"I Traded My iPad for a Smith-Corona Typewriter": Q & A with Author Harry Marks

Author and Typewriter Aficionado, Harry Marks.

I am thrilled to present an interview with my Twitter-friend, author Harry Marks (@HCMarks). 

When I discovered Harry uses a typewriter for his writing, I was simultaneously skeptical and intrigued. Here, Harry kindly answers my questions about where the typewriter fits into his writing process. Thanks, Harry!

Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your writing. What do you write? What are your favorite genres? Favorite formats?

A:  My name is Harry Marks and I’m the host of the literary podcast, COVERED (http://hologramradio.org/covered ). I’ve been published in HelloHorror, The Coil, and have written for Baron Fig. Links to all my writing can be found at http://hcmarks.com. 

My short fiction tends to be genre-focused. I really love experimenting with short horror stories and flash fiction. My novels (I’ve completed five and I’m finishing up a sixth) tend to skew more Literary.

Q: In 2019, what is the Brass Publishing Ring achievement you would love to unlock?

A: I would love for 2019 to be the year I finally sign with a literary agent. I think I might be nearing completion on the book that will get me where I want to go. Fingers crossed!

Q: How long have you used a typewriter for your writing? Do you have a preferred make or model? What was your first foray into the Wonderful World of Typewriters?

A: I’ve been using a typewriter since 2015. I’d always wanted one for the reason most writers want a typewriter—the romantic fantasy of clicking and clacking my way to a best-seller like Stephen King. 

Harry's Workstation.

My mother used to let me mess around on an electric typewriter she had before we got a computer. This was in the early ‘90s when the hottest computer game around was Solitaire. It’s only recently that I’ve delved back into the analog world, having grown weary of the constant blinking and beeping and buzzing of my digital lifestyle. [I can SO relate... AH] 

I actually sold my first generation iPad so I could buy my first typewriter: a teal 1950s Smith-Corona. I wrote the first short story I ever had published on that machine. 

Q: What about the typewriter appeals to you?

A: The typewriter is a connection to the past, and I know how hipstery that sounds, but that’s what’s so appealing. I grew up in a house where vinyl was the primary source of music and paper books lined shelves in almost every room in the house. 

I love the dichotomy between the simple act of typing and the incredibly complex network of levers and springs within. And most importantly, my typewriter is over 60 years old and still works as well today as the day it rolled off the assembly line. It’s a tank. I can’t say that about the iPad I sold.

Q: Can you walk me through a typical idea-to-draft-to-polished-piece project? How does the typewriter fit into the process?

A: I tend to go to the typewriter during the drafting phase. Everything must end up in my computer eventually, but first drafts are either handwritten or typed on my Smith-Corona.

Q: What drawbacks are inherent in using a typewriter? How do you combat them?

A: The typewriter has plenty of drawbacks that make the idea of using one to write a novel seem absurd. 

I don’t have correcting tape, so I tend to go over typos with Xs until a word is blacked out. A lot of my first drafts look like redacted military files. 

They’re also heavy, loud, and if you use them enough, you’ll find yourself replacing the ribbon pretty often. 

Also, if it breaks and you don’t know how to fix it, you have to find someone who does. I work in New York City, so I tend to take my machines to a tiny shop in Midtown owned by a man who’s been fixing up typewriters for over 50 years.

Q: What advice would you give to a writer who is intrigued by the idea of using a typewriter and who wants to give it a try?

A: For anyone interested in writing on a typewriter, my biggest piece of advice is: try it in person. Don’t just buy a typewriter on eBay and hope for the best. Most of them are garbage anyway. If you can, go to a brick-and-mortar store where typewriters are sold (typewriter resellers, antique shops) and try them out. Choosing the right typewriter is like choosing the right guitar: you’ll know it when you feel it.

Any other typewriter-using authors out there? I'd love to hear your process. Me? I draft either in illegible handwriting OR on my AlphaSmart. Chime in below on what works best for you!

Of Plots and Pants and Plodding Processes

"Are you a plotter or a pantser," people often ask. It sounds like an easy-to-answer question.

It's not.

I used to think I was a plotter, but every time I said it, it sounded – even to me – like “I am a plodder.” Now, this may accurately describe my writing speed, but it does nothing to convey the wonderful exhilaration of the writing process.

This is my process: I go where the story takes me!

I’m hardly a pantser, though. I’ve written exactly one book by the seat of my pants. My characters were interesting, but had no direction; I felt like I was wasting both my time and theirs. They were so out of control, the story kept haring off on wild tangents. 

I know there's a story in here somewhere...

In order to save the story, I had to stop writing and do what I should have done in the beginning: determine the beats and develop a road map. Then I had to axe vast quantities of text (which, given my “plodder” pace, was enough to permanently cure any future pantsing nonsense). I felt like an archaeologist wielding a machete to clear away the jungle overgrowth from a hidden city before I could get to work making sense of the ruins.

As a writer, I am a huge devotee of structure, which is why I originally cast my lot with the plotters. Love me my road map! The danger with relying too heavily on a map, however, is becoming a slave to the highway. Though the interstate may be the fastest drive from Point A to Point B, it’s rarely the most satisfying or the most interesting.

So, I don’t feel comfortable identifying with either Plotters or Pantsers. Instead, I consider myself a Docent. 

I am the story’s caretaker. The tour guide. My job entails presenting the story and the characters in the best, most interesting way possible. Sometimes that means slavishly adhering to my plot points. Sometimes that means staying out of my characters’ way while they go exploring.

-->> What are you? Plotter? Pantser? Or something completely different? Leave a comment and tell me about your process!

The Mystical Muse of Music. (Or: What's on Your End of Life Playlist?)

My grandfather died of Alzheimer's. (I know, technically, that's not true. Alzheimer's doesn't kill you, the medical pro's say. To which I respond: Of course it does. Slowly. Sucking away your existence one memory at a time...)

To lose the memories that one has spent a lifetime collecting is a callous, cruel joke one's brain plays on the body and soul. The process of losing oneself to Alzheimer's is slow... insidious... It's spread so thinly over such a long period of time that even the person losing his or her mind is aware of the impending disappearance, though powerless to stop it.

To this day, every time I find myself searching for a dropped word or a lost train of thought, a part of me wonders: Is this how it begins?

That's why I love the life and hope that shines through this video. (It's a little over 6 minutes. It's a wonderful 6 minutes...)


No, there is no cure for Alzheimer's. But imagine the joys of discovering a back door to reclaim lost memories! Wouldn't a reprieve, no matter how fleeting, be preferable to aimlessly wandering the uncharted caverns of your mind?

Music speaks so personally to us. There is a chemistry to music -- an elusive allure, much like the chemistry of pheromones that might spark feelings in one person I meet, but not in another. The music that moves me doesn't necessarily move my husband or my daughter in the same way.

The characters I create, if they are full, well-rounded, and complete also have their musical preferences. If music could literally bring my characters to life in much the same way as it affects the elderly patients in the above video clip, what would it take to play them awake? If I know the answer, I can infuse it in my writing, energizing and enervating the people therein.

I know some writers who have playlists of writing music. I rarely do this -- finding that music, especially music with words, distracts rather than inspires. But when in the getting-to-know-you phase of character-building, I find it very helpful to determine what each character's musical preferences are. That knowledge helps make the character "real" in a way few other exercises can compare with.



Music gives us knowledge of each other because it introduces us to ourselves. So -- I'm sort-of seriously beginning to compile my own End of Life Playlist. I know what songs would remind me of who I am. What songs would be on yours?

"The Rules": A 12-Step Process for Submitting Copy for a Professional Edit or Critique

Confused about the process for garnering a professional edit or critique of your Magnum Opus? Fear not, intrepid writer! It's a simple 12-Step process. Here are The Rules:

1. Write something you love.

I have CREATED! I'm as happy as a pig in a puddle!

2. Polish it till it shines so brightly you can see your face in it.

3. Research the websites, magazines, publishers, or agents that want the sort of thing you write.

There's a great big world out there just waiting for me. I must discover where I fit into it.

4. Study what they're producing / printing / representing.

5. Screw up your courage.
(Alcohol in moderate quantities may be imbibed for crucial courage screwing.)

 Relentless optimism is a bonus.

6. Choose from three to five websites, magazines, publishers, or agents to approach. Commit to submitting your Bright Shiny Object (BSO) to these entities.

7. Give your BSO first to a kind but discerning Beta reader. Request honest feedback & comments.

Tell me what you really thought. Go on. Say it. I can take it.

8. When criticism comes (and it will), do not overreact. Do Not Cry. Do not quit.

"Noooooooooooo!"

9.  Take feedback & comments into consideration. Revisit your Bright Shiny Object. Buff it till it gleams.

10. Send the professional editor or kind critiquer the portions of your BSO you wish edited & critiqued. (No viruses or other computer nasties, please.)

11. Repeat Step 9. Then send BSO query to entities chosen in Step 6.

Run like the wind! I hereby unleash you upon the world!

 12. While waiting for news, begin again at Step 1 with new project...

Did I miss anything? Let me know! Weigh in with your own process in the comments.

All photos from MorgueFile.com

Tips for Tackling the Rewrite

Every writer knows the drill:

*  My manuscript is done!  I'll just hand it to my editor for a quick polish. I rock!

*  AACKK! What's with all the markups? I thought it was done. Now I see it's just doomed. I suck.

*  It's lurking on my hard drive, taunting me. I can't bring myself to open it. I'm overwhelmed.

Time passes. One day...

*  ~Pulls on big-girl panties. Opens file.~ Time to get to work. I will.

Rewrites can be hard. Oh, the actual work is rarely all that difficult. But getting into the correct mindset  -- one that revels in the challenge instead of wanting to sit rocking and muttering in a dark corner -- can be brutal.

I recently worked with a writer who thought his manuscript was ready for my editorial services. Instead, it's in need of a rather drastic rewrite. I worded my thoughts on the matter as delicately as possible, but I know they probably still seemed harsh.

Every writer wants a reader that says: "This is fantastic! I loved every single word!"

Anything less is a letdown. Which means no one wants to hear: "This manuscript is not yet ready for an editor. It first requires a significant amount of rewriting and polishing."

Agony. Cue Bon Jovi's "Shot Through the Heart." Set it for infinite repeat play...

But rewrites don't have to be painful. Some tips for getting through them.

1.) Break Up With the Current Manuscript

Your love affair is over. The words in their current form are NOT perfect. The sequencing and story line needs work. Accept that though your eyes see only assets, other (more objective) eyes see major flaws.

So be strong. Break it off. Tell the book that it's over. No matter how much it begs or bribes, you and it are through. You want out of your existing relationship. You're going to pick up the pieces and move on.

Photo by Scott Liddell from www.morguefile.com

2.) We Can Still Be Friends (With Benefits)

A rewrite doesn't mean that you throw everything away and start from scratch. Instead, it's an opportunity to redefine your relationship with your story and keep only what works best. 

Keep a copy of the old manuscript somewhere. No matter what happens in the rewriting process, the original story will still exist.  You can always go back to it, if you need to. (Once the rewrite is underway and the story gains new strength, you'll be surprised at how rarely you wish to revisit the past.)

3.)  Don't Plan the Wedding Before the Date is Over

Rewriting doesn't mean the time already spent on the manuscript is wasted. It just means that more time is required to make sure the project is viable. Beware of rushing headlong into querying or self-publishing. Take your time and enjoy the process.

When beginning a rewrite, I suggest revisiting your original outline (and, if non-fiction, your existing Table of Contents). Rewrite in bite-sized pieces, chapter by chapter.

Start with Chapter 1. Determine exactly what you want it to convey. Know how you are going to hook your reader and keep him or her turning pages. Rewrite it for sentence and paragraph clarity. Then give that chapter to a few trusted Beta readers. Ask such questions as "Is this clear?" "Is it compelling?" "Would you keep reading? Why or why not?" (For further ways to make the most of your Betas, see A Cheat Sheet for Beta Readers.)

Polish Chapter 1 until it is as good as you can possibly make it. Then turn your attention to Chapter 2.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

4.) Focus on the Relationship

A rewrite affords an opportunity to delve deeper into whatever compelled you to begin the book in the first place. Re-examine your rationale. Do you still subscribe to the theories you had when you began writing? If so, are they clearly explained in your book? If your theories have evolved, how can you use your change of heart to strengthen the project?

A rewrite also allows you to re-evaluate the relationships within the work. Can you ratchet up the dramatic tension between the protagonist and antagonist? What about between the hero and heroine? Can you add layers to your primary (and secondary) characters that will enrich the story and, ultimately, enrich the reader?

Of course you can. And every time you improve upon a relationship within the text, remember to rejoice that you had the opportunity to do the rewrite. The work would have suffered without it.

*****

What's your best tip for rewriting? What helps make the mere thought of undertaking a rewrite bearable? Add your tips to the comments below.