Established Author Name: L G Keltner
Humor can be tricky to write. I used to find it intimidating. Then I realized there’s no way to make everyone laugh. We don’t all share the same sense of humor. Keeping this in mind makes it easier. Instead of thinking of what my readers find funny, I just try to write things that I personally find funny. Fortunately for me, many of my readers seem to find my writing funny too.
2- In what category/genre do you write? Why?
Sometimes I write humor. I write it because it’s fun to examine awkward or ridiculous aspects of life through the lens of humor. My Self-Help 101 books focus on the awkwardness of being a teenager and navigating new love and family dynamics.
I also love writing science fiction. Sci-fi is wonderful because there are limitless possibilities for story-telling. You can speculate about what the implications of future technologies might be. You can create alien worlds. You can also imagine alternate histories. I would say the sky is the limit, but with science fiction, the sky is only the beginning.
3- What part of one of your stories was the most fun to write? The most challenging? (And which book/s are those in?)
I’d have to say the most fun story to write overall was Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family. In particular, I enjoyed writing the world domination tips that the main character was coming up with throughout the course of the story.
I think the most challenging story I’ve written was Felix Was Here, which appeared in the first IWSG anthology Parallels: Felix Was Here. It’s an alternate history story. It’s not easy to change an aspect of history and envision what would be different years down the line because of those changes. The process involves a lot of research and thought, but it’s also rewarding when the final product is well received.
Write what you love without shame or regret. Embrace the joy of the process.
5- Do you find sometimes readers just don't "get" what you're going for? I'm thinking in particular about sense of humour, I guess.
That certainly happens. I don’t think there’s any way to avoid that. I find it’s best not to worry too much about that. My writing isn’t going to appeal to everyone, and that’s okay. All writers have an audience that will appreciate what they have to offer.
6- What do you love and hate most about being a published author?
I love the creative process. I love dreaming up stories and putting them on the page. Seeing them in print and available for the world to see brings a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
The worst aspect is probably bad reviews. Sure, logically I know that not everyone is going to love, or even like, my work, but seeing a bad review still stings. I simply try not to dwell on them. All authors have to deal with negative feedback. If I focused on the negative too much, it might deter me from writing, and I don’t want that.
7- Do you publish traditional, self, hybrid, other? Why?
I’ve done a bit of traditional and self publishing. Some of my short stories have been published through small publishers. Others I self-published because they wouldn’t have necessarily meshed with traditional publishing. For example, I love writing novellas. Unfortunately, getting a novella published traditionally is extremely difficult. That’s why I tend to self-publish those.
8- What question are you dying to answer?
Q: What kind of games do you love to play?
A: I love playing Trivial Pursuit. I’ve also recently gotten into playing golf on the Nintendo Switch. I wouldn’t say I’m that good at it, but I find it fun and relaxing.
9- Would you please ask our audience an intriguing question to answer in the comments?
What is your favorite creative outlet/hobby and why do you love it?
10- Which of your books would you suggest readers start with? Or if you have something new coming out, tell us about that.
Unfortunately I have nothing new coming out soon. Life has been extremely busy with kids and working a full-time job, so I haven’t written anything new in longer than I would like to admit. However, I hope to remedy that as soon as I can.
As for what I would recommend, it depends on what genre appeals to you most. If humor is your thing, I’d recommend starting with Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family. It’s available for free from Smashwords. If you love sci-fi, I’d recommend picking up a copy of the IWSG anthology Parallels: Felix Was Here. Not only does it include my short story, it also includes many other wonderful stories that you might love.
That was a really good interview. I look forward to reading her stuff soon.
ReplyDeleteI love the joy of writing. I sometimes make games. Like, this month, I made a crossword on my blog.
ReplyDeleteGreat write tip!
ReplyDeleteRonel visiting for G:
My Languishing TBR: G
Giants of All Kinds