About Anat Eliraz:
Lives in Israel, but spent a few years in Singapore in her childhood, where her love for fantasy started.
Mother of four, neonatal and children's physiotherapist, training in martial arts and in between finds time to write!
What inspires you to write?
Life!
Things that happen in the world around us.
Sometimes philosophical topics or questions.
I had an idea for a full story from the question if we actually have free will or not.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Well, I really love Charles De Lint's writing and how he weaves a tale! But I read many different authors.
In the last two years I have been reading the books of new indie authors and in many cases I was not disappointed! There are some great authors out there, waiting for a chance to shine!
This is some I remember- David Green, Ryan Cahill, Daan Katz, Nathan Tudor, U. G. Gutman, Blake Vanier and some others.
Tell us about your writing process.
I am 100% panster.
I write scenes. I see them like movie parts in my mind and write them down. They're not always in the right order from start to finish, I organise them later on and some might not even be included in the final draft.
I also do not write everyday. I write when I have a muse to write. It can be in the middle of the night or on my lunch break. No 'half an hour of writing every evening' for me. I will probably just doodle on a piece of paper.
The story demands itself to be written, and I don't get to set the time table!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
All the time!
Sometimes I have a talk with them and sometimes I listen to them talking between themselves.
I have also put myself inside them and talking from their point of view.
By the way, they're not very happy with me, considering the ending of my debut novel…!
What advice would you give other writers?
If you think you have a story to tell- write.
It doesn't matter if you publish or not. I wrote my story a year before I started to actually think about publishing.
Don't look for excuses- there are always plenty (I can write a book about it!). Write when and where you can. Everyday or once a week, at a set time or at any given opportunity.
Not all writers are the same and what works for one will not work for another.
Don't let others discourage you. You don't have to tell everybody that you're writing, especially those who only look for ways to put you down (they're doing so because they can't master the courage to stand up and do something different).
Enjoy the writing journey. It's your story. You should enjoy writing it.
If you put up goals for yourself- have large ones like- write a book or X number of words story. But also put small, more attainable goals along the way. They help you boost yourself with positive energy each time you reach them.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Well, my journey was somewhat different. I live in a non English speaking country, so I knew my book was mostly for an audience abroad.
Rules of publishing here vary from other countries and I had no prior knowledge of how to use Amazon (I'm a physiotherapist!).
So I did get some help but by American and European standards it is still considered self publishing.
I also joined media groups of readers and writers only after I started my own journey in publishing.
So for anyone at the beginning of this,
Start by joining different writers groups. There are great groups out there with wonderful people who are willing to share information and helpful tips about all the options of publishing.
Check out the pros and cons of self publishing and traditional publishing. What works for one might not fit you.
Contact others that might be of help to you, but be fair! And always give something back to those who have reached out to you.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it's a dynamic and changing field. There are people who will never want to exchange the feeling of a paperback book.
Ebooks got a boost in the last few years and give the option to attain more books, 'carry' them easily around and usually they will cost less and some will see it as a 'greener' way to read (no paper used, no packaging…).
As people get older and eyesight sometimes start to fail us, audio books are a wonderful option to continue enjoying 'reading'. It's also a great option for people who drive long hours, or don't have their hands free to hold and read, but can listen.
Audio books can also have sound effects that make the story come to life.
I think they all have their place in the coming future.
As for the publishing itself. I think both traditional and self publishing will continue to co exist, due to the demand and needs of both authors and readers.
What genres do you write?: I write only fantasy, though I read many different genres.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
