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Writing Conference, Ashland, Oregon

Midge Raymond answers questions about the writing life

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MidgeRaymond-photo     Q: What is your best advice for writers in 20 words or less?

     A:Write what you love, and don’t worry about the market for your work until you’re    finished writing.

     Q:What inspires you?

     A: The world around me has always been my biggest inspiration —it’s an endless source of material,and I’m endlessly curious about human beings and what makes them tick. Paying attention is what leads me to story ideas, and it’s also where I get fuel for the emotions behind the writing, for example, by witnessing something either troubling, or beautiful, or bizarre.

Q: Where is your favorite place to write?

B: My very favorite place to write is the Whiteley Center on San Juan Island, where I did a residency last year. I got more work done there in ten days than I had throughout the entire year. Otherwise, I’ll write anywhere; it’s finding the time that’s my challenge! I love to take a notebook somewhere, like Lithia Park, to explore the beginnings of a story. When I’m at the end, in a revision stage, I like to print everything out and go to a cafe with my pages and a red pen. Otherwise I’m happy if I can find the time to sit on the sofa or at the kitchen table with my laptop.

Q:How do you see the future of publishing?

A: I am very optimistic about the future of publishing. Despite all the disruptions to traditional publishing, there are also wonderful new opportunities that allow self-published authors and small presses to thrive.

For more insights and inspiration from Midge visit her here.

Author: jessicapage2

Jessica Page Morrell lives near Portland, Oregon where she is surrounded by writers and watches the sky all its moods and shades. She’s the author of Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us, A (Sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing is Being Rejected; Bullies, Bastards & Bitches, How to Write the Bad Guys in Fiction; The Writer’s I Ching: Wisdom for the Creative Life, Voices from the Street; Between the Lines: Master The Subtle Elements Of Fiction Writing; and Writing Out the Storm. Morrell works as a highly-sought after developmental editor because if your characters are a bundle of quirks and inconsistencies, or the plot stalls and the scenes don’t flow, these problems need to be unriddled before you submit it to an agent or editor. She also works on memoirs and nonfiction books with a special focus on the inner logic and voice of each manuscript. She began teaching writers in 1991 and now teaches through a series of workshops in the Northwest and at writing conferences throughout North America and lectures to various writing organizations. She is the former writing expert at iVillage.com which was voted as one of the best 101 sites for writers. She formerly hosted a series of writing conferences and is now focusing on creating online classes and workshops. She hosts a Web site at www.writing-life.com, and she wrote monthly columns about topics related to writing since 1998. She also contributes to The Writer and Writers Digest magazines Her former Web log is at http://thewritinglifetoo.blogspot.com

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