Interview with Betsy Dornbusch [betsydornbusch] on Whohub

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What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?

I started to read mostly classic chapter books. I have no memory of picture books at all. My mother read me chapter books at a very early age.

I started writing in fourth grade, and my best friend Sheri was basically my only audience. We're both still writers.

What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?

I prefer fantasy, really the classic medieval-esque fantasy is my favorite, though I like sf, urban fantasy, and thrillers, too. The best link to my work is at http://electricspec.com where I work as an editor, or to http://sexscenesatstarbucks.blogspot.com, which is my long-standing blog.

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

Writing for me is a business--work--so I tend to just sit down, cut off the distractions, and go. I try to be pretty ruthless with myself about word counts or page counts when things aren't going well since the Web can inhale so much time.

What type of reading inspires you to write?

Fiction, really great fiction. I care more for great story than specific writing styles. Gaiman, Hobb, Berg, Brooks, Martin, and all the classic fantasy authors. I have a special place in my heart for short fiction, though I often don't seek it out because of my ever-growing slush pile.

Music lyrics inspire me, too--Sting, Coldplay, Sum 41, Green Day, The Indulgers--great poets, all. And I love older poetry, like My Last Duchess by Browning and Shakespeare.

What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?

Conflict between actual sentient characters--meaning I don't care for stories in which the environment or natural forces are the antagonist. I prefer stories which really put the screws to the characters. I like them to bleed. That said, I love a strong character. I tire of the "unlikely hero" trope.

What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

I almost always write third. I find far too much telling in first person to suit me, even in published works, and I have trouble controlling it in my own. When reading, I like the distance third provides because it allows me to participate in the story.

What well known writers do you admire most?

Hobb, Berg, Brooks, Martin...most of the classic fantasy authors. I'm not much enjoying the "tough-chick urban fantasy" stuff out right now, though a few come to mind, like the Anna Strong chronicles and the Sookie Stackhouse series, which I discovered through the show on HBO. Gaiman always delights and surprises, as do Barth Anderson and Terry Pratchett. I love classicists, too, like Irving. And I love English mysteries, like PD James and Elizabeth George, whose writing book I adore. My TBR stack is always so huge that I never feel I get enough time to read.

What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?

My characters just start talking and doing things and I learn about them as we go. I do try to plan based on backstory, but they constantly surprise me. Characters need flaws, but I hate wimpy characters who don't take charge of their own situation, even secondary characters. I try to take it to heart: every character is the hero of their own story.

Are you equally good at telling stories orally?

No. Can't tell a joke to save my life.

Deep down inside, who do you write for?

For my readers. My writing is not finished until it is read by others.

Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?

I'm recently coming to realize how much my own internal conflicts inform my writing, but I don't really like it. I tend to lean on friends, faith, and family to resolve my internal dilemmas, and I try to give my characters their own problems. Often my own conflicts sneak in, though.

Does reader feed-back help you?

Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?

I don't tend to enter contests. I won a tiny contest on a blog and I've earned Honorable Mention in Writers of the Future. But I tend to focus on selling rather than contests.

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?

I have several beta readers, a group which commonly sees my first drafts and various other partners who see subsequent drafts.

Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?

I would say my voice is "emerging." I like to think it's different for each piece.

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?

Word counts, page counts, submission goals, and editorial deadlines.

What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?

Books! My favorites are those signed by friends. I also have collect religious and mystical items. But I don't rely on my surroundings. I can write anywhere I can plug in my laptop.

Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?

I often draft on my laptop and revise on my pc. I find I have to concentrate really hard to get a solid revision, so I need the seclusion of my office. I read printed versions of my work via my critique group, and sometimes print out versions for my own use. I'm just now reading aloud, too, which really helps.

What sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?

Critters.org, several writer blogs, Agent blogs, online fiction magazines, and my own blog. I recently picked up twitter and facebook, but I'm finding them very social and distracting so I may have to cut them off.

What has been your experience with publishers?

I've had short works published in online venues, and "gotten" close with a couple of pro-rate magazines.

What are you working on now?

I've written five or six short stories in the past few months. I'm also about the write the fourth story in a linked collection. As far as novels go, I'm working on a futuristic sf with religious themes. I'm also currently shopping the first of an urban fantasy series to agents.

What do you recommend I do with all those things I wrote years ago but have never been able to bring myself to show anyone?

I think this is up to the individual. I have the first novel I ever wrote, at age 13, and it's one of my treasured possessions. However, I've thrown away old copies of one book that I spent three years on. I have the first short story I ever wrote in grad school--the hard copy with comments from my prof and versions transcribed onto the computer. Someday I hope to sell it.

Sometimes stories won't let you go, even the ones that don't sell.

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