Ask the Author: Declan Conner
Answered Questions (6)
Declan Conner
I have a fertile mind. Too fertile at times, in that I have so many ideas for stories that it would not be possible to complete them all in a lifetime.
In the early days I was a panster and followed where the keyboard took me. That all ended when I was 50,000 words into mystery and I had to ditch it, because I had backed myself into a corner, so I couldn't avoid an early reveal.
I now plot from start to finish, chapter by chapter, each with an outline. I even go so far as to write the last chapter twist ending, so I know the direction I need to take to get there. It may be unconventional, but I like to write a blurb and then expand that into a synopsis from word go, rather than leave it as a chore when the book is complete.
One thing a blurb does is to tell you if you have a viable story for the genre. Blurbs are meant to grab a reader’s attention for them to want to read on. In the case of a writer, it creates excitement and motivation, knowing that you have the bones of a story that will meet genre expectations.
In the early days I was a panster and followed where the keyboard took me. That all ended when I was 50,000 words into mystery and I had to ditch it, because I had backed myself into a corner, so I couldn't avoid an early reveal.
I now plot from start to finish, chapter by chapter, each with an outline. I even go so far as to write the last chapter twist ending, so I know the direction I need to take to get there. It may be unconventional, but I like to write a blurb and then expand that into a synopsis from word go, rather than leave it as a chore when the book is complete.
One thing a blurb does is to tell you if you have a viable story for the genre. Blurbs are meant to grab a reader’s attention for them to want to read on. In the case of a writer, it creates excitement and motivation, knowing that you have the bones of a story that will meet genre expectations.
Declan Conner
I self-publish, so for me it is the satisfaction of not only the writing, but the entire self-publishing process of getting my work out there.
Declan Conner
Join a writers' site on the Internet and become involved in giving and receiving crit. Many of these sites have forums where older hands at writing will give advice on all aspects of publishing, from grammar, to how to submit to agents, or how to self-publish.
I would also start a blog and social media early in your career to build a following. Use your pen name if you have one
I would also start a blog and social media early in your career to build a following. Use your pen name if you have one
Declan Conner
Good question. I currently have four projects. "The Killers Amongst Us" was complete until I had a computer mishap and lost 9 chapters, so I am busy trying to replace them. It's a crime thriller that revolves around eighteen girls, all kidnapped on the same day in California, and all eighteen years old. Though a crime procedural, it crosses over into the paranormal with a new creature to rival vampires and zombies etc., but it is based on ancient historical myths to give the creature some credibility.
The next project is "The Prepper" a disaster thriller, but that title is likely to change. I'm 5 chapters into that one. The depth to this story will be the societies and political enclaves that develop after the disaster to fragment the United States, and a young woman's quest to draw them back together to face a bigger threat to the survival of America. She will take her strength and ideas from a book, the cover hidden by brown paper that is known to all, but it will not be revealed until the end what it is.
"The Property Virgin" is as the title suggest about a young woman crime writer, buying her first property and becoming involved in discovering the house contains secrets of multiple murders. I only have three chapters of that one on my hard drive, but I quite pleased with the direction it is taking.
"Lethal Trade" (Provisional title) features a Special Forces operative, framed for the murder of two of his team and his quest to find the real killer, he stumbles into a world of international crime and a terrorist plot. I've gone for first person on this one. I have eleven chapters down to date.
The next project is "The Prepper" a disaster thriller, but that title is likely to change. I'm 5 chapters into that one. The depth to this story will be the societies and political enclaves that develop after the disaster to fragment the United States, and a young woman's quest to draw them back together to face a bigger threat to the survival of America. She will take her strength and ideas from a book, the cover hidden by brown paper that is known to all, but it will not be revealed until the end what it is.
"The Property Virgin" is as the title suggest about a young woman crime writer, buying her first property and becoming involved in discovering the house contains secrets of multiple murders. I only have three chapters of that one on my hard drive, but I quite pleased with the direction it is taking.
"Lethal Trade" (Provisional title) features a Special Forces operative, framed for the murder of two of his team and his quest to find the real killer, he stumbles into a world of international crime and a terrorist plot. I've gone for first person on this one. I have eleven chapters down to date.
Declan Conner
Most of my ideas come from reading or watching the news and what currently concerns people. It could be an article on sexism in the workplace, or women fighting between having a career and their biological clock ticking as in Missing: the Body of Evidence, but I only use those instances to give the story and characters some depth, while remaining true to the crime thriller genre.
Declan Conner
The most recent book I have published is "In Search of Jessica." I got the idea from watching a program about the difficulties people encounter with disabilities, or mental illness, and the problems they faced daily. In this case, the program was about people who can't talk, and therefore they have difficulties communicating. I thought it would be challenging to write a story where one of the characters can't talk, yet for her to be a strong POV character in many of the chapters. To add to the depth, I decided to further add further difficulties by having Jessica released from a mental hospital after being locked up for 15 years from the age of thirteen, and therefore everything is new to her on the outside. But that's just the depth. The story is a serial killer, crime thriller with a killer twist ending.
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