Gary P English
asked
Veronica Roth:
I'm loving Poster Girl, as I have all of your books. Are you planning a sequel or series from it? I only about halfway through now, and I like the Emily Knox character as well as Sonya. What were your inspirations in creating them? Also, I'd love to read more from the Carve the Mark world. Can you envision any further books for that series?
Veronica Roth
So glad you're enjoying it! Poster Girl is a standalone. As for Emily Knox, she's mostly inspired by a kind of "morally ambiguous tech whiz" character archetype that you see in a lot of science fiction (though that character is usually a man)-- I've always had a fondness for that "type" and used it as a jumping off point to build Knox. Quite a few of the scenes that I added later on in revisions involved Knox, because she leapt off the page a little more than I was anticipating and I wanted to include her more in the story.
Sonya, though, was the reason the whole book came together. "Aftermath of a dystopian overthrow" was an idea I had in the back of my mind for awhile, but an idea is just that-- an idea-- until you can find the right character to tell the story. Sonya's complicity in the Delegation, her indoctrination, her moral ambivalence, they're all part of what made her interesting to me as a writer. The things that I think are admirable about Sonya came a little later, emerging through the narrative-- I started off not really sure what I felt about her, and that was new for me.
As for Carve the Mark, that series is complete, but I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I might actually share some deleted scenes via my newsletter (veronicaroth.substack.com) in the coming months, once I'm settled at home again, because it's the only thing I've written that I had to cut things from! So stay tuned.
Sonya, though, was the reason the whole book came together. "Aftermath of a dystopian overthrow" was an idea I had in the back of my mind for awhile, but an idea is just that-- an idea-- until you can find the right character to tell the story. Sonya's complicity in the Delegation, her indoctrination, her moral ambivalence, they're all part of what made her interesting to me as a writer. The things that I think are admirable about Sonya came a little later, emerging through the narrative-- I started off not really sure what I felt about her, and that was new for me.
As for Carve the Mark, that series is complete, but I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I might actually share some deleted scenes via my newsletter (veronicaroth.substack.com) in the coming months, once I'm settled at home again, because it's the only thing I've written that I had to cut things from! So stay tuned.
More Answered Questions
A Goodreads user
asked
Veronica Roth:
Based on your past interviews, I know you whipped up Divergent was fairly quickly. How long does it usually take for you to write a full-length novel? Do you have any advice for first time authors who feel want to take their time with their novel and do their ideas and characters justice, but also finish it sooner rather than later?
Chris Trites
asked
Veronica Roth:
Hello, I want to say how much I enjoy your stories. I love that they're different and that you think outside the box. Thank you for writing them. My copy of Arch-Conspirator should be arriving in a few days and I am excited and a little nervous to continue with the story. Why Antigone? Have you always been a fan of Sophocles? Is there any of the other tragedies you would consider exploring (re-telling)? Thx.
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