Interview with Jim Angell

Today we’re chatting with aspiring writer James "Jim" Angell.

Welcome, Jim. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born on the little island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands (British Isles). I moved to Utah in 2005 after meeting my beautiful wife Jen. Since then we have spent the last five years based in the small quiet town of Bountiful. For my "real job" I work at the University of Utah as a Systems Administrator for the College of Engineering. I am also back in school part time at the UofU working on my second degree (going from Electronic Engineering to Journalism).

Bountiful is such an interesting name for a town. There’s a story-starter right there! Speaking of stories, tell us what you’re working on right now.

I have a few projects going on at the moment. My current focus is on my new project (possible series) called "Dead Beat". It's a Sci-Fi cop series set in the year 2052. I am also working on a novel called "Maidens Song" which is my first attempt at a magical realism story.

What is Dead Beat about?

The year is 2052. It has been 10 years since the signing of the All Nations treaty and the world exists in relative peace. That is until the first confirmed Ghost is filmed and broadcast across the globe. At first the world is overjoyed at the chance to see their departed loved ones again. Then the bodies start to turn up. Nothing too out of the ordinary for the area and nothing too suspicious at first. Until the murder of Professor Daryn Freeman, a Quantum Physicist at the Numar Institute. Detective John Ellis is called in to investigate, not knowing that this case will send him headlong into a fight for the survival of the human race. He is not in the slightest bit superstitious, has no time for religion and absolutely does not believe in ghosts. Little does he realize that the case he has just been assigned will take his beliefs to their limits and propel him into a battle for the very survival of the human race.

Sounds really interesting and maybe a little spooky. I like! So how did the idea of the story come to you?

My ideas come to me at the most inopportune times normally. This one came from a rather vivid dream I had....at around 3:30 in the morning. This is why I strongly advocate always having a pen and paper by the bedside.

I usually have brainstorms in the shower—guess I need to invest in some kind of waterproof writing apparatus, lol. You said this was a new project, so I’m guessing your manuscript is still a work in progress.

Yes, the project is still in its infancy. I'm currently working on characters, including the sinister Reverend Jocob Green. Normally I have a bit of an affinity with my villains (I'm British, we're always the baddies) but I'm really starting to hate this guy.

Sci Fi requires world building, which means a high word count. Do you have a word count goal, and how far along are you at this point?


I try to not to give myself overall word counts for the full story. I will, however, give myself targets during a writing session. Normally I shoot for 1000 words per hour, doesn't always happen. I should have a working draft for the first couple of chapters by the end of the week, exams and work permitting of course.

Yes, the time factor. Still, 1000 words an hour is amazing. Do you have a critique group or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

My wife is a fantastic editor, having worked with a lot of copy during her career. I do a lot of editing myself, often as I go, but it's great to have someone around with less attachment.

That’s very convenient. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part I find is having too many ideas. Now I know people are going to comment on that not being a problem, but when you get several ideas at the same time, all seeking to come out on top, this generally ends up in the dreaded writer’s block. It's not that I don't know what to write next, I just don't know which one.

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

One of the most important things I have learned is to take time away from the desk. There is this idea that, as writers, we need to be chained to the keyboard 24/7 until the story is told. The problem with that idea is that it will stop you experiencing life. And a writer that does not experience life has no stories to tell.

That’s a good point. Who are your inspirations?

My big three would be: James Herbert; Who first inspired me to write myself after reading his book "Moon". Gene Roddenberry; For daring to predict a future where mankind has completely screwed up. And my all time favorite author, H G Wells. His literary skill and incredible foresight have always been able to enchant me, no matter how often I read his stories. If you have only seen the movie adaptions of War of the Worlds then you need to get the book ASAP. There is simply no comparison.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself people may not know (or maybe they do know but they are special traits/hobbies/quirks)?

Uh oh, let's see.

1. My left foot just slight outwards after a rather nasty injury when I was 18. Sadly it wasn't a sporting injury. The real story is that I was distracted by a girl I had liked all semester....while running down some stairs. You can figure the rest out yourselves.
2. My Meyers Briggs result is INFJ.
3. As a result of the #1...unpleasantness, I can actually turn my left foot 180 degrees.

I have to say, aside from the weird fact that you can turn it that far, your foot story is adorable. All because of a girl! But enough about her, here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you (and not who have caused you physical impairments). Who would you like to give a shout out to?

My wonderful and ever supportive wife who puts up with my sudden bouts of inspiration in the early hours of the morning. My friend and fellow writer Cherie, who got me back into the writing world after persuading me to do NaNoWrimo for the first time. And of course a very special shout out to my no 1 Twitter girl @craftycmc.

And finally, where can people find you online?

You can find me ranting and raving about my tortured life as a writer over on my blog; The Writers Stall: www.writersstall.blogspot.com. Or follow me on twitter @writingstorm

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Jim.

I've really enjoyed it, thank you for letting me do the interview. It's been a pleasure.

Good luck with your books, and keep us informed of your progress!

Patience

We've all heard the saying about patience being a virtue. I've had to remind myself that a lot lately.

In addition to sending out queries a few weeks ago, I've also been requested to send my full manuscript to an agent at a great literary agency. Yippee! And now I'm patiently waiting for him to read it. I know this can take a month or two (hopefully not more, though I know it happens), but time seems to crawl by when you're waiting for something, doesn't it? And just a couple days ago, an agent contacted me about my novel after reading about it on my website. The agency she works for does not accept unsolicited queries or manuscripts, so I was ecstatic to have her email me with interest in my work. So now she's got sample pages, and again I wait patiently for her to get back to me.

Okay, who am I kidding—I'm not patient at all.

So I decide to keep busy by writing my third book and by keeping up with this blog.

Writing is not something I have to wait for, unless you count waiting for the free time to suddenly drop into my lap. Keeping up with the blog, however, is another issue of patience. I've got some great aspiring writers out there lined up for interviews, but they also have busy schedules and I have to wait patiently for them to get back to me.

And don't even get me started on waiting for this cold weather to end and for spring to finally arrive.

But I'll just keep repeating that oh-so-popular saying over and over to myself, because even if I'm not really as patient as I should be, I do believe that good things come to those who wait—even if they're impatient.

Interview with Dawn Maria

Hello everyone! Grab a seat and get comfy because today we're having a chat with Dawn Maria of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Welcome to We Do Write, Dawn. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm married (just celebrated our 20 year anniversary), have two teen boys (17 & 14, which means I'm drinking more) and am a proud pet owner (one cat, two dogs, everything I own is covered with pet hair). By day I work for the school district as a Para-Educator. I'm a one-on-one aide to a special needs student. I love my day job. I've been writing since I was a kid. I taught myself to type on my grandparents' Smith Corona, which sits in my office today. I've always wanted to be a writer, but finally got serious about it five years ago when I started taking Creative Writing classes at Phoenix College. I graduated from their Creative Writing Program in December 2008.

And you're actually a published writer. I read you've had some of your work published in magazines, and you've got a short story coming out this spring. Can you tell us about that?

I'm just beginning to see more of my work get accepted in the last year. One of the goals I set for myself was so make sure I send out at least one submission a month. It's a realistic goal for my lifestyle (day job, family and writing life) and keeps me moving toward my dream of getting my novel published. It feels good to have something out there too. I always feel hopeful when I submit. Rejections can be tough, but the more you send stuff out, the more likely you'll get something accepted.

That's good advice. And now you're writing a novel! What is the name and genre of your manuscript?

The book is called WHERE ARE THEY NOW? and it's Chick Lit (I'm not ashamed to say, though the new moniker I keep seeing is Upmarket Women's Fiction). The book explores the distance between what we think we want from life and what we actually have through the adventures of four women who used to know each other in the 80's and are brought back into each other's lives unexpectedly.

Sounds like something I'd like to read. Is your manuscript complete or still a work in progress?

I finished my book, but I'm in another round of revision, so I guess it's correct to say WIP.

Do you have a word count goal, and how far along are you at this point?

This round of revision should add another 25,000 words to the current 58,000. I'm getting deeper into the characters in this revision and slowing down the pace. I missed a lot of great opportunities in the current draft.

What is your next step when you're done with revisions?

Once I'm done, the next step is finding an agent. I submitted to about fifteen last year and had a few requests for partials, but not a full. I made the typical emerging writer mistake of submitting before the MS was really at its best.

I've read that happens to a lot of aspiring writers. We're so anxious to get our material out there that we jump off the diving board before the pool is filled. Another good tip for everyone out there - make sure your work is actually ready. So, do you have a critique group or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a former classmate who reads for me, but I'm hoping to get connected with a novel writing group. I have a wonderful accountability partner, Deni, whom I met on Twitter, and we check in daily to motivate each other. I'm getting better and better at self-editing each year, but there is no substitute for fresh eyes looking at your work.

That's true. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Right now finding the time to sit down and write is the hardest part. During the summer, when I'm off work, I've attended writer's residencies and retreats, usually for two weeks. That time made all the difference. The point I'm at in my revision requires that kind of concentrated time and I don't have it. I write during my break at work and before and after work when I can. The problem with after work is that's when I'm in mom-mode. Life with teens is as busy as it was with babies and toddlers, which has been a real shock.

I'm not good at staying up until midnight, so I feel very frustrated. Spring Break hits in a couple of weeks and I will likely sequester myself in my office. I find that once I sit down, getting to work comes easily.

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

I think it's important to understand what your creative process is and work with it. Often writers go to conferences and hear about other people's processes and then walk away feeling they're doing something wrong. Trust your process. I don't write everyday and that's okay. I write Monday through Friday. Often I do end up writing on the weekend, and if so, that's bonus time. I think frequency is more important than quantity. However, the more time you spend writing, the more work you'll produce. Know what you own demons are. My big one is time management, so I focus on getting my butt in the seat, even if it's brief.

I have a notepad that has the days of the week on it. I try to sit down every Sunday and map out what I hope to get done M-F. Because my time is so limited, this helps ensure I don't forget something and quiets the to-do list voice in my head.

Who are your inspirations?

If I had to pick one book that has inspired and taught me the most about craft, I'd have to say Tim O'Brien's THE THINGS THEY CARRIED. I'm drawn to unusual structure and that book turns structure on its ear. It's fiction that reads like non-fiction, a novel that reads like short stories. A novel really is a blank canvas that you can fill how you want. That's so cool! We get to make those choices and that part of the process is exciting to me.

Anne Lamott's BIRD BY BIRD is a resource I return to again and again. It's the best reference out there.

In my reading life, I'm a huge Jane Austen fan. I also read everything Jane Green and Claire Cook put out. They're two women's fiction writers whose work and careers inspire me.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself people may not know (or maybe they do know but they are special traits/hobbies/quirks)?

1.      Well, even though I read and write Chick Lit, I'm a huge Science Fiction geek. Star Wars, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, I love them all and am very active in a fantastic online community, Galactic Watercooler (GWC). I have a couple geek quotes in my novel and will likely have a geek character in the next one. Who knows, maybe one day I'll try and write a Sci-Fi novel.

2.      I am one of those obsessive scrapbook moms. Please don't hate me because my sons' baby books are done! I love scrapbooking and get out to special events to crop whenever I can. A photo album scrapbook is the story of your real life.

3.      Quirks? I am very anal about how the dishwasher is loaded. What's weird about this is that I'm a complete slob. The kitchen (or the entire house for that matter) can be a mess, but I'll make sure the dishwasher is loaded efficiently. I think it has something to do with being a visual person. It drives my husband and sons crazy because I always redo their work.

Hehehe, that is kind of quirky, but endearing. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Who would you like to give a shout out to?

My husband and sons are very supportive. They all understand what "I'm working!" means now (though it took a while). They also provide great material for my blog.

I have to give a shout out to my BFF, Kathryn, because she comments on every blog post I write, God bless her. My friends from GWC are also incredibly supportive. It means so much to me when people take time out of their busy schedule and read my blog.

And finally, where can people find you online?

First there's my website and blog- Method to the Madness www.dawnmaria.com

I love Twitter and am on it all the time. Please say hello to me @DawnMariaAZ

I've avoided Face Book, but will probably join in the summer when I'm on break from work. I am so distracted by Twitter, I'm scared to add another website to play around in!

Yes, I know what you mean. But I'm glad you took the time to be distracted by this interview, because it's been great getting to know you. Thank you so much for chatting, and I wish you much success with your novel! Keep us up to date with any developments!

More to Come

No, I didn't forget about the blog. Monday was just really rough.

But the week is already looking up - yay! I've got a few more interviews lined up and will be posting them in the course of the week, so keep an eye out!

Happy writing!

Write Away

So how was everyone's week? Did you get a lot of writing done? Or even just a little?

A little fact about me: I'm an outliner. I think the industry term is planner (vs pantser). I have stories played out in my head from beginning to end, so I know how they'll end. I don't know every detail, and sometimes my characters end up surprising me, but I know basically how the plot unfolds. I usually do a rough outline of the chapters and then work on the ones I feel like working on first (but usually I write the first two or three before I skip around).

But some days, I just don't have time to write, or I'm so exhausted from "real life" that I can't find it in me to dive into this other world right away. So forget the diving. How about just dipping my toes in? They say to write, even if it's garbage. So I try to do this. Even if it's just to add a few lines of dialogue to a chapter, a sentence (or hopefully more) to another chapter here and there. Once I do this I usually end up coming up with another this and that to add in. By doing so, I can usually get through my rough writing patches. And then when I feel I can finally dive back into my work, it becomes a game of fill-in-the-blanks, which is a little easier.

I'm not saying this is the best method, but it works for me now and then.

Just thought I'd share.

Interview with Anne Riley

Hello, everyone! As you can see, We Do Write has a brand new look, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Today we're chatting with 26-year-old Anne Riley from Birmingham, Alabama. Anne is a high school Spanish teacher and, to use her own words, a wrangler of teenagers and unofficial adolescent counselor—comes with the job! She's married and has a cat that, according to her,  might as well be a child.

Welcome, Anne! So tell us, what is the name and genre of your manuscript?

The Clearing is a YA paranormal novel.

Let's hear your pitch.

When Natalie Watson's parents die in what appears to be a bizarre double-suicide, she is shipped from her home in Georgia to a boarding school in Maine. Her aunt is the headmistress and provides Natalie with a certain degree of comfort, but the other students are a different story. In the midst of fending off bullies and overly-charming jocks, Natalie meets Liam - in a super embarrassing way - and decides to solve the mystery of whether or not he murdered his sister the year before, like the rumors say. One night, she sees him sneaking off into the woods - and that's when she gets pulled deep into a world she never knew existed. A world that spans hundreds of years and dozens of dimensions. A world that might hold the key to solving her parents' mysterious deaths....

Ooh, intriguing! I feel like following Natalie into those woods and finding out what happens. How did the idea of the story come to you?

I've had this story in my head for years. I always thought the old "write what you know" thing was kind of boring, so instead I write what I want to read. I've always been intrigued by boarding schools and the possibilities they hold.

And you've got an agent! That's great. For those of us who don't have one yet, can you tell us if there's a way to know if an agent is the right fit?

Finding an agent is hard work! Somehow, it happened pretty quickly for me, but that was definitely a fluke. It takes a lot of research and a pretty large Excel spreadsheet to keep you from going insane. The best website out there for finding an agent is www.agentquery.com. This is the site I used. It lets you narrow down agents by the genres they represent, and it also gives you links to their websites. From there, you can see what they have sold and who they represent, and find someone who would be a good fit for you.

You've done a lot of revision for your book. Do you feel you've done all you can do to it at this point?

At this point, yes. But if a publisher buys it? Oh, I'm sure there will be more revision then. And once it's bound and on the shelves, I'll probably read through it and find things I could improve. A writer's work is never done!

Besides your agent, and suggestions for revisions by editors at publishing houses, do you have a critique partner or beta readers?

Strangely, no. I mean, not officially. Several versions of the manuscript ago, I let a couple of friends read through it and tell me their thoughts - but that was only a one time thing. The only other people who have read it are my husband, my parents, and my agent (who is the ULTIMATE critique partner!). I tend to work solo for the most part, only asking for help if I'm really stuck.

What’s the hardest part of writing that you've struggled through?

Keeping up with the changes I've made throughout the various rounds of editing. It's hard for me to remember what I said about this character ten chapters ago, and whether or not I ever resolved that one thing I said in Chapter 2... things like that. Outlines are pretty much priceless for me because my memory is useless.

My memory is useless too, so I understand how an outline can be priceless, lol. Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

Just practice. Start a blog, write short stories, whatever you can do. You don't get better unless you write constantly.

I totally agree. So, do you have an ideal book cover?

Fairy rings are a central part of my story (those circles of mushrooms that crop up randomly) so I think I would like to see one of those on the cover.

That sounds perfect! Tell us, who are your inspirations?

Like the rest of the world, I'm obsessed with J.K. Rowling. I also love Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games), Kate Morton (The Forgotten Garden) and Kathryn Stockett (The Help). Also, David Gray's music totally gets me in the mood. *ahem* The writing mood, I should specify.

Hehe, I'm sure we all knew what you meant. Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself people may not know (or maybe they do know but they are special traits/hobbies/quirks)?

1.  I love to make lists. Like this one. It's part of my organization-obsessed personality.
2.  I lived in Spain as an exchange student for six months when I was in college.
3. I often carry my passport in my purse, just in case I need to quickly leave the country. (One time, I used it for exactly that purpose. See? I'm not crazy.)

Don't worry, I think crazy is a good trait anyway. *wink* Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Who would you like to give a shout out to?

My husband, for putting up with my crazy writer self on a daily basis. My parents, for raising me in a household filled with books (and love, or whatever... j/k). My friends who have read all of, or a portion of, the manuscript and didn't tell me to burn it. And my agent, Alanna Ramirez, for being totally awesome.

And finally, where can people find you online?

Blog: www.annecapitellriley.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnneRiley
And coming soon, a real website! www.annerileybooks.com. It's not there yet - but it won't be long!

Ooh, I'll keep an eye out for your new website! Thank you so much, Anne, for letting me interview you. I know you're in the midst of another round of submissions to publishers, so I wish you all the luck in the world. We're all crossing our fingers for you!

Layout

Hello again!

Just a quick post today. I've got more interviews lined up, and I'm really excited that the blog is off to a good start. In case I didn't mention it, I'm still new at this interviewing thing, and I hope I don't disappoint anyone. What, me? Anxious? Nah.

I also wanted to mention that I found some really great backgrounds and headers and such over at shabbyblogs.com, and I am very tempted to grab some of the wonderful stuff I've seen there and redo the look of this blog. Even though I made the current background myself, shabbyblogs is chock full of so much pretty that I can't resist trying it out. So don't be surprised if my look is different next time you pop in.

Until next time, happy writing!