About F. P. Spirit:
"Magic & adventure with a twist of humor (because fantasy should be fun)."
F.P. Spirit writes high fantasy fiction inspired by the likes of Tolkien, Eddings, Brooks, and Piers Anthony. An avid science fiction fan, he became hooked on fantasy the moment he cracked open his first copy of Lord of the Rings in high school. When he is not writing, F.P. is either spending time with his family, gaming, doing yoga, or walking the dog.
A long-time lover of fantasy and the surreal, he hopes you enjoy his fun contributions to the world of fantasy and magic.
What inspires you to write?
I've been gaming with family and friends for many years now. A number of amazing and amusing characters have resulted from those sessions and I wanted to share their adventures with as many folks as I could. Little did I know the long road I had ahead of me. After many iterations of world building, in-depth character development, and weaving together of plot lines, the Ruins on Stone Hill was finally published.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
David Eddings is probably my favorite author. I love the way he combines a large cast of characters and how they interact with each other. Tolkein is of course the father of fantasy and one of my favorites. I also love Piers Anthony. His Apprentice Adept series is one of my all time favorites. On the Sci-Fi side, I've always loved Asimov. I cut my teeth, so to speak, on the original Foundation series. Heinlein and Niven are also two favorites.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm definitely an outliner. I use spreadsheets to summarize the story before I delve into the details. I sketch the characters out before I write, but the often change as I go along. Well developed characters tend to have a mind of their own and tend to disrupt your plans as your writing. I've often hit a road block where a character will tell me "no way am I doing that!" It's just not in their nature. I have to then learn to write around it or change the plot point to fit the character. The outline itself will probably go through multiple iterations before I start writing. Crucial plot points can change previous scenes and the flow is also important. If things are moving too slow or too fast, I try to even it out (for my sake and the reader's.) Once the outline is done, I dive into the full blow story. I tend to break it up into scenes like a movie and strive to finish a chapter at a time. After I finish a scene, I will review it for grammar and cohesiveness one or more times. When I finish a chapter, I'll review it in its entirety.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Funny you should ask. I think I just answered that question. The truth is, I'd be worried if I didn't. If my characters aren't talking to me, then they are not developed well enough. In that case, they might as well be cardboard figures.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write, write, and write again. Never stop. Never give up. There's always room to grow as a writer. The key, though, is to write about things you love. The passion you feel as you write will translate into your stories and to your readers.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I have a friend who already published a number of books with Amazon. It seemed like a fairly easy process, so I started with KDP. I still work full time as a software developer, so being an indie author works well for me. I recommend that if you already have a job and can't commit to a publishing schedule.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I honestly don't know. The industry has changed in the last few years. So many more indie authors have entered the field, it has become harder and harder to get noticed. I believe that the medium will continue to evolve. Audio has become a key area, something I am currently looking into. Overall, I think the best thing is to expect the market to change and remain flexible enough to change with it.
What genres do you write?: Fantasy, Young Adult
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
F. P. Spirit Home Page Link
Link To F. P. Spirit Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
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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.
