Robert Medak is a freelance writer, editor, book reviewer, aspiring marketer, and aspiring author. He spent 37 years in Telecommunications, upon retiring he decided to follow his dream of being a writer. Robert has written or ghost written over 350 articles and 80 book reviews.

Hi Robert, glad to have you here today during National Novel Writing Month.

Thanks for having me, Dianne.   

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

This is a hard one to answer, because the process is different, at different times. I have been on the way to work and something will trigger a thought and out comes a poem. I was taking out the trash one day and a sight started me thinking, out came a poem. I was recently tagged to write a Christmas story, while laying in bed, I was thinking and had most of the story created in my mind before falling asleep. I woke up the next day and wrote the short story in less than an hour. Reading a good deal also helps your writing. I try to read and write something every day.

Since this month is NaNoWriMo and some of our visitors may be participating  writing tips are always appreciated. What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?

Good writing.

There are many ingredients that make a story.

1. Plot
2. Believable Characters
3. Realistic Dialogue
4. Setting
5. Pace
6. POV
7. beginnings, Middle, and Endings that make sense
8. Consistency of theme

What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?

Someone the reader can identify with. Someone with the same characteristics that the reader may know personally. A person that you love, hate or causes a reaction or emotion in the reader.

By being open, and observing real people in real situations and their response to it.

A writer should always carry a notebook, pad of something to write down items they observe in daily interactions with people, animals, or just the place they live. These are all ingredients to creating a living breathing character in stories.

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?

Yes. I run most of my writing past my wife, and avid reader. Also, critique groups and others whose opinion I trust.

What are you working on now?

I have a children’s book, a YA-Adult, Adult, eBooks.

The YA-Adult is Science Fiction, the adult is about alternative lifestyle, the eBook I am currently working on is to answer some questions I have been asked in regards to freelance writing. I will be offering an eBook about freelance writing to writers that sign up for a specific online writers conference in 2009 where I plan on being a presenter for a freelance writing course I will be creating. I created a course for writers at Writers’ Village University that I facilitate; I have also facilitated other courses.

Where can we learn more about you?

Writing & More is my business: http://stormywriter.com

My WordPress blog about freelance writing: http://rjmedak.wordpress.com/

My WordPress blog for kids and about animals: http://kidsandanimals.wordpress.com/

My Blog about writing: http://rjmedak.blogspot.com/

My Book review blog: http://rjmbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Thanks for being such a great guest, Robert.

Thank you for having me.

I hope everyone will continue this month’s great tour tomorrow with Debra Eckerling who is the guest at Janet Ann Collins blog.