Today’s special guest is Jacqueline Luckett, author of Searching for Tina Turner. Thanks so much for stopping by Book Reviews by Buuklvr81, Jacqueline! She’s going to talk a bit about what all goes into being an author….take it away, Jacqueline!
Jacqueline’s Thoughts:
Before attending my first workshop in 1999, the extent of my writing consisted of sales proposals and business letters (and a few stories written when I was in grammar school). Revision was part of my process. I don’t know why, but I didn’t think revision would hold true for creative writing. I’d made lots of revisions in the short stories I’d submitted for the workshop, but I thought that was because I didn’t know what I was doing.
I walked into my workshop full of expectation. Truthfully, I had no idea of what it took to be a writer. I didn’t know any one who wrote or who even wanted to write. I was a reader, a wannabe writer, and in my mind every book ever written had come out perfectly the first time around. As the workshop leader, Christina Garcia (Dreaming in Cuban), led introductions, she talked about her process and her writing group that shared and critiqued each other’s work. I’m sure my mouth fell open. “You mean you rewrite?” I asked. I recall that everyone laughed, surprised that I expected perfection in a first draft.
I think of that workshop often. Mostly, when I’m revising (everything from my emails to my novel) and working through a story until it feels right and the characters real. I, too, belong to a wonderful writing group (www.finishparty.com ) and their feedback has been invaluable.
With one book completed, and the second nearly done, I’ve imposed a bit more structure on my writing process. Once a year, I go on a week-long retreat with my writing group where spend all day long writing. At home, I write where I’m comfortable—in my office or a cozy café. I don’t require silence, but I do require the kind of “white” noise that doesn’t distract. I absolutely love what I do and that the journey to getting me to not one, but two books, has been hard, but worth every word . . . rewritten.
Thanks so much, Jacqueline, for stopping by!
Please be sure and check out my review of Jacqueline’s book, Searching for Tina Turner.
