Ask the Author: Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
Answered Questions (6)
Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
I actively now give advice to younger writers to enter contests and submit to literary journals before publishing even on a blog because these venues will only accept unpublished work. I would say that a writer should be geared to publishing a book of their work eventually. They should look at self-publishing as an option. I tell writers to subscribe to Poets and Writers Magazine as a gateway to be exposed to literary journals and contests. This advice however is for people who want to give great literature to the world. This advice is not for writers who just want to write something that is commercial that will sell and make a lot of money. There are other publications for that. Either way a person has to learn the business. I understand that collections of short stories tend not to sell as well as novels. I have published a book that is a mixture of poetry, short stories and short bits of writing. The illustrations, artwork and photos however make people really interested when they flip through the pages of my book. Obviously my creation is artistic. I was hoping that the longest of my short stories, McArthur Street, might get a publisher interested in giving me an advance to turn it into a novel because it would be very easy for me to turn it into a novel. Now I realize I can't submit it to literary journals or contests because it is now already published. I will have to get more work together to get that exposure in the literary world I need. See? A person has to learn the business and read about it and jump into it. A person can't just sit on the sidelines and be "a poser" as a young lady I know says. It's cute the way she says that. In the end what people, readers and professionals in the literary world, look for is someone who has a way with words and can express himself well with writing. People are looking for a signature style that has to be developed. Fortunately for me people who know me have been telling me I have a way with words for many years now. I see now what the literary and publishing world is trying to tell me. They want me to write. Right now I am torn between marketing my new book and getting my writing talent out into the world for people who will appreciate it and gathering together more work to submit to literary journals for the recognition and even some actual pay! As with most things in my life it appears I am being recruited so that means I have to play ball!
Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
I have no writer's block. Just as with songwriting I laugh when I think about members of a band sitting around trying to think of an idea to write a song. Inspiration just flows with me. Songs come to me in my dreams while I am sleeping. It is the same with my other writing. I have ideas for writing projects in a long list in my brain. I have multitudes of things in my notebooks to go through. New inspiration does not stop.
Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
Right now I am really trying to market my first eBook and see how I will be able to publish the printed version of my book which I have the first copy of and is ready to go. I do still write some poetry. I was very frustrated to find that the literary journals that I have been reading for years only accept unpublished work. This includes the fact that they won't even accept work published on an author's own blog. This is, also, true of entering work such as poetry in contests. They only want unpublished work. One of my reasons for copyrighting and publishing this collection was to be able to submit it to literary journals and contests. This is very frustrating when you consider that it costs $55 just to get a collection of work copyrighted online with the copyright office. Who wants to put their work out there if it isn't copyrighted? I have other work that is not in this collection because I wanted the book to be a succinct entity that is cohesive with each part flowing from one to another like a composition in its own right. However I have found that most of that other work is in storage in another town. Right now I am living in a van and I need to find some employment or make some money with self-employment. The cost of gas to go back to that town plus the work of typing, copyrighting and general preparation all over again to submit work seems like a daunting task. I want to do some poetry readings, maybe some guitar playing and singing. I am going to order copies of the printed book to sell directly myself because the cost of distribution is daunting. Maybe I can make some money with affiliate sales commissions. I have been consumed with the publication of this first book and getting started with the marketing. I would love to have enough income to start putting together my next collection and continue work on two novels that I have started. Oh, did I leave out that I have to keep taking free online courses for more job skills and update my resume to find a job? Tough times indeed! Thank goodness I have recorded some of my poetry readings and have them out there on podomatic so I am podcasting my work. I currently hit number 45 in performing arts podcasts on podomatic. These podcasts are, also, on iTunes!
Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
I sometimes feel like a frustrated writer in conversations that I have with people about things I am interested in and research. Although people are genuinely interested in the things I have to say they often do not have time to listen to me except in short bits of time. Also, I feel that writers write about things that people do not normally discuss in conversations with people. These subjects may seem awkward and uncomfortable for people to talk about. This may be exactly why people love to read about these thoughts and feelings when a writer puts his thoughts into words on a printed page. I, myself, feel a sense of gratification to see thoughts of mine that I have carried around for years written by someone else in print. As well, sometimes it is difficult to get across relevant points to people in conversation because words and phrases mean different things to people especially with the cultural wars and wars for the control of people's minds that is going on. Putting things in writing is a good way to formulate my own thoughts in ways that cause revelation for me and makes myself and what I have to say more clear to others. This includes defusing arguments, nay sayers, devil's advocate tactics to either pick my brains or just be anti and to simply defuse confusion. In effect it is a different way to express myself that is just as necessary to me as conversation, creating art or playing music.
Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
I think I had a good start in answering this with the answer to the first question. A lot has to do with actually writing down an inspiration. With my psychological horror story, The Dream, it was an actual dream I had. When I woke up I realized what I had and grabbed a notebook and started writing. Other stories I can carry around in my head for a long time. Poetry requires the right moment when it will flow out as an inspiration. I can carry the idea for a poem around in my head for a long time but not really compose it until the right moment when it will flow out with inspiration when I have a pen in hand. Experiences in my life and conversations with people give me all the inspiration and creative drive I need. My creative work is never really just about me but communing with nature and interacting with people. Caring about what is going on in this world drives me creatively. In fact I have to express myself. For years I worked horrible hours and very long days so it was easier when I had some free time to just drink a few beers and pick up my guitar and play a song. It was a need to express myself and get my feelings out. However I always found the time to do some artwork and write things down in notebooks but the story telling and poetry was constantly at work in my mind. It is unstoppable.
Mark Alberto Yoder Nunez
Well, I have been writing poetry, songs and stories for decades. Family and friends would ask me to recite my poetry. I sometimes told people ideas of mine that were literary or philosophical jokes and they would say I should do something with that. I would improvisationally add to these words and compose stories while telling them to a group of people. Sometimes in these interactions with people I would invent entirely new stories. I often had stories already written completely in my mind. I would come up with an idea for a story and keep adding to the story in my mind. It is like watching a movie unfold in my mind. It is a way to express myself to get my emotions out entirely in my mind. As well, I thought of aphorisms and humor so I felt I need to get these things copyrighted and share them with more people. As well, I need a real career. I never had the money to fund my music career the way I should have. It has only been due to a long period of unemployment that I have been able to realize one of my childhood dreams and publish this collection of my work. It is, also, gratifying to me to include my artwork, illustrations and photography in this book to share this work.
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