Instructor Spotlight: Judy L Mohr (Writer, Editor, and Writing Coach)
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Kiwi Judy L Mohr is a writer, developmental editor, writing coach, amateur photographer, and a science nerd. Within her studies as a writer and editor, she became obsessed with the mechanics of story structure and character arcs, as well as the little nuances associated with writing fight scenes. She has been able to pass on that knowledge and experience to writers from around the world, helping those writers feel more confident in their storytelling skills. When she isn’t writing, editing, or doing something within the local writing community, she can be found plotting her next foray into mischief and scouting for locations to hide the bodies. (Shh . . . Don’t tell anyone.) Follow her crazy adventures on her blog (judylmohr.com).
Social Media and Blog:
Personal blog: The Crazy World of Judy L Mohr
Facebook: Log into Facebook
Instagram: Login • Instagram
BlueSky: Judy L Mohr (@judylmohr.com)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judylmohr/
Goodreads: Judy L. Mohr
LinkTree: Judy L Mohr
How long have you been writing? What started you on a path to publication?
I’ve been creating stories or writing poems for as long as I can remember, starting with plays on the tape recorder with my dolls. (Yes, I’m that old that I remember tape recorders.) But I became serious about writing fiction while I was working towards my PhD.
In the beginning, writing was my escape from the high computational mathematics and the daily fights with the beast known as a computer. But after the PhD was successfully defended, I decided to look at what I had handwritten and see if there was something there worth pursuing. That was back in 2013, and I never looked back.
What do you wish someone would’ve told you about writing or publishing?
Writing is addictive. Eventually, it becomes an obsession that puts you on one hell of an emotional roller coaster.
There will be times when your family and friends will see how much you struggle (because they get to witness the extreme lows), and they will ask you to quit, because they don’t want to see you suffer. But if you’re anything like me, the thought of quitting makes you sick.
Repeating myself, writing is addictive, but in my case, it’s an addiction that I never want to give up, simply because it helps me process the world.
What is the biggest lesson that you learned about writing or publishing?
I have to be the master of my own path. I have to have enough faith and trust in my abilities to be willing to put myself out there, standing up for my work and standing before it, protecting it from those who wish to abuse it. If I don’t believe in myself, then why should anyone else?
What piece of information do you want to pass on to authors?
Learn to trust your instincts. And gain the strength to say, “No.” If someone is asking you to do something that doesn’t make you feel comfortable or doesn’t feel right for your story, then your instincts are trying to tell you something. Listen to them. You are better off walking away from questionable deals than to sign away your rights to your work.
Why do you like teaching authors?
Pay it forward. It’s my driving ethos.
I’ve learned so much from other writers over the years, but I can’t “pay it back”, because they already have the knowledge. Instead, I can pass on the knowledge and experience to those writers who are coming up right behind me. There is zero need to hold the knowledge close to my chest when so many writers could benefit from the knowledge.
What can students/registrants expect to takeaway from your workshop? What do you believe is the most important thing a writing student should walk away with?
It is my hope that writers taking my workshops and webinars will gain the confidence to take ownership of that title “writer”. I try to show that there is more than one way to look at a situation. We are only limited by our imagination. Writers are creative (even nonfiction writers). And we have something worth saying. So, let’s say it!
What’s your core philosophy when it comes to teaching writing? How do you approach giving constructive feedback without discouraging a student?
My coaching and editing style is one of mentorship, showing a writer how the technique works, how they might employ it in their own writing (using their own voice), giving them the skills to take ownership of their writing.
When providing feedback, I am honest, telling it how I see it, but I focus the comments 100% on the writing. When I’m suggesting rewrites to my clients and students, I will take a passage and reworking using their words, mimicking their voice. The goal is so they can see what could potentially be done using their own story and their own words. And I do what I can to highlight repetitive issues, allowing writers to learn how to recognize the issues on their own. They have the skills; they just need to learn to trust in those skills.
What writing habits or techniques do you emphasize the most in your classes?
Trust the instincts. Most writers come to writing because of their love of story. And even as children, they would have developed an instinct about pacing, character development, and structure. They just know when something feels off. What I’m teaching writers is not how to identify when something is off, but how to identify WHY something is off, and hence how to fix it. It’s about refining the instincts that already exist and backing it up with the theory to explain what they already know.
Is there a common writing “rule” that you think is okay to break—and why?
So many people say that we should write what we know, but that is wrong. Writers know about a lot of things, and if we don’t know about something in particular, we do the research required to learn about it. So, insisting that someone write about what they know is foolhardy.
Instead, we should write what we wish we could read. Because if we would want to read it, then I can guarantee that others would too.
How has your own writing influenced the way you teach? How has teaching writing changed your own work or perspective as a writer?
Some of my writing is experimental, where I’m challenging myself to try a new skill or do something that I wouldn’t normally do. I deliberately push myself outside of my comfort zone on a regular basis—particularly in the writing. And it’s because of this, I encourage my students and clients to do the same. And I remind them that it’s okay if something didn’t work the first time. No writing is wasted. Sometimes, it’s the process to get there that has the most value.
It’s that last bit that gets hammered home every time I work with a new writer. They remind me that what might seem so easy to me now wasn’t always easy to me. It was a process to get where I am. And when I see that new writer feeling dejected about the seemingly lack of progress, I’m right in there reminding them of where they were when they started and reminding them of how far they’ve come. And I point out to them that I was once where they are now, but I have years under my belt… and they’ve only just begun.
Current Release:
Dancing in the Purple Rain
Being special can make you a target
In a poisoned world, Michaella, a genetically engineered telepath, uncovers a web of lies and implanted memories when her closest friend is killed. Michaella must now rely on her personal AI and a 200-year-old playing card as she attempts to maintain her grip on reality to save herself and future generations from becoming emotionless automatons.
Dancing in the Purple Rain is available from a variety of retailers. See the full list at Dancing in the Purple Rain | JUDY L MOHR
Profile images and cover images for my latest release can be downloaded from Press Kit | JUDY L MOHR
Social Media and Blog:
Personal blog: The Crazy World of Judy L Mohr
Facebook: Log into Facebook
Instagram: Login • Instagram
BlueSky: Judy L Mohr (@judylmohr.com)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judylmohr/
Goodreads: Judy L. Mohr
LinkTree: Judy L Mohr
How long have you been writing? What started you on a path to publication?
I’ve been creating stories or writing poems for as long as I can remember, starting with plays on the tape recorder with my dolls. (Yes, I’m that old that I remember tape recorders.) But I became serious about writing fiction while I was working towards my PhD.
In the beginning, writing was my escape from the high computational mathematics and the daily fights with the beast known as a computer. But after the PhD was successfully defended, I decided to look at what I had handwritten and see if there was something there worth pursuing. That was back in 2013, and I never looked back.
What do you wish someone would’ve told you about writing or publishing?
Writing is addictive. Eventually, it becomes an obsession that puts you on one hell of an emotional roller coaster.
There will be times when your family and friends will see how much you struggle (because they get to witness the extreme lows), and they will ask you to quit, because they don’t want to see you suffer. But if you’re anything like me, the thought of quitting makes you sick.
Repeating myself, writing is addictive, but in my case, it’s an addiction that I never want to give up, simply because it helps me process the world.
What is the biggest lesson that you learned about writing or publishing?
I have to be the master of my own path. I have to have enough faith and trust in my abilities to be willing to put myself out there, standing up for my work and standing before it, protecting it from those who wish to abuse it. If I don’t believe in myself, then why should anyone else?
What piece of information do you want to pass on to authors?
Learn to trust your instincts. And gain the strength to say, “No.” If someone is asking you to do something that doesn’t make you feel comfortable or doesn’t feel right for your story, then your instincts are trying to tell you something. Listen to them. You are better off walking away from questionable deals than to sign away your rights to your work.
Why do you like teaching authors?
Pay it forward. It’s my driving ethos.
I’ve learned so much from other writers over the years, but I can’t “pay it back”, because they already have the knowledge. Instead, I can pass on the knowledge and experience to those writers who are coming up right behind me. There is zero need to hold the knowledge close to my chest when so many writers could benefit from the knowledge.
What can students/registrants expect to takeaway from your workshop? What do you believe is the most important thing a writing student should walk away with?
It is my hope that writers taking my workshops and webinars will gain the confidence to take ownership of that title “writer”. I try to show that there is more than one way to look at a situation. We are only limited by our imagination. Writers are creative (even nonfiction writers). And we have something worth saying. So, let’s say it!
What’s your core philosophy when it comes to teaching writing? How do you approach giving constructive feedback without discouraging a student?
My coaching and editing style is one of mentorship, showing a writer how the technique works, how they might employ it in their own writing (using their own voice), giving them the skills to take ownership of their writing.
When providing feedback, I am honest, telling it how I see it, but I focus the comments 100% on the writing. When I’m suggesting rewrites to my clients and students, I will take a passage and reworking using their words, mimicking their voice. The goal is so they can see what could potentially be done using their own story and their own words. And I do what I can to highlight repetitive issues, allowing writers to learn how to recognize the issues on their own. They have the skills; they just need to learn to trust in those skills.
What writing habits or techniques do you emphasize the most in your classes?
Trust the instincts. Most writers come to writing because of their love of story. And even as children, they would have developed an instinct about pacing, character development, and structure. They just know when something feels off. What I’m teaching writers is not how to identify when something is off, but how to identify WHY something is off, and hence how to fix it. It’s about refining the instincts that already exist and backing it up with the theory to explain what they already know.
Is there a common writing “rule” that you think is okay to break—and why?
So many people say that we should write what we know, but that is wrong. Writers know about a lot of things, and if we don’t know about something in particular, we do the research required to learn about it. So, insisting that someone write about what they know is foolhardy.
Instead, we should write what we wish we could read. Because if we would want to read it, then I can guarantee that others would too.
How has your own writing influenced the way you teach? How has teaching writing changed your own work or perspective as a writer?
Some of my writing is experimental, where I’m challenging myself to try a new skill or do something that I wouldn’t normally do. I deliberately push myself outside of my comfort zone on a regular basis—particularly in the writing. And it’s because of this, I encourage my students and clients to do the same. And I remind them that it’s okay if something didn’t work the first time. No writing is wasted. Sometimes, it’s the process to get there that has the most value.
It’s that last bit that gets hammered home every time I work with a new writer. They remind me that what might seem so easy to me now wasn’t always easy to me. It was a process to get where I am. And when I see that new writer feeling dejected about the seemingly lack of progress, I’m right in there reminding them of where they were when they started and reminding them of how far they’ve come. And I point out to them that I was once where they are now, but I have years under my belt… and they’ve only just begun.
Current Release:
Dancing in the Purple Rain
Being special can make you a target
In a poisoned world, Michaella, a genetically engineered telepath, uncovers a web of lies and implanted memories when her closest friend is killed. Michaella must now rely on her personal AI and a 200-year-old playing card as she attempts to maintain her grip on reality to save herself and future generations from becoming emotionless automatons.
Dancing in the Purple Rain is available from a variety of retailers. See the full list at Dancing in the Purple Rain | JUDY L MOHR
Profile images and cover images for my latest release can be downloaded from Press Kit | JUDY L MOHR
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