Author Interview – K Lynn
How long have you been writing for and what made you start writing?
I’ve been writing since I was a child. I was an avid reader and I was always making up my own stories to go along with those I read. Plus, there was always “play pretend” when my friends or cousins got together. Making up stories was always a part of my life.
Do you write for a living, or do you also do other work?
I wish I could say that writing income could support me, but that’s not in the immediate future for me. I have a full-time job as well, I do media reviews and editing freelance, and I am also currently going to graduate school for my Masters degree, so my time is pretty packed. But I always schedule my writing, and keep my deadlines.
Were you good at English in school?
Hmm, well I suppose I was, yes. And I was good in my Creative Writing classes as well. But I did well with all my coursework, though, so I wouldn’t say being good at English in school is a prerequisite for being a good writer, just as being bad at English in school necessarily means you’ll be a bad writer.
What advice would you give someone who wants to be a writer?
And write what you love. Don’t write something just because the market seems to like it, or it’s a hot genre, because by the time you finish the market will have moved on. Plus, if you’re not passionate about what you write, it will show. Write the story you want to read, then worry about the logistics of publishing later. Get that first draft written because you want to write it and you want to read it.
What is the most useful advice you’ve been given?
That there is no formula for how to write the perfect piece of literature. Writer’s habits and interests vary, and how I construct my manuscript will not be the same as someone else. Do what feels natural to you, whether that be writing the entire first draft with abandon and no care to editing or committing a writing day and then an editing day to get the manuscript how you want it. It’s not about how you write as much as that you’re doing it.
What is the strangest advice you’ve been given?
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten strange advice. I’ve gotten advice that isn’t applicable to me, whether it be the publishing market or the genre, but I wouldn’t say I’ve encountered any strange advice.
How do you deal with the stranger reviews?
I haven’t gotten strange reviews, but I have gotten reviews of anthology pieces where the reader didn’t necessarily feel it was the strongest in the entire anthology or they just didn’t connect with the characters as well as others did. And that’s understandable. You can’t please everyone at all times. But, to date, I’ve only done works in collections, so it’s never been a standalone negative review. This year I’ve had publishers pick up three novellas and a novel, so we’ll see how the reviews go when it’s just me on my own. I’m sure I’ll have to repeat my own advice to myself. You can’t please everyone.
Who do you write for?
Myself. While I love sharing my work with others, and I enjoy seeing when I make a connection with a reader, if I didn’t write for myself first the work wouldn’t feel genuine. I have to be happy with the manuscript, I have to be accepting of the edits, I have to make sure my voice it preserved from start to finish. Once that’s done, the connections I make with readers is all the more powerful.
What sort of things do you write?
I write LGBT fiction, of all levels. So, I have some stories that are sweet, G-level “married and so in love” plotlines and some that are strong, R-level “this is too hot for some people” plotlines. I don’t like to confine myself to one thing because I get inspiration for all levels of work. One of my mainstays for most of my writing, though, is the inclusion of LGBT characters. Their sexuality is usually not the point of the story, and I try to keep to that. The fact a character is gay or transgender is just another facet of the story, rather than something that sets them apart.
What do you have in the drawer? (i.e. what have you written but not yet published)
My drawer is starting to empty out, as I find homes for most of my works. I think I have two or three short stories still waiting for their forever home, and I have two novels that I want to clean up in order to start sending those around on the query path. I want to make sure I’m not leaving behind potential works as I move forward, because what may be in the drawer might be the next thing that finds a forever home.
Describe your writing process, what, where, when and how please?
As I mentioned above, I schedule out all my time. I have to, else I wouldn’t get anything done. I set aside a certain time every weeknight to focus on writing, and then might schedule extra writing sessions throughout the weekend. When I’m on deadline, that writing time might be spent writing something new, cleaning up a proof copy about to go to print, or tweaking a few plot elements based on my writer’s group feedback. But I commit to the process consistently.
Where can we read your words?
My website has a current list of my past works and my upcoming works, along with a few items that are still in editing. My novel is out in May, my first novella in July, and then there are more coming later this year. There is also a page with my past reviews and a bio blurb to learn more about me.
You can contact me at writerklynn@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter @WriterKLynn. I’m always interested in hearing from fellow writers and readers.
Thanks for the interview!