For my
previous two novels it took me upwards of four to five years to complete the
manuscripts. Often I would work on one
section, perhaps later in the story, then jump to a section earlier. But for "Perfected By Girls" I
wrote from page one all the way through page three-ten without jumping around,
and I was able to complete everything in just over two years. I credit this change primarily to my
two-person Sunday morning writing group, which forced me to have new material
every week, and the fact that I had a very specific plotline in mind right from
the start.
That's great about the writing group and being willing to try different ways of writing a story. What are
you writing now or have forthcoming?
I've been
working on my novels for a number of years now, so I'm actually going back to
the short stories and novellas I wrote a decade or two ago. Some I want to polish; others I'm thinking of
expanding into longer pieces. When I
return to novels, since I've always been curious about the 1950s and 60s, I may
set my next one in either of those two decades with a coming-of-age tale.
The 1950s and 60s are an interesting time period. Good luck with your future novels. I always
find it interesting to learn what other authors are reading. If you could
recommend a book—not your own—what book would that be?
On a daily
basis, I read a lot--but much of it is in the way of political and news
articles. I enjoy the limited space that
reporters and essayists have to make an argument, or explain an issue, so it
still helps me learn how to be a better writer by examining how he or she turns
a phrase or uses certain vocabulary.
That's an neat way to look at articles. I wish you much success in your future endeavors.
For more about Alfred C. Martino, please visit his author page on Amazon.