Ask the Author: Susan Fox
Answered Questions (4)
Susan Fox
• Look to your own experience
• Join a writing group
• Be willing to accept feedback
• Edit, edit, edit.
• If a scene does not move the story forward, delete
• Do not become attached to your words
• RUE—resist the urge to explain
• Work at the same time every day
• Write what you are passionate about
• Be willing to research—not only your topic, but the craft of writing
• Read your work out loud for rhythm and cadence
• Read “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamotte
Let the story come to you. You will know when you are ready. Become attuned to your circadian rhythm, and use that knowledge to find the optimal time and place to write.
I am one of those obnoxious, early morning people, so generally, I was in my office and working by 5 am every morning. My office is in our home, on the second floor, with a window that overlooks our yard, farm fields beyond, and a distant tree line. I loved the peace and solitude of those early mornings, with the first birds chirping before sunrise in the summer, and the wind whistling over the snow in winter. My most productive hours were between 5 and 11 am. That works for me—your natural rhythm might dictate that you start at 3 pm and write until midnight. Go with it.
Edit, edit, edit. Less is more. I read somewhere the axiom RUE—Resist the Urge to Explain. Do not underestimate your readers.
Find a writing group. I was fortunate to find Literary Writers Network by a random google search, and I cannot say enough good things about this group. We worked hard, but enjoyed a sense of camaraderie. The established members welcomed me, critiqued my work, and encouraged me. It was thanks to LWN members that I was able to shape the book, and make the decision to use end notes. Most importantly, perhaps, the members pushed me to develop the characters much further than I would have on my own. And of course they had no qualms about suggesting edits, especially passages that did not move the story forward, no matter how exquisitely written.
Being part of a writing group provides a learning environment on two levels. Your own work is discussed of course, but you also read and evaluate manuscripts from your fellow members, and in the process, you learn to read your own work with a more critical eye and ear.
Writing might be a solitary process, but in the end, it is all about communicating ideas and emotions. A good writing group will help you crystalize your thoughts, approach a writing conundrum in a way you had not thought possible, and give you a renewed appreciation for the beauty and grace of language itself.
second floor, with a window that overlooks our yard, farm fields beyond, and a distant tree line. I loved the peace and solitude of those early mornings, with the first birds chirping before sunrise in the summer, and the wind whistling over the snow in winter. My most productive hours were between 5 and 11 am. That works for me—your natural rhythm might dictate that you start at 3 pm and write until midnight. Go with it.
Edit, edit, edit. Less is more. I read somewhere the axiom RUE—Resist the Urge to Explain. Do not underestimate your readers.
Find a writing group. I was fortunate to find Literary Writers Network by a random google search, and I cannot say enough good things about this group. We worked hard, but enjoyed a sense of camaraderie. The established members welcomed me, critiqued my work, and encouraged me. It was thanks to LWN members that I was able to shape the book, and make the decision to use end notes. Most importantly, perhaps, the members pushed me to develop the characters much further than I would have on my own. And of course they had no qualms about suggesting edits, especially passages that did not move the story forward, no matter how exquisitely written.
Being part of a writing group provides a learning environment on two levels. Your own work is discussed of course, but you also read and evaluate manuscripts from your fellow members, and in the process, you learn to read your own work with a more critical eye and ear.
Writing might be a solitary process, but in the end, it is all about communicating ideas and emotions. A good writing group will help you crystalize your thoughts, approach a writing conundrum in a way you had not thought possible, and give you a renewed appreciation for the beauty and grace of language itself.
• Join a writing group
• Be willing to accept feedback
• Edit, edit, edit.
• If a scene does not move the story forward, delete
• Do not become attached to your words
• RUE—resist the urge to explain
• Work at the same time every day
• Write what you are passionate about
• Be willing to research—not only your topic, but the craft of writing
• Read your work out loud for rhythm and cadence
• Read “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamotte
Let the story come to you. You will know when you are ready. Become attuned to your circadian rhythm, and use that knowledge to find the optimal time and place to write.
I am one of those obnoxious, early morning people, so generally, I was in my office and working by 5 am every morning. My office is in our home, on the second floor, with a window that overlooks our yard, farm fields beyond, and a distant tree line. I loved the peace and solitude of those early mornings, with the first birds chirping before sunrise in the summer, and the wind whistling over the snow in winter. My most productive hours were between 5 and 11 am. That works for me—your natural rhythm might dictate that you start at 3 pm and write until midnight. Go with it.
Edit, edit, edit. Less is more. I read somewhere the axiom RUE—Resist the Urge to Explain. Do not underestimate your readers.
Find a writing group. I was fortunate to find Literary Writers Network by a random google search, and I cannot say enough good things about this group. We worked hard, but enjoyed a sense of camaraderie. The established members welcomed me, critiqued my work, and encouraged me. It was thanks to LWN members that I was able to shape the book, and make the decision to use end notes. Most importantly, perhaps, the members pushed me to develop the characters much further than I would have on my own. And of course they had no qualms about suggesting edits, especially passages that did not move the story forward, no matter how exquisitely written.
Being part of a writing group provides a learning environment on two levels. Your own work is discussed of course, but you also read and evaluate manuscripts from your fellow members, and in the process, you learn to read your own work with a more critical eye and ear.
Writing might be a solitary process, but in the end, it is all about communicating ideas and emotions. A good writing group will help you crystalize your thoughts, approach a writing conundrum in a way you had not thought possible, and give you a renewed appreciation for the beauty and grace of language itself.
second floor, with a window that overlooks our yard, farm fields beyond, and a distant tree line. I loved the peace and solitude of those early mornings, with the first birds chirping before sunrise in the summer, and the wind whistling over the snow in winter. My most productive hours were between 5 and 11 am. That works for me—your natural rhythm might dictate that you start at 3 pm and write until midnight. Go with it.
Edit, edit, edit. Less is more. I read somewhere the axiom RUE—Resist the Urge to Explain. Do not underestimate your readers.
Find a writing group. I was fortunate to find Literary Writers Network by a random google search, and I cannot say enough good things about this group. We worked hard, but enjoyed a sense of camaraderie. The established members welcomed me, critiqued my work, and encouraged me. It was thanks to LWN members that I was able to shape the book, and make the decision to use end notes. Most importantly, perhaps, the members pushed me to develop the characters much further than I would have on my own. And of course they had no qualms about suggesting edits, especially passages that did not move the story forward, no matter how exquisitely written.
Being part of a writing group provides a learning environment on two levels. Your own work is discussed of course, but you also read and evaluate manuscripts from your fellow members, and in the process, you learn to read your own work with a more critical eye and ear.
Writing might be a solitary process, but in the end, it is all about communicating ideas and emotions. A good writing group will help you crystalize your thoughts, approach a writing conundrum in a way you had not thought possible, and give you a renewed appreciation for the beauty and grace of language itself.
Susan Fox
I think every writer dreams of that “aahhh” moment—when the content is polished to satisfaction, the cover is exactly what had been envisioned from the beginning, and the book appears on Amazon, complete with the “look inside” icon. In reality, the moment is fleeting. Almost immediately, I found myself working on remarks for the book launch. Instead of spending my time writing these days, I am marketing on social media and scheduling speaking engagements. Whether a book is published by a well-known publishing house, or self-published, I think the burden of marketing falls to the writer in the present economy.
Having said all that, I did have a couple of moments that stand out as surreal. The first was the day I walked to the “biography” section of our local Barnes and Noble store and saw my book nestled on the shelf. The second was the day I sat across from Bill Moller in the WGN studios in Chicago and put on headsets for a radio interview. But it was a much smaller event that finally made me realize people were actually reading the book. It was the day I opened my email and found a message via my website. A reader had chosen the book for her book club, and wanted to know if there were discussion questions available. That was the day it became real for me.
Having said all that, I did have a couple of moments that stand out as surreal. The first was the day I walked to the “biography” section of our local Barnes and Noble store and saw my book nestled on the shelf. The second was the day I sat across from Bill Moller in the WGN studios in Chicago and put on headsets for a radio interview. But it was a much smaller event that finally made me realize people were actually reading the book. It was the day I opened my email and found a message via my website. A reader had chosen the book for her book club, and wanted to know if there were discussion questions available. That was the day it became real for me.
Susan Fox
I think the desire to express ourselves is universal. Inspiration is not something I have to find, or work to achieve. It is a matter of slowing down and tending to that inner voice, to what is important. Like almost every other human being on the plant, I find that my life is filled with busy-ness —things to get done, lists, phone calls, emails, deadlines, etc. If I quiet the noise of daily diving, the wellspring of human emotion emerges, and the inspiration is there.
I was fortunate to have a nonfiction project that captured my imagination from the beginning, and I quickly became immersed in the story.
Having said that, there is a balance between throwing yourself into a writing project and maintaining personal relationships.
Little Women consumed me almost to the exclusion of everything else. Quite honestly, I was surprised to find I still had a husband when it was finished, or that I had a single friend left in the world. I worked on it eight or more hours a day, and dreamed about it at night. I left household chores undone. Emails collected in my inbox, left unanswered. I cancelled lunch dates and I ignored phone calls, irritated at anything that interrupted my work.
And yet, I’m not sure how I could have done it differently. Everyone works at their own pace, and while I was in the throes of writing, I didn’t want to stop for anyone or anything.
So I guess the short answer is that I found my inspiration in the details of my narrative—I connected with the story, and wanted to move beyond entries in a diary to the universal human experience. I was swept up by the research itself: the particular time in history, women’s rights, education, and the personal journey of the Volunteers.
I was fortunate to have a nonfiction project that captured my imagination from the beginning, and I quickly became immersed in the story.
Having said that, there is a balance between throwing yourself into a writing project and maintaining personal relationships.
Little Women consumed me almost to the exclusion of everything else. Quite honestly, I was surprised to find I still had a husband when it was finished, or that I had a single friend left in the world. I worked on it eight or more hours a day, and dreamed about it at night. I left household chores undone. Emails collected in my inbox, left unanswered. I cancelled lunch dates and I ignored phone calls, irritated at anything that interrupted my work.
And yet, I’m not sure how I could have done it differently. Everyone works at their own pace, and while I was in the throes of writing, I didn’t want to stop for anyone or anything.
So I guess the short answer is that I found my inspiration in the details of my narrative—I connected with the story, and wanted to move beyond entries in a diary to the universal human experience. I was swept up by the research itself: the particular time in history, women’s rights, education, and the personal journey of the Volunteers.
Susan Fox
In spring 2007 I had a conversation with Joanne Carter Bowling, and as we chatted, she asked if I had read “The Kite Runner,” the book set in Afghanistan, written by Khaled Hosseini. She commented how the book rekindled memories of her service in Afghanistan with the Peace Corps in the late 1960s. She had a storage box filled with memorabilia from that time—a trunk stuffed with letters, tapes, photographs, and a diary. She confided that she dreamed of writing her memoir someday.
I describe what happened next in the Forward:
I had always known about Jo’s Peace Corps experience. Unknown to me until that moment, however, was the existence of a diary. I encouraged her to pursue the idea. “Just think of all the things you did, Jo. And you have a record of it all. You should definitely write your story.”
Jo nodded in agreement. “Oh, I know. I’ve tried. At least a half-dozen times.”
“And?”
“And I page through the diary, look at the pictures, maybe listen to a couple of tapes. But then what?” She gave me a self-deprecating little shrug. “I don’t know where to start. So I pack everything away and put it back on the shelf—until the next time.”
I remember that I couldn’t help smiling at the abject expression on her face, and before I realized what I was doing, the words were out of my mouth. “I’ll write it for you!”
In my enthusiasm, I anticipated a pleasurable and interesting project, a tidy little memoir, and a gift for my friend. I thought it would take a couple of weeks. It took six years, exhaustive research, and resulted in a book.
I describe what happened next in the Forward:
I had always known about Jo’s Peace Corps experience. Unknown to me until that moment, however, was the existence of a diary. I encouraged her to pursue the idea. “Just think of all the things you did, Jo. And you have a record of it all. You should definitely write your story.”
Jo nodded in agreement. “Oh, I know. I’ve tried. At least a half-dozen times.”
“And?”
“And I page through the diary, look at the pictures, maybe listen to a couple of tapes. But then what?” She gave me a self-deprecating little shrug. “I don’t know where to start. So I pack everything away and put it back on the shelf—until the next time.”
I remember that I couldn’t help smiling at the abject expression on her face, and before I realized what I was doing, the words were out of my mouth. “I’ll write it for you!”
In my enthusiasm, I anticipated a pleasurable and interesting project, a tidy little memoir, and a gift for my friend. I thought it would take a couple of weeks. It took six years, exhaustive research, and resulted in a book.
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