Writer Spotlight: Meet Steven Rogers

After attending The College of the Holy Cross, Steven became a Certified Public Accountant and filled various roles in public accounting and private industry. A lifelong lover of books and literature, over the years he dabbled with writing fiction. Since retiring from the corporate world in 2016, Steven has fully committed to learning the craft. His short story “Deep Waters” earned an honorable mention award in the 2020 89th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition.

Steven, a proud father of three adult children and one incredibly lucky son-in-law, is happily married to his wife of thirty-five years, Kathy. They live in Richmond, Virginia.

JRW: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SR: When I was in second grade (which, incredibly, was when Lyndon Johnson was President), my father was frustrated with how much television I was watching and enrolled me in the summer reading program at our local public library. After reading Matt Christopher’s The Reluctant Pitcher, I became a voracious reader of fiction. Over the years, I was fascinated by the writing process and have dabbled with writing fiction for as long as I can remember. However, in 2016 I retired from my career as a business executive to focus on writing and discovering the craft. I began by composing short stories and experimenting with genres, styles, and story structures. I attended conferences and workshops (thank you, JRW!) and worked with a writing coach. Eventually, I moved on to novels and settled on my genre.

JRW: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

SR: I’m not sure if this is a quirk, but I can’t begin to write anything until I know the beginning and the end of the story. While I almost never know what’s going to happen in between, I have difficulty writing the first word until those two things are in my head. Also, I have to listen to quiet instrumental music before the “juices start to flow.” There’s some switch in my brain that flips and says “Okay, it’s writing time” when the music starts. I typically listen to the flute or soft piano selections on Pandora.

JRW: What is one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

SR: I am most surprised by how much I enjoyed the formal editing process with Elk Lake Publishing. I expected drudgery and what I experienced was the equivalent of a Master’s level course in the craft. The most impactful step was my first edit. This required I utilize a list of “Weasel Words” and attempt to purge them from the book. While completing the assignment, I eliminated 3,000 words from my manuscript without changing the story or my book’s tone. I now use that list as my first editing step with everything I write.

JRW: What advice would you offer new writers?

SR: While I still consider myself a new writer, here’s what I would offer to those just starting out. To begin– practice, practice, practice. While seminars and courses are extremely useful, the only way to develop is to grind away at putting words on paper. This helps you develop your specific voice and style. Secondly, write the story/book you want to write. You’ll get a lot of input from beta readers and everything they pass along is useful. However, they have their own biases and perspectives. For me, if I hear something from more than one person, I’ll definitely make a change. If the advice comes from a single individual and I’m uncomfortable with the input, I’ll follow my preference. Finally, if you can afford to pay for a professional editor, the investment is well worth the cost. I did that with Into the Room, and not only did I end up with a better book, I also found my publisher through my editor.

More on those pesky weasel words HERE