WELCOME BACK TO THE STORY OF THE WRITER SERIES

EVERYONE PLEASE WELCOME

~KAREN A. WYLE~

Wyle author photo number 2

Karen is an Appellate attorney, author of several novels, picture books, a mother of two, a photographer, political junkie and a Indiana Hoosier fan.

WELCOME KAREN!

welcome-to-our-home-1205888_960_720

*You’re a writer; so what’s your story, or what inspired you?

I wanted to be a novelist since at least the age of nine. I can’t remember exactly why, but my family greatly valued literature and education.

Those are very good values to have in family!

*******

If a story is in you it has to come out -William Faulkner

*******

*What’s your GOAL in becoming a writer?

(a) To create interesting characters with whom readers can empathize, and embed them in thought-provoking stories. (b) To have people read what I write.

I share the same goals as you. To create interesting characters that people care read and care about. Easier said than done though!

boy with the typewriter. Retro style portrait

*What 3 things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)

When I was younger: lack of anything particular to say, difficulty getting words to flow, and lack of confidence. Now: nothing.

Impressive progression here. My main problem right now is completing my first project.

*What keeps you motivated in achieving your dream? (DESIRE)

Unlike the world in which I formed and then (for decades) abandoned my ambition, the current literary era allows authors to publish without the approval of gatekeepers or the investment of large sums of money. That means I’ve been able to find readers who have enjoyed and cared about my work – and that keeps me motivated.

Finding those who truly care about your is one of the greatest motivations! But also, as you said, being able to publish your work is critical.

man-1424877_960_720

Your readers

*What’s your ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way?

When I was younger, besides the obstacles already mentioned, I encountered a last straw in the form of a teacher (graduate student teaching undergraduates) who casually mentioned in public that I did something well for someone who “[wasn’t] a born writer.” Through years of failing to find the right medium, the right genre, or the right story, my lifelong belief that I was indeed and exactly a “born writer” had kept me going. That moment was my excuse to give up writing fiction for several decades. (About one decade into that span, I found a few of her books in a bookstore. I am not generally someone who hates, but if she had walked in at that moment, I might have assaulted her. And I will admit enjoying some schadenfreude when I discovered, perhaps three years ago, that none of her books appear to be in print.)

I hear this from time to time about someone in faculty. How someone had a negative impact on a potential future author always surprises me.

darth-vader-1207142_960_720

I find your goals—rather disturbing, young Jedi…

*Why do writers give up, quit or never complete their projects?

Many writers still feel the need to “be” published, aka traditionally published, and give up after multiple unsuccessful attempts to find a publisher.

Many writers continually second-guess themselves, self-editing constantly, which greatly slows their output. National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo or Nano), an annual online event which challenges writers to complete a very rough draft of a novel at least 50,000 words long within the month of November, is a great way to overcome this tendency. At that pace, there’s no time to self-edit.

They’re are many potholes on the road to publication. Not to mention that that road is always under construction.

Potholes warning sign. — **Illustration of the writing journey**

*What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up?

If that writer still wants to write and is unhappy with having given up, I’d suggest giving NaNoWriMo (see above) a try. There’s no commitment involved: you can dive in with minimal preparation and see what the next day or two may bring. That’s how I started what became my first novel, Twin-Bred, and I’m now preparing my seventh novel for publication.

NaNoWriMo is an excellent way to begin! That’s what gave me a boost last year in my project. 2016 NaNoWriMo is just around the corner!

*******