In 2005, I began interviewing women writers that I enjoyed reading, and one star of that first-year class was author Reon Laudat. I like to keep abreast of any latest haps of my fave writers, so I sought out Reon to ask her what’s been going on in her literary world; this is what she had to say:
What’s the latest happenings in your writerly world?
I’m still working on my first mainstream women’s fiction novel. It’s taking much longer than my previous projects because I’m attempting something more ambitious. Also, my writing time is more limited these days. But I am making steady progress and I’m still very enthusiastic about this particular work in progress. I look forward to pulling this one up on my computer. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.
What’s one thing you’ve learned about the writing industry over the last year?
What I’ve learned? It’s extremely important to actually *enjoy* what you’re putting out there for public consumption. I’m just not one to write for “the market.” There’s nothing wrong with that if you happen to enjoy writing/reading whatever the flavor of the month happens to be. If not, then it’s okay to not to force it, wait things out, write for yourself until the market changes. And it always does–eventually. Once the joy is gone, writing turns into a real GRIND. And there’s nothing worse than trying to crank out a 75,000-plus-word manuscript that you’re not really that *into*. Hold onto the joy of creating and your sanity in this loco business no matter what-even if it means (gasp!) not having a new book out every year. 🙂 Craft-wise, I discovered a great book loaded with useful tips for taking your writing to the next level. It’s titled “Write Away-One Novelist’s Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life” (click HERE to check out book on Amazon.com) by New York Times Bestselling author Elizabeth George.
bettye griffin