Author Bio:
I’ve been writing literary fiction for decades and am grateful for the rise of the self-publishing movement that allows me to get my stories from my computer out into the world to some extent. At present I have 11 novels and two shorter works available on Amazon kindle. I’m working on another novel which I hope to have ready by the end of 2014. Along with writing fiction, I’ve done other work, too. Although I’m an American, I’ve worked for the last 25 years as a Lutheran pastor in Ontario, Canada – an unexpected development that turned out to be both interesting and rewarding. I’ve been retired from full-time work for several years and now live in Toronto.
What inspires you to write?
Mostly, my writing is a response to the wonderful novels and stories I’ve read over the years. I’d write plays, too, if I thought I had the ability, since theater was an early love of mine. Also, as a North American, I want to say something about our history and what life is like for many people now.
Tell us about your writing process.
With the exception of one novel, which I wrote as an improvisation, I make many notes and then an outline and then a very rough first draft. With the outline as a guide, I put down the first thing that comes into my head, not stopping to reread or rewrite until I reach the end of draft #1. I often put a work aside for a while. The real work begins when I go back to it. I find a lot that I don’t like and make countless changes. I go over a manuscript more times than I can count. I know that I’m done when my excitement returns and I can read my work without cringing.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My characters are presences in my brain. I don’t know where they come from. I’m afraid to investigate questions about their origin, for then they might disappear. I don’t hear their voices but actions they perform and words they say come to me. The longer I work on a story, the more realistic and credible and down to earth they become.
What advice would you give other writers?
Have patience with yourself. Persist. Never, never quit on a good thing.
Write every day.
Read a lot.
Life gets better. You will gain the confidence you need to go on.
Battle vanity and self-satisfaction.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
My sister and her husband gave me a kindle for my birthday almost two and a half years ago. I did some exploring and found that I could get into their set-up if I learned how to format. Yikes! I’m timid when it comes to technology. Still, with the help of instruction manuals and the encouragement of friends, I managed to do what needed to be done.
I believe in my work, but it doesn’t fall easily Into the categories publishers and the marketplace prefer. Self-publishing is the best road for me.
New authors should decide what they want and stick with their decision while being open to surprises, new directions, and opportunities for growth. It would do no harm to learn as much as they can about the publishing industry.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It looks to me as if traditional publishing and self-publishing will coexist side-by-side. I hope that self-publishing will not be ruled by rigid patterns and will continue to be a vehicle for opportunity. I hope, too, that self-publishing will develop leaders who will show others the way to originality and authentic creativity.
What do you use?
Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?
Literary Fiction
What formats are your books in?
eBook
Website(s)
Richard French Home Page Link
Link To Richard French Page On Amazon
