Interview with Author Marta Stephens
  By Kim Smith, Friend and fellow author
  December 2006
 

KS: What is your routine when working on a book?

MS: It depends largely on where I’m at in my writing. Before I write that first word and after I get a general idea of the story line, I research – a lot. I write crime mystery/suspense, so my research might involve everything from autopsy procedures and the rate of decay to religion and weather patterns. However, research is on-going so I can’t say that I spend “x” number of hours on it before I move on. Once I get a general idea of the plot and the sequence of events, I start typing. I dedicate several hours a day to my writing. If I hit a snag, I walk away from it. The story is always in the back of my mind and often the change in activity helps to renew the thought process.

KS: Do you ever show people your WIP?

MS: Absolutely. It’s critical for me to get feedback. My books have multiple sub plots and complex story lines. I couldn’t do it without the help of a fresh pair of eyes to point to a problem. This is especially true when I reach certain critical points in the story. Silenced Cry went through a full critique by five members of my critique group and an untold number of selfless family members and friends. Weeks before I sent the manuscript to my editor, a friend of mine who also writes crime mysteries caught an oversight that I and everyone else missed. In addition to belonging to a critique group, Deadly Prose, I have been very fortunate to meet a great group of authors whose opinions I trust and value. We help each other informally at every stage of our writing and frankly, writing wouldn’t be nearly as much fun or fulfilling without someone to share in the process.

KS: Do you listen to music when you work?

MS: I listen to music when I’m not in the critical thinking stage. I find it relaxes me when I’m making corrections to the text, reading/research, that type of thing. When I’m working through a scene, I can handle some level of noise, but not music. Having said that, however, I find that music does influence the mood of my writing.

KS: Who has influenced your writing the most?

MS: For me it’s not so much who but what. I grew up with Agatha Christi and Alfred Hitchcock books. I love stories with suspenseful twists and turn; the kind that you have to work at to figure out “who dunit” as you race against time. I especially enjoy stories with surprise ending that take your breath away -- the endings I don’t expect. Those are the types of books I enjoy reading and I’ve tried to emulate that in my own writing.

KS: Have you always wanted to be an author?

MS: I never thought about it until the winter of 2003. I have a degree in journalism and I’ve written numerous newsletters and other professional pieces that were work-related but I never considered fiction writing as a career option. I was encouraged by the reactions I received from others who read my early works and continued to work on it. I believe that all things happen for a reason though, so I’m sure it was in the works -- I just didn’t know it.

KS: How do you write, free-thought, or from an outline?

MS: I begin by writing a brief synopsis of the storyline to get a general idea of the plot. I make a list of the characters, write brief bios, and one page of background information about each primary characters, both protagonists and antagonists. This helps me to understand who they are and what motivates their actions/thoughts. I’m always amazed at the things that my characters reveal during this process. The next step for me is to make a list of each chapter with a one or two line description of what happens in each. I have to “see” the events unfold. This list also gives me a visual of the timeline and lets me know at a glance if the chapters are out of order. I've also created flow charts showing the connection between character and the critical information that each contributes to the plot. All of this, of course, is subject to change. Outlines or whatever other method an author uses to organize his or her thoughts should only be used as road maps. It has to be flexible enough to allow for changes as they develop.

KS: Where can we find your work and what are you working on now?

MS: Silenced Cry is my debut crime/mystery novel and will be internationally published by Bewrite Books www.bewrite.net.  They published a few of my early works on-line (short stories). Silenced Cry, is the first in the Sam Harper Crime Mystery series and it will be available on April 23, 2007. Buy it NOW.

KS: Do you work on more than one book at a time?

MS: I tend to concentrate my attention on the current book. When I began to expand Silenced Cry into a novel, I allowed myself to get side-tracked with the other books in the series. It wasn’t until I shoved them completely out of my head that Silenced Cry took on a life of its own. I treat each chapter the same way. This is not to say that the chapters don’t connect, but I find that if I treat the chapters as if they were stand-alone stories, they have more depth to them.

KS: What do you read when you are writing?

MS: My husband and I both love to read mysteries/suspense and thrillers so you can go to any room in our home and find something good to read. When I need a break from writing, I'll grab a novel or one of numerous "How to" books or magazines. It’s often enough to jump-start the thinking processes. And let’s not forget the Internet. I enjoy researching topics for my books. I also enjoy reading about other authors and their works.

KS: What would you say to an aspiring writer?

MS: I have been extremely fortunate and blessed, but the journey hasn’t been without its bumps and bruises. Here are a few of the things I’ve learned along the way.

1. No one would be interested in reading about what I know. Let your imagination soar, find what compels you to write, study it, explore the possibilities, and read everything you can about it. Why limit yourself to your backyard when you have a whole world to explore?

2. Quit talking about writing and do it. Take that course you’ve been promising yourself to take, study the works you admire, but at some point you have to write that great opening paragraph.

3. Writing is work. Establish a schedule and stick to it. Would you sign up to run a marathon without a workout schedule? No, then don’t expect to improve your writing unless you focus and dedicate yourself to it.

4. Don’t let little things distract you from your writing.

5. Don’t fall in love with your words. Learn to edit yourself and be ruthless. The best way to self-edit is to read it out loud. Record yourself. You’ll be amazed at how awkward that perfect sentence sounds when you hear it spoken.

6. Network as often as possible with other authors. If you can find one in ten who inspires, encourages you, and offers honest feedbacks, consider yourself fortunate.

7. Ask questions and lots of them. Writing is an on-going learning process -- no one has all the answers.

8. Don’t be intimidated by other authors. Every author stood on the very same starting block.

9. Remember that everyone has an opinion. Find a mentor -- someone you trust to read your work (see number 6); someone who will offer you an unbiased critique. Learn to sift through the advice given by others. If you listen to every suggestion, you’ll risk ending up with something that doesn’t even remotely resemble your work. Accept the comments, consider only those you feel are valid, and for goodness sake, listen to your heart.

10. At some point, you have to type the words: “The End.”