Not every writer starts with a flash of inspiration—some start with a stubborn need to get the words out. G.M. Marks, author of Snatched, now live on Galatea, knows that journey all too well.
From struggling to find her voice to accidentally writing her most popular book, G.M. shares a refreshingly honest and humorous look at what it really takes to become a writer. In this interview, we talk about plot vs. character, the power of pantsing, and why sometimes the story you didn’t take seriously ends up being the one readers love most.
Read Snatched Now
Inkitt: What inspired you to become an author?
G.M. Marks: I’ve been writing on and off since I was a young kid. I picked up writing again in my mid-twenties and it was then when I really knuckled down and learned how to write. As for inspiration at that point—there was no inspiration. It was simply a need. A desire to write.
Inkitt: What was it like seeing your story gain traction?
G.M. Marks: The Barbarian was the first story that gained traction. It actually started as a short story. Readers seemed to really like it and asked that I write a full novel about it—so I did! As for my other stories—I suppose Snatched was interesting. It was only supposed to be a gap filler while I thought about a REAL story. It proved to be my most popular.
That’s when I learned that readers prefer relationships not plot. And so I’ve adjusted the way I write since.
Inkitt: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your writing journey?
G.M. Marks: The biggest challenge by far was simply learning how to write without it sounding like it’s written by a child. That was VERY hard. It took many years. Lots of sweat and tears.
And then, one day, it happens—you start a new story (utterly defeated and demoralised by your last) and the words suddenly pour from your fingertips like magic. I’ll never forget that day, that moment when I finally achieved my goal. When I could finally call myself a writer.
Inkitt: What advice would you give to other authors?
G.M. Marks: Being successful as a writer is as likely as winning the lottery. Do it because you love it.
Inkitt: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
G.M. Marks: Definitely a pantser, through and through. I rarely know how the story ends. Sometimes I don’t even know the ending until I’m actually writing it. It’s weird—it’s like I’m reading a book written by someone else while I’m writing it. It certainly makes it exciting!
Inkitt: How do you develop your characters?
G.M. Marks: They always surprise me. I always think to myself, it’s not me who’s writing the story, it’s my characters. That’s why I’m a pantser, I suppose. The characters tell me how to write the plot. The plot doesn’t tell me how to write the characters.
Inkitt: Are there any recurring themes in your stories?
G.M. Marks: What I write these days kind of reflects the culture at the time. Right now, for instance, I’m writing about a character who is striving to be a better man by overcoming toxic masculinity and conservatism. A real problem right now, with all that’s going on in the world.
G.M. Marks doesn’t sugarcoat the writing journey. and that’s what makes her story so relatable. Whether it’s battling self-doubt, discovering that readers crave characters more than perfect plots, or learning how to follow your own voice, G.M.’s honesty is a reminder that there’s no one way to become a writer.
Sometimes the magic happens when you least expect it. And sometimes, what started as “just a filler” turns into the story that defines your career.
