About Jessica Berg:
Hello! I'm a Midwest girl, born and raised, and my farming/rural background has played an integral part in who I am and what I do. I live in South Dakota with my husband of twenty years and four children (two boys and two girls), and a supposed-to-be miniature Australian shepherd. Something must have jumped the fence, however, as Fitz is a bigature and larger than even normal Australian shepherds. Welcome to my world!
I love my job as a high school English teacher and the 23-24 school year will be my 19th year! I also am an adjunct English professor with two local universities.
What inspires you to write?
My family and the world around me inspire me to write. I love family relationships and the Midwest and incorporate either one or both elements into my writing.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
This is a tough question to answer. I have so many!
My ultimate favorite author is Jane Austen, and my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice although Persuasion and Northanger Abbey are close seconds. My second favorite author is Agatha Christie, and I've heard every single one of her novels and short stories. While there are a few that didn't strike my fancy, I love 98% of her work.
I love anything written by Kristen Heitzmann, and if you enjoy non-preachy Christian fiction, I highly recommend her.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm an outliner/pantser hybrid, and the natural panster in me is constantly fighting with the logical part of me ordering me to outline! It's a battle waged every time I begin a new project. And every time I decided to not outline, guess what I eventually end up doing? You guessed it: outlining!
I use an online outlining tool, Novel Factory, to plot, and I use Scrivener to write. In the end, though, I use good old pen and paper as I take notes on my manuscript as I read. This is a great way for me to check for continuity issues or plot holes or the dreaded slumping middle.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
While I often joke that the only reason I write is to get the voices in my head to stop talking, I really don't talk to or listen to my characters. I do enough character-building prior to writing that I know what my characters should or should not do or think.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write, write, write. Even if you think you're writing gibberish, write. You cannot edit and revise something that does not exist. No rough draft/first draft (or even second draft) is good. Do not let that stop you from starting. Trust the process. It will all come together in the end, but you have to–you guessed it–finish the manuscript first.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I self-published my first book almost ten years ago and made every mistake I could have made. I was ignorant about the process, and this is probably one of my biggest regrets when it comes to my author career. Self-publishing has come a long way since then, however, and for those who want to wear all the writing hats, this is a viable option. However, please do your homework, research the markets, and do not skimp on professional editing and book cover. My other books are with a publisher, and I prefer that, not because it's the best or only way, but because it fits my personality and busy lifestyle. I like having a large entity behind me, supporting me, and helping me carry the burden that is writing, publishing, and marketing a book.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Oh, I don't know. I guess I haven't given this any thought, but I don't think ebooks, print books, or audiobooks are going anywhere anytime soon. While some numbers might shift, I think these three formats are here to stay.
What genres do you write?: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Cozy Mystery
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Jessica Berg Home Page Link
Link To Jessica Berg Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
