An interview with Author Stephen J Carter

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An interview with Author Stephen J Carter

Young: Hello Stephen.

Stephen J. Carter (S.J.C.): Greeting! Hi, it's my pleasure to have this virtual talk with you today!

Young: How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?

(S.J.C.): In 2007 my brother dared me to realize my dream and write a novel, so I did. I finished that 1st novel in 2009, and then did a book on writing skills (Story Crisis, Story Climax 1). I'd always been an avid reader and a student of story, in novels & film. But sales went nowhere, I had other stuff happening, so I stopped! In 2014 I came back, more focused, still hopeful, and now fully committed to being a full-time writer. I transferred my books to Amazon, and finished a 2nd novel. My attitude now is not to let marketing problems and lack of sales dissuade me from continuing my dream. I realize I may never succeed with the promotion side of things. I'll continue writing regardless.

Young: How did you come up with your stories?

(S.J.C.): I usually recall an event from my 20's or 30's and then re-frame it in a story-world, and imagine how the characters will react. I seem drawn to writing stories of escape and survival - typical adventure fiction. I put the hero in dire straits and then find a way to extricate him. I never tire of that theme, so having story ideas is usually no problem. Almost any life-situation can become a kind of trap that threatens the hero and those around him. The writer's job is to make the loss of freedom, the trap, seem plausible, overwhelming, sympathetic. The 'how' of survival in such a story then becomes fascinating and emotionally hopeful for the reader.

Young: What are the best and worst aspects of writing?

(S.J.C.): For me the best aspect is writing the scenes once I work out what a scene's goal, obstacles, and outcome will be. Having those details laid out beforehand makes the actual writing of a scene enjoyable. It's fun taking a character through a landscape, talking and joking with others, making decisions in response to problems. The worst aspect is what you have to go through to have a scene's details laid out. That process involves figuring out the overall arc of problems/decisions the hero faces, from the Act 1 originating problem, to its eventual solution in Act 3. It means making a list of 80+ scenes, and having a rough idea of each scene's details, then I can start with the writing. That planning phase is the worst and most difficult aspect of writing.

Young: What inspires you to write?

(S.J.C.): It's magical. The magic of it keeps pulling me back. It feels like waving a wand and creating a world.

Young: What would your friends say is your best quality?

(S.J.C.): My imagination and sense of humor.

Young: Are reader reviews important to you?

(S.J.C.): I recently did a virtual blog tour for my book, NEW SIQDOR. I posted a different 500-word excerpt each day at a different blog during the 2 weeks of the tour. Blog visitors seemed fascinated by the excerpts and their comments were great! Frankly, I found that as enjoyable and informative as reviews. I find I don't worry any more about how my books do, i.e. if they receive reviews. I just want to continue writing, regardless. There's no magic bullet or secret key to this process.

Young: What is your Blog / website.

(S.J.C.): http://www.stephenjcarter.com

Young: What do you do when you aren't writing?

(S.J.C.): I read news websites (I'm sort of a news addict), probably too much! I read fiction, watch TV and go to movies, drink coffee and talk with friends, work on my bike and ride around the Chiang Mai area.

Young: Tell us about your books.

(S.J.C.): I have two series: 'Zero Point Light', a SF series; and 'Z Inferno', a zombie Horror series.

My next release is this month, January 2016, INFECTION DAY (Z Inferno, Book 2).

In May I'll bring out DESCENT ON ABUWESI (Zero Point Light, Book 3).

I also have a writing skills series out, 'Crisis Climax', with 2 books so far that try to teach the structure of world-building by looking at specific movies and the problem / decision arc they employ.

Later this year I'll bring out another, 75 INCITING INCIDENTS, that looks at the opening inciting problem that launches the hero's journey in 75 recent movies. I believe film can be an excellent learning tool for writers.

Young: If you could share one thing ... etc.

(S.J.C.): One of my life-long dreams is to sail around the world. To my surprise reading and writing is at least as fulfilling as that long-held dream. Writing is a solitary act of the imagination that, strangely, gives me a strong feeling of connection with people. On the other hand writing also gives the same feelings of excitement, adventure, and connection with nature that sailing gives, although it's all imagined! Pursuing an art needs to give joy in itself, in the process of struggling with it. I suppose for me sailing and writing, nature and other people are all interwoven and make my life an adventure.

Stephen J Carter

bio

I��m a Canadian living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Something about this northern city makes it a perfect place to write. I write SF and Horror because I 'escape' faster through those genres, though Historical fiction also appeals to me. I set my horror novels in Thailand probably because Thais have such a rich supernatural tradition. I��ll likely continue writing and publishing ebooks here until they physically drag me away. As for my work load, ironically I��m far busier now with the daily writing, revising, editing, and promoting than I was in the academic world years ago. Frankly, I wouldn��t have it any other way! I've written 2 SF titles, 2 Writing skills ebooks, and 1 Horror novella.

name latest book, & what inspired it.

My last book was in the Writing Skills category, STORY CRISIS, STORY CLIMAX 2. I'm fascinated by how movie structure provides novelists a condensed structure that works extremely well in big picture planning for a novel. This can really help a writer map out the 3-Act story arc, and get a handle on the problem / decision arc the story's protagonist struggles with. I'm always looking for ways to condense & simplify the tools a novelist uses in writing a novel.

unusual writing habits?

I'm an outliner. In my first novel I went so far as to draw up a stairway of steps (scenes) on a 5-foot long scroll of old-style printer paper. I did that partly to convince myself the project was do-able, but then I started enjoying the process of seeing the story events in one majestic arc. It didn��t matter that I changed quite a lot of that plan, it felt great just seeing a blueprint for my story. Since then I've tended more to focus on planning the plot points: Act 1 Inciting Incident, Act 2 Turning Points & Midpoint, and Act 3 Crisis & Climax. Then I plan out all of each Act then write the scenes for that. Later Acts usually change as the writing progresses, so I plan those as I move into that part of the story. That keeps the story's big picture clear in my mind.

On the day I write a scene I list that scene's goal, problem, & character decision. and get clear on how the scene fits into the Act. I find this is more than enough planning to dispel self-doubt and writer's block heebie-jeebies.

books & writers that have influenced you?

Bernard Cornwell, Isaac Asimov, Bobby Adair, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Patrick O'Brian, Hugh Howey, L. T. Ryan, D. H. Lawrence, Robertson Davies.

working on now?

The book I'm finishing up now is INFECTION DAY, a zombie horror story set in Thailand, Malaysia, & Sumatra. I was struck by how AI & robotics inevitably will mimic human physiology & psychology. From there it seemed to me a zombie apocalypse would resemble a dystopian tech apocalypse. Both are an attack on what it means to be human. I wanted to explore that in this story.

best promotion site or method?

I was surprised to find Twitter works quite well at building a writer's 'brand awareness.' I used Twitter to invite followers to review my books. I was surprised how well it worked. Twitter doesn't really help sell books though. Frankly, I've had very little success to date promoting in a way that generates sales. I intend to pull back on the time & effort I devote to promotion and re-focus on writing.

Most promotion sites offer paid advertising to give a book exposure, which frankly doesn't work so well. Sorry, on promotion I have little advice to offer.

advice for new writers?

The key is finding a powerful way to connect with a segment of readers. Your job in marketing is to find an approach that is exciting for YOU. Then you'll enjoy the process and your enthusiasm will come through. Some writers love blog tours; others like email campaigns or doing multiple newsletters to subscribers; others prefer video, podcasts, ebook trailers, & a youtube subscription. It's best to choose one to focus on, then do the others in support of that.

best advice I've heard?

I got this from Sean Platt. The 'funnel' might work if you think long term. At the top the funnel is wide, and draws in the maximum number of readers. Place your books at different levels in your funnel (level A, wide top; level B, middle; level C, narrow bottom). Your readers enter at the top, drawn in because it's easy, cheap. The ideal for Level A is having a Free book(s), or priced at $0.99. Then that sends them on to a book at level B, i.e. Book 2 in a series. Or it could be a spin-off series, related in some way to an earlier series. The point here is to create something to serve as an entry-point (level A), i.e. a novella or having a short story in an anthology, which then leads the reader to a conventional novel (level B).

The retail platforms are already set up this way, so it helps if your marketing reflects that. For example, a book trailer, the cover, the description, the Look Inside feature, they're all ways of getting the reader into the funnel's vestibule.

To digress, the first Harry Potter book was short, light, easy. The next was longer, more difficult & rewarding. By the 4th it was a tome, darker, more complex in structure & language. And so on. So this isn't just commercial, a marketing gimmick, it reflects pedagogy of going from the easier & mundane to the more difficult, layered, & rewarding.

Design all your promotion so it invites readers in, easily. Having an email list, for example, is like having all your subscribers at Level A, who you then offer deals to, have contests for, etc. It's not a fan club, it's a dialogue and you all become fellow 'posse' members sharing a journey together.

what I'm reading now?

Cheryl Shireman, COOPER MOON: The Calling; Young, INITIATION (A Harem Boy's Saga); Cynthia Austin, BETWEEN DREAMS; Patrick O'Brian, BLUE AT THE MIZZEN.

what's next for me?

In 2016 I want to radically expand my newsletter and subscription activity. I'll write a 30,000 word 'magnet' book to be given free to new subscribers. Longer term I have 4 more titles planned for the 'Zero Point Light' series, and 3 more for the 'Z Inferno' series, coming out over the next 3 years. And I'd like to start a new non-fiction series on writing; 75 INCITING INCIDENTS would be the first.

the 3 or 4 books I would take to a deserted island?

Patrick O'Brian's MASTER AND COMMANDER. Chaucer's THE CANTERBURY TALES. Henry Miller's THE ROSY CRUCIFIXION. Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION.

The book description for all 3 books:

The global infection turned over our world to the undead, slow zee��s, or so the survivors thought. As a new strain of zombie takes hold, one that can think, communicate and move with inhuman speed, most lifers just want to get through the winter. An insurgency of the living is desperately needed.

Learning they can no longer count on concealment and evasion, Toey and her friends take the fight to those that would enslave them.

Infection Day is the 2nd book in the Z Inferno series.

Book Purchase links:

'Infection Day, Part 1'

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BCIZKRG

Books 2 & 3

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BCKA5GA

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BCL0GFE