Interview - Richard G. Lowe Jr.

Welcome back,

            For this month's interview, we have the pleasure of meeting published author, Richard G. Lowe Junior. Richard and I met on one of the many Facebook writing pages after I posted that I was looking for published writers to interview.

            So on to the interview!

Short Bio:

Richard Lowe is a professional ghostwriter, Senior LinkedIn Branding Expert, and blogger. His passion is to help businesses and individuals strengthen their brand, establish their credibility and prove their expertise. Richard has written and published 63 books on a variety of subjects (including 2 bestsellers), ghostwritten 16 books, and authored over a thousand articles for blogs and social media. Previous to his writing career, he was the Director of Computer Operations for Trader Joe’s Company for 20 years, and before that the Vice President of Consulting for two computer firms. Some of his works include Focus on LinkedIn (an Amazon bestseller), Cyberheist (for KnowBe4), and Digitize or Die (as Copy Editor and Coach).

Published Works:

Focus on LinkedIn

How to sell on eBay

Real World Survival

How to Operate a Freelance Writing Business

Make a Living as a Professional Self-Published Author

Safe Computing is Like Safe Sex

How to be a Good Manager and Supervisor

How to Throw Parties like a Professional

How to Publish on KIndle

Help! My Debt is Making Me Miserable

How to Manage a Consulting Project

Make Money Using the Internet

Make Money by Decluttering Your Home

Belly Dancers Coloring Books (four volumes)

Human Rights Coloring Books

Dragons Coloring Book

Steampunk Dragons Coloring Book

How to be Friends with Women

Network Your Business to Prosperity

Turn off the TV, Get off Your Ass and do Something

Unlikely Hero

How to Create your Own Zombie Apocalypse

Current Projects: (if any)

Peacekeeper Vol 1: The Beginning of the End

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity (working title)

Website: https://www.thewritingking.com

When did you begin writing?

I began writing when I was 6 years old with a short story about dragons. I wrote on and off throughout my life, and wanted to be a writer "when I grew up". Life got in the way, so I kept postponing it. I wrote a huge number of technical books for work. in 2013, I decided to retire from my job and become a professional writer. Since that time, I've written over 60 books for me (some under pen names), and ghostwritten 16 books.

Did you receive any special training or attend a school?

Nope

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I walk around, looking at things, and inspiration comes to me. I'll look at a garden, and think about a fantasy novel, or a rock and wonder about the history of that rock. From there, stories result.

Do you use any special resources when writing? (other books, computer programs, etc)

I always keep a couple of good dictionaries, a grammar book and a style guide (Chicago Manual of Style) handy. Plus, for fiction, the whole set of books in the Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman.

What is (in your opinion) the most important thing to remember when writing, and why is it so important?

That you must sit down, get rid of the distractions and write. It doesn't matter how bad you feel, how many problems need to be resolved, or whatever. Just write. The solution for writers is to write.

What is (in your opinion) the most challenging part of writing, and how do you overcome it?

Filtering out the bad advice from others. Nothing works for everyone. What works for one writer doesn't work for another. A writer has to come up with their own voice and style. I had to learn that lesson and it's a tough one.

Did you use an agent? (why or why not?)

No. I'm entirely self-published at this time. Peacekeeper, one of my current projects, may be the first that I find an agent for.

Did you use an Editor? If not, what process did you use to edit your work?

First, I write the whole book using dictation directly into Word. Then I review it from top to bottom, changing it up and making sure it all makes sense. I read it out loud all the way through, then review it back to front.

How did you get your book published? (self-published, Vanity publishing, Mainstream publisher).

Self-publishing as an Indie publisher. I also publish books as a ghostwriter for others.

Do you handle your own marketing?

Yes. I've found I do a better job than anyone else marketing my books.

What is your best marketing tip?

Social media does not work for promotion, but it works for marketing. You have to build yourself as a brand. Engage with your readers and get them excited about your works.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

My main advice is that to be a writer you must write. I set my goal at 5,000 words per day, minimum, ready to publish. If you are not writing every day, you're not really a writer. Also, if you are not published, you are not a writer. I know several writers who delay publishing to "get the perfect title" or "to give their book one more polish". Wrong. Publish the darn thing. In the modern self-publishing world, you can change almost anything. So publish away, knowing that your first couple of books may not be as good as you'd like. But you'll get better and you can always fix the earlier books

Hopefully everyone found this interview as informative as I did. I would like to thank Richard for taking the time to take this interview. Your knowledge, experience and participation was very much appreciated.

Until Next time.

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Current Progress part 38

Welcome back,

It has been a long time since I hadn’t written an article this late. For the past two years, I have had my blog articles prepared at least a month in advance. However, as I am writing this, it is now March fifth, and I have virtually nothing ready in terms of content.

That being said, I still managed making some progress over the last month.

   

           Because of my decision to focus more on my writing rather than my blogging, I managed to get some progres done on my story. I made some new additions to my story tree, and chipped away at my second chapter. Describing the setting proved to be a bit of a challenge for the second chapter, as I had never really put that much thought into it. It is still a work in progress, and I feel it is coming along nicely.

Unfortunately, my progress was cut short due to an increased workload and having to fill in for my manager at work. But I’m confident this new focus will allow me to see actual progress on my story.

   

Though I am no longer working actively on this project, I am still supporting it, as I did contribute a lot of time and material. Later in February, the writers from the project approached me for details on some of the material I had contributed. I feel this is encouraging, as it means the material is that much closer to being included in the games lore. Missing Worlds Media has released two new update in the past month. You can read the full article on their kickstarter page:

Lore: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2098956

Staff: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2109797

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I am also open to suggestions for future articles, if there is anything you would like further explanations on. I can be reached via the following social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarkboundPMosborne/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: @OzmosisCoH

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+PatrickOsborneOzmosis

Sorry for the short update, as that is all I have for this month. Thank you all for dropping by, your continued support is always appreciated. I hope to see you all at next month's progress update.

Until next time.

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Current Projects part 37

Welcome back!

February has arrived and Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind; some days the weather is mild and others it is still way below freezing. We have seen everything from rain to snow to ice pellet.

However, this gives us the perfect excuse to stay inside and hide from the cold, snuggling up with a loved one on the couch. This seems appropriate, since St-Valentine's day is just around the corner. In honor of the holiday, I have put together a book review of a romance novel, as well as an interview with a published romance author.

Romance as a theme.

    Before writing this update, I took a look at my progress update from last February, and saw that I ad promise an update on my writing once my home office would be set up. Well, we are a year later, and my office has still not been completed. I’ve run into computer problems which prevent me from accessing the internet and my Google account.

Luckily this has not slowed my normal progress. In fact, after last month’s decision to focus more on my story rather than my blog, I actually managed to get an entire chapter done and submitted for editing. The chapter introduces my three main characters, how they interact with each other, and we gives the reader an initial overview of the setting. It’s a nice way to ease the audience into the story, and came out rather well.

    In terms of art projects, I have started on my first chair ‘revamp’ that I plan on selling. It proved to be a different type of challenge, because not only did I have to be creative style wise, but I had to be creative repair wise, as the chair had a few issues. It is coming along nicely, and I’m looking forward teeing it completed. I seem to be having issues with loading pictures right now, so hopefully I can include some in my next update.

    Though I am no longer working on this project, I am still supporting it, as I did contribute a lot of time and material. Missing Worlds Media has released only one update in the past month. You can read the full article on their kickstarter page:

Landmarks: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2089640

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached via the following social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarkboundPMosborne/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: @OzmosisCoH

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+PatrickOsborneOzmosis

Happy St-Valentine's day!

   

That is all I have to report for this month. Thank you all for dropping by and keeping up with my progress. I would also like to thank you all for taking the time to drop by, and to wish you all a happy St-Valentine day!

Until next time!

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Current Projects part 36

Welcome back,

           Progress report number thirty six. I have now been doing this for three full years; researching material on creative writing, seeking inspiration, talking to authors and trying to put together my own book. Time sure does fly by.

                           

           As I look back on 2017 and everything that has changed in my life since late 2016, I can’t help but feel grateful to those that helped me get through some rough times. Furthermore, all of these changes have made me take good, hard look at myself. This moment of introspection has helped me get a better idea of what I wanted out of life, and where I should start going.

‘’You can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance at doing what you love’’ - Jim Carrey.

           When I made the decision to make a serious effort a writing a novel, I started doing research, asking for advice and paid for online classes. A major point that came up was that authors have a better chance at success if they already have a following by the time they write their fist book. This is what motivated me to create this blog; it was a tool meant to document my progress and what I learned, as well as (hopefully) gather an audience. Three years in, and I can see the progress I’ve made thanks to this blog, which is encouraging.

           However, this came at a price. The time I’ve dedicated to the blog has taken my attention away from my book. As I mentioned last month, the overall amount of content I created for my book is roughly 85 pages long. Though I find it pretty impressive, it’s pales in comparison the time spent on my blog. In the past three years, I have written a total of 177 articles, averaging two pages each. That means I have written around 354 pages for my blog since I started. Add that to the work I have actually done for my book, and we are looking at an estimated total of 439 pages… Had I focused on my book from the start, I would probably be done by now, rather than still chipping away at chapter two.

           With this realisation in mind, I decided to change my focus come 2018. I feel that after three years of posting material, I have a solid foundation to help other writers, so I will be adding new content less frequently in order to help me concentrate on my actual work. My updates may be bi-monthly, with other articles appearing when I have time to work on them.

           This will also allow me to work on a second side project I have been considering lately; creating a Patreon page. After posting pictures of recent artwork, I have had two requests from paying customers. I will therefore be trying to generate additional revenue through my painting and sculptures. As usual, you can expect more details as I make progress.


                                        


           Though I am no longer working on this project, I am still supporting it, as I did contribute a lot of time and material. Missing Worlds Media has releases two updates in the past month: one regarding character modeling an another about story progression. You can read the full articles on their kickstarter page:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2059888

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/2066126

         
            Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached via the following social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarkboundPMosborne/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Twitter: @OzmosisCoH
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+PatrickOsborneOzmosis




                                         



           That is all I have for this month. Thank you all for listening, as your continued support is always appreciated. I hope to see you all at next month's progress update, and most importantly, have a Happy New Year!

Until then.

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Inspiration part 24 - Ice Rinks

Welcome back,

While looking through my old files, I found more unused photos from my urban explorations. Given that winter is just around the corner, I thought it was the opportune moment to showcase these photos I had taken of an ice rink back in 2015.

An ice skating rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can ice skate or play winter sports. There are two types of rinks in prevalent use today: natural (where freezing occurs from cold ambient temperatures) and artificial (where freezing the water surface is achieved mechanically or with chemical/coolants). There are also synthetic ice rinks where skating surfaces are made out of plastics.

In this case, my pictures are about an indoor ice rink. The following pictures give an idea of how the location looks like from a spectators point of view.

Besides recreational ice skating, ice rinks can be used for other sports, such as ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, and curling. It can also be used for activities like exhibitions, contests, concerts and ice shows. Below we can see a few images of a junior ice hockey league game in progress.

    Besides the rink itself, this location has other aspects to it. Below you can see a small section of the spectator seats, which are set up in different layers and sections. I also took a picture of the scoreboard, which keeps track of important information during a hockey game. Not seen in these photos are the many service corridors leading to locker rooms for the players, or loading docks for the vendors. These locations are not usually open t the general public, so I couldn’t take pictures of them.

    Something else we are accustomed to see in a hockey arena, is a ice-resurfacer, more commonly referred to as a Zamboni machine. The ice resurfacer was the brainchild of Frank J. Zamboni, who was originally in the refrigeration business. Zamboni created a plant for making ice blocks that could be used in refrigeration techniques. As the demand for ice blocks waned, he looked for another way to capitalize on his expertise with ice. In 1939, Zamboni created the Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California. From 1942 to 1947, he tried, fruitlessly, to develop a vehicle that could cut down on ice resurfacing time, until 1947, when he created a machine that would shave, wash and squeegee the ice. This machine was mounted on an army surplus vehicle chassis. (for more info, visit wikipedia).

As you can see, a trip to the local rink can be beneficial for any writer. Maybe you are searching for references on the setting of a ice rink for a story about an up and coming hockey player. Maybe it will be the location for a particular fight scene in an action story. Or perhaps the rink is simply for one scene in a romantic Christmas story, where the protagonist and the love interest character share a tender moment. Good examples of movies/stories that have ice rinks, are Mighty Ducks, Slap Shot, Elf and Sudden Death.

I hope you enjoyed this month's inspiration post and that I encouraged you to go out there and experience it for yourself.

Until next time.

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne

Interview - Kirsty Ferguson

Welcome back,

Welcome to this month's writer interview. While networking, I got the honor of meeting Kirsty Ferguson, author of the Little Girl series, who kindly volunteered to answer some of my questions. During my short interactions with her, she came across as a very kind and polite person, quite willing to assist other writers on their journey. I am delighted for the opportunity to have her on my blog.

Short Bio: Kirsty Ferguson is a freelance Australian writer who bases her books in rural Australian towns. She writes in multiple genres including, thrillers, crime, mystery and paranormal. Kirsty has released three crime and mystery books, two as part of a four-book series (Little Girl Dead and Little Girl Revenge) and one stand-alone cozy mystery (Severed Heart). Kirsty has studied a Diploma in Editing and is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Professional Writing and Publishing. She uses her Diploma to edit and proofread other independent authors’ work. Her greatest love is her autistic son Connor and in her spare time she reviews books and movies and writes dark poetry. She also has a great sense of humour and enjoys a good laugh.

Published Works: Little Girl Dead, Little Girl Revenge, Severed Heart

Current Projects: Upcoming books in 2018. I am currently working on What Lies Beneath Us, a crime novel about a woman accused of killing her nine-month- old baby, and The Reckoning – A paranormal novella about a woman who discovers the power within.

Website: www.authorkirstyferguson.com

Contacts

• daneshas24@gmail.com
• www.authorkirstyferguson.com
• www.twitter.com/danesha24
• www.instagram.com/author.kirsty.ferguson
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-ferguson-33452a45/

When did you begin writing?

I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember. My mum always encouraged reading and writing and I learnt at a young age that I could create worlds of my own.

Did you receive any special training or attend a school?

I have a Diploma in Editing and I am currently in my final year of a degree in Professional Writing and Publishing. I have found both of these courses very helpful in learning the mechanics of writing and they have helped improve my storytelling skills.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from everywhere, my imagination, nightmares, the news, the world around me.

Do you use any special resources when writing? (other books, computer programs, etc)

No, it’s just me and my laptop. When I need to research, I make use of books and the internet. When writing Mayday, a novella about a man in an asylum, I went to the asylum I set the story in, for research purposes. I even stayed overnight and did the ghost tour. Shout out to Mayday Hills/Beechworth Asylum.

What is (in your opinion) the most important thing to remember when writing, and why is it so important?

I think it’s important to be true to your characters. To their story arcs and development. You need to become one with the characters for it to be realistic for the reader. It’s important because without that connection, the story falls apart.

What is (in your opinion) the most challenging part of writing, and how do you overcome it?

One of the most challenging parts of writing for me is to work on one project at a time. I tend to have many ideas and many open novels. I try to combat this by immersing myself in one particular world. For example, I drive to the town my story is set in for finer details, or I contact an expert for additional information to reinvigorate me. Sometimes it’s just a battle of wills. As in I will finish this novel.

Did you use an agent? (why or why not?)

I don’t have an agent, I would like to have one but honestly, I haven’t spent much time looking for one just yet. I am more focused on writing, which is what I’m best at. I see the benefits of having an agent, of course, your work gets put in front of publishers who might pick it up. Currently, I’m happy to be an indie author.

Did you use an Editor? If not, what process did you use to edit your work?

No, I haven’t used an editor in my early works, I relied on beta readers to help with the editing process and my own skill set. However, in my latest book, What Lies Beneath Us, I have teamed up with an editor, so we’ll see how that goes.

How did you get your book published? (self-published, Vanity publishing, Mainstream publisher).

My books have been self-published so far. There is a lot of freedom with self-publishing, with covers, editing, release dates, etc, however, I would not rule out traditional publishing in the future.

Do you handle your own marketing?

I must admit I’m not very good at marketing. I struggle to talk about my own work, which is a downfall of mine that I am working on. Also, I’m not very good with social media, although I love Twitter.

What is your best marketing tip?

I have written a series called Little Girl Dead series (five books) and I have released two, and I did find that making the first one free for a time helped downloads immensely.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Work hard at what you have and refine it, but put it away for a while before you edit it. The ideas will percolate and you’ll have a better book. Also, choose carefully when you are going to release your book, the timing matters.

In closing, I would like to thank Kirsty for doing this interview. As someone who is still in the process of finding himself as a writer, I found this interview very helpful and informative. I look forward to hearing more about her in the future.

Until Next time,

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne