Here’s a little peak into my world as an indie writer.
- Introduce yourself: My name is Derek Barton (no middle name – my parents hated theirs and didn’t want to curse me with one too!). I live in Peoria, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix) and I have a family of my wife, two teenagers, and a fiesty yet adorable five-year-old. They are the core of my entire world.
- Writing Goals: My goals are to actually publish the Evade Series by the end of the year. Next year to wrap up the Wyvernshield Series (my fantasy trilogy). But my biggest goal is to get back into writing. It’s not a writer’s block situation, but more of a lack of motivation. I am pushing myself where I didn’t used to have to. That’s why it has become my biggest writer goal.
- Writing Tool: I am using my writer’s site for blogs and short stories, using Word for my shorter works (novellas) and using Scrivner for my long fantasy novels. Google and YouTube would also be listed as my best and most used writing tools.
- My Favorite Character Written: OOOhhhh that’s tough. That’s like choosing a favorite child, of course. Vicente from Elude would probably be one of the favs due to his resilience, he streetwise drive. Yet Letandra for her constant love and support for her wayward brother and the independence streak in her soul.
- My Favorite Book I’ve Written: Another really tough question. Consequences Within Chaos was my first born so a natural favorite, but Elude Part III was awesome as well — wrapped up the series in stunning fashion and it was the hardest to write due to the pressure to be perfect! It’s not perfect, but I love the work all the same.
- Favorite Reading Spot: My car has become my pocket library. I pop on an audible book everytime I’m alone and driving in the car. I wasn’t one to normally read a book (I love them, but couldn’t put the effort in getting them out or finding time to actually reading them). I would maybe read six a year if I was lucky. With the audible books I am “reading” one a month at least.
- Favorite Genre: I love reading epic fantasy like Game of Thrones, but writing horror is what I get the most satisfaction from.
- Favorite Trope: I guess I would say the hero’s journey. You know he’ll fail and yet in the end he always finds a way to victory at the end. Corny, predictable, yet satisfying.
- Favorite Author: Still the King, Stephen King that is, of course. Dean Koontz, R.A. Salvatore, Lee Child and Brian Sanderson are close runner’s up.
- Writing Fuel: The same fuel to get me out of bed! Diet Rockstars. If they ever outlaw caffeine, I am in such deep shit!
- Favorite Place to find Inspiration: Music has been a big part, but also I found inspiration in art and lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is the key to your story reaching out from your subconscious to you. It wants to be told and only you are able to free it!
- Favorite Writing Music: Epic fantasy requires epic classical music (my all time favorite is the collection called Cronos by Jo Blankenburg). For other works, horror especially, I put on background upbeat or suspenseful modern music (like dubstep).
- Writing Advice: Pay attention to your dreams (especially intense or lucid dreams) as you can mine some amazing and awesome stories from there. Stephen King was once asked about “Dream or Writer Journals” and he said he didn’t believe in them. Summarizing, he said that if you can’t keep the story in your head or if it doesn’t keep at you constantly, then they aren’t a powerful enough story to write. If you forget them easily if you don’t write them down, then they weren’t meant to be!
- Favorite Genre to Read: I said this already, but I read a ton in the two genres, fantasy and horror. I wouldn’t be able to say which one I like the most however.
- Favorite Book: The Stand by King is an alltime classic, but favorite fantasy novels are Homeland (the entire Drizzt Series) by R.A. Salvatore, or the Mordant’s Need series by Stephen R. Donaldson (incredible story of magic vs technology universes).
- Favorite Fiction Hero: Stu Redman from The Stand resonates with me. A simple but good man transformed to a great leader in a time of chaos.
The Official Website of Author Derek Barton 