I met Joy Held when she’d been my editor for earlier editions of my paranormal romance novels Angels Among Us and Sacred Fires. We’ve made contact recently through an online chapter of romance writers. I have taken her wellness workshop for writers and thoroughly enjoyed it. Her encouragement and inspiration truly motivated me in my own writing career. I also took her online yoga classes. It’s my pleasure to introduce Joy Held, published author, editor, writing coach, and yogi, and her books.
1. Why did you become a writer?
My parents and relatives were teachers and readers.
I grew up surrounded by books. I had a natural curiosity about words and
reading and writing from an early age. They made sense to me. My dad
moved us around quite a bit, but our homes were generally in rural
areas which meant that the weekly public library trips were a major
event as was the monthly delivery of the Double Day Book Club. I could
hardly wait to open the boxes. When other ten-year-olds were asking
their mothers where babies come from, I asked my mom where books
come from. After learning about how books are born from writers, I
made up my mind to become one.
2. What inspired you to write the book The Writer Wellness?
Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity (Headline Books, Inc., 2020) was inspired by some members of the critique group I worked with in the eighties. They asked me how I did me, as in how I worked part-time, home schooled my daughters, and published on a regular basis. My first response was that I would have to get back to them, which I did after thirty days of documenting my life practices. The resulting areas of journaling, exercise, meditation, healthy eating,
and creative noodling around became key concepts of a workshop and book(s). There is now a workbook and guided journal to accompany the main publication.
3. What inspired you to write The Mermaid Riot?
I’ve never been a mermaid fanatic, appreciate them, yes, but when I happened to catch a tweet about a 19 th century legend popular in Charleston, SC, my curiosity was challenged. I generally read and write historical romance, and the juxtaposition of mermaids and history got my attention. I did the initial reconnaissance and discovered a fascinating story reported in the newspapers that happened after the U.S. Civil War ended. Severe storms deluged Charleston for several days, and people had heard a rumor that a doctor had allegedly captured and was holding a mermaid in his house. The people believed that the bad weather was the result of holding the mermaid against her will. It fascinated me on several levels: historical, fantastical, and emotional.
4. How did you first get published?
My first “publication” experience was being self-published way before it was as frequent as it is today. I was twelve years old, my mother had a hand-cranked mimeograph machine, and I started a neighborhood newspaper. I knocked on neighbors’ doors (it was okay in those innocent suburban days) and asked for news and tips. The Durham Heights News was my first published work.
From there I progressed to writing for school newspapers then a local weekly newspaper asked me to write a column about events at my junior high school. First paycheck and byline. Hooked me forever. I’ve written a couple of blogs about my writing journey.
5. What are you working on now?
My current project is a series of writing books for students in grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12.
6. Can you describe your writing process?
My writing process is very linear and inspiration based. I don’t have any problem coming up with ideas, but I have to be super obsessed with one in order to follow through with it. My process is to receive an idea, journal about it, make lists, research, make more lists, then allow myself to be taken away by the idea. I’m drawn to character-driven plots. I use index cards on a huge storyboard then progress to writing a lengthy outline which I follow pretty closely once I am writing.
For nonfiction, I create the Table of Contents first and that serves as my outline.
7. What writing organizations do you belong to?
I belong to The Authors Guild and The Society for Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators.
8. Where are your books available?
My books are available on major online retailers as well my publisher’s websites.
The Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity
9. Anything else that you care to tell about your writing or yourself?
I’m also the founder and the creator of My WriteDay for writers and
readers. It’s a bi-monthly subscription box that contains a writing craft
book and other items such as office supplies, snacks, décor, and more.
The products are mostly sourced from makers in my home state of West
Virginia and other writers who are also crafters.
Thanks so much for this interview, Catherine.
Be well, write well! ~Joy
“Women with clean houses do not have finished books.” ~JEH
For more information
on Joy Held, please go to her website using the link for her name.
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