Laurie Alice Eakes always has loved books, so writing came naturally from that love. Her writing took to a fast start after publication, winning an award for her first book for National Reader’s Choice Award for Best Regency. It was also a finalist for Best First Book. Laurie writes for Heartsong Presents, a division of Barbour publishing, Baker/ Revell and Avalon Books Learn more about Laurie at http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com/
I am pleased to share with you an interview I had with Laurie recently about writing. She has graciously shared some tips with us on the craft. Thank you Laurie!
1: How long did you work on your writing before you were published?
I suffered from fits and starts and a bit of attention deficit disorder, so it’s hard to say how long, as I had big gaps of no writing. Somewhere around four to six years, if I put the time together.
I suffered from fits and starts and a bit of attention deficit disorder, so it’s hard to say how long, as I had big gaps of no writing. Somewhere around four to six years, if I put the time together.
2: What are two mistakes you wish you had never made?
Letting three of my early books get published as e-books. They weren’t ready for the world and aren’t particularly edifying reads either. I’m glad the publishers are no longer in business.
The other mistake is thinking that, because I have always been a reader, I knew how to write a book and didn’t bother to pay attention to the craft.
Letting three of my early books get published as e-books. They weren’t ready for the world and aren’t particularly edifying reads either. I’m glad the publishers are no longer in business.
The other mistake is thinking that, because I have always been a reader, I knew how to write a book and didn’t bother to pay attention to the craft.
3: What resources did you find the most helpful for learning the craft?
I am blessed in that I was able to attend the Seton Hill University Master’s program in writing popular fiction. That’s where I really learned the craft. Outside of that, I learned a great deal from analyzing books and doing critiques. No
t being critiqued as much as critiquing others’ work to figure out what worked and didn’t work for me as a reader. Also, three books, out of the dozens I ended up reading, worked for me: Techniques of the Selling Writer, Goal, Motivation and Conflict, and Writing the Break-out Novel by Dwight Swain, Debra Dixon, and Donald Mass respectively.
I am blessed in that I was able to attend the Seton Hill University Master’s program in writing popular fiction. That’s where I really learned the craft. Outside of that, I learned a great deal from analyzing books and doing critiques. No
t being critiqued as much as critiquing others’ work to figure out what worked and didn’t work for me as a reader. Also, three books, out of the dozens I ended up reading, worked for me: Techniques of the Selling Writer, Goal, Motivation and Conflict, and Writing the Break-out Novel by Dwight Swain, Debra Dixon, and Donald Mass respectively.4: How does an author "find their voice"?
I had to really think about this one. Voice, to me, is that innate part of writing that you have or you don’t. Like any other kind of art, it needs to be trained and exercised. When I took voice lessons, I learned to practice scales over and over again. Sometimes learning to write, getting control of one’s voice, is a matter of repetition, doing writing exercises to strengthen those writing vocal chords.
The short answer is: by writing-different kinds of scenes, different genres, even different persons like first and third.
I had to really think about this one. Voice, to me, is that innate part of writing that you have or you don’t. Like any other kind of art, it needs to be trained and exercised. When I took voice lessons, I learned to practice scales over and over again. Sometimes learning to write, getting control of one’s voice, is a matter of repetition, doing writing exercises to strengthen those writing vocal chords.
The short answer is: by writing-different kinds of scenes, different genres, even different persons like first and third.
5: How do you protect your writing time?
Pretty poorly. I write full-time now, so have a lot of it, often so much that I can squander it. People intrude, and I have a hard time saying no, if someone needs help. But deadlines are great motivators, and I can get protective of my time, telling people to back off, like a cat keeping others from her food.
Pretty poorly. I write full-time now, so have a lot of it, often so much that I can squander it. People intrude, and I have a hard time saying no, if someone needs help. But deadlines are great motivators, and I can get protective of my time, telling people to back off, like a cat keeping others from her food.
Return tomorrow for part two of this interview when Laurie will discusses comman mistakes of beginning writers. Leave a comment telling what you learned from this interview.
Thank you for this great interview! I am an aspiring writer myself and could relate to alot of what Laurie said...having a little bit of A.D.D. its hard to get things completed at times.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lucie
LucieInCA (at) aol (dot) com