Interview with Writer Lindsey Goddard
1. Have you always been a writer?
Yes! In elementary school, I entered two writing competitions. One was writing a Martin Luther King non-fiction essay. I received an honorable mention in that. The other competition was a Mother's Day poetry contest. And my poem won first place. I was so excited to present my mom with the dozen roses and frame for my poem they awarded me. So, yes, I've been writing since I learned to write. I became hooked very quickly.
2. When did you realize that maybe writing was actually a "thing" you could do, get published and even sell?
I started submitting stories to small press ‘zines at the age of fifteen, and by sixteen, I was in four issues of various literary magazines. They paid me in contributor copies, which are actually priceless because I still own them and cherish them twenty-four years later!
3. What was your first sale as a writer and how did it feel to sell your work?
My first monetary payment was a royalty check for an anthology I shared with other authors. It was a handwritten personal check for four dollars and some change that arrived in a stamped envelope to my apartment in 2009. I mainly felt annoyed to figure out how to cash the check! Haha.
I've made short story sales at professional payrates since then, but I find that the royalty situation hasn’t gotten much better! Haha. But… if I really like the press, none of that stuff matters. I submit to charity and non-paying calls just because I dig their vibe and believe in what they're doing.
4. How has writing helped you in other areas of life besides being something you could earn money from?
I’m a huge nerd, and I can always tell you who wrote the movie! Lol.
5. What was your biggest accomplishment as a writer?
The blurbs I received for my 2016 novella felt like a true milestone because my favorite authors were reading and commenting on my work. What an honor. That particular book is no longer available, but I'm getting ready to release an improved and extended version of Ashes of Another Life. Coming in August.
6. Who has inspired you the most in the writing field?
Unfortunately, writers tend to deal with a lot of mental challenges. Our ability to view the world uniquely is what sets us apart from the rest, but this can mean a life-long battle with depression for some. I am constantly inspired by fellow authors as I see them struggle with extreme depression, only to dust themselves off and try again. To write again. We are much like the phoenix, rising from the ashes. I couldn’t pick just one person. I’m inspired by so many.
7. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a writer and how did you overcome them?
Oh my. To be perfectly honest… Motherhood. It’s like nobody ever wants to say that because they fear they will sound like a bad mom, or that their kids were a burden. Nope. I would choose my kids over writing, of course. In fact, I did! I did my job as a mom and wrote when I could, which was never often enough. Now, years later, I’m here to say, yes! That was my biggest challenge! My kids are grown now, and I’m writing up a storm!
8. What is the best writing advice you have ever received and why do you feel it is important?
Best advice I ever received regarded the taking of advice (or not). I was told, long ago, that you can take advice or leave it—that part is up to you—but you should always stay open to constructive criticism. Otherwise, you might miss something useful and stunt your own growth.
9. What sort of writing do you do now?
My story in the July issue of Gamut Magazine was fantasy, but usually, you’ll find me in the shadows of the horror realm.
10. Where can we find some of your work online?
Right now, you can read my story “A Fancy New Coat” online in Issue 1 of A Sufferer’s Digest at: https://sufferer.online
You can also read my story “The Last Neighborhood” in Issue 3 of Carnage House online at: http://carnagehouse.com
11. What advice do you have for aspiring writers thinking of taking the leap of getting their work published?
Be careful who you trust. Look out for yourself. I know, that makes it sound like you’re entering a warzone. You. Are.
12. What are your final thoughts about being a writer?
In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea, but hell… I guess I’ll stick with it at this point!
ABOUT LINDSEY:
Lindsey Goddard lives in Missouri but wishes she didn’t. Her first novella, Ashes of Another Life, was released through Omnium Gatherum Media in 2016 and is slated for release as a full-length novel in 2024. Her fiction has been published by Dark Moon Books, The Sinister Horror Company, and ZBF Books, and also appeared in Gamut Magazine. Her work has been performed on popular podcasts such as CreepyPod and Chilling Tales For Dark Nights. She is the author of four short story collections. When not writing, Lindsey runs WeirdWideWeb.org. Learn more about her at LindseyBethGoddard.com.