About Sharon Struth:
Sharon Struth is an award-winning author who believes it’s never too late for a second chance in love or life. When she’s not writing, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail. Sharon writes from the small town of Bethel, Connecticut, the friendliest place she’s ever lived.
What inspires you to write?
Writing is a second career for me. I took an adult education writing class on a whim. Suddenly saw what I’d been missing my entire life, and forcing me to admit that a story-teller has always lived inside me. Now that I’ve given myself permission to do this, everything I see spurs my creative juices.
Tell us about your writing process.
Before I start a book, I write out detailed character profiles. These include appearance, quirks, education, jobs, family, parents backgrounds. Then I think about what their goals are for the story, why they are motivated to achieve that goal and what will get in the way of achieving that goal. I loosely plot the story, at least the start of it, but it usually takes on a life of it’s own at the keyboard. So I sort consider myself somewhere in between a person who writes by the seat of my pants and outliner.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I truly listen to my characters. Sometimes I’m typing–with a very clear direction–and the POV character just goes in this totally different place. I’m dumbfounded when this happens, but usually let it ride for a while. Do I talk to them, though? Not really, but I do talk to my dog.
What advice would you give other writers?
If you love writing, then keep at and do everything possible to learn the craft. Learn to accept criticism, because if you can’t, you will never get better. This is probably the hardest thing to understand, but getting feedback is important. Get test readers, find critique groups. You don’t have to listen to every bit of advice, but you do need to listen if you keep hearing the same thing over and over. And really, don’t ask your family…they may not be honest. Just remember, you may be in a rush to get your name on a book, but don’t you want there to be quality behind what others will read?
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I am happy to say I was committed to two things in my writing career. First, before having a novel published, I wrote non-fiction essays and vowed never to give away my work for free. Every non-fiction piece I have published, I have received proudly received a paycheck. And second, I always knew that I wanted to start with traditional publishing. It mattered to me that professionals in the field believed strongly enough in my work to accept it. Plus, over the years of working with publishers, I’ve learned a great deal about the book business.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think we will see the balance of eBooks and print books settle in a place where they both exist comfortably.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: contemporary, women’s fiction, romance, suspense.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Sharon Struth Home Page Link
Link To Sharon Struth Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
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.
