#AtoZChallenge - W is for K.M. Weiland

K.M. Weiland

K.M. Weiland lives in make-believe worlds, talks to imaginary friends, and survives primarily on chocolate truffles and espresso. She is the award-winning and internationally-published author of Outlining Your Novel, Structuring Your Novel, Creating Character Arcs, and Writing Your Story’s Theme. She writes historical and speculative fiction and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors.

1- What made you decide you wanted to be an author?

I have told myself stories for as long as I can remember. At a certain point, when I was about twelve, I decided one of the stories I’d come up with was so great I wanted to write it down to make sure I would never forget it. At that point, I discovered I enjoyed the act of writing as much as I did the act of storytelling.

2- In what category/genre do you write? Why?

I write both historical and fantasy stories—and many mashups in between. My last story was a gaslamp fantasy, about a superhero in 1820 London.

3- What part of one of your stories was the most fun to write? The most challenging? (And which book/s are those in?)

Dialogue is always my favorite. If both characters have the snark going on, that’s always super fun. There was a lot of that in my gaslamp book Wayfarer. The main character sorted of adpted a nine-year-old little girl pickpocket who never let him get away with anything. She was always a blast to write.

For me, antagonists have always been challenging. I get bored if the protagonist isn’t onscreen—so usually I try to avoid antagonist POVs.

4- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

When including a plot twist, make sure its development is so entertaining readers will want to read it again, with even MORE enthusiasm, AFTER they know the twist.

5- Do you work on more than one book at a time? Why or why not?

Short answer is no. I will occasionally write and edit two different books simultaneously. I will also sometimes write a fiction book and a non-fiction book at the same time. But I have my hands plenty full with just one novel at a time.

6- What do you love and hate most about being a published author?

I think the best is feeling like what you’re sharing matters to other people—that you’re offering something that is impacting their lives for the better, even if it’s just distracting them from a crummy day.

Hardest part is definitely negative reviews. I don’t read them anymore if I can help it.

7- Do you publish traditional, self, hybrid, other? Why?

I have one traditionally published book, from many moons ago, and all of my international translations have been traditionally published, if you want to count them. But primarily, I am an independent publisher.

8- What question are you dying to answer for our blog (about your writing, life, or even a fun fact)? What's the question and then answer.

Haha. Honestly, that question just makes me want to smile mysteriously. :p

9- Would you please ask our audience an intriguing question to answer in the comments?

How do you think your earliest memory might symbolize the themes of your life so far?

10- For our blog readers who haven't read anything by you, which of your books would you suggest they start with?

If you’re interested in writing advice, I recommend my book Creating Character Arcs. (If you’re going to read them all, then I’d say start with Outlining Your Novel and read the rest in the order they were published, since they lead one into the other. But if you’re only going to read one, Creating Character Arcs is the most comprehensive.)

If you’re interested in fiction, I recommend my most recent book Wayfarer, which is a jolly good romp through the Dickensian underbelly of a slightly fantastical Georgian London.

K.M.Weiland is raffling off a $20 Amazon gift card for one lucky Operation Awesome blog reader.  To enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#AtoZChallenge 2023
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