About Roger B. Burt:
I'm supposed to tell you about me. The problem is I'm still trying to figure out who I am even as I move into advanced years. I'll try.
One essential part of my life has been to explore the "what if". I don't believe much of anything is to be taken for granted. Early in life I thought I would go into nuclear physics because all this strange stuff was being discovered. But I ended up getting a doctorate in clinical psychology at Duke University. That led me to dig into deep poverty in Baltimore which was a place of deep discovery. At various times I worked in helping people plan their vocational future and worked with people held captive by illegal drugs. Then after a divorce my new wife and I became national experts in helping remarried families stabilize and build their future.
I'll leave it at that. I think you see the pattern of pursuit and uncovering. For a long time I felt fiction stirring within me and at last can pursue it.
What inspires you to write?
For me writing is an exploration and offers an opportunity to share. For example, my Gaia's Majesty Trilogy books meld mythology and the power of women as they are becoming empowered. There are so many hidden truths in mythology and much of it is truly fascinating. Who do we think we are? What do we really think is out there? I prefer to call what I write magical realism because what is seen as magical is often reality in disguise. And then in writing there is the discovery process and what is to be discovered is often in the writer.
Tell us about your writing process.
Interestingly, behind the part of me that wants to explore there is something of the scientist. So when an idea strikes I use Dara Marks Transformational Arc to conceptualize the story arc. It is a system most commonly used for movie scripts and it really moves things along with hills and valleys which makes it all much more interesting. Then things start to fall apart. Characters show up demanding attention and make it clear who they are and what their role must be. I actually would love to meet some of them in the real world and build a friendship. Sigh! Guess not. I think you get the picture. Structure is needed but so is an open creative process. Its actually challenging and fun.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
As I said above, I do talk to my characters and consult with them. I can't conceive of writing about them if I can't really get to know them. It is a strange process but as I've worked with people as a psychologist I've come to see that we have a multitude inside. They are more clearly defined for some people than others. And I do not believe that dealing with our inner spirits is a problem. It is quite enriching.
What advice would you give other writers?
Writer/Psychologist here. Be yourself. You have a life experience and a multiple layer personality. Go in and see what you find, not what you think other people may think you should be doing. There is an awful lot inside of everyone and releasing in a creative endeavor is personally and collectively fulfilling.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Years ago my wife and I wrote books about our professional experience related to treatment of stepfamilies. We ended up working with one of the top publishing houses. In conference with them we heard, "We have no idea what will sell." Yikes. A top publisher taking what comes and seeing what works. It was fascinating. And then the publishing field changed and now it seems publishers talk only to agents and who knows who agents talk to. We can now self publish and I seized that opportunity. Then the issue becomes how you truly gain attention and sales.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Predicting the future is a chancy business but my guess is that we will not go back to the old days. I suspect how it is now will continue for quite some time.
What genres do you write?: Magical Realism, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Roger B. Burt Home Page Link
Link To Roger B. Burt Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
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.
