Author Bio:
I am an author, secondary educator, and certified reading specialist with a BA from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) and an MAT in Literacy Education from Madonna University (Livonia, MI). I have been a member of the National Council of Teachers of English since 2011 and have presented at the National Conference for Peer Tutoring in Writing (2009) and the Michigan Reading Association Annual Conference (2014). While teaching reading and writing to middle school and high school students, I strive to create written works that will interest my students and teach them valuable lessons at the same. The Visitor’s Choice: A Search to Make Things Right (Ferne Press) is my first novel.
I am a 26-year-old high school English teacher, but that is not everything there is to know about me. I am a book nerd and movie buff. If I could go anywhere in the world (real or imaginary) it would be Hogwarts, or Portland. I am a rock climbing enthusiast enthusiast (I like people who rock climb). I am also an aspiring Academy Awards host, but no one has told the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just yet.
What inspires you to write?
There are many things out in the world that can inspire writing. My whole first novel came from a picture of a book with vines coming out of it. You need to be open to everything. However, just being open is not enough. What inspires me to KEEP writing is constantly asking myself, “What if?” I go from there.
Tell us about your writing process.
I start with a solid brainstorm of scenes I would like to happen. I scroll them all out on a sheet of paper with arrows pointing every which way trying to connect them. Next, I clean it up by creating a formal outline for my writing. It is an outline, but filling in the blanks is where flying by the seat of your pants comes in handy. I’m a visual learner myself, so I visualize my novel like a movie. I see it happen and then put it down on paper the best I can so that my readers will get the same experience.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I listen to them.
What advice would you give other writers?
Treat writing like a hobby. This way, whatever happens happens. If you get rich and famous, that’s great! If not, who cares? You are writing because writing is fun and enjoyable for you. Hearing this advice myself really helped deal with the rejection from lit agents and publishers before getting my break. If I didn’t have that mindset, I probably would have given up on my dream much earlier.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to go the traditional publishing route because of all the resources (editing, layout, marketing, etc.) that come with it. After a year of rejection, I was going to self-publish, so I sent out my manuscript for review. The company loved my manuscript so much that they invited me to come work with them on my project. I would advise new authors to explore all routes to getting your work out there. You never know what will happen.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
As long as we continue to build a generation of readers, there will still be a demand for books to feed their hunger for knowledge and their thirst for imagination.
What do you use?
Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?
Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Contemporary
What formats are your books in?
Print
Website(s)
Alexander Davidson Home Page Link
Your Social Media Links
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7225371.Alexander_Davidson
http://www.facebook.com/AlexanderDavidsonTeacherAuthor
http://www.twitter.com/_AlexanderJohn
