About Christopher Cole:
I was born in Seattle, but raised in North Carolina since I was eight. I started work on the novel when I
was nineteen while living in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The novel developed into a series as I continued to develop the plot lines and characters. When not writing, I work as a welder in the Raleigh, NC area.
What inspires you to write?
I love the process of developing and playing with plot lines, subplots and characters. I probably most enjoy developing each character’s backstory and anticipating how the character will interact with other characters and how those interactions assist the plot or subplot. I tend to derive satisfaction from the use of plot and characters that finally seems to just work.
Tell us about your writing process.
I like to conceptualize storylines, characters and plot devices. I use to go for walks on the beach with my dad and discuss ideas and characters and test whether they seem to work. If the ideas or characters work, I tend to outline the plot lines, subplots, characters and their respective backstories. Then it’s a matter of writing it out and telling the story.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I sometimes talk to my characters or imagine how the dialogue would go in certain situations. Given the characters and what kind of personalities they have, I try to think of what they would say or how they would respond towards what I would say. I do this over and over until I find the right tone that fits the right character.
What advice would you give other writers?
My advice would to figure out what kind of plot they want to tell and then figure out how to tell that story, because how a story is written and told can make a huge impact on whether readers will stay in the story. If the book is hard to follow, chances are readers won't get drawn into the book. Keep it crisp as I say. Not too easy, but not too hard to follow.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to try with a publisher even though its harder. Self-publish is easier but you have to market it yourself which can be more costly. I came across Kingston Publishing through a website called QueryTracker. It lists all the companies that are interested in your books genre and you send them your query letter. Then you wait to see which ones will respond. My advice is think carefully on what you put on the query letter, what message do you want the company to receive? Explore the science of communication. Imagine you are the company, what letter would interest you?
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it's getting easier for books to be published, especially through self-publishing. However, I think certain publishing companies will try to stand out by accepting certain books of quality and writers will try to get those companies to publish their books. The changes in publishing are already profound, but the evolution is still not complete.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Science-Fiction, Action Thriller, Horror
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Your Social Media Links
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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.
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