About D.P.Allen:
It’s too long for here, but available at my home page (link below).
What inspires you to write?
I’ve always been an avid reader and sometimes would imagine extensions, or optional paths that books I was reading could have, or in some cases should have gone. I later in life became involved in technical writing collaborations developing new documentation for government use. That branched out into technical writing under my own name as i found subjects that I felt had not been covered properly. I had some ideas floating around in the back of my mind for many years and when I was forced due to health reasons to have to leave my usual career, I found that i had the time to bring my ideas out on the computer screen. From there it was a simple progression to want to see if others would enjoy my work as well.
Tell us about your writing process.
I don’t plan as such. I don’t have an outline unless I happen to jot down a thought about something i might want to add later. I like to say that I sit down and let my muse go crazy. Every so often, I will stop and review what I have written and do the spell and grammar corrections and possible reword a phrase or so. Many times, I have been surprised to read what i had written. It is as if my subconscious has done the writing and I was simply the typist. I do keep a side list with names and anything else that I might want to cross reference later in the book, or series. That is so that I don’t have to go back through 100’s of pages to find a reference. There is nothing worse in my opinion than inconsistencies in a series of books. It destroys the truth and flow in the story line that the author was trying to develop if a reader stops and asks why this is different than it was before!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I listen to them and let them do the writing. I do have to be careful about how much I put down that some say. For instance, my character Mir’ami in my “Reality” series can be quite risque in her thoughts and try to keep my writing in the “G” category so that all age groups can read it.
What advice would you give other writers?
Be yourself and let your muse drive you. Don’t worry about what others think about your writing style and content.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Getting published through the large publishing houses is expensive and iffy at best for a new writer. A literary agent can help if you have the money to front all expenses. The same goes for places like Barnes and Noble’s Nookpress for hard copy printing. Their service is free as far as layout and preparations for printing, but then you have to buy the books and market them at your expense. Amazon has the easiest system to use and is completely free for production of eBooks and paperbacks for sale through their outlets. Payment of royalties is made simple. The only expense with them is for advertising.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I see book stores closing because they can’t keep up with the eBook and “print on demand” suppliers. A book store needs to carry an extensive stock that may sit on a shelf forever, where a computer hard drive can hold all of the books and make them to order for customers with no store expenses.
What do you use?: Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Science Fiction, Technical, Instructional, Educational.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
D.P.Allen Home Page Link
Link To D.P.Allen Page On Amazon
