|
||||||||||
|
Subscribe to the Absolute Write Newsletter and get the Agents! Agents! Agents! report free! Click here.
|
Win a 1-year subscription to Writer's Digest by subscribing to Absolute Markets-- all paying markets for your writing. Click here. |
|
| |||||||||||||
|
|
Interview With
Angela Barbeisch
How did you know you were a writer? I didn't! I knew I was an actress, but writing is quite a bit easier and you can't hear the
"boos" from your computer. I write funny things that I hope make people laugh... I see a scenario in my head, and it kinda spills out of my
fingers... sometimes it's based on true stories... sometimes it's based on fantasy, but there's always
some truth in fantasy:) So far, and I'm really just starting out here, I've appeared in some terrific places, like
Parentinghumor.com, parentingteens.com, The Inditer, Zinos, About.Com, and some guy's really
weird webpage. Let's not forget The Net Wits, of course! My life is a catastrophe!.. All my inspiration comes from that... lol. I've had some theater training, and
majoring in English didn't help a damn bit. I also grew up in a richly ethical environment as an Italian American
in Brooklyn, NY... there's quite a bit of fodder there alone! I'm also inspired by some of my favorite authors and Directors: King, Hitchcock, Koontz,
Puzo, and Bugs Bunny. I thrive better with structure and a deadline. I put post-it notes on my computer warning me that if I don't finish a story by <insert time> my computer will self destruct. Tell us about your parody showcase. I enjoy coordinating and hosting activities, and I enjoy matching talent to the appropriate source. In the past, I was a Head Hunter and enjoyed matching jobs to people. With the showcase, I select unique, quality sites based on some form of satire. I try to pick new sites that need exposure as well. Writers on the Internet often complain about copyright infringement. Have you ever run into a situation where you've seen your work circulating without your permission or credit? No, and I wish I would! I just finished co-writing a cybersex column with fellow Net Wit Larry Graves
with the INTENTION of getting it all over the net for publicity! Joking aside, copyright infringement is a serious issue and one that I
haven't had a problem with... *yet* (fingers and toes crossed) I spent the first two years of the internet doing the AOL chat thing, the games, etc. Last August, a good friend of mine was telling me about the Tampa story of the girl's voyeur dorm... how the community was in an outrage about them having a webcam in their house. I wrote him back telling him what people would see in a webcam in MY house. He said: Angela, you have to get some of these stories up on a webpage. I didn't even know what the word HTML meant at the time. I self taught myself HTML, posted a homepage with the story, Candid Camera on it, and went from there... (with a lot of hard work!!) I spent 10-12 hours a day working on my writing and my site. You're a member of the Net Wits, an online humor columnists group. What are the benefits in being part of a writer's group? The benefits are you get to be insulted internationally! No, seriously, since joining this great group I've gotten so much help and inspiration from
so many great writers, it's truly incredible. We are a family... we have Do you make money from your site? My site isn't generating a wealth of income, no.. but each day adds exposure, and exposure is what it's all about it. I think each writer should write to a genre or audience, but not be so specific as to eliminate yourself from any market. For example, I'm
certainly in the genre of "Mom Writer" with a wealth of background to go with
it.. .but I also delve into current affairs, fantasy, thrillers, etc. My next goal is to tackle screenplay
writing! It's good to not corner yourself into a specific market. Or, if you're going
to corner yourself into one... you better be reallllllllllly good at it;) This is where I get a little serious... Humor can be taught, but I think the people who are the funniest people have had some tough times in their lives. I don't think you can be really funny until you've experienced the exact opposite. Humor is often used as a shield, or a self-defense mechanism. But the best kind of humor is taught to you by your parents, your family, who you are, your roots... and your life experiences. Any further tips for writers? Be confident in your work. As in theater, if you end your act with a smile no one will notice that you bombed. Don't sell yourself short, and if you act like a winner, eventually you will be one. Oh, and make sure your story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. That's always the write way to write. Angela is a proud member of The Net Wits, The Internet Humor Columnists and
MomWriters. |
Sponsored links 
Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer! How to find a book publisher |
Text on this site Copyright © 1998-2007
Absolute Write, all rights reserved.
|
Angela Barbeisch, married mom of two from Upstate, NY, is a humor columnist, freelance writer, and Editor of
