About Phillip Strang:
Phillip Strang was born in the late forties, the post-war baby boom in England; his childhood years, a comfortable middle-class upbringing in a small town, two hours’ drive west of London. He has been an avid reader since childhood.
In his early twenties, the author, with a degree in electronics engineering, and an unabated wanderlust to see the world left England for Sydney, Australia. Now, forty years later, he still resides in Australia, although many intervening years spent in a myriad of countries, some calm and safe – others, no more than war zones.
What inspires you to write?
Initially, at the insistence by my wife and daughter to write about the places I had been to, but as time moved on, I found a talent to write thrillers. The process, the discipline inspires me. I can spend up to fifteen hours a day during what I enjoy.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'll write from 4 a.m. to about 9 or 10 a.m. most days, largely avoiding the noise of the city. I need total peace to write. I'll aim for 5K words and most days I'll make it. After about ten or twelve days, I'll take a break for a couple of days to recharge the batteries. I'll also not write when I'm in the final edit of a book.
A seat of the pants writer. I've tried outlining, but it doesn't work for me. I'll mull over an idea for a few days, then write the first page or paragraph. After that, the characters will evolve, the plot will head off in different directions. As I move forward, I'll bullet point key people, key story highlights, key events. I only use MS Word.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
If the writing is flowing, then I'll be immersed in them. They'll do the talking; I'll be the conduit to put them in type.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write and often. Don't wait for the right moment or the right day. Sit down each day, regular as clockwork and put down some words. If you don't have time due to other commitments, cut back on your sleeping time. If you can, read as well, but writing a book that sells is a marathon. Unless you're lucky, it's more than one book, series are best, and keep chipping away until you get there. Also, find a decent editor. Try a few with samples. Some are great, some are not.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Initially I followed the process of submitting to publishers with no success. It was in the early days of my writing so I cannot blame the publishers. Now, I've been self-publishing for several years. It would take a good offer to lure me to a publisher now. Self-publishing suits me fine. Total independence, the ability to market as I like.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
The continuing decline of the bookshop. Progressively more books will be read online.
What do you use?: Professional Editor
What genres do you write?: Crime Thriller
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Phillip Strang Home Page Link
Link To Phillip Strang Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
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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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