Steve Carr, who lives in Richmond, Va., began his writing career as a military journalist and has had over 180 short stories published internationally in print and online magazines, literary journals and anthologies. Sand, a collection of his short stories, was published recently by Clarendon House Books. His plays have been produced in several states in the U.S. He was a 2017 Pushcart Prize nominee.
How long have you been writing and what got you started?
I began writing as a military journalist in 1972, right out of high school. I started writing plays in 1983 and did that off and on for many years. In 2016 I wrote a short story, submitted it and it was immediately accepted. Since then I have had over 200 stories published. A collection of my short stories, Sand, was published by Clarendon House Publications, and another collection was published by Cztkymate Productions. I have two more collections scheduled for publication in 2018.
What is the best piece of advice you have for new writers?
Don’t just read or study to learn how to write. Observe the world and all the minutiae of details around you. Explore the world, travel, meet as many people as you can, become engaged with other cultures, be open to other ways of thinking. Become a participant or observer of other arts: visual, theater, dance, music, film.
Are there any writing resources, such as books or websites, you’d like to recommend?
The book How Stories Really Work by Grant Hudson that is available on Amazon should be a must-read for anyone at any stage of writing expertise.
What tips do you have for finding time to write?
Writing demands that other things must be given up. To find time to write, watch less television, spend less time with friends, give up going out as much.
Are you an outliner or discovery writer? Or somewhere in between?
I have never outlined a single short story. I have a novel that is with an editor now, and I didn’t write an outline beforehand. When I write I know even before I write the first sentence what the story is going to be about and how I’m going to tell it.
How do you deal with rejections?
As long as the editor/publication isn’t rude, then I have no problem with rejections. I like when a publication gives constructive criticism, but that doesn’t happen that often.
In your opinion, how important is a writing degree or MFA when it comes to achieving success in writing fiction?
Having a writing degree or an MFA isn’t important at all. Certainly having some college level English classes is almost essential, but I know a few really good writers who don’t even have that. Very few of the writers of the hundreds I know have an MFA. I have a BA in English/Theater, but I was writing plays that were produced even before I got the degree.
Do you participate in any online or in-person critique or writing groups?
No I don’t. I never discuss any of my stories with anyone or let anyone read them before they are published. It seems like it has become popular to have others critique stories and to use or hire Beta readers, but that wouldn’t work for me. I would be too concerned that my “voice” would be altered by what the other person said. I also wouldn’t feel comfortable calling a story mine if I had someone else suggest how it should be written. I also rarely read other writers’ works that aren’t published for the same reason.
What are your writing goals for the next twelve months?
I am working on a 20 story YA collection based on one character that is scheduled for publication in December. I will get my novel back from the editor by September 15 and I plan to have that ready for submission to agents/publishers by mid-October. I also hope to reach a goal of upping my published stories total to 300. I would also like to have another collection of my stories published in 2019.
Is there anything you’d like to plug? Feel free to share a link.
My collection of short stories, Sand, is available on Amazon. My collection of short stories, Heat, should be available on Amazon also by the end of August.
