About doug oudin:
Hi friends. My name is Doug Oudin, a former harbormaster from Catalina Island, California. I have written two books, my memoir; ‘Between Two Harbors, Reflections of a Catalina Island Harbormaster’, and a seafaring novel; ‘Five Weeks to Jamaica’. Both books rate 4+ Stars on Amazon.
My personal experiences at sea, from my involvement with the death of actress Natalie Wood, to my years as a licensed boat captain, have given me the inspiration for creating my stories.
It is said that there is no substitute for experience, and I am a man of the sea.
What inspires you to write?
For twenty-one years, while living on Catalina Island, I wrote a weekly column for the Catalina Islander Newspaper (Between Two Harbors). Because of the many things I saw, lived, and experienced, I often thought about writing a book, or two, but my job did not allow the time needed to write beyond the weekly article I did for the paper. After leaving the Island, I dedicated my time and energy to writing my books.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m a ‘train of thought’ writer. I begin with a story that I either lived, heard about, or imagined, and then begin writing. I do research when necessary to get details accurate, and create characters that in my mind, fit the story line. Or, in the case of my memoir, I bring the stories to life with memories, and interviews with the people that shared the experiences.
I usually write rapidly, typing my stream of thought as quickly as my fingers will allow. When finished with a sequence, I will set it aside for at least one day, and then read the sequence for continuity, clarity, and whether I like it or not.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I like to imagine my characters are real people that I’ve known. They become either a friend or a nemesis, and their actions and mannerisms play out within my writing as if I am watching them, like on tv or in a movie.
I hear their voices, see their expressions, and feel their emotions.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write with your own style, your own words, and your own message. Also, write what you know. You can get creative while telling a story, but the basic theme should be a subject that you are familiar with, and are comfortable in telling. I’ve learned that it is very difficult to tell a story that strays too far from home.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
After submitting my first manuscript to nearly 100 publishing companies, and getting rejection notices back from about half (the others I never heard from), I decided to ‘self-publish with an online publishing company. Big mistake.
I had no insight, no platform (didn’t even know what it was), and no advice. I wanted to do it on my own, thinking I could just jump into the field and find someone that would get my book(s) out there and they would start selling.
Fortunately, because of my visibility and notoriety as harbormaster on Catalina, I had a rather large niche market. That helped my first book sell enough copies for me to break-even, plus a little.
I accepted a two-book package with my publisher, knowing that I had a second book in the works. While I am pleased with the quality of the books, and the minimal success I have had, I would highly recommend doing your homework about the publishing industry before jumping into the first offer that looks promising. I am extremely disappointed with the support, assistance, and expense that my publishing package wound up being, and I strongly suggest other fledgling authors go slowly, cautiously, and carefully into the process.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
As an author, I think the future of book publishing will become more and more digitally oriented. There will always be a market for printed materials, but I do think that market will continue to shrink as future generations of readers mature.
As a reader, I’m old school; I like the feel, the method, and the touch of a real book in my hands, but I realize that my generation will probably be the last of the breed.
What genres do you write?: Memoir, Fiction
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Link To doug oudin Page On Amazon
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.
