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Heather S. Ingmar |
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Heather’s 18Q |
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The Eighteen Questions |
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18Q |
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"Prophet's Choice," Echelon Press, June 2008. |
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Bibliography |
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1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you? Both, haha. Actually, even though I wanted to be a writer since I was a little kid, I didn't have the skills to pursue it to my satisfaction until I was in college. It was Creative Writing 211, and I'd made a self-deprecating comment in class. Later, as I was leaving, my prof grabbed me by the arm. "You doubt yourself?" she said, and I laughed and said how though I was having a lot of fun, I didn't think I was very good. She eyed me for a moment, then said I should seriously consider becoming an author, because she thought I had what it took. That was when I decided to give it a shot, and well, here I am!
I'm a farmer's wife, a YA librarian, a coffee-addict, a book-nerd, and former professional musician.
I "knew" for sure when I was half-way through my Creative Writing class in college. Suddenly, my words were coming out onto the page exactly how I saw them in my head, and I realized I'd finally reached the goal I had wanted for so long -- being able to write stuff from my imagination how I saw it. And I was hooked!
Since I'm a short story writer, it tends to vary quite a bit from piece to piece. I've written stuff using the ghostly, 18th century style, I've written stuff in first person, third person, I've also run the gamut from bold, edgy prose to more fluid. Regardless of the style I'm using, my pieces always have some kind of skewed horror elements in them, always some kind of paranormal, gothic fantasy.
It depends on what piece I'm working on. One of my pieces, "Accused," coming this summer from Drollerie Press, was written in about four hours right after I woke up with the idea in my head. Other pieces, like one I have on sub to an epublisher right now, demanded I do some outlining. Usually though, I'm a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of writer. Can't go on being too predictable, now can I?
I wrote. A lot. And I submitted to about sixty different literary magazines and ezines before I realized I was actually writing "genre fiction." Entertaining fiction. Then I re-worked my market list, and submitted to probably another twenty, probably thirty places before I got my first acceptance. That was with "What's Really There," a creepy, atmospheric gothic piece. I got another piece, "Memories," placed in the same magazine, then decided to try an actual ebook publishing house. On a whim, I sent my next manuscript, "Darkness Cornered," to Echelon Press. A few months later, I was there.
My website. I love my website.
Biggest surprises, hmm. Learning legalese would be one. I never expected to have to read and understand publishing contracts. And self-marketing was another that took me by surprise. I knew I'd have to do a bit of promoting, but I didn't expect to have to be so aggressive.
I'm not sure how that works, haha. I tend to get ideas from things I see, things I hear, and before I know it they've spiraled out into something completely different that is begging to be written!
Ah, my proudest writer moment. Receiving an envelope addressed to me containing thirty thank-you cards from each of the students who attended their school's Spring Youth Writers' Conference that I was asked to attend as a guest speaker. Definitely the coolest moment of my life.
Never give up, never surrender! And truly, that is the best advice. Keep writing, keep submitting. Keep on keepin' on.
Being asked what I write and then being given a funny look because it wasn't "literary." Or, receiving the drawn-out "Ooooohhh," with the snide sort of "Ah, I see" tone to it. I always tend to turn red when that happens.
Again, learning legalese. And I would say that it is a must for any serious writer today, especially if they write short stories, and especially-especially if they are seeking ebook publication. Hiring a lawyer to go over the contracts you're offered can end up way too expensive, and often times regular lawyers won't understand PUBLISHING contract law. Speaking of, I highly recommend the book "The Writer's Legal Guide" by Crawford and Murray. Great, great resource.
Don't write what you know -- write what you want to know.
Fun? Writing is fun.
Poe. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. Anne McCaffrey. Karen Chance. I'm also itching to take up Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies," and the rest of Meg Cabot's "Mediator" series.
Keep at it. Even if you don't think you're stuff's very good, keep at it. Eventually, things will click.
I'm working on a novella/novelette that will fall into my Dream-Drinker story cycle; "Dream-Drinker" is a Grimm-style fairytale story that will be coming sometime from Drollerie Press. And I am planning a companion story to one I just finished. |
