Ask the Author: Barbara Ehrentreu
Answered Questions (6)
Barbara Ehrentreu
My most recent published book, After, was about my own experience with my husband's heart attack and bypass surgery. I then transposed it to the life of a fifteen year old girl and that was it.
My WIP came from my book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor. A few people had asked me when I was going to write a sequel and I felt it didn't need it. Then as only writers will understand, my characters started talking to me and I had to put it down.
My WIP came from my book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor. A few people had asked me when I was going to write a sequel and I felt it didn't need it. Then as only writers will understand, my characters started talking to me and I had to put it down.
Barbara Ehrentreu
As I said before in my comment about writer's block, nature sometimes inspires me. But sometimes life will do it too. I have written about news articles and my own life as well as the lives of other people. Sometimes just needing to have a piece of writing for someone inspires me. I don't ever think about what inspires me, because when I get inspired I just write. That is why I write in both poetry and prose, short stories and novels. It all depends how it comes to me.
Barbara Ehrentreu
Right now I am writing the sequel to If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor called Jennifer's Story for NaNoWriMo. I am more than halfway finished and I know that some readers are going to be very excited to hear about this. Many of my readers identified with Jennifer and now you can read her story.
Also I have a third novel called Footsteps on the Sand, which I have had critiqued by several industry professionals. I have to go through and see their comments and revise it so it works better.
Also I have a third novel called Footsteps on the Sand, which I have had critiqued by several industry professionals. I have to go through and see their comments and revise it so it works better.
Barbara Ehrentreu
I always say that you should persevere. Don't stop writing because you don't have time or your writing has been rejected. Rejections may cause you pain at first and I know, because my first novel was rejected seven times before it was accepted for publication. Don't ever give up if you are happy with what you have written. Sometimes after a rejection you can go back and change your writing, because it didn't say what you wanted it to say. I also think it is very important to make sure that anything you write reflects your own thinking no matter what it is. This is how you can develop what people in the publishing industry are always talking about, voice. Voice is only your own thoughts coming out of the character in a way that reflects who you are.
Barbara Ehrentreu
I think the best thing about being a writer is meeting other writers. Somehow when I meet other writers we have an instant rapport. The thought that there is someone else or many other someone else's out there thinking like me makes me feel better. Sometimes I don't think like anyone else and it's comforting to find people who have this same problem. The other thing is that when something affects me deeply I know that at some time I will write about it. This helps to accept whatever it is that has happened.
Barbara Ehrentreu
Whenever I get writer's block it is probably because I don't have my story completely thought out and I have run into a stumbling block. At those times I usually go back and outline the scene. However, if I can't write anything at all I usually go for a walk. I am always inspired to write when I am outside. Many times I have stopped and written a poem inspired by what I have seen. Getting away from writing entirely by spending the day with my family helps too.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more