About Nickie Cochran:
I was born and raised in Germany, Heidelberg to be a bit more specific, and met my husband when he was stationed in Mannheim. As an Army wife, I learned to be flexible. I raised our kiddos, went to college, and tried to keep things together on the home front when hubby was in the field or deployed.
I began writing books when we were lucky enough to be stationed in Germany one last time. When I ran out of books to read and couldn't find anything that I was interested in, I figured that since I love to write, why not write the story that I wanted to read. And so, The Heidelberg Ghost, the first novel in the Haunted Love series was born.
Unsurprisingly, my paranormal romances are all filled with German flair, love, and spunky restless souls.
What inspires you to write?
I've always loved to write and always have a ton of journals nearby. To me, writing is fun and relaxing. Sometimes, I watch an inspiring movie or read a really good book which motivates me to get my own creative juices flowing. In short, reading feeds my writing habit.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm a plotter, because I enjoy the process, and I like to know where the story goes. That being said, my outlines are not carved in stone. Often, my characters have other plans and I'll have to make adjustments. That's okay. Most of the time, their way is much better than my original idea.
During the plotting stage, I usually use a dry-erase board to brainstorm, then I use Scrivener to outline and write my manuscripts.
I have a general idea in my head what my characters look like or how they behave. As I get to know them better, I jot down notes on a character document in Scrivener, which I can reference as I write.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
So, before I work on a scene, I jot down what the goal of the scene is, what the character really wants, and how things get mucked up. Only when I have all that figured out, I start writing.
The story then plays out in my head and my fingers do the typing. Basically, I just write what I see. Sometimes, I'll have to rewind in my head what's happening, usually during a dialog to make sure I'm getting things right – otherwise my characters will let me know in no uncertain terms that I screwed up.
What advice would you give other writers?
My advice for fellow writers would be to follow your dream. If a full-length novel sounds too daunting, just remember that if you write a little bit each day, all the writing adds up and, before you know it, you have a complete manuscript. Of course, there's also a market for short stories.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I wrote my first book, The Heidelberg Ghost, around the time when self-publishing took off. As I researched publishing options, this self-publishing trend caught my interest. I scoured the internet, listened to hours of podcasts, and read books to learn more – I still do. It didn't take me long to figure out that self-publishing was the way to go for me.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe that authors will continue to move away from traditional publishing. Instead, freelancing services, such as book formatting, editorial services, and cover- and web-designing will flourish, as some authors want to focus on writing and outsource the publishing aspects.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Chick-Lit
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Nickie Cochran Home Page Link
Link To Nickie Cochran Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Smashwords
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
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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.
