It's time for...

Ask the Author!

This is an occasional post - prompted by a question asked by a reader which seems to deserve more than a short reply. The reader who asks such a good question will be rewarded with a share of Steem Basic Income (SBI) as a thank you.

Today's question(s):
@iamraincrystal comments:

Wow I wonder what it's like to be a real author

It's a very open-ended comment, isn't it?

To Be A Fiction Author

To become acquainted with people who live only "inside our heads."
To torture these people - for their own good... (I sound like an abuser now...)
To put them in impossible situations, only to go in and rescue them (if they're lucky)...
To occasionally hurt and/or kill our characters in ways that pique the reader's interest.
To have our characters take over the plot line and tell you what's happening!
To know stupid amounts of detail about all kinds of trivial subjects such as how long it takes for a human sperm to fertilize an egg (as little as 45 minutes in perfect conditions...)
To question yourself on every word you ever thought you knew - especially the ones that spellcheck doesn't like. (and win the debate more often than not.
To question every thing you thought you knew about everything - because someone will point out every mistake you make.
To know how to: kill someone, survive a murder attempt, how to blow up a building as well as how to know that it was blown up...
To know about ideal relationships and truly dysfunctional ones - and how those dysfunctional ones harm those around them (including injuries that can be fatal days later...)
To get on the "no-fly" list at the airport - just because of your Google search history! (Authors on Twitter have mentioned this difficulty.)

Then there's people like me, who can't afford to pay money to become an author...

To Actually Publish A Book

Do 99% of the editing yourself (or find someone to trade with) - a read-aloud proofread is one of my most important editing step.
Torture self with deadlines that are only halfway realistic or concrete.
Design a good cover, including using GIMP and DAZ 3D and other tools.
Create maps to help the reader understand the setting.
Keep everything sorted in files (whether physical or electronic) - so you don't make mistakes on your own work...
Epublish and/or publish in physical form.
Share and market your work
Maybe actually make a bit of money!

Rinse and Repeat

Because the stories keep coming - there's always another character who wants their story to be told!

Writing is also a very soothing, therapeutic exercise. It's a way of dealing with some of the more disappointing chapters of my own life - and to maybe give a bit of advice on how others might deal with it better (sometimes through showing what someone should not do!) It's a way of exploring ideas and sharing thoughts with other people, such as the "living roofs" that often grace the buildings of the A'mara.

Then, there are subjects that people aren't always comfortable discussing - such as the issues of teenage romance (something that was normal until modern times), domestic violence and abuse as well as other issues that come up in my books.

I've mentioned occasionally that I consider my responsibility as a writer as well. I do not glamorize abusive relationships. I call them for what they are - even if they have some romantic aspects to them, I try to make it clear what's going on - and my abusers eventually get their karma (sometimes, right away!)

Anyway, I hope this answers your question, somewhat, @iamraincrystal. I have registered a share of steem basic income for you. Thank you for your thoughts!

Reviews?

If you have liked any of my books, please take the time to leave me a review/rating at Goodreads

Crossposted on Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu
Please bring popcorn!
(Just for @popcornexpress...)

Previous issues of Ask the Author

(I'm going to have to go and find them now...)
No. 5 - Inspiration
No. 6 - Character names

Image credits

This is the cover scene from Building on Promise and features Yewan Avicent and Tirry Jelham on the beach in Loxos, Gaskarii.

Figures posed in Daz 3D studio using Genesis and other free bits of clothing and hair.
Background image taken with my Samsung NX11 in Seaside, Oregon.
Editing done in Gimp and Photoscape.
All image work done by the author.

Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
find me on Twitter
blogging on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu, Hyperspace