About Steve Soderquist:
Steve Soderquist was quite a successful musician twenty-odd years ago and spent many years on the road. He was with numerous bands before finally settling down to a more regular life. However, the writing bug kept biting at him. Steve had started a book called, ‘Minds Eye’ when he was seventeen and it never left him. Even though the writing muscle had certainly atrophied, he was getting that tickle like you get in the back of your throat when a cold is coming on.
Publishing his first novella ‘One for the Road’ motivated him to propel. When ‘Farm House’ was complete and those blessed two words were put down, ‘THE END’ he knew he found his calling.
What inspires you to write?
Two things connecting is where I start. It doesn’t have to be relative to the story in the long run, but if it jump starts the thinking process, the ‘what if’ process, then that’s good enough for me. Sometimes I get idea’s from media, other times from just observing my surroundings. Since I don’t pigeon-hole my writing to one particular genre, pretty much everything is open. Horror, paranormal, science fiction, romance, thriller, suspense, young adult, children’s…I’ve written them all and they’ve all come from a different place or moment in my life.
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing is either frantic flow or staccato. I don’t have a set style. If the story is flowing, then it moves along in what seems to me an almost frantic pace. When the well seems to dry up a bit and I have to dip the bucket in deeper, I am cautious as to not unravel what’s already been done. I think a writer can de-rail their own story easily and many a good book has been ruined by mishandling it. I generally know when the story is ‘hot’ and try to keep it on track and flowing.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Of course! I get to know them as best as I can. I need to know the motivation and idea’s each character has in order to convey this to the reader successfully. If I don’t care about a character, (even the bad ones!) no one else will either.
What advice would you give other writers?
Read and write, write and read. The more you write, the better you get at it. Take the time to study the craft. Learn as much as you can about the Articles of Speech, grammar, punctuation, prose, style, composition, and everything writing related. Take the time to read others work. You will learn just as much reading a badly written story as you will a well-written one.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I first published a novella with a vanity press, then was traditionally published for my next two novels, then self-published two titles and now co-own a publishing company, Foundations, LLC so of course, publish my work through us! All of them were a learning experience and I regret nothing. What I learned I am able to put to applicable use in my own company and avoid some of the pitfalls associated with traditional publishing for our own authors, as well as doing doing my part in bringing quality books to the masses!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
We’ve come a long way since the big seven ruled the market. With the invention of the Internet, we soon saw the birth of the electronic book, (Nook and Kindle,) then independent publishing. The plus and minuses are obvious, as while everyone who wants to publish a book can now do so, there is no filter on the quality of content. Thousands and thousands of books are uploaded every week, with each author jockeying for a piece of the readership that’s out there. The constant-reader is now bombarded with great books, good books, average books and quite frankly, very bad books. From poor writing, editing, formatting via lack of experience and no one holding the writer accountable, this makes slogging through book-sellers a daunting task for a reader looking for something new. Word of mouth is still the best form of spreading the word about a great book. Reviewers (reputable, not those who charge a fee to the author in exchange for a positive review, regardless of the content) who give great feedback and are respected have more control over the success of a novel than what many believe. A pebble thrown in a pond causes ripples. Many folks still enjoy the feel of a good paperback or hardcover book, but costs by comparison to the e-book make them harder to sell. I believe this course is not going to change much, so as authors, we must adapt and be willing to change with the times. One thing the publishing company I co-own focuses on that most small press do not is marketing and promoting. Too often an author is signed, then once the book comes out the publishing company does nothing to help promote the book. There in lies a major difference and one that we will stick with!
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Horror, paranormal, science fiction, thriller, suspense, romance, YA, children’s
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Steve Soderquist Home Page Link
Link To Steve Soderquist Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
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.
