About Mark Morris:
I live with six of my eight kids, two are in college, and my high school sweetheart and wife of 25 years. I belong to a 200# mastiff named Ruby and we also have three smaller dogs, three cats and a lizard.
I am a professional freelance writer, mostly ebooks and blogs for commercial clients. I’ve been doing that for about seven years. Before that I wrote and directed for the stage for almost 20 years.
I love to read. I started young, when our TV blew up and my dad refused to replace it. I like anything that makes me laugh, or think in ways I haven’t before. I also love movies and the occasional cold beer, but my favorite thing is an interesting conversation.
What inspires you to write?
I like stories. I started out in life as an actor and theatrical director, so I particularly enjoy creating and getting to know new characters. I feel that stories are one of the most powerful ways for us to tap into and share our deepest ideas and beliefs, sometimes without even realizing it.
Tell us about your writing process.
I typically don’t finish anything unless it is a mashup of two ideas that have sat around for a while, waiting for me to complete them. I don’t know why this is, but that’s what works for me. Once that happens, I will outline the basic plot in most cases, either mentally, or on paper.
I have been known to do some world-building when it comes to fantasy stories, which require some forethought.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I play each character. It makes it fun for me as an actor, so the dialogue is coming from my imagination of this person and I’m seeing myself take their actions.
What advice would you give other writers?
Finish. The difference between a writer and an author is that the author finished something. The truth in most artistic endeavors is that many of those “wannabes” are at leas as talented as the pros, the pros just went and did it.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
It was mostly a financial decision. I can make the same money I would as a traditionally published authors with a self-published piece with about a quarter of the sales. Plus, once I have built my audience, the bulk of the profits will belong to me. Another factor was time. I know my stories are good, and unless someone was to offer me a really sweet deal it would not be worth all of the time and energy of going the traditional route.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it’s exciting. We’re inventing new genres and writers that weren’t being heard before are now. I know a lot of people are afraid of the bulk of bad writing they feel is permitted by the new wave of self publishing, but I think it’s great. People are reading more than they have in a long time and I think a lot of that is due to the wider variety of work available for purchase.
What do you use?: Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Sci-Fi, literary fiction, humor and non-fiction
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Mark Morris Home Page Link
Link To Mark Morris Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
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.
