Blogfest 2009 » McVoy Terra Elan

Terra McVoy on “Is it difficult to get a book published?”

McVoy Terra Elan — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:30:32 +0000

Yes, very. Writing is hard work, period. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth working at. You just have to realize that it is work. A lot of work. And that there are certain steps you have to take. But it’s like building a building is a lot of work. Or being a dentist. Or any other job that requires a lot of skill and discipline.

Terra McVoy on “How do you feel about stuff like sex scenes in books? Inappropriate or okay?”

McVoy Terra Elan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:00:17 +0000

Well, I think a lot of it depends on the age of your readers, and how you feel about introducing sex (or substances, or violence) into their psyches. It also depends (to me) whether or not the sex (or substances, or violence) is essential to the characters and their story, or if it is there just to be “sexy.” But I think that’s something I’m sensitive about in general; I have trouble with anything that isn’t really genuine in a book—even if it’s just a scene of someone washing his hair!

Terra McVoy on “When you’re writing a book and making up characters, do you feel like you become that character, as well as that character becomes a part of you?”

McVoy Terra Elan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:30:41 +0000

More it is like I am a secret cameraperson in the lives of my characters. I get to watch and hear everything they do, and can even get into their brains and listen to what they are thinking—things they don’t even know they’re thinking themselves. Then it’s my job to go back and record everything properly. I’m more of a stenographer than anything else.

Terra McVoy on “How often do you have to edit and rewrite while working on a piece?”

McVoy Terra Elan — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:30:11 +0000

Constantly. Every day. In your head. On your keyboard. On the paper. On the telephone . . . Writing is organic and it is constantly changing. And it doesn’t become good (like pizza dough) until you really work it over. To the point of sweating, really.