Below is a transcript of the fantastic interview we had with Heather Ingemar. Thank you again Heather!
Check out her Blog at: http://ingemarwrites.wordpress.com/
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Inkwell Imaginings joined the chat 3:41 PM
Heather Ingemar joined the chat 11:54 PM
Heather Ingemar: testing, testing 11:54 PM
Heather Ingemar: blah, blah, blah 11:54 PM
Heather Ingemar: yay! everything works! :) 11:54 PM
Heather Ingemar joined the chat 5:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: Whee, ten minutes! :) 5:52 PM
Heather Ingemar: Hmm, where is everyone, I wonder? 6:03 PM
InkwellImaginings joined the chat 6:10 PM
InkwellImaginings: So late. Sorry about that 6:10 PM
Heather Ingemar: Hello? 6:10 PM
Heather Ingemar: Hi! :) 6:10 PM
Heather Ingemar: No problem. :) I was just beginning to wonder if I got the time wrong, lol 6:10 PM
InkwellImaginings: Hi Heather! =] inkwell says hi 6:10 PM
InkwellImaginings: Lol. Nope. We're just late. And Alex says hi. He's... apart. 6:11 PM
Heather Ingemar: ah :) *waves* 6:11 PM
InkwellImaginings: Would you mind if I copied the transcript when we're done? 6:11 PM
Heather Ingemar: No problem. :) 6:12 PM
InkwellImaginings: Okay. Thanks. =] I've got some questions here if you don't mind. =] 6:12 PM
Heather Ingemar: Go right ahead! :) 6:13 PM
InkwellImaginings: Woo! Okay, first question: Do you use an outline, and if not, how do you keep yourself organized? 6:13 PM
Heather Ingemar: hee 6:15 PM
Heather Ingemar: that's a tough one 6:15 PM
Heather Ingemar: sometimes I use an outline and sometimes I don't 6:15 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'm really a pantser at heart, and I tend to feel that outlines run the risk of being too detailed, which can potentially suck the spontenaiety out of the writing 6:16 PM
Heather Ingemar: Also, it depends on the work 6:16 PM
Heather Ingemar: generally, my short stories don't ask for an outline, but my novellas do 6:17 PM
InkwellImaginings: That makes sense. 6:17 PM
Heather Ingemar: My outlines also tend to be really broad -- when I do outline, I only outline the barest of essentials 6:17 PM
Heather Ingemar: Like major events, where the turning point is going to be, that sort of thing 6:17 PM
Heather Ingemar: As for how I stay organized? 6:18 PM
Heather Ingemar: Hehe, beats me! :P 6:18 PM
Heather Ingemar: Seriously though, I keep a LOT of notes both on the computer and in a notepad 6:18 PM
InkwellImaginings: Lol. Yeah, I think we can all relate here. =P 6:18 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 6:18 PM
InkwellImaginings: Speaking of which, what gives you your inspiration to get started on a story? 6:19 PM
Heather Ingemar: Anything, really, lol. :) 6:19 PM
Heather Ingemar: It could be the way the light hits a room a certain way, or it could be a snippet of conversation I walked in on... 6:20 PM
Heather Ingemar: It could spring from something I wish had happened in a movie or a book 6:20 PM
Heather Ingemar: Some of my stories come from dreams, even 6:21 PM
InkwellImaginings: So, inspiration comes from anywhere? 6:21 PM
Heather Ingemar: "Accused" in the Bump in the Night anthology was one that came from a dream 6:21 PM
Heather Ingemar: Well, yes, that's how I look at it. 6:21 PM
InkwellImaginings: Do you write things down as you think of them? 6:21 PM
Heather Ingemar: YES! :) 6:22 PM
InkwellImaginings: Like a journal or a notebook you carry with you? 6:22 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'm the girl who always has some scrap of paper and about fifteen pens i my purse, lol 6:22 PM
InkwellImaginings: Lol. I can relate. Starbucks napkins. Awesome. lol 6:22 PM
Heather Ingemar: Exactly! :D 6:22 PM
InkwellImaginings: How often do you write? 6:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: I tend to be a bit of a forgetful person, so the more notes I can take, the better... 6:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: That's a hard question to answer, the 'how often do you write' 6:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'm a part time librarian, and my husband and I run the family cattle ranch (circa 1882) 6:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: my days are an incredible mosh 6:24 PM
InkwellImaginings: That's a lot of work to write around. 6:24 PM
Heather Ingemar: yes 6:24 PM
InkwellImaginings: How do you manage? 6:24 PM
Heather Ingemar: it gets hard to make estimates 6:24 PM
Heather Ingemar: I also can't say "oh, I'm going to write at such-and-such time for so many minutes" 6:24 PM
Heather Ingemar: (just the nature of farmwork) 6:25 PM
Heather Ingemar: So I squeeze it in whenever I can and whenever I have an idea screaming at me 6:25 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 6:25 PM
InkwellImaginings: Lol. Good answer. 6:25 PM
Heather Ingemar: You'll hear a lot of people tell you that you HAVE to write X hours EVERY day 6:25 PM
Heather Ingemar: *shakes head* 6:25 PM
Heather Ingemar: If you're good about sitting down and writing, period, and are serious about learning your craft, do what you can 6:26 PM
Heather Ingemar: Certainly, TRY to write every day 6:26 PM
Heather Ingemar: But don't sweat it if you can't 6:26 PM
Heather Ingemar: That's something I learned very early on 6:26 PM
Stacychan left this message : 6:26 PM
Amen.
Heather Ingemar: You can't really plan for life 6:26 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 6:26 PM
InkwellImaginings: True story. 6:26 PM
Heather Ingemar: You do the best you can, but sometimes other things have to take priority 6:27 PM
Heather Ingemar: That's how I go about my "writing schedule," such as it is, lol 6:27 PM
Heather Ingemar: I come home from the day job and I have chores 6:27 PM
InkwellImaginings: Do you use any books or resources for grammar, dialog, etc? 6:27 PM
Heather Ingemar: Calving season is in the spring, and I can be in the middle of something and suddenly have to run out side to take care of something else entirely... just roll with the punches. :) 6:28 PM
Heather Ingemar: I highly recommend the "Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers" 6:28 PM
Heather Ingemar: for grammar 6:28 PM
Heather Ingemar: Excellent, excellent resource 6:28 PM
Heather Ingemar: (plus, it is handy for other things, too) 6:28 PM
Heather Ingemar: I also keep a dictionary and a thesaurus by my computer. :) 6:29 PM
Heather Ingemar: I also recommend the Gotham Writers' Workshop series 6:29 PM
Heather Ingemar: They have a book on "Writing Fiction" and then the companion is called "Fiction Gallery" 6:30 PM
Heather Ingemar: The Writing book is a collection of essays by top literary writers on the different elements of Story 6:30 PM
Heather Ingemar: And the Gallery book is a selection of pieces that illustrate the best use of those elements 6:30 PM
Heather Ingemar: Great for seeing how the techniques are employed 6:31 PM
InkwellImaginings: Handy to know. Thanks. =] 6:31 PM
Heather Ingemar: Also: 6:31 PM
Heather Ingemar: If you're looking to be published, get "The Writers' Legal Guide" by Crawford and Murray 6:31 PM
Heather Ingemar: Priceless. 6:31 PM
InkwellImaginings: so, in reference to that question, do you feel that people are born talented or can they use those resources and others like them to become a talented writer? 6:33 PM
Heather Ingemar: oh boy, that's a loaded question! 6:33 PM
InkwellImaginings: Lol. Ashley's fault! 6:33 PM
Heather Ingemar: hehe :) 6:34 PM
Heather Ingemar: On the one hand, I believe there is such a thing as 'talent,' but talent has to have direction 6:34 PM
Heather Ingemar: And I see no reason why an 'untalented' writer couldn't learn to utilize the same lessons 6:34 PM
Heather Ingemar: and become an equally good writer in the process 6:34 PM
Heather Ingemar: *shrugs* 6:34 PM
Heather Ingemar: It might be harder for the 'untalented' soul to get where they want to be, but I see no reason why they can't be good at it, too 6:35 PM
Heather Ingemar: Likewise, 'talent' isn't good for anything unless you use it 6:35 PM
Stacychan left this message: 6:36 PM
Haha. Again I must declare: Amen. ^_^
InkwellImaginings: How do you overcome writer's block? (I know, these are very unordered. Lol.) 6:36 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 6:36 PM
Heather Ingemar: No problem! :) 6:37 PM
InkwellImaginings: HI STACY <3 6:37 PM
Heather Ingemar: As for writer's block, I don't believe in it 6:37 PM
Stacychan left this message : 6:37 PM
*Bow* Bonjour.
Heather Ingemar: There's always SOMETHING you can put down on that paper 6:37 PM
Heather Ingemar: It might not be the *right* thing, but it's *some* thing 6:38 PM
Heather Ingemar: Now, I *do* believe in writers' burn-out 6:38 PM
Heather Ingemar: But that's where you're physically and emotionally exhausted of writing 6:38 PM
Heather Ingemar: And that can happen to anyone 6:38 PM
Heather Ingemar: That's when it's time to take a break or risk your art becoming a chore 6:39 PM
InkwellImaginings: Good advice. 6:39 PM
Stacychan left this message : 6:40 PM
Agreed.
InkwellImaginings: Do you write your stories from beginning to end, or do you write out of order as scenes come to you? 6:40 PM
Heather Ingemar: Most of the time, I write in a linear fashion 6:40 PM
Heather Ingemar: Occasionally, I have to "write ahead" to clear the space so I can work from point A to point B 6:41 PM
Heather Ingemar: But 9 times out of 10? I'm a linear kind of gal. 6:41 PM
InkwellImaginings: So you skip a bit, and come back to the in between when you get to where you need to be? 6:41 PM
Heather Ingemar: yeah 6:41 PM
Heather Ingemar: It doesn't happen very often 6:41 PM
Heather Ingemar: But! some writers work like that 6:42 PM
Heather Ingemar: What works for me may not necessarily work for you -- that's why you need to explore. :) 6:42 PM
InkwellImaginings: It is different for everyone. =] 6:42 PM
Heather Ingemar: exactly! :) 6:42 PM
InkwellImaginings: Why do you write in your genre? And why short stories/novellas? 6:43 PM
Heather Ingemar: I think Genre is easier to tackle first... 6:43 PM
Heather Ingemar: I've always been fascinated with the occult, with the spooky, the fantastical, the supernatural 6:44 PM
Heather Ingemar: When I was a little kid, my made-up world was TONS more fascinating for me than the boring present 6:44 PM
InkwellImaginings: And who wouldn't be? =P 6:44 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 6:44 PM
Heather Ingemar: So that's something that just naturally inserted itself into my work 6:44 PM
Heather Ingemar: I would *love* it if some supernatural creatures/beings were real 6:45 PM
InkwellImaginings: Then you could write non-fiction. Lol 6:45 PM
Heather Ingemar: So it shows up in my stories, which tend to be modern day settings, only with a little spooky thrown in. :) 6:45 PM
Heather Ingemar: lol! 6:45 PM
InkwellImaginings: What supernatural beings in particular? 6:45 PM
Heather Ingemar: hehe 6:46 PM
Heather Ingemar: I've got a particular soft spot for Fellbeasts.... 6:46 PM
Heather Ingemar: :P 6:46 PM
Heather Ingemar: <-- too much LotR, lol 6:46 PM
InkwellImaginings: MJ says you get lots of positive votes from this group. =P 6:46 PM
Heather Ingemar: thank you! :) 6:47 PM
Heather Ingemar: hehe 6:47 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'm not sure what else 6:47 PM
Heather Ingemar: anyway, as for length... 6:47 PM
Heather Ingemar: that's a harder question 6:47 PM
Heather Ingemar: Because I've always wanted to write "books." 6:47 PM
Heather Ingemar: But short stories and novellas are what always seem to come out 6:48 PM
InkwellImaginings: Have you ever tried to write anythinbg longer? 6:48 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'm not sure why 6:48 PM
Heather Ingemar: Yes, I have, and they always end up as novellas 6:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: :P 6:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: (It's actually a little embarrassing, esp. in the company of novelists) 6:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: But! :) 6:49 PM
InkwellImaginings: Lol. Well, if it works it works, right? 6:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: Exactly. :) 6:49 PM
InkwellImaginings: Short stories are just as satisfying 6:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! 6:49 PM
InkwellImaginings: Hell yes! 6:49 PM
Heather Ingemar: They are!!! :) And I've always, always loved short fiction 6:50 PM
Stacychan left this message : 6:50 PM
Haaa. Very true!
Heather Ingemar: Right from the get-go, Poe was a favorite, as was Sherlock Holmes and others 6:50 PM
Heather Ingemar: Maybe I was just supposed to write short fiction? Who knows? 6:50 PM
InkwellImaginings: When did you start writing? 6:50 PM
Heather Ingemar: I started writing for publication back in 2005 6:51 PM
Heather Ingemar: I honestly hadn't seriously considered it until then 6:52 PM
InkwellImaginings: You had been writing for fun longer? 6:52 PM
Heather Ingemar: Well, not really for fun... I did essays and term papers and things. 6:52 PM
InkwellImaginings: Yeah, not fun at all. 6:53 PM
Heather Ingemar: sometimes, I'd write some fan fiction 6:53 PM
Heather Ingemar: But I was never satisfied 6:53 PM
Heather Ingemar: (I had to learn HOW, first.) 6:53 PM
InkwellImaginings: There was multiple "Fan fiction of what?"s going around. lol 6:53 PM
Heather Ingemar: yep 6:54 PM
Heather Ingemar: Somewhere along the way I learned the 'how' of it, and then my creative writing prof said "hey, you should think about this." 6:55 PM
InkwellImaginings: Snowballed from there? 6:56 PM
Heather Ingemar: yeah, lol 6:56 PM
InkwellImaginings: Have you ever had to kill off a favorite character? How did you handle it? 6:57 PM
Heather Ingemar: Yes, I've had to do that, and I didn't deal well at all, lol 6:58 PM
Heather Ingemar: When I realized he'd have to die, I groaned and went and hid from my computer for three days, lol 6:58 PM
Heather Ingemar: Eventually, I knew I'd have to do it whether I wanted to or not, so I sat down and wrote. 6:59 PM
InkwellImaginings: D'aw. Been there. There are usually tears for some of us here in the group. lol 6:59 PM
Heather Ingemar: But it was. not. fun. 6:59 PM
Heather Ingemar: I cried, too, yeah. 6:59 PM
InkwellImaginings: Alex wants to know if you majored in creative writing 6:59 PM
Heather Ingemar: No 7:00 PM
Heather Ingemar: I majored in English Literature -- I had to take creative writing as an elective, though 7:00 PM
Heather Ingemar: I think taking a creative writing class of some kind can be very beneficial 7:00 PM
Heather Ingemar: But I don't think it's a requirement. ;) 7:01 PM
InkwellImaginings: So, how did you get on the road to publication? 7:02 PM
Heather Ingemar: Well, like I mentioned above, my prof said I should think about it, and, well, I did, lol 7:02 PM
Heather Ingemar: She got me started, told me what I needed to do and where I needed to look 7:03 PM
InkwellImaginings: That's handy! 7:03 PM
Heather Ingemar: I kind of did the rest on my own. 7:03 PM
Heather Ingemar: Yeah! Tell me about it! :) 7:03 PM
Heather Ingemar: I got my first acceptance right before I graduated. :) 7:03 PM
Heather Ingemar: I gave her a thank-you card and a copy of the acceptance letter. :) 7:04 PM
InkwellImaginings: We're kind of running low on time now. Are there any other words of advice or anything you want to impart to the group? =] 7:05 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'm up for more questions if you've got them. :) 7:05 PM
Heather Ingemar: oh, okay 7:05 PM
Heather Ingemar: well, before I give any advice, can I know a little bit about you all? What are you all working on? Genre? 7:05 PM
InkwellImaginings: Kathryn writes erotica. Jessi writes... urban fantasy. Alex writes... ridiculosity. Zack writes noir detective novels. MJ writes modern fantasy. Ashley writes YA fantasy. Kenny write poetry and drama. And you know I write fantasy and steampunk. =] 7:08 PM
InkwellImaginings: We're an interesting mix sometimes. =P 7:08 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:09 PM
Haha. Sounds like it!
Heather Ingemar: Cool beans! 7:09 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:09 PM
Haaa. She said cool beans. I knew I wasn't the only one.
Heather Ingemar: If you're looking for short story AND poetry markets, try Duotrope 7:09 PM
Heather Ingemar: hehe, Stacy. :) *high fives* 7:09 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:10 PM
*High fives* ^_^
InkwellImaginings: And Stacy writes fantasy, too. Ithought she'd mention it. Lol 7:10 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 7:10 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:10 PM
I was going to, but I'm pretty much the creeper tonight. Watching and learning. *Spooky music* Do -do -do
Heather Ingemar: the Absolute Write forums are an excellent place to learn about the writing business and get help from other writers 7:10 PM
Heather Ingemar: They also have different forums for different genres 7:11 PM
InkwellImaginings: Kathryn is aiming to write a novella, what would you suggest? 7:11 PM
Heather Ingemar: I believe they also have an erotica forum, too 7:11 PM
InkwellImaginings: Good good. =] 7:11 PM
Heather Ingemar: Try to live in your characters shoes and describe what they go through. 7:12 PM
Heather Ingemar: I tend to write short and concise, so reminding myself to do that always helps me 7:12 PM
Heather Ingemar: Also, don't be afraid to pack in too much action 7:12 PM
Heather Ingemar: Novellas, like short stories, need to run on adrenaline and steroids, lol 7:12 PM
InkwellImaginings: LOL. Good advice! 7:12 PM
Heather Ingemar: Now for the detective/noir... 7:13 PM
Heather Ingemar: I know there are some reeeeelly good mystery writers' groups out there 7:13 PM
Heather Ingemar: I want to say Partners in Crime or something like that?? 7:13 PM
Heather Ingemar: I can't remember. But there's a pretty large group of mystery writers that are active online, too. If you pop by Absolute Write, one of them could probably point you in the right direction. :) 7:14 PM
Heather Ingemar: For the erotica writer... Kathryn?... Try contacting some romance writers 7:15 PM
Heather Ingemar: Many of them LOOOOOVE to help up-and-coming writers. :) 7:15 PM
InkwellImaginings: That works out for her. =] 7:15 PM
Heather Ingemar: :) 7:15 PM
Heather Ingemar: If you're writing short fiction/novellas, also, don't hesitate to contact me, either 7:16 PM
Heather Ingemar: I'd be happy to help! 7:16 PM
InkwellImaginings: Awesome! Thanks! 7:16 PM
Heather Ingemar: I've also got lots of resources I can pass on 7:16 PM
Heather Ingemar: specifically for that 7:17 PM
InkwellImaginings: We all approve this message! 7:17 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:18 PM
I think I have a question if that's okay.
Heather Ingemar: Anything else? 7:18 PM
Heather Ingemar: Sure! 7:18 PM
Stacychan left this message 7 seconds ago: 7:19 PM
Are there specific publishers to send stuff too if you're writing say romance as opposed to something like mystery? Does that make sense?
Heather Ingemar: yes that makes sense, and yes there are 7:19 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:20 PM
Like if you're looking to get your fantasy novel published, would you want to try sending it to publisher Such-and-such over someone else?
Heather Ingemar: If you're looking to pub a novel, look at some of the Independent pubs but also consider getting an agent 7:21 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:21 PM
I guess that sounded like kind of a "Durrr" question. XD
Heather Ingemar: No, there's no such thing as a silly question 7:21 PM
Heather Ingemar: Literary magazines (for short stuff) all have their own preferences, and publishers do, too 7:21 PM
Heather Ingemar: You want to look for their "Submission Guidelines" 7:21 PM
Heather Ingemar: that will tell you what they want 7:22 PM
Heather Ingemar: (and sometimes, what they don't want, lol) 7:22 PM
Stacychan left this message 6 seconds ago: 7:22 PM
That makes sense. Definitely try and start with publishers who work mostly in what you're writing. Something along those lines?
Heather Ingemar: Yes 7:22 PM
Heather Ingemar: Start with the best of the best for your genre and work down 7:22 PM
Heather Ingemar: Aim high, and all of that 7:22 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:23 PM
Lol. Got ya. Thankies! ^.^!
InkwellImaginings: We're out of time here, so we have to get going! 7:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: Also, look at some of your favorite authors in your genre and see where they get pubbed. :) 7:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: No problem! 7:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: Thank you so much for having me! :) 7:23 PM
InkwellImaginings: Heather, we really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions. Thank you! 7:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: You're very welcome! :) 7:23 PM
InkwellImaginings: Mind if I post the transcript on my blog for my members? 7:23 PM
Heather Ingemar: Go right ahead, Kit 7:24 PM
InkwellImaginings: Awesome. Thanks. <3 You're the best. =] 7:24 PM
Heather Ingemar: Awww shucks! :) 7:24 PM
Stacychan left this message : 7:24 PM
:- )
Heather Ingemar: :) 7:24 PM
InkwellImaginings: Have a good night! 7:24 PM
Heather Ingemar: You too! Bye! 7:24 PM
InkwellImaginings: Bye. <3
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