About James Lyons-Weiler:
Dr. Lyons-Weiler is a veteran research scientist and author. After 20 years of work on computational methods for high-dimensional biological and clinical data analysis, he embarked on a career as an author in 2014. His first book, “Ebola: An Evolving Story” (World Scientific), released in August 2015, reveals the best and worst of humanity revealed by the 2014 Ebola epidemic. In his second book, “Cures vs. Profit: Successes in Translational Research” (to be published by World Scientific in 2016), he explores the tension between profit incentives and scientific objectivity in clinical research, and celebrates bona fide advances in medicine in a wide variety of areas while review examples of criminal abuses of the public trust.
What inspires you to write?
My goal in research is to help those involved in biomedical and clinical research find ways to reduce human pain and suffering. I am most motivated to write books when I see injustices done to science in the name of agenda, policy, or profit.
Tell us about your writing process.
For both of my books, I decided that I “needed” to write them due to ongoings in society around me. As (primarily) a non-fiction writer focused on current topics, my process to first to find a core message. Then, I conduct research on specific topics. I always write the Preface first- and my Prefaces turn out to be as long as a chapter. This way, I have to live up to the promises made in the Preface. I do not write the chapters in the order they appear. I choose one that is of particular current interest to me, and get started. It takes me 1-2 days to flesh out a chapter, then 3-4 days to put the first polish or finish on it. Sometime during the process, a common theme emerges in the book – and it is often not necessarily a theme I had anticipated in finding.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
As a non-fiction author, my characters are people doing research, practicing medicine. Yes, I interview them!
I have two fiction books underway, and while I don’t talk to, or listen to the characters in these books, I do see the world through their eyes from time to time.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write about things about which you are passionate. Carry a notebook to jot down ideas. READ EVERYTHING.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I was motivated by misleading information from government agencies on Ebola. For other authors, I’d say QUESTION AUTHORITY.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe the short-term future, nearly everyone who wants to will be able to publish a book. However, those with $ will be able to get theirs well-promoted.
What do you use?: Professional Editor
What genres do you write?: Non-Fiction, Sci-Fi, Horror
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
James Lyons-Weiler Home Page Link
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
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.
