The Glamorous Writing Life of Richard Mabry

One of my favorite movies is The Muppet Movie. The reason is probably the scene in which the Muppets meet the famous producer (played by Orson Wells). After a bit of interchange, he tells his secretary to “sign them to a standard rich and famous contract.” In a movie, that’s funny. In real life, if a writer expects their first contract to bring fame and fortune, it’s sad.

After I signed the contract for the publication of my first novel, I’m not sure what I expected. I enjoyed the congratulations from my fellow writers, as well as the praise from my family. But beyond that, not much had changed. No one stopped me on the street to ask for my autograph. There was no announcement from the pulpit to bring the congregation to its feet, cheering and whistling. And the local media didn’t flock to my doorstep for interviews. In other words, it was business as usual.

So much for the “famous” part. What about “rich?” Although information about advances and royalties is hard to come by, most authors realize that they’re never going to get rich from that money. To begin with, “advance” is just what the name implies—an advance against royalties. That means that sales of the book must reach a level where royalties exceed the amount of the previously paid advance before the author makes another penny.

Stress Test will be my fifth published novel of medical suspense, and I’m proud of it. But the book that a reader will finish in anywhere from a few hours to a few days took me well over six months to write.

And I won’t become either rich or famous for the effort.

Still interested in writing? Good. If you’re interested in writing for publication because you have a message you want to get out, if you write because the words are burning inside you and you have to share them, if you write because—as I’ve heard my fellow authors say—you can’t not write, then welcome aboard. The life isn’t glamorous. Matter of fact, as deadlines approach, edits have to be done, the demands of keeping a presence on social media suck away your time, the writing life is downright tough. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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            Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, past Vice-President of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and the author of four published novels of medical suspense. His books have been finalists in competitions including ACFW’s Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year. His last novel, Lethal Remedy, won a 2012 Selah Award from the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.

            Richard’s website is http://rmabry.com, and he posts regularly on his blog, http://rmabry.blogspot.com. He is also active on Twitter (RichardMabry), Facebook (rmabrybooks), and GoodReads.

Come back tomorrow and enter to win a free copy of Stress Test!

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"Where Do You Get Your Ideas?" by Author Richard Mabry, M.D.

Every author has been asked that question at one time or another, and most of us have to pause and scratch our head before we answer. One of the first things I was told when I was learning the craft was to constantly observe the world around me, because “story ideas are everywhere.” Some authors keep a notebook, others use three by five cards, and many—myself included—simply store these ideas in their brain. From these ideas, a writer develops the plot, populates the novel with characters, and gets to work.

Where do I get my ideas? I get them from everyday life. Both Kay and I are incurable people watchers. Whether it’s in a restaurant, sitting at the airport, shopping, or even at church, we have our eyes on those around us. And it’s a simple jump from there to construct a scenario. See that couple at the next table, each engrossed in their iPhone, not saying a word to each other? Maybe they’ve just had a terrible fight. Maybe he’s reached the tipping point where he’s imagining how he can get rid of her permanently. Perhaps he decides to act on his thoughts. There’s a plot.

My novels thus far have sprung from such varied situations as a relative’s near-paranoia about identity theft, the accusations of mercy-killing against a colleague, and a retraction in a

 professional journal about falsified research data. My latest novel of medical suspense began when I was leaving the medical center parking garage late at night. I looked around and imagined how deserted it must be at two AM. What if a doctor were to be kidnapped from such a location? And what if he had no idea why the men doing it were under orders to kill him? That was the nidus from which Stress Test sprang.

One of my favorite sweatshirts bears the inscription, “Careful Or You’ll End Up In My Novel.” I’d suggest that there’s a lot of truth in that phrase. So the next time you’re out in public, think about how your actions might be the beginning of an idea for a novel. You never know. A writer could be right behind you.

Return Friday for a chance to win a copy of Richard's book, StressTest.

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, past Vice-President of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and the author of four published novels of medical suspense. His books have been finalists in competitions including ACFW’s Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year. His last novel, Lethal Remedy, won a 2012 Selah Award from the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. 

Richard’s website is http://rmabry.com, and he posts regularly on his blog, http://rmabry.blogspot.com. He is also active on Twitter (RichardMabry), Facebook (rmabrybooks), and GoodReads. 

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