Wales Literature Exchange interviewed our Bookshelf author Megan Angharad Hunter about her writing and influences.

1. What first inspired you to be an author and where do your ideas come from?

Books: like almost every writer, I have been an avid reader since I was little and have always been drawn towards imagery, characterisation and dialogue; I can't remember when I wrote my first story, but I do recall sitting at the kitchen table to write a new 'novel' - a couple of chapters, perhaps - every week or so from the age of seven or eight until secondary school.

My ideas almost always arise from people. In my opinion, characters are the heart of every story and plotting is entirely redundant if your characters are truly alive. I think about my characters all the time and when they eventually feel like they could be as real as the world we live in, I write.

2. How would you describe your writing?

Entirely character-led. Whether I'm writing contemporary realism, dystopian, sci-fi or fantasy the characters' voices are the foundation.

3. Which authors have influenced you the most?

I think that every book I immerse myself in or every script that I listen to has an impact on my writing in some way. Every story or writing style that I fall in love with helps me strive to improve and experiment as a writer, but I do believe that watching my father experiment consistently in his writing has spurred me to make bold choices without fear of judgment and blur the lines between different types of art.

4. In your opinion what are the biggest challenges that writers face today – and do you think these challenges have changed since you started writing?

I don't think that I have enough writing experience to attempt an answer to this question yet, but I do believe that every individual trying to make a living creatively certainly experience similar challenges in a capitalist society.

5. What are the hardest and easiest parts of being a writer?

The hardest part is overcoming your self-doubt. Nothing about writing feels easy but no feeling can compare to the ease that overcomes you when you're completely immersed in a character or a scene whilst writing, and you feel like you can't type fast enough!

6. Which writer from Wales would you recommend to readers and why?

So many, but Marged Tudur is an exceptionally talented poet - her debut collection, Mynd, is one of the most affecting books that I have ever read.

tu ôl i'r awyr is selected to the Wales Literature Exchange 2021–22 Bookcase, our annual selection of recent Welsh literary works which we recommend for translation.