 --> 00:37:38.090
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, I think that is something that I think I mean even me as a writer. I struggle with that because I'm always like, oh, but I need to be working on this this project. But it's like, should I be working on it? Or should I? Just yeah.

379
00:37:38.090 --> 00:37:40.180
V. Castro: Sometimes it needs to breathe.

380
00:37:40.570 --> 00:38:05.010
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, I completely hear you with that one. And then something else that I personally am thinking about when I'm because I'm like I've mentioned before we started this working on some horror ideas. And one of the concerns that I have that I'm wondering if it's a concern you ever have is that personal representation within your writing. So

381
00:38:05.010 --> 00:38:26.550
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: this idea that maybe you're giving readers that little insight into your own personality, and obviously in a horror genre, I mean, and especially erotic horror. Does that ever cross your mind when you're coming up with stories? And you're thinking, oh, should I really reveal something along those lines, or maybe readers will read too much into this and think it's about me.

382
00:38:27.190 --> 00:38:33.723
V. Castro: Honestly, I don't care. I I put it all out there. I really am very honest about it.

383
00:38:35.820 --> 00:38:37.780
V. Castro: I just let it go. I,

384
00:38:38.380 --> 00:38:43.540
V. Castro: yeah, I I write what I want to write, and it comes from an authentic place and.

385
00:38:43.540 --> 00:38:44.070
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

386
00:38:44.070 --> 00:38:49.489
V. Castro: If it real reveals something about me, it does. I'm not ashamed of that, because I'm human, and

387
00:38:49.670 --> 00:38:50.580
V. Castro: and

388
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:52.020
V. Castro: I know that

389
00:38:52.770 --> 00:38:56.649
V. Castro: being my authentic self and revealing those parts of me

390
00:38:56.850 --> 00:38:57.820
V. Castro: might

391
00:38:58.460 --> 00:39:04.949
V. Castro: help someone else feel less alone. It might give someone a little light. It might.

392
00:39:05.670 --> 00:39:14.889
V. Castro: It creates that that connection. And so, you know, once I write it, I just put it, I pour myself into it. I pour my heart, my soul.

393
00:39:14.930 --> 00:39:18.669
V. Castro: and then it's out there. It's out in the world. It's no longer for me. It's not mine.

394
00:39:18.670 --> 00:39:19.080
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Hmm.

395
00:39:19.080 --> 00:39:23.480
V. Castro: And I just let it be. People can think what they want about me. They can

396
00:39:24.009 --> 00:39:25.969
V. Castro: draw their own conclusions.

397
00:39:26.320 --> 00:39:28.719
V. Castro: but I know in my heart who I am.

398
00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:29.870
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

399
00:39:29.870 --> 00:39:33.389
V. Castro: Afraid to show myself or show those parts of me.

400
00:39:33.939 --> 00:39:40.759
V. Castro: Because this is the job, you know. When you are put yourself out there. I'm on social media.

401
00:39:40.860 --> 00:39:44.080
V. Castro: I do a lot of in-person events.

402
00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:52.060
V. Castro: obviously, I don't share my my family life or my personal life. But as far as my personal emotions.

403
00:39:52.080 --> 00:40:00.040
V. Castro: All these things you find in the books. Yeah, I am willingly share them with others, and I'm not ashamed of that. I'm not ashamed of who I am.

404
00:40:00.040 --> 00:40:01.060
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

405
00:40:01.370 --> 00:40:08.389
V. Castro: And I'm okay to be seen. But that isn't for everyone. You know. Everyone has to make their own decision about that.

406
00:40:08.490 --> 00:40:10.139
V. Castro: That's just who I am.

407
00:40:10.170 --> 00:40:12.629
V. Castro: And you know, yeah.

408
00:40:13.010 --> 00:40:20.810
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So would you say you've always been like that? Or has your writing helped you to accept yourself in any way or.

409
00:40:20.810 --> 00:40:23.921
V. Castro: Oh, absolutely absolutely

410
00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:29.940
V. Castro: You know, it's been an evolution, you know. My personal spiritual

411
00:40:30.050 --> 00:40:36.170
V. Castro: evolution really coincided when I started writing, and I started writing. Later in life I was 38.

412
00:40:36.460 --> 00:40:36.970
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

413
00:40:37.825 --> 00:40:38.680
V. Castro: And

414
00:40:38.990 --> 00:40:48.780
V. Castro: and it's all kind of I've it's been that this journey, this evolution. And it's it's still going. You know, we're always growing. We're always evolving. We're always

415
00:40:49.360 --> 00:41:00.247
V. Castro: hopefully trying to be better and showing up better for ourselves and for others. But yeah, it's been, an it's been an ongoing process. And yeah, I'm not done yet.

416
00:41:00.610 --> 00:41:23.729
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Absolutely, that's perfect. And then so obviously so, you're bringing your unique perspective to horror every single time. So would you. Do you have any advice that you would give to aspiring horror. Writers that are trying to maybe bring their own unique perspective to horror, and maybe learn more about themselves through their writing.

417
00:41:24.300 --> 00:41:26.889
V. Castro: Just be our authentic self. Just

418
00:41:27.750 --> 00:41:30.750
V. Castro: take the time to know yourself, to.

419
00:41:31.070 --> 00:41:34.789
V. Castro: to not be afraid to care what other people think.

420
00:41:35.490 --> 00:41:37.899
V. Castro: I think that's that's really

421
00:41:38.030 --> 00:41:45.349
V. Castro: what hinders. Well, what are they going to think? If I write this, what do they think? If I post this picture, what are they going to think

422
00:41:46.530 --> 00:41:48.390
V. Castro: so? What if they think that?

423
00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:52.649
V. Castro: Yeah, do not care what some stranger

424
00:41:52.810 --> 00:41:59.629
V. Castro: across the world thinks of you because they don't know you. But again, if you're very sensitive and you don't have that.

425
00:41:59.970 --> 00:42:15.509
V. Castro: that's okay. When you're submitting short stories, you've got to get used to rejection, you've got to get that thick skin. But that's good practice. Writing short stories is great practice. You don't have to necessarily start with short stories before you start a novel.

426
00:42:15.980 --> 00:42:18.100
V. Castro: I did them at the same time.

427
00:42:18.100 --> 00:42:18.470
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

428
00:42:19.550 --> 00:42:24.629
V. Castro: But I think you will really really do yourself a huge favor.

429
00:42:24.850 --> 00:42:28.539
V. Castro: just being kind to yourself, being yourself

430
00:42:29.080 --> 00:42:34.859
V. Castro: and not being afraid of that, not being afraid of what other people think about you or your writing.

431
00:42:35.580 --> 00:42:36.819
V. Castro: You've got to just

432
00:42:37.870 --> 00:42:38.900
V. Castro: show up.

433
00:42:39.370 --> 00:42:40.110
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

434
00:42:40.260 --> 00:42:42.491
V. Castro: So for me. That's that's the thing.

435
00:42:43.070 --> 00:42:49.589
V. Castro: we're all unique. You don't need to be the next Xyz. That person already exists.

436
00:42:49.920 --> 00:42:51.340
V. Castro: but you're unique.

437
00:42:51.350 --> 00:43:01.669
V. Castro: and that's why I you know, I just fearlessly go and write what I want to write. If it hits great, if it doesn't well, you know what I tried, and I want it. I feel good about it.

438
00:43:02.610 --> 00:43:08.250
V. Castro: And yeah, it's just show up as yourself, and don't be afraid to do that.

439
00:43:08.600 --> 00:43:34.230
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that's amazing. So you were talking then about posting things online. So I've noticed that you're on social media. You're on like Instagram. And you've got all of the profiles going. I mean, I recently saw that you went to some book signings in London. So do you find social media to be a good marketing strategy. So to support when you're releasing books and things like that.

440
00:43:34.850 --> 00:43:39.029
V. Castro: Yeah, I mean the absolutely. And also, you know.

441
00:43:39.390 --> 00:43:41.869
V. Castro: in this world where we're all connected.

442
00:43:42.760 --> 00:43:46.030
V. Castro: you really look publishers do what they can.

443
00:43:46.270 --> 00:43:46.950
V. Castro: But

444
00:43:47.510 --> 00:43:58.299
V. Castro: as an author you've got to make the effort. If you don't have that in you. That's okay. You know you, that's okay. You've got to do what you are comfortable with

445
00:44:00.510 --> 00:44:10.960
V. Castro: and not force it. But if you're comfortable, you know I'm okay. Being on social media, I'm okay marketing myself. A lot of people like, Oh, that's so cringe. Okay, I don't care. Are you paying my bills?

446
00:44:11.190 --> 00:44:11.650
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Turn off.

447
00:44:11.650 --> 00:44:21.140
V. Castro: Way. I don't care if you think I'm cringe. This is my job. You know this is what I do. Of course I'm going to market myself. Of course I'm going to post things.

448
00:44:21.390 --> 00:44:24.869
V. Castro: you know, signings, or whatever. I'll show you parts of my life.

449
00:44:25.690 --> 00:44:27.030
V. Castro: But again.

450
00:44:27.050 --> 00:44:31.479
V. Castro: do not care what people who are not paying your bills.

451
00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:32.250
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yes.

452
00:44:32.250 --> 00:44:37.910
V. Castro: Like it. Just so for me, social media definitely is a way to market my work

453
00:44:37.940 --> 00:44:40.159
V. Castro: again. It's probably

454
00:44:40.340 --> 00:44:41.799
V. Castro: a lot of people

455
00:44:41.810 --> 00:44:54.259
V. Castro: that is the biggest way we do it, because not everybody's work is going to end up in a Barnes and noble. And if you are in Barnes and noble. It doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be on an end cap or a table.

456
00:44:54.340 --> 00:44:57.140
V. Castro: so people need to be able to find you.

457
00:44:57.320 --> 00:44:57.990
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

458
00:44:57.990 --> 00:45:04.660
V. Castro: But again, you have to do what you're comfortable with. How much of yourself are you? Okay? Exposing

459
00:45:05.093 --> 00:45:09.090
V. Castro: for example, I will never show any of my family or personal

460
00:45:09.420 --> 00:45:15.470
V. Castro: people who are personal in my life, unless they're okay with it, my sisters whatever. If they're okay with it, I'll post it.

461
00:45:15.520 --> 00:45:21.990
V. Castro: but as far as like my children or my partner or friends

462
00:45:22.010 --> 00:45:25.029
V. Castro: that are not comfortable, I will not do it.

463
00:45:26.730 --> 00:45:28.969
V. Castro: And that's just for privacy.

464
00:45:28.970 --> 00:45:29.650
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

465
00:45:29.810 --> 00:45:30.919
V. Castro: I won't show.

466
00:45:31.170 --> 00:45:36.079
V. Castro: you know. Share exact information where I live, or whatever

467
00:45:36.570 --> 00:45:37.150
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

468
00:45:37.150 --> 00:45:38.370
V. Castro: So again

469
00:45:38.900 --> 00:45:47.570
V. Castro: for me, I'm okay with social media. I'm okay being seen, and I don't care if people think it's cringe. If I'm marketing myself and selling my books.

470
00:45:48.990 --> 00:45:52.129
V. Castro: because this is my job. Yeah. And yeah.

471
00:45:52.460 --> 00:45:57.579
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that's amazing. So we've had a few questions come through from the audience.

472
00:45:57.940 --> 00:45:59.789
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Just want to hop over to those for a second.

473
00:45:59.790 --> 00:46:00.380
V. Castro: Good Lord!

474
00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:16.939
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So we've got an anonymous question, saying, How do you pick the monster or creature for your story? Do you already have it picked out and create your story around that? Or has the character ever changed after you've started writing? That's a great question.

475
00:46:17.210 --> 00:46:19.439
V. Castro: Oh, my God! That is a great question.

476
00:46:20.437 --> 00:46:23.700
V. Castro: So, for example, in the pink agave motel

477
00:46:25.020 --> 00:46:29.319
V. Castro: the creatures are like hybrids. They're almost like they're like.

478
00:46:29.780 --> 00:46:32.389
V. Castro: They're not quite vampires. They're they're not.

479
00:46:32.460 --> 00:46:34.030
V. Castro: They're like cannibal

480
00:46:34.770 --> 00:46:37.579
V. Castro: cannibal vampires. So they're not human.

481
00:46:37.720 --> 00:46:42.140
V. Castro: They don't just drink blood. They're like this hybrid creature.

482
00:46:42.480 --> 00:46:47.790
V. Castro: And then there's another creature in there that I took from Mexican mythology, but because it is erotic

483
00:46:49.629 --> 00:46:51.729
V. Castro: their parts are

484
00:46:52.500 --> 00:46:55.939
V. Castro: connected to serpents, that's all I can say.

485
00:46:56.932 --> 00:46:58.740
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Nice. One. Yeah.

486
00:46:58.740 --> 00:47:10.010
V. Castro: Yeah. So that evolved. That was like, Hmm, there is this creature. So taking the vampire and then making it even more kind of extra.

487
00:47:10.010 --> 00:47:10.440
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

488
00:47:10.440 --> 00:47:11.910
V. Castro: That has happened.

489
00:47:13.060 --> 00:47:28.009
V. Castro: but typically, I kind of know when I follow through. But sometimes, again, there are no hard and fast rules. If you change it midway. Great, if you have a new take on Frankenstein, for example. Go for it.

490
00:47:28.430 --> 00:47:33.178
V. Castro: Why not? It's interesting. People will want to read that. So?

491
00:47:33.640 --> 00:47:35.680
V. Castro: yeah, I've kind of. I've I've

492
00:47:35.690 --> 00:47:38.449
V. Castro: been in that situation. And yeah, you just go with it.

493
00:47:38.960 --> 00:47:55.739
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Perfect. Okay? And then Ryan asked, so do you believe writing later in life has prepared you for writing the themes of your novels that experience colors the lens of your worldview, and you write that down. For example.

494
00:47:56.550 --> 00:47:59.240
V. Castro: Absolutely. So I tried writing before.

495
00:47:59.500 --> 00:48:01.209
V. Castro: and it just didn't.

496
00:48:02.880 --> 00:48:08.069
V. Castro: I didn't know what I was going to write about, or I didn't know where to start.

497
00:48:08.850 --> 00:48:09.810
V. Castro: I just

498
00:48:10.040 --> 00:48:15.019
V. Castro: I needed to really know myself more. I needed to live more.

499
00:48:15.510 --> 00:48:15.930
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

500
00:48:15.930 --> 00:48:18.970
V. Castro: I reached a point, a crisis point, actually

501
00:48:19.220 --> 00:48:23.660
V. Castro: a mental emotional crisis point that really pushed me into it.

502
00:48:23.890 --> 00:48:24.290
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

503
00:48:24.290 --> 00:48:31.539
V. Castro: And I felt ready. But everybody is different again. Everybody is different, I know. I mean.

504
00:48:32.050 --> 00:48:39.780
V. Castro: if I didn't go through what I went through with having children. I wouldn't have written the haunting of Alejandra the way I did.

505
00:48:39.930 --> 00:48:40.370
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

506
00:48:42.150 --> 00:48:44.009
V. Castro: the queen of the cicadas.

507
00:48:46.170 --> 00:48:47.770
V. Castro: you know again.

508
00:48:48.280 --> 00:48:51.640
V. Castro: absolutely everything that I've written has come from

509
00:48:51.920 --> 00:48:54.830
V. Castro: this seasoned place, this

510
00:48:55.330 --> 00:48:58.760
V. Castro: place that has developed that over time

511
00:48:59.200 --> 00:49:00.659
V. Castro: parts of me that

512
00:49:00.790 --> 00:49:05.560
V. Castro: were painful. But then, as I got older, was able to write about

513
00:49:06.295 --> 00:49:08.910
V. Castro: but again, everybody's different, and I

514
00:49:09.540 --> 00:49:13.329
V. Castro: also encourage people. If you're older, do it, just do it.

515
00:49:13.840 --> 00:49:16.231
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah. And do you think that?

516
00:49:16.850 --> 00:49:23.669
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: by giving yourself time you've been able to really define your your voice in your writing?

517
00:49:23.670 --> 00:49:24.100
V. Castro: Absolutely.

518
00:49:24.100 --> 00:49:25.949
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Feel a lot more confident in it.

519
00:49:26.200 --> 00:49:28.159
V. Castro: Absolutely my voice is

520
00:49:28.590 --> 00:49:33.539
V. Castro: is what it is, because I'm older and also not caring what people think. I think.

521
00:49:33.540 --> 00:49:34.190
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

522
00:49:34.390 --> 00:49:35.490
V. Castro: You know.

523
00:49:35.760 --> 00:49:38.670
V. Castro: because I'm older, I've had kids. I'm

524
00:49:38.710 --> 00:49:41.473
V. Castro: at the point of my life. I'm just like yay.

525
00:49:42.030 --> 00:49:50.450
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: I love that. That's amazing. Okay, hopefully, that answered your question, Ryan. And then

526
00:49:51.150 --> 00:49:54.139
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: I've got a

527
00:49:54.210 --> 00:50:15.230
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: a question from. I think it's Jack says I'm an underwriter, so I find the draft slash editing phase enjoyable. But long. I've been rewriting a short for the past 6 months, and still nowhere finished any advice to speed up on the editing slash rewriting phase.

528
00:50:17.170 --> 00:50:19.700
V. Castro: It depends on what you want to do with this story.

529
00:50:19.820 --> 00:50:34.549
V. Castro: Is your intention to submit it for an anthology? Is it your intention to put it in a short story collection that you want to sell. I think it really depends on what your what is the goal of it? Right? What is the goal?

530
00:50:36.580 --> 00:50:39.260
V. Castro: I think that's really what you need to

531
00:50:40.050 --> 00:50:48.189
V. Castro: to to 1st identify. I don't know what your goal is, so it's hard to say, but I think you know, don't overthink it

532
00:50:48.230 --> 00:50:54.140
V. Castro: right. Don't over edit it, because, say, it does get into an anthology.

533
00:50:54.720 --> 00:50:58.420
V. Castro: You know, it's gonna be edited by someone else, and you're like.

534
00:50:58.460 --> 00:51:04.529
V. Castro: wait a minute. I I wrote that paragraph. It took me 3 weeks, and now they hate it. They want it cut.

535
00:51:04.740 --> 00:51:07.290
V. Castro: So really, I think the

536
00:51:08.090 --> 00:51:11.260
V. Castro: over editing, overthinking over.

537
00:51:11.360 --> 00:51:14.569
V. Castro: analyzing. You can get into your head too much.

538
00:51:14.570 --> 00:51:15.080
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

539
00:51:16.010 --> 00:51:18.020
V. Castro: If you feel like, okay.

540
00:51:18.530 --> 00:51:32.530
V. Castro: all right, I got this, and it might be rejected. I'm not saying it will be, but you know I was so sure that the goddess of Phil short story was going to be chosen, and it was great, and it was rejected. But it was meant for something else.

541
00:51:32.610 --> 00:51:34.030
V. Castro: so I would say.

542
00:51:34.740 --> 00:51:39.910
V. Castro: don't overthink it, don't over edit it. Obviously, if the story isn't complete, then you.

543
00:51:39.910 --> 00:51:40.250
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: You too.

544
00:51:40.250 --> 00:51:41.890
V. Castro: Kind of let it simmer and

545
00:51:42.060 --> 00:51:46.349
V. Castro: and just loosen up your mind. Loosen up what you're trying to say.

546
00:51:48.020 --> 00:51:53.390
V. Castro: but if it's complete and you just keep going over it and over it and over it. Then stop.

547
00:51:53.410 --> 00:51:59.660
V. Castro: then do whatever you want to do with it, submitted a few places. You might get feedback. You might not

548
00:52:01.430 --> 00:52:10.270
V. Castro: But it is easy to over edit things. I do not like editing at all. I prefer writing the story, but it is an important part.

549
00:52:10.270 --> 00:52:10.610
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

550
00:52:11.840 --> 00:52:19.969
V. Castro: But again, if you get it submitted somewhere, and so it gets accepted. It's going to be edited by an editor, so don't don't go too crazy.

551
00:52:20.280 --> 00:52:28.640
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, so Jack actually mentioned in the chat that he's sending it to a magazine. So

552
00:52:29.110 --> 00:52:31.450
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: what you said basically, kind of applies to.

553
00:52:31.450 --> 00:52:31.770
V. Castro: Yeah.

554
00:52:31.770 --> 00:52:32.610
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Applies to that.

555
00:52:32.610 --> 00:52:35.330
V. Castro: Yeah, if it's for a magazine again.

556
00:52:35.860 --> 00:52:39.549
V. Castro: you might get feedback, but you might not.

557
00:52:39.550 --> 00:52:39.910
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: No.

558
00:52:41.430 --> 00:52:45.570
V. Castro: don't overthink it and and submit it. See what happens.

559
00:52:46.410 --> 00:52:50.639
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, perfect. So yeah, they said that. They said, Thanks.

560
00:52:50.640 --> 00:52:51.669
V. Castro: That gets overthinking.

561
00:52:51.670 --> 00:52:53.210
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: They overthink. So, yeah.

562
00:52:53.210 --> 00:52:54.550
V. Castro: Welcome to the club.

563
00:52:54.550 --> 00:53:24.089
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, I do that all the time I struggle to get from the planning stage. So I'm a massive plotter. Generally. I've tried pantsing, and then I get like the steam kind of runs out. So for me, I overthink, and I get stuck in that planning stage and thinking, Is this, is this ready? Am I ready to sit down and write it? So? Do you ever find that you get stuck in any stages of writing as well? Or do you just kind of go with the flow now.

564
00:53:24.090 --> 00:53:26.919
V. Castro: I go with the flow. But this is my question to everybody.

565
00:53:26.930 --> 00:53:29.269
V. Castro: When are we ever ready for anything?

566
00:53:29.450 --> 00:53:30.110
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Hmm.

567
00:53:30.510 --> 00:53:31.460
V. Castro: In life.

568
00:53:31.600 --> 00:53:34.400
V. Castro: When are you ever ready for anything?

569
00:53:35.000 --> 00:53:36.360
V. Castro: You just live life.

570
00:53:36.770 --> 00:53:39.790
V. Castro: life just happens whether you're ready or not.

571
00:53:39.800 --> 00:53:42.130
V. Castro: So same with writing

572
00:53:42.720 --> 00:53:43.989
V. Castro: ready or not.

573
00:53:44.090 --> 00:53:53.748
V. Castro: just do it. Just don't overthink it. Because then you can really a get stuck. B. It'll take way longer than it needs to be

574
00:53:54.360 --> 00:53:56.749
V. Castro: and see it's less organic, it's less

575
00:53:57.250 --> 00:53:59.069
V. Castro: natural. So

576
00:53:59.110 --> 00:54:03.389
V. Castro: let that natural emotion, the story, the voice.

577
00:54:03.680 --> 00:54:04.690
V. Castro: happen

578
00:54:04.730 --> 00:54:08.340
V. Castro: because it could be rejected, it might be accepted.

579
00:54:08.370 --> 00:54:15.120
V. Castro: But when are we ever ready for anything that happens in life? You can't be prepared. Same with

580
00:54:15.640 --> 00:54:18.280
V. Castro: sending out a book. A novel.

581
00:54:20.190 --> 00:54:22.429
V. Castro: you just have to kind of go with it.

582
00:54:22.600 --> 00:54:50.629
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, that's amazing. So inspiring, awesome. Okay? And then we've got another anonymous question. I'm not 100% sure about this. So hopefully, whoever asked it can maybe clarify a little bit in the chat, but they've said, How do you prefer to write? And why? So I'm interpreting that as maybe like your writing process physically. So maybe like, do you prefer to write

583
00:54:50.670 --> 00:54:56.400
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: on? I don't know by hand, or you know, how do you? How do you get into the drafting process, you know.

584
00:54:56.400 --> 00:55:00.483
V. Castro: My hand. I don't have time for that. No,

585
00:55:01.400 --> 00:55:02.125
V. Castro: I

586
00:55:02.880 --> 00:55:05.790
V. Castro: I word, open a word document.

587
00:55:06.720 --> 00:55:11.420
V. Castro: and then I just type. I mean. I, honestly, I'm a pantser.

588
00:55:11.810 --> 00:55:18.720
V. Castro: I am basic as basic can be when it comes to writing the story I

589
00:55:19.950 --> 00:55:24.441
V. Castro: I just honestly. I make my life as simple as possible.

590
00:55:25.830 --> 00:55:29.590
V. Castro: and I, just yeah, I sit down somewhere

591
00:55:29.920 --> 00:55:32.010
V. Castro: comfortable and just go for it.

592
00:55:32.900 --> 00:55:37.839
V. Castro: Basically a very simple process when it comes to the actual writing just like

593
00:55:38.580 --> 00:55:42.420
V. Castro: the laptop. The word document. I can't do. Fancy

594
00:55:42.570 --> 00:55:46.839
V. Castro: this or that scrivener. I can't. It's just I will know

595
00:55:46.890 --> 00:55:49.323
V. Castro: I'll end up. I can't.

596
00:55:49.810 --> 00:55:58.093
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: No, I know exactly how you feel. I think I get a little bit distracted by certain programs as well. So yeah, 100%. And then

597
00:55:58.480 --> 00:56:20.950
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: so I love that there's some love for word in the chat. So sort of along those lines. Once you've finished a draft, do you find that the editing is daunting? Do you leave your story to like? Bake for a little while in your mind, and then go back into the editing, or do you find that you have to get started straight away?

598
00:56:21.520 --> 00:56:30.450
V. Castro: No, I basically like I'll write it, and then I'll go back and edit it like, just read through it a few times. But because I have an agent.

599
00:56:30.870 --> 00:56:34.460
V. Castro: Typically send it to my agent, and she will

600
00:56:35.980 --> 00:56:37.409
V. Castro: read through it.

601
00:56:37.410 --> 00:56:37.890
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yep.

602
00:56:37.890 --> 00:56:40.170
V. Castro: But an agent is reading through.

603
00:56:40.290 --> 00:56:44.620
V. Castro: This is the thing so? And and I want everybody to listen carefully.

604
00:56:44.760 --> 00:56:49.060
V. Castro: Publishing and writing are 2 separate things.

605
00:56:49.420 --> 00:56:52.790
V. Castro: 2 very, very separate things. So she's reading it

606
00:56:53.320 --> 00:57:01.540
V. Castro: about it through the lens of will it sell? What's the market doing? Who are the editors? I'm gonna send this to right.

607
00:57:01.540 --> 00:57:02.260
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: You know.

608
00:57:02.260 --> 00:57:09.070
V. Castro: If you're writing a novel to send to agents, and if you really want an agent, you need to have a novel.

609
00:57:09.450 --> 00:57:11.230
V. Castro: and it should be polished.

610
00:57:11.640 --> 00:57:16.339
V. Castro: Now again, you don't want to overthink it and send it to 10 people, because I promise you

611
00:57:16.430 --> 00:57:23.419
V. Castro: 10 people, you get 10 different opinions right? Obviously, if those 10 people all have the same like.

612
00:57:23.500 --> 00:57:51.000
V. Castro: catch the same thing. Okay, go back and change that. But for the most part, Beta, reading, you don't want to get too too crazy with that, because everybody has different opinion about book right? Even Stephen King, like you have 5 people who are like Salem lot is amazing, and 5 people are like, it's the worst book ever written in the history of history. Right? So you really have to take it with a grain of salt. But if you people are catching the same thing.

613
00:57:51.330 --> 00:57:55.050
V. Castro: then, you know, be pay attention to that.

614
00:57:57.950 --> 00:58:00.099
V. Castro: I will

615
00:58:00.830 --> 00:58:05.059
V. Castro: just go through. Make sure it makes sense as much as possible.

616
00:58:06.270 --> 00:58:07.480
V. Castro: but again.

617
00:58:07.920 --> 00:58:13.500
V. Castro: where I'm at in the process, it typically will go to my agent and she'll come back with edits.

618
00:58:13.822 --> 00:58:18.189
V. Castro: But she's also looking through it, not just as a piece of work, but

619
00:58:18.360 --> 00:58:19.720
V. Castro: to sell it.

620
00:58:19.720 --> 00:58:20.710
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah.

621
00:58:20.710 --> 00:58:30.959
V. Castro: And if you're looking for an agent, then you need to just be looking for those 1st 25 pages have to just slap. They've got to be polished.

622
00:58:32.620 --> 00:58:37.290
V. Castro: And so that would be the most important thing. Because that's what you're typically sending.

623
00:58:37.450 --> 00:58:44.079
V. Castro: Then you can go back and you know. Fingers crossed. You get a full manuscript request.

624
00:58:44.150 --> 00:58:48.369
V. Castro: but then the rest of it needs to be polished as much as possible.

625
00:58:50.640 --> 00:59:00.090
V. Castro: because they read stuff constantly like all the time short stories. It's a bit easier because they're short and you can sub them

626
00:59:00.240 --> 00:59:06.349
V. Castro: to multiple places again. You're not always going to get feedback. But if you do, just think about it

627
00:59:06.370 --> 00:59:08.723
V. Castro: and see how it feels to you.

628
00:59:10.240 --> 00:59:13.190
V. Castro: and yeah, so that's probably

629
00:59:13.350 --> 00:59:14.969
V. Castro: my advice. With that.

630
00:59:14.970 --> 00:59:38.280
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: So that kind of goes into. I think I had like one more question on sort of the publishing journey. So I think we've probably only got time for that to be honest. So when it comes to the publishing process, did you find it hard initially to to get an agent? And did you have to do any short stories first, st to get some kind of recognition, or

631
00:59:38.370 --> 00:59:40.870
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: like, how how was that process for you?

632
00:59:41.160 --> 00:59:43.899
V. Castro: So it took me 3 novels to get an agent.

633
00:59:44.060 --> 00:59:44.890
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

634
00:59:45.170 --> 00:59:46.090
V. Castro: 3,

635
00:59:46.220 --> 00:59:47.830
V. Castro: 3, okay?

636
00:59:47.950 --> 00:59:52.859
V. Castro: And I wrote these novels while also writing

637
00:59:53.634 --> 00:59:55.476
V. Castro: novellas that were

638
00:59:56.350 --> 00:59:58.540
V. Castro: accepted by Indie publishers.

639
00:59:58.870 --> 00:59:59.380
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Okay.

640
00:59:59.380 --> 01:00:08.820
V. Castro: Which is a great way to start. Okay, Indie, publishing the Indie horror scene is like kicking ass, like. Honestly.

641
01:00:09.180 --> 01:00:14.589
V. Castro: the indie horror, like honestly, is so great. There are so many amazing indie

642
01:00:14.810 --> 01:00:19.870
V. Castro: publishers. Now you have flash, you have shortwave.

643
01:00:19.900 --> 01:00:22.310
V. Castro: you have bad handbooks.

644
01:00:22.390 --> 01:00:23.816
V. Castro: you have

645
01:00:24.670 --> 01:00:30.069
V. Castro: Sabello books you have. I mean, there's low. There's so many right

646
01:00:31.090 --> 01:00:34.580
V. Castro: and you again a novella, you know. It's a nice

647
01:00:34.810 --> 01:00:36.400
V. Castro: thing. It's a nice

648
01:00:36.480 --> 01:00:43.539
V. Castro: length. A lot of readers like who like horror like the novella. So you know.

649
01:00:43.690 --> 01:00:47.749
V. Castro: I did a few different things while I was trying to get an agent.

650
01:00:47.770 --> 01:00:50.100
V. Castro: because that is a whole process.

651
01:00:50.160 --> 01:00:55.480
V. Castro: and you can't get caught up on the rejection. You can't get caught up thinking that you're not good enough.

652
01:00:58.150 --> 01:01:06.639
V. Castro: and so yeah, just keep busy. Do short stories if you want at the same time sub them to different anthology calls. That's where social media is great.

653
01:01:08.470 --> 01:01:12.080
V. Castro: and you yeah, just go with the flow, man.

654
01:01:12.400 --> 01:01:17.469
V. Castro: And yeah, eventually, I did get that agent. But it took me 3 novels.

655
01:01:18.300 --> 01:01:20.516
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: It's nice to have that

656
01:01:21.050 --> 01:01:31.160
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: honest perspective from from an author, because I think sometimes you can get lost in this idea that you need to have an agent with your 1st book, but the, you know, actually releasing.

657
01:01:31.160 --> 01:01:42.400
V. Castro: For indie. Honestly, there's nothing wrong with going in Indie publishing, and in fact, it's, you know. Look, you're not going to get a massive advance. But you'll get royalties if it sells right away.

658
01:01:42.400 --> 01:01:43.353
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, yeah.

659
01:01:43.940 --> 01:01:45.960
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: lovely also.

660
01:01:45.960 --> 01:01:51.710
V. Castro: Exposure you get to people, get to know your name and who you are. And yeah.

661
01:01:51.710 --> 01:01:58.329
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, absolutely awesome. That's brilliant. Thank you so much for spending time with us today.

662
01:01:58.330 --> 01:01:59.170
V. Castro: Cindy.

663
01:01:59.170 --> 01:02:05.216
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: It's been amazing, very insightful, very motivational. And I'm just seeing

664
01:02:05.820 --> 01:02:34.059
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: And I think that's all we have time for today. People saying, Thank you in the chat. So I'm just going to very quickly drop some those links again if I can grab them from here just so that everyone can follow you on all of the socials and grab your books and go to your website. Because, yeah, I think you've got some amazing works to share with everybody, and I know you've

665
01:02:34.420 --> 01:02:47.270
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: upcoming as well. And it sounds like you're working a lot. So it's definitely a space to be to be watching. So thank you, everybody for joining us today as well, and sharing some.

666
01:02:47.270 --> 01:02:48.639
V. Castro: Good luck, everyone.

667
01:02:48.880 --> 01:02:58.819
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Yeah, they were really helpful. And I hope you've learned some things from V. Castro. And yeah, we've loved having you here with us. So

668
01:02:58.970 --> 01:03:18.490
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: thank you again. And we hope that all of you guys join us again for the next sessions. And if not, then obviously, you can also watch the replays on our hub. So I think we'll leave it there for today and catch you guys in another session. Thank you.

669
01:03:19.510 --> 01:03:20.690
Sarah @ ProWritingAid: Bye.