Spotlight Sunday with C.R. Moss

How did you start your writing career?

I’ve been working toward a career in writing for as long as I can remember. I had been creating stories since I started to read, but the thought of writing for a living solidified when I was in middle school and received an A in English. I looked at the grade and that’s when my life was defined. I realized I could do it. From that point on, I put pen to paper to get my thoughts down and made sure to take classes appropriate to learning and honing the craft. I was on the middle school newspaper/creative writing committee, did Creative Writing and Drama in high school and participated in a couple of Fine Arts competitions for writing, then took Creative Writing in college, too. My BA from Rutgers College stems from a concentration of courses in Communications and English. I’ve even taken a couple of novel writing workshops where I was mentored one-on-one by a Kensington author. Now, there are the classes at conventions, conferences and meetings at the local RWA chapter that I attend, which helps to keep me writing. So, yeah, it’s been in my blood a long, long time.

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

I check email, do promotion stuff. I'd love to write during the day, but I get tripped up with the promotion and marketing aspect of writing and other stuff. I end up writing at night, which is all right. The house and world is quiet and that makes it great for concentration.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

My crit partners will do either depending upon what I need. I belong to a crit group of eight people, three of which are my core go-to people and one of the three is an editor which is a boon.

Does your significant other read your stuff?

He does once in a while. One time he read one of my creepy stories and said he wonders where my mind goes sometimes. But he loves me anyway.

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?

For all wannabe authors—learn the craft. This means grammar, characterization, plot, etc., all the good things that go into a story. You might be able to ‘tell’ a good story, but if you can’t write it by showing what the characters are doing/feeling and making it read well, your story won’t be the best it can be. Get involved in a critique partnership/group. Learn the non-creative side of the business as well. Be prepared. 

Happy Reading!
C.R. Moss ~ www.crmoss.net
Coming Soon to Decadent Publishing ~ Sunset Desires