The Author Interviews, Round 4: #11: Guy Donovan

Following on from the wonderful interviews earlier this year, I'd like to share with you my interview withGuy Donovan, author of Songs Of Autumn: Book Three of the Dragon's Treasure.Where do you get your ideas from?Oftentimes, I get ideas from my life, or observations of the world around me (literally, like what’s going on outside my window as I write). Like so many other authors though, it’s impossible to say really. Call it a muse, call it my subconscious working overtime through my fingertips, but I frequently just find myself thinking “what if…?”Why do you write?Because I have to! I tried denying my creativity once before, after leaving the animation industry in the early 2000’s. I was going nuts after a few years and had to find some outlet for my creative side. My wife suggested writing and…here I am.What do you find most appealing about your chosen genre?Most appealing about fantasy is its near total freedom to create whole worlds, if I want, or to accept the challenge of working my crazy ideas into a known, historical period and make it all work. Fantasy works on an almost subliminal level, enabling the author to address issues of more recent interest to the general public, but disguise them as mere stories from another time. Gene Roddenberry did that to fantastic effect with the original Star Trek, which was after all, a more science-y sort of fantasy, wasn’t it?How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?Take a deep breath, look at the cat meaningfully and repeat “control, control, you MUST learn control!” as often as possible to ensure kitty’s not bearing the brunt of my frustration. Then just move on.What do you find difficult about writing?Containing my first drafts to something short enough that the average reader actually wants to read some of it! But that’s what editing is for, isn’t it?Do you ever outsource your work?No. Never, though I frequently bounce ideas off my wife, who is also a writer.What is your opinion on indie vs traditional publishing?Apples and oranges, to some extent. You hear some people (well, a lot really) bemoaning the unprofessional state of many indie books, and they are not necessarily wrong, but I have to say that I have read my fair share of “professional” books that have contained mistakes and even outright sloppy writing that defies all those “secrets to good writing” articles we are all bombarded with.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.Okay. First, I need to have either a character or a situation in mind. Then I research until I can’t bear to do any more, which in my case has been largely the post-Roman period of Britain’s early middle ages. Then I try to figure out a general arc for my story/ character. I don’t outline, but I do lay out a general idea of where my character is going on this trip, beginning, middle, and ending. Then I just write, keeping my “roadmap” in mind to get me to the eventual destination I want. I veer off the map a lot as other ideas grab me, often taking my character(s) in unexpected directions, but I usually manage to course correct enough to keep my intended story intact. After the first draft is done, I try to set it aside for a minimum of a month, so that when I start editing, it feels “new” to me again. I tend to run through quite a few more drafts than many other authors I’ve spoken with. My upcoming third book in The Dragon’s Treasure Series, “Songs of Autumn,” is currently in a fifth draft before going out to beta readers. Then I anticipate at least one more before it’s “finished,” at which point it gets a final round of spell and grammar checking, which usually involves a few last changes to other last minute ideas, that almost, but not quite results in a sixth draft. Then it’s on to designing and creating the cover!What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Read. Read more. Read something else, particularly outside of your genre. Read everything! If you don’t read anyone else’s work, why should anyone read yours?If you could go back in time 12 months, what would you advise yourself?Give that MS you’re about to publish just one more look in one more different format. Go on…you know you’ll find something you missed!I also gained some insight into this author's reading habits.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Absolutely! Many of my favorites have been through a half dozen or more readings and I still love them every bit as much as that first go through. Some, my real, REAL favorites, get worn out, I read them so much.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book?On Amazon, the cover is king, no matter what you learned about the proverbial “books and covers.” A really eye-catching cover will get a click, at the very least. After that though, it’s all about the concept with me. One of the quickest things that tends to make me move on to another, are mistakes in the blurb. I can’t stress how important it is not to waste that awesome cover by leaving a typo in your blurb! Next would be reviews. How many and are they generally positive or generally negative? All authors get both, of course, but what predominates? Next is the price. If it’s an unkown and he/she wants $15.00 for his/ her book, I’ll likely pass, especially if that’s the price for an e-book. The last thing I’ll check, oddly enough, is the sample, just to make sure. Again…mistakes in that probably cancel the deal, no matter who it is.Who is your favourite author and why?Ray Bradbury, hands down. His concepts, humanism, and sheer level of artistry with words made him, for me of course, not only the greatest American writer ever, but the greatest period.Do you shop for indie books online?I do. I live in a very small town and the nearest really big book store is about a three hour round trip for me, not including a few hours spent there, of course. That makes the internet essential most of the time.What would it take for you to leave a review on Amazon/ Goodreads?As an indie writer myself, I leave a review for all the other indies I read. As for the big, “professional” types, I rarely ever leave one. They really don’t need my support as much as my fellow indies do.After downloading book one for free/ 99p or 99c on Amazon, do you ever return and pay more for book two?I have not, but I absolutely would if I enjoyed the first one enough.Do you ever visit an author's website and if so, why?I do, and fairly often. That’s a great way to get valuable insight into their way of thinking and also their interests outside of writing, which of course often make it into their writing.What would it take for you to sign up to a mailing list?Usually, I have to have really liked something that author has done. And even then, I think twice about it. I try to keep my inbox fairly clear of clutter and that’s hard when everything that catches my eye, even for a few moments, results in tons of mail.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?From time-to-time, I have, but as a general rule, I do not. When I do, it’s usually to support another indie who’s trying to be noticed.What would it take for you to recommend a book to a friend?Great character(s), setting, and a really strong hook, like taking an old, tired idea and turning it on its head somehow. A strong command of language is essential too. The best idea in the world can be totally neutered by lame, lifeless writing.A huge thanks to Guy Donovan for this interview and we wish him all the best with his work in the future. For more information, please visit the author's website, social media or shop online for their books.