#WritersQuick5 - Meet Humorist, Columnist, and Erotica Writer Briana Bryon

​Welcome to week eleven of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers.

This week I am thrilled to bring you responses from writer Briana Bryon. (Side note: I’m also thrilled to feature Briana as my second international author, coming to us from Australia.) 

​It’s hard to pin down one style for Briana. Briana is first and foremost a humorist, living up to her tagline, “sense of humor not optional.” Her satirical columns “There’s a monster in my bed. Oh wait, it’s a baby” on Channillo.com are seriously funny and the humour posts on her website are dripping with delightful sarcasm and hilarious insights. Even her ‘about’ bio made me laugh.   

​She also is a part-time sports journalist for Fairfax Media, she writes columns for Focus Magazine, and is a feature writer for Cafe Culture. 

If that wasn’t enough, Briana writes erotica under the pen name Fern Watts. Her short stories can be found on Amazon and her first Fern Watts novel is due to be released on August 29 with Deep Desires Press. 

​Let’s see what Briana has to say… 

Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there?
I have an office in my house. This is the one place I have to write in peace, complete with a snoring dog and a comically large desk that I share with an ironing pile. I set time aside every day to write in it. Ok, I usually spend that time staring out the window wondering what Buffy the Vampire Slayer is up to. I miss her.

Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre?
When writing humour, people think I am being ironic or funny when I am actually being truthful. Humour allows the truth to come out in ways you wouldn't get away with in other genres. Also you get to be a bit mean and generally pretty cranky. It's fun.

Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves?
I am TERRIBLE at self editing, so I won't comment on this, except to say, that writers who start a paragraph with an indent are stuck in a time loop. I think that was done last in the 90's. Oh, and double spacing after a full-stop. Again, time loop.

Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work?
​When I have finished the first draft. Then I ask people to have a read to find out which bits they skipped; they are the boring bits that generally need to go. Kill your darlings so to speak. But if they say the whole thing is boring I punch them. 

Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process?
Write the first draft with your heart, the second with your head. Always carry a notebook with you. And use it. Also get a degree in dentistry, just in case. Dentists make a fortune and I'm pretty sure they can leave the house without a notebook anytime they feel like it.

Thank you Briana for these wonderful answers. I think we should get t-shirts made with the line “write the first draft with your heart, the second with your head” because that is just SO TRUE. Also, I need to re-watch Buffy. Like stat. 

Please check out Briana’s website where you can subscribe to hear more from her, check out her Channillo.com series “There’s a monster in my bed. Oh wait. It’s a baby,” and her work as Fern Watts now available on Amazon.com. You can also follow Briana on Twitter. 

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If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well!

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