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D Wallace Peach Myths & Legends Podcast TTT Publishing Season 3 Storytelling Writing

Season 3 Episode 10: D Wallace Peach on Writing and Publishing

“My latest trilogy is titled Unraveling the Veil. It’s about three races – goblins, elves, and changelings – and how blame and lies almost destroy their lives and civilization. My trio of heroes are products of their cultures and biases, and yet they have to trust each other and work together to learn the truth of a series of mysterious disappearances. Things get awfully grim before they accomplish their goal.” D Wallace Peach

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. 

I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, D Wallace Peach, has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia for a discussion about writing, connecting, and engaging within the world of writing and publishing.  Diana is on my side of the world, just south of the Canadian Border.  She lives in a log cabin, situated on a mountain, with her husband, two owls and a horde of bats.  She has found a place of belonging, surrounded by evergreens in the lush, green wilderness of the Oregon rainforest.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Diana and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Diana, for sharing your insights and philosophy of writing. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

Myths of the Mirror – D Wallace Peach

I invite meet up with Diana on her blog Myths of the Mirror. It is a place where life and fantasy merge to ignite our imaginations and inspire our personal journeys into the unknown. Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

Mary Lunnen on Your Compass Rose Speaks – Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

  1. Mary Lunnen on Your Compass Rose Speaks
  2. Elizabeth Gauffreau on the Art of Writing Short Stories
  3. Celebrating “Up Helly Aa” with Sarah McBurnie
  4. Norman Orenstein on Composing, Producing and Recording Music
  5. Celebrating Robert Burns with Address to A Haggis

By Rebecca Budd

Blogger, Visual Storyteller, Podcaster, Traveler and Life-long Learner

168 replies on “Season 3 Episode 10: D Wallace Peach on Writing and Publishing”

I was so delighted to see this up, Rebecca. What a treat. I had so much fun chatting with you, and you made the process effortless for this newbie. As you discovered, I love to chat about writing and books. After more than a decade, it still gives me the same joy as the day I started. I will reblog on Wednesday, and look forward to chatting up your followers. Have a lovely evening. ❤

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Thank you so much for sharing your insights on Tea Toast & Trivia, Diana. What fun we had connecting across the border. I’m looking forward to your return visit for a podcast on “Readers Reading Their Books”. Your thought on how creativity takes many forms was heartening. I especially appreciated your honesty that writing was hard work and that feedback is essential for growth. That when we accept feedback given in good faith we open doors to expand beyond boundaries that we thoughts were unassailable. Sending hugs along with my gratitude!!!

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By Post Author

This is a very encouraging message for new writers. She gives helpful suggestions such as the need to learn new methods, the need to listen to suggestions, even criticisms. She believes that writing should be full of hope, even if the story may have portions of sadness. She stresses listening to feedback and thinks that reading books is helpful. Thank you; this is a very important podcast! ! ! On a personal note, I loved the part where she talks of leaving her writing to grandchildren, great grandchildren and her great, greats!

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Thank you so much for listening, Ms Frances. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the podcast and appreciate the kind comment. Rebecca and Don were incredibly kind and made the whole process effortless. I still feel positive about my writing “journey.” It’s a wonderful vocation for someone who wants to be a life-long learner. And I was tickled that you enjoyed the part about leaving something for future generations. That’s a fun little extra. 😀 Have a lovely day.

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This is a wonderful podcast with Diana. It was so lovely to hear her voice. I totally agree with her about the value of feedback. She is correct in saying, if we don’t know something is wrong, we can’t fix it. It’s like the friend who doesn’t tell you that you have a bit of spinach stuck in your teeth! Well, a good friend would tell you. Well done, both of you. xo

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Thanks so much for listening, Darlene. Yes, spinach on the teeth! That’s a great analogy. Or your skirt tucked into your pantyhose. Lol. Don’t want to publish that! This was really fun to do, as you know, and Rebecca made it so effortless. Have a lovely week and Happy Writing!

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I have the utmost respect for the dedication, determination and discipline of career novelists. Anyone who doesn’t feel this way should try writing one! Diana gives some of the most articulate and comprehensive advice on writing for publication I’ve ever heard. And Rebecca, your podcasts which feature writers are so helpful that I always pass them along to others to hear. Her responses to your excellent questions were so impressive that partway through, I went and subscribed to Diana’s blog. In the writing blogger community there are so many levels and intentions of writers. Her advice is clearly for those wishing to be published, growing their readership, and becoming savvy not only to the business itself but in handling critique. I encounter many non-career writers who blog for sheer joy and fellowship with others who love the process. They’re not as welcoming to that type of scrutiny, and it takes discernment to sort that out. I like to err on the side of kindness and encouragement. I greatly admire Diana’s tenacity and thick skinned approach to her craft!

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I share you respect for the dedication, determination and discipline of career novelists – the three “D’s” of writing. Diana’s generosity in sharing her experiences of writing, editing, & publishing are invaluable – not only to writers but to all who write. She reminded me that the gift of literacy is not to be taken lightly, as we are responsible for the words that we write in whatever form they take. Her thoughtful comments on feedback were profound as we all struggle with embracing feedback, if we feel that it has not been given in good faith. Thank you for listening and and for your eloquent response. Hugs and more hugs!

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Thanks, Mary Jo. And of course I followed your beautiful blog back. Thank you so much for the feedback and compliments. I do take this writing stuff seriously, but I also try to be positive and to characterize writing as a journey requiring devotion and practice as well as gentleness and respect for ourselves and each other as learners. I default to kindness and encouragement too – always on public forums. I’ve learned that even well-intentioned criticism is best done when solicited and in private. That said, I have rhino-skin! Ha ha. Thanks again for listening and sharing your thoughts. Happy Writing!

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Dear Diana and Rebecca,
thanks for this talk about writing and publishing. I absolutely agree with you that especially new writers have to learn to see their text with the eyes of their potential readers. First of all, writers have to think about what readership they want and what is the horizon of expectations of this readership. And I really like what you said about feedback. All of my colleagues have their ‘jesters’ whose job is to criticise. Usually, they are the agents, editors and beta-readers. It hardly ever works with friends – whereas I have to admit that some editors became close friends of mine.
Very important are reading tours, it’s the direct contact with your readers, the booksellers and media on the local level.
About the technique of writing: basically, there are two ways:
1. the Hemingway-way, you write fast and revise your text 50 to 60 times as Hemingway did
2. the Thomas Mann-way, you write for about 4 hours or more on two to three perfect pages.
It doesn’t matter in which way you write, it always improves the text to delete about 30%.
Thank you, Diana, for sharing your ideas about writing and thanks dear Rebecca for asking the ‘right’ questions
Klausbernd 🙂

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Thank you, Klausbernd, for adding depth and breadth to this conversation. I am delighted that you mentioned tours. I miss meeting up with authors at “authors reading their books” event at libraries and book stores and look forward to a time when social distancing restrictions have been lifted. Readers are curious about their favourite writers and are eager to connect with them, whether it be through on-line interviews, articles, books reviews and blogs. Thank you for mentioning the two writing techniques and the idea that deleting 30% of text, however painful, is essential. This applies to all types of writing, whether in letters, e-mails, and instructions. “Less is more” is a great mantra. Thank you for your heartwarming comments about asking the ‘right’ questions. Sending hugs and love to my dear friends, the Fab Four of Cley!

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Thanks so much, Klausbernd, for taking the time to listen and comment. I agree that friends (or mom) aren’t the best choices for feedback on our writing. People who tell the truth are as valuable as gold and, yes, they can become wonderful friends. I liked your comment about Hemingway versus Mann. I’m sort of in the middle, I think. I edit as I go like Mann, seeking perfection, but then revise 50 times like Hemingway. 🙂 Thanks again for stopping by and kudos to Rebecca for the wonderful questions. Happy Writing.

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Frances, my mother, believes that everything I do is perfect! (Thanks Mom!!!) But she knows that I can’t spell. YIKES! Every spelling bee I was out on the first try, which was great because I could go back to reading a book!!

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Dear Diana,
I rather wrote like Hemingway and even followed his example to delete most of my adjectives. But nowadays I am privatising and don’t write books any more. I have the feeling I have written enough books. Nowadays I play around with texts, just for fun and review other author’s texts for radio and TV. I still love writing short texts for articles and for our blog.
Wishing you happy writing as well and success with the sales of your books
Klausbernd 🙂

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I wholeheartedly agree with Rebecca and Diana’s comments. Simply because we are able to write does not make a person a novelist. As pointed out writing words is only the first step in a lot of hard work commitment and skill. Diana is spot-on when she says it is like picking up a violin and expecting to play beautifully. The skill sets of putting together a novel are something to be learned and continually updated. As Diana also says constructive criticism and being able to take criticism constructively is one of the sharpest tools in a writer’s box.

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Well said, Paul “being able to take criticism constructively is one of the sharpest tools in a writer’s box.” When I look back to when I first started blogging, my progress has come through feedback and sharing knowledge and experience with other bloggers. My photos of today have more clarity than those I took in 2003. I have learned to be a better reader than I was 10 years ago, which allows me to explore a deeper relationship with authors. Without a doubt, my “learning” has been enhanced and fine tuned by feedback. Thank you for listening, Paul and for your insightful comments.

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Thank you so much for stopping by to listen, Paul. I’ve missed your posts and hope you’re doing well and being creative. That question about what makes someone a writer/author was an interesting one. And the violin analogy works well. I can cook, but I’d never refer to myself as a chef, right? I think a lot of writers/authors become frustrated because they can “write” but don’t understand (yet) the hard work of learning and applying the craft. To be completely fair, I didn’t get that either when I started out. Lol. Best of luck to you on wherever life has taken you. Be well. Hugs.

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When when you say I didn’t realise that when I started out …
Yes absolutely. Me too. You perfectly describe the journey from someone who thinks wouldn’t it be good to write to someone who grits it out to actually write the first novel. Then grits it out, once more, by listening to readers and, let’s say “Finish” the first novel. (Because as you also so rightly point out it is as much about embellishing the language and poetry of the narrative as knocking out the dead wood. And goodness knows I am a huge fan of EDITING!)Then have the further grit to start to try and publicise it. Something I’ m not so good at.
To borrow from the old John Wayne movie … moving from wannabe to published author takes “True Grit.”
Your chat was a thoroughly enjoyable listen Diana.

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This is an interesting interview. Thank you Diana and Rebecca. I learned that I’m not motivated enough to do the work and writing doesn’t call me that deeply. I respect your dedication to your craft and how open you are to feedback and constructive criticism.

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I am delighted that you listened and joined the conversation. I believe that Diana’s insights on feedback have broader application. Without feedback, our growth is stunted and we lose out on opportunities to see a different perspective. Your eloquent thought “writing doesn’t call me deeply” has given me something to consider in the coming days. Thank you for adding to this conversation – very much appreciated.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to listen, Brad. At the start of the interview I mentioned the importance of creativity in our lives and that it manifests in myriad ways. It would be silly (and arrogant) indeed to think that writing is the only way for people to express themselves creatively. You are a poet. But even more so, I feel your enthusiasm when it comes to photography. And I admire that, because as much as I enjoy viewing photography and marvel over wonderful pictures, a photographer I am Not (and don’t have the motivation to learn). So follow your heart, my friend. Thanks again for stopping by! Hugs.

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I enjoyed listening to you and your wise tips Diana, and agree about creativity in many forms, even how we live, cook, and make our homes. It doesn’t have to be art or obvious. I’m grateful that you and others enjoy my poems and photos. They both grew from my love of nature.

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Thank you, Rebecca and Diana, for the VERY interesting/in-depth conversation! So much great advice and insights about writing — including “traditional” publishing vs. self-publishing, and the importance of giving and accepting constructive criticism. Diana, I’m really impressed that you’re currently writing your TWENTIETH book, which will give you a “score” of the “immortality” you cited as one of the many benefits for people who decide to become authors. Another benefit of course is the immense satisfaction of writing and telling stories — even as it’s a hard, painstaking journey to a finished book.

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You have the best way to describe a milestone, Dave – “a “score” of the “immortality.” Diana’s discussion on writing and publishing has prompted a segue in my thinking. As you know, I seem to digress when there is an excellent discussion in process. Writers hone their writing skills. On the flip side, should readers hone their reading skills. Something to ponder in the coming days.

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That’s an interesting comment, Rebecca. I know for myself that some reading is purely for the enjoyment of getting lost in a story, some is a dive into beautiful language and technique (a master’s class of a sort) that I approach with a highlighter and make notes in the margins, and some presents an opportunity to see what works and doesn’t work, or to explore different genres and muse over outside-the-box creativity. But I never really know what’s going to happen until I crack open that book!

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Thanks, Dave, for kindly listening and commenting. I remember at the start of this journey thinking that even ten books was an insurmountable challenge! But the years go by… and I do love what I do. My favorite part of this talk was that piece on constructive criticism. I haven’t always had a thick skin, but one of my early characters said (and it’s stuck with me since): “If you’re done practicing, you’re done living. You’re saying there’s nothing left to learn, nothing worthy of your devotion. Everything that matters to you—friendship, love, happiness—must be practiced. We can always become more mindful about the things we love and love to do.” Have a wonderful day!

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This was wonderful, ladies. You both might have heard me yelling “YES” when Diana mentioned people not knowing how hard writing truly is. At times, it can be painful. We might even wonder why we do it, but then at your weakest moment you receive an encouraging word from a reader or editor and the pain disappears. Great interview!

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I am delighted that you listened in and added to the discussion, Jill. Thank you for being a writer and storyteller. Writers have given me many hours of joy, support, and instruction. Someone suggested that I read “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King, even though though do not consider my self a writer. The gift of literacy has attending responsibilities for whatever we write will have ramifications. At age 19, I received a letter of guidance from my father that I hold precious today. Here is one of my favourite Stephen King quotes: “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Jill. It is hard, isn’t it? And it’s never perfect either, no matter how hard we try! On top of that, every reader is so different. I remember getting feedback from two beta readers on the same book where one said my sentences were too long and the other said my sentences were too short. It was one of the more illustrative experiences of my writing career. Lol And you are so right that the kind and encouraging comments and reviews are like rays of sunshine to the writer’s soul. Have a lovely day, my friend. Happy Writing!

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It was great hearing Diana’s voice. She has long been a source of wise posts on writing. Loved the idea of the ‘brutal’ writing partner. That trust Diana discusses–so important to accept that kind of input.

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Thanks, Jacqui. It’s strange to hear my voice. I sound like one of my cousins. Ha ha. A brutal writing partner is a must for me. I love it when I get yelled (on paper) at for repeats or pace-killers or for broadcasting too much information, or for being confusing. Phew. Such a relief to be able to fix those things before they end up in reviews. And you’re right that trust is a huge part of that, as well as having equal commitments to each other’s work. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Happy Writing. You must be getting close on the next one!

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As a product of the writing workshop system, I’m finding the comments about brutal writing partners very interesting. Thanks to all of those workshops, the brutal writing partner lives inside my head–which is actually pretty handy.

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Hi Rebecca, I am so delighted you met the wonderful Diana. She is very modest but her writing is very unique and beautiful. I listened to the audiobook of Sunwielder and I really enjoyed it. It is a fascinating and unusual story and I enjoyed the reader’s interpretation. Diana is quite right about writers needing to learn their art and this requires feedback and practice. I have had all three of my longer books developmentally edited, the results of which have been extensive rewrites. I am happy to say that the structural changes were far fewer in A Ghost and His Gold than While the Bombs Fell which had to be completely restructured. I consider less pervasive developmental editing comments to be a sign of improvement. I also have my books edited by a few people and despite all my best efforts, I always find a few mistakes post publishing. Diana is a massive supporter of Indie authors and a lovely person and friend.

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Thank you for your insightful comments, Robbie! This discussion has given me a fresh perspective on being a reader. Writers make great effort into developing their skill sets. I believe readers must develop their reading skills. This is something that I will be thinking on in the coming days.

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A great thought, Robbie!!! Your comment reminded me of the quote by Gustave Flaubert: “Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.” I have become a more thoughtful reader over the years, moving between fiction and non-fiction. My sister, Sarah, has been an amazing kindred spirit along the way because she reads differently and provides a fresh perspective.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to listen, Robbie. You should definitely take the reduced number of editing comments as a sign of improvement. I sure do. It makes perfect sense that the more we write and the more constructive feedback we get, the more we learn and apply that learning. Thank goodness, right? One of the interesting things I’ve discovered is that a variety of feedback pushes our skills even more since different people notice different things. And those dang typos. Let’s not even get on that topic. How can all five proofreaders miss them, but they do. Finally, thanks again for the shoutout for Sunwielder. That book is my husband’s favorite and pretty close to my heart. Happy Writing, my friend. ❤ ❤

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I enjoyed listening to you, Diana. You have a lovely voice [so you don’t have to worry if you decide to read your own books]. It is true what you say about different people giving different types of feedback. I learned how to plot a story over a history timeline from Charli Mills. She also told me that if I was stuck on describing a scene, to go and see how other authors have done it for inspiration. This advice has been invaluable. Esther Chilton helped me to cut out information dumps, improve my dialogue, and tie up all lose ends properly and Kaye Lynne Booth showed me how to write in different tenses – past and present – and I wrote A Ghost and His Gold flipping between tenses and time periods. Sunwielder is a smashing book. So clever, I loved it. One of my favourites of this year so far.

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You give great examples of how important community is to writers even though what we do is so solitary. It’s obvious, and yet not something that we focus on, I think. Another reason why blogging is so vital. And your comment about Sunwielder is so touching. Thank you ❤

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How interesting that you said that you were “sad” that it ended. Those were my exact words! And if you look at the reviews on Goodreads, our sentiment has been experienced by many others. Have you read Circe by Madeline Miller? If you enjoy mythology, you will find treasures in this book. It is a marvelous retelling of Greek mythology. I read three books in 2020 that related to being in solitude. 1) Gentleman in Moscow 2) Circe and 3) Eugene Onegin. Here is a quote from Circe which I appreciated. “Only that: we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk the earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive.” Madeline Miller, Circe. Now, I am ready to take on more mythology and Fantasy. I have “Liars and Thieves” by D Wallace Peach, “The Dead of Winter” by Teagan Geneviene. And I have your book “A Ghost and His Gold” to look back into history. 2021 is going to be a great year of reading.

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I am delighted you are interested in reading A Ghost and His Gold, Rebecca. I hope you enjoy it when you get there. I have read Sunwielder and Soul Swallowers by Diana and both were excellent. I have read most of Teagan’s books, they are very imaginative and unusual and I find them very relaxing to read. I listened to your commentary about Circe and will give it a go. Thank you.

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What a great podcast to listen to! I really enjoyed Diana’s view on critique’s, it harkened back to my early days in art school when I experienced the dreaded critique’s for the first time. It was so strange and uncomfortable back then, but today, I agree with you it is so critical to grow and develop as an artist and writer. I love the camaraderie of a good critique. Thanks for sharing your experience!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to listen, Jay. I can so relate to your dreaded first critique. That’s exactly how I felt the first time and probably the tenth too! But if it’s a thoughtful critique… if we can take a breath and see it as a learning opportunity… there’s little more valuable as a learning tool. The idea that we start out as masters of any creative expression is rather silly for all but the savants. Thanks again for the visit and have a wonderfully creative day. 😀

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I know exactly what you mean about the “dreaded critique” Jay. YIKES. I started playing piano at 4 or 5 and progressed through my teens and into university. I remember the exams, the performances, the adjudications. I felt my heart pound, waiting to hear the feedback. Then in university when my compositions were reviewed, the same feeling of dread came back. While my life moved in a different direction away from music, those early feedback moments were invaluable as I navigated through the many benchmarks that life offers. I especially liked your words: “the camaraderie of a good critique.” How very very well said.

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Thanks so much for listening, Julie. That was sweet of you and wonderfully kind. This was my first podcast (I’m terrible un-techy) and I’ve resisted doing something like this for a long time. But Rebecca made it unbelievably fun and easy. And she (and Don) polished it all up to sound professional! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Have a lovely afternoon my friend and enjoy the coming spring. ❤

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After so many exchanges with you on blog comments, it was great to hear your voice, Diana. I think you and I agree on many things regarding writing. You’ve expressed your ideas very well. One thing I was happy to hear you comment on was the value of good feedback, constructive criticism, whether all good or instructive – the kind of feedback that provides specific examples. That’s the kind of thing we can learn from. Great interview.

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Thank you so much for listening in, Anneli. There is something about the voice of an author that provides structure to his/her writing. For me, voices are conduits for connecting, something that I discovered when I was listening to poetry. When I heard Edna St. Vincent Mallay “Love is Not All” her voice reached across time and distance. https://youtu.be/mvgDAOG8W6c. Diana’s thought on immortality has profound significance, especially in an age when technology is moving toward merging word, voice, and action. We live in interesting times!

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Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to listen, Anneli. As an writer and editor, your appreciation of the value of pointed criticism didn’t surprise me at all. You see how feedback improves a story first hand. It was really fun to step out of my comfort zone and do this podcast (since I’m usually so shy about trying new techy things). Rebecca made it easy. Have a great afternoon and Happy Writing!

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Thanks for stopping by to listen, John. I’m honored that you took the time. And thrilled that you enjoyed the conversation. It was a lot of fun to talk writing and publishing, which I can do for hours! Ha ha. Have a lovely afternoon. 🙂

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Thank you Bette for stopping by and for your comments. Don and I enjoyed meeting up with Diana for this podcast and I’m looking forward to having her return for a reading. Her voice is remarkable! I enjoy our conversations, Bette!

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Thanks, Bette. I’m so tickled that you stopped by to listen and glad you enjoyed the conversation. It was a lot of fun doing something so different for me. Plus Rebecca made it easy. 🙂 Not scary at all. Ha ha. Have a lovely evening, my friend, and happy writing. Hugs.

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It’s always nice to hear the voice of someone you’ve become acquainted with through blogging. And Diana, you have a great speaking voice and would read your works in an engaging way. I hope you do that at some point. After experiencing Zoom in the past year I actually had a Zoom meeting with myself and read part of one of my stories. The result was good enough to post on my blog; not sure I’d want to do a longer piece that way.
Thank you both, Diana and Rebecca, for contributing to the wonderful community of writers and readers here in the blogosphere!

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I am delighted that you joined the conversation, Audrey. Zoom has been an invaluable connecting tool this past year, introducing new ways for a broad and diverse community to share information and exchange ideas . Forbes had a great article on virtual meetings, which stated “Virtual events are likely here to stay as a powerful way to build engagement with audiences everywhere. Physical events will come back. We just don’t know when. But they probably won’t supplant virtual events; they’ll exist alongside them.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/02/10/with-virtual-events-likely-here-to-stay-make-them-succeed-for-you/?sh=18d5789b90d4. Your Zoom meeting was an excellent way to introduce a virtual reading room.

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It would be a great way to practice. I was surprised by how loud turning pages could be. The sound quality isn’t anything like audiobook standard, but pretty good, considering.
And yes, despite Zoom fatigue, virtual events do have some advantages and likely will supplement physical ones when those come back. Thanks for the link!

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What a great way to practice, Audrey. A zoom meeting with yourself. I do a lot of reading aloud as part of editing, so that part isn’t too intimidating, other than the occasional verbal stumble. Of course, my voice sounds different that it does inside my head. I think I sound like my cousin. Lol. Thanks so much for taking the time to listen and comment. I think there’s going to be a lot of audio in our writing future. 🙂 Have a wonderful day and Happy Writing.

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Thanks so much for listening, Sally. Considering how busy your days are, it’s much appreciated. It is interesting to hear each other voices, isn’t it? Naturally, I hear everyone’s “written voice” with an American Yankee accent, and I’m always tickled to hear the read thing! I had a lot of fun with this interview and Rebecca made it easy. And as I recall, you used to do some radio (?). I look forward to someday listening to you over the airwaves. ❤ Hugs.

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It does add such colour to a person and even though we have not met (yet) it definitely rounded out the image that I have for you..we are in the process of getting some of my already recorded short stories on to my channel on Youtube and then others have I have recorded for others.. eventually I would like to move quite a bit to audio to back up the blog.. we shall see but after 9 years I want to change things up a bit..♥♥

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Thank you Sally, for adding insights on this discussion of writing and publishing. As Klausbernd Vollmar noted in a previous post, to engage a broad range of readers writers have to be both a writer and a business person. I have been following “Smorgasbord” and am inspired by the support and encouragement you provide to the writing community. From stone tablets, to papyrus, to digitalization, to audible, writing continues to evolve in ways that surprise, delight and even shock. With gaming, reader-participants can change the story. But what remains ever present, the foundation that gives structure is the voice of the author. When authors read their books, magic happens. Listeners do not want to hear a perfect voice – they want authenticity. I am looking forward to listening in on Smorgasbord. I love the idea of “changing things up a bit”!!!! Always an adventure.

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What a wonderful podcast! So great to hear Diana’s “voice” on writing and publishing and feedback. We writers make ourselves so vulnerable when we share our stories. But yes, feedback is important, as well as self-confidence in believing in our words. Thank you Rebecca for interviewing Diana. Thank you Diana for sharing your words of writing wisdom.

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You’re very sweet to listen and comment, Pam. I’m glad you enjoyed this interview. It was great fun. I remember feeling incredibly vulnerable when I started freeing my writing into the world. Pins and needles and anxious and every comment was apt to have me dancing with joy or weeping with mortification. Thank goodness I developed thick calluses! Ha ha. And thank goodness for all the wonderful blog support. It really can keep up going. Write away, my friend! ❤ Hugs

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I loved hearing your voice, Diana! The joy you have for writing shone through your words. For feedback, I agree, it’s priceless. I count on my critique group to point out my errors and try not to get hurt feelings 🙂
Your writing is lyrical and flows beautifully, I’ve learned so much from your books ❤

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Awww. Thanks, Jacquie. Such a sweet thing to say. And I can honestly say that you’ve turned me into a romance fan. 🙂 Critique groups are amazing. I would never ever have learned this craft unless I’d been part of an incredibly active and dedicated writing group who were willing to teach me the ropes and guide my journey. Years later, they’re still good friends. And thanks for the comment about my writing. I’m touched. Have a lovely day and Happy Writing!

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I am delighted that you listened in, Teagan! Your support and encouragement of Tea Toast & Trivia podcast has been extraordinary. Thank you, my dear friend for your generous and compassionate spirit.

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Of course I listened to your interview, Teagan, as well as your reading. You made it look easy and gave me the courage to say “yes.” Thanks for the visit, my friend, and for taking the time to listen. So appreciated. I know you have your hands full with another release! Hang in there, my chuckaboo. 😀 ❤ Remember to breathe!

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Thanks for dropping by to listen, Jan. It was really fun to participate in this, my first podcast! Based on your recent post, it does seem like audio is the next step for authors and good for you for looking into the options! Rebecca and Don have invested time and talent and it’s exciting to be a part of the adventure. Happy Writing, my friend. 😀

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Thank you Diana, for your heartwarming comments. Don and I enjoyed our conversation and are thrilled that you were a guest on TTT. I agree, audio is the next step for authors to connect with readers. Have you noticed WordPress is linking blog posts to Anchor/Spotify podcast platforms? This is a brilliant innovation because of the ability to choose to speak in your voice or if you prefer, chose another voice. Exciting times. Looking forward to our next conversation! Sending hugs!

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Thank you so much for listening in and joining the discussion. I am now following your podcast on Spotify along with Annika’s Stories. Exciting to be able to follow you via a podcast!!! You have a marvelous voice and excellent content. Technology continues to offer significant and vital ways in which to connect across the miles!!!

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I’m delighted that you enjoyed the podcast, Liz. Like you, Diana’s insights and the follow-up conversation gave me a great deal to think about in the coming days. I continue to learn within this amazing blogging community. Many hugs!

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Thanks for taking the time to listen, Liz. I listened to your interview here to get the scope on how it was done. Rebecca makes it so easy, doesn’t she? I love listening or reading about other authors’ thoughts or processes. There are similarities, of course, but always opportunities for inspiration. A wonderful community. Happy Sunday, my friend, and have a wonderfully creative week. ❤

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I truly enjoyed this wonderful podcast, Rebecca. It was great to hear you and Diana discuss the many nuances of writing and publishing. So many great tips to ponder over – education and entertainment all in one.
Thank you! Lauren

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I am delighted that you listened in and joined the podcast conversation. I have learned a great deal from listening to Diana’s insights and experiences. The follow-up conversation has given me so much to consider. I continue to learn and learn and learn. Have a wonderful day!

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Lauren, and for taking the time to listen. I’m glad you found the podcast entertaining as well as informative. I can talk writing for hours without a problem. Lol. Rebecca made it fun and easy. Have a lovely week and Happy Writing!

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Marvelous interview, Diana and Rebecca. I was captivated throughout. Thank you for speaking from your heart and for offering us the jewels. Blessings to you both! 💗

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Thank you, Gwen for joining the conversation and your heartwarming comments. Diana’s insights gave me much to think about and the follow-up discussion has been revelatory to me. I continue to learn and learn and learn. Have a wonderful day – thank you for adding joy to mine.

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Thanks for dropping by, Gwen. I’m just tickled that you took the time and found the talke captivating. The questions were great, weren’t they? And I do enjoy talking from the heart. I seem to learn by doing things the wrong way first, so mistakes are always part of my journey, no matter what I undertake. Boy, does that every apply to writing. Have a wonderful week, and Happy Writing. ❤

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Thanks for listening, Debby. I know your days are super busy and stressful, so your visit is extra sweet. I’m delighted that you enjoyed the interview. I had a great time with Rebecca and Don. They are pros! Have a lovely week, my friend. I hope your hubby is doing better. Hugs to you both. ❤ ❤

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It’s delightful to hear your voice, Diana. Your voice is light and cheerful. When I listened, I could tell you were talking with a smile on your face. I agree with you that even a professional actor/actress may not read your book with your tone, your emotions, and expressions. But they read with their interpretations of your books. I could visualize you read your own books one of these days.

It was not a surprise to me when your publisher trimmed 60% of your first book, Diana. One person in my critique group said her book was trimmed 50% after the publisher read her manuscript. She also mentioned that in her case, the sequence of the events was re-ordered and reorganized. Having a critique partner with a good fit is almost like finding the right “date.” I’m in a group of 12 people with different personalities. When I send out my chapter or a piece to the group, people send their feedback by email to the individual before the Zoom meeting. One person would hit me in the head, almost like wanting to knock off my paper. He said he taught writing at the university. But there are others who give more constructive and detailed comments and suggestions and would say, “suggest to …” I always say to everyone, “Thank you for all the comments. I’ll revise it after getting all the feedback.” So if my revision doesn’t reflect on one person’s comment, he would assume that I might have responded to another person’s comment. As you said, Diana, constructive comments are valuable.

You have touched on so many points in reading and writing. I would love to respond to all of them, but I’d stop here.

Thank you, Rebecca. This interview is so great. It’s all meat. Please invite Diana to come back to give us some dessert! ❤ 🙂 ❤

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Thanks so much for listening and sharing your experience, Miriam. Twelve people is a big group and I’m glad you get some good feedback. One of the challenges with getting feedback is weeding through it and finding what works for your story. I make changes, but not every single one. Our writing has be reflect our voice and style or all our stories would sound alike! Yes, I did a ton of cutting on my first book and fortunately don’t have to do that anymore. What a learning process! Have a lovely afternoon, my friend, and Happy Writing!

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I love your voice, Diana! Eight people in this group have been writing and some are new people. This is one of the classes of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute for the retirees at a state university. I’ve been taking different classes since 2014. You’re right that our writing must reflect our voice and style.

I look forward to Nora’s birthday party this Saturday (leaving here on Thursday).

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I am delighted that you listened in, Miriam. You have added great depth and breadth to this conversation, especially in the area of feedback. I confess that I gasped when I heard the 50% and 60% cut from manuscripts. The time and effort, the dialogues and details swept away in a flash – YIKES! It takes courage to accept and embrace this kind of feedback.

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How lovely to meet you, Carol! Thank you for listening in and adding to the conversation. Diana’s voice comes through with authenticity and enthusiasm, a powerful combination. I appreciate your visit and heartwarming comments.

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I agree, Carol. Did you notice that Anchor/Spotify have connected with WordPress to convert digital words to voice. I hope that more bloggers use this connection. Authors reading their own books does indeed create a bigger picture.

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I really enjoyed this podcast. I felt like I was there sipping tea and listening! It was such a great interview…It was so good in fact, that I took notes! I firmly believe what Diana spoke about in terms of writing and putting your heart into it. She said that it is something you feel in your soul that you must do; you feel deeply compelled to tell your story. Wise words! So much wisdom here in terms of creativity and celebrating life to the fullest.

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I agree wholeheartedly, Linda. Diana has a marvelous gift of sharing knowledge and experience without holding back. Her honestly gives us the courage to explore our creative spirit. Thank you for listening in and adding to the conversation. Together, we learn! It is a good feeling!!

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Thank you for the wonderful comment, Linda. Writing is such a journey, isn’t it? I think many of us start off on a similar footing and learn lessons gradually through time and by making mistakes. Some of this can be book-learned or classroom-learned, but so much of it simply must be practiced… like that violin. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Happy Writing!

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Diana,
You have a lovely sounding, and expressive voice.
I’m sure an audiobook would work. It sounds like you’re headed in that direction.
The main take away is that you are in love with what you do.
Yes, the passion for writing is there. So are the other things related, like marketing, and all the bits that are involved with that.
This is a delightful podcast.
Thank you, Rebecca! It’s always sweet to drop by for a cup of tea podcast!

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Hi Resa – I’m still celebrating “An Evening with Picasso-esque” Did you know that Anchor/Spotify has connected with WordPress to transform words into voice. Not certain how that works yet, but just a thought for your great adventures.

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Thank you, Resa, for taking the time to listen. I can’t imagine how you squeezed in the time between designing gowns, working on film wardrobes, photographing art, and, of course, drawing fabulous images of Ms. Budd and friends. Lol. Yes, I love what I do, even though at times it’s not exactly “fun.” But that’s part of the journey too, isn’t it? Have a lovely day, my friend. Happy Creating!

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Well, I enjoy what Rebecca does. Her love of all of the arts, philosophy, history and the people behind all of that, dead an alive.
She’s a lovely spirit, and all of her guests are worthy of listening to.
Ah, the journey! Well, I’ve had a lot of time to think about things. I’m too, nervous to work in film during this pandemic. I do know some who have gotten Covid, in spite of all the precautions. One co-worker died from Covid a few days ago. Although, I have been doing some consulting from home.
I feel like I am on hold, in a way, and will emerge from all of this a new me.
I’ve been making a bit of $ from my art, and want to take that forward. If not now, when?
So there you go! I am emerged in a life of the arts, one way or another!
Okay, just took a break from cleaning the Art Gown room. The new Art Gown is finished, and I have 3 sunny days coming up to shoot it. Very exciting!
LOL, I also have an art commi$$ion to draw a Dracula.
I suppose I am a bit all over the place.
I’ve written 2 books, and 4 screenplays. My Norman says creativity is not a problem for me. Making money with it is.
Happy creating to you, too!

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Resa – you have articulated what we are all feeling when you said, “I feel like I am on hold, in a way, and will emerge from all of this as a new me.” When I look back at this time, I want to remember that I chose creativity, courage, community. Without doubt, Covid19 will change the way we envision life and the future. Thinking about your most recent post, I found this quote by Pablo Picasso: “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.”

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I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. 😦 This has been such a challenging and sad year for so many people in so many ways. But this pandemic will come to an end. I’m glad your cocoon is preparing to open and wish you beautiful wings. I have no doubt your creativity will flourish. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the $ part, it’s that perseverance and energy for the long haul is essential. You’re all set!

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Rebecca, how wonderful to listen to you and Diana on your podcast! 😀 Your questions are always full of wisdom, reflecting on the art of writing as well as crafts and creativity in our lives and ultimately how we are all touched by each other through our creative endeavour.

Diana, it’s fantastic to hear you! 😀 After knowing you so many years on WP, through your books, it almost felt as I was partaking in your in-depth converstaion. Did you hear me adding my thoughts!?😀

I agree wholeheartedly with your thoughts on feedback, the importance of constructive criticism rather than a vague great / not too bad/ dreadful. One can learn so much from these comments and I can see you fully embrace the comments, taking on board and then deciding which works best for you.

Ahhh … I am not surprised that you write in large chunks and become fully absorbed in your new fiction and fantasy worlds – it feels just so when reading your books and I had to smile that you felt as if your were transcribing the scenes! Moments of pure magic within writing and that alone is one reason never to stop.

You have an incredible legacy of books for people to enjoy now, more to come I know and they will live on for a long time, gaining new readers all the time.

Happy Writing, my dear friend!

Warmest wishes to you both. hugs xx ❤️

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Thank you for listening and for the wonderful comment, Annika. I love hearing everyone’s voice too, rarely what I expect, but always a delight. I think seeking pointed criticism is the fastest way to grow as an author, but it takes some stepping back from our feelings and joining in with an inquisitive eye. 🙂 Not for the faint of heart! Yes, large chunks of time. My best writing is in ten to twelve hour stints! I have to be careful to eat and drink water or I’d shrivel up! I hope you’re enjoying your new writing room. Have a lovely week, my friend. Hugs.

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I am delighted that you listened in, Annika. Thank you for adding depth and breadth to this conversation and for your encouragement of TTT. I am thrilled that Diana will be coming back for a “Authors Reading Their Books” podcast. Congratulations on your latest post that you transitioned into a Podcast. This is exciting news. It brings your stories to life in voice. I look forward to listening in to your future podcasts!! Hugs!

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Rebecca, thank you for listening to my first ever podcast; a delight to compile with Anchor and I look forward to making more over the year featuring stories from my blog! Here’s to stories everywhere … there can never be too many! 😀

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Wow, Diana — how nice to get a new sense of you by hearing your words from your mouth instead of your keyboard for a change! Lovely discussion — please do more! I so enjoy hearing your thoughts on storytelling.

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I am delighted your listened in to Diana’s conversation, Sean. Diana will be coming back in future to read from her book, Liars & Thieves. Thank you for your comments and for adding to the discussion. Very much appreciated

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Isn’t it strange to hear someone’s voice? I notice it most with accents. I assume everyone has an American Yankee accent until I hear them and say, “Oh!” Ha ha. It was so fun to do this podcast with Rebecca. She makes it completely painless, and her techie Don removes all the glitches and stumbles and coughs. I love talking about writing and creativity, and publishing and they are wonderful hosts. Thanks so much for listening! Happy Spring.

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