Success Story Interview - Lisa Lueddecke

An Interview with Lisa Lueddecke (lisa42590 on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Silvia Molteni of Peters Fraser & Dunlop.

03/02/2016

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Lisa Lueddecke:
It's a fantasy set somewhere very cold. I lived in Iceland for two years and then most of my life in Maine, so being cold is a part of who I am.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Lisa Lueddecke:
I was about seven, maybe eight, when I wrote my first story. It was terrible, but we all have to start somewhere.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Lisa Lueddecke:
I started writing it in 2014, but I loved the concept so much and my life was so busy that I put off working on it until the following year. Sometimes you just might not be in the right place to tell a certain story.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Lisa Lueddecke:
There were times when I took breaks from working on it, but I wouldn't say I ever wanted to give up. I've wanted to give up on other stories, though, but then I'd spend some time reminding myself that being a writer is what I'd always wanted. To be honest, this story came quite easily once I buckled down and focused on it.

QT: Is this your first book?

Lisa Lueddecke:
No, I want to say it's somewhere around my fourth book.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Lisa Lueddecke:
I'm partway through a degree in English, but that's all.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Lisa Lueddecke:
No. I do it whenever the mood strikes me, which is most days and times when I'm doing something else and can't write. Generally speaking, my best time to write is early in the morning with my first cup of coffee.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Lisa Lueddecke:
I wrote different sections at different times and edited those sections out of order, and then again after someone else read it. I don't have an exact number since it was not terribly organized, though.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Lisa Lueddecke:
I wrote the first half of it from the hip, but then it sort of got away from me, so I had to take a step back and come up with a plan for the rest of it.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Lisa Lueddecke:
I know everyone says this, but don't give up. Honestly. Read a ton of books. Practice writing. Be professional.