Through the immersive and daunting story of the near-fatal accident, the author shows how challenging circumstances can shed light on strategies for dealing with life's challenges. Through an intense story about survival and recovery, you'll gain practical suggestions that will help you find increased awareness, fortitude, and direction.
I'm pleased to welcome author Eric Fisher to The Writing Desk:
My latest book is called Buried Alive: Four Ways to Free Yourself From the Dirt. The book tells the true story of my father being accidentally buried alive during an expedition to find Native American artifacts, narrated from the perspectives of the three men present on that fateful day.
I transcribed the three interviews I conducted in 2005 nearly word-for-word, presenting their three perspectives. I interweave self-help concepts applicable to that situation and to real-life issues we face, such as grief, shame, regret, and depression. The book discusses how we can cultivate resilience even through the most difficult situations, showing that pulling ourselves out of the metaphorical dirt is possible with focus, determination, support, and tools.
The chapters alternate between excerpts from the interviews and the self-help sections, showing how these suggestions can be applied to real life. I was also able to follow-up with my dad 24 years later for an interview that is also included in the book. The four self-help sections cover finding balance in life, the CIA acronym (curiosity, introspection, and agency), the importance of connection and community, and a mysterious "W" concept for approaching life's challenges.
What is your preferred writing routine?
I generally prefer to write as consistently as possible, yet sometimes that can be easier said than done! I'm usually writing in the evening time and don't usually have music going simultaneously. If I do have music, the tracks don't have vocals; I listen to ambient, electronic, and atmospheric bands like Hammock. I don't set a specific amount of time for writing. I start when I start and stop when I stop without much structure for duration.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Don't be afraid to kill off your darlings. A Hollywood agent gave me this advice when I was pursuing screenwriting. This means not feeling married to any material. Believe that you can remove material if the story is better served by removing it.
The chapters alternate between excerpts from the interviews and the self-help sections, showing how these suggestions can be applied to real life. I was also able to follow-up with my dad 24 years later for an interview that is also included in the book. The four self-help sections cover finding balance in life, the CIA acronym (curiosity, introspection, and agency), the importance of connection and community, and a mysterious "W" concept for approaching life's challenges.
What is your preferred writing routine?
I generally prefer to write as consistently as possible, yet sometimes that can be easier said than done! I'm usually writing in the evening time and don't usually have music going simultaneously. If I do have music, the tracks don't have vocals; I listen to ambient, electronic, and atmospheric bands like Hammock. I don't set a specific amount of time for writing. I start when I start and stop when I stop without much structure for duration.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Don't be afraid to kill off your darlings. A Hollywood agent gave me this advice when I was pursuing screenwriting. This means not feeling married to any material. Believe that you can remove material if the story is better served by removing it.
Just as some friends come and go, so too can material be removed from a book. That's a harsh statement regarding friends, yet you may have experienced people leaving our lives after a short time, perhaps because one or both of us moved away, due to personality differences, a conflict, etc. The same happens with book content: sometimes the material doesn't resonate the same way it did in a previous draft.
I've seen the same with the screenplays I've written where I really wanted to keep a piece of dialogue. In the end, I realized the scene was better suited with the dialogue taken out completely or trimmed. The same can be seen with books.
I would also say don't be afraid to follow your gut with a plot point, characterization, character motivation, ending, etc. Sometimes the gut gives us information that our analytical brain would not. Also, congratulate yourself on finishing a first draft. Even though more work may be needed to achieve the final manuscript, most people don't even complete that first draft.
I've seen the same with the screenplays I've written where I really wanted to keep a piece of dialogue. In the end, I realized the scene was better suited with the dialogue taken out completely or trimmed. The same can be seen with books.
I would also say don't be afraid to follow your gut with a plot point, characterization, character motivation, ending, etc. Sometimes the gut gives us information that our analytical brain would not. Also, congratulate yourself on finishing a first draft. Even though more work may be needed to achieve the final manuscript, most people don't even complete that first draft.
Celebrate the completion of that first draft! Go out with a partner and/or friends to a nice restaurant, go bowling, take a hike in the outdoors, or have coffee and a pastry with a friend at a new coffee shop. Life is too short to look only for the next draft to be done. Savor the accomplishments that come and build on those wins, whether you see them as small, large, or in-between the extremes.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
I'd say podcasts help. General conversation and word of mouth are also beneficial. The person I speak with may then mention the book to someone else, and awareness grows along that line. Posting on social media also helps, which can involve collaborating with other local authors to help raise awareness for their book and vice-versa. I collaborated with one local author and it was a great experience.
Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research
One of the chapters in my recent book involves a discussion on the impacts of social media. In the second quarter of 2023, over three billion active users were documented as having Facebook accounts. Wow. I was astounded. That's approaching half the world's population!
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
A heartfelt letter to a baby my wife and I experienced as a miscarriage, whom we named Eden. That was tough and brought back painful memories.
What are you planning to write next?
I have a book that's recently been edited and I'm going through the final changes right now. It's my last non-fiction book, at least for now. The book details my experiences as a seasoned mental health counsellor and what I've learned along the way.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
I'd say podcasts help. General conversation and word of mouth are also beneficial. The person I speak with may then mention the book to someone else, and awareness grows along that line. Posting on social media also helps, which can involve collaborating with other local authors to help raise awareness for their book and vice-versa. I collaborated with one local author and it was a great experience.
Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research
One of the chapters in my recent book involves a discussion on the impacts of social media. In the second quarter of 2023, over three billion active users were documented as having Facebook accounts. Wow. I was astounded. That's approaching half the world's population!
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
A heartfelt letter to a baby my wife and I experienced as a miscarriage, whom we named Eden. That was tough and brought back painful memories.
What are you planning to write next?
I have a book that's recently been edited and I'm going through the final changes right now. It's my last non-fiction book, at least for now. The book details my experiences as a seasoned mental health counsellor and what I've learned along the way.
As for my next book, it will be historical fiction with some sci-fi and action elements. To many Christians, parts of it will be considered non-fiction because of certain biblical scenes. As a Christian myself, writing a book outside the self-help subgenre that includes biblical themes has been an interesting process. I'm using the blueprint of a screenplay I wrote many years ago, so the story structure was already laid out and I'll be adding to and refining the story as I go on.
Eric Fisher
Eric Fisher
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About the Author
