About J. Schuyler Sprowles:
Schuyler Sprowles began his career in radio as a country music personality and news reporter for numerous stations, ultimately becoming a television news anchor in Dallas, Texas. In time, Schuyler moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a TV news correspondent. This ultimately led to a high-profile public affairs career as Communications Director for major Los Angeles public agencies, including City Attorney, District Attorney, and the Department of Children and Family Services. Following years in crisis management and speech writing, Schuyler turned to publishing, founding a family-oriented magazine that remains in circulation today. A lifelong Christian, Schuyler admits to walking away from his faith at times, only to discover Jesus waiting in the shadows to guide him back where he belongs. His debut novel is inspired by the Gospels.
What inspires you to write?
For me, writing is a release of everything that’s bottled up inside. When I write, I am truly free to express myself as I wish. Perhaps the most inspiring part of all is the connection I make with readers who, more than likely, I will never meet, yet we are truly connected
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
After all these years I’m still a sucker for a Stephen King novel. Nobody portrays the battle of good versus evil better than King. So many other authors come to mind: Larry McMurtry, The Last Picture Show; Cormac McCarthy, The Road; and Kent Haruf, Plainsong. All these authors are master storytellers who draw from the starkest of circumstances and create beauty.
Tell us about your writing process.
After having the idea for my novel, The Young Samaritan, germinate in my head for some time. I finally began to write. I made a vow to commit to a minimum of one hour every day until my first draft was completed. The key was not to commit to a word count, but the daily time investment was critical. Some days the words flowed to multiple pages, other days perhaps a sentence or two. By not placing a burden on myself to produce a certain number of words daily, I felt free to allow the story to unfold at its own pace. For me, this was an ideal process, and my first draft was finished in about a year and a half.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My characters meant the world to me. Throughout the writing of "The Young Samaritan," the characters seemed to lead the way. And yes, we talked back and forth till the very end. The fact is, I still miss them.
What advice would you give other writers?
Guide your writing to where your passion lies. Let those emotions lead you. A writing coach once told me to write naked. In other words, allow yourself to be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to let it all hang out. It is then that the power of your words will come alive.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Knowing that any worthwhile traditional publisher would not consider me without representation from a literary agent and securing one could take months, possibly years, I put that option aside in favor of the self-publishing route. I went with a do-it-yourself publisher called Book Baby. They did the proofreading, a bit of editing, and assisted with cover design, and of course, all the printing. There was no content assistance. They also do all the accounting, track the sales, and cut the checks. All the marketing is on me.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
In many ways, I would say that the self-publishing industry is the wild west. There are not a lot of rules and many predators roaming around who are eager to take your money for the promise of literary success. If you’re fortunate enough to land a contract with a major publisher, you are to be congratulated. Just bear in mind that once your sales begin to sag a bit, so do the return phone calls. Despite its imperfections, self-publishing is getting bigger every day. In my view, it has become the YouTube of books.
What genres do you write?: Christian, Adventure, Religious
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
J. Schuyler Sprowles Home Page Link
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Instagram
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.
