About Gregory Lloyd:
Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur who spent his early childhood living in a small hamlet in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He has a BA from Reed College and an MA from UT Austin.
What inspires you to write?
It is my “mental golf.” I have a demanding, high stress career and writing calms me. I started Agrippa after about ten years of lucid dreams set in ancient Rome. Many of the ancient scenes are woven together out of my subconscious. I’ve never been a student of Roman history, but have been fascinated with the Middle East since childhood..
Tell us about your writing process.
I listen to “meditation music” as I call it and breathe deeply. Then I take a scene and start with a sentence. Then another. Then I reread perhaps a couple paragraphs, eliminating duplication. I can usually write 5-10 pages in a session. But that is no guarantee that those sentences will survive the chapter edit process.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
They feel deeply personal to me in some cases and in others mere ornaments. I don’t interact with them in any way beyond simply listening to their thoughts. I am not there with them, unless I feel a particularly strong bond with a character.
What advice would you give other writers?
When you start take all advice with a grain of salt. Collect hundreds of grains. At that point taste the reactions within a greater context. You have received an invaluable collective gift from humanity: feedback. Use it wisely. There will be some who you think won’t be able to put your book down. They will. Still others, surprisingly, will read it in a setting. Style, story, settings, characters make for a complex mesh of sensations. They rarely effect people equally. You can have an incredible journey without ever breaking into a bestseller list.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I had a friend who recommended Kickstarter for getting editorial and promo funds. I tried it. It worked. I thought that self-publishing was the best way to make a statement; the best way to find a publisher. So I started the process solo. Over time I’ve met people from all over the world. Great people. Fascinating people. Great feedback.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it looks brighter than ever.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Science and Historical Fiction
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Gregory Lloyd Home Page Link
Link To Gregory Lloyd Page On Amazon
