Who is Meredith Schorr? Wow, that’s a difficult one! I always strive to be happy, to make the people I love happy, to learn from my mistakes, to treasure the good times and try to make some sense out of the bad times. I’m a loyal friend, girlfriend and family member. I love runner’s high. I can’t eat a meal without getting food either on the floor or all over my clothes. I like a good drink, but can’t stomach gin or more than one margarita without getting sick. I hate confrontation but have learned how to stand up for myself. I would never intentionally hurt another person’s feelings but I can be a major bitch when the occasion calls for it. And, last but not least, I am a writer.
Do you have a writing routine? If so, what is it? Actually I don’t. I work full-time as a trademark paralegal and have a lot of other things going on that make it extremely difficult for me to write every day. I belong to a writer’s group that meets every week and I try to write on lunch hours at least a few days a week. I recently invested in a netbook which makes writing on a train or plane very easy.
How long did it take you to write “Just Friends With Benefits?” I started writing JFWB in June, 2008 and the book was published in September, 2010. I would say between the first draft and the multiple rounds of edits, it took me about 1.5 years.
What do you love about the Chick Lit genre? I love that chicklit is, for the most part, based enough in reality to be relatable but entertaining enough to provide the often much needed escape from real life.
What was your favorite part of the writing and/or publishing process? My favorite part of the writing process is being surprised by what happens next in my novels. I don’t typically write from an outline and sometimes I am shocked by what my characters say/do. It’s very exciting to let my characters lead me.
Who or what inspires you? I’m actually most inspired by successful or just plain “happy” people (famous or not) who aren’t afraid to show weaknesses or insecurities and who admit that they’ve made mistakes and don’t have it all together all of the time. Off the top of my head, I find Bethany Frankel to be pretty inspiring.
Regular books or ebooks? Why? I always thought I would be forever loyal to the print book but I haven’t purchased a paperback or hardcover book since I received the Kindle as a gift over a year ago. I love the ease with which I can read on the road, on line at the grocery store, on the subway etc. without crinkling the pages. So, I would say that I prefer the ebook but I can still spend hours in a book store.
What would people be surprised to know about you? I like to think that I come across as fairly confident, but those closest to me know that I struggle with a stubborn inferiority complex.
Do you have any advice for new writers? I believe writers should write the story they want to write and not only what they think will sell. Also, writers should learn to take construction criticism and learn from it, but also be able to trust their own instincts. There is a fine line between editing blindly based on someone else’s comments and being so stubborn (and foolish) that you aren’t able to see changes that could really improve your story. Finally, I think aspiring writers should not be afraid to explore new options of publishing. It’s a changing industry and there are a lot of different ways to publish.
What are 5 things that every writer must have? A thick skin, an imagination, good instincts, ability to take and learn from constructive criticism, patience.
How did you celebrate your first book being published? I threw a party for myself!
Are you working on anything now? If so, can you tell us about it? I actually have exciting news to report – my 2nd novel was just contracted by Booktrope Publishing. It is the story of a Type-A 26 year-old woman who, after breaking up with her first and only boyfriend of nine years, thinks falling in love the second time will be as easy as the first and dives head first into the NYC dating pool only to discover it is invested with flakes who are interested one day and gone the next. The working title is Planet of the Flakes. I am almost halfway through the first draft of my 3rd novel right now. I don’t want to give away much, but I can tell you that it is nothing like my first books except that it is also a chick-lit/contempary romance.
**Visit Meredith at any of the below links:
Amazon! (Buy Meredith’s book, Just Friends with Benefits)
Thanks for having me!!
All hail the margarita! Fabulous interview Meredith 🙂 XOXO
Brava for being able to write AND work full-time! I know how hard it is.
Great interview!! Congratulations on “Planet of the Flakes!” I loved “Just Friends With Benefits” and can’t wait to read your next one!
I 2nd JTuck! 🙂 I enjoy reading these interviews b/c I truly love to have a little insight into other authors. Great answers MS 🙂
Great interview! Congratulations on your next book! I loved “Just Friends With Benefits” and can’t wait to read “Planet of the Flakes.”