Insight From VK Tritschler

VK Tritschler is a native New Zealander, who is now residing in Port Lincoln, South Australia. She had been a member of Eyre Writers (an established author and writers group) since 2010, and has been an active writer since youth. This is her first published book and uses her background as a mother, woman and degree in Psychology. I was lucky enough to gain some insight from author VK Tritschler about her writing habits. She has kindly given permission for me to share our conversation here on my journal. If you would like to support VK Tritschler, please feel welcome to use the links at the end of this post.Why did you become a writer?I have always written things down. When I was five I posted a note to the door of my house telling people not to come inside that day because my mother was in a bad mood. So I guess you could say that the written word has always been a strong point. As a child I used to write poems and short stories, spending hours in my room pretending to be a teacher and showing my assortment of stuffed animals the benefits of the written word. But as I got older, I lost touch with that part of my life, and it wasn't until after I started my family that I found it again. It became a way for me to process the changes and experiences that were happening, and had happened, in my life up to that point. I find writing both a mixture of exploration of self, and creation of imaginative situations and stories.Do you have any top tips for staying productive, editing your book and marketing?Join and meet with other writers. If I can provide one small insight into the processes required for success, it is that you need to surround yourself with people who are in the sphere you wish to be in. Meet published authors. Ask them lots of questions. And get lots of feedback, from as many sources as you can. Friends and family are your best supporters, but the worst at giving you honest critical assessment. You need to expand your sphere to include people who work in assessment and have a critical eye. It will seem harsh at first, because your writing is your art form and you can feel protective of it, but you have to learn when to accept criticism and when to step away and stick with your gut on a piece. Finishing the book is only the first part of the process. You need to ensure that your presentation of your work is as tidy from the onset as you can make it, which means a slick looking website, contacting as many sources as you can who might be able to talk about your book, and ensuring that your cover grabs an audience attention. Marketing the book means marketing yourself as an author and as a person. This can be as hard, as you need to forgive yourself for not being a world class author immediately, and be prepared that sometimes getting to where you want to be takes time and commitment. Authors are a combination of talent and perseverance.Any advice for young and aspiring writers?I take a group of young authors who are all aged between 10-14 years old once a week during school term. They have already collaborated on a book (The Fragmental Seven by Eyre Writers Youth), and been through the process from start to finish on what that entails. The key advice I can give young writers is that there is no age limit on your skills, there is only your determination and concentration. Find something you want to achieve, be it to write a poem, a short-story a book or a comic. Write yourself a time-line on when you want to achieve your goal and stick to it. If that means writing just a little every day, or a lot one day at the weekend, it doesn't matter how you get to your end, just motivate yourself to do it. And try and find others who like writing like you do. It is amazing the motivation you can get from being around people who are doing similar things.https://www.facebook.com/vktritschler...