Ask the Author: Angie Hockman
Answered Questions (3)
Angie Hockman
Oh my goodness, this made my heart so happy! I'm thrilled to report that I have a new book coming out this July -- DREAM ON -- that's available to pre-order now. I hope it makes you smile and you enjoy it as much as SHIPPED. Cheers!
Angie Hockman
Great question! The first time I considered myself a "writer" was when I shifted my mindset from writing as a hobby to writing as a serious career aspiration.
For several years up until that point, I'd dabbled in writing: I'd read books on craft, taken the odd writing course, and had been chipping away at a half-baked, half-finished novel for 4+ years, but with no real goals, internal determination, or drive to see it through to the end.
Then one day, a switch flipped. I decided I didn't want to dabble in writing anymore; I wanted to BE a writer. I didn't want to look back when I was older and say "what if I'd only..." or "I wish I would have...". I wanted to throw all the effort and determination I could muster behind my dream of writing stories others might want to read—stories that would hopefully make people smile and laugh and swoon and maybe even bring them some small slice of joy—so I drastically shifted my mindset and adopted a more disciplined approach to writing. I wasn't going to merely write when I felt like it; I wrote every day. I pushed through writer's block and prioritized getting the words on the page, even when I was exhausted from working at my day job and caring for a cranky toddler and the last thing I felt like doing was writing.
Ten months later, I completed my first book, a romantic suspense novel. That first book never got published, but it allowed me to hone my craft, landed me my first literary agent, and got me far enough along on the path to publication to fuel my desire to keep going and give me hope that one day I might actually achieve my goals.
Three years after that, my second completed novel, SHIPPED, was published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
So, long story short: I was a writer long before I was a published author. My advice? Adopt the mindset of a writer if you want to be a writer. Aka, fake it 'til you make it. And never, ever give up.
For several years up until that point, I'd dabbled in writing: I'd read books on craft, taken the odd writing course, and had been chipping away at a half-baked, half-finished novel for 4+ years, but with no real goals, internal determination, or drive to see it through to the end.
Then one day, a switch flipped. I decided I didn't want to dabble in writing anymore; I wanted to BE a writer. I didn't want to look back when I was older and say "what if I'd only..." or "I wish I would have...". I wanted to throw all the effort and determination I could muster behind my dream of writing stories others might want to read—stories that would hopefully make people smile and laugh and swoon and maybe even bring them some small slice of joy—so I drastically shifted my mindset and adopted a more disciplined approach to writing. I wasn't going to merely write when I felt like it; I wrote every day. I pushed through writer's block and prioritized getting the words on the page, even when I was exhausted from working at my day job and caring for a cranky toddler and the last thing I felt like doing was writing.
Ten months later, I completed my first book, a romantic suspense novel. That first book never got published, but it allowed me to hone my craft, landed me my first literary agent, and got me far enough along on the path to publication to fuel my desire to keep going and give me hope that one day I might actually achieve my goals.
Three years after that, my second completed novel, SHIPPED, was published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
So, long story short: I was a writer long before I was a published author. My advice? Adopt the mindset of a writer if you want to be a writer. Aka, fake it 'til you make it. And never, ever give up.
Angie Hockman
Read, read, read, and write, write, write!
Writing starts with reading, so my advice is to read widely in multiple genres—from the classics to poetry to genre fiction new and old, the more diverse the better—and deeply within the specific genre in which you're interested in writing. Then once you've gorged yourself on books until your brain is overflowing with examples of good writing, solid storytelling, and current tropes/trends in your genre, sit down and write.
Sounds totally "duh," doesn't it? Except a lot of people talk about wanting to write a novel, and very few actually sit down and start writing. And even fewer actually *finish* writing a novel. So if you can get your butt in the chair, fingers on keys, and write and write and write until you can type "The End"? Congratulations! You are officially a writer! Now find your writing tribe (perhaps join a local writing group, become a member of a trade organization for your genre, attend a writers conference or workshop, etc), and hone those beautiful skills until they sparkle.
Writing starts with reading, so my advice is to read widely in multiple genres—from the classics to poetry to genre fiction new and old, the more diverse the better—and deeply within the specific genre in which you're interested in writing. Then once you've gorged yourself on books until your brain is overflowing with examples of good writing, solid storytelling, and current tropes/trends in your genre, sit down and write.
Sounds totally "duh," doesn't it? Except a lot of people talk about wanting to write a novel, and very few actually sit down and start writing. And even fewer actually *finish* writing a novel. So if you can get your butt in the chair, fingers on keys, and write and write and write until you can type "The End"? Congratulations! You are officially a writer! Now find your writing tribe (perhaps join a local writing group, become a member of a trade organization for your genre, attend a writers conference or workshop, etc), and hone those beautiful skills until they sparkle.
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I can't wait anymoreeeee!!!!!😃😃😃😃😃 ...more
Feb 15, 2022 09:22PM · flag