#115: Student Spotlight: How Anne Mortensen Went From Inspiration to Publication (& Indie Published Her Novels)

“I tried to ignore it, but when inspiration strikes, sometimes the inspiration keeps striking, and it just didn't want to go.” - Anne Mortensen

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Anne Mortensen to talk through what it was like to write, edit, and publish not one, but two of her books. You'll also get an exclusive look at her experience working alongside a developmental editor and book coach (that's me!) to bring her stories to life. Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[02:05] Anne introduces herself, talks about her background, and lets us know what kind of books she writes.
[04:44] A quick highlight reel of Anne’s books and writing journey.
[08:34] Where the inspiration for her novel, The Arcadian Match came from.
[11:03] Working on getting to the essence of the book's characters.
[14:40] How much of the external plot changed from the first draft to after Anne met her character?
[18:21] While pressure testing the outline, does Anne remember having any moments where something clicked?
[22:09] What was it like for Anne to go back to her first book after working on her second book and hitting a roadblock?
[27:30] Is the coaching experience the best? If so, why?
[29:54] What was Anne’s relationship with feedback before coaching?
[32:20] What would Anne say to other writers who are afraid of the feedback of others?
[35:46] How long did it take to get a first draft done for “Arcadian Match”?
[37:21] Is Anne working on her third book now?
[40:24] How to deal with challenges and never give up?
[41:38] What are the things Anne sees that make the writers she works with successful and other writers not?
[43:21] Parting words of wisdom from Anne.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Head over to savannahgilbo.com for a full transcript
• Anne Mortensen's website
• The Arcadian Match (out June 2023)
• The Truth Effect (out October 2021)

If you enjoyed this episode of the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast, please rate, review, and follow this show!

Follow me on Instagram @savannah.gilbo