Fabienne Josaphat
/Sent via form submission from The Creative Process
Your Name:
Where were you born and raised? How did it influence your writing and your thinking about the world?: I was born and raised in Haiti, which has shaped my identity greatly. I write works that seek to challenge the current perceptions of Haiti, but I also explore themes of migration, identity, consciousness, which means everything I write leans toward opening my readers' eyes. I always think of the world in its entirety, so I'm interested in sharing stories that take us deeper into the human experience beyond borders. Growing up in Haiti, I read a lot of Haitian literature, but also European and African writings in addition to American writing. I think this has colored my perspective in ways that are exciting and I want to keep sharing these experiences in my work.
What kind of reader were you as a child? What books made you fall in love with reading as a child?: My earliest memories of storytelling were oral, because Haiti's dying oral tradition of sharing folktales was how my grandfather got me introduced to stories. Then came books, and as a girl I was reading Nancy Drew books and writing my own version of those. I was teaching myself how to write in that way. I also loved the Fantômette series by Georges Chaulet. Looking back, I was always interested in daring girls who went on adventures, braving dangers to solve mysteries. My taste changed later on, became "more serious" with literary fiction, and became more political, but adventure was and remains a big need for me when reading. My favorite authors who got me into reading were those authors like Alexandre Dumas or Victor Hugo who could tell exciting stories all while subtly weaving social or political commentary between the lines.
Describe your typical writing day.: My work starts differently depending on what I'm writing. My novels start with a synopsis. I sit down and write out what I call a pitch, but it's really how I outline. In one page, I tell the story that I want to write, and this becomes my roadmap. The synopsis details the main plot points, so that when I am actually writing the novel, I know where the story is headed. I just need to reach those main plot points with scenes. So that typical writing day is the same for months until I complete the draft: I make my coffee and sit at my laptop for a set amount of hours (two hours at the most in the early morning because I can't stay seated longer than that and I have to get up and enter parent mode). I adjust this depending on what's happening, so if my kids are at school I can write more. But those early morning hours are crucial.
If I'm writing a short story, I don't typically write an outline. I just start writing and let the story guide me. This often results in false starts, but for shorter pieces I give myself more grace. Sometimes I discover things and alter the storyline I intended to go with. But that's easier to solve than messing up in a novel, which is lengthier. So there's more room for me to play with shorter pieces.
Tell us about the creative process behind your most well-known work or your current writing project.: For my recent novel, the process started first with research. I spent over a year reading deeply, watching documentaries, finding artifacts and interviewing subjects who could teach more about the topic. Then, when I was ready, I wrote out a synopsis and a timeline of events (this was important because the narrative is historical). I failed a few first drafts, so that was when I realized the synopsis was a must. Once I was ready, I set my alarm and woke up every day at 4 a.m., made coffee and sat at my computer until 6 or 7 a.m. And I did this until I had a first draft completed, which took a very long time. But I had set a deadline for myself, which is another thing I always do: write out a deadline. I share that date with my agent so she keeps me motivated, or at least I am motivated to meet that deadline.
Upload a Photo(s) of Yourself, Your Handwritten Notebooks, Your Books, Manuscript Pages, Your Writing Desk, etc.: 20240802_132847.jpg
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Do you keep a journal or notebook? If so, what’s in it?: I keep several notebooks and they are full of notes I sometimes can't even read, but I am afraid to lose my thoughts so I jot down any idea I have in them. It's an idea for a social post, or an idea for a newsletter content, or an idea related to a novel or a story I want to write. Sometimes it's a contact, a book title, or just a solution to a plot hurdle. Those are always with me, which is why I often lug around a big bag. If I don't have that, I keep a notepad app on my phone where I can write important things down.
How do you research and what role does research play in your writing?: My research always involves reading, so lots of books on the subject I am exploring, its history, etc. Because of the nature of my work, I'm always learning about a moment in history, a country, an illustrious figure, so research is central. So I spend a lot of time on this before I even start writing. I always want to be sure I can speak to a subject at least broadly, without stumbling, before I feel secure enough to start writing about it.
Which writer, living or dead, would you most like to have dinner with?: Alexandre Dumas for his incredible sense of adventure, or Maryse Condé, whose voice always lives in my head.
Do you draw inspiration from music, art, or other disciplines?: Music and art are also research for me, too. In fact, my recent novel was written to the sound of Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, just to name a few. They grounded me in the era I was writing about. So inspiration comes from surrounding myself with other disciplines that open me up to different aspects of the very thing I'm researching. Or sometimes I'm not writing, and I stumble upon an artwork or a piece of literature that does inspire a need to write. In short, yes. I do.
AI and technology is changing the ways we write and receive stories. What are your reflections on AI, technology and the future of storytelling? And why is it important that humans remain at the center of the creative process?: The idea of anyone who identifies as a writer relying on AI to write a novel, or any piece of literary merit, is beyond me. I believe writing requires our intellectual sweat, and that is a creative process that cannot be passed on to AI and still be recognized as art. Art is in the experience of human expression. I have not yet accepted otherwise, not for art and literature.
Tell us about some books you've recently enjoyed and your favorite books and writers of all time.: I read a book that I found delightful, by Yewande Omotoso -- I enjoyed it. Also reveling now in Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.
Favorite writers include Gabriel García Márquez, Alexandre Dumas, Maryse Condé.
<b>The Importance of Arts, Culture & The Creative Process</b><br> : This project feels very urgent and timely. I've been thinking a lot lately about legacy and what we leave behind, and these days especially when the pendulum swings very much toward artificial intelligence, and toward censorship, I become concerned about the impact on our work as writers and artists. One of my greatest fears is that humanities will be rendered obsolete as a discipline and as a concept. So I honor the work that is being done here and that all artists are doing by adding their voice to the conversation and by keeping our stories and work alive.
Optional - Upload an Example of Your Writing (an excerpt, one poem or short story).: Baron's Shadow excerpt (1).pdf
Website:
Your Instagram: @fabyjosapaht
Email: fabyjosaphat@gmail.com
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