Interview with author Hope Clark: How She Wrote a Hit Novel, and 3 Things Aspiring Novelists Must Do Now

I've followed Hope Clark's blog and newsletter for years, and not because we're both former feds. (Though that's a great place to start.) I know her as somebody who "gets it." As a regular reader of her hugely successful FundsForWriters.com, I have even contributed to her newsletter (see here and also here.) So I was thrilled when she added "author of a mystery series" to her repertoire. But even better: it wasn't "luck" that got her there; it was hard work that "got her published." I recently downloaded her new book, "Lowcountry Bribe," and it was an excellent read! Carolina Slade is compelling-- and the situation she finds herself in is even more gripping-- as you turn the pages quickly. I interviewed Hope recently about her new book, creating powerful characters and storylines, how she landed an agent and publisher and...how you can do it too.

Why should a reader pick up or download your book?

The award-winning opening hook, the remarkable twist not a soul has seen coming, the witticisms, the realistic vulnerability of a strong protagonist, the vivid descriptions of an enchanting rural South Carolina, a mystery that keeps the pages flipping long into the night, the handsome federal agent, the picture painted of Americana agriculture as a prime setting for crime - - all of these are reasons relayed to me by actual readers of Lowcountry Bribe.

You had a great interplay between Slade and Special Agent Wayne Largo. How did your realistic dialogue come-was it easy or hard to write, springing from their characterizations?

Dialogue is my absolute favorite part of writing. I'm there, in the room with them, playing it out, moving, standing, hand-waving. In the South, in case you are not from the South, we tend to speak with our hands, in metaphors, with storytelling. It's a natural personality trait to me, and in a room of Southerners, you'll often find antes and one-ups on who can tell the best story, and they are relaying their own lives! But I live in a house full of men and came up in a profession full of men, so the repartee between Slade and Wayne is not so unlike that in my own home . . . with my live-in federal agent. I "see" the characters and as they dodge and weave in their back-and-forth, I also "hear" their double-dog-dare exchanges as if they stood in my study putting on a show.

You were a government employee, and as a former Federal employee myself, I can say without a doubt that you NAILED life in a govt office-the bureaucracy and middle management layers and redundancies. You made it believable, but just how do you turn something like that into exciting reading? It hooked me, and then it kept getting more and more interesting, to the point where it was hard to put it down!

The bureaucratic world is very internal, with logistics, lingo and paperwork that outsiders can't comprehend. What we don't know often bores us, especially with the government which is known for being boring. That was a trick, editing to the point I deleted all the mundane parts. Having participated in investigations, I knew to skip the long waiting parts, the meetings that get cancelled, the preparation that takes hours, like Law and Order, which you and I know involves cases that in real life take months, but on TV, take 45 minutes minus commercials. With lending, which Slade does, you only mention the appropriate items that further the story. You tap the juicy parts. And as with any story, every page has to further the story. Remember that lesson keeps you editing tight. Actually tight, visual writing can paint any profession in an intriguing light.

Can you tell us about the process of writing this book? Did you have a very well thought out plot and outline, and know the arc and ending in advance, or did you write as you went? How long did it take you?

This book was agony and ecstasy. The original version was 14 years ago. It stinks. However, I had to exorcise that version out of my system, as I did the second and third versions written completely from scratch. The original was third person, and it wasn't until I started over twice, finally in first person, did the story start becoming 3-D. Of course, I put the book down for about 5 years in between as I grew as a writer, so the actual writing time was a bit less than 14 years.

I did not have a complete outline. I do not like to write with a complete outline. I outline 3-5 chapters at a time once I know the characters I want to work with. I'm very much a setting and character writer first, then I let the characters lead the story. But once I've written that 3-5 chapters, then I return to another mini-outline. The reasoning is that my stories always change. ALWAYS. I'll be in the midst of a confrontation and realize we are headed down the wrong path, so I change direction. Outlining a complete book, then altering course innumerable times between Chapters 1 and 34, would be devastating to a writer's ego, in my opinion. Wasted work. Plus I love the enlightenment that occurs as I write, as a new twist comes in focus.

For instance, Alan, the ex-husband, was a minor player who disappeared after Chapter 4 in the first few versions. My critique group said make him more or get rid of him, because he contributed so little. So I made him HUGE in overkill manner, which made for a much richer plot. There was another man in her office in the second version, who was her silent supporter, but he never grew. Much like Alan, he aided very little. So I ditched him. The kids used to be two boys, close in age, but I wanted to spice up Slade's personal life, so I changed one to a daughter, old enough to be a handful (which works well in the second and third book). But I always know that the two arcs have to keep escalating, and somehow come together - the personal and the professional. That's also what I hate and love about writing. Solving the dilemmas. As in real life, I experience them as they play out, not knowing how to solve them, using the tools at hand to figure it out. It's not the typical classroom lesson taught in creative writing, but it works for me.

How long did the editing process take?

I'm always editing. I do this two steps forward and one step back. Write a chapter, put it down, read it, edit it and start chapter two. Put it down. Pick it up, edit chapter two then write chapter three. I have to feed the subsequent chapter from the previous, which often means editing as I write. But full edits of the completed manuscript took at least three years. I quit counting the times. At least 20. Lots of meticulous changes. It doesn't look like it, but that's the beauty of edits. The finished product has to look easy. However, keep in mind that I was developing a voice in that first book with its many edits and revisions. I love the voice I found in the process. Book two took a year to write. It's been edited three times. I'm finishing another edit on it now. I'm an editing fiend. Until they tell me to stop, I find an excuse to edit one more time.

Can you tell us about the publishing process, how you were able to secure a publisher or an agent?

I decided from the outset that I did not want to self-publish my fiction. I needed that vetting process to tell me I'd done this mission right. When I felt Lowcountry Bribe sounded decent, I started entering contests before I pitched to agents. Contests were barometric measures for me. When I started placing in contests, I realized that I was getting there, so I pitched agents. All this took two years, however, because some contests took months and I only pitched twelve agents at a time. After 35 agents, I stopped pitching and did another rewrite. Then I started pitching again. I landed agent number 72. It took her 18 months to land a contract. Some agents would have dropped me in that time period, but she believed in the voice of the series. We came close with some great publishers, even to the Acquisitions Board of a couple, but a mid-sized press, Bell Bridge Books just felt right. I adore that publisher. It was frustrating, and I admit I shed a few tears along the way, but the only choices were to keep doing it or quitting, and I loved writing too much to quit.

What's a day in the life of Hope like? How were you able to spend time writing a novel when you're managing the huge Funds For Writers newsletter, which has 26,000 subscribers?

Actually, the four newsletters reach 43,000 readers. The main newsletters, FundsforWriters, reaches 26,000. But I work full-time at this craft of ours. At least eight hours a day. And I love it. I tend to do FundsforWriters and freelance writing by day and fiction by night, when the world is asleep and nobody is emailing or Tweeting me. My days are full; I won't lie about that. But what started as a fun enterprise when I couldn't sell the mystery over a decade ago, has turned into major job. Can't let it loose now! But fiction is my energy and my first love.

I'm a night owl. I rise at 10AM, eat breakfast in front of some recorded mystery TV show, then hit the computer for a few hours. Then I take a break, run errands, work in the yard, play with my pet chickens. Return to the keyboard for an hour or two. Do dinner with hubby in front of another mystery, then hit the study until 2-3 AM. As you can see, my day is broken up, which I enjoy. It's like sectioning my tasks, severing one so I cleanly step into another duty with a clear head. It works for me.

What was your biggest mistake in this book process?

Waiting so long in between edits. To a certain degree I grew during those respites, but I was also second-guessing my abilities making me procrastinate going back to the novel. Especially since FundsforWriters was doing so well. I didn't join a critique group for years, not believing in them. I wish I'd joined one earlier in my career, because I believe I'd have improved faster. But I'm not one to rue the past. Never have. Each and every experience teaches me, and I like that.

Tell me about the role you have to take in selling and promoting this book.

My publisher does great promotional plans with Amazon. I consider Bell Bridge Books/Belle Books a leader in that regard. They regularly have a book in the top 100, and definitely in the top 100 of various genres. But I'm promoting my own book. I've learned so much about how, when, and if to deal with indie bookstores, how to approach B&N and Books-a-Million, when to give away a book and when to hold onto it. I've learned that you have to be strong with your promotion, because the whole process and the huge number of books available out there can drown your efforts quite easily. Being proactive is key. However, I will say that my publisher has toned me down a bit, because I operated under the old school that you have to push the book hard out of the gate, but these days the business model is more of a long-tail approach, building a platform over time. That's great news for most authors, but the secret is you can't stop promoting waiting for the long-tail to take effect. You have to continue to promote daily, regularly, passionately, over that long haul. That's how brands are built and series become household names.

I blog, guest blog, offer giveaways, speak to book groups, speak to writers groups, and travel when necessary. I have 13 gigs this year between Feb and Oct, with more popping up here and there. You have to keep your name out there. I've also learned to always have promo material and at least two books on me at all times. I've sold five copies at my gym, just because I told one person I wrote. 100 books sit in my study, ever available. A FundsforWriters reader came through town recently, and I met her at a bar - sold four copies. You just never know.

What would you recommend to other aspiring novelists? What must writers know NOW?

1. Write daily. If writing is something you do when you have time, then you're giving it secondary status which interprets on all levels that it isn't your priority.

2. Blog and Tweet. If you do no other social networking, do those two things. Third is Facebook. Start now. Try not to mesh your personal drama into it. Sound off daily like you are a writer and you mean it.The blog needs to be regular, and not just about hard it is to write. Boring. Show the world your voice.

3. Diligence is everything. Only you decide whether to quit. It's nobody else's fault. Fight to improve, and yes, your writing today sucks compared to your writing tomorrow. You cannot become good unless you write daily to exorcise all the crap. Keep at it, and your odds rise that you'll do something in this business. While you whine about your inabilities, others are leaving you in their dust.

What's on the agenda for you next? When do we see books 2 and 3?

Books two and three are written! Publisher is talking about them now. I like them BETTER than Lowcountry Bribe. Slade really comes into her own, but she continues to upset plans and people along the way. Seems that doing the right thing for her isn't necessarily what other people agree with. All the books are set in rural South Carolina, just in different regions. Lowcountry Bribe is in Edisto, rural Charleston County. Book Two takes place in Beaufort, specifically St Helena Island. Book Three brings us inland to Lexington County and a little town called Pelion. Readers connect with a series, and I'm bringing a different secondary character to the forefront in each book while introducing a couple of new characters.You'll love the new guy in Book Two, and Slade's friend Savvy takes center stage. That's all I can say.

However, I can say, this is a journey made in heaven. I couldn't be having a better time. I'll write about Carolina Slade until they sprinkle my ashes, and believe me, I have enough stories to last that long.#

In Praise of Teachers: Thank you, Mrs. Shepherd

My writer friend Kim Urig over at Fresh Daily Bread has issued a blog writing challenge in honor of Teachers Appreciation Week. Here's my addition--my favorite teacher.


As a fifth grader growing up in Westlake, Ohio, I wasn't that proud of myself. I had a good sense of humor, but that didn't mean much to people. I was on the nerdy side, quiet, liked to read, glasses and freckles. I was a good student but pretty average in any sport or activity. I had just finished up my Girl Scount stint: I wasn't really into needlepoint or camping.  I hadn't discovered tennis yet (that would be 6th grade) and my athleticism was lacking: I always grounded out on my 5th grade softball team, just like my favorite team, the Cleveland Indians. The only thing I could do was win my class spelling bee every year and in my spare time (I don't remember any homework then), I would write books, poems and a neighborhood newspaper from a basement desk (I hired my brother as the sports writer and later had to fire him. Insubordination to the editor in chief, and he liked to play baseball rather than write about it.) Anyways, I was largely unnoticed at school.

Until the day Mrs. Harriett Shepherd, 5th grade teacher at Hilliard Elementary, called me up to her desk and said she needed to talk to me. It was important, she said.

Her face stern, my stomach dropped. For me to get in trouble was rare, and I was terrified at what I could've done wrong. I must've failed something with math, I deducted. It had to be division of fractions!

I shuffled up slowly, praying none of my classmates would see. I believe they were throwing wads of paper at each other so no one noticed.

"Kristi," she said. "I need to talk to you."

Gulp. "I'm sorry." (Automatic apologies are still issued by me. I was baptized Catholic.)

"I just read that book you wrote, Sandy and Jenny."

Oh! I had forgotten I had given her a copy of my first novel, complete with a cardboard cover!

"It was wonderful!" she said. I beamed. The chapters in that thing had taken some work! My teacher had liked it! (Or at least pretended she did.) "I think you did a great job! And you really  have a way with endings. You have the best endings on your work. I am very proud of you. Keep writing!"

I skipped back to my desk, eager to compile more exciting, gripping Sandy and Jenny stories! A sequel, I planned! Or perhaps a series like Nancy Drew!

My parents, weeks later, came home from their conference with my teacher. "She says you really write well, and you're very good at endings," they said, when I ran over to hear about their visit. I became convinced I was the world's finest ending writer! KMD would be in demand for my riveting endings!

I began writing more, through junior high. And then, the same thing happened.

9th grade English. My teacher, Mr. Werner, called my friend Molly and I up to his desk. He had always given us A's on our writing and wrote such encouraging things in the margins of our sprawled handwriting. Even if we had only written, "The sky is the most amazing blue today."

"You two are teriffic writers," he said. "Keep up the great work!"

And we did.

I began entering contests, and he would praise my effort. I was empowered with the thinking that some teachers actually found me talented, whether I was or not. I have no idea if Mr. Werner and Mrs. Shepherd said that to every student, BUT it stuck with me. I, Kris Meldrum, was good at something. Finally.

And so you know the rest...I went on to study journalism in college...and 2 decades later, I'm still writing. Won a few awards, and have actually gotten paid for writing over the last few decades.

But more importantly, the names Harriett Shepherd and Wade Werner mean something to me. I found Mr. Werner via email years ago and thanked him. I couldn't find Mrs. Shepherd. Though sometime in high school or college, I ran into her at the grocery store.

"Mrs. Shepherd!" I exclaimed. She smiled and hugged me. Older now, but her eyes still showed kindness. "Kristi," she said. "How are you? Are you still writing?"

She remembered.

And I will remember her forever. Thank you, Mrs. Shepherd, wherever you are. Thank you for believing in me, whether I deserved your praise or not. Thank you for taking a direction-less kid and pointing her onto something bigger. Thank you.

Interview with Kelly James Enger, author of "Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success"

Last week at the ASJA Conference in NYC, I had the chance to meet one of my "freelance writing heroes" and a most inspiring writing colleague, successful freelancer and author Kelly James Enger. Kelly's book, "Six Figure Freelancing" was one of the first freelance books I read; her emphasis on treating the work as a business was the impetus I needed to go from part-time freelancing to full-time (well, that and my youngest child now going to school fulltime!) Kelly was gracious to spend time answering my questions about her new book of outstanding tips: "Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success."

I thoroughly enjoyed your book, Kelly, and you could tell easily that you have 15 years experience freelancing behind you—you pretty much encapsulated my day to day life. There’s nothing you missed! 

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it and hope you can use a lot of the information in it to make more money.

I read each one of your tips with interest—because it covered so much of a writer’s life—the contracts and rights, burnout, reprints, reslanting, working with sources and editors, time management, marketing, chasing down payment. If you had to pick the most important of the 101 tips, what would they be? What MUST writers know NOW to help them get ahead?

Wow, that’s a tough one. You can see all 101 secrets in the table of contents, but I’d say the most important include: Market constantly (#19), Eliminate the ugliest (#20), Name your whales (#54), and Boost your value (#80). In today’s market, you really have to be selling yourself all the time. Marketing includes more than sending queries and letters of introduction—it encapsulates everything from your LinkedIn bio to your email signature to your online presence. Working efficiently (see “eliminate the ugliest”) is also critical to make the most of the minutes (or hours) you have available for freelancing. And constantly learning new skills so you can attract new clients--and keep the ones you have—is also important.

 I liked some of your catchy references. Can you explain your tips to “Be a shark”? (p. 67) What about to “name your whales”? 

“Name your whales” (#54) refers to what pros in the gaming industry call high rollers. Whales get special treatment. So should your best clients. For example, I try not to work nights or weekends anymore. (I have two little kids and strive to make a fulltime living in part-time hours.) BUT I will do that for a regular client. I try to go the “extra mile” with them. And “be a shark” refers to Woody Allen’s quote about a relationship being akin to a shark—if it stops moving, it dies. I take the same approach when writing drafts—I just keep writing (i.e., swim like a shark), and figure I can clean it up later.

Many of us write parenting articles for regional magazines, and you advocate selling reprints to these. Wouldn’t it be hard to sell reprints to other regional magazine markets when your article is online forever with that magazine? What do you suggest in this era where writers are continually asked to give up all rights? 

 That’s a good point, and it depends on the market you’re selling to. I’ve found, however, that many markets don’t care if the piece is online for a different magazine that their readers will likely never see or know of. The editors at smaller magazines need a certain amount of copy to fill their magazines and they usually have small budgets. Reprinted pieces can help fill those “holes.”  

You give good info. about queries. But sometimes for the national glossy magazines, an unknown writer won’t even get a response from the editor, even if it's a great query. Do you have suggestions about getting your query noticed and away from spam filters? 

Obviously don’t pitch anything that has the word “erection” in it. J Okay, seriously, choose a subject that you have some kind of personal experience or specialized knowledge of (what I call “uniquely qualified”) and pitch that. And think small. Start with FOB, or front-of-book pieces. As a new writer, you’re more likely to get your foot in the door that way. And if you don’t get any response at all after three or four well-written, targeted queries, it’s time to move on to another market.

Money. That’s what writers are talking about, that’s why we take online training, network, query bigger markets—we’re trying to get a respectable fair price for our time, service, expertise. Can you explain your TEA approach?

TEA stands for thank, explain, ask. Thank the client/editor for the assignment, Explain why you should be paid more (e.g., whether it’s because the story has a tight deadline, you’re already an expert in the subject matter, or you’ve written for the client before), and then Ask for more. Saying something like, “Considering that, can you do better?” or “With that in mind, how’s $1.50/word instead of $1/word?” often works. Even if it doesn’t, there’s no harm in asking.

 What about slow/no-payers? What is your best tip here?

 Stay on top of your invoices, first off. Markets seem to take longer to pay than they used to, but if it’s been a month or two, contact the client to remind him or her about payment. Get the name and contact information of the AP (Accounts Payable) department so you can follow up with that person. And if a client owes you money for more than, say, two months, I wouldn’t write for that client again—until you’re paid.  

Can you tell us how you got your book deals, since you went with traditional publishers mostly? 

Well, every book was different, but the biggest thing to remember is that I played up my “platform,” or ability to sell a book to readers regardless of what I was pitching. I found an agent and she did the heavy lifting as far as selling the books went. With my novels (my agent didn’t rep fiction), I researched potential publishers/editors about what they were acquiring and sold my first novel to the second editor I approached. (If this was today, I would have taken the time to get an agent and then sell the book.) With Writer for Hire, I approached Writer’s Digest directly with a proposal because the company is the publisher for writing-related books. My platform as a freelance expert sold the book.  

Finally, you touch on burn-out, self-doubts and drought, and that’s a sign “something should change,” how do you describe burnout and self-doubt, and how do we figure out what to change?  

 I’d call it Monday Morning Dread. If you’re depressed every Sunday night because you hate what you’re doing, something needs to change. Maybe you need to start doing different types of work, cut a particularly annoying client to the curb, or take more down time. Freelancing is a challenging way to make a living, and it involves an ability to do many things well. Some self-doubt (“Will my new client think this article is good enough?”) comes with the territory. But if you’re constantly wringing your hands or stressing over getting assignments/making money, it may not be a great fit for you.  

Loved when you talk about “not right now.” (at the end)—can you give us a little idea of what you were thinking there, and how you are handling the life-work balance with two precious little ones.

Just because you’re not drawn to something at the moment doesn’t mean it’s never for you. I heard about ghostwriting years ago and thought, “No way would I want to do that!” Well, things change, and now ghostwriting is 80 to 90 percent of my work! So remember you never walk in the same stream twice, and be open to things you may not have been open to before. And life-work balance? Well, I think that’s a myth. Some days I achieve it. Most day I don’t. My kids are my first priority, especially now while they’re so little (my son will be seven in June and my daughter is two). I try to work when I’m working (i.e. when my sitter is here) and not when I’m in mommy mode. It makes me a better mom, and a better freelancer/entrepreneur.

 Bio: Kelly James-Enger has been a fulltime freelancer, ghostwriter, and author for 15+ years. Her books include the just-released Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success (Writer’s Digest, 2012) and Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: The Writer’s Guide to Making Money Ghostwriting and Coauthoring Books (CreateSpace, 2010). She blogs about making more money in less time as a freelancer at http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com, and lives outside Chicago with her husband, son, daughter, and golden retriever. Visit http://www.becomebodywise.com for more information about her.

2 Key Words From the 2012 ASJA Conference

So...

Do you want to create a marketable book idea?
Do you want to know more about writing for the popular womens’ magazines, health and science markets, even humor writing?
Do you want to place that essay you wrote?
Do you know how to create targeted online copy?
Do you understand the anatomy of a winning book proposal?
How about making money freelancing fulltime?
What does an author need to know about publicity and marketing?
How do you write about subjects like sex?
How do write a health book that will sell?
What should you be doing with social media?

Do you think I can answer all of this now in a blog post?

No. I can only recommend the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) conference in New York City for this info, where I was last week. (I'm a new ASJA member, accepted this winter! Woohoo!) So if you want to know about these topics, you need to make plans to attend next year. Not only did I learn ways to improve my writing business, but I met some wonderfully creative, successful and interesting writers and editors. I also had the chance to be "mentored" by the wonderfully talented  and successful novelist and journalist Camille Noe Pagan (The Art of Forgetting.)

Writers conferences are invigorating! Invest in your career. It is worth it, and might be just what you need to become "un-stuck."



I can also tell you 2 key words that you need to keep in mind when attending a writers conference. Well, at least these words summed it up for me:

Reciprocity. Independent writers are a great group. We help each other, because it's not like we're all competing for that exact same market with the exact same story. There's a multitude of markets with hundreds of stories waiting to be told. As someone said, "It's not like one of us has to fail for another to succeed." Advice was the theme of the day. Give out your editors’ or agents’ names if someone needs a contact. Share what's worked for you. As one freelancer and panelist who has made upwards of $200K a year said, “Don’t hoard your leads and contacts.” This is key. Give away what you know. It's amazing what comes back to you.

Universality. This word applies to the general “we’re all in this thing together” theme; it also applies to your writing. When I listened to the presentation on essays, led by ASJA president Salley Shannon, she said "universality" should be something in your piece. When you write a poignant essay, you need to show common themes, universal emotions we all have (loss, resentment, anger, embarassment, shame, joy). While your essay may be about you, be sure you’re making it about the reader. The essays I've had published seemed to strike a chord with readers (you get mail when it does.)

So next year, when you’re plotting your calendar, you’re going to mark off the last weekend in April for New York City. If you can’t make that, you’re going to find any number of writers’ conferences throughout the country, so you can get better at your craft, meet other writers and authors so you know you’re not alone in your work, and…get inspired.

Because if a weekend in New York City doesn’t inspire you, what will?
****

Oh, I also saw "Seminar" on Broadway, about 4 students working on their first novel---being given humorous yet profound advice by their writing teacher, played by the adorable Jeff Goldblum. You watch as they and their teacher unravel and reveal their own fears and issues. Not a bad way to spend an evening!

Interview with Author David Wilcox on How A Trip To Italy Sparked a Novel; and Book Giveaway This Week!!

As a freelance journalist and columnist, and writer of this blog with advice to other hired pens, I come across different types of writing everyday. I'm often asked to review someone's self-published book or highlight it on this blog--and I have to unfortunately pass on promoting it here-- because they need a rewrite. This wasn't the case here. I first met author David Wilcox over two decades ago when I became friends with his son Kevin. Now, in retirement, David has become an author. I recently downloaded  his novel Sicilian Spring, a love story set in Italy, with mafioso involvement woven into the book. Since the reader is taking a chance with a self-published novel (and many traditional ones), I've got to say, I was happily surprised! David tells an excellent story, and is quite adept at moving the action along in the book. I contacted him for this interview, in which he kindly shared his experience for other writers. Thanks to David for his thoughtful answers!

Dave, can you tell me a little bit about your background?

My career was banking. I didn't write seriously until I retired. My degree from Ohio University is a BA in Political Science. While in the Army, I started a journal. I discontinued it but resumed it after graduation. At first, it was a method of relieving stress. Soon it was a compulsion I couldn’t ignore.

Following my brother’s death in Vietnam, I wrote poetry, probably as an emotional outlet. I wrote a short story about a baby tiger for my nephew to test story telling. It worked . . . sort of. Shortly after retiring, I began a novel about a savings and loan during the S & L crises, and discovered I have an active imagination and enjoy developing plots, creating characters, and writing. I didn't finish it though; we traveled, and a local newspaper was publishing my travel articles. Then, BORN AGAIN: A Conspiracy to Create a Theocracy, is a project I started in my spare time to determine whether I could complete a book. I finished it...and published it myself.

Can you tell me how your process of writing this cohesive story went? 

My wife wanted a love story. I’d learned from writing Born Again, but I didn’t think I had the emotional depth to write one. On a tour of Sicily everything fell into place. The island’s beauty, tragic history, and congenial people; the contrast between antiquity and modernity; and Mafia subculture lurking barely beneath the surface were ingredients begging for inclusion into a story. All that remained were the characters. I found a beautiful young teacher in a one room school in the mountains [an idea for a character]. We experienced a delightful dinner at the home of an aristocratic Sicilian family [another idea]. Several traveling companions were searching for their ancestral villages. Imagination did the rest and provided an older American widower who wanted to put his life back together and a young villain determined to make his mark. Our last night in seductive Taormina, I wrote the plot, imagined roles for other characters, and outlined it all in my journal in two hours. When we returned home, I researched Sicilian customs, traditions, and history. I also referred to my journal notes from tour lectures and Google for critical details. It took from March 2005 when we left Sicily until 2008 to complete a manuscript. In March 2009, editing was complete.

"Our last night in seductive Taormina, I wrote the plot, imagined roles for other characters, and outlined it all in my journal in two hours."

What exactly is your process during that time when you're writing and editing your book?

I outline the plot, identify the main characters. I write the story based upon the activity of the protagonist that flows from my imagination about an idea, a subject, or a theme. The outline is a several page synopsis. The idea comes first, then the plot, then,  a story line driven by characters with conflicts, desires, disappointments, individual issues, and transgressions and who interact and pull it all together. I pick a point to begin and start writing whatever comes into my head. So far, with two novels published and working on a third, it has happened in the same way each time. I can’t really explain the process. Recently, I discussed it with an artist friend who is also a musician. He said he had an idea and then a scheme to capture it somehow enter his consciousness. Then his technical skill enables him to produce it through a drawing or painting. I think the writing process is similar. He called it “the nature of creativity.” I don’t know where the words or the thoughts originate. The benefit of the synopsis is that it prevents losing the idea completely while I am writing. I lose it anyway, but the outline brings it back. The story changes in many ways once it gets going, especially as characterization develops . . . but the basic idea and progression continues.

"An artist friend said he had an idea and then a scheme to capture it somehow enter his consciousness. Then his technical skill enables him to produce it through a drawing or painting. I think the writing process is similar. He called it 'the nature of creativity.'”

Did you know your ending ahead of time?

With both books I didn’t learn the ending ahead of time. I’m still searching for it in the new one, and I am thirteen chapters into it. I know the characters will eventually determine how it ends.

What did you enjoy the most about writing the book? The least?

What I like best about writing is the creativity. There’s an exhilaration and mystery about it that produces an addictive high. Years ago when I ran, I got a high at a certain point during the run, and it was similarly exhilarating and motivated me to repeat the activity. It’s the same with writing. The best part though is when someone reads the book and says, “I enjoyed your book” especially when that someone is a stranger. I dislike typing [and unhappy that typos did appear in the book]. My errors appall me. I miss many no matter how many times I proof. Just one diminishes a book’s quality. Every major revision creates the opportunity for additional errors. It’s a maddening and frustrating cycle.

How did you choose your publisher? Were you happy with them? Had you tried to get an agent to try to sell to traditional publishers? Any warnings on publishing to aspiring authors?

After failing to interest a few agents, I decided to self-publish. Author House published Born Again. I used them again. I relied upon Author House to edit. I was disappointed. I did not realize the various kinds of editing required. For Sicilian Spring, I paid an independent editor. He vastly improved my writing. Still, I have a long way to go. An editor is essential . . . maybe the most important element to good writing. I didn't purchase the publisher’s marketing package this time. It was expensive and did not produce sales for Born Again. I do better on my own.

"An editor is essential . . . maybe the most important element to good writing."

What would you recommend to aspiring writers--those who have an idea in their head but don't know where to begin? How organized were you to begin writing?

The only way to turn an idea into a novel is to begin writing a story synopsis. But if you can’t communicate the idea in writing first, it probably won’t work for a novel. It you can explain it, writing and characters will produce a seemingly endless stream of words. That’s when the fun begins.

I'm disorganized. A thought may appear in the midst of writing a chapter, and I’ll stop and research it before returning to finish the chapter. I don’t follow a daily routine. I’ll stop for several months. Stepping away from it and reading my work after a long pause provides needed insight. Some interruptions don’t interfere. Others cause me to lose my concentration, and I’ll lose my pace. That’s when the synopsis (outline) is critical. I change the synopsis when I’ve altered the story. A writer friend outlines in detail every chapter in advance before he starts to write. I can’t do that. I like to free flow as the character’s take over and one scene unpredictably blends into another. I’ll smooth it out when I revise. In both cases the original first chapters were exchanged for a later one.

You kept action going in this book--there's a murder, the mob, jealousy, betrayal. What was that like to write, to keep the reader interested? Maintaining reader’s interest is the most important ingredient. It is difficult. It is the reason to employ an experienced editor and to participate in writer critique groups. I can’t identify my own mistakes and plot problems. I can’t exchange roles and evaluate what the reader perceives. Revision is essential to hone in on reader interest. I completed ten revisions of Sicilian Spring before submitting the manuscript for publication and two separate proofs after receiving the galley from the publisher. My editor wanted me to reduce from 120,000 words to 75,000. It seemed an impossible task, but the result was remarkable. “Advance the story, advance the story, advance the story” is an important mantra to always keep in mind. Short paragraphs help to build suspense and keep the reader engaged.

"My editor wanted me to reduce Sicilian Spring from 120,000 words to 75,000. It seemed an impossible task, but the result was remarkable. “Advance the story, advance the story, advance the story” is an important mantra to always keep in mind."

Did you have people close to you read it after you wrote it? Did you use a writing critique group? Did you revise it after you wrote it, but before you gave it to reviewers?

 I used two critique groups: the first to test the story, the second as I worked on the first revision. Thick skin and a positive attitude are essential to retaining perspective.

Several people had read the draft before I did the first revision. They were readers, friends, and family but without writing experience. I only wanted their opinion of the story, whether they liked it. I included their suggestions in the first revision. I think I will continue that process but add a couple of writers who have already agreed to review the next one.

Any more books in the works? 

SENORA REVENGE traces Miguel’s search for his wife. A Narco cartel kidnapped her after she and Miguel illegally crossed the border into Arizona. Under duress, he joins the cartel, hoping to locate her. His quest drastically alters his character and questions whether the end justifies the means. The idea was inspired by two years of firsthand experience on the Arizona border. #

KMD NOTE: If you would like to win a copy of David's book, Sicilian Spring, please leave a comment or question on this blog for David below. On April 22, I will draw a lucky name from the commenters. Good luck!!

Sicilian Spring is available through: Amazon Kindle, Annettes Book Nook Fort Myers Beach, book stores by special order, Author House (authorhouse.com), Fort Myers Beach Library and the author.

Born Again: A Conspiracy to Create a Theocracy is available through the same sellers except Kindle, and is available through Amazon

Goodbye to a journalism friend

It took less than a month for Dana Quinn and I to find each other on the Duquesne University campus freshman year. It was in an Intermediate French class when I noticed another student was looking as confused as I was. Oh, thank God I'm not alone. "What's he saying?" I whispered to my classmate, who laughed and shook her head that she didn't know either. Five minutes later, with the professor still rattling on in French, cruelly adding Jean-Paul Sartre to our mandatory reading, she'd whisper: "What's he saying now?" We would laugh again that we were so lost: is it ever a good idea to pair French with existentialism in amount of homework? We faced a long night ahead with a French dictionary.

A few hours later, I was in a huge lecture hall with 300 other freshmen in Biology 101. Our brilliant doctor-professor was Chinese, and spoke with a heavy accent. Every day she would come in, clip the microphone to her white coat (amplified), and draw a picture of a circle on the board. Then, another circle inside it. "This is cell," she would say. Pointing to the center, she would add, "And this is nucleeeee-." And that was all I got. The rest of the lecture seemed to be in perhaps Mandarin Chinese, and once again, I was lost. Until I noticed the girl from French class, in one of the back rows like me, looking as confused as I was. "Pssst," I called over to her. "What's she saying?" Dana shook her head and laughed, and we bonded. We started comparing French and Biology notes every day--I was able to pick up isolated words in both classes, and so was she; together we'd have a full sentence. Brilliant!

As journalism majors immersed in the same classes, we became friends quickly, her calm nature contrasting and reassuring my prone-to-worrying ways, her sense of dry humor extraordinary. We would laugh together about everything college, whether it was living in a dorm, eating cafeteria food, cramming for finals or figuring out our costume for a Halloween party.

It was junior year when a public relations project involved Dana, our good friend Laura and I developing a journalism department newsletter (pictured here blowing off steam after our final galleys) and planning and hosting a special event.  I was in awe of how she came up with amazing creative ideas and showed no signs of stress: only humor and encouragement came out of her mouth. "Things will work out," she'd remind us.

 She always had fantastic ideas for communications, an utter genius with public relations savvy. In a marketing class we shared, we were tasked with inventing something and developing a marketing plan. I had just broken my arm that semester and was lamenting that it is impossible to carry your books and an umbrella when it was raining. Dana was the brains behind our collaborative project, the "Back-Attach Umbrella:" an umbrella opened and activated directly from your backpack, without needing your hands. (It's perfect for those with disabilities or broken arms, but you look like Mary Poppins.) It was so Dana. She, the creative force, and I--I was just the broken arm wordsmith. I'd see that creative streak again and again: When we had to create a commercial in advertising class, mine involved a bad takeoff of a Beach Boys song, hers was an original clever ad that could best be described as Pure Creative Talent.

But as the years often do--they catapult us quickly. We graduated, promised to stay in touch, and we did for a while. She loved the Pittsburgh Penguins, and sometimes visited DC (where I lived) to catch a Pens-Caps game. We would reminisce over a beer, compare notes (OK, commiserate) about guys we had dated recently, and in the end, I would hate to say goodbye and release her back to Pittsburgh. She was, simply, one of my favorite people.

The last time I saw her was my wedding 18 years ago. (And there, my friends, is my warning: DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.) I hugged her so hard when I spotted her in the last row of the church, thrilled to see she had made the trip. "Kris," she whispered in that dry wit, "I finally come to CLEVELAND (she was a huge Steelers fan) and you greet me with a messed-up turnpike and snow? Gee thanks! What are you going to send me through next, a tornado, earthquake, locust?" We discussed horrible scenarios to endanger her with, in the name of SEEING ME. Our shared sense of humor cemented us.

Different states, work, marriage, moves, kids, chauffeuring duties of said kids--they have a way of keeping you from your ole college friends. We had become Christmas card exchangers, with a Facebook message once in a while. And then, one day, she posted she had cancer, and it had metastacized, but she was looking forward to a healthy 2012. Shocked, our friend Laura and I sent messages, tried to plan a trip to Pittsburgh; only our messages weren't returned. I can't imagine her pain; but I hear she handled it with her usual Dana grace. Then one horrible morning I checked her Facebook wall to post something ridiculous like "Thinking of you!" Only all I saw were condolences. I let out a gutteral pain, then spent the rest of the day crying and re-reading the obit I Googled. It can't be. Not Dana. Not one of the good guys.

Bone cancer took her at 46. But who she was deserves more space than ugly osteosarcoma. Dana, you were the encourager, the calm one, the motivator, the creative genius, the humorist. You were a daughter, a sister and a mom. You were the love of your family and so many friends.

Somewhere right now, Dana, is some lost college kid who needs you to laugh with. Somewhere a student is saying: "What's he saying?" Somewhere right now Mario Lemieux's heart is breaking. Somewhere right now entire legions of people know that you made this world a better place because you were here. By giving us all strength and humor and peace in your easygoing trademarked Dana fashion, you personified Grace. Thank you, wonderful Dana. Your light will shine on with your beautiful daughter who you so loved.

May you rest in peace, my dear friend. May you be updating God on the Penguins, and may Jean-Paul Sartre not be speaking to you in French.#

What it's come down to: the computer-generated journalist?

File this one under "another blow to writers:" Apparently a company, which I won't name because they don't need any more publicity, has designed a computer program to take information such as sports box scores, polling data, financial reports, real estate information, etc. and turn it into "narrative journalism." The company says it can fit a customer's "voice and tone" according to this story from Galleycat.

Yes, I know. Leaving out the writer. Because who needs a journalist who has actually studied years to be a journalist, taken ongoing journalism classes, researched and analyzed a subject, covered a beat, interviewed subjects, questioned sources, and presented the information in a well-written, clear, concise, readable way?

Sadly, over 30 clients have signed on with this company. I know you'll join me in looking forward to the op-eds, essays, news analysis and book and film reviews from the robots! 

What has it come to, folks? Do let me know what you think.