About Cate Dean:
Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper.
She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world.
A lover of all things supernatural, she infuses that love into her stories, giving them a unique edge.
When she’s not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
There – I got the official biography out of the way. I love to write, and yes, I have been doing it most of my life. I’ve made up stories in my head for as long as I can remember, and I am thrilled to be able to write them down and share them with you.
I love writing different types of stories, and jump from fantasy, to paranormal, and over to romance. So many genres, so little time…
What inspires you to write?
I love telling stories! I have always had a vivid imagination, and made up stories in my head all the time. I finally started writing them down, discovered I loved doing it – and have been writing them down ever since.
Tell us about your writing process.
I started as a pantser, and I wrote that way for years. I started doing bullet point outlines about three years ago. It has been an incredible boost to my word count, and my first drafts are much cleaner because I take the time to figure out where I’m headed with the story.
I tried quite a few different processes – snowflake method, beat sheets – but I always come back to the bullet points. It’s more fluid, and easy to move scenes around with a cut/paste. I may outline now, but my story is always changing. 🙂 I do still pants for shorts, because I enjoy the unexpected, and the adventure of letting the story take on a life of its own.
My characters are usually pretty well formed before I start writing, but for a series, I do write things down, so I can keep track of how much I beat them up.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I do both! I visualize the scene in my head, and my characters take over every single time. It is their story – I’m just putting it down on paper for them. 😉
What advice would you give other writers?
~ Don’t be afraid to experiment.
~ Write what you love to read.
~ Be aware of what’s selling, and if you can, work your way towards writing in those markets. For me, this is a business, first and last. I love what I write – readers will know if I don’t – but I also write in genres that sell.
~ Never give up. You will only fail if you stop writing.
~ Never compare your career to another writer. Everyone’s journey is different.
~ Find supportive groups/forums. We are not in competition with each other – seek out other writers, share what works for you, and what doesn’t. Writing is a lonely business, and having someone to talk to who understands what you’re going through is the best thing you can do for yourself.
~ Be gracious – always.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self-publish when I first read about the possibility of it. I spent months researching, and then just jumped in with both feet. I learned so much that first year, and I keep learning, every day.
I love having control over my career – and that, more than anything, helped me decide that self-publishing is the right path for me. It is hard work, long hours, and I have to do it all. But I have found that the longer I do it, the easier parts of the process become.
Would I publish traditionally? It would have to be an incredible contract, with more money and exposure than I could make doing it on my own.
it’s an important decision, and one every author needs to research and work out on their own. There is so much information out there now – my advice would be to fin authors in your genre who are doing well, stalk their website, follow their blog if they have one, sign up for their newsletter. Figure out what they are doing right, and apply what you can to your own business.
And remember – this is a business. Make decisions as a business owner. Yes, I am a writer, and I write because I love it, and I can’t conceive of doing anything else. But I am also here to make a living, and my business is built on that premise.
If you are writing only for the love of it, and money is a bonus – I am so happy you are following your bliss! I wrote for love for years, and wouldn’t take back one minute of the experience. In the end, everyone has to decide what they want out of the experience.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It is such an exciting time to be a writer! The freedom we have now was unheard of just a few years ago. I think self-publishing will even out, and those in it for the long haul will see the rewards of their hard work. I am one of them, reaching the point where my back list is starting to pay a good living wage, one that just keeps going up with every release.
Doom and gloomsayers predict the ebook gold rush is over. I think it is leveling out, and expanding. With more markets opening up, and new readers all the time, there is no ceiling for writers who are willing to take chances, experiment, and keep moving forward.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: I write fantasy, YA fantasy, paranormal, YA paranormal, romantic suspense and paranormal romance.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Cate Dean Home Page Link
Link To Cate Dean Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
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