Interview with author of "Wildcat" JP Harker

Here is out interview with JP Harker, author of 'Wildcat' which is Book 1 of the Caledon Saga

Interview with author of 'Wildcat' JP Harker

• What is your favourite genre to write? Why?

My genre of choice is Fantasy, though I’ve branched out into some Urban Fantasy/Spy stuff. I’m always tempted to do Historical Fiction and probably will at some point, but for now I like the freedom of being able to invent my own history (and if I want to throw some magic in, I can!).

• What does your writing process look like? Did it take you a while to develop?

My process is pretty simple; I make an outline of bullet points based around Start, Middle and End, fill it in until the whole thing looks overcrowded, then split that single document up into chapter documents. I then flesh those out with more detailed bullet points until they look complete. Then I turn those bullet points into prose (this makes me seem very organised but in practice this gets a lot more chaotic as I keep making changes at each stage!)

• What does you editing process look like? Do you allow others to read your writing?

I’d get nowhere if I didn’t let other people read my stuff – too many times I’ve gone through something with what I was sure was a fine tooth comb and then a proof-reader has given me pages of mistakes to resolve. I read through everything at least a couple of times before handing it to someone else but you really do need that external feedback.

• Have you ever felt like quitting writing? If so how did you overcome those feelings?

More than once – when books don’t sell or someone actively dislikes something I’ve written I get discouraged, and a few times I’ve thought ‘what’s the point of spending all these hours writing if no-one wants to read it?’.

It sounds trite but I think it was Tolkien who said that he writes for himself, not for other people. You just have to stroke that ego and remind yourself that so long as you enjoy what you write (and you’re not relying on book sales to live of course) than that’s all that matters – keep at it.

• How do you keep motivated to finish a writing project?

Sheer stubbornness!

• Have you ever written something you didn’t like, but felt necessary for the overall story?

Oh yes! I recently killed off a character I loved but who had to go for the story to progress. I think if you want the reader to be emotionally invested you have to be invested yourself, and I remember feeling that terrible mix of; ‘they’ll go mad for this!’ and ‘why are you doing this!?’

• What would be your advice for aspiring authors?

Creativity plays a distant second fiddle to perseverance. You can be as imaginative as you want, but it’s hard work that gets things done.

• Is there anything you wish you knew before you became an author?

See above!

You can purchase a copy of Wildcat through Amazon.ca here and if you want to know more about Harker's work you can visit his website here.