I feel like it's a combo between: Nick Hornby (High Fidelity); Alex Garland (The Beach); with a touch of Bret Easton Ellis from his 'Lunar Park' novel. Maybe a small element of Jack Kerouac (On The Road), however, I feel we're two very different characters with different outlooks in different times.
Oh how I wish. Things may be very, very different now. Ha ha. But no, no I didn't. It didn't seem a realistic option back then, but now, I cannot imagine doing anything but write.
Does marketing count? Ha! If not, I'd say it's carving out and protecting the time, and being diligent about it. The Journey (No Matter How Far You Run, Your Demons Always Follow), I wrote in less than 30 days! I simply turned up every morning from 5am, wrote for 1-2 hours a day without fail, and by the end of the month, I had a first draft. I marvel at that but it shows me that it really is possible (and that easy). 60 minutes a day. 30 days. 1 manuscript.
Hmmm... they've made reading so much more instant and accessible. Want to read a particular book? Okay, click. Boom! Here it is. However, it's still essentially the same concept – reading is reading no matter what your reading choice is. Personally, I still favour a paperback over a kindle. Nothing beats holding something in your hands, seeing the cover up close, smelling the pages... living the story.
Don't all writers? But yes, I have. Can be done in small ways, things I observe, or bigger elements eg: moments that I have experienced or characters that I've known. Of course, I always add my creative, artistic flair and vivid imagination, but in short, yeah I have.
It's. Everything! Everyone judges a book by its cover, while a great title can really draw you in to explore further. The opposite is also true, both of bad covers and poor titles.
It made my much more professional. Also gave me greater respect for everything that is involved behind the scenes, that no one other than indie authors or large publishing houses sees. It's intensive. However, as a result, it's made me really think about that side of the business so much more, and what needs to exactly happen, if your book (and you) are to be taken seriously. The things I've learned have made much more appreciative of indie author who steps into the fray.
