Member Spotlight: Richard Vetere

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? I have been writing since grade school starting with poetry then with playwrighting and novels then on to TV and film. Writing has defined my life and continues to do so. I believe it is important for the human family not only to share stories but to learn from them as we search for a deeper meaning.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I’ve never had writer’s block. If I get stuck on a scene I just go for a walk. Usually about three minutes into the walk, I am no longer stuck.

What is your favorite time to write? My mind is always writing. Just last night, while lying in bed, a scene came to me. My favorite time to write either at my desk or in a hotel, is usually after a good cup of coffee. I am lucky since I can write day or night. Once my story is set, I just follow my lead character and hang on to see where they are going.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? I have been given several pieces of writing advice from others and some advice I have read and learned from. Characters are the most interesting when they vibrate with insecurities. Make sure your lead character takes an action. Don’t let things happen to them. Minor characters should be in your story only to highlight aspects of your lead character. End each day with your thoughts already written as notes for the following days work, then begin each day re-writing what you wrote the day before. I work that way all the time. Lastly, I am writing who writes with a blast of passion and I don’t stop much until I get the first draft done. Then I do what I love to do, I rewrite and build and chisel until I am satisfied.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Being born in the early 1950s I have experienced and lived through enormous changes. I have witnessed assassinations, wars and now even pandemics. I have seen styles and passions change. What excites me most about writing in today’s age is experiencing the ebb and flow of story telling and seeing how much it matters.

Richard Vetere’s She’s Not There is out now with Bordighera Press.