Joanna Campbell Slan

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'Don't Get Mad, Get Even,' Suggests Barb Goffman

by


An Interview with Barb Goffman, author of Don’t Get Mad, Get Even

 
When
I think “short stories,” the name that comes to mind most often is “Barb
Goffman.” Barb has been nominated for the Agatha Award five times, and the
Anthony and Macavity awards twice each.
Recently,
she agreed to answer some of my questions about her work.
1     Barb, how did you get started writing short stories?
It was early 2004. I’d been working on a novel,
and I saw a call for stories for Chesapeake
Crimes II from my local chapter of Sisters in Crime. I’d never written a
mystery short story before

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Melodie Campbell says

    Great post! Barb, my teaching mantra for years has been: Know where you're going before you start. So good to hear you say that here.

    Lots of other great tips – I'm sharing.

  3. Barb Goffman says

    Thanks for giving me the opportunity, Joanna. It can be helpful for me, as well, to think about these things.

    And thank you, Melodie. It's so much better to follow a road map – when driving or writing – to ensure you get to your destination using the most-efficient route.

  6. Gail Farrelly says

    Excellent interview. I loved Barb's book of short stories. I read it on my Kindle and then bought several print copies for friends and family. It was a big hit.

  11. Marilyn Levinson says

    Barb,
    A truly wonderful post. I haven't written a short story in a long time. You've given me fruit for thought, along with lots of good advice.
    I'm sorry your ring was stolen at a mystery conference, of all places.

  12. Suzanne Sperling says

    An excellent post–very inspiring for an aspiring writer. One question–how does one find a helpful critique group? I don't know of any other aspiring writers in my location, though I'm sure there are.

    Suzanne

  13. Joanna Campbell Slan says

    Suzanne, Romance Writers of America has a lot of critique groups going all the time. Also, check with your local library. Sometimes people post a message asking for critique partners. Of course, many people who write crime fiction find compatible partners at MWA (Mystery Writers of America) or SinC (Sisters in Crime) meetings by asking around. I found my first critique group when I took a night class in writing. One of those sister students, Terri Kaminski, and I are friends to this day. We're both published authors now, which underscores how helpful the process can be.

  14. Polly Iyer says

    Great post, Barb and Joanna. I loved Barb's book. I just finished my very first short story for an anthology, and wish I had read this post before I started writing. Good thing I haven't sent off the edited version yet. Best of luck with your business, Barb. I'm sure you'll be successful.

  16. Barb Goffman says

    Hi, Marilyn. I hope my suggestions are helpful to you. And oh, I was so upset when that ring was stolen, but I got my first published story out of it, so I guess it's evened out. Sort of. 🙂

    Suzanne, thank you. Joanna's tips are good ones. What kind of fiction do you write? If it's crime, I strongly suggest joining Sisters in Crime. There may be a chapter near you. And if there's not, there's an online group for new writers called the Guppies. You could definitely find a critique group there. Good luck!

    And thank you, Polly, about the tips and my new business. I can't wait to read your story.