An Interview With Myself
Not Much Has Changed Over The Years
Over the course of the next week or so, I’m going to run a set of short essays as a series about my hike up Overlook Mountain in NY that amounted to much more than a hike - it was one of the most adventurous days in the mountains I’ve had in recent memory.
But I got home late, so I’ll work on that tomorrow. In the meantime, I stumbled across this interview that I did for the New Hampshire Writers Project all the way back in 2015 when my third book, “Sing, and Other Stories” was released.
Most of this still stands I’m happy to say. And ten years further on in my writing career, it was interesting to look back at where I was then. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Tell me what you think.
What inspired you to become a writer?
I come from a family of readers. There were always books in the house and from an early age my parents stocked my own shelves as well. In those early days, I loved science fiction and fantasy the most, but I realized pretty quickly that what I really liked was a ripping good story. I don't feel like I was inspired to be a writer in so much as I was always around books, loved good story telling and discovered that writing was pretty much the only actual skill I ever had.
What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you?
Well, you know, the writing part is the most challenging! Writing to me is a brutal grind, a sort of deep psychic punishment that involves slow, meticulous effort and practice and dedication. I'm also a runner and I find many similarities, the biggest being that I hate the part where you have to actually run, but I love finishing. When I'm deep into a story or novel or whatever work in progress is topping my list, I always have my eye on the finish line. I know that the pain I'm feeling is good for me, making me better, but I also understand that for the pain to go away, I have to finish. That can be motivating.
There are many typewriter fans here at the Writers’ Project. How do you write: computer, typewriter, longhand, dictation…?
I'm a fan of typewriters as well and own quite a few of them. But actually writing on them seems nonconstructive. To continue using the running analogy, athletes from the 50's used Converse sneakers. Imagine stepping onto a basketball court in a pair today. I might get in trouble for saying this, but Writers as a collective community suffer badly from a problem of image and perception. Google “writer” and look at the images. Typewriter. Ink well. Typewriter key. A picture of some 16th Century scribe day-dreaming with his quill. Now Google “doctor.” See the difference? No pictures of 18th Century medicine men about to apply leaches, are there? The myth of the romance of writing is killing us, and keeping us poor. Would you hire a doctor to use leeches to cure your disease? Likewise, would you hire a writer who uses a quill? Anyway, I'm off-track. Computer. I use a computer.
Plotter or Pantser? (Do you plot ahead of time or fly by the seat of your pants?)
I rarely plot ahead of time. For short stories, never. I'll just start with an image, line of dialogue or idea for a character and see what happens. For book-length projects, I'll do some basic plotting, in particular for non-fiction. And while I write I'll keep track of progress on index cards so I don't have to keep going back into the story to maintain consistency.
How long did it take you to get from your initial inspiration to the finished product?
Book length projects are usually a year, and most of that time is re-writing and editing. Short stories can take a day to several weeks. Freelance non-fiction I can pound out pretty fast once I have the interviews and research done. If it's November, I'll get a novel done because I participate in NaNoWriMo, though I'm still editing the novel I finished in 2014.
How do you market your books? (ex: giveaways, book trailer, launch party, etc.)
I don't do many giveaways of the books, I leave that to my publishers. They usually do reading copies for reviews or giveaways on Goodreads which usually gets a pretty decent response. But I use social media primarily to develop relationships with readers, and announce presentations and book signings. Unless you're promoting new new Star Wars movie, I've seen no evidence that book trailers are effective so I don't do that. But I always have and promote two launch parties for every book. Gibson's Bookstore in Concord has honored my by throwing a public launch party for each of my three books. And I also always hold a private social gathering to thank everyone who helped and worked on each book with me.
Do you have any advice for other writers - OR - a favorite motivational saying?
Yes, don't write every day. You heard me. The myth that the only path to success for a writer is to write everyday is nonsense. No other industry demands and pushes the idea of working EVERY SINGLE DAY. Doctors don't perform surgery every day. Garbage men don't collect garbage every day. Create a working schedule for yourself, just like any other professional. Take days off, just like any other professional. Forcing words out of your brain every day will likely result in making those words terrible.
What book are you reading now - AND - is it on an eReader or a traditional book?
I use e-readers for magazines and essays. When it comes to books, I'm a traditionalist. I'm a new dad, so I must confess that the giant pile of books on my nightstand right now have mostly to do with babies. But I did just finish American Buffalo by Steven Rinella, which is a wonderful narrative non-fiction natural history of the Buffalo on American life. Two books that are next in line for me are Don Hall's Essays After Eighty and Peter Matthiessen's In Paradise.
Excellent read!!