About Frank Linn:
Frank Linn is a short story writer who was born and raised in Florida.
Frank graduated from the University of Florida at the age of 20 with a degree in Political Science. When Frank isn’t working his “desk job,” he is at his other desk working on short stories as the best catharsis for dealing with other people’s short comings. He thrives on sunshine and sarcasm.
What inspires you to write?
I like to make people laugh, or at least smile, even if it is at my expense. I write because I think I have ideas that are funny. I get a chuckle out of what I put out. I am sure at least one person out there will feel the same. Hopefully he or she finds my work.
Tell us about your writing process.
For short stories, seat of the pants. I outline my characters, but that’s about it. After all, what they are what drives the story.
I am working on my first novel now. This is a challenge, but in a good way. I plan three chapters at a time. Once those three are written I move onto the next three. This way I can stay fluid and not loose myself. My fear is that if I plan too much it will not be fun to write anymore. If I plan too little, I loose the story. I am not sure if I have struck a balance with this, but I do know I created a favorite character of mine out of the blue. She is serving an important purpose, and she was very close to never existing, especially if I had planned to much.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Listen. I’ll imagine my characters in different scenarios or pair them off with each other and think about what they would do and say. After all, that’s what is going to happen in the story anyway. I make sure they all have one quirk or tick. If characters have something interesting to fall back on, they are easier to be with and more fun to write.
At one point I thought of my characters as different types of oil and vinegar, my protagonist is water. I would put them in a jar and shake it up – see how they mix and sort themselves out on their own. That’s the story.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write what you like writing. If you don’t love writing something then no one is going like reading it.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I have self-published. I would like to try a more traditional publisher at some point. I would advise authors to go with whatever they felt was right. If an author had something they believed should be published by a traditional publisher then they should go out and query as many agents as possible. Give it at least a year. If nothing happens, try going directly to publishing houses, try a small one for starters. If nothing pans out, then by all means self publish.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it looks like the current state. I think print copies and ebooks will coexist – there is clearly demand for both. I sell only in ebook format, but read 95% print copies. I like holding a book.
I do think print on demand will change a few things, but I’m not an industry expert.
Sadly, though, the number of brick and mortar book stores seems to be dwindling. That’s the only part that doesn’t look quite so sunny.
What do you use?: Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: humor, satire, fiction, comedy, short stories
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Frank Linn Home Page Link
Link To Frank Linn Page On Amazon
