Ask the Author: Lisa Goich
Answered Questions (7)
Lisa Goich
My family emigrated from Yugoslavia. My original family name was Gvoijc, not Goic.
Lisa Goich
I went home to visit my parents for a long weekend just before Christmas in 2011. I thought it was going to be a normal visit - we'd hang out, eat, go shopping a bit, visit relatives. But on my first day back home, my mom announced that she was going to quit the kidney dialysis she had just begun. That meant she would die. And die in under a month. So I called my office and told them I would be gone indefinitely, and stayed home with my mom for her final days. Fourteen days later, she was gone. Writing through that time - posting on Facebook, mainly - go me through the rough patches. It was my therapy. Those small excerpts, at the urging of friends, became the seeds for my book. The pillars. My sadness and love for my mom drove this project. I think that's very common with memoir. And to take a short period of time, and turn it into a full story, was challenging at times, but I think worked out in the end.
My next book is going to be a novel, partly drawn from life after my mom's death as seen through the eyes of a widowed husband. It's the continuation of the story but fictionalized. Without giving too much away, there will be a lot of humor in this book. I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.
My next book is going to be a novel, partly drawn from life after my mom's death as seen through the eyes of a widowed husband. It's the continuation of the story but fictionalized. Without giving too much away, there will be a lot of humor in this book. I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.
Lisa Goich
Reading other books. Watching movies. Even doing something as simple as walking through a mall. I've always been a people-watcher. You can get some of your best material from watching and listening to others around you. I was a stand-up comedian for 15 years. The bulk of my material came from observation. It's an incredible tool. Never take your x-ray vision glasses off. The guy standing in front of you in line at the drug store could be a character in your next novel!
Lisa Goich
Currently I'm working on collecting reviews and blurbs for my forthcoming memoir, "14 Days." Once I finished the book, my husband said, "Now you can start writing your next book!" I think that's a misconception many people share. A writer simply writes and once they're done with one book, it's on to the next. But in today's author world, the writer needs to be an active participant in ushering the book through the publicity pipeline. It's really a full-time job. So for now, I'm 100% dedicated to watering my current project until November when it's birthed into the world. Meanwhile, I keep my writing chops up by writing pieces for a magazine I contribute to - Fine Living Lancaster - and the Huffington Post.
Lisa Goich
Write. Just write, write, write. Start a blog, write thoughtful pieces on social media, do anything to get your words out. Eventually someone will discover your talent and you'll be on your way! If you have "the writer" in you, it's hard to get her/him out. It's part of you. So nurture that person, tell them how fabulous they are, feed them and - in no time - they'll sprout, grow and thrive.
Lisa Goich
Everything! Being a writer is like being an active participant in your own dreams. You can make anything happen with a pen and notebook in hand. It's like a magic wand. I'm so thankful I was blessed with the love of writing.
Lisa Goich
While writing "14 Days" I had a terrible case of writer's block right around the middle of the book. It actually frightened me. The memoir, up until that point, had flowed out of me. Then BAM...a wall. An author friend told me to to just walk away for a bit. Don't push it. Put the project away and cleanse my head then revisit when I was ready. So I put it aside. And when I came back a couple of weeks later, instead of trying to push through the part that was blocked, I wrote other parts that I could insert in the book elsewhere. It worked! It was like mental Drano. I was back on track and finished my memoir.
I liken writer's block to that Chinese finger game. You know that little woven contraption you put your two fingers in and pull? The harder you pull, the more difficult it is to release your fingers. It's just like writer's block. The harder you try, the more you're building up your wall. Walk away. Breathe. Read another book. Take a hike. Watch a movie. Release the pressure on yourself and magical things will happen.
I liken writer's block to that Chinese finger game. You know that little woven contraption you put your two fingers in and pull? The harder you pull, the more difficult it is to release your fingers. It's just like writer's block. The harder you try, the more you're building up your wall. Walk away. Breathe. Read another book. Take a hike. Watch a movie. Release the pressure on yourself and magical things will happen.
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