Ask the Author: Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
Answered Questions (9)
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
I would go into the fantastical world of Tom Robbins' "Jitterbug Perfume" and would accompany Alobar on his sultry adventures
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
The biography of Samuel Beckett "Damned to Fame" and "Praiseworthy" by Alexis Wright
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
I was born in an esoteric theater commune in the south of France ...
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
Hello Admhemar,
My experience with Inkshares was incredible. I do, however, have to mention a caveat: I was incredibly lucky to be the first funded novelist on the website, which meant I benefited from a lot of attention I would not have received otherwise . I guess the question is, what is your alternative? If you are consider the self-publishing route, I would 100% recommend Inkshares. Depending on what kind of genre your book is, they have received a lot of attention from sci-fi/fantasy readers and have a thriving community that seems to be quite supportive. You are going to have to do a lot of self-promotion, no doubt, but it does add to the allure if you have their website as a platform. They were amazing in helping publishing my book, and I was able to work with an editor from FSG as well as do some really cool design things with the novel that I would not have been able to do with a more mainstream publisher. As far as being a "good" publisher, sure, they're not the big five, so if you think your novel is capable of getting a massive print run, FOR SURE try and find a literary agent. While the profits per sale would not be as good as Inkshares, you would most certainly receive more promotion possibilities if you ended up at one of the big houses. Inkshares' publishing model has changed since I published with them (when I was there I had to raise 10k in 3 months; now it's more about getting enough readers) so you have to ask yourself how many people you can realistically get on board, as finding a few hundred readers as an unpublished author is definitely not an easy task.
My experience with Inkshares was incredible. I do, however, have to mention a caveat: I was incredibly lucky to be the first funded novelist on the website, which meant I benefited from a lot of attention I would not have received otherwise . I guess the question is, what is your alternative? If you are consider the self-publishing route, I would 100% recommend Inkshares. Depending on what kind of genre your book is, they have received a lot of attention from sci-fi/fantasy readers and have a thriving community that seems to be quite supportive. You are going to have to do a lot of self-promotion, no doubt, but it does add to the allure if you have their website as a platform. They were amazing in helping publishing my book, and I was able to work with an editor from FSG as well as do some really cool design things with the novel that I would not have been able to do with a more mainstream publisher. As far as being a "good" publisher, sure, they're not the big five, so if you think your novel is capable of getting a massive print run, FOR SURE try and find a literary agent. While the profits per sale would not be as good as Inkshares, you would most certainly receive more promotion possibilities if you ended up at one of the big houses. Inkshares' publishing model has changed since I published with them (when I was there I had to raise 10k in 3 months; now it's more about getting enough readers) so you have to ask yourself how many people you can realistically get on board, as finding a few hundred readers as an unpublished author is definitely not an easy task.
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
I don't have any advice for aspiring writers except to keep writing. After all, I am and always will be an aspiring writer.
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
I got the idea for Slim and The Beast while sitting on a train. I had a vision of a man ordering a burger and decided to write it for Jules, Samuel L. Jackson's character in Pulp Fiction.
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
I think about Louis CK's fantastic sketch in Louie: "You're not allowed to be bored." Life is awesome, so there really is no excuse not to find inspiration. Books, films, video games, sports, wine, coffee ... the list is endless.
I also think about Jim Jarmusch's great quote, which sums up the origins of artistic inspiration: "“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to."
I also think about Jim Jarmusch's great quote, which sums up the origins of artistic inspiration: "“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to."
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
I am currently working on a novel which takes placed in Lodz, Poland at the outbreak of World War Two. It follows the interweaving narratives of an academic, a secretary to the SS, and a German police officer during one of the most brutal occupations in modern history.
Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
If you have writer's block, write about having writer's block. Henry Miller's commandment still holds: "If you can't create, you can still work."
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