About Susan Sofayov:
Susan Sofayov lives in scenic, Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, three children, a Lionhead rabbit, and the most hated dog in the neighborhood. She is a former vice president of child care for a large non-profit organization. Currently, she partners with her husband to run their real estate development/management company. She has a BA in English Literature and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and an MA in Teaching from Chatham University.
What inspires you to write?
I’m not inspired to write. I never had an interest in writing. I always considered myself to be completely in the reader camp, not the writer camp. About five years ago, while shut in during a snow storm, I signed up for an online writing class. (It was the only class that sounded remotely interesting–accounting, not for me.) As the saying goes, I was hooked. Now, I don’t wait for inspiration. I spend a lot of time playing with ideas in my head. It’s a bit like mentally putting together a jigsaw puzzle. To me, the word inspired implies a magical moment when the idea falls from the tree and smacks you on the head. Maybe it works this way for other writers, but not for me,
Tell us about your writing process.
I am basically a seat of the pants writer who wishes she could outline. I always start with a character and a concept I want to explore. My work in progress explores the fragility of friendship. And, unlike other writers, I refer to myself as a monogamous writer. I have friends who are working on novels, short stories, and blog posts all at the same time. I can’t do this. I work on one novel at a time.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Yes, we talk, laugh and occasionally argue. They’re all very real when I write. The story and characters unravel like a theater production in my head, but I get to talk to the actors. I’d like to say that I am the director, but most days I just transcribe the events occurring in my head. It’s a weird thing to explain, especially when your book is about mental illness!
What advice would you give other writers?
One, join a critique group or find a critique partner who has different strengths than you do. Personally, I can’t use a comma properly to save my life, but I’m pretty good at identifying plot issues. My critique group inserts commas into my work and I help plug their plot holes. Also, go to conferences! They’re worth the money.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I didn’t know anything about publishing. So I followed the advice I found on the Internet. Basic things, such as how to write a query letter, how to locate agents interested in your genre, and what should be included in a synopsis. I was lucky, in that I found a publisher through an online pitch event. Pitch events and conferences are great ways to move from the slush pile to the requested material pile. I didn’t consider self-publishing for a few reasons, but mainly the whole idea intimidated me.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Wow, I don’t feel comfortable answering this question, because having one book published does not qualify me as an expert or someone with an intelligent opinion. I do believe that stories bring joy the heart, and the love of stories is in our DNA. With that said, there will always be a demand for a good story in whatever the format of the day will be.
What do you use?: Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Women’s fiction, new adult, YA
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Susan Sofayov Home Page Link
Link To Susan Sofayov Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
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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.
