THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN IAIN'S LIFE ARE HIS WIFE, HIS SON, & HIS FANS
Iain Rob Wright is from the English town of Redditch, where he worked for many years as a mobile telephone salesman. After publishing his debut novel, THE FINAL WINTER, in 2011 to great success, he quit his job and became a full time writer. He now has over a dozen novels, and in 2013 he co-wrote a book with bestselling author, J.A.Konrath.
His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He's an active member of the Horror Writer's Association and a massive animal lover.
Website: http://www.iainrobwright.com/
Blog: http://www.iainrobwright.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoriainrobwright
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iainrobwright
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4888646.Iain_Rob_Wright
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Iain-Rob-Wright/e/B0052WR48C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1493812238&sr=8-2-ent
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Author Interview:
Where do your ideas come from?
My ideas come from being a big fan of the genre. I have watched so many horror films, and read so many books, that my head is filled with stories. I love horror, and as a fan, it’s easy to write what I enjoy consuming myself.
How do you develop your writing ideas?
Sometimes I just face an empty page and go for it, but oftentimes I will spend a couple of days creating brief summaries for each of the chapters I intend to write. By plotting first, I know that I will be hitting all the necessary story beats, and I find I can write more quickly when I have plan in front of me. I tend to follow a 4 part structure, with the middle section of the story split into 2 parts.
Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
I love Buffy and Angel, and these shows have really strong and flawed characters. The characters arcs for villains are often just as strong as those for the heroes, and so I often strive to give my characters a path to be on. I don’t like my bad guys to stay bad, and I like my good guys to have real people problems. Most times, I draw from parts of my own personality and expand on those. Sometimes the bad guys are the parts of myself I do not like.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Around twelve I started to enjoy the process of writing neatly on a blank piece of paper. I think I fell in love with words before story, but when I began reading Terry Pratchett, James Herbert, and the Point Horror books, I knew I wanted to write stories. It was always a dream I didn’t expect to attain. Lucky is one word to describe me, and I am thankful every day.
What makes you unique as a writer?
I feel I am from a new generation of horror writer, and as such some of my ideas (I hope) are unique and refreshing. I am a product of the modern world and so my stories are often more forward thinking that some of the more traditional authors from the past. I love the apocalypse, so I think I have added a lot of value to that genre through my various methods of destroying humanity. Also, despite being British, I am heavily influenced by American culture, and I feel I do a pretty good job of appealing to both audiences.
Describe your book in 140 characters or less.
I have lots of books. I would describe them all as ‘different’ as I try not to retread the same ground too much. I don’t want to become a ‘zombie guy’ or a ‘vampire guy’.
Tell us about the main character(s)
My main characters tend to be flawed, and begin their stories at bad stages of their lives. They often find strength they didn’t know they had throughout the events of the books they feature in.
Where do you find/come up with your characters names?
It’s completely random usually, but sometimes I try to make the names meaningful - such as Harry in the Final Winter having the surname ‘Jobson’ - Job’s son.
What writers inspire/d you?
Stephen King and Brian Keene have inspired me the most. Both write very relatable characters, and both enjoy telling a wide variety of stories.
How has your writing career changed since you started?
I’ve gotten richer, which is nice. Nice because it allows me the luxury of paying for advertising and finding even more readers. Nice because I get to do prize giveaways for my biggest fans. Nice because I get to just do what I love, which is writing stories. It’s also got tougher, as I have a lot to lose. When I was trying to make it, I only had everything to gain. It’s a lot less complicated at the beginning. Being established takes a lot more time.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I hate writing in silence, so I tend to have films running in the background. Often i will watch a horror film while also writing a horror novel. It gets me in the mood.
What are your writing goals for the next year?
The next goal I have set for myself career-wise is to surpass $100k in sales in a year. Last year I was close. Each year I try to do better. Also, I would like to eventually increase my input and write even more books each year. When my children are a little older, that will be easier to achieve.
What is the most useful tool you use as a writer?
Obviously, my computer. But specifically, the software I use day to day is indispensable. Scrivener, ProWriting Aid, Screenflow, Writeitnow5, Indesign, Photoshop, Vellum… I could go on. In a nutshell, being a writer is a lot easier if you invest in professional tools.
Name the five biggest distractions from your writing.
Children, wife, tiredness, videogames, chores.
What character would you most like to be stuck in an elevator with?
Repairman Jack. He could probably fix it on his way to kill a bunch of demons.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I have regular contact with my readers via Facebook, email, newsletters, Patreon, and Youtube. It’s one of the best parts of the job. I only make a living because of their love and support. I’m always happy to hear from them.
Some Get to know me Questions
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love eating at restaurants, watching movies, reading, and playing videogames. My wife and I love Disney and would love to spend every day at Magic Kingdom. We also love the theatre and go as often as we can. At heart we are both couch potatoes, so our evenings are spent mostly watching box sets. With the kids, we spend a lot of time at zoos and farms. We all love animals.
What’s the best vacation you ever had?
3 weeks in Orlando for my honeymoon was wonderful and I think about it all the time. I love all the parks and I love the weather. Americans are also my favourite people, so I love being around them. Also, the food!
What’s your favourite rainy day movie?
Groundhog Day.
If you could be any age again for a week, which would you choose and why?
12. I would love to just restart my life and do it all again perfectly. I met my wife at 22, and it wasn’t until then that life really worked for me. So I would like to redo the ten years in between.
What's you favourite place to read?
I read in bed ever night for an hour or so, but I love being on a subbed with my Kindle on holiday. Sometimes I’ll read in the bath.
When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?
Back outside. I only read on my Kindle now. I use to own hundreds of books, and getting rid of them freed so much space. Ebooks are cheaper and better for the environment. Also, most of my income comes from the existence of ebooks—so I’m a major supporter of them.
If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would buy?
One day, I would like to buy a second home in Florida. I would maybe like to emigrate to the USA, but the Visa system there makes it extremely difficult, so a holiday home that I can visit for months on end would make a good compromise.
Check out some of Iain's books that I've reviewed, click on the cover to go to Goodreads.
Thanks so much Iain for stopping by the blog!! This is an author I always recommend so you should definitely check out his books.
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I love Iain's books. Read many of them. He writes the kind of stories I enjoy reading more than once. Such a fun interview!
ReplyDeleteMe too. I've loved everyone I've read!
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