About Fred Rutter:
Fred Rutter lives in central Ohio, where he was born and raised. He has written for many years, as one of his many hobbies, although this is his first book publication. His career has taken a circuitous route, from warehouses, sales positions, bar tending, forklift operator in a factory, truck driver, as well as struggling to make ends meet. This variety was partly the result of a drinking problem, which he did not recognize at the time. Quality of life improved with sobriety, and he found a resonance in helping others. He spent years working in a number of capacities at a regional foodbank, and later retired from that organization.
He lives in a rural village, in a small funky old house, with his wife and a posse of cats. When not writing, he takes short road trips throughout the Midwest in the pursuit of photography, antiquing, and collecting old paving bricks – all good excuses to hit the road and look forward to the view from the next hill or valley.
What inspires you to write?
I like to record thoughts and emotions, linked to life events. Historical events carry more weight and value with the added perspective of what we are feeling at the time. But it does not take a momentous occasion to stimulate a wonderful train of emotion. A scent, an image, a song, or standing in the back yard – all can serve as the inspiration to write.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
I read even when I am working on a writing project. Writing is hard enough work, so I do not want to deny myself downtime to read for pleasure.
Some authors I do return to if I have really enjoyed one of their books, and they have a number of works to choose from, like Michael Connelly, for example. I like well crafted sentences, imaginative use of language, and interesting stories, so I really do not stick to a particular genre if those attributes are satisfied. Heck, even a cereal box can be well written, and the experience is so much richer for it!
Tell us about your writing process.
Since I write non-fiction, the events transpiring over a specific period of time, serves as the rough outline. The fun begins with filling in the blanks, or veering outside the lines!
Previously, all my writing was in longhand, because I could scribble as fast as the thoughts came, but resulted in massive re-writes and deciphering. I now write directly on my computer. Re-writes and editing is now a much cleaner process. However, when ideas come, or inspiration hits, nothing beats pen and paper!
What advice would you give other writers?
Start writing, stick to it, then edit, edit, edit!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I did not have the funds to self-publish on many of the more reputable platforms, plus my first book, "Hitting the Road Without a Map," included a lot of photographs. Therefore I chose the route of using a small independent publisher. It took a lot of time, research, submissions, and rejections, before one said, "yes." Now the heavy lifting process of promotion has begun, and that has not been cheap either. Time will tell whether this has been a sound strategy.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
With the number of books being published, in all formats, every year, the future looks good. The challenge is for both the author and the publisher to create a work that rises to the top of the gumbo and gets noticed.
What genres do you write?: non-fiction memoir, travel, photo essays
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Fred Rutter Home Page Link
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.
