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A Writer's Journey & How She Did It

 

"Writing is telling. But showing is more impactful."

 

 

 

HOW HER JOURNEY BEGAN

Roxanne Henke grew up in a small town in North Dakota (pop. 900) where, she said, "the closest stoplight was a hundred miles away." That small-town vibe is a major character in her eight novels.

Roxy was always an avid reader and loved to write. In high school she wrote a poem about the Vietnam War. Her teacher said it brought tears to her eyes, and she should get it published.

She loved to write letters. She wrote silly poems for her friends. She later wrote a humor column for a local newspaper and a speech for her small-town mayor. Each of these things taught her valuable lessons — about newspaper deadlines, about how to write in the speaker's voice and more.

She learned that "writing is telling, but showing is more impactful — it brings characters to life," she said. "A writer can capture the reader by opening the story on a day when something is different."

 

BOOKS, SUBMISSIONS AND REJECTIONS

"My first book was really hard," Roxy said. "I was plagued by self-doubt.

"I soon learned to research publishers' submission guidelines and how to write a query to an editor," she said. "A query typically requires a one-sentence summary of the book, why you are uniquely qualified to write it and 15 sample pages.

"Most often you'll get rejections. There are 'good' rejections, such as a hand-written, encouraging note I once got from an editor. And 'bad' rejections, like the one that said, 'You need to learn the craft of writing.' That was devastating!"

 

THE ROCKY ROAD TO PUBLICATION

After an arduous search for a publisher for her first book, she connected with one that gave her a contract for two books. After that she hired an agent who could do much of the legwork for her to find an interested publisher.

Roxy faced several hurdles in her quest for publication. She learned that editors often don't tell the author what's good about the book, they just say what needs work. The publisher's marketing department might change the title, or actually nix the book. And the art department, responsible for covers, doesn't necessarily read the book for inspiration. It's all about what sells.

And then, there are the lawyers. In one manuscript Roxy had written a quote for Oprah Winfrey. The lawyers wouldn't let it stand, so she had to reframe it as something her character thought Oprah might say.

 

THE BEST PART

"My favorite part of writing novels is getting mail from readers," Roxy said. "I have all the paper letters I've ever received.

"My first book was about a friend who had breast cancer. Although it was fiction, I drew a lot from my real-life experience. Readers wrote to me about how the book had helped them deal with their own journeys with cancer.

"The most feedback I received was for a novel that dealt with depression. Readers wrote about how the book had helped them and their families deal with it. Readers said it had given them peace and more understanding."

 

ABOUT ROXY

Terravita resident Roxanne Henke is a former Writer of the Year at the Mt. Hermon Writers Conference. She has appeared on bestseller lists, received national awards and now works as a writing coach and editor. After Anne was named Christianbook.com's Favorite Book of 2002.

Her stories center on women as they struggle with the mundane challenges that nearly everyone must face at some point in their lives: growing older, helping a friend cope with cancer, fighting to overcome depression and searching for contentment and peace. Her books are available on Amazon.

If you're just starting out, she says, "check out The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman — it's the best resource for beginning writers."

Roxy was the featured presenter at TAL's forum for members on March 10.

 

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