Ask the Author: K.R. Fraser
Answered Questions (7)
K.R. Fraser
I write dark/ paranormal fantasy, themed around Vampyres, Werewolves, Dragons and other creatures of myth and legend in a world very much at war. How it all started was a story in itself.
My children were my inspiration. They always loved stories and reading from their youngest days to present. I began reading to them when they were still just babies, and continued long into their older years. But as they grew older, the content of the stories changed and they began asking me for some of my own stories.
You see, they knew I loved writing, and that I had done so for magazines, newspapers, environmental groups, and many other places. But they also knew I loved writing my own materials. So one day, my son asked me to tell them my stories. That was where it began. From there, the characters grew and took on lives of their own, and my world grew larger each night.
Finally, after much encouragement from friends and family both, I began to write down all my ideas. These culminated into a solid world and characters that would grow to be who they are today. So Draegonstorm was born. The rest is all history.
You can find the first book of the series here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Book one is presently only available in print, but is being released to digital this November (2020). Book two and a free Draegonstorm novella also come out this winter.
For more about the Draegonstorm world, feel free to visit my website. It's free to sign up, and you get all the latest news and updates on the series. Joining also gives you exclusive access to the member's forum, previously published short stories, poetry and articles, and a fast growing community. So come join the fun!
My website is:
https://www.krfraser.com/
See you there! K.R. Fraser
My children were my inspiration. They always loved stories and reading from their youngest days to present. I began reading to them when they were still just babies, and continued long into their older years. But as they grew older, the content of the stories changed and they began asking me for some of my own stories.
You see, they knew I loved writing, and that I had done so for magazines, newspapers, environmental groups, and many other places. But they also knew I loved writing my own materials. So one day, my son asked me to tell them my stories. That was where it began. From there, the characters grew and took on lives of their own, and my world grew larger each night.
Finally, after much encouragement from friends and family both, I began to write down all my ideas. These culminated into a solid world and characters that would grow to be who they are today. So Draegonstorm was born. The rest is all history.
You can find the first book of the series here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Book one is presently only available in print, but is being released to digital this November (2020). Book two and a free Draegonstorm novella also come out this winter.
For more about the Draegonstorm world, feel free to visit my website. It's free to sign up, and you get all the latest news and updates on the series. Joining also gives you exclusive access to the member's forum, previously published short stories, poetry and articles, and a fast growing community. So come join the fun!
My website is:
https://www.krfraser.com/
See you there! K.R. Fraser
K.R. Fraser
I think I would go to the world I created in Draegonstorm. I have spent so much time there in world-building and creation, and know the characters so well, that I would feel right at home.
What would I do there? Lose myself in the intricacies of their lives and the amazing diversity that exists there.
What would I do there? Lose myself in the intricacies of their lives and the amazing diversity that exists there.
K.R. Fraser
The Draegonstorm world is what I imagine our world would be like if there were Immortal creatures in it. Humans in general love investigating every anomaly we find, even when our curiosity brings us to a tragic end. So Immortal beings who are doing everything they can to remain a secret would have a real struggle on their hands trying to do so. Add a war between two of their factions, and all of a sudden, survival for them hits a whole new level of challenges. How do you hide all out warfare from a race you share a planet with?
I began forming the idea when I made up bedtime stories to tell my children, who love all things fantasy and magical. From there, it just grew over time. I've actually done a series on my blog about the individual characters and how they came to life after their creation one by one, as an answer to a question one of my fans had concerning their beginnings.
The story is not over yet either. It will span several more books yet, as the Elder's Saga is five books long. Happy reading!
I began forming the idea when I made up bedtime stories to tell my children, who love all things fantasy and magical. From there, it just grew over time. I've actually done a series on my blog about the individual characters and how they came to life after their creation one by one, as an answer to a question one of my fans had concerning their beginnings.
The story is not over yet either. It will span several more books yet, as the Elder's Saga is five books long. Happy reading!
K.R. Fraser
I love being a writer because of the sheer joy I am able to give others. I have written in different areas for years, and always felt there was something more I could give. Writing for magazines, newspapers, independent news sources... none of them were ever right for me. I was delivering valuable information and great viewpoints, and I was even making a difference with what I was doing. But I wasn't making people happy.
When I turned to writing fantasy and saw the effect my stories had on people, I knew this was where I wanted to stay. The excitement and awe I often hear in the feedback from my readers is mind-blowing, and it makes me want to give them that much more. I always tell those I mentor that we are the light-bringers to a very dark world. The musicians, the artists, the film-makers and actors/actresses, the authors... all those who create, we are the ones who add light to an otherwise very dreary world. Your average person gets up every morning, throws breakfast in the microwave, then grabs it and trudges out the door to work. They work all day, get home in the early evening and do what to relax and breathe? They turn on the television or pick up a good book. They listen to music as they shower, cook, clean, or drive from one place to another. They find themselves immersed in the world you create, living the adventures of a lifetime, and they dream of a better life. I don't believe there is anything better on earth than being able to do this.
When I turned to writing fantasy and saw the effect my stories had on people, I knew this was where I wanted to stay. The excitement and awe I often hear in the feedback from my readers is mind-blowing, and it makes me want to give them that much more. I always tell those I mentor that we are the light-bringers to a very dark world. The musicians, the artists, the film-makers and actors/actresses, the authors... all those who create, we are the ones who add light to an otherwise very dreary world. Your average person gets up every morning, throws breakfast in the microwave, then grabs it and trudges out the door to work. They work all day, get home in the early evening and do what to relax and breathe? They turn on the television or pick up a good book. They listen to music as they shower, cook, clean, or drive from one place to another. They find themselves immersed in the world you create, living the adventures of a lifetime, and they dream of a better life. I don't believe there is anything better on earth than being able to do this.
K.R. Fraser
I have been asked this question by pretty much every person I have ever mentored. The answer is relatively simple. When you get writer's block, step away from your computer for awhile and defrag. by doing something completely different that you enjoy, whether it's a video game, going for walks in the woods with a camera, or having lunch with a friend. Changing up the routine and getting in much needed down-time is going to help. When you push yourself because you "want to get in that daily word count" you are only sabotaging yourself. It should always be about the quality and not the quantity of what you are writing. You can write 20 chapters in a day and have them be total garbage, or take your time, only write 1 page, and have it be a scene that blows the readers away.
I am not saying that you should not strive to write as much as you can. However, it will not matter how much you write if it is not good enough to sell. A bad work is a bad work, no matter how many words you dump into it. So rather than pushing yourself to the point of being brain-fried, don't be afraid to step away for a few hours or even days if you need them. Pace yourself so you don't get burned out. The ideas and words will come if you remember to take time out for yourself.
I am not saying that you should not strive to write as much as you can. However, it will not matter how much you write if it is not good enough to sell. A bad work is a bad work, no matter how many words you dump into it. So rather than pushing yourself to the point of being brain-fried, don't be afraid to step away for a few hours or even days if you need them. Pace yourself so you don't get burned out. The ideas and words will come if you remember to take time out for yourself.
K.R. Fraser
Hone your skills and practice, practice, practice. Before you can ever go to publishing, you need to perfect your craft as a writer. Brush up your grammar, your punctuation, your spelling and your sentence structure. Learn formatting for the specific section of the industry you are writing for (ie - screen writing is far different in format than novel writing). You should also learn to edit your own work before sending it off to professional editors. Publishers look for polished works that need little to no work on them, and expect that when a written work is submitted, that it is primarily ready for publication. At the point you are ready to query, your work should be as free of mistakes as possible and properly formatted. It should be professionally proofread as well, because these are all things the acquisition editor looks for when considering any submitted work. It is also what agents look at when considering representing you.
When you are ready to query, do your research on agents first. Every agent has specific genres they represent, and they are always on the look out for new talent in their areas. However, they do go through periods where they have a full roster of clients and are not accepting any new submissions. This does not mean your work is not good. It means they have no room for new clients at that time. If you do your research first, then you can identify what agents are looking for new works in your genre. Then you have a better chance of getting noticed and won't be wasting your time or the agents you are querying.
If you get a rejection letter, save it and count it as a stepping stone. Most agents don't have the time to send rejection letters and simply don't answer, adding submitted works that aren't ready for publishing to the slush pile. So if you received a rejection letter, it means they noticed your work, but it either wasn't ready or was not right for their representation. It should never be looked on as anything more than the next step in your journey.
Writing professionally is the same as any other industry when it comes to a skill set. You have to hone and polish your abilities, your prose, and your knowledge not just about writing itself, but with how the publishing side of this industry works. Yes, you can self-publish. But even if you do, the public still wants a polished and well-written work. That only comes with a great deal of dedication and hard work, and it does not happen overnight. Be patient and diligent, and you will get there. Dreams are only dreams when you do not actively pursue them.
When you are ready to query, do your research on agents first. Every agent has specific genres they represent, and they are always on the look out for new talent in their areas. However, they do go through periods where they have a full roster of clients and are not accepting any new submissions. This does not mean your work is not good. It means they have no room for new clients at that time. If you do your research first, then you can identify what agents are looking for new works in your genre. Then you have a better chance of getting noticed and won't be wasting your time or the agents you are querying.
If you get a rejection letter, save it and count it as a stepping stone. Most agents don't have the time to send rejection letters and simply don't answer, adding submitted works that aren't ready for publishing to the slush pile. So if you received a rejection letter, it means they noticed your work, but it either wasn't ready or was not right for their representation. It should never be looked on as anything more than the next step in your journey.
Writing professionally is the same as any other industry when it comes to a skill set. You have to hone and polish your abilities, your prose, and your knowledge not just about writing itself, but with how the publishing side of this industry works. Yes, you can self-publish. But even if you do, the public still wants a polished and well-written work. That only comes with a great deal of dedication and hard work, and it does not happen overnight. Be patient and diligent, and you will get there. Dreams are only dreams when you do not actively pursue them.
K.R. Fraser
I am actually finishing the work on book three for the Draegonstorm: Elders Saga series, titled: "The Dragon Lord".
Book two: "Nightfall" is actually coming out before the end of this year. The series is actually slated for five books to complete the Elders Saga, and I already have some of book four brewing in the works.
Book two: "Nightfall" is actually coming out before the end of this year. The series is actually slated for five books to complete the Elders Saga, and I already have some of book four brewing in the works.
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