Heidi Hood

BIW Member Interview

Heidi Hood lives an hour southwest of San Antonio with her husband Floyd, their “kid,” a German Shepherd named Penny and two cats. She works as a staff writer for the local newspaper and spends too much time reading.

Moe: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Heidi Hood: I don’t know if there was ever a defining moment I knew I wanted to be a writer. I always wrote, I have examples from early elementary years, but the actual process sort of just happened. I liked the writing classes in high school and college so I took them; thought keeping a journal was neat so I did; and eventually it became an intricate part of everything in my life. So, really, by the time I actually allowed myself the label “writer,” I had been one for quite some time.

Moe: Describe three lessons you have learned about writing so far?

Heidi Hood: Biggest, best, hardest lesson I ever learned was to write, all the time, even when you don’t want to… write, write, write. I think that is the advice I have heard more than any other.

Second lesson; read, read, read… first lesson practice, second lesson study. And don’t just stick to one genre or one type, read everything and anything. It is amazing what I have learned by picking up something I would never consider reading.

Third lesson is that you will write horrible stuff, there will be ideas that are stupid, there will be days and sometimes weeks that nothing of worth will pour forth, but always on the other side of those valleys are great highs… and sometimes the lowest point means the highest point is soon coming. Cliché sounding perhaps, but true, at least for me.

Moe: What are you working on now?

Heidi Hood: I am in the midst of a project that I have carried around for years but I have always been hesitant to begin because I want it to be good, really, really good. I have finally started it, a fictional, novel length piece that is simply about growing up, but growing up with a darkness, a perception of pessimism and disjointed reality. Dark, depressing, and not at all what I usual tackle… we’ll see.

Moe: Do you have a favorite writing related book?

Heidi Hood: One? Yeah, probably my favorite is Deena Metzger, Writing for Your Life. It is interesting and insightful and there were parts that really made me think.

Moe: What is your favorite writing website?

Heidi Hood: The BIW Web site, of course but for fictional writing I really enjoy BBC Get Writing.

Moe: Do you have an important BIW tip you’d like to pass along?

Heidi Hood: Warn your entire family that you will be writing for the week, and if possible, plan out the entire week so you can fit in all those little chores, but writing as well… and really, those dishes can wait just a couple more hours, can’t they? Oh, and always put your number with your daily check-in to Admin.