Dianne Castell’s Writerly Interview
Ah, Dianne Castell, writer of Harlequin American and Kensington Brava books, and a truly lovely person! She was kind enough to let me pick her brain about writing, so please, if you enjoy the interview, let us know.
TERESCIA: I love to talk about writing. And there’s nothing like talking about writing and writing about writing to keep one from actually having to write, because writing is very hard work.
On that note, I’d like to ask what keeps you writing.
DIANNE: The stories. Most writers I know would write if they got paid or not. We have these stories running around in our heads and there’s no satisfaction until you tell it.
TERESCIA: What truly motivates you to write fiction?
DIANNE: Too much reality in the world already. Sometimes I think how can the world go on? Sooo, I write and read for fun. I need an escape once in a while. Turn off the news and stop reading the paper and pick up a fun book.
TERESCIA: Lots of authors dream of selling to multiple publishers, but you’ve done it. Is it everything you might have wished it would be to have multiple outlets (and possibly more security) for your books? I’ve heard that it can be very difficult to time the deadlines and the writing so that you have enough time to do everything that needs doing before a book is finished and ready to publish.
DIANNE: Writing for more than one publishing house is good and not so good. It’s terrific security but where do you get the time? Writing is just one part of getting a book published. There are rewrites, line edits, galies etc. And the promo…I spend as much time promoting my books as writing them.
It’s neat to write for more than one house too, because you can write a variety of stories. I get to write the hot steamy stuff for Brava and use edgy language and situations and characters and then do the homey books for Harlequin American. These are hot too but have that down-home feel.
Writing single title has few guidelines and series romance has very definite guidelines. I enjoy both.
TERESCIA: What do you recommend writers who are interested in selling to multiple publishers do to prepare themselves for the eventuality that they will?
DIANNE: I think writers write as fast as they can already. You set your own deadlines. Just be realistic in doing that and you’ll be fine. Don’t promise something you can’t deliver.
TERESCIA: How do you stay on top of your deadlines? Do you finish your books with time to spare or is it always a rush up to the last minute?
DIANNE: Last minute. I’m often asked how long it takes to write a book and I say as long as I have and that is the total truth. It is important to get the book in when you promise.
TERESCIA: Ah, stress… Can’t not talk about stress when we’re talking about deadlines, so tell me about it. Does writing lead to a lot of stress or is it a stress reliever in and of itself?
DIANNE: To me writing isn’t the stressful part, worrying over sales and publicity and the next contract and all the rest is the stressful side. I write for escape from the business side. You think stress is over when you sell… Ha! It just takes another form but at least you get paid for it this time. :-)
TERESCIA: Do you have any writing rituals that you follow?
DIANNE: I write to a fan…by that I mean I turn on a fan and the noise puts me in a zone. I need quiet so this helps
Fast facts:
Do you have a daily quota in page count or word count? I try but it never works out. Too much pressure.
Do you write every day? Mostly unless I have a big promo thing I’m mailing out.
Do you revise as you go or write it all down and then go back for your punishment? ;-) I revise as I go and I soooo wish I could just write it straight through and then go back but that doesn’t work for me.
Do you use pictures to remind you of what your characters look like? I keep a list of hair color, eyes etc but physical characteristics aren’t as important as the personality and you can’t get a picture of that.
Do you work more often on a computer or on paper? If I didn’t have a computer I couldn’t write. It’s a godsend. I outline my stories on a big sheet of drawing paper so I can see how the story unfolds as I go along.
Do you read while you write? Some authors claim they take a reading hiatus when they’re working on a book. If I read while I’m writing I end up writing in that author’s voice. So not me. :-)
Do you start a book with nothing on your mind or with your entire book outlined in advance of the writing, or somewhere in between? I plot the thing out from beginning to end…each chapter, three scenes to a chapt, turning points, black moment etc. Now…it changes a great deal while I’m writing it but it helps keep me on track. You have to do what works for you. Many authors just write with no outline etc. I so envy them. I cannot do that. I always write my synopsis first. I need that to get me started. But that’s just me.
Dianne Castell’s latest book is available at Amazon.
About The Way U Look Tonight by Dianne Castell (April 2006, Kensington Brava):
Keefe O’Fallon is the newest hunk on the soap opera circuit but he hates the press and escaping to the Landing seems the perfect answer. Reporter Callie Cahill has a crush on Keefe and now has a chance for an interview. What happens when desire turns hot and their jobs tear them apart? This is book 2 in the Four O’Fallons and a Baby trilogy.
