Interview Yourself #10: Research and Writing
Hi, folks! Today, I’m continuing with a new, unique series of posts. In the coming weeks, I’m going to be interviewing myself using pre-written questions from other blog sites, starting with these from Lawrence Wray and these ones via The Wordsmith’s Forge.
It’s going to be a lot of fun, and a great way for me to reveal a little bit more about myself, my writing and my habits. Are you ready? Good – let’s get started.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I suppose my intentions are usually just to entertain my existing readers while picking up new ones. I’ll have to think about this one and get back to you.
Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
I do most of my research online, but I will say is that I’ll be tapping the intriguing brain of Pembroke Sinclair, author of Undead Obsessed, for an upcoming release. That’s all you’re getting, though. It’s all strictly(ish) under wraps.
What are some of the references that you used while researching this book?
Each book is different. The most notable book for this question is probably Social Paranoia, my non-fiction book about how to stay safe on social networking sites. I cited a lot of different articles and scientific studies, as well as things like YouTube videos and tweets.
What do you think most characterises your writing?
Just that it’s a little different. I’m on the more alternative side of things, and most people call my plots “unusual” or say that my books are quirky. I’ll take that.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
I think the hardest part about writing any book is getting people to read it after you’ve finished it. It’s just one of the struggles that indie writers have to face.
Dane Cobain
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Recently, I’ve just been enjoying the actual writing process – working on the first draft and just getting the words down. But it tends to vary depending upon my mood.
Are there vocabulary words or concepts in your book that may be new to readers? Define some of those.
I guess there were a few relatively obscure ones in Social Paranoia, my non-fiction book. Stuff like fraping and FOMO. You can click the links to let UrbanDictionary.com define them for you.
Are there underrepresented groups or ideas featured if your book? If so, discuss them.
None that I went out of my way to include. Lately, I’ve been paying more attention to the role of women in my books, but more so that someone doesn’t complain about it and/or get annoyed. As a male, I think it’s easy to slip into cliche and to underrepresent women out of sheer carelessness, and I don’t want that to happen. But it doesn’t really affect the story lines. Someone mentioned the gender disparity in a review of Former.ly, which was interesting. I’d deliberately included a gender disparity because I wanted it to be true to life. Sad but true.
Are there misconceptions that people have about your book? If so, explain.
I think a lot of people have unfair perceptions of indie authors. All it takes is one bad experience with an indie book to ruin your perceptions of it forever. Some indie books are terrible. Others are incredible.
What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre, that isn’t so?
I think people think I sell more books than I do. I don’t sell many books. But I have a lot of readers. Work that one out.
Dane Cobain – Come On Up to the House
So there we have it – that’s the latest instalment of Interview Yourself over and done with! Thanks, as always, for reading, and be sure to keep your browser pointed to DaneCobain.com. You can also sign up to my mailing list, follow me on Facebook and Twitter or check out my books for further info. I’ll see you soon!
