Ask the Author: K.M. Alexander
Answered Questions (9)
K.M. Alexander
Sorry just saw this!
To answer your question: hopefully! However, I need to finish these last two books first. :)
To answer your question: hopefully! However, I need to finish these last two books first. :)
K.M. Alexander
Thanks for reading! To answer your question, I am! Book four will be called GLEAM UPON THE WAVES and I'm hard at work on the final edits. I recently did a cover reveal and you can check it out over on my blog:
https://blog.kmalexander.com/2020/08/...
https://blog.kmalexander.com/2020/08/...
K.M. Alexander
I've had mixed success with marketing on social media. I've met some wonderful people, and it’s helped expand my readership, but it’s not a primary driver for book sales, at least not right now. I'll occasionally push my books, but for the most part, social media is where I comment on whatever is going on in my life. I treat it as a window into my daily life and my creative process.
As far as “staying fresh” is concerned, I think it’s a matter of intent. For me, social media isn’t a burden, and I don’t let it be a distraction (it can be hard but it's possible.) I tweet when I’m able, but it’s not something I worry over, and I don’t try to fulfill some quota. I make sure I use it, but I don’t make it a priority. If I'm working my focus is on the work. Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr can (and does) come later.
As far as “staying fresh” is concerned, I think it’s a matter of intent. For me, social media isn’t a burden, and I don’t let it be a distraction (it can be hard but it's possible.) I tweet when I’m able, but it’s not something I worry over, and I don’t try to fulfill some quota. I make sure I use it, but I don’t make it a priority. If I'm working my focus is on the work. Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr can (and does) come later.
K.M. Alexander
Good question! I covered some of this last month in my State of the Cycle. http://blog.kmalexander.com/2015/12/0...
I am revisiting an old manuscript I called Coal Belly. It's a book I have written, rewritten, tried to shop, and then eventually scrapped in favor of working on The Stars Were Right. But, unlike the other dead manuscripts, this one haunted me. I loved its characters; I loved its strange world and its odd magic. I want to tell its story.
All that said, the former manuscript was old, and in the last five years I have matured a lot in my writing. So, recently, I decided the best way to tell this story was to strip it down to its bones and rewrite it. If you like swashbuckling action, riverboats, political intrigue, civil war, and magic, then this will be a story for you. As of right now, there are no plans for a release date.
I am revisiting an old manuscript I called Coal Belly. It's a book I have written, rewritten, tried to shop, and then eventually scrapped in favor of working on The Stars Were Right. But, unlike the other dead manuscripts, this one haunted me. I loved its characters; I loved its strange world and its odd magic. I want to tell its story.
All that said, the former manuscript was old, and in the last five years I have matured a lot in my writing. So, recently, I decided the best way to tell this story was to strip it down to its bones and rewrite it. If you like swashbuckling action, riverboats, political intrigue, civil war, and magic, then this will be a story for you. As of right now, there are no plans for a release date.
K.M. Alexander
I love storytelling. Movies, music, video games, it doesn't matter, I'm attracted to anything that tells a story. For a long time I looked for ways to tell the stories that were swimming through my head. I tried making movies and considered creating video games. It wasn't until about eight years ago, when I was in my late twenties, that I settled on writing. The process seemed daunting at first, which is probably why I didn't consider writing at the beginning. It took a few more years (and a few awful manuscripts) until I finished a project that I felt was ready for the world.
K.M. Alexander
I’m not sure I believe in “writer's block.” I mean certainly there are times when things aren't working and I am frustrated, but you deal with that in every profession. We don’t name that malaise “accountant’s block” or “engineer’s block” it’s just a rough day at work. Everyone deals with those slumps, and the solution is the same as it is in every profession. Remove your distractions, buckle down, and keep working.
K.M. Alexander
Inspiration can come from anywhere. But when I am looking for inspiration I tend to inundated myself in the things I love: art, history, comics, museums, travel. I read constantly.
K.M. Alexander
It was a story that I wanted to read. No one was writing it, so I did. I’ve always loved H.P. Lovecraft’s stuff, but wanted to move from the realm of Lovecraftian horror and write something that’s more approachable.
K.M. Alexander
Advice will only get you so far. Everyone works differently. I think it’s important for writers to find their own path for their writing. What works for one person won’t always work for someone else. It’s not easy but finding your own stride is important for personal success. The best way to find that path is to write and be honest with how your approach is working for you. Be willing to keep trying different things until you find that sweet spot.
And never stop.
And never stop.
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