Joe Gergen interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Well, as an introvert I find talking about myself to be a terrible thing, which is why I cheat by starting out an introduction with that. Also makes me horrific at marketing. But I’ve always been a creative, which I explain to people is mostly about providing myself with cheap therapy. But besides writing I’ve worked with painting, woodworking and music (I was definitely not a good musician but it helped me grow).

When did your love of books begin?

I think my fascination with books began when I discovered Lewis Carrol and Edward Lear. I loved the art of nonsense and silliness. I liked how the stories were so absurd you could use your own imagination to make them mean almost anything or make them even more silly.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

If I make a distinction between writing and wanting to be an author (getting published), I really didn’t think about writing anything with an eye toward publishing until a couple years after college. I wrote what I would call a middle school fantasy book thinking I could have that published. It was terrible. I actually reread the first few pages about a year ago. It stood the test of time and was still terrible. So while I still wrote some things, I put authorship on hold for many years hoping I would learn a bit about life and then try again.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

Well, once the ability to self-publish started to rear its head, I thought  I’d give that a try. I’ve found that everyone has an opinion about all the things one needs to do to be an author, even if to self-publish. While I don’t agree with a great deal of the writing advice out there (I’m a bit stubborn in that I just have to do everything my way), I do find the guidance on many of the technical pieces helpful. What I’ve learned is that once you decide to publish, you need to be patient and systematic. Unlike the creative process, getting published (even self-publishing), is a set of bureaucratic steps. But taken one at a time, you can manage them.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

I would say certainly draw a strong line between the writing and the publishing. As far as writing advice, that really depends on who you are and where you are and where you want to go. The advice I would give isn’t even writing advice. It’s personal advice. Take time to ponder what motivates you to write. Think about what you are trying to achieve with writing. Not that those things can’t change as you go, but driftlessly writing may not bring the fulfillment you are looking for.

Tell us about your book/books:

My books are reality with a little twist that I treat as if it is just normal. I like to have subtle themes and sub themes, maybe too subtle sometimes but trust me they’re there. They are written in the first person and often have the feeling of a diary or a memoir (Confession: I write in the first person because I suck at writing in the third person).

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

What I love about the writing community is that you don’t need permission to join. Whether you are experienced or a novice, whether you’re good or bad, people who write know what it’s like to write and can bond over that.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I would probably say come on a journey with my characters and find a little bit about yourself that maybe you didn’t know about before.

Where can people connect with you?

https://twitter.com/JoeGergen or @joegergen on Twitter

 

https://www.instagram.com/joegergen/ or @joegergen on Instagram

 

https://josephgergen.com/