About Samantha Picaro:
Samantha Picaro is the author of LIMITLESS ROADS CAFE. Her identity as #ActuallyAutistic informs her writing, where the heroines are determined, and comedy is balanced with drama. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a Master's in Social Work, and she has put those degrees to use in the nonprofit sector. When not writing or at her non-writing job, you can find her trying new coffee flavors, reading (of course), and volunteering for various causes. She lives in New Jersey.
What inspires you to write?
The generic answer you've probably heard a million times is "I've always wanted to write."
But there are a million other reasons I write. As an autistic person with anxiety, I always found it hard to communicate, at least verbally. But it was always easier to express my thoughts/feelings in writing.
I used to write only neurotypical characters because of internalized ableism. But now I'm determined to write stories I want and need to tell.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm definitely an outliner. It makes me nervous thinking of writing a book without a plan. I don't really use whiteboards or software.
I make an outline in a Word document to track the plot and the characters. I create separate documents for 1) Plot outline; 2) list of characters; 3) important plots moments; and 4) notes from relevant research for the book
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I can't really say I do BUT I imagine they're with me in the room, just hanging out while I write or market or do other author stuff. I imagine them rooting for me because they're also rooting for themselves.
What advice would you give other writers?
Other than don't give up, remember why you're writing. Do you have a message you want to spread? Does your story honor an important person in your life? Is your story something we might not see enough of in literature?
How did you decide how to publish your books?
At first I tried the traditional path. But after a lot of rejections or never hearing back, I went with self-publishing.
I have no regrets. Self-publishing gives you more control and teaches you so may skills like time management, how to purchase and set up data like ISBN, marketing, and more.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Self-publishing is definitely the future because it's already the present.
What genres do you write?: YA Contemporary
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Samantha Picaro Home Page Link
Link To Samantha Picaro Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
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.
