Tell me a about yourself. What got you started in writing?
I have been writing since I was about nine. I believe the first thing I
ever wrote was a short play based upon one of my favorite children’s mysteries.
I have always enjoyed writing, but did not really take it seriously until I was
either eleven or twelve which was about nine or ten years ago. I am currently
studying Communication in college right now and am in my third year. I believe
that has really helped me expand my writing career. When I hear that I inspire
people through my writing, I am even more encouraged to continue to write. It
is easy to be discouraged through writing, but if I can write to honor God than
I believe I've lived my life well.
How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or do you prefer writing
freehand?
Since I am in college full-time my writing is mainly limited to the
summer and when ever I have free time. I usually write either at my dining room
table or at the desk in my bedroom before I go to sleep. I prefer a laptop to
writing freehand, but I do both. The reason I prefer writing on my laptop is it
is most convenient and faster. I usually only do freehand if I want to write a
story idea down before I have time to type it.
What's your favorite part about
writing? Your least favorite part about writing?
My favorite part about writing
is the joy it brings to others. By hearing how much someone, mainly complete
strangers, enjoy my writing, I am filled with immense satisfaction. I also enjoy
the freedom I have to use my imagination in order to create new characters. I
do not really think I have a least favorite part about writing except maybe the
editing of it. I do not mean changing the grammar or spellings of words when I
am referring to editing. I mean mostly the deleting of my work, as I do not
want to get rid of any of it. It is my “baby” in a sense.
How do you come up with your
characters? Why would readers want to get to know them?
I come up with my characters mainly through my own experiences and
sometimes they seem to come to me when I least expect it. I do not really plan
the characters out much, but just know in my head that this is the character
perfect for my story. I believe readers would want to get to know them because
they are interesting and relatable. They are the kind of characters everyone
would want to sit down to a cup of tea with.
What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?
I use word of mouth as well as social media and Amazon to promote my
writing. I do not spend too much time marketing my writing except through
Facebook.
How do you schedule your writing
time? When do you write?
I try to write a little bit each day with about one hundred words each.
In reality, I probably write only once a week mostly on the weekends or a couple
of times a month in the summer.
What are you currently working on?
Do you have a new book out?
I have a ton of story ideas right now, but right now I am trying to get
a collection of poems published by the end of this year. I do not have a new
book out right now.
Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.
I have several projects on the back burner at the moment. I have a story
I published on the Voice4Society Blog called “A Utopia in my Heart.” It follows
the story of Alicia Tucker, an African American girl, who lives a life filled
with lots of hatred and prejudice. Throughout the story, she is trying to
rediscover herself and find a “utopia”, a perfect society, in her heart when
there seems to be nothing, but perfect around her. I am hoping to expand the
story, so that I can publish it either traditionally or self-published.
What would you tell a beginning
writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?
I just turned twenty-one in the middle of this month and self-published my first book, “The Mystery of the Eiffel Tower and Other Stories” in December 2009 when I was only seventeen. I believed I did not have enough talent to publish, but I did it. If you just believe in yourself and have hope, you too can publish a book. Nothing is impossible when you believe! Have faith and do not give up because great things happen when we least expect it.
A Utopia in my Heart (Part One):
A Utopia in my Heart (Part Two):
A Utopia in my Heart (Part Three):
A Utopia in my Heart (Part Four):
A Utopia in my Heart (Part Five):
A Utopia in my Heart (Part Six):
A Utopia in my Heart (Part Seven/Final Part):
The Springs of Salvation (Part One):
The Springs of Salvation (Part Two):
The Springs of Salvation (Part Three):
The Springs of Salvation (Part Four):
The Springs of Salvation (Part Five/Final Part):
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