Please welcome author Michael Garrett and his new book release for writers . . . and . . . an interesting interview with Michael.
 |
| Image courtesy Pixabay.com |
Welcome to Whispers in Purple, Michael! It’s a pleasure to have you here. So, let’s get acquainted.
First,
tell us a bit about yourself.
I live on the shore of a beautiful lake in Alabama
with my wife Sharon and my miniature dachshund Heidi. I suppose I would
consider myself retired, but I can’t imagine a time when I won’t be writing or
editing to some degree.
I’ve always enjoyed teaching others, so I consider
myself as much of a teacher as an editor. I want my clients to succeed--it’s a
positive reflection on me!
What
five words best describe you?
Faithful
Honest
Compassionate
Creative
Unselfish
When
is your best writing time?
For the most part it’s whenever an opportunity
arises. I don’t work under a set schedule.
Describe
your writing space.
I work in a recliner in my living room. It doesn’t
matter what may be going on around me; I’ve learned how to tune-out distractions,
even when my grandchildren are here!
Are
you a novelist as well as non-fiction? Who is your favorite author?
Yes, I’ve published two traditional novels, Keeper, which sold out its initial
printing and was optioned for a movie, and Innocence
Denied, a Christian novel which was a finalist for a 2019 American Fiction
Award.
My favorite author by far is Harlan Coben. His
talent amazes me.
Now,
down to the nitty-gritty, as they say. I understand you’re promoting a new non-fiction
book for writers. That’s fantastic, and quite ambitions. Let’s talk about it.
Please give us:
TITLE: The
Prose Professional 2020
PUBLISHER: Kindle
RELEASE DATE: December
15, 2019
BOOK BLURB:
You have a
choice to make as an unpublished author. You can keep doing what you’re doing
and expect the same results or you can try a new approach that may require a
different mindset. The Prose Professional
2020 offers a common sense method to getting published in the 21st
century.
What
qualifies you to write this book?
During my 40+ years in the publishing industry I’ve
edited the works of best-selling authors as well as 2,600+ unpublished writers.
For over twenty years I presented a series of highly acclaimed writing
workshops coast to coast. I also served as an Editorial Associate of the
Writer’s Digest School. I’ve been traditionally published as well, so I’m quite
familiar with the obstacles of breaking into print. I overcame the odds and
published two successful novels of my own.
What
makes it different—or stand out—from all the others out there? How is it
unique?
There's an inherent problem with most non-fiction “how
to get published” books for writers--they're written by best-selling authors.
Why is that a problem? They live in a different world than you. They don't face
rejection! They don’t have the same restrictions as you, and you can be
rejected for writing as they do.
For instance, Stephen King is opposed to outlines,
but he doesn’t face length restrictions or pacing requirements. He has the
option of just letting his work flow, but you don’t.
Publishers only want manuscripts of specific lengths
from unpublished authors, who should absolutely use outlines as a result. It’s
the only way to gauge your progress in terms of length and pacing. Without an
outline, how can you just happen to end up with, say, 75,000 words? When
best-selling authors tell you to write your book your way, as they do, how
smart is that? They can do it, but you can’t—you need to write it the publisher’s way.
The Prose
Professional 2020 offers valuable guidance
from a perspective more closely matching your own rather than that of a
best-selling author. Doesn’t it make sense that, in order to sell, you must
first and foremost write what publishers want to buy? The publisher’s way is
more important than your way. Your way can come later. Pleasing readers, not yourself, is the key to success in the publishing
industry. What readers want is more important than what you want.
What
inspired you to write it in the first place? (You
can combine this with the question above if you like.)
I’ve accumulated a lot of knowledge over the past
forty years, and I have no interest in being the smartest guy in the cemetery.
I want to share what I’ve learned with as many struggling new writers as
possible while I still can.
I wrote this book with absolutely no profit motive in
mind and make it available for only $1.99. I feel blessed to have had such a
wonderful career, and it’s only fitting that I pass this experience on to new
writers and hopefully make their path to publication easier.
What’s
in the future for you writing-wise?
I’m currently working on a Christian suspense novel.
Any
parting thoughts to share?
Write what you know.
Write what publishers want to buy.
Don’t try to write like a best-selling author
because you’re not one.
You don’t have to write like Shakespeare to be
successfully published. Some best-selling authors are only average writers.
Search for
reliable sources of advice to educate yourself on how to be published. The Prose Professional 2020 is a great
start.
If you
don’t read anything else, read the Outlines and Structure chapters. They’ll
give you a whole new perspective on writing your novel to please publishers and
readers alike.
Thanks for
featuring me on your blog. I wish all of your readers “Happy Writing!”
BIO
MICHAEL
GARRETT is a devout Christian and life-long resident of Alabama. His world
revolves around God, his wife Sharon, two adult children, and five
grandchildren. He has published two successful traditional novels of his own
and is currently writing a third. He has also worked in an editorial capacity
with best-selling authors, has served over 2600 international clients as an
independent editor, and holds the distinction of having been Stephen King’s
first editor and publisher. He has also taught highly acclaimed writing
workshops at colleges and universities across the nation and was an Editorial
Associate of the Writer’s Digest School. His editorial services are available
at https://manuscriptcritique.com
The Prose
Professional 2020
If you hope to become a professional
author, you’re attempting a career change. Were you to pursue any other
profession instead, you would face years of study and on the job training.
Education is equally important for novel writers, but academia offers no career
development for commercial fiction writers. In fact, collegiate professors
frown on commercial publication and focus on the literary aspects of
manuscripts alone, with no guidance at all on how to get them published. Commercial publishers are more interested in
sales potential than literary merit. Look no further than the Shades of Grey series as an example. Great
writing? Hardly. Sales potential? Through the roof!
Start your education for this exciting
career change with The Prose Professional
2020!
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Michael, thank you so much for being my guest today and for bringing your brand new book for writers to our attention. Wishing you all the best with its success. God bless you.
ReplyDelete