Most recently capturing 19th century America’s struggles in the time-travel historical fiction story Abbey’s Journey: A Long Trail Home, Glida has written screenplays, short stories, flash fiction (including participating in Fiction 101), and memoirs.
Do you have a writing routine? Where and when do you write?
No routine, but I like to write in the morning. I write whenever I have an idea that needs to be put on the page, or when I can motivate myself to start. I write in my “office” — a space in our sunroom. But with my laptop, I can write anywhere. Sometimes I like to write in longhand as it helps me with the flow.
What do you do when you hit a wall with your writing?
Sometimes, I give up for a while and read other authors or go dig in the dirt in my garden. I also will watch classic movies with a good story and great dialogue which helps my creative process and gives me ideas.
Do you plan what you’ll write beforehand, or jump in and analyze later, or something else entirely?
I spend time alone in the mornings thinking of my ideas and stories. I will ponder an idea for a story, or a problem with a story I have written. I like to work on dialogue or to rework the words and plot in my head. Then, later, but not long afterward, I will write it down.
What’s the last book you read that made you go “wow!”?
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
What book or author do you often find yourself recommending and why?
On Writing by Stephen King. I think it is one of the best books on writing. I especially like that he says not to write to impress anyone or to make money, but to write for the joy it gives you. Of course, he can say that! 🙂
What’s on your To Be Read pile?
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
What author, past or present, would you wish to have a long conversation with?
Mary Hallock Foote
Do you have early memories of reading or writing you’d like to share?
As a child, I read a book about a doll who went on the Oregon Trail with a little girl. The story ignited my fascination with that period of history. I also read Gone with the Wind in a reading class in high school [via] a machine which highlighted a few lines with a bar of light that could be sped up or slowed down. It’s the only way I would have read such a large book! One of my favorites.
What do you most enjoy about being a writer? What do you least enjoy about being a writer?
I enjoy getting lost in my stories and make people and situations come to live. One time what I wrote made me cry. Research is enjoyable, but it can be tedious, and I get lost in the facts. I dislike the publishing process.
What would you tell a new writer?
Write what you are passionate about. Be brave and bold. Set a goal and work hard at it. Write voraciously. Write, write, write, and keep writing.
Also, take classes and read, read, read. Join a critique group. Enter writing contests and know that deadlines are your friend.
What might people be surprised to know about you?
I was a candidate for mayor and the Idaho Legislature, but never elected; and a lobbyist for the Idaho Library Association. Also, I coached the winning team for a women’s tricycle race at Indiana University.
More about Glida Bothwell:
- Read our post, Time Travel to the Frontier, on her recently-published book, Abbey’s Journey: A Long Trail Home
- Her Amazon Author’s Page