B. Lynn Goodwin,
Special Guest Judge for the Sports Chapter
Biography
Writer and editor B. Lynn
Goodwin owns Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. She’s written three award-winning books, Talent, Disrupted, and a memoir titled Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62. Her flash fiction is
published in Flashquake, Nebo, Cabinet of Heed, Murmur of Words, 100-Word
Stories, Ariel’s Dream, and Writing in a Woman’s Voice and 50 Give or Take.
She's also a book reviewer and teacher at Story Circle Network.
BAM: Hi, B. Lynn Goodin, or Lynn, as you wrote in emails, where are
you located?
Lynn: Danville, California USA
BAM: Awesome. The last place I visited in America was California, circa
New Year’s 2022. I wanted to take my nieces to Disney. Unfortunately, after the
second day there was a fantastic storm. I’ll never forget after the New Year’s
countdown those Disney lights fading away, and the darkness and rain to follow.
Pardon my segway, Lynn. Where is your writing space?
Lynn: I write at my desk or at a TV tray in the living room or
sometimes at Starbucks.
BAM: It’s good to have variety. That said, you are very talented at
advertising your work and networking. So, I wonder, do you have a writer circle?
Lynn: Tuesday nights, some of us meet for Shush and Write. We check in
and check out on Zoom. In the check-in we state goals. In the check-out we talk
about what we actually did and what rabbit holes we went down. Since the core
group has been together since way before the pandemic, we also ask advice about
writing issues and situations in our lives.
BAM: Oh, it’s on Zoom? Feel free to send me an invite, and I’d be
happy to join sometime. However, my writing lately has been dissertation
focused. Are you part of any other circles?
Lynn: I also run a Writing Extravaganza for Story Circle Network, https://www.storycircle.org. We meet the second Thursday
of each month, free-write after brainstorming on a specific topic, and share up
to 3 minutes of our writing. We meet on Zoom, and we’ve become quite close. I
often work one-on-one with writers through https://writeradvice.com/manuscript-consultation/.
BAM: You sound busy. Writers should take note of that link, too. It
comes from someone who knows their stuff. Okay, next question. While writing,
do you play music, or watch shows/movies?
Lynn: This doesn’t work for me. I need to concentrate on one thing at a
time. It’s how my brain is wired.
BAM: There’s been scientific studies recently that indicated humans
cannot multi-task. Rather, allocate less focus on tasks to do other tasks,
including listening to music while driving, which was why I don’t do it often.
In addition, writing stories and listening to music simultaneously takes the writer’s
focus in two directions, including classical music. So, you’re probably onto
something. I think it’s important to be focused on writing, especially when
editing. On editing, do you edit alone, have a friend read your work, or do you
hire a professional editor?
Lynn: I’ve done all three. Lately, I’ve been asking my husband to read
short pieces to me. I listen for anything that trips him up—including missing
words and awkward phrasing. This morning, I had him read a 500-word piece to me
and he said, “It’s good. Your writing makes me almost cry.”
BAM: Quite a compliment on your talents. Let’s move to another important topic for
writers. Do you ever get writer's block, how do you overcome it?
Lynn: Sometimes I take a walk and think my way through it, or head for
the refrigerator and let the words come to me as I open the door. In other words,
I relax and move.
BAM: Great idea. Many of the most talented minds of history would take
a walk to think. Tell me more about overcoming the challenges of writer’s block?
How do you get back into the groove?
Lynn: Some days, I’ll journal either as myself or one of my characters.
Other times I’ll take a random sentence start, finish it, keep going, and see
where I wind up. Explore https://writeradvice.com/category/writing-advice/,
to find lots of prompts.
BAM: Do you do anything else?
Lynn: Sometimes I switch projects or go to a mindless task, so my brain
relaxes. Ideas usually come when I do so, and I hurry to write them down before
they vanish.
BAM: Oh. It happens to the best of us.
Lynn: I’ve done a lot of journaling, listing, and “what-if-ing” to work
through issues. Everything I do is an attempt to get off the hamster wheel and
on to the sidewalk, jogging trail, or even a moving sidewalk like they have in
the airport.
BAM: Could you tell me about how you organize writing in your life?
Lynn: I use a calendar and lists to keep on top of daily tasks and
longer projects. I’ve tried to outline stories but the best I can do is to
start with “What if?” and write some cause-and-effect lists. I try to journal
regularly but if I go into e-mail first, I often don’t get to it. I read every
day as well as writing. I try to look at my outside obligations as variety in
my routine instead of disruptions.
BAM: Sounds very focused. Thank you for your time. Last question. Is
there anything you’d like to say to the writers of the Sports Chapter in
particular?
Lynn: Thank you, writers, for giving me new perspectives on sports.
Social Media
Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Too-Late-Wannabe-Wife/dp/1633936082/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6JTOSW10R65&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rSR6NIGg8JOU7-XWIzSiNmB4fyKgrnlMsgYlf1CVXE_M8QzKaof7795KSSNUeIFtmtJ8Z1oilQox-ThBG-lTfBjC9e8dk39APMtspgotZnQ.YVMB-24rpSveRGyD22AD7bZTtppZlv5msrqI1N9afko&dib_tag=se&keywords=Never+Too+Late+Goodwin&qid=1720543372&sprefix=never+too+late+goodwin%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-1
