Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
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Exclusive Interview with
Diane Wing
When did you start writing?
I remember journaling, writing poetry, and short stories when I was 7 years old.
What makes writing your passion?
I feel compelled to write what I observe and learn. Whether in the form of fiction or non-fiction, I'm inspired by everyday experiences and love to exercise my creativity and imagination.
How long have you been writing?
I've written my whole life. My favorite school assignments were researching and writing papers and short stories. In my corporate career, I wrote newsletters, articles, and procedural manuals. I wrote poetry and short stories as a hobby. I still write articles for my monthly newsletter. Join my community at DianeWingAuthor.com to get it right to your inbox. Professionally, my first book, Coven, was published in 2007 (2nd edition titled Coven: The Scrolls of the Four Winds; 2012; new cover).
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
To have my words in print and get feedback from readers that they enjoyed the story lifted me and validated my writing path. It was also scary to have people critique my work in a public forum.
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
It depends on what genre I'm writing in. For the Chrissy the Shih Tzu Cozy Mystery series, the character of Chrissy is based on the true-to-life antics of my Shih Tzu, Chrissy, and her canine friends. Other fictional characters in Trips to the Edge, Thorne Manor and other bizarre tales, and in Coven are conglomerations of people I've met, psychological traits I've studied, and reactions to the situations faced in the story to make a 3D character readers can respond to.
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
Move around, talk a walk, do laundry, write in a different environment, and/or go back earlier in the story and see what to change to remove the obstacle in my way.
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
The ideas keep coming, and as long as they do, I'll keep writing. For new authors, take inspiration from everything and everyone around you. There's a story waiting to be told. Learn about lots of different things; you never know when you'll use the information in a story. Let your imagination run wild and keep it fresh.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
Yes, I do read them. For the critical reviews, I try to learn from them and improve my writing based on the feedback.
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
Elation and gratitude!
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
Absolutely! The cover represents the energy of the story and lets the reader know if this is the right book for them. If the cover is a mismatch to the story, it's a betrayal to the reader.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
I connect with readers in many ways. I've done live Facebook events and live interview shows where readers ask questions. Folks can contact me via email through my websites.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
Honored, appreciated, and motivated to continue my work.
Who is your favorite author? Why?
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
By the time my books are published, I've already rewritten them four or five times. Writing is revision, but at some point, the story is told and it's time to move onto the next one.
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
What would you say to your readers?
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
What is your day job if you have one?
I have a life path coaching practice. I also teach classes in personal growth and metaphysics. You can engage with my work at www.DianeWing.com.
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
Reading and walking in the woods. I also enjoy watching movies - action, supernatural horror, comedies, mysteries, and romance.
Did you have a happy childhood?
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
What is your favorite music?
I listen to all sorts of music from classical to classic rock, from jazz to world music, from new wave and alternative to progressive rock. It depends on what mood I'm in. When I'm writing, I listen to instrumentals so that lyrics don't compete with the words flowing onto the page.
Share a secret with us 🙂
I love playing hidden object video games. :-)