Interview – Romance Writer Shiloh Walker
Author Talks About Writing Fantasy & Paranormal Romances
Mar 28, 2009
In an interview with Suite101 writer Jennifer Jensen, romance novelist Shiloh Walker shared her writing schedule, getting her first novel accepted for publication, and tips for aspiring writers.
About Shiloh Walker
Shiloh Walker is the best-selling author of fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She has 32 books in print, most recently the romantic suspense novel, Fragile. Her 50th e-book, My Lady, will be released in April from Samhain. (Some books are available in both formats.)
Tell Me the Story of Your First Published Novel:
[I’d] been writing for years - I remember writing short stories during history class in middle school, although my mom says I was writing before that. [My first published book was] Her Best Friend's Lover, which initially released in ebook in 2003 from Ellora's Cave.
How Did You Get the Book Accepted for Publication?
Sheer dumb luck? (laughs) I firmly believe that getting published has a lot to do with getting the book in front of the right editor, at the right time. Quite a few editors had originally passed on the book - it was a little bit different from their standard material, and I guess it was somewhat of a risk. But the editor who accepted it loved it.
If she hadn't read it, it would have been rejected and I'd already decided at the time, if the book didn't sell, I was going to temporarily put writing to the side. I'm a nurse and at the time, my husband and I had talked, and I was going to go back to school. Nursing school, working full time, being a mama and writing on top of that would have been too much.
So sheer luck and timing.
How Many Drafts Does a Finished Book Usually Require?
I usually don't do ‘drafts.’ I go back over the story as I write, and polish/flesh it out as I go. At the most, I do two drafts, unless I scrap a book and start from scratch.
What is Your Favorite Part of the Writing Process?
The writing. (grins) Just telling a story. Or maybe finishing a story.
As a Prolific Author, You Must Write Full Time. What is Your Daily Schedule Like?
I've been writing full time since 2004. My daily schedule depends. I write Mondays-Thursday, and sometimes Friday-Sunday if a deadline is close.
But there's a lot more to writing professionally than just telling a story. There's editing, there's promotional stuff, there's online stuff, there is legal/piracy stuff that eats into my time as well. I tend to write the best after around 11am, to about 5pm and I use the morning for the non-writing stuff, like edits, promotions, etc.
What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known When You Started Writing?
That there's a lot more to this business than just writing. I love my job, but I was in no way prepared for everything else that goes along with writing the books.
Do You Have Any Advice for Aspiring Fiction Writers?
Keep at it. Keep writing, learn as much as you can about the industry and focus on your story.
Additional Reading:
- Read Shiloh Walker’s advice on finding the right literary agent, how she chooses between print and e-book publication, and the challenges of writing paranormal and fantasy romances in Romance Novelist Shiloh Walker Answers Questions.
- Read more writing advice and publishing tips in interviews with other romance novelists.
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