Category: Interview with a Writer

Interview with a Writer: Gail Z. Martin

Gail Z. Martin is a New York Times Bestselling author who generously shares her time and expertise with the members of the Charlotte Writers Group. Individual members and the group has grown with her mentorship. We asked for little more of her time to learn a little more about her.

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: I got to know CWG through Darin Kennedy, who came to one of my signings at Park Road Books. He hung out with me and we talked for a long time, and I told him about my Thrifty Author Meetup group. Next thing I knew, Darin had invited the CWG gang to the Meetup, many of whom have become regulars in the years since then. I count all those folks as friends, and we’ve all grown and supported each other.

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Interview with a Writer: Dawn Patterson

Dawn Patterson is long-standing regular attendee of our Saturday critique group. We asked her to tell us a little more about herself, her writing and the role Charlotte Writers Group has had in her journey.

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: Being a member of CWG has increased my writing knowledge in a compressed amount of time. The internet provides tons of advice and techniques on writing, but nothing compares to someone pointing out specific areas for improvement in your own stories. Personal instruction provides more impact and greater retention of lessons while in a friendly, supportive environment. Outside of meetings, friends from CWG provide me with editorial support, industry insights, and oft-needed encouragement. (Thanks, Caryn and Ann!)

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Interview with a Writer: Lance Butler

IWAWLance Butler is an organizer of the Charlotte Writers Group and regular attendee of Wednesday night write-ins. We picked his brain to find out a little more about him for our Interview with a Writer series.

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: Feedback. Growth. Confidence. Feedback received from having my work critiqued has given insight on how my stories are perceived outside my own little head but the real benefit is reading and critiquing fellow members, watching their stories develop, learning how to interrogate the pages objectively and break down elements of a story. When I use those skills to critique my stories, I see my own growth. From growth comes confidence.

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Interview with a Writer: Jay Requard

IWAWJay Requard is a former organizer of the Charlotte Writers Group and regular attendee of Wednesday night write-ins and Saturday critique groups. He took some time out of his busy schedule for our Interview with a Writer series.

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: When I first arrived in Charlotte in 2011 for grad school I had begun to take my writing much more seriously after the failure to get my first novel published after I had sold it to a really inexperienced publisher. At the suggestion of James Maxey (Bitterwood, Nobody Gets the Girl), I sought a writing group on Meetup. As they say, the rest is history.

Charlotte Writers not only allowed me to better myself as a writer, but it allowed me numerous opportunities to connect with professionals within the publishing industry while forming real, lasting friendships. Without this organization I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I am now.

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Interview with a Writer: Ann Stawski

 

IWAWNext up in our Interview with a Writer series, Charlotte Writers Group chats up Ann Stawski. She is regular attendee of our Saturday critique group and the hostess of our upcoming September get together.

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: It’s been a combination of osmosis and interaction. I moved to North Carolina in August 2014 and sought out fellow writers. When I found the Charlotte Writers Group, I was drawn into the sense of community, support, and discussion, along with the constructive criticism. The diverse and intense writing critique sessions help me develop my writing. Continue reading “Interview with a Writer: Ann Stawski” →

Interview with a Writer: DH Hanni

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In our latest installment of Interview with a Writer, Charlotte Writers Group catches up with DH Hanni. She is an active member regularly attending Saturday critique group and we look forward to seeing more from her in the future.

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: It’s been a great group to get really solid, constructive feedback on my work. At least one of the pieces read by the group has been accepted for publishing. Even being around the group has helped my work as I learn a lot from reading other people’s works and the kind of suggestions given during our critique group sessions. Definitely has made me a better and more aware writer. And I can be my weird self and no one bats an eyelash. Continue reading “Interview with a Writer: DH Hanni” →

Interview with a Writer: Richard G. Sharp

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In our latest installment of Interview with a Writer, Charlotte Writers Group pays tribute to a very special writer. On April 4, 2016, our group lost an amazing member, Richard Sharp. His absence will always be felt by those of us who were fortunate enough to experience his insightful and entertaining critiques at our Saturday critique sessions. We interviewed Richard in early 2016.

 

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: CWG has significantly improved my prose, not only through critiques of my own work, but those of others. An important part of that is awareness of how easily an exposition that may be clear in your own mind may be interpreted in a range of other ways if you do not give enough attention to nuance and precise wording. Continue reading “Interview with a Writer: Richard G. Sharp” →

Interview with a Writer: Darin Kennedy

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Charlotte Writers would like to introduce our new bi-monthly feature – Interview with a Writer. Here we spotlight writers from our group and learn about their particular process. For our first interview, we are starting with Darin Kennedy, one of the original organizers of the Charlotte Writers Group.

 

Question: What role has Charlotte Writers Group played in your writing journey?

Answer: Charlotte Writers has been an essential part of my journey. When I first moved to Charlotte in 2009, I sought a group of writers to help critique my work as well fellow creative types to commiserate in the trenches. Now, seven-plus years later, most of my good friends in Charlotte all come from my connections in this group and I owe a lot of my happiness since moving back to NC to this group. Also, having my work critiqued as well as critiquing other people’s work every other week for five straight years significantly improved my ability to both write and edit effectively. Lastly, as the second organizer of the group after the founder, Brendan McKennedy, I was able to develop as a leader in a different direction than my time in medicine and the military had led. Not to mention, what a great group of people to spend time with week after week. Writers! Continue reading “Interview with a Writer: Darin Kennedy” →