First, let me just say that unless I know you well, I am not the best at conversations. Sure, if I know you, I can talk you ear off about anything that pops up. If I don’t know you well, I can talk but it is a struggle sometimes. I am never sure what to say or if what I have said was the correct thing to say or not. There are two questions that I struggle with the most.

1) What is your book about?

I really struggle with this and you would think it should be the easiest thing in the world to answer. Right up there with, what is your name, and what is your birthday? Unfortunately for me it is not that simple. Yes, I could tell you the whole book from beginning to end over the length of a conversation. I have done just that on more than one occasion. Let’s not even get into coming up with a blurb for a book. Sometimes that is like having all your teeth pulled without any thing to numb the pain.

2) What advice do you have for new authors?

I don’t really see myself in the “class” of authors/writers that should give advice on this subject. I am just someone with an over active imagination with the persistence and drive to get it all down on paper. I am thankful for every single reader that I have.

I was asked this very question by another Author at WSC and it caught me off guard. So much so that it has returned to me several times in my head since then. My answer at the time was “Read a lot and write as much as you can when you can.” He rolled his eyes and walked away as if I had given the wrong answer on a test. Perhaps I did give the wrong answer, so her is my thought-out answer.

Write because you love to write. Dance because you love to dance, paint pictures because you love to paint, or garden because you love to garden. I would write even if I wasn’t trying to sell books and the only person who ever saw the finished product was my wife. I can’t even tell you how much I do write that never sees the light of day. Not because I didn’t like how it turned out, because I wanted to try a historical piece, or a fantasy, or something else I don’t usually dabble in. Do it because that is what you love to do and have a story to tell. Try not to get caught up with book titles and character names. They will come to you after you sit down and start writing. If outlining works for you, outline away. If you are a pantser like me, sit down and let the story flow. Join writer’s groups on FB and in real life. I have learned a lot in a few groups and I am still learning. Learn to take criticisms and build on them. Meet other authors/writers and build a friendship. I have a few that I consider friends/mentors now that I ask question all the time. I take their answers to heart and I hope it reflects in my writing. Find a good editor and learn to work with them. You aren’t hiring a friend, enemy, or a lacky to do your every wish. You are hiring someone to make your story better.

Sorry, this is longer than I thought it would be. The short answer is write because you love to write.