Check out the spotlight video here!
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Why do you like teaching authors?
For me, teaching is a two-way street. I receive as much from my students as they do from me, and I get so much joy from seeing them grow, improve, and experience epiphanies.
What’s your core philosophy when it comes to teaching writing?
Every writer is different. I try to tailor my teaching and coaching to each student, to find out what they’re struggling with, what they need, and then use my experience to give them tools to overcome their specific struggle.
What do you believe is the most important thing a writing student should walk away with?
You are not doing things “wrong” just because you write differently to other writers. It is far too easy to compare ourselves to writers who write faster, publish quicker, are more active on social media, write differently, or who simply have different processes. But we are all beautifully unique.
You are on the right path for you, and what you’re doing is not “wrong” or “less than.” We all have different needs, goals, and different ways of measuring success, so don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Just keep learning, keep growing, keep moving forward at your own pace to find what works for you – that is the path to your success.
How has teaching writing changed your own work or perspective as a writer?
I’ve learned to give myself a lot more grace. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to get things right first time, but I’ve seen the incredible improvements writers can make even just working on a single manuscript, and it’s shown me that writing really is a multi-layered process, and that we really can turn the roughest draft into a book that readers will love.
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Romy Sommer is the author of seven contemporary romance novels published by HarperCollins London, and she has also indie-published a further eight books under her own name and a pseudonym. With her Hollywood romance novel, Not a Fairy Tale, Romy became the first South African to be nominated for the RWA Rita award in 2016. She is the author of two writing craft books, The Beginner’s Guide to Writing Romance and Character Wounding: Crafting Emotional Depth in Fiction.
As the founder and first chairperson of ROSA (Romance writers Organisation of South Africa), Romy discovered a passion for working with and growing aspiring writers which led to a new career as a writing coach and developmental editor. She pioneered writing courses for Savvy Authors, Now Novel, and RWA (Romance Writers of America) before joining Gemini Writer’s Studio.
Romy lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her menagerie of two talented teens, four cats, and a bearded dragon. In her former, pre-coaching life, she worked as a film production manager, first in movies and then in television advertising. She loves foreign language Rom Coms, travel, musical theatre, Formula One motor racing, and is obsessed with romantic K-dramas.
Links:
Author website: www.romysommer.com
Gemini Writer’s Studio: https://GeminiWritersStudio.com/
Amazon: Romy Sommer: books, biography, latest update
Goodreads: Romy Sommer
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/romy-sommer
Social media links:
Facebook: Romy Sommer Author
Instagram: Login • Instagram
Threads: Romy Sommer (@romy_sommer_author) • Threads, Say more
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/romysommer/
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Why do you like teaching authors?
For me, teaching is a two-way street. I receive as much from my students as they do from me, and I get so much joy from seeing them grow, improve, and experience epiphanies.
What’s your core philosophy when it comes to teaching writing?
Every writer is different. I try to tailor my teaching and coaching to each student, to find out what they’re struggling with, what they need, and then use my experience to give them tools to overcome their specific struggle.
What do you believe is the most important thing a writing student should walk away with?
You are not doing things “wrong” just because you write differently to other writers. It is far too easy to compare ourselves to writers who write faster, publish quicker, are more active on social media, write differently, or who simply have different processes. But we are all beautifully unique.
You are on the right path for you, and what you’re doing is not “wrong” or “less than.” We all have different needs, goals, and different ways of measuring success, so don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Just keep learning, keep growing, keep moving forward at your own pace to find what works for you – that is the path to your success.
How has teaching writing changed your own work or perspective as a writer?
I’ve learned to give myself a lot more grace. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to get things right first time, but I’ve seen the incredible improvements writers can make even just working on a single manuscript, and it’s shown me that writing really is a multi-layered process, and that we really can turn the roughest draft into a book that readers will love.
------------
Romy Sommer is the author of seven contemporary romance novels published by HarperCollins London, and she has also indie-published a further eight books under her own name and a pseudonym. With her Hollywood romance novel, Not a Fairy Tale, Romy became the first South African to be nominated for the RWA Rita award in 2016. She is the author of two writing craft books, The Beginner’s Guide to Writing Romance and Character Wounding: Crafting Emotional Depth in Fiction.
As the founder and first chairperson of ROSA (Romance writers Organisation of South Africa), Romy discovered a passion for working with and growing aspiring writers which led to a new career as a writing coach and developmental editor. She pioneered writing courses for Savvy Authors, Now Novel, and RWA (Romance Writers of America) before joining Gemini Writer’s Studio.
Romy lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her menagerie of two talented teens, four cats, and a bearded dragon. In her former, pre-coaching life, she worked as a film production manager, first in movies and then in television advertising. She loves foreign language Rom Coms, travel, musical theatre, Formula One motor racing, and is obsessed with romantic K-dramas.
Links:
Author website: www.romysommer.com
Gemini Writer’s Studio: https://GeminiWritersStudio.com/
Amazon: Romy Sommer: books, biography, latest update
Goodreads: Romy Sommer
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/romy-sommer
Social media links:
Facebook: Romy Sommer Author
Instagram: Login • Instagram
Threads: Romy Sommer (@romy_sommer_author) • Threads, Say more
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/romysommer/
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