Transcript of Interview with Vic DiGenti on 11-11-03

Marsha: I'm speaking with Victor DiGenti, who is the former producer of the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, but along the way, he's worked as a radio announcer, produced award-winning TV documentaries, written a regular column for a community newspaper, and now works as the executive director of a feral cat rescue group. He and his wife, Evanne, have six cats and live in Northeast Florida.

Vic has just published the adventure/fantasy novel, Windrusher, the story of a street smart cat on an epic quest and the adventure of a lifetime. Vic, how did you get started writing?

Vic: As with most writers, I feel I was born to write. I firmly believe each of us is blessed with resources and talents that define us as individuals and provide the spark of our existence. When we ignore or deny these talents we're left feeling unfulfilled and discomforted, although we may not realize what causes it. This is why writing has been a way of life with me since my youth. I remember entering an essay competition when I was thirteen or so and coming in second. What a rush! I also wrote "cutesy" stories for my 7th grade English class that brought some laughs from my fellow students, although the teacher wasn't quite as thrilled with my talents. Later I was sports editor for my high school newspaper staff. I tried my hand at short stories early on, without much success, but also freelanced, wrote a regular column for a community newspaper and wrote as part of my many jobs in public broadcasting-writing scripts, news releases, promos, etc.

Marsha: Fascinating! You've done a lot of writing in the course of your employment, then. What pivotal moment made you decide to write a novel for publication?

Vic: The genesis of Windrusher actually came from several sources. First, we have had cats for many years, going from one cat I rescued over 15 years ago, until today we have (or more to the point-they have us) six. They are fascinating creatures, no two alike, and their antics provided the source for a number of my newspaper columns. These never failed to get a good reaction from readers. More directly, about nine or ten years ago, I read a brief article about a cat that found its way home after being lost. This started me playing the "what if" game. What if a family moved hundreds of miles away and left its cat behind: could it locate them? What would motivate a cat to undertake such a journey? And what sorts of challenges would it face along the way? I outlined the book., began researching, and developing characters. This took place over a year, and I later started the actual writing. After five or six chapters, I grew discouraged and tossed it aside. Over the course of the next six or seven years I would take it out and noodle a bit on it then forget about it. Upon retiring in the summer of 2001, I made it my goal to complete Windrusher. I basically re-plotted it, and went back and rewrote most of it. I had the complete manuscript in hand four months later. But that's when the rewrites started and it was nearly another year until I was satisfied that it was the best that I could make it.

Marsha: Then comes the part we writers dread: finding a publisher. What were your first steps toward publishing Windrusher?

Vic: Somewhere in that timeframe I began sending query letters to agents, a process that lasted about four months before I decided to move on to publishing houses. I found the entire process to be frustrating, but very educational, and I read every book I could find on the publishing industry and marketing of books.

Marsha: You certainly must have been thorough. Who published Windrusher?

Vic: Windrusher is published by The Writers' Collective.

Marsha: Is the novel your preferred writing type?

Vic: I enjoy the long-form (novel) now, since that is what I'm spending my time doing. I have written several short stories, but have yet to find a market for them.

Marsha: What was it about the adventure/fantasy genre that interested you enough to choose to write in it and not in another genre?

Vic: I'm not sure. In my younger days I read mostly SF before moving on to other genres. Today I enjoy thrillers and adventure novels. While Windrusher isn't science fiction, it does have the flavor of a contemporary fantasy, and it is definitely an adventure story. It just seemed to me that Windrusher would work best as an adventure/fantasy.

Marsha: Very good. What sparks a story for you?

Vic: I already mentioned playing the "What if?" game for Windrusher. I'm working on the sequel now, Windrusher and the Cave of Tho-Hoth, and it continues the adventures of our heroic cat. Part of the spark for this novel came from a visit we made to a wildlife sanctuary in San Diego County, where my sons live. After seeing a cave carved into a sheer cliff, a few of the old brain cells came out of their deep, deep slumber and provided me with a few ideas that grew into the plot for the sequel.

Marsha: What a great story-starter! What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead or plot or do you simply dive in?

Vic: I'm a plotter. Or is that plodder? I'm one of those people who need a roadmap to get from one place to my destination. Wasn't it Yogi Berra who said, "You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there?" Now, that doesn't mean I don't take all kinds of side trips along the way and change my destination, but I have a pretty good idea what the major scenes will be before I sit down to write. I rough out the main characters, and write a brief outline of the book chapter by chapter. Then I plunge in. It's fun to see how this bare bones outline looks after applying a little meat to the skeleton.

Marsha: It sounds like you have a good system working for you. Do you start writing with names, characters, a title, phrases?

Vic: I usually do have names, characters and the title before I start writing. At least that was the case for #1 and the sequel. Phrases, I'm not too sure what you mean. Occasional lines might come to mind that I associate with a character and jot them down in the outline.

Marsha: That's pretty much what I had in mind. How many words or pages do you aim for each day?

Vic: I shoot for two pages a day. Sometimes it's only one, but other days I might crank out seven or eight.

Marsha: Do you write best at a certain time of the day? What kind of a writing schedule do you have?

Vic: I'm a morning person. I wake early, 5 a.m. or so, and start writing. For Windrusher, I didn't have many distractions. I rose early and wrote or rewrote, fixed breakfast for my wife, then after she went to work, I'd go back to my writing. After lunch I'd write again for a couple of hours, then do some chores or go to the YMCA and work out. I have a few more distractions now, including marketing the book—which is or can be a fulltime job—so I'm not writing as much as I should be. That's when the discomforting feelings start.

Marsha: (groans) I know what you mean: the stuff we have to do. Aside from the marketing tasks, how do you handle life interruptions?

Vic: Although my wife has called me anal retentive (and I thought I was just overly focused), I try not to get too upset over the everyday disruptions. Life is too short. But, I do feel the pressures to deliver on my self-made goals, so I work harder when I do find the time. I also believe in building in time to get away from the computer. It's good for the body and soul. Go for a walk, mow the lawn, work up a sweat at the Y.

Marsha: Do you get blocked? Any hints on how to stave it off?

Vic: There are times when the words don't flow as freely as I'd like, and those that do are destined to end up in the trash bin. There's no secret; I find I have to keep plugging away. As the sign over my desk says, "Writers are people who write."

We can make up all kinds of excuses for not writing, including being blocked, but I believe that if you bang away long enough, your internal muse will provide the necessary mental Drano to wash away the block. I try to get my first draft completed as quickly as possible, then polish it in rewrites. Many rewrites. In Anne Lamott's funny and inspirational book, Bird by Bird, she said the first draft is s--- so just go ahead and get it out of the way.

Marsha: What one thing do you like most about writing?

Vic: I've always found the act of placing my vision on paper to be a sublime mystery. And it may be an act of hubris, but I've always felt I was pretty good at it, and that it was something that set me apart from others whose talents leaned in other directions. I'd be lying if I said that seeing that book with my name on it wasn't a major thrill, and writing made it all possible.

Marsha: It's a marvelous feeling! What's the least favorite thing?

Vic: Least? Acquiring the discipline to stay on schedule was difficult, and the constant rewrites a hassle, but there isn't anything I can point to as a real downer.

Marsha: Oh, that's nice. You seem to have a good attitude about writing. Of course, you love it so much. Has your writing changed from when you began?

Vic: I'd like to think so. In fact, I know so. As I progressed through Windrusher, I could see that my writing was improving, getting tighter, scenes and the characters came to life. This comes from reading the works of good authors as much as inner talent. Rewriting and editing are also key to improving your writing.

Marsha: Good advice! Speaking of which, what's the best advice you ever received?

Vic: There have been many people who have encouraged my writing with their compliments and kind words. I internalized this at an early age and used it to reinforce my goal to be a published author. Positive feedback is so important to the fragile writer's ego. I had a creative writing professor in my freshman year of college tell me that there were a lot of starving writers out there and I should possibly think about another avenue for my future endeavors. That's when I switched from English to Broadcasting & Communications. Another time I took the first chapter of Windrusher to a critique group and sat there while they tore it apart. That's when I tossed it aside and decided my professor was right. But my inner drive to write was too strong, and I did eventually complete and publish Windrusher.

Marsha: But that's the harsh advice side of things. I would hope you would offer something more upbeat to someone just starting out as a writer?

Vic: I'd say to the beginning writer to educate herself, read constantly, practice your craft and drive yourself to improve. Above all, believe in your God-given talent and follow your dream.

Marsha: Very good. Who are your favorite authors? Which ones are your role models or inspirations?

Vic: Like many readers, I tend to go through a favorite author's complete works, then move on to another. I've enjoyed Pat Conroy, Annie Proulx, Larry McMurtry, Stephen King, Dennis Lehane, John Lecarre, John Sandford, James Lee Burke and many others. I learn from all of them and am inspired by their prolific consistency and quality.

Marsha: Let's move on to the other side of writing: promoting your work. What are some ways you promote your novel? In other words, what kind of publicity do you do to attract readers?

Vic: My book has just been released, but I've had a marketing plan in place for six months. I began with a postcard mailing to a list I'd accumulated for some time—over 750 names—to friends, relatives, former co-workers, etc. Of course, I sent galleys out early for blurbs and reviews, and am now following up with mailings to other reviewers. I was fortunate to receive some excellent early praise, including this by Betty White, actress and animal rights advocate: "I literally couldn't put it down—it is so beautifully written. What a wonderful read, I can't wait for Windrusher's next adventure."

I'm also sending releases to area media, and will work on getting feature articles and interviews, plus signings and presentations. I also have a website, windrusher.com, and since my book is about a cat, I'm working on linking to other cat-related sites.

It's a constant battle, as you know, to stay on top of the marketing wave and not give up and go on to the next book. Robert Mykle, author of Killer 'Cane, said that a book has the shelf life of a banana and you better work hard to get it into the public's hands while it's still edible. The marketing process is like a black hole that can absorb all your time and energies, but you ignore it at your own peril.

Marsha: Oh yes, profound words. Vic, earlier you mentioned a writer should follow her dream. What was your writing dream?

Vic: My dream was to support myself as a writer. At one time it was to be another Dave Barry or Lewis Grizzard. Now, it is to successfully sell enough copies of Windrusher to make a major publishing firm take notice. My plan is to have at least four novels in the "Windrusher" series before moving on to another series, probably a thriller.

Marsha: Much good luck as you push forward with your plans. Thank you for letting me interview you, Vic DiGenti.

Vic: Thanks so much for the opportunity.