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Cynthia VanRooy How did it feel to become published? CV: Validating. It's nice to have your friends and family assure you you're a good writer, but somewhere deep inside alittle voice is whispering they're all just being kind. Having someone plunk down hard cash for something you've written, having them believe you write well enough that people will actually pay to read it speaks loudly enough to drown out that little voice. Almost anyway. I can't speak for all writers, but I, and most of the ones I know, remain at least a little insecure about our writing. Perhaps because it's so important to us. If you could teach up aspiring writers one thing, what would that be? CV: To take classes from an instructor who gives a good, tough, fair critique. It's one thing to read about a writing weakness and understand it in theory, and quite another to recognize that weakness in your own writing. And don't count on your critique group for that, especially if they're unpublished. Make sure the instructor is published. How is s/he going to know what works if s/he isn't? And how many of his or her students go on to publish? That will tell you a lot about the class. And don't stop taking classes once you're published. Best advice ever given or taken? CV: It was in a book recommended to me by C.A. Mobley, who writes navy techno-thrillers. Thr book is "SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS" by Denni Browne and Dave King. They are freelance professional editors, and although the whole book is full of valuable information, the particular piece that spoke to me was the advice that said "RESIST THE URGE TO EXPLAIN." When I read that, my writing tightened up overnight. These editors see it so often they abbreviate it as R.U.E. Just coincidentally, Hazel Rumney, the Senior Editor at Five Star Romances whom I interviewed for a recent market news column said that overexplaining is the most common mistake she sees in amateur writing.Have you worked with a mentor, critique group or writing/plotting partner? CV: I've never worked with a group except as part of a class. I do have a mentor, Marian Jones, who was the instructor of that class. Her critiquing of my work was invaluable, both for pointing out where I was weak and needed to work and where I was strong and needed to capitalize on that strength. I don't really have a writing partner, but I have a good friend, another writer, who lets me brainstorm ideas and plots with her. She gives me a reality check on them. Also she has a keen eye for errors and inconsistencies. She does the final read of a manuscript for me before I submit it anywhere. Is your life anything like the romances you write? Any last words? |
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