Where did you find the time to write?
It actually doesn’t take much time to write – it just takes an effort. I think about the characters and plot while I’m driving or lying in bed or doing something non-constructive. I jot notes or write on my lunch break or when I get an idea. I’ll write a few times a week for about an hour or two after the kids have gone to bed if my wife’s watching a show I don’t want to watch. I’ll take 4 – 6 hours on a Saturday once or twice a month and really crank out the words. That’s all it takes. Instead of working on home improvements or watching American Idol and Survivor, I just use those extra hours to write and it all adds up.
A good friend of mine, Noah Karchmer, had written a book and allowed me to be a beta reader and work on some of the stories with him. He went through the self-publishing process and got his book on Amazon. It was inspiring to me to watch him go through that entire process and I hope that others are inspired by seeing what God has done in my life through these books and are encouraged to write their own!
What made you decide to start writing?
When I was a kid I wanted to be an author when I grew up, but somewhere along the line I gave up on it. When we moved to Texas in 2005, I decided it was time to maybe spend less time focusing on music and try something else (I had pretty much devoted my 20’s to the guitar). I had occasionally toyed with the idea of writing, but I couldn’t think of what I could possibly write about. SQL Programming? How to play the guitar? How to change diapers? Then one night I was out riding my bike and I decided I would pray about it, and I suddenly realized I had never prayed about it before. So I prayed and immediately the idea for the novels sprung into my head. I realized that I had several ideas and several parts of scripture that I had been studying that would fit into an exciting story. By the time I rode home, I already had the storyline and most of the characters in mind. It was like God had been holding this gift-wrapped box for me for twenty-five years, just waiting for me to ask for it.
How do you go about writing a novel?
I tried a few different writing techniques, but quickly found that I need to do a comprehensive outline and timeline before I start actually writing or the story and characters run amok. I really enjoy writing dialogue and action and if I don’t have a set path, the scene or the conversation can spin out of control and become completely irrelevant. If I ever finish writing the Heroes Series, I’m going to write something completely random and free-flowing. But the Heroes Series has a very purposeful progression and the characters all have purposeful arcs and roles, which appeals to my meticulous nature.
I should also point out, for others who have always wanted to write a novel but have given up on it, with the advent of Microsoft Word, Google, Wikkipedia, and Amazon, the world is wide open for new writers. We have tools and opportunities that have never before been available. It’s a whole new world for authors.
How long did it take you to write these books?
The first two books took about six months each from soup to nuts. I spent another year researching the publishing industry and going through the publishing process.
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