Never Look at a Reference Book While Doing a First Draft

Never look at a reference book while doing a first draft. You want to write a story? Fine. Put away your dictionary, your encyclopedias, your World Almanac, and your thesaurus. Better yet, throw your thesaurus into the wastebasket. The only things creepier than a thesaurus are those little paperbacks college students too lazy to read the assigned novels buy around exam time. Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule. You think you might have misspelled a word? O.K., so here is your choice: either look it up in the dictionary, thereby making sure you have it right - and breaking your train of thought and the writer's trance in the bargain - or just spell it phonetically and correct it later. Why not? Did you think it was going to go somewhere? And if you need to know the largest city in Brazil and you find you don't have it in your head, why not write in Miami, or Cleveland? You can check it ... but later. When you sit down to write, write. Don't do anything else except go to the bathroom, and only do that if it absolutely cannot be put off.
STEPHEN KING

An Introduction To Creative Writing

Find Your Optimum Hours for Writing

My most important discovery has been that I have optimum hours for writing. These are between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. For a lifetime I’ve told myself that I was a nighttime writer—it seemed romantic. But actually I’m tired at night, and that’s when I prefer to read and research. Whatever your optimum hours are, don’t cheat yourself of them. This is a daily battle. If you spend them answering the phone, attending to correspondence, etc., you’ll find yourself empty-handed and out of sorts during your low tide.

AMY WALLACE

You Can’t Wait Until You’re in the Mood

You can’t wait to write until you’re in the mood. My God, if you waited until you were in the mood, it would take forever. You have to sit down. The name of the game is to put it in the chair.
HARRY CREWS

Put Your Notes Away

Put your notes away before you begin a draft. What you remember is probably what should be remembered; what you forget is probably what should be forgotten. No matter; you’ll have a chance to go back to your notes after the draft is completed. What is important is to achieve a draft which allows the writing to flow.

DONALD M. MURRAY

Prescription for Writer's Block

My prescription for writer’s block is to face the fact that there is no such thing. It’s an invented condition, a literary version of the judicial “abuse excuse.” Writing well is difficult, but one can always write something. And then, with a lot of work, make it better. It’s a question of having enough will and ambition, not of hoping to evade this mysterious hysteria people are always talking about.

THOMAS MALLON

Interview with author, Mary Bradford

Update 2014
Since last chatting with Mary Bradford back in 2012 I'm delighted to announce she has been offered a contract for her fantastic novel My Husband's Sin with Tigearr Publishing.
Here is the link to Mary's bio on Tigearr's website.

I would like to welcome Mary Bradford.

Mary has had numerous short stories published in various newspapers, magazines and anthologies in both Ireland and the USA. Mary has just completed her first novel
'My Husband's Sin'.

Daniel Kaye. Where were you born, and where do you call home?

Mary Bradford. I was born in Mt. Alvernia Maternity, Mallow and home is Charleville, Co. Cork.

DK. What is the name of your most recent book or WIP and if you had to sum it up in 30 words or less, what would you say?

MB. I recently finished my first novel ‘My Husband's Sin’. It’s a family saga about the Taylors. It involves the secrets family keep and the fallout when those secrets are revealed. It is with different publishers at present. But my first collection of short stories, titled ‘A Baker’s Dozen’, has been well received and it was self-published through Createspace.

DK. Do you have plans for a new book, and is this book part of a series?

MB. Yes, I am currently working on a book with the working title, ‘Room to Hell’. It’s a stand alone book.

DK. Laptop, desktop or pen for writing?

MB. Normally pen but I am trying to convince myself to type now!!

DK. Who designed the cover of your book?

MB. I took the photo that is on the cover and putting it together, I had help from a writing buddy.

DK. Do you have any advice for other writers?

MB. Turning up to your work-desk and writing each day is vital. If it’s only 100 words you write, its 100 words more than you had yesterday.

DK. Is your book in Print, eBook or both?

MB. My collection of short stories, A Bakers Dozen, is in both formats. It is available from www.amazon.com in paperback form and  www.smashwords.com in eBook form.

DK. Have you self-published and if so how would you describe the experience?

MB. Yes, ‘A Bakers Dozen’ was self-published. I loved the experience of seeing it all come together. I used www.smashwords.com and found the site to be very easy to navigate through the whole process. A good friend helped me loads when I found the jargon a bit complicated. So I had terrific help but I can’t name my friend in case he looks for royalties

 


DK. Where do you prefer to buy your books?

MB. No specific bookshop

DK. What book would you like to read again?

MB. An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan

DK. What book are you currently reading and in what format?

MB. I am reading ‘Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer’ by Seth Grahame Smith in paperback form.

DK. Your thoughts on receiving book reviews- the good and the bad.

MB. Book reviews are to be taken a pinch of salt I believe. Good ones are to be enjoyed and bad ones are to be ignored as its only one person’s point of view at the end of a writing day.

DK. Do you have a nickname?

MB. Monty, given to be by my mother.

DK. Did you have a favourite toy as a child?

MB. Books (honestly) oh and a walking doll called Caroline who also had a real heartbeat. I still have her.

DK. An early childhood memory?

MB. Falling into a full slurry pit at 6 years of age. It was awful and I am so lucky to be alive actually. Thanks Uncle Bill! He saw me fall in and rescued me.

DK. Any pets that you would like to tell us about.

MB. I grew up surrounded by pets of all descriptions but our own family dog Jake, a cream Labrador, died ten days before Christmas gone. He was 13 years old and adorable.

DK. What’s your poison?

MB. Vodka and white lemonade

DK. Coffee or tea?

MB. Tea

DK. Do you have a favourite food?

MB. Pizza, coleslaw salad and pineapple with a glass of white wine.

DK. Do you like to cook, and if so what?

MB. As a mum, I have no choice.

DK. What do you eat for breakfast?

MB. Tea and Toast

DK. Name 3 things you never leave home without (apart from keys, money and phone).

MB. My late Dads photo, glasses and a scarf.

DK. Sleep in, or get up early?

MB. Depends on what I have on for the next day.

DK. Your favourite gadget-

MB. The washing machine!!! I’m a mother of four!!

DK. Where is one place in the world that you would really love to visit?

MB. Bali.

DK. One of your favourite quotes-

MB. ‘Give a hug, one size fits all’ okay it’s not a great famous quote but it’s so true. I adore hugs.

DK. Where can your readers find you?

My blog:  http://marytbradford-author.blogspot.com/




Twitter: @marytbrad

 A Baker's Dozen: Thirteen Short Stories about Everyday Life available in paperback from amazon A Baker's Dozen   And in ebook format from Smashwords  Here

  I would like to thank Mary Bradford for allowing us the chance to have a chat, and for giving us a glimpse into her writing world. All the best with the new novel Mary.