About Greg Dragon:
Greg Dragon has been a creative writer for several years, and has authored on topics of relationship, finance, physical fitness and more through different sources of media.This Florida author brings exciting action and drama to his written work. His storylines keep readers engaged with characters that come to life from the beautiful celestial scenes of science fiction, to the gritty world of urban drama.
What inspires you to write?
The magic of the thing. I like to close my eyes and imagine scenarios, people, and situations, then choose one of them and just simply be. The act of creating something that we imagine and have it be vivid enough to allow someone else in is a beautiful thing. Sometimes I find myself asking someone that read something I wrote to describe a scene to me, and it’s as if they were there with me when I wrote it. I’m like “yeah, that was crazy, you could see it too.” Writing is sorcery,
Tell us about your writing process.
Outlining helps when you want to stick to a certain amount of pages, or if there is a big picture idea that you want to convey–this is how I see it. I am a very organic writer, I may start with an outline (I typically don’t) but by the time the book is finished, I am elsewhere with it. The interesting thing about an outline for me, is that it stays in the back of my mind. I don’t write by the numbers, but if the outline said “boy marries girl” I somehow remember to work it in during my freestyle storytelling.
Typically I will think up a situation and a resolution and then brainstorm the best way to enter. I am a sucker for a great intro, so I always strive to have one in my books. I like when I read a book where the prose just seduces you from the first paragraph. There is no magical formula to this, but I write intros over and over until it’s sexy, and then I let my imagination build out the story. Somewhere towards the middle an ending will come to me, like: “I bet it would be cool to make his robot lover kill him in the shower and wrap it right there!” Then I switch gears and do the final chapter–because its too exciting not to write it–then I pick back up where I left off and steer the story towards that conclusion.
I wouldn’t encourage new writers to follow me in this methodology, it’s what works for me, and I am not working from a stencil. Find what gets a great story out of you and unto paper, and do you.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I talk out my dialogue (I probably sound crazy), but I record myself talking things out when I can, especially if it’s a heated argument or important exchange. I try to get into the minds of every single character in order to make them authentic, and it makes me feel as if I know each of them in real life.
What advice would you give other writers?
Three things…
First of all, don’t be an ass. You can write and hide for a time from the public but eventually you will have to answer an email, speak at a signing, or post on social media. You don’t want the world to neglect your beautiful craft because of your lack of manners–or tact–when it comes to interacting with your readers. I see so many authors doing bad on social media, public forums, and their own blogs, that I feel the need to warn new people to behave properly.
Don’t read any of our blogs, and posts as “fact”. Read them as suggestions (mostly subjective) that come from experience. This industry gives even footing to people out to manipulate and genuinely helpful people, so take it all in, ask for second opinions, and decide for yourself. There is no magical answer to marketing or writing. It will always be left up to you to carve your path.
If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make cents(sense). When it comes to promoting your new books, do research into what sites will actually give you some ROI and don’t fall into the trap of paying out money to the fanciest website. It took me a year to figure out the fact that the people who make money in Indie Publishing are the ones that are selling us services, so as a writer, I urge you to vet and vet and vet, before paying for someone to email out your cover.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I’ve been an entrepreneur all of my adult life who kept books as a personal love. My writing went to my blogs and on my flash drives because I had no interest in traditional publishing. When I found out that there was a lane that would allow me to share my books and flex my entrepreneurial muscles in marketing at the same time, I perked up happy! For the author that doesn’t realize the heartache, money sink, failure first, depression-laced journey that this is… I urge you to pick up a book on self publishing before taking the dive. It’s hard out here.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I don’t think about it. The question reminds me of Frank Herbert’s Dune where Paul Atreides is given the Gom jabbar test and has to chant the Bene Gesserit mantra on fear being the mind-killer. Stressing over things that I have very little control over is a mind killer. No matter what happens with publishing I plan to adapt and adjust. That’s how you survive in any business. The minute you get into the maelstrom of arguing over what-ifs you find that it affects your writing, and the muse runs away because you’re not creating, you’re simply speculating and wasting time.
What genres do you write?: Science Fiction, Crime
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Greg Dragon Home Page Link
Link To Greg Dragon Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
