Q. H
ow long after that were you published?
A. Two years after I became a full-time reporter, I sold my first novel. I had finished a novel right after college but it was horrible. It was good enough to get me an agent, but I’m grateful now that no one bought it. One of the major mistakes young writers make is quitting after finishing their first book and waiting for their careers to take off. You must be prepared to write a dozen novels before one works.
Q. What makes a writer great?
A. Hard work and an eye for realism. The better the writer, the more the truth comes out.
Q. and the all important: What does the process of going from “no book” to “finished book” look like?
A. It changes with each project. I’ve written 15 published novels. And each one, like children, present new and unique challenges. I have had books that were effortless to write and edit. I have had some that I finished only to realize they required a complete retooling. It changes every time.
Q. Where/when do you first discover your characters? Continue reading “My Interview with Ace Atkins, (Part 2)”
Raymond Benson, Lee Goldberg, Charles Bukowski and dozens more. My goal is to inspire other writers to write more, tell their stories, try writing a play, or maybe some poetry.
