About J.C. McKenzie:
Born and raised on the Haida Gwaii, off the West Coast of Canada, J.C. McKenzie grew up in a pristine wilderness that inspired her to dream. She writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
What inspires you to write?
I don’t have an inspirational muse like some writers. I have a vivid dream, or daydream where a scene is so clear, it’s as if I was in it (as a spectator, not the main character). After the image plays out, I have to write it down. If I don’t, it comes back over and over again until I give in! Writing is almost a compulsion.
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing always starts with a scene. I try to write the scene out and go from there, but eventually I plot out the book to make sure there’s no plot holes. So, in a way, I’m a pantser and plotter.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I don’t talk or listen to them, but they won’t leave my dreams alone. I dream about them in the scenes.
What advice would you give other writers?
Don’t let the negative comments or critiques stop you from doing what you love. You can’t make everyone happy. That being said, make sure you get other people to read your stuff before you submit to an editor/agent/publisher. I’m often too close to my work to see glaring mistakes. The trick is to find critique partners and beta readers that will offer you honest, constructive feedback, in a way that doesn’t crush your writing spirit! When you find the right combo, never let them go! 🙂
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I submitted to all the big publishers who accepted unsolicited work first. After their eloquently written form rejection letters arrived, I turned to the small publishers and found a wonderful home with The Wild Rose Press. Currently, I’m not interested in self-publishing. I work full time, and can’t give it the attention the self publishing process deserves and requires. There’s just too much up-front costs and huge potential to make costly mistakes. As an inexperienced author, publishing my debut novel, it was reassuring to have other people invested in my book.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
If Kindle unlimited becomes more popular, I see more authors publishing serials instead of full length novels, as they will receive the same royalty from amazon. I don’t think the print book is obsolete, but I think brick and mortar book stores as we know them will either have to change their ways (no more buy-back policies) or there will be less of them. Other than that, I don’t think it’s super original to say I think the future of book publishing will be a trend toward more self-published ebooks.
What do you use?: Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
J.C. McKenzie Home Page Link
Link To J.C. McKenzie Page On Amazon
Great interview. I love your books JC and listening to you talk about your process intrigued me, especially the dream part. Thanks ladies.
Best
Jo-Ann
Thanks Jo-Ann! I’m glad you enjoy my books and found my process intriguing. 🙂
Thank you for the interview!
Glad to have you on the site!