I'm pleased to welcome fantasy author Kelvyn Fernandes to The Writing Desk
What is your preferred writing routine?
I love writing well into the night. I find the words just flow in the dead silence and distractions are few. It's not uncommon for me to start a writing session at midnight and just go for hours. Unfortunately this is an impossible schedule to keep when trying to live a normal adult life, so I try my hardest to find inspiration during the day too!
Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
I definitely just let the story take me wherever it wants. During the planning phase, I brainstorm all kinds of ideas over weeks and months and then fit those thoughts into a coherent outline. Then during the writing phase, I do my best to stick to that outline, but my characters often take me on their own detours or decide to spark a conversation that can go on for a few pages. It's always good to have a plan, but that plan needs to be malleable to your whims.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Just write! Seriously, you'll never know whether you're any good at it until you find out. If you're unsure or embarrassed, keep your writing to yourself or share it anonymously. But when you're ready, show it to your friends and family and ask for their input. You need to have confidence in your work in order for it to succeed. Also, don't just blindly take advice if it doesn't fit your style. Go against conventions! Who cares? Do what you want in the way that you want to do it, and your passion will drive you forward!
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
Reaching out to anyone who think will give your work an honest chance. Family and friends are a great place to start and a firm foundation for support. Communities for your genre are where you'll start to build a small following. And constantly finding reviewers and bloggers to give your work a try and spread the word. Being friendly, kind, and doing your very best not to sound like an ad when approaching potential readers goes a long way. Above all, you need to realize that promoting is a GRIND! It's slow, monotonous, tiring work, and sometimes you'll go a whole day with nothing to show for it. But you need to persevere, keep at it, and eventually the results will come.
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
The hardest scene I had to write was the finale to Volume I. I won't spoil what happens, but I got so engrossed in the story that I just kept writing and writing, and soon it became the longest chapter in the story by a considerable margin. I kept fretting that it was way too long and I'd have to trim it down. But after handing it to my editor and beta-readers, the response I got was surprising. They loved the added details and the parts I fleshed out made the pay-off much more rewarding for them. Sometimes you need to put aside the voice in the back of your head that warns you from straying from the traditional path and just go out on a limb and let your imagination take you on a journey.
What are you planning to write next?
I'm hard at work writing Volume II of The Many Adventures of Peter and Fi right now! It's planned for a summer 2019 release, and I can't wait to share it with my fans. Past that, I have the ideas and framework for several more books, all I ask is for the opportunity to tell my story.
Kelvyn Fernandes
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About the Author
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