About Eli Celata:
Eli Celata was born in Rochester, NY and currently attends Binghamton University as a doctoral student in Biological Anthropology. When she isn’t studying bones or working on interdisciplinary experiments, Eli writes science fiction and fantasy.
What inspires you to write?
Pretty much everything inspires me to write. An interesting graffiti tag, the way vines climb an old stone wall, the weird out of context stories you hear in the subway – it all gets my mind wandering and wondering.
Tell us about your writing process.
I actually just did a blog post on this one discussing my process. In brief, I write everyday. Whether for an hour or five, I ensure I have time each day to sit down and write. Every book that I ever have finished has had a thorough outline (all created in Word).
During these writing sessions, I like to put on a specifically made playlist (my current one is titled #Gatekeeper). Right now, I’m listening to a lot of classic rock mixed with some rather eclectic electronic bands (Fever Ray) and Sia who somehow blends well with almost everything.
Time and music are generally all I need to pump out a novel once an idea’s taken over.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I’ve never been an author to directly converse with my characters. More often than not, I think of it like I’m sitting on the couch watching a movie or reading the finished version of the book. Would this phrase stand out? Does the dialogue fit? Would I be on the edge of my seat?
As a planner, I know the ending, but I want to make sure I have the same excitement getting there as a reader would.
What advice would you give other writers?
Don’t wait for a muse. If you want to write professionally, treat it like a profession and not a hobby. Hobbies are for free time. A profession is work. It can be work you love, but it’s still an activity that demands regular attention.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I considered self-publishing for a while, but there are so many aspects of the trade that I couldn’t know without a more traditional publisher. I ended up in a small press, Clean Reads, which has given me the best of both worlds. I’m learning the trade with the good luck of a great team backing me. Going forward, if I decide to self-publish, I’ll know what to do, and if I head to a bigger house, I’ll know the trade-offs between the amount of marketing required of me and the level of personal attention.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Every field changes. Publishing will adjust just as cable is adjusting to the internet. However, for the foreseeable future, physically printed books aren’t going anywhere, and indie books will have a hard time being seen as more and more decide to go that route. It’s all about knowing how to market – either with a big traditional house or on your own.
What do you use?: Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal for all ages
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Eli Celata Home Page Link
Link To Eli Celata Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
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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