Sara Rosett – Connect with Readers through Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads
Being the wife of an Air Force husband and being forced to move on a regular basis might prove an insurmountable obstacle for some people. But you know that old saying about turning lemons into lemonade? That’s exactly what Sara Rosett has done. When I interviewed Sara, she had already written six books about a mystery solving Air Force wife – and it still looks like there’s no end in sight.
The first book in the series, Moving is Murder, was a Reader's Choice Award Nominee in 2007 at the Salt Lake County Library and received a Distinguished Honor Award from the Military Writers Society of America.
Darrell - You've been an army wife for several years and your character Ellie Avery has a similar background. Should writers write what they know?
Sara - I feel more comfortable writing about an arena I'm familiar with, so that's why I used my experiences as a military spouse (Air Force spouse, actually!) as background for the book. I have a tendency to get lost in research and since I was writing about a lifestyle I knew inside and out I didn't get bogged down in research. I don't think the "write what you know" should be a hard and fast rule for writers. You should write about whatever you're passionate about and if there are gaps in your knowledge that's okay--that's what research is for! I knew about moving, deployments, and squadron politics, but I had no idea about poison, guns, murder methods, requirements for search warrants, and law enforcement jurisdictions, so there was plenty of stuff I had to learn about to write my mysteries.
Darrell - How long does it normally take you to write a novel?
Sara - When I'm working on the first draft, I write for about two or three hours and then I'm pretty brain dead and have to take a break. It usually takes me about three to four months to finish the first draft. I always begin with the first chapter and write straight through to the end. I've never been good at revising as I go. I lose sight of the big picture and lose momentum, so I save the revisions until after I've finished the first draft. The revisions take about a month, sometimes longer. (This is a best case senario. I've certainly had it take longer!)
Darrell - You mention on your website that you "don't outline, but use a graphic organizer when I'm writing a synopsis." What exactly does this involve?
Sara - I tried to outline and found that I don't think in such an orderly, linear way. What works best for me is a large blank sheet of butcher paper. I write down the basics of the story: the victim, the murderer, and how the murder is accomplished. Then I brainstorm, jotting down ideas about who could be suspects and why they would be involved with this set of characters with lines and arrows connecting different people in the story. In the end, it usually looks pretty jumbled, but it works for me. I've also used notecards to write down scene ideas, but lately I've switched to keeping notes in my manuscripts of what scenes I need to write next or what changes I need to go back and make.
Darrell - You're now six books into your series. Do you see an end or want to move onto a different writing project?
Sara - I love writing about Ellie and revisiting characters from previous books, so I'm happy to continue the series.
I'm writing the seventh Ellie book now and there is currently one more under contract. There was a point--I think I was a little burned out--when I thought I was completely out of stories for Ellie, but then an idea popped into my head and I thought, "Yeah, I could make that work." The ideas keep coming and I keep filing them away for future books. I have ideas for other stories, other characters, I'd like to write. Those are on the back burner right now, but I hope to delve into them soon. In particular, I'm thinking of writing a historical mystery.
Darrell - What are some of the lessons you've learnt about the publishing business?
Sara - I've learned that there is only so much I can do to promote my books. When my first book came out, I did everything I could think of to promote it--book signings at bookstores and base exchanges; I made t-shirts; I ran book giveaway contests; I even snagged a few local television interviews and articles in local newspapers. I attended conferences and blogged and targeted niche markets with my press releases. I'm sure all those things helped, but I think I went a little overboard. It's hard not to when your first book comes out!
Anyway, I've decided that I should spend the majority of my time writing the best books I can. Instead of doing tons of individual signings, I've joined The Deadly Divas. We're a group of four mystery authors and we do a book tour once or twice a year. It's much easier to generate buzz and interest, not to mention more fun, to promote our books together. E-books are changing everything and I'm not sure signings will be such a good outlet for promotion in a few years. I'm also concentrating on on-line promotion and connecting with readers through Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and reader discussion forums.
Darrell - What advice would you have in terms of marketing for someone just about to release their first novel?
Sara - I'd say, first, enjoy it! It's a wonderful feeling to have your first book out--savor it. Second, find a way to connect with your readers. It might be at conferences or through on-line discussion groups or something unrelated to books. I know one author who sells her craft-themed mysteries at craft fairs. Don't try and do everything (like I did!). I'd also recommend joint promotion. Get together with a few authors who write books similar to yours. It's much easier to draw attention to you and your books if you're in a group.
I've always had bookmarks printed so that I have something to hand out at signings and give to people who I meet who are interested in my books. (I use Iconix.biz.) Writers conferences and reader conventions usually put together "goody bags" for attendees and they're usually looking for donations of promotional materials.
Important Links:
Return to the Table of Contents