Author Interview ~ Ron Benrey

Ron Benrey is a highly experienced writer who has written more than a thousand bylined magazine articles, seven published non-fiction books, and seven Christian romantic suspense novels (co-written with his wife, Janet) for Broadman & Holman, Barbour Publishing, and Harlequin Steeple Hill. Ron is also an experienced orals coach who helps corporate executives give effective presentations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a juris doctor from the Duquesne University School of Law.


Plug time. What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

The Final Crumpet was published in September; it’s the second book in our Royal Tunbridge Wells Mysteries series from Barbour Books. We’ve also completed the first book in a new cozy mystery series for Harlequin Steeple Hill, but it won’t be published until early 2007. It’s called Glory Be!



Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.

Janet and I tell our story in the workshops we give at writers’ conferences, because it illustrates an essential point: that these days only “publishable” fiction gets looked at by agents and editors. I had written lots of non-fiction and had been a professional writer all my career (mostly marketing communications writing and speechwriting). Janet and I got the bug to write fiction in 1989, but nothing happened. In 1995, after six years of no response to our work, we finally admitted to ourselves that our manuscripts were simply not quite good enough to be published. I attacked the problem like an engineering challenge and figured out the “requirements” for publishable fiction.

In 1996 we threw away our current work and began again – this time with much greater confidence. We rebuilt our writing portfolio by 1998 and received our first contract in 1999. We’re currently working on our seventh joint novel and I have several proposals out there.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Actually, not very often. My confidence as a professional writer, (developed through more than forty years as a non-fiction writer), has “merged” into my fiction writing. When I sit down at my computer I feel confident that – given enough time – I’ll be able to create publishable fiction within the limits of my writing skills. This isn’t arrogance or hubris, rather a belief that I have the experience and know-how to do what’s necessary. I also have processes that help me plan and plot novels – they go a long way to removing uncertainty.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

Ernest Hemingway wrote that the most important thing a writer needs is “a built-in, shock-proof, manure detector.” (He actually used a pithier word than manure.) He’s absolutely right. A writer has to know when his her stuff is good and when it’s... well, manure. You can’t rely on other people to know or to be willing to tell you.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

“This manuscript is good enough to send in now. If we keep trying to make it perfect, we’ll never send it in.” That’s what Janet used to say back before we knew how to write publishable fiction. I felt that something was wrong with our prose – I described it as “dead” – but I didn’t understand what was amiss. And so we wasted lots of “golden arrows” (opportunities to have our work read by agents and editors) because we sent them writing that wasn’t ready for prime time.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

Most editors and agents – even so-called experienced ones these days – are not capable of diagnosing why a manuscript is not publishable. They recognize it isn’t publishable when they read it, but they don’t know why. Consequently, their rejection letters contain vague statements, (e.g. I couldn’t get close your main character), rather than useful suggestions for improvements. Every writer has to be able to diagnose publishability problems by him or herself

Do you have a scripture or quote that has been speaking to you lately?

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power...” 1 Corinthians 2:4 (NIV). I’ve been studying 1 Corinthians for a non-fiction project I’m developing. This statement by Paul – aimed at preaching – is equally good advice to fiction writers who want to deliver a Christian message

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

Early In 1995, when we first recognized that we didn’t know how to write publishable fiction, we talked about chucking it in. After all, why keep bashing our heads against a door that would never open.

What are a few of your favorite books? (Not written by you.)

I consider one of the most compelling novels (in the sense that you are driven to keep reading) to be The Godfather by Mario Puzo.

My favorites in Christian fiction is the Church of England series by Susan Howatch, a British writer.

I also read a lot of theology. My favorite theologian these days is N. T. Wright.


If your authorial self was a character from The Wizard of Oz, which one would you be and why?

Most writers are like the cowardly lion – blustery but easy cowed by the “slap” of rejections or bad reviews. I’m sure I have a helping of that.

I also see some of the Wizard in me. After all, one of the aspects of writing fiction is to create things that really aren’t there by proper application of smoke and mirrors.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

If you’re talking about fiction, that information is typically classified “top secret” by the Benreys. Because Janet and I work together, we never point to “nifty bits I wrote.” However, one passage I can talk about is the courtroom scene in Humble Pie. As the lawyer in the family, I wrote it all by myself. I think its nifty.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Christian publishers can’t seem to get their act together. There are simply too many strategic shifts and editorial changes. In recent years, Christian novelists have gotten much, much better. It’s time for the publishers to begin to think and act like real publishers.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?

I have a day job, so I usually write only during the evenings. If I have a day off or a weekend close to deadline there’s nothing remarkable about my typical day. I force myself to stay seated at the computer and grind out words. I’ve never “enjoyed” writing. I can’t imagine why anyone would joyously perform hard, tedious work. In the immortal words of someone, I enjoy having written (I’ve seen that aphorism attributed to Virginia Wolfe, Jimmy Breslan, and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Take your pick.)

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

Not one particular writer – but several I won’t bother naming. I wish I could do a better job on humor. I’m not completely without the ability to write humor, but I’d like to be funnier than I am.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

As Janet gets more deeply involved in agenting, we’ll write less together. I’ve proposed an usual mystery series and several “bigger novels” to several publishers. Therein lie my writing dreams.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

Sure. As I said above, we came close to quitting fiction writing in 1995. we decided to give it one more chance after I figured out what publishable fiction was. Of course, that doesn’t mean we actually would have quit.(Fiction writers often make stupidly dramatic statements that they subsequently regret.)

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

Favorite: I enjoy talking with people about writing fiction. That’s probably why I enjoy teaching at writers’ conferences.

Least favorite: I hate the occasional feelings of desperation that surface when deadlines loom, the job is going slower than it should, and I’m in a mood to procrastinate.

How much marketing do you do? Any advice in this area?

We don’t do nearly enough. Marketing is essential, but neither of us like to do it. On the other hand, I do create our web sites, which represents lots of hard work, and I participate in several writers’ conferences each year. But I dislike book signings (probably because too few people generally show up).

Advice: write a major blockbuster. Then marketing will be fun and easy.

Parting words?

A point I like to make during our writers’ conference workshops is that we receive more rejections now than we did before we were published. I often jolts the participants, but it’s true. If you want to write fiction, you need lots of “product” (manuscripts, proposals, ideas) and you need to keep pitching – assuming, of course, you’ve figured out the requirements of publishable fiction. That’s really the single most important aspect of getting published. If you can write publishable fiction, the chances are actually quite good it will be published.