S.E. Hinton wrote The Outsiders when she was only sixteen years old. Villanova’s own James Kelly is an aspiring author who has completed his own manuscript and is hopefully on the road to being published.
Name: James Kelly
Class: 2014
Hometown: Huntington, NY
Major: Marketing (Minor: Writing & Rhetoric)
When did you first start writing?
I can’t pinpoint an exact moment in my life, but I’ve always written stories for as long as I can remember. Even in kindergarten, I tried to write a story and just from there I propelled my passion by scribbling down story after story. The majority of them were incomplete; I didn’t stick with an idea until high school when I finally found the resolve to sit down and finished it.
How long did it take you to write it?
It’s hard to say. The summer I could say it was actually completed was freshman year in college and I started in sophomore year of high school. So it was roughly 4 years in the making, but I didn’t sit down and write it all in one shot.
What’s it about?
I typically liken it to the TV show Heroes because it’s about teenagers who get superpowers but they don’t know the origins of them and what to do with them. Mine has a more supernatural type of feel, though; it’s not really science fiction. It focuses on the struggles the characters face and the conflict between them and the organizations that want to use the teens’ superpowers for their own ends.
Any favorite character quirks?
I think my favorite type of character is one who’s relatable regardless of whether they’re in a fantastical or a “real” setting. I think a reader should be able to imagine themselves going through the same kinds of struggles a character is going through internally. I think authors should be able to stray away from shallow character development and delve into characters that are more three-dimensional. Being able to flesh out a character and give them a backstory is the main thing that differentiates a character that will resonate with a reader from one that won’t.
Any favorite authors?
I’m more kind of the guy who has favorite books as opposed to authors. The Brothers Karamazov was an amazing book with a lot of nuance and lessons where it’s worth reading it more than once to make sure you get everything out of it. But I can’t say I’ve read other Dostoevsky so I wouldn’t be able to say he’s my favorite author.
What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends?
I try to keep a good balance between going out with my friends, relaxing, and trying new things. So for example, I’ll be at the bars on a Friday or Saturday night but a few weekends a go my friends and I went inner tubing and we go into Philly a lot. It’s just nice to be able to enjoy time off, especially when school is so hectic.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities on campus?
I’m in PSP, the honors academic fraternity. But I’m trying to get more into service activities and community outreach.
You can view some other samples of James’ writing at jameskellywriting.tumblr.com