Sharon Kurtzman
Age: Rhymes with nifty. Plus two.
Location: North Carolina
Education: Bachelor of Science in Television, Radio and Film Writing from the SI Newhouse School at Syracuse University. I bleed orange.
The Writer
How long have you been writing?
I crayoned my first story about a family of ice cream cones when I was five. I’ve been pursuing my literary dreams ever since.
Do you see writing as a career?
I do and because of that I show up at my keyboard every day. A person is lucky to discover the thing they are passionate about. I was lucky to learn early in life that I loved making up and writing down stories.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment as a writer?
I placed in the top 50 in HBO/Miramax’s Project Greenlight competition for screenwriters. That year, they received over 5000 entries and even though I didn’t win, I found my placement extremely validating. After that, I started calling myself a writer out loud.
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
Julip Reflects on Being Left Behind at the Store is flash fiction from the point of view of a teddy bear that’s been accidentally left behind in a ladies clothing boutique.
What inspired this work?
At the end of a week-long writing workshop last summer, our class started a flash fiction group where each week we wrote to a prompt. Until that workshop, I’d never written to prompts, but Julip was the result of our first prompt—we had to take any object and write from that point of view. I work part-time in a retail clothing store and a child had left behind a stuffed Minnie Mouse doll, which sat on the counter for days, all of us hoping the owner would return. Something about that forgotten doll touched me and Julip sprang from that.
How long did it take you to complete this piece?
The initial draft took less than an hour. However, I consider myself Draft Girl—my superhero cape would be white with DG in bold red letters—and to polish the story to the version published in Crack the Spine took several months and about six drafts.
Tell us about another project you have published or are currently working on.
I am working on a novel that is women’s fiction but with a historical story alternating with the contemporary story. I hope to complete a final draft by the end of summer 2015.
The Methods
How often do you write?
I write every day. Even on days where life gets in the way, I still type scene notes or ideas on my iPhone, scribble lines of dialogue in a notebook, on the back of a receipt, or a Starbucks napkin, the latter which is on hand because I drink coffee every day, too.
Where do you write?
I write everywhere. Currently, I’m answering these interview questions in the waiting room of my child’s dentist. My favorite place to write is my dining room table, which is a vast antique wood table that resembles the long mahogany tables in the Hogwarts dining room. It’s perfect for spreading out notes, drafts, timelines and anything else I need in front of me.
What time of day or night makes you most productive as a writer?
Writing first thing in the morning is my best time.
How do you react to editorial rejections of your work?
I have a tough skin. The most frequently rejected (and often revised) pieces are often the ones that when they find the “right” publishing home resonate the most with readers.
How do you react when one of your submissions is accepted for publication?
Envision Michael Jackson’s moonwalk crossed with Elaine Benes’s dance moves (because everything in life can be linked to a Seinfeld reference). It may not look pretty, but that’s my publication happy dance.
The Madness
What is your favorite book?
Catcher in the Rye. Team Holden 4ever.
Who is your favorite author?
In college, I wanted to be Jay McInerney.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Anna Kendrick. Celluloid me wouldn’t be tone deaf.
What makes you cry?
In the film Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner asks, “Hey, Dad, you want to have a catch?” I bawl. Every. Time.
What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?
My kids’ smiles. Nothing else comes close.
Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate everything.
Beer or Wine?
Flagging a Cab(ernet).
Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams?
Shakespeare. In love.
Additional Reading on Sharon
Twitter profile: @sharonkurtzman1
Thank you to Crack the Spine for publishing Julip Reflects on Being Left Behind at the Store and for including me in the Wordsmith Series!
Love this interview with my writer friend, Sharon Kurtzman!! She is a doll and a great writer!! Cannot wait to read more!!!!!