About Robert Roy Britt:
Robert Roy Britt is author of the Eli Quinn detective series (Closure & Drone). He’s at work on the third book in the series. Also a science writer and editor, he lives in Arizona with his wife, their youngest son and two dogs.
What inspires you to write?
I am inspired by my characters. I love getting inside the head of someone I’ve created out of thin air, getting to know them, then putting them in situations and hearing what they have to say.
Tell us about your writing process.
I start with an idea, which might morph significantly as it becomes a plot. I write out a page or two single-spaced, maybe more, of random thoughts about the plot, the characters, scenes, dialogue, challenges I’ll face, and more. Then I create an outline, chapter by chapter. I may tackle chapter one before I finish the outline, but I need a good sense of the path before I take too many steps down it. The outline morphs as the characters take me to unexpected places, get challenged in ways I haven’t anticipated, or otherwise throw stuff at me that I have to deal with.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
With my protagonist, Eli Quinn, it’s more intimate than that. I’m inside his head; he’s inside mine. We’re not the same, but we get each other. I listen to him, and sometimes he tells me things like, “Hey, I wouldn’t do that,” and a scene has to be rewritten. With other characters, it’s more like a dialogue. I don’t know them quite as well, so I have to work harder. But honestly, much as we writers like to talk to our characters, some of it is simply figuring it out on your own. The characters aren’t always talkative. Sometimes writing can be lonely.
What advice would you give other writers?
Do it. Show it to people who are not your mother. Join a writing group (online or in person). Accept that parts of it will suck. Listen to criticism. Redo it. Then keep going.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Nearly 20 years ago I wrote a pretty good thriller, got an agent, and almost got published. Didn’t happen. I respect the agent-publisher process and would love to end up there, but for now self-publishing seemed the right way to go. It isn’t about control, just about getting my work out there and not waiting weeks and weeks to get a bunch of rejection letters. I can handle rejection, but I just have too much pent-up writing energy right now to wait for anyone.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I know only two things: Some of it will change, and some of it won’t. I don’t know which, so I am more about the present. People love to read, and they still love to read in print. I think there’s more appetite now for shorter books, as long as they are good books, and I’m trying to serve people who have that appetite.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: mystery, private detective
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Robert Roy Britt Home Page Link
Link To Robert Roy Britt Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
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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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