What is your writing process like?
I have a myriad of notebooks for jotting down ideas. Some contain a fully formed synopsis and character lists while others might be just a title. Once I start circling a new project my notebook notes then get transferred onto a book template on the PC. I write with a start and ending in mind but often a lot of the notes I've made prior to writing get tossed as I tend to follow the story wherever it leads as opposed to being locked into where I initially thought the story was going. I treat writing like any other job. I clock in mid morning and I have a minimum word count of 10,000 words a week which I stick religiously to.
How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
Sometimes an idea will just float into my head and start to percolate. Other times I might be watching a movie or a TV show where the story goes in a completely different direction to the one that I would have headed in so you get a jump off point and then you run with it. I find the best ideas come when you are relaxed and not trying to force anything. A news article, a song on the radio, an anecdote, anything can act as inspiration.
What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
I am very fortunate to have not suffered from it yet (touch wood) I made a conscious decision a long time ago not to focus too much on the way I write. I start work, the story often guides me and when I'm finished I have a book.
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
This is a tough one. It's easy to be rational about them in the abstract. I think that 3 star reviews will often offer the best insight as to how you could improve as an author. 3 star reviews mean that someone liked it but didn't quite love it. Those that didn't like might just not be into your style and never will be. If you had 99 five star reviews and 1 one star then if you fixed everything that the 1 star didn't like then chances are that now the 99 people who loved it wouldn't like it anymore.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
When you finish a story that you absolutely love but it just doesn't seem to resonate with readers. Banging your head against a brick wall comes to mind.
How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
About 12 years ago I had to give up full time work after being diagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition. I took up writing as a hobby right at the start of Amazon's self publishing launch.
What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
Just write it, keep at it and finish it. Then put it away for at least a few weeks before you go back and read through the whole thing again.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
They tend to develop on their own. Quite often I'll get to a point in the book make a decision with a character and suddenly realise that it ties in with something earlier in the story. I think that my subconscious is a better editor than I am.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I am currently writing number 29. My favorite is my most recent called "Crossfire"
What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
Trying to avoid stereotypes when it came to an antihero character.
What inspired the idea for your book?
I think that this is the first book I've written that felt just for me, something that I would like to read.
What was your hardest scene to write, and why?
One particular character is meant to adhere to the worst tropes before the reveal. Trying to keep the character relevant and interesting before they are shown to be.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I always need the TV on. I find that I can relax if I'm watching a long series of movies or TV episodes so that I don't have to waste time thinking about what to put on to keep me company next.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
King is King and long live the King.
When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
I would be too worried that both nothing was written about me and something was.