BIW Member Interview
Montgomery Sword is a first-time NANOWRIMO winner for 2007. My current concentration is Standwood Station GA Chronicles, a milieu collection of poetry, novels, and short stories set in a tiny but essentially spooky Georgia railroad & farming community. She’s proud to be a part of the A-1 Writing Academy on WDC–almost two years strong!
Moe: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Montgomery Sword: As soon as I learned to read — at an early age — I’ve devoured books and tried to write since early childhood. Reading (and writing) has long been the salvation of my sanity.
Moe: Describe three lessons you have learned about writing?
Montgomery Sword: I CAN write. I finished Nanowrimo for the first time in 2007, on my second try. I write short stories, poetry, and have at least 4 more novels-in-progress.
I’m not happy when I’m not writing (and reading). My mental and emotional stability depends on attention to expressing my Creative Muse.
WRITE-WRITE-WRITE. Leave the Internal Editor behind: there’ll be plenty of time for her later! In the meantime, let that creativity flow from mind and spirit to page or monitor screen.
Moe: What are you working on now?
Montgomery Sword: I’m deeply invested in a collection of poetry, short stories, and novels entitled The Standwood Station GA Chronicles. Standwood Station GA is a “mythical” tiny Georgia farm and railway community where the supernatural, the spooky, and the evil are prominent. Although fictionalized, almost everything I’m writing is based on either historical hearsay or personal experiences. (Yes, Virginia: there really is a community and regional area on which I’ve based Standwood Station.) Other than that, I have two historical novels which are awaiting completion. Both are historical horror-dark fantasy; and my 2007 Nanowrimo novel, a historical YA supernatural, is awaiting my editing touch.
Moe: Do you have a favorite writing related book?
Montgomery Sword: At this point, Jack Bickham’s Scene and Structure.
Moe: What is your favorite writing website?
Montgomery Sword: Writing.com. I’ve been a member here for almost ten months, and I literally spend almost all my online time at this site, reviewing, reading, critiquing, and teaching online writing classes at A-1 Writing Academy.
Moe: Do you have an important BIW tip you’d like to pass along?
Montgomery Sword: As is encouraged in Nanowrimo, FORGET your Internal Editor and just WRITE-WRITE-WRITE. Live off the microwave and the coffeepot, ignore socialization. Just get those words on the page. You can worry later whether you’ve written part of the great American novel or something atrocious. Just the act of writing and persisting in writing frees up your muse.
Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself and your writing.
Scene and Structure seems to be a popular writing book for BIW writers. I even have it on my shelf.
Best wishes,
Great to meet you!
I’ve noticed that it seems to be the same for most writers… It’s(writing) a very intricate and important part of ourselves as a whole. I don’t know where I’d be without it myself.
Very intersting interview. I personally can not wait for the Georgia collection. And even though I might be a little biased since I am your daughter- I think you are a great author.