Author Bio:
David graduated from Haaga-Helia University of Science, Vierumaki Finland and is currently the Vice Director of Hockey for HC Eppan Pirates. David has worked in professional sports for the past decade. He is the founder of the Small World Network and is a reserve officer in the Canadian Army. David is from Kenora, Ontario, Canada.
What inspires you to write?
Inspiring other people to live great lives inspires me to keep writing. I’m very blessed in my life and sharing my stories and blessings is a way of giving back. Writing also keeps me sane. It keeps me focuses, and occupied.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m an outliner. I like to make a “dream map” where I just draw bubbles and lines connecting ideas – this gets the blood flowing and thoughts coming. It gives me a map to go back to as I’m writing. Sometimes it will be the theme of the book, chapter ideas, or just a great line. (for example: as I was dream-mapping about my new book, the idea came that in the section on style I should begin by visiting a nude beach…) Sometimes the ideas are crazy, and sometimes in the editing process they’ll get scratched, but it starts me moving. Then I give myself permission to write a shitty first draft… I just plug along writing everything I can think of…sometimes it’s terrible writing, sometimes it’s great…I will leave the project for a month or two after a draft has been completed. This gives me time to forget about the project. When I go back and re-read the project if the writing moves me, it stays, if it doesn’t move me, it gets re-written. This process is then repeated 4 or 5 times.
What advice would you give other writers?
There are no rules. There is no special socks, tea, music, or wine. Some days I write best in the morning, other days I’ll write until 2AM. Sometimes I have music on, sometimes I need silence. Sometimes I’m sipping tea or coffee other times I’m half drunk. The trick is to just force your butt into the chair and put your fingers on the keyboard. Everything else is just cheerleaders.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Self-Publishing gives you more control and freedom with your project. My first book was published through CreateSpace, but as my following grew, I needed to have a bit more of a professional feel to it, and switched to the (over-priced) iUniverse.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it won’t change much to be honest. Self-Publishing will be the funnel for good writers/promoters. If an author can move self-published books then one of the big boys (traditional publishers) will take interest. If you only sell books to your grandma and neighbour, then you’ll be weeded out. The big boys will continue to publish successful books and authors, but will weed out the writers who don’t make the cut.
What do you use?
Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?
non-fiction, fiction
What formats are your books in?
Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
David Small Home Page Link
Your Social Media Links
http://www.facebook.com/smallworldinc
http://www.twitter.com/davidsmalltweet
