ON WRITING
What is your favorite part of being a writer? Being able to imagine a whole new world and get it on paper.
What is your least favorite part? Proofreading and editing.
Name one obstacle you’ve had to overcome. Episodes of the dreaded “author self-doubt.” Having friends read the rough copy and offer support has gotten be through.
Is there a specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve? Sometimes, my point of view can be a little erratic, so I am writing my second novel in first person to practice my focus.
What part of your writing makes you particularly proud? The ability to craft believable characters that people identify with quickly.
What does your favorite main character have in common with you? I tend to spread aspects of my personality across several main characters, but I suppose my favorite character shares my love of creating things that are a mix of art and practicality.
Do you do a lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what you already know? Mostly what I know, or that I can find people around me who know.
How do you use the internet for your writing? Some research
If you’ve won any awards for your writing, what impact do you think that has had? It's given me the opportunity to write press releases and get a little bit of attention. I don't know what impact it's directly made on sales.
What one marketing tool have you had good success with? Posting to blogs, including my own.
What good writing habits have you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out? I set a goal to finish a chapter in a certain length of time (four weeks on the first, longer novel, two weeks for the one I'm currently working on), and hold to it.
Do you have any bad writing habits that you’d advise writers to avoid? No, I'm perfect. I'm also a bad liar. ;-) I tend to sometimes get stuck, struggling to get a paragraph or two perfect, but I have to let go of it, remembering that I can fix it during editing.
Do you have any strange writing habits? I tend to write better on one particular laptop.
When you’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what? I don't have the time I used to for recreational reading. I like science fiction, but I wind up instead reading lots of books on marketing my [books] and formatting my web site.
What are you trying to accomplish with/through your writing? I want to take people to a hopeful world, where they can forget their troubles and have fun, and learn something about themselves and God.
ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do you have for young writers? Write! Get the thing done! Write some more! Don't be afraid to try new things that make you happy. Don't be bound by what will sell best, because writing like that results in books that are merely trite and forgettable.
What advice do you have for someone looking to get published? Don't overlook electronic or other self-publishing. It's getting more respectable by the minute.
Any thoughts on what this author writes? How many books published? Here's a little more information about the author...
How many published books are to your credit? One
Do you have an agent? No
Are you self-published? Yes
How many different companies have you published with? One
How long have you been writing? Since I've been a young man, but specifically on the novels for publication, about five years.
Do you write full-time? If not, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing? No. I'm also a Principal Research Scientist at a defense contractor. I set aside one night a week exclusively for writing.
So, any thoughts? Here's the full scoop:
Award-winning Novelist Pete Koziar's short stories have appeared in The Cross and the Cosmos magazine, and his poems have appeared in Digital Dragon, Mindflights and the Dovetail Journal.
He was born in New Jersey, but moved to Maryland to get his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. He's been married for over thirty years, and has one son who is currently serving with the U.S. Marine Corps. He also has a Masters of Ministry degree from a small seminary in the area.
He currently serves as the pastor / leader / rabbi of B'nai Avraham Messianic Congregation outside of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He's also a full time Principal Research Scientist at a major defense contractor.
When he's not writing or trying to promote his book, he also enjoys woodworking, raising orchids, photography and online multiplayer computer games.
Pete's Science Fiction novel, Dauntless Homecoming, is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook), Lulu.com (ePub), and CreateSpace.
THE FUTURE
What are you working on now? A brand new novel, Seeking Adam, about an alien evangelist stranded on this world, who discovers something that leads to war with another alien culture. Also working (but not as fervently at this point) on a sequel, Mars Doom Rising, to my first novel.
PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being a writer that you’d like to share? I write because I have to, and when other people read and enjoy my work, it's a wonderful blessing to know that I have been the tour guide for a completely different world that was, to them, a refreshing little visit.
Is there anything else you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added to future interviews? Let us know...drop us a comment below.
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