SuzyShearer

#ScribesAndMakers - 27th. What's your favorite woodwind?

A saxophone playing Jazz.

#ScribesAndMakers – 1st Jul. Our featured creator is a former librarian. What has been your experience with libraries?

Back in my high school days in the early 60s, I would often call into the library on the way home, then get caught up in the books. Yep, I often missed my train home.

#ScribesAndMakers – 28th Jun. Aside from obligations, what are your biggest distractions from your creative work?

Reading books – my TBR is enormous (but I still keep re-reading old favourites).

#ScribesAndMakers – 29th Jun. Share the last line of dialogue you wrote (context optional).

‟It is you, isn’t it.” It wasn’t a question.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 1st Jul. Recently, how excited have you been to sit down to write?

Had a major stumbling block but after a ‘eureka’ moment I’ve rewritten most of the main plot. That was exciting for me 🤣

#WritersCoffeeClub – 2nd Jul. What are the limits of critique?

Is there a limit? I guess if it becomes nasty or so long-winded.

#ScribesAndMakers #TTMD – 2nd Jul. Talk To Me Day Featured Creator Elyse Grasso @ElyseMGrasso@wandering.shop

Happy birthday! What was your inspiration for writing your book series?

#WritersCoffeeClub – 30th Jun. How did this month go for you?

Started off blah but ended good.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 28th Jun. Can a reader ever truly feel what a writer felt while writing?

Probably not – I tend to feel confident, frantic, hohum, depressed, excited…etc, etc. And that just with the first sentence.

#WritersCoffeeClub - 1st May. Workers' Day: What can we do to support and protect other writers, not only now, but in the future as well?

Refuse books (& covers) written using AI. Write reviews of books you enjoy. Don't download from 'free' pirate sites.

#ScribesAndMakers - 2 Apr. What does impostor syndrome mean to you and do you think you have it?

Your're not good enough, you don't fit, you're just pretending. Stop saying you're a proper author.

I had it when I first began writing. I had to give myself a good talking to. It was obvious I must be a genuine author. There is no way publishers would accept shitty MS's.
After half a dozen books I think I had that Eureka moment....lol

#ScribesAndMakers – 1st Apr. How many creative projects do you have going right now?

Writing – 7
Knitting – um…er…let’s just say ‘a lot’.
Painting – 2 watercolour, 1 oil.

#ScribesAndMakers – 20th Mar. Self-promotion day. Shame optional.

I’ve had these 19 books published with my latest publisher (17 with my old). Still can’t actually believe it - *blushing*

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/suzy-shearer/ or anyone online bookstore worldwide.

#ScribesAndMakers – 6th Apr. Some people have creative work inspired by their dreams. Have you ever had dreams inspired by your creative work?

Certainly. I wrote a series that actually started from a dream I had. And I often can solve writing ‘road blocks’ in my sleep.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 3rd Jul. What's the sign of a good critique?

Positive insight into the story with honest, well-written critiques – not disparaging.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 29th Jun. Is writing a lonely endeavour for you?

Definitely not – it’s my preference to be/live alone. Anyway my always-vocal characters live with me

#ScribesAndMakers – 13th Mar. Our featured creator writes both novels and short stories. How do you feel about short fiction? Do you read short stories as often as novels?

Rarely read short stories, always seem to prefer something longer. I find I can't get absorbed into a short story.

⁨#ScribesAndMakers⁩ - 30 Mar. Do birds ever feature in your work? Give an example.

Nope, other animals have but no birds.

#ScribesAndMakers - 5th Apr. Could you do a scrapbook accompanying your current creative process?

Probably - but why?

#WritersCoffeeClub – 1st Apr. What arrangement of plots do you have? No plot? Only one? A main plot and a side plot? Something else?

Plots?? What are these strange things? Nope – I just do what I’m told by the characters.

#ScribesAndMakers 8th Apr. Victuals?

Certainly. Daily.

#ScribesAndMakers - 4th Apr. How do you answer if someone asks you what you do? Is your answer different in person than it is online?

Nope - same answer to either.

#ScribesAndMakers - 3rd Apr. Do you think there is a creative element to eating?

Maybe actual cooking is creative. Don't see anything creative in eating unless you consider the creative element of biology. The use of food as fuel to create bodies.

#WritersCoffeeClub - 30 Mar. What got in the way of your writing this month?

Grief. I lost my doggy last month. In a week he went from a crazy, bouncy 3 year old to dying of kidney cancer.
This month each time I opened a WIP nothing came. I simply stared at the computer.
Maybe next month.

#WritersCoffeeClub - 10 Mar. How informal is your prose? Is there a limit to informality?

It's just normal, I think.

#writersCoffeeClub - 5th Apr. How can the physical form of the writing become part of the storytelling?

Beats me...

#WritersCoffeeClub - 6th Apr. 6. Do the plots or characters in your work converge towards a single point?

Probably bit weird if it didn't - I write romance with a HEA.

#ScribesAndMakers - 15 Mar. Is the time you've had for creativity this month what you expected?

So far I haven't done much as I intended. Got hooked on the Winter paralympics & Olympics. As well I had my yearly scans, test, etc regarding my cancer.

#WritersCoffeeClub - 8th Apr. Do you do warm-ups before or cool-downs after a writing session?

Hell, I wouldn't even do them if I tried to exercise so certainly wouldn't do them after writing - and why would you?

#WritersCoffeeClub – 7th Apr. Do you combine poetic fragments and prose paragraphs in your work?

Easy one to answer – no.

#ScribesAndMakers – 7th Apr. Would your current creative project make a good game? (If it is a game, is there another media where you think it could work well?)

Nope. Maybe a movie or TV series…lol.

#WritersCoffeeClub - 3rd Apr. Have you studied writing? Did it prepare you, or did you learn more by doing?

Only studying I in did was English lessons back at school in the 50s & early 60s.

#WritersCoffeeClub - 14 Mar. Do you think readers want new experiences in structure or narrative, or do they prefer what's familiar?

I guess most people prefer the familiar, I know I tend to.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 13th Mar. Talk about an experience when you consulted an expert for a piece of writing.

I’ve consulted several. One book featured Cree and I became friends with an amazing First Nation chap who gave me so much help. Also had a book featuring a Punjabi hero and I had several Indian folk who helped with language, customs, food, etc.

#ScribesAndMakers - 11 Mar. Our featured creator does 3D printing. Have you ever? (Share a pic)

Nope.

#ScribesAndMakers - 12 Mar. Our featured creator has an em dash key on his keyboard. Do you do any customizations for your creativity?

Nope, nothing.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 11th Mar. Does your work reflect your morals? How so?

I imagine so. I might write BDSM but consent between partners plays a very important part. I also often have characters who are LBGQT+ or people of colour, First Nation, various religions – absolutely hate racism in any form.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 12th Mar. How do you "stress test" your work?

By letting my Beta reader do that. 😜

#WritersCoffeeClub - 9 Mar. Do you prefer to write complex, intricate plots, or more straightforward ones?

Depends on the story, usually try to put in a slight twist or two.

#WritersCoffeeClub – 8th Mar. Do the seasons influence your writing? (content? topic? volume?)

Nope - don't see why they would.

#WritersCoffeeClub 15 Mar. Talk about an experience you had sharing your writing with a group.

Never actually shared a work until they've been published except with my beta.

#ScribesAndMakers – 10th Mar. Reveal the answer to yesterday's poll.

Interesting – no-one picked it. Maybe there’s no ‘old’ Aussies here…lol. It was a major hit here in 1969 and even made it to the US charts.
So there was 38% for #1 and 63% for #3, but none for #2.

The answer was ‘The Real Thing’ – Russell Morris (writer: Johnny Young)
“Really not, you’re seeing me
There’s a meaning there”

#WritersCoffeeClub - 2nd Apr. Visual presentation: how do white space and typography become meaningful elements of literary form?

Beats me, I let my publisher worry about that.

#ScribesAndMakers – 9th Mar. Share a line from a song, then make a poll with the actual next line and two that are made up or are from another song. Ask people to pick the actual line.

"Really not, you’re seeing me"