Collected Advice on Writing from Writers

One of the things I love about interviewing great authors is the advice they dispense. For wannabe writers like myself, it’s a thrill to hear how the pros do it. So, I’ve collected some tips and tricks that have appeared on this blog. I hope it helps some of y’all. It sure is beneficial to me!

Peter Brandvold:

“I really don’t have any advice other to write, read, write, read then write and read some more. Keep at it and, if it’s really what you want to do, don’t be deterred. If you’re deterred, then you really didn’t want it badly enough.”

John Hegenberger:

“Have fun! If it's not fun, it's not worth doing. If you're writing and it's not fun, maybe you shouldn't be writing.  Maybe you should be outlining.  But whatever the case, don’t let the bastards grind you down.”

Robert Randisi:

“The advice I got early in my career was to slow down. That was very bad advice.  My advice is, once you discover what your natural speed is, stick to it. Don't try to slow down, or speed up. NATURAL makes it all flow.”

Ron Fortier:

“When you write anything, better make sure you are having fun while you are at it. Because if you aren't having fun writing it, how do you expect your readers to have fun reading it?  Simple advice and one I learned to take to heart over the years. Write what you love and what excites you and most likely you'll entertain lots of other people along the way.”

C. Courtney Joyner:

“My advice: take your time.  By that, I mean to take the time you need to work on your manuscript, and know your markets.  Publishing has changed so completely in the last ten years, as we know, and there are so many avenues and chances, with e-publishing, etc. that didn’t exist before.  But don’t just throw your work out there. If you’re going to self-publish, work with an editor, then take it out.  And, with submission marketing the way it is, at least be familiar with all of the types of writing that companies are looking for.  If you sell a novel, the question might come up if it’s good for a movie sale or gaming or graphic novel.  You don’t have to be a master of all these forms, but understand them, because writers have to wear more creative and business hats than ever before, and you’ll have to make decisions based on that knowledge.”

James Reasoner:

“I'd say the answer is persistence. Get the stuff written and out there, whether it's self-publishing or submitting to traditional and small press publishers. I once read that the definition of a writer is somebody who sits in a room and types for thirty years. That's pretty much the truth, although for some of us it's been considerably longer than thirty years. During my first stint as a full-time writer, though, I just didn't work hard enough at it. That's why I had to go into the bookstore business for a while. I didn't really know any better, didn't have the self-discipline to do the amount of work necessary. Everyone has their own natural pace, of course, but I think you have to push yourself in order to find it.”

Interview with Peter Brandvold

He goes by the name Mean Pete, but I have a secret for y'all...
He's not all that mean. In fact, he's a pretty nice guy and he was kind enough to answer some questions here on Faded Trails. Let's get right to it. Here's my interview with acclaimed and prolific author Peter Brandvold.
RF: First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. What are you currently working on, writing wise?

PB: I’m working on a series of four westerns featuring my half-breed hero Yakima Henry. The series is called BLOODY ARIZONA as is the first book. The second book, which I am just now finishing, is called WILDCAT OF THE SIERRA ESTRADA. I’m writing them under my Frank Leslie pen name.

RF: How many books have you written as of now?

PB: I lost count somewhere around 100. That includes my Longarms and Trailsmans written under pen names. So...maybe around 120 by now.

RF: What does a typical work day look like for you? Do you keep certain hours when writing? Do you try to meet a page or word count each day?

PB: I try to write 2000 words every day, and I break my day up into four chunks of 500 words each. Sometimes I write over those 500 but rarely under. I usually write 500 before 8 am. Which is when I take my wild dog out for a run. Then I write the next 500 after I get back and have breakfast. Usually another 500 after lunch, then another 500 after a nap...

RF: How many days a week do you write?

PB: Eight.

RF: When did you know you wanted to be a novelist? Also, when did you know you wanted to write westerns specifically?

PB: I knew I wanted to be a novelist or some kind of writer early on, maybe when I heard my first story. I really saw the magic in words. I probably knew I wanted to write westerns when I was watching the great western TV series of the 70s, and reading Louis L’Amour, my first favorite western writer though I’ve gone on to appreciate many more since, because there are far better ones out there.

RF: What got you interested in the western genre, be it books, television, or comics?

PB: Books and television. The first western novel I ever read was LORD GRIZZLY by Frederick Manfred, then I went on and read biographies of folks like Davy Crockett and then pulp westerns by Frank Gruber, Gordon D. Shirreffs, etc. I really fell for the pulp-style tales because they were so over the top and exciting.

RF: I know you wrote a lot of Longarm entries. How many did you scribe when it was all said and done?

PB: I wrote 30.

RF: Did you write for any other series westerns? If you can tell which ones, please do!

PB: Four Trailsman books as by Jon Sharpe.

RF: I know you’ve self-published some of your recent works. Do you like self-publishing? What are some of the benefits? What are some of the challenges?

PB: I like it because I’m my own boss and I can put up the books as fast as I can write them. On the other hand, coming from traditional publishing, I miss the advances. But my ebooks do very well, so I’m not complaining.

RF: We often hear about the demise of the western. I know several big name publishing houses recently canceled long running series. Do you think the western will ever die? Are there enough up and coming authors and readers to keep it going?

PB: The western will never die. It’s an American original and there will always be some kind of market. But all markets wax and wane. I love the western enough to ride out the ups and downs. I think there are almost too many writers out there now, and they’re somewhat muddying the western water. Too often, ebook original writers just plain do not know how to write but think they do. Readers really have to learn to discriminate so they don’t waste their time and money on some of the crap that’s getting published on Amazon right now.

RF: I know about your work in the western genre, and am a big fan! I know you’ve done some weird westerns. Are there any other genres you’ve worked in or plan to work in?

PB: I wrote a contemporary thriller called PARADOX FALLS. I thought it was pretty good but it didn’t sell very well. I think readers have pegged me as a western writer so that’s really all they want to see from me. And that’s fine with me. There’s really no other genre except possibly horror that I’d like to dabble in. I wrote a western horror, or “weird” western novel DUST OF THE DAMNED, and it has vampires and werewolves and even a dragon. Also, CANYON OF A THOUSAND EYES and its sequel NIGHT OF THE GHOST CAT.

RF: What authors have inspired you?

PB: Too many to mention. I’m a voracious reader of all genres. Well, okay, I’ll mention two wonderful western writers who’ve meant a lot to me over the years by way of inspiring me by their brilliance—Kit Prate and James Reasoner.

RF: Along those lines, if you were trying to educate someone on western fiction, who are some of the authors and what are the books you’d recommend to them?

PB: Man, that’s a tough one. Anything by Prate and Reasoner and possibly THE LONG COLD WIND by Giles Lutz, which Kit Prate recommended to me and is one of the best westerns I’ve ever read. It would be a good influence on someone just starting out.

RF: What advice do you have for wannabe writers like myself? Is there anything you wish someone would have told you when you started out?

PB: I really don’t have any advice other to write, read, write, read then write and read some more. Keep at it and, if it’s really what you want to do, don’t be deterred. If you’re deterred, then you really didn’t want it badly enough.

RF: What can we expect from Mean Pete in the future?

PB: All kinds of stuff including this Yakima Henry Quartet by my alter ego, Frank Leslie.

RF: Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. You’re one of the best and your books seem to just get better and better. Thanks for all the entertainment!

A Few Words on Writing

I'm no expert when it comes to writing. I'm not pretending to be. I do know what has worked for me.
I’ve started 2017 at a breakneck speed. I've written 56,000 words. I can't keep this pace up long. I don't write full-time. Not yet. I hope one day…
2016 finished really strong for me. Reviews have been good and sales even better. I’m  still in the romance game, but at least I'm having fun and making money (don’t judge; a fella does what he has to do to get a foot in the door).
A friend recently asked how I've increased my output. How am I writing at a faster pace? I told him I have no doubt the reason. It's what I believe the key to being a good writer is. I read.
An author I follow on social media recently made a comment that for a writer, all reading is research. He's a wise man.
When I read, I soak up tips and pointers from the masters without even realizing it. It sinks in through osmosis. It's as if these guys mentor me, even though I never speak to many of them.
When I read I learn sentence and paragraph structure, pacing, and story flow. I have no doubt it all shows up in my own work. When I spend time with authors who are great, I find  myself getting better than I was.
So if you want to write, my humble advice, and take it for what it's worth, is to read, read, read! Soak it all in. Enjoy the stories for what they are. Be entertained! But I promise, it will improve your own craft.
So here are a few recommendations.
Louis L’Amour was terrific. For sheer imagination, I love the guy. He could take a location and write a fun, exciting tale around it.
For pacing, I read a lot of James Reasoner! Every part of his books propel the action, moving the plot forward. Pacing is something I often struggle with. I wrote a romance following “Reasoner’s Rules” (pacing tips I've learned just by reading his work—but I like the name). It's the best reviewed and highest selling work I've ever done.
Speaking of pacing, Robert Randisi knows a thing or two, or a hundred. He writes the Gunsmith series under a pen, as well as a ton of titles under his own name. Check out his Rat Pack mystery series! Fun and fast.
And while we are talking pace, let's talk Lee Goldberg. King City is a great place to start. It's like watching an action movie.
You want to read a well-crafted action scene? Check out John Hegenberger. The man knows where it's at.
If you want to see a fine example of nonstop excitement, read Brad Thor or the late, great Vince Flynn. Those are darn good thrillers they put out.
And finally, for great first person perspective, Robert Crais’s Elvis Cole books are wonderful.
Let me know your thoughts and the writers that help you!

My Interview with John Hegenberger

With my graduate work dominating most of the past two years, my blogging has been nonexistent. Thankfully, all of that is behind me. I’m excited about some upcoming projects which I will be revealing shortly. But today I’m excited about a recent “conversation” with author John Hegenberger. John is the author of the newly released Spyfall. I can say that this book delivers on all fronts! The pop culture references fly fast and furious, and the story is rich with crackling dialogue. The protagonist is a P.I. named Stan Wade, and the setting is Los Angeles in the late 1950s. In fact, Stan offices out of the famous Brown Derby, and just that premise alone had me hooked! Throw in my love of all things Eisenhower Era and Kennedy Era, Cold War intrigue, and it’s as if John wrote the perfect book for me! I have a more detailed review coming soon, but for now I’m pleased to present John’s thoughts on writing, the state of publishing, and advice he has for others entering the field.

Ryan: First of all, I have to ask, where did your inspiration for Stan Wade come from? He’s such a great character and you manage to weave so many pop culture references and icons into his stories. Have you always been a fan of classic Hollywood? Is he modeled on anyone? In other words, if you had to pick an actor from Tinsel Town’s golden era to play him, or any era, is there anyone you picture in your mind?

John: Okay, let’s have some fun!  I came to the idea by thinking about all the great television shows I used to watch as a kid and wondered what might happen if the characters were to team up.  In other words, what if Mike Hammer visited 77 Sunset Strip in order to work with Sky King to help stop something from happening to Joe Friday.  When I think of Stan Wade, I picture Anthony Perkins.  Young, hip, but maybe troubled.

Ryan: It seems as if your work is appearing regularly now, but until earlier this year, I was unfamiliar with it. Is publishing something new for you? Have you written for years and just recently put it out there or is writing new to you entirely?

John: I wrote some science fiction starting in the ‘70s. I had a couple of nonfiction books published in the late ‘80s and lots of articles and a newspaper column. SPYFALL is published by Black Opel Books and, as with most authors, it was simply a case of travelling each day to the marketplace where dreams are bought and sold, hopefully taking my place among the sellers.

Quite a number of years back, it occurred to me that if you were a writer, you could work anywhere.  That's all I needed.

Ryan: I have to ask about rejection, as I think every writer has faced it. Did you face much of it? If so, how did you handle it and what advice do you have for other writers when facing it?

John: Rejection never goes away, especially if you set your aim high. You just have to expect that, like a salesman knocking on doors, you have to play the numbers game and keep going until you get a sale. Rejection is not your fault. Usually the buyer has all sorts of problems of their own that you know nothing about. That means it's their problem, so just keep on keeping on.

Ryan: Digital publishing has certainly changed the game. Do you think this is a good thing? What are your thoughts on the era of Kindles and Nooks and more freedom as an author?

John: I think digital publishing will continue to expand. Eventually the large houses will incorporate it to a point where there's a clear dividing line between self-publishing and traditional publishing. We may be there already, but it is still possible for a small press publisher to have a big hit. And that's the beauty of electronic digital publishing.

Ryan: Do you have a goal of “words per day” that you try to meet? Do you keep a regular writing schedule?

John: No real goal, except perhaps to have four pages per day, on the days that I'm writing. And I'm writing about four days per week. Usually in the afternoons. Reading time is considered a part of the process and that happens every day

Ryan: Do you work from an outline or just wing it as you go? Do you usually have the whole story mapped out, or do you just sort of see where the characters take you, working from a general idea?

John: I have to outline, mostly because I want to know who done it and I want to know where I can stick in some clever or exciting twist or setting and have it makes sense. However, during the writing process, I probably re-re-outline three times at least.

Nothing pleases me more than to have an entire story figured out and then at the last moment recognize that there's another whole aspect of the story which I haven't spent any time on at all.  It's an opportunity to jump in with a nifty new twist.

Ryan: Who are some of the other authors you enjoy?

John: I like to read stories that surprise me and gave me a chuckle. Favorite authors right now include: Craig Johnson, Dick Lochte, Mark Coggins, and Paul Kemprecos.  And, I keep coming back to most of that works by Stuart Kaminsky.

Ryan: Do you have any advice for “wannabe” authors like myself who dream of one day being published?

John: Have fun! If it's not fun, it's not worth doing. If you're writing and it's not fun, maybe you shouldn't be writing.  Maybe you should be outlining.  But whatever the case, don’t let the bastards grind you down.

Also, never throw anything away. Everything has a place; you just have to figure out where it goes in the overall process. Beyond that, just sit down and see what you’ve typed and how you can make it better.

Ryan: What should we look for coming up from you? Will Stan be back often? What genres are you currently working in?

John: Yes, Stan will be back! His next book, STARFALL, will be out in February. I expect to have maybe two additional novels in the series out later in 2016. I have another series about a private eye in 1988 and the next book is called CROSSFIRE, scheduled for publication in January. Finally, there are a few science fiction books that will be published in 2016. One is part of a trilogy called, interestingly enough, TRIPLEYE and it involves the first private I agency… on Mars.

If you want to know more about John, click here. If you want to purchase one of his fine novels (and I highly suggest you do), click here. A big thank you to John Hegenberger for taking the time to answer these questions!