RPLA Showcase: Ken Pelham

Q: Where do you get your story ideas?

A: That’s always been a mystery. They can come from anywhere. Sometimes out of the blue, sometimes from something I’ve read by others, sometimes through suggestions of others. After visiting Salem, Massachusetts, with my family, and listening to a guide talk about witches’ familiars, my wife said, “Ooh, write a story about that, Kenny, and set it in today’s world.” I noodled that a bit and my short story “Familiar” was the result, and was published in Black Petals Magazine. It remains one of my personal favorites. “Listen to your wife” is good advice, I guess, although I’m a slow learner.

Q: Anything in particular about your award-winning RPLA entry that you’d like to share?

A: Out of Sight, Out of Mind grew out of a workshop I’d given a number of times. The workshop grew out of reviewing the work of others’ manuscripts and noticing a lot of struggles with viewpoint. It’s not a thing that’s readily apparent to most new writers, and just one of those things that must be learned. A sentence or paragraph may be grammatically flawless, yet difficult for the reader because of viewpoint errors. I wish I’d set out to learn this stuff when I was first starting out, as it took me years to absorb through osmosis.

Q: Who do you credit with inspiring your writing?

A: Great writers and great writing. I’m a big fan of Mark Twain and his love child, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and I’d like to think that their wit and compassion creeps into my work, even if only in a feeble, pathetic kind of way. Love Hemingway for his economy of language. On a personal level, when I was a kid and scribbling out miserable words, my mother kept encouraging me. Unconditional (and blind) support from those closest to you is vital in all things, at least during the formative years.

Q: Any tips for new writers?

A: Learn craftsmanship and practice it! Join writing groups and attend workshops. I don’t think I’ve ever been to one from which I didn’t take something useful away (and I’m not talking about the office supplies, so stop thinking that). Rewrite, and then rewrite some more. Have people (not your mom) critique it. Rewrite. Did I mention rewrite?