About Joann Keder:
I spent most of my life in the Midwest, observing. After obtaining an MFA and moving to the Pacific Northwest, I realized these stories had to be told. If not now, then when?
What inspires you to write?
It's not inspiration but self-confidence that allowed me to write. I spent half a century bottling this part of my being up, telling myself it wasn't ok, I wasn't good enough. Once I gave those words permission, they tumbled out.
Tell us about your writing process.
Before anything, I sit down and get to know my characters for a month or so. I want to be able to answer any mundane question about them, but especially, what motivates them. After that, I create a rudimentary outline that will change many times. Often I have to go back and update it when the book is finished. The characters have to be given the freedom to change as their narrative dictates.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
It's absolutely essential to give your characters a voice. If readers are going to believe, they have to be almost lifelike. I've had dreams about my characters!
What advice would you give other writers?
I've been a reluctant writer for most of my life. Not because I didn't want to, but because I listened to the voices around me who told me I couldn't. I recently found an assignment from sixth grade. We were to talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up and why. Before all of the pollution of adult life, I wanted to write. Don't let others dictate your path or success. Sit down, put words on a paper and decide for yourself what will make you feel accomplished. Then repeat.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
My first novella was published with a publisher. That was ten years ago. Trying to get my first novel published last year was like starting over. I got nowhere. Prior to this, my husband and I had both experienced life-threatening illness. When I was contemplating giving up or waiting for that miraculous honestly-never-to-come email telling me I had been accepted with a publisher, I had to ask myself, "If not now, when?" Life is incredibly short. That's when I decided to start the self-publishing journey. I'm happy I did.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the publishing world is ever-evolving. I would hope there will be a steady stream of readers forever, so something will have to exist to feed that need. Smarter minds than mine will have to figure out what's coming next.
What genres do you write?: Women's Contemporary Fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Joann Keder Home Page Link
Link To Joann Keder Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
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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.
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