Elizabeth A. Vincent

Elizabeth A. Vincent
Interview for OMNIFIC

Contemporary romance author Elizabeth Vincent is proud to have Omnific Publishing offering her debut novel, Stitches and Scars. Her writing skills were honed in a dynamic online writing community she called home for more than two years, and in honor of the release of Stitches and Scars on May 11th, Liz has agreed share a little bit about her writing process and the publication of her first book.

Omnific: What is your writing process like? How long does it take you to write a book and where does it fit in your schedule?

For me the writing process is always gradual. I find that when I try to force myself to sit down and write it just doesn't work. I do, however, find that the initial idea or outline comes pretty quickly. As soon as the idea pops into my head I can't get it out until something is put to paper. Stitches and Scars was a different writing process in that I wrote it a chapter at a time with week breaks in between. Because of that, it took me a while. As for how I find time to write? Well, that's something I continue to ask myself. How did I do that? When did I find the time? Then I remember that at the time both of my children were at the blissful stage where they took long naps in the afternoons. That is when I did most of my writing. Either then, or late at night when they were asleep.

Omnific: What about editing? Stitches and Scars was previously posted online. How did you go about editing it into a novel?

The editing process was quite an interesting experience and I still say that if I didn't have great editors to work with it would have been awful. The hardest part was changing the point of view in which the story is told. Originally, it was not told in the third person, so making those changes was pretty time consuming. As far as the other changes, surprisingly it all seemed to fall into place. It was refreshing to expand on the characters and let their "voice" come through.

Omnific: What made you decide to publish Stitches and Scars as a novel?

I would say the main push was my friends and family. I wrote it for me and for them, and although we enjoyed it, I wasn't sure if others would. When Omnific approached me, it was the encouragement from my family and friends that lead to my final decision. Now that I have, I couldn't be happier.

Omnific: Did you know how Stitches and Scars would end before you started writing, or was it more of an organic process?

Yes, I knew exactly how it would end, but it was getting there that was the fun part. Although I knew where it would ultimately end up, I didn't know every specific detail. There were a few events that took place throughout the story that I knew would occur from the very beginning when I first started the outlining process. For me the hardest part was finding a way to bridge those scenes together and still keep the story fun and interesting. Surprisingly, the sections that came to me at random during the writing process ended up being some of my favorites.

Omnific: Tell us about the main characters in Stitches and Scars.

Katherine, or Kate, as her friends call her, is the main character. She's your average girl with a steady career and two amazing best friends who mean the world to her. Unfortunately, a past relationship has left her a broken and she's afraid to take any risks and trust someone again. That's where Ethan comes in. He's a confident, successful doctor who recently realized what he wants out of a relationship. Sparks fly between them the instant they meet and Kate has to decide if she's ready emotionally to act on the unexpected feelings she has.

Omnific: Where do you find your inspiration and your most interesting story ideas? The grocery store? A doctor's office? A picnic?

Since I'm a stay at home mom, I often find inspiration at the most random of times and in the most random of places. For Stitches and Scars, obviously the grocery store served as inspiration for one scene in particular. Another common time I find inspiration is when I'm cleaning or listening to music. I'm able to relax and just let my mind wander. Sometimes I'll witness something that will spark an idea or make me laugh. The simple things of everyday life can also be the most entertaining.

Omnific: Many established authors have said that reading books is the best research you can do when you want to become a writer. What are your favorite books and authors? Do you have a favorite genre?

Right now if you were to look at my bookshelf you really wouldn't find a common genre, other than that most of them are fiction. I enjoy stories that are quick, fun reads and ones that delve deep and take time to process. And if it has a little romance, it's even better. Pride and Prejudice is a favorite classic I often re-read. I just finished Dan Brown's latest book and I loved it. I love his style of writing and the way he intertwines historical facts with a fictional story. When I want a good laugh, I read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Michael Crichton always has a way of sucking me in. And then there are the Young Adult series that I love, The Uglies, Twilight, Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Goose Girl, to name a few.

Omnific: What is your best advice for aspiring writers?

Write for yourself. Write what you know and most of all, what you like, because it should be an enjoyable process. Find people who can give you honest feedback and listen to them. Whether it's positive or negative, most likely it will help you grow as a writer.