Jeremy Shipp is one of the freshest and most original voices in speculative fiction today. His strange characters, unusual plots, and quick-witted dialogue weave together to form the most interesting stories. His social media posts are just as entertaining and have garnered him a loyal on-line following of fiction fans eager to watch the evil attic clown saga unfold. His previous works, Sheep and Wolves and Vacation, have garnered him praised from such noted writers as Jack Ketchum and Piers Anthony. His new book, Cursed, arrives on bookshelves Halloween 2009. You can learn more about Shipp and his works through his website at www.jeremycshipp.com.
Reflection’s Edge: You are a self proclaimed author of “bizarro” fiction. Please explain.
Jeremy Shipp: In my lifetime, I’ve been called a great many things; a horror writer, a fantasy writer, a bizarro writer, a nerd, a dweeb, a yard gnome. I whole-heartily embrace all of these classifications. I’m honored and thankful to be embraced by the bizarro community. We are writers of weird fiction, and the way I see it, our differences in style and content unite us even more than our similarities and that’s a rare thing.
Cursed is a story about Nicholas, Cicely and their friends and enemies. The main characters create an informal support group, of sorts, for cursed individuals. Together, they try to cope with their problems, attempt to find out who or what cursed them, and what the heck they can do about it.
RE: Just like all of your writing, “Cursed” has an unusual cast of characters. How do you develop your characters?
Shipp: I flesh out my characters rather organically. I let them show me who they are and what they want. I don’t plan out character traits, and at the beginning of a story, my characters are strangers to me. But as they occupy my mind, they quickly become acquaintances, then friends, and eventually I know their minds and their fears and their hearts.
RE: When you approach a story, do you develop the characters first or plot first?
Shipp: My stories are usually sparked by a single idea or image. My mind grabs hold of the idea and stretches it into a vague notion of plot, and then I start writing. I don’t like knowing very much about my plot when writing a story. I usually know where my characters are headed, but I don’t know how they’re going to get there. This is part of the fun of writing for me. Not that writing is always fun. Writing can be excruciating, especially for someone as obsessive as I am.
RE: Most of the story is conveyed through dialogue and lists. Why is that?
Shipp: I wanted the style of the writing to reflect the psyche of the main character. Nicholas is the insecure, obsessive side of my own personality, and so I let that part of me come up with the style.
RE: Your writing is often very unique in its format and delivery. What is your reasoning for stepping away from traditional structure?
Shipp: I started writing novels when I was 13, and I’ve been writing about one a year ever since. My first few novels were very traditional in structure, but over the years my voice changed. You could say I went through stylistic puberty and became an adult. In truth, I don’t have a deep or profound justification for stepping away from traditional structure. Over time, I simply learned to write the way that I think, and the way I think is a bit strange.
RE: On your website you let people interact with the development of short stories, give feedback on cover art, and overall are very interactive with your readers. What is your reasoning for this?
Shipp: There are two reasons for this. One: I enjoy interacting with my readers. And two: I’m an animist, and I see my stories as alive, in a sense. My spirit lives in my writing, but so does the spirit of the world. And so, it’s natural for me to open myself up to my readers the way that I do. In my mind, I couldn’t disconnect my writing process from the rest of reality, even if I wanted to.
RE: You do the same with other social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. What impact has this approach had on the development of your career?
Shipp: I think it’s safe to say that social media is the lifeblood of my writing career. I’m a cult fiction writer, and the support of my readers is what allows me to accomplish my goals. My readership has grown beyond all my expectations, and I can’t thank my readers enough for their help in this.
RE: Where do evil attic clowns fit into all this?
Shipp: The clowns used to live in mirrors in my attic, but due to a freak accident in a local spork factory, the clowns are now free, and they’re enjoying their freedom. They perform unnecessary surgeries on me in my sleep. They make a delicious rubber chicken noodle soup. They’re currently suffering from tinsellitis. They frighten me, but somehow, I can’t imagine my life without them. They’re a part of the family.
RE: What advice do you have for new writers?
Shipp: Write from your heart, your gut, your spleen, your mind, your soul. Remember that rejection letters are a healthy part of a writer’s breakfast. Follow submission guidelines, exactly. Write every day. And keep in mind that if you’re trying to get published in order to validate the worth of your writing, you’ll suffer more than you have to. While the writing industry is hierarchical in structure, there is no hierarchy of worth. If a story is important to you, then that story is important. No one can take that from you.