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Judy Boettcher |
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1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you? I believe I chose it because I decided one day to find out about the mechanics of writing a novel, and began to do so. I researched the internet for information and dissected novels to first discover the process. I’m still learning.
2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.) Two years of college. I worked as a “Word Processor” from the early 80’s on the first computers before there were .com’s. Then later I studied court reporting and interior design.
3. When did you ‘know’ you were a writer? After I finished my second novel. It took a long time to convince myself that I could do it all over again. Now I’ve lost the fear of that, so I’m planning on writing many more novels.
4. How would you describe your style of writing? I write to please my Creator and hopefully my readers. I don’t like to state the obvious when I write, but give the reader credit for being able to figure out a few things on their own.
5. What is your writing process? I write each scene with a purpose. The scene is going to propel my story forward and explain some situation in novel. As to the mechanics, my first draft is always very stark and non-interesting. It’s not until the 3rd or 4th edit that I’m actually liking what I read.
6. What was your path to publication? I received an agent rejection, then a print publisher took too long with the manuscript, so I withdrew it from them (politely and professionally). I then received one other rejection from an epublisher, and then I received a contract with Wings Epress. So the road was not too long. I was very much encouraged.
7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea? I don’t believe I’ve found it yet. The internet of course is where I spend most of my marketing time, but I’m also joining local groups.
8. What are the biggest surprises you’ve encountered as a writer? That there are so many great fiction writers in the ebook-writing world. Ebook publishers have opened up so many great opportunities for writers who would never have had a chance to be published.
9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity? I love to watch television mysteries, whodunnits and investigative shows. But I find that ideas are always popping up. I have to suppress them at times.
10. What is your proudest writer moment? It makes me very happy to see my second novel published in a few days.
11. What’s the best advice you were given about writing? To edit your work over and over, until you can’t edit no more.
12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment? I was so embarrassed to get my first agent rejection, that I never wrote to one again. But now I have a long list to submit to for my next book. I won’t be taking rejections personally anymore, now that I’ve learned it’s not personal.
13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer? Not too experienced in this area yet. Not sure if it’s business, but “never burn bridges, and always be polite and gracious.” (I haven’t been successful at this everytime, but most of the time).
14. What is your writer life philosophy? To make each novel, poem, short story, article the best it can be, and to glorify God with the gifts He has chosen to give to me.
15. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun? Play with my grandson, decorate my house, read designer magazines, watch TV investigative shows (mysteries, PI, detective), surf on the internet, spend time with my husband.
16. Who do you like to read? I don’t have a favorite author because I don’t read enough. But I like Terri Blackstock’s work. I need to read more mysteries as that is what I’m writing.
17. What’s your advice for new writers? I’m still new after two novels published, but I’d say to even newer writers to learn from as many sources as possible the mechanics of writing and the nuances of writing the genre (mystery, suspense, etc.) that you would like to write. I’m still learning and studying, mostly from writing loops, but I’m also joining local writing groups.
18. What are you currently working on? A suspense at a fairgrounds involving an escaped prisoner.
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Judy’s 18Q |
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The Eighteen Questions |
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18Q |
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Awake, My Love Book One, The Loffington Twins, Private Investigators Wings Epress, 2005
Sweeter Than Honey Book Two, The Loffington Twins, Private Investigators Wings Epress, 2006 |
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Bibliography |
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URL |
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