Wow, here we are in mid-September, this year is just zooming by. Today I’m happy to introduce you all to author Alex Shuler.
Welcome to my Scribbles page Alex.
Thank you for the invite.
Of course, I love having authors stop by. Let’s jump in shall we.
Excellent.
When it comes to writing there are so many choices an author can make, the setting, the time period, what the characters do, the style of book. Keeping in that train of thought, what tense do you prefer to write in? Is there a reason behind your choice?
I like to write in third person past tense because I feel it’s the most neutral, but I try to choose the best tense for each story and I’ve written in first person a few times. A lot of my projects require second person present tense, so I’m pretty comfortable with that as well.
I like to write in first person and third person myself.
For more information about writing tense click here for a really helpful article.
Not only do authors need to figure out tense of their story, but now, with all the advances in self-publishing they have choices on how to get their stories out there. What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being traditionally published or the other way around?
Self-publishing requires more investment on the part of the author. Money, sure, a lot of times although some self-published authors are really good at cutting down costs, but also the time to find editors, cover designers, formatters, etc. or to do all that themselves. Traditional publishers will take care of all that for you, and may even do some marketing. Being published traditionally can also give an author the reassurance that a professional in the industry thought their book has potential.
But self-publishers also don’t share their royalties, giving the potential to make more money for their effort even at lower prices, and they have more control over when their books are released. They can also take chances on books that there’s a niche market for, but that traditional publishers wouldn’t touch.
It really just depends on an author’s goals.
As we’ve talked about the nuts and bolts of writing let me ask you, cause I’m curious, how much research do you do for your stories?
Urgh. I don’t much like research. Except when I do, at which point I start neglecting my writing for it. So I try not to do too much research until it becomes necessary. It really varies by project.
(Laughs) I think that is a similar problem all authors share.
One more question about writing and the writing process for you. Tell me what are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
I like constructive reviews, both good and bad. I don’t want people to waste their time with my book if they aren’t the right audience for it, and I think reviews play a vital role in that process.
That’s a good way to look at it. Well said.
Thank you.
Last question, and this is a fun one. Do you have other hobbies?
I’m trying to focus most of my time on writing and painting, but I also play the ocarina and enjoy studying different languages and learning about different cultures.
Sounds like you have a very full and creative plate. Thank you so much for stopping by today and chatting with me. I look forward to hearing/seeing more from you.
More about Alex Schuler
Alex lives in Colorado in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. She loves learning new things and meeting new people. These days she spends most of her time working on her writing and visual art, and spends the rest dreaming about and planning her big trip bicycling around the world. You can find her blabbering about her writing and visual art at here, travel (as Rebecca Jones) here, or follow her artist or travel twitter accounts here.