Special Guest:: Senior Editor, Jamie West

Emma: I have a special treat today. I’m interviewing Jamie West, Senior Editor of the Hummingbird Department at The Wild Rose Press. (Jamie holds a special place in my heart because she offered me my first contract. A big thank you, Jamie!)

Jamie: You’re welcome!

Jamie does some great posts for writers at Behind the Garden Gate (courtesy of The Wild Rose Press) to include “The Big Bad Editor’s List of Pet Peeves – Act III” and “Understanding Mary Sue…” and "What Makes It Romance..."

Welcome Jamie!

Jamie: Thank you!

Emma: Before I give the floor to Jamie so she can talk about getting in the writing habit I thought I’d ask a few quick questions.

1) Where do you like to settle in for a good read? Wherever I can lay down – bed, couch, hammock. I like reading all snuggled in pillows and with an iced tea at my side. And a snack.

(I love to snuggle down while reading too, and having a snack handy means I don't have to interrupt my reading!)

2) What is your favorite genre? Romantic Suspense. I fell in love with Mary Stewart’s books when I was about 12. I actually love reading anything, though. Science fiction, fantasy, historicals, murder mysteries, biographies, archeological fiction, etc.

(I love a variety of genres as well.)

3) What length do you favor…shorts/novellas/novels? I love them all. In fan fiction, they have what is called a drabble – it is a story of exactly 100 words. It has to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Some are amazing. That said, I love a long book, too. I get so lost in books that my family claims a bomb could go off and I’d keep reading.

(I've never heard of drabble...sounds intriguing though. I might just have to try my hand at that.)

4) Whose POV do you prefer…hero/heroine/villain? – I love solid hero POVS, but don’t see them too often. However, a good, strong heroine (such as Amelia Peabody in Elizabeth Peters’ Egypt series) is good, too.

5) Do you like first/second/third person? I love a strong first person narrative. However, I really will read anything. Third person is what most editors see. A good character will always catch my attention no matter how it is written, though.

Emma: Hhm. First person hero perspective...I'll have to make sure you get a copy of His Hope, Her Salvation when it comes out! Thanks for the responses. Now, I’ll turn the floor over to you so you can share your thoughts on writing.

Jamie: Hmmm…well, those who read TWRP’s Editor Blog get to see a lot of my opinions on writing . I’ve covered a lot of the basics, backstory, what makes it romance, pet peeves. There’s a lot of information out there on how to write, how to plot, how to characterize. There are outlines to follow and methods to develop your writing. But really, writing comes down to one thing. Sit down and write the story that is begging to be let out. Get those characters on paper. Start writing and even if it’s bad, leave it on the page and come back to it later. Then look it over, delete the stuff you hate, and make it say what you want it to say. Convey the atmosphere, make your characters real. Keep doing this until you have control. Until you know what these characters really want to say and do. If you know what strength you have, such as descriptive narrative or excellent dialog…try building some other aspect of your writing. Intersperse it with your strength. Stretch that writing muscle. You know, Pinnochio wasn’t real until he started having emotions. Your writing will simply be moving puppets on a stage until you infuse feelings into it. Show those feelings, dredge them up from your own psyche. And when you’re done, submit to TWRP!