The Rise of the Writer: Two Up and Coming Writers
Writer’s Interview Questions
I'm so excited to introduce two up and coming writers! If you're interested in being interviewed, email me and you can be featured in an upcoming blog!
First up, Bo Boswell from Nashville
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
The starting point was probably in 2008, when I had my first child. Before that, I wasn’t a big reader. When my son was born, I spent a lot of time reading to him, and I realized how important books and stories were to all of us on many levels. It was around that time that I realized I’d fallen in love with the art.
What is the greatest tip you’ve received as a writer?
Without a doubt, the advice that has made the biggest impact on me in the past ten years came from Stephen King’s book, On Writing. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.”
What was your favorite childhood book?
One book that had a huge impact on my young imagination was A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle. It was the first book I read that dealt with time travel, which became an interesting topic for me and was a motivating factor behind my book, The Century Cube. It’s such a happy coincidence that my book came out around the same time as the movie version of A Wrinkle in Time was released.
If you could give up one thing to become published, what would it be?
I imagine that if I were to become traditionally published, it’d require me to commit more time to writing and relinquish some degree of creative control over the content and length of my books. Both of these suppositions make me uncomfortable, but I would be willing to accept these terms and try my best to adapt to them.
Where do you do most of your writing? Alone at a desk? Sitting at a coffee shop?
I’m typically most comfortable writing in the mornings on my couch. My dog is usually there with me, resting his head on my legs while I fire up my “Writing” playlist and start typing away on my laptop.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
I sometimes get carried away with research. If I interrupt my flow of writing to look up something, I often get sucked in and spend more time reading about the topic than writing. It’s even more frustrating if the subject I’m researching has little impact on the story. At those times, I try to remain hopeful that if a topic is that interesting and compelling to me, then it will be the same for my readers.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I’m knee deep in writing the sequel to my first book, The Century Cube. It’s been tremendous fun to continue working with the same familiar characters on a new adventure.
Bo Boswell is the Director of IT at Warner/Chappell Production Music in Nashville, TN. He used to enjoy lots of free time before starting a daily writing practice, which quickly absorbed all of that respite and resulted in The Century Cube, a time travel science fiction book meant to entertain young folks and warn adults about what might happen if kids found a magical Rubik’s Cube.
Bo lives in Brentwood, TN with his wife, two sons, and a smallish, rescued dog. Aside from reading and writing, he enjoys photography—he’s meticulously taken a photo every day since 2004 and has posted them on his website—and being in the outdoors, whether going for a walk, riding a bike, throwing football at the park, watching the sunset, or relaxing on the screened porch.
Next up, Hue M. Flex
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I think I always enjoyed telling stories, but I think I realized I wanted to be a writer sometime in my teens. At that time I had no idea what that meant. I think it was something like over a decade latter that I began to take it seriously. It’s only been for about a year that I’ve been trying to write every day, read everyday, write reviews and have begun to build a platform. I don’t think people realize just how much goes into being a writer. I’m probably only doing 10% of the things I should be doing.
What are you currently working on?
Currently I’m editing a manuscript I finished last year. I’m hoping to send it out to beta readers in summer and start sending out queries in the fall. What I’m writing right now is Novelettes. I read them on amazon and love them. Ideally I’d like to set up an ongoing series of novelettes on Amazon.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
My writing kryptonite is self discipline. I’ve done 20,000 word weeks and I’ve gone a week where I can’t force myself to write. It’s something that really bothers me and makes me feel amateur. If I was to ask a jeanie for anything it would be for the self discipline to carry out my convictions.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Some are the nicknames of friends they remind me of, most are just pulled out of nowhere. Most f them don’t really have any significance.
What was your favorite childhood book?
Maybe the Iron Giant by Ted Hughes. Ironically as a child I had real difficulty reading. This book was the first chapter book I had ever read. I remember really feeling the passion to read after reading it.
Shit…
I owe a lot to Ted Hughes now that I think about it. It was that book that sparked the passion to read.
If you could give up one thing to become published, what would it be?
Hmm,
This was really important to me six months ago. At that point I would have told you almost anything. At this point the more I read about getting traditionally published the less it feels like “making it.” I’m not really sure what making it is now. I’m lucky that I really love my current occupation. If I could figure out a way to earn 20K a year by putting stories together I could retire early and I’d consider that making it.
What tips would you give a rising writer?
Get a planner (the kind where you make goals and schedules).
Set up a word count goal, set up a reading goal, hit both of these goals daily.
HIT BOTH OF THESE GOALS DAILY.
Join either an online writing group or an actual writing group where you critique each others work.
IF you set goals every day, week, month, year and continue to hit these goals; then you’ll get somewhere eventually.
(At least thats what I tell myself at night)
Where do you do most of your writing? Alone at a desk? Sitting at a coffee shop?
I have an office at home with a nice wooden desk and chair. Sitting at the desk lasted less then one day. I sit at my chair with my laptop in my chair to do most of my writing, but I try not to let routine rule me. If I can’t find time to sit at my desk, then I’ll write on my couch while my girlfriend watches TV, I’ll write in coffee shops sometimes when i’m feeling stir crazy, but wherever you can grind your words out is a good place in my opinion.
What is the toughest criticism you’ve received as a writer?
Being told to grow up.
I think every writer feels some kind of guilt or shame for writing or wanting to “be a writer.” The best way I’ve heard to deal with that, is to be a professional about it. You don’t need to be paid to act like a professional.
Write when you say you’re going to write, finish projects when you say you're going to finish them. Most writers will probably not see any real commercial success; I will probably not see any real commercial success, but just living in this routine of regularly fishing projects has made me feel like “a real writer.” I think that might be enough.
What is the greatest tip you’ve received as a writer?
Read Stephen Kings On Writing. It’s all gold. The advice I gave above on treating it like a job even though you’re not getting paid is pretty much stolen from there. Fall in love with the day to day of writing, reading and editing. If you don’t love doing those things you probably won’t find any joy in writing.
