WriterStory Interviews of Writers
Anesha Sharp achieved Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is currently working as the Executive Director for Charles Martin Ministries. Let us know more about her writing and her latest book.
What inspired you to start writing?
What first inspired me to start writing my first book which is my autobiography was my passion for wanting to inspire people to desire the purpose they were born for no matter the hardships they faced in life.
What did you like to read when you were a girl?
The book series that sparked my interest in reading was the Goosebump series of books written by R.L. Stine and those books became my most favorite to read as a girl. I also loved mystery books and books written by Judy Blume.
What is the greatest challenge in writing a book?
The greatest challenge in book writing for me was preparing the book for publication and editing I must say was the most frustrating piece to book writing. It’s not always easy to find someone who can understand your style of writing enough to keep the work’s originality while still finding all the errors in the body of work.
How much research do you do before writing the book?
I am an author of three books, one of my books is an anthology so it didn’t require much research, however my other two books required about 8-10 hours of research over the course of the book writing process.
What motivated you to write the book “…And She Laughed”?
I am an inspirational writer and I write to inspire and inform my readers of different ways to think and view life. My book …And She Laughed was written as such. I wanted to inspire and encourage woman to see the power and ability they posses to overcome anything in life.
Can you tell us more about your latest book “…And She Laughed”?
…And She Laughed is a fictional work that was written to inspire woman to see the champions in themselves. I wanted to give a voice to women’s experiences and allow them the opportunity to see the victory that’s built within the package of being created woman. In …And She Laughed I tackle real women’s issues of dealing with weight and body image, the tragedy of dealing with the loss of a loved one, married life, family issues, and abuse to name a few.
How did you come up with the idea of writing women centric genre book?
This book’s target market is women because I wanted to write something that dealt with women’s issues while still being uplifting.
Who are your favourite authors?
I read lots of books, some of my most favorite books to read are motivational and inspirational books and I enjoy books by authors like, TD Jakes, Joel Olsteen, Dr. Charles Martin and Joyce Meyer to name a few I also enjoy W.M. Paul Young’s writings.
How much time do you dedicate to writing on a daily basis?
I would usually set an hour or two aside per day for book writing.
What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring writers?
I believe writing a book is one of the most rewarding things one can ever do in life and I love the legacy that is left well after writer’s life has expired. As rewarding as being an author can be, it can be a difficult process, however if you are committed and set time aside to do the work it can be done. Commitment is the main attribute needed to complete a book, as long as you provide yourself time and space to write everyday even if it’s just 30 minutes and stay commitment and focused you will find yourself being a published author.
The thing that helped me to stay focused in seasons where it was difficult and those seasons will come, I kept my ‘why’ in mind. What was the end result, what was my why? When we look at our ‘why’ it reminds us that what we are writing isn’t about us the writer, but about the lives it’s purposed to impact–the readers. I understand that people read books to solve a problem whether they know it or not, figure out what problem your books are to solve and don’t stop writing until your book has solved that problem and is published and available to those needing what your book has to offer.
You can buy her book now:
Pleasure meeting you. I do appreciate your thoughts about writing.
I do not know how it works in your part of the planet. In India, you have to be a better salesman than just a writer to get noticed. I’m sure the old masters of the craft never had to bother about marketing their books like they do these days.
Have we ever heard a painter, or a musician, bragging about their creations? We are not selling soaps and detergents for heaven’s sake.
But that’s the way it is, and publishers are too happy, since marketing is left to the bloody writers.
Cheers.