Friday Feature: Journeys Toward Publication and Beyond: Paul Greci

Paul Greci really is a Northwriter. He blogs about living in Alaska, running in sub-zero weather, walking on a treadmill while writing, and seeing very cool cold weather phenomenon. He is an exceptionally creative and supportive writer, and a very respectful member of the writing blogosphere. His blog posts always contain elements of eye candy and food for thought. Okay, seriously, if you haven't yet clicked through to any of those links, go visit his blog--you won't be disappointed.

Paul Greci taught English in a Day Treatment School for fifteen years in Fairbanks, Alaska. He has also worked as a field biologist in remote parts of Alaska, and has led backpacking trips for teenagers. He enjoys sea kayaking, hiking, gardening, and long distance running as well as reading, cooking and writing. Now he is writing full-time and is represented by Jennifer DeChiara.

Welcome, Paul! It's great to have you here for the interview! Tell us--what are you currently working on?

I’m working on a young adult novel. It’s an adventure/survival story set on a remote Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

I imagine it would take a bit of gumption to survive on a remote island in Alaska. Sounds interesting! What made you start to write seriously?

I think my path to writing seriously was very gradual with a big leap at the end. I’ve been writing off and on for a long time. In college I wrote poetry and had a couple of poems published in a small literary magazine. After college I wrote some really horrible short stories. I always kept a journal of wilderness trips I’d been on.

I completed my first novel, which took about four years of very part-time writing, in 2006. I’d set it down and not come back to it for several months at a time.

When I started my second novel (fall 2006) I wrote almost every day, before and after work, and had a draft completed in a four months. I really enjoyed the process of being totally immersed in the story. I took a creative writing class (Spring 2007) and went to a writers conference (summer 2007). Then I had an idea for another book and decided to just go for it. So, I resigned from my job in August 2007 and wrote Placement. Here’s a short blurb about it:

PLACEMENT is a story about a bright but angry fifteen year-old boy stuck in two systems—special education and social services—and his quest to rise out of both of them.

Fifteen year-old Chad Carson just wants to be treated like a normal person but has been in Special Education for behavior problems since third grade and has lived his entire life with his alcoholic mother and her series of abusive boyfriends. When Chad threatens an obnoxious Teacher’s Aide he knows he’ll get suspended but doesn’t anticipate a referral to the Spruce Grove Academy—a program for the Baker, Michigan School District’s rejects. At Spruce Grove, Chad presumes he’s sunk to the bottom of the teenage hell-pit, but then his mother and her boyfriend are arrested and Chad is placed in an emergency shelter. In Chad’s twisted journey to normalcy he learns from the old and homeless, challenges the professionals, and finally stands on his own in a place he never expected to be and with a person he never expected to love.

Paul--I know this is a tough question, but, if you had to pick one favorite blog, what would it be?

There are lots of awesome blogs out there but if I was only allowed to read one blog a day I’d read Betsy Lerner’s Blog. She’s an agent who used to be an editor, and she is also a writer so she’s a three for one deal in-terms-of perspective on writing and publishing. And most important, she’s really funny!!

What is a favorite blog post that you have written?

What I’ve enjoyed most about my blog is matching photos and illustrations to the writing. If I had to choose one post it would be Moose on the Loose.

Paul--it's clear that you are wonderful at mirroring words with images on your blog. Tell us, what online resources have you found most helpful?

There are so many great resources. If I had to choose one I’d pick Jessica Faust’s blog. When I was querying I read her blog daily. Also, I found a subscription to Publishers Market Place to be a great tool for agent, editor, and author research.

What has been your biggest trial in writing?

There are so many trials both long and short term and they change over time.

After I wrote my first book, I had no idea if I’d ever have another idea for another book. So, wanting to write, or wanting to try to be a writer was a huge trial because I didn’t have anything to write about. Many months later, I was at an education conference, and got an idea for another book.

Right now my biggest trial is concentrating on my current WIP while Placement is out on submission.

I know the feeling of stressing out about getting that next big idea. What tricks have you acquired to make you write or create when you don’t feel up to writing?

When I resigned from my teaching job to write full-time I made writing my job. Luckily, in my two and a half years of full-time writing I haven’t had too many days when I didn’t feel up to writing.

I definitely have days when I feel that what I’ve written is horrible, but I tell myself that it’s a process and that I had to write those pages in order to write whatever is going to come next.

Oh! I’ve just discovered my trick: There are no short-cuts!

Sometimes, don't we all wish there was a short cut? Oh, well. Paul, please share with us how you connected with your agent, and how writing changed (or didn't change) for you after that point.

I connected with my agent, Jennifer DeChiara, through a cold query. I knew who Jennifer was because I’d met an agent, Steve Fraser, at a conference, who works with her. I also have a friend, Carol Lynch Williams, who is represented by Steve. And, I had used a couple of books in my classroom written by two of Jennifer’s clients. I didn’t mention any of this in my query letter.

When I queried my first book, I had a couple referrals and had met a couple of agents at a conference and everything turned into rejections. I realized that more than anything an agent really has to connect with the writing. So instead of crowding my query letter with people I knew who knew her, I focused on the story and my background.

I met Jennifer when I was in NYC over the holidays and we had a great meeting. Having her as as my agent has changed my writing in the sense that I know she will do all she can to find my writing a home. I don’t feel as isolated as I did before I signed with her.

Tell us about a book that has impacted your writing life.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson. In Twisted I was struck by Laurie’s use of short, powerful, chapters sprinkled throughout the book. I think reading it helped free me up to follow my voice, to go with my instincts.

In terms of craft books, I’ve found Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass to be very helpful during revisions.

What is your practical goal with your writing? Do you have a reach-for-the-stars goal that you would like to share?

I want to write the best books that I can. If those books are published I hope they are attractive to both reluctant and voracious readers. And, I hope my books ring true on an emotional level.

So far, what has been the best part of your writing experience?

The best part of my writing experience has been writing Placement. Taking a book that I twice thought was finished and revising it and making it better. When Jennifer offered me representation, she said that there was nothing plot or character related that I needed to do to the book before she submits it, and she is an editorial agent.

As a writer, it was satisfying to know that I’d taken an idea and turned it into a book that just needed some light editing before submission. That’s not to say that it won’t go through some edits if I am fortunate enough to secure a book deal.

Wow--that's wonderful, that your book was so polished when you queried your agent. Definitely something to shoot for! Do you have any advice for other writers?

To follow your dreams and to know that at any given moment, whether it’s difficult or easy, you are right where you need to be. Don’t give up.

Great advice, Paul! Thanks again for doing the interview! Everyone, please make Paul feel welcome by leaving him a comment or question in the comment section. He'll be stopping by today (when it's a decent hour in Alaska!) to answer them.