W-Women Globally

written by krrobi, published at skirt.com

{And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.}

—Sylvia Plath

One of my favorite things to do is explore the web for attention-grabbing women’s sites, especially if the site involves delectable writing contests and remarkable women. This is precisely how I fell upon the talented, prolific writer, Dody Williams.

I read her Winning Submission / “Pink Slip” from Memoir Ink, and I wrote

to her immediately expressing my sediments:

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love this unpredictable, beautiful story!”

You see, I go a little overboard when I find something or someone I love.

And then one of Dody’s essays won a contest on Skirt…and then her story, “The Locket” won second place on Memoir Ink…and then she was honored with first place on Scratch with her extraordinary story, “Betrothed.” (Summer Contest Winners, 2009

After that, I had enough. ENOUGH. I facebooked (cuz I love facebookin’) her exclaiming, “Hey Dody, you just keep winning these contests! Can I interview you so you can share some of your secrets with other writers?”

Of course, she said “Yes!” And here is the lovely, fascinating, inexhaustible Dody in her own words.

Kim—Dody, what sort of uniqueness are the judges are searching for as they skim through hundreds of submissions? I mean, out of one hundred entries, what makes one stand out more than another?

Dody—While I do not know the specific criteria used in judging a contest, the initial sentences of a winning submission are crucial. It seems to be a rule of thumb that a writer needs to ‘grab’ their audience from the beginning of a story. I feel very certain the first piece I ever had published was chosen partially because the title was so perfect: “The Zen of Pie Dough.” The magazine used it for the November edition and it was accompanied by a lovely black and white photo of a flour sifter and pie plate.

If I would’ve called it “How I Learned to Make Pie Dough,” it would never have been chosen. So, the moral of this story is, think carefully about your title and opening sentences.

K.—Do you have a formula you follow; for example, a theme or thread in which you interlace throughout your stories?

Dody—I’m not a formula writer. I write almost as if I am hearing the words spoken to me over my shoulder. While I may have an end in mind, I never have the middle.

Writing is an amazing experience; it is true when authors say the characters lead the way. I think I am very strong at capturing a child’s voice. I also prefer first person, even though one of my favorite stories is written in a kind of detached third person. Three of my published pieces are written from the perspective of a child.

Kim —Here’s what the judge, Patti Callahan Henry, said about your winning story, “Betrothed:”

“This story has what all great stories should have: an intriguing opening that makes the reader want to know more. The story takes us back and forth in time, building tension with each forward movement, and then taking us backward toward the meaning of his regret. The author builds a world around his themes and then allows the reader to go with him to the very end.”

Is this process deliberate or did this judge make you more aware of your own brilliance?

Dody—Oh! Wow, I wouldn’t say I am brilliant. Far from it. Sometimes writing is such a struggle. This story really did sort of build upon itself. Initially – it was twice as long and the dialogue was saccharine sweet. I wrote the first draft about five years ago, workshopped it twice, put it away for four years and when I took it out again, I saw all these glaring clichés.

I put it on a diet! (I like that, Dody!!!)

I whacked away at all the extra, sticky stuff weighing it down, especially the dialogue. It is really important for dialogue to sound realistic.

Kim—I have always written to express myself; it is how I breathe. Tell us what writing has done for you physically, spiritually, emotionally, and creatively.

Dody—My writing story is kind of a tale of the child who touched the hot stove. I wrote as far back as fourth grade, when I wrote a 20 page novel called “The Mystery of Blackberry Hill” I read Nancy Drew stories and wanted to be Carolyn Keene. I also read the short stories in Ingenue Magazine and other popular teenage magazines back in the day when they actually featured short stories (now everyone will know I am no spring chicken!) and I tried to mimic them.

In junior high, I wrote a short story for an English assignment. The teacher did not grade my story, however. Instead she wrote “Did you really write this?” (With red ink) I was crushed that she would accuse me of plagiarism.

It really shows how important teachers can be in forming our adult potential. It completely immobilized me for a time, but I continued writing privately my whole life.

I started work on my Master’s degree and took a class called “Writing for Readers,” and I’ve never looked back! Since coming out of the writing closet, so to speak, I have felt liberated and incredibly JOYFUL.

I am the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.

Kim—Who are your greatest influences as a writer?

Dody—Rumer Godden and Margaret Atwell. If I could write as prolifically and magically as these two women, I could die completely satisfied.

Kim—I have heard that some writers read poetry or listen to music to find their muse before getting down to business. For instance, Natalie Goldberg read from her favorite book “Ballad of the Sad Café,” Colette picked fleas from her cat, Edgar Allen Poe wrote with a cat on his shoulder, and Friedrich von Schiller inhaled rotten apples! How about you, Dody

Dody—I have to write in the morning. I am always eager to write when I am reading a good book. In fact, I find I write more if I am reading a lot at the time. I especially love to write in two specific places: Sitting on my daughter’s bed when she is away at college or in the summer months, my front porch. Our house is a big, old Queen Anne clapboard house in the South with a huge wraparound porch. Our street is fairly busy, but I love to sit on my wicker glider and write and write.

Kim—Tell us three things we need to know before sending in our submission for possible publication.

Dody—1. If you are sending to a literary magazine or other publication – be sure to read other editions of the same magazine. A sweet story about a little girl and her kitten will not work in a publication that usually publishes gritty stories about people who hitch hike and drink long necks.

2. Keep a detailed submission log. Remember, it is a long shot, but that is okay. Nothing in life is easy. And it is worth the risk. Plus, it is a safe, quiet kind of risk. I went on a major submission spree in 2007. Some of it won’t bear fruit until next June! I was rejected and still am rejected A LOT! But, I keep trying.

3. Have a wide variety of submissions ready to send out so that your most beautiful piece of writing isn’t held hostage for nine months. Be sure you are willing to have your piece appear in an online journal versus hard print. Once it is online, you won’t be able to submit it again (First publication rights and all that rot.)

I do think I will self publish a book of all my published pieces someday just to leave my descendants!

Kim—One last question: As a writer and human being, what do you want to offer the world?

Dody—Oh, goodness – you saved the hardest question for last. As a human being, I want to be considered a kind person. I hope to facilitate a smoothing of some of the rough edges that seem to be so prevalent in our discourse these days. I really do try to be a good person.

As a writer, simply put:

,,,I would like to leave little bits of my soul behind in each piece I write.