Inside the Writer's Studio with Steven Vincent

author photoThis week, I’m featuring an author outside of my normal reading genre. Crossing genres is not only healthy, it’s important to keep your creative juices flowing. Think of it kind of like rotating crops on a field. Your mind needs the variety. Steven Vincent tells tales that are between Fantasy and Science Fiction. As a kid, he was immersed in video games. They were 16-bit and not much for plot, but that prompted him to create his own stories. This is where his storytelling began.

How would you describe your writing persona in 5 words?
Determined to entertain people.

Try to describe yourself in one sentence.
I’m probably the most ambitious person you’ll ever meet!

Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?
I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and that seems to have worked well for the last 22 years! I would like to see Ireland or Japan someday though, if that counts.

Did you have support during your decision to be a writer?
Oh, for sure! My whole family was behind me all the way, and still supports me on every leg of the race.?Process:

Dawn of the Knight coverDo you read reviews written about your work?
I think reviews are very important, good or bad. There does come a point where criticism becomes someone’s noisy opinion though, and every person – author or not – has to know when to smile and nod, then move on. That’s actually one of the major themes of Dawn of the Knight.

What’s your creative process?
I get an idea, and let it sit in the back of my mind for a month or so without paying it much thought. You’d be surprised how quickly material builds up subconsciously, so that when you sit down to ‘flesh’ the book out, you’re all set.

Do you write on a desktop or laptop?
I wish I had a laptop! But then again, I’ve been writing on the same computer for so long I’m not sure I could make a switch.

Do you have a day job?
‘Help Wanted’ signs are hard-pressed for work around here! Writing is my preferred job though, and it’s picking up pretty fast, so I’ve got my hands full anyways.

Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?
Yes, especially to those who choose to self-publish; learn the market. Get to know some other authors or bloggers, find out what sales techniques grab your attention, learn how to use the social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, and learn the market a bit. You can write a great book, but it doesn’t go very far if nobody can see it! At the end of the day though, there’s nothing like hands-on experience.

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