Interview with Beth Revis

(an excited Beth Revis who had recently got her book deal)

I have no idea about the publishing process, or anything about getting your writing published, so I asked debut author Beth Revis for an interview to get those questions answered. Thanks Beth! Feel free to ask any questions, Beth has kindly offered to answer them!
_____________________________________________________

1. How long did it take for you to finish your manuscript?

From idea to submission, about a year.

I started writing at Christmas, and wrote from then through spring. I used summer and most of fall to revise, and started submitting late fall.

A year sounds like a long time...(nervous look)

2. What’s your writing schedule, do you write all at once, or do you write in chunks, or is it something else?

Oh, I definitely do things in big chunks. Being a teacher during my day job sucks the energy and creativity right out of me--I'm so drained at the end of the day, all I can do is eat ice cream while watching America's Next Top Model and mocking them because I have ice cream and they don't.

Typically, whenever I get a break (especially during summer break, but long weekends, movie days in class, etc. work as well), I will just sit down and write and write and write. I might to 5k words in a day--my record is 8k in one day. But between those big sessions of writing, I'm always thinking about the story. I don't outline, but I run through scenarios in my head all the time when not writing, and that means when I do write, I write a whole lot relatively quickly.

Just like me, writing in chunks is my writing style. Yay!

3. Where’s your favorite place to think?

While driving! I have a really long drive to work--45 minutes both ways--and I focus very well then. Whenever I get stuck, I take a road trip!

Too bad I can't drive yet

4. Was the road to publishing bumpy? What was the worst part?

SO BUMPY. I've been writing for publication for five years. That means--for the past five years, I've been writing works with the specific intent of getting them published--polishing them, submitting them, the whole nine yards. And I haven't published a thing in those five years until now. So you can imagine how many rejections that means.

I hate to say the worst part was jealousy. I don't like myself when I'm jealous, but when I'd see writer friends reach their dreams so much quicker than me--I'd turn green.

I hate jealousy, and rejections doesn't sound so fun, I'm buckling my seat belt in!

5. Did you start writing in hopes of publishing, or was it something you considered after writing?

I always had the dream of publication, even when I was a wee little thing in elementary school writing unicorn stories for my friends that I would then keep in my Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper (yay for the early 90s!). I was very naive when I started--I thought writing would be the hard part.

Same here, cool!

6. You went to the Bologna Book Fair, did you ever think your book was going to get picked? (you don’t have to answer this, I have no clue about book deals)

(I didn't go to the fair! My agent did.)
Oops..I suck at researching

7. You’re a high school teacher, how did your students react to the good news?

They started saving their detention forms to sell on ebay when I got famous!

That's hilarious, I'll buy a detention form from them when you get famous :D

8. How are you killing time waiting for the publication of your book Across the Universe?

Killing time? *snort* I've been working on edits and working on book 2 and working on website design and working on marketing plans and working on...oh, look, I've run out of time.
Oh insensitive of me, I didn't know you had to do all that!

9. Is there something you do while you write, like listening to music or biting your pencil/pen?

I love to snack while writing. Which isn't healthy--I forget how much I snack, and keep snacking well after I should quit. I've recently replaced my pretzel bowl with a huge bottle of water and that's working much better!

I also listen to music--but it's very low-key music that I can zone out of when writing. I like sound, but I don't want to focus on it.

Snacking is a good way to think, especially if it's chocolate!

10. Is there anything you would like to say to bloggers/readers/everyone?

I think that's it! Thanks for having me on your blog! :)

Thanks for the interview, Beth!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment and Beth will answer!