About Ms. D. J. Mathews:
Ms. D. J. Mathews is a Master naturalist member, cancer survivor, chocolate lover, and freelance writer (with a few years also spent teaching writing and logic at Radford University, USA). She's written for different publications, such as the Bristol Herald Courier (VA), blueridgecountry.com, Virginia Wildlife, The Roanoke Times, and the Radford Magazine.
She has a semi-humorous blog on Medium.com and is concerned about consumer, education, and nature topics. She's written 3 books; she's married with 3 grown sons.
What inspires you to write?
I've been an English major– twice. I love to put words to paper (letter writing is a lost art) and I guess I am inspired to write by nature around me and the writings of others, like Anne Lamott, Nora Ephron, different historical figures, such as writer Rachel Carson.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Okay– favorite authors? It depends on the genre.
So:
Cozy mysteries — Mindy Quigley
— M. C. Beaton
— Tamar Myers
Humor/satire — Nora Ephron
— Carl Hiaasen
— Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
— Bill Bryson
Autobiography — Barack Obama
Biography — Keith O-Brien's "Fly Girls"
My own YA book "Great American Women in Science and Environment" (D. J. Mathews)
Classic work — F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"
Scientific works — Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring"; Mary Roach's "Fuzz — When Animals Break the Law"
Tell us about your writing process.
My process is a bit scrambled and disorganized! I do outline some (nonfiction and fiction I am starting). I am old fashioned, writing on lined paper, maybe a few index cards. I try (difficultly) to stick to a schedule and read inspirational words by other writers to spur me on, such as "I'd Rather Be Writing," by Marcia Golub, and Jane Friedman's " Publishing 101." Writing is NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, but it does take some discipline, some vision of what you really want to say. And you can have "fun" with your characters and have them joke or do silly things, if you like.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I am only starting a work of historical fiction/satire. I haven't spoken to my characters so much as I try to think of what they want to tell me. I guess I feel a bit omniscient because I have some goal in the back of my mind, which I think is okay.
What advice would you give other writers?
Here is just some basic advice:
Work on some kind of writing schedule that works for you;
Try to get an accountability buddy to keep you on task;
Be part of a writers' club;
Ask someone to edit/look at your work;
Remember, everyone is capable of great ideas.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
When you are 50+ you want to get out your work faster than maybe younger writers willing to wait for publishers to contact them. So I decided on an online self publisher that was reasonable, even if the profit margin was not that high. It depends on HOW LONG you want to wait to get published!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
They say more people are reading eBooks, but I think print books are still very important. They are what keeps libraries open and we need our libraries, even if today's youth can't see that yet. They contain a wealth of information and ideas! Don't shut them down!
What genres do you write?: nonfiction, self-help
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Ms. D. J. Mathews Home Page Link
Link To Ms. D. J. Mathews Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
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.
