Interview with Author – Lynette Willows
Author Bio:
Lynette Willows divides her time between a patient husband and very impatient pair of Maltese, a bunch of half-finished and finished novels. She still takes freelance assignments in humour and journalism if they strike her fancy, and enjoys her husband’s retirement by camping and fishing. She baits her own hook. She seeks adventure by chasing storms and occasionally sleeps in a teepee, because she likes her campfires indoors.
What inspires you to write?
Writing is as essential to me as breathing. If I can’t write, I go crazy and can’t sleep. All those voices in my head become quite nagging. So, I write to shut them up.
Tell us about your writing process.
I like a brief outline, just the major points of the story. I leave it deliberately vague, so I have wiggle room. My characters have the annoying habit of wandering off in directions I never suspected, and I like that. It brings about all kinds of adventure. I do have what I call a “Rogues Gallery”, where I’ll find pictures of what I think my characters look like, their life history so I know what motivates them to do what they do, and flaws in character or appearance, for instance, any scars and how they got them. By the time I’m done, it’s like I gave birth, raised and sent my kids out on their own to live their stories, all in a few months. It’s intense.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Oh yes, indeed. I’m schizoid that way. My husband will glance at me sideways at times, perhaps wondering if he should be ready to tie with rope in case I lose it. I think he believes I’m sometimes going off my rocker. He’s an amazingly patient man, really. But yes, I will come up with an idea, usually while I’m doing dishes or some equally mundane activity, and they will show me what they are about to do in my head. Then I’m dropping everything to write it down while mumbling to them to stay put, don’t wander off until I get it down, or remark about how stupid, brave, or reckless they are to even consider such an action. It will usually make it into the book, no matter what I may personally think of it.
What advice would you give other writers?
First, READ. I have had many aspiring writers say they never read other authors in the genre they are interested in, because they don’t want “someone else’s voice” when they write. This is, frankly, the biggest mistake they can make. I can assure other writer’s, you won’t copy them, even unintentionally. But you will get examples, not only of good writing, but even bad writing, and that is how you develop your own voice in your chosen genre. The bad stuff you read is just as instructional as the good stuff…read both.
Second…WRITE. Doesn’t matter what you write. If you’re blocked, write a grocery list in the most imaginative way possible, but write. You can’t get any better by sitting there twiddling your thumbs. If it’s bad, that’s OK; you’ll get better. Worry about the rest of it later. First, you have to learn the basics of your craft, like grammar, punctuation, how to use certain words. Don’t groan…there’s always an aspect of every job you won’t like, but if you don’t have those basic tools, you’re lost. You can’t be a carpenter without knowing one end of a hammer from another, right?
How did you decide how to publish your books?
EBooks are the new, upcoming way that readers are re-connecting with literature. They have even found that children who were previously reluctant to read are now gobbling up books when they are on an e-reader. Now, I’ll admit freely that I’m a print book girl. I like my books on paper; there’s nothing cozier, to me, that curling up in a favorite chair, or in bed, and reading a good book. But I can’t ignore the fact that trends are changing, and if I have any hope of being a successful writer, I have to consider the option, and I did. I was kicking and screaming,but I eventually saw the wisdom of the decision. As a result, we sought out a digital publisher that was willing to take a chance on new authors, who liked our book and took it on. Digital publishing is a good way to find out how a novel or book will be received, and if it’s worth the expense of publishing in print.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
See above. If it promotes literacy in kids, and creates a new generation of readers, I’m all for it. But also, I don’t believe the print book will really ever go away. There are just too many people who have that ancient love of paper books. I really believe it’s ingrained into our DNA.
What do you use?
Co-writer, Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?
Romance, historical and contemporary.
What formats are your books in?
eBook
Website(s)
Author Home Page Link
Link To Author Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12244831-lynette-willows
https://www.facebook.com/lynette.willows?ref=tn_tnmn
https://twitter.com/LynetteWillows
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