An Interview with Elizabeth Engstrom

How did you get into writing? At what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always known. I started writing my first novel when I was eight.

What was your first book or story that you completed? Did you ever get it published?

No, I wrote lots of short stories that were just bits and pieces of things. I didn't have a lot to say until my thirties, but I did learn my craft and hone my skills on those early pieces.

How did you finally get published? When were you able to write on a full time basis? Please explain your success story?

I took a workshop from science fiction great Theodore Sturgeon, who read my first novel, found an agent to read it, she took me on as a client, and When Darkness Loves Us went to auction. Shortly thereafter, I sold my business and began to write fiction full time.

How do you stay motivated to finish a novel? How do you stay focused?

I get up every morning and go to work like every other working person in the world. I don't have time for writer's block or to wait for inspiration. Working writers work.

What is your writing schedule like? Do you write in the mornings, evenings, and for how long?

I start in the morning about 7:30 or 8. I go through a little morning routine, have coffee, a little breakfast and then I work until the job is done for the day, usually around noon. My creative side is weary by that time, so in the afternoons, I take care of business.

How do you get your ideas? What is your method for remembering them?

Ideas are everywhere. I have a file I call "Creative Compost" and I put all kinds of things in it, but never take them out. I find that just the act of putting something in the file seems to cement it in my mind. Good ideas don't just fly away, though. And a good idea is not a story. It takes a long time for me to simmer a novel idea until I get just the right mix of character, setting and conflict that mesh just right.

If you get writer’s block, how do you get over it?

For me, writer's block is either a temper tantrum, or else I've pushed my characters into doing something foreign to their nature in order to serve the plot. If it's a tantrum, I take a day off and get over myself. If I've bullied a character, then I have to backtrack to the place where I've fractured the trust I have with the character, fix it, and go on.

What are your thoughts on self publishing?

I owned a small press and published a volume of reprint short stories. I once published a novel of mine and will never do that again. If I had an amazing non-fiction book and was willing to go on the road, speaking at a series of venues with a trunkload of books to sell, I would consider self-publishing. But a novel? Never again.

What piece of advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a writer? What is a good starting point for them?

Take as many writing classes as you can, attend as many writing conferences as you can for two years. Then quit going to those things and write every day. Every day, every day, every day. Make a routine. Set deadlines for yourself. Join a writers critique group that serves your needs. (a suggested format is available on my website under "writing tips" www.elizabethengstrom.com) You will only learn to write by writing. Remember that your strength is your strangeness.

To find out more check out Elizabeth Engstrom’s official website.