Interview with Pauline Creeden

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -</style><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">What is your writing process? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I know a lot of authors who need to have a long period of time to get into a writing mode, but because of my hectic schedule as a business owner, horse trainer, homeschooling mother, etc. I can’t rub two or three hours of writing at a time. I’m lucky if I get one hour of time alone and in quiet to put in words. So I have to be willing to write in fits and spurts to get my daily word count in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Because so much of my day is spent in noise, I prefer silence. But if I can’t find it, I’ll put my headphones on and listen to one or two songs on repeat so that my mind can drown it out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I have belonged to a critique group in the past, and they helped my writing a bunch! But nowadays, I have a few select beta readers who help me along, and I also trade critiques with other authors whose opinions I respect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I liken my writing to driving at night to a place I’ve never been before. I know where my destination is, but I’m unclear on how to get there exactly. I write what I see in my headlights.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I hire both an editor and a proofreader.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Editing takes a lot longer than writing a first draft. And finishing that first draft is the most important thing, not what kind of condition it’s in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s never too early to get active in social media and building a mailing list!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Besides writing, do you have any other passions?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">My day job. I’m a horse trainer/riding instructor. I love seeing kids and horses I’ve trained do well in life and at horse shows!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">I’m a dog lover, but I also have four cats. Chocolate all the way. Because I’m in the south, I love a good sweet tea. I prefer texting. Because I hardly sleep, I get up early but also stay up late…naps are my friend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">What’s next for you?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Later this month, I’m stepping into the realm of serial novels. Chronicles of Steele: <i>Raven</i> has been in the works for about two and a half years, and putting her out into the world is on the agenda next!</span></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1"/>