Another author has stopped into the Hybrid Nation for an interview, man we’re really picking up now! He’s a novelist and also a poet who is accomplishing the fine art of inspirational poetry. He currently lives in England and he likes plenty of other things besides writing. As seen on his website, he is a hard-working author willing to pay his dues and is trying to write the best books and poetry collections possible, after all isn’t that what all we authors want to accomplish?

David Ellis is an award winning author of poetry, fiction and music lyrics. He conducts author interviews on his website for any author that has published at least one book in any fictional genre.

 

He lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent in the UK.

 

David is extremely fond of cats and dogs but not snakes.

 

Indiana Jones is his spirit animal.

 

Visit his website to arrange an author interview, along with finding creativity tips, techniques and guides for artists and writers.

Anyway, let’s quit the small talk, hehehe. David Ellis, welcome to the Hybrid Nation and let’s get this interview started!

 

1. When did you decide to become an author?

 

My decision to become an author took place back in January 2016. I initially had strong desires to become a musician (a goal which I still intend to bring to fruition, having made a couple of albums in my twenties) but my primary focus right now is to become a success in the literary world. I’ve written song lyrics for years. I started writing poetry back in 2012, along with other assorted short stories on my website. Things have pretty much evolved from there onwards.

 

2. Why did you decide to become an author?

 

Feedback from my writing community. I had many poems that people were getting excited about and I realized that I had enough poetry (along with short stories) to make feature length collections. I decided that this was the turning point, where I would endeavor to become a published author. Words and books excite me in ways that I cannot get from any other form of creative expression. I feel like this is the right career path for me, after many years of contemplation. I can’t run away from it any more! ;)

 

3. What genres do you plan to write for the future?

 

To continue to write inspirational, romantic and amusing poetry. With regard to fiction, I’m embracing the idea of writing in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre because I am having enormous fun playing with ideas of how things will turn out in a futuristic society. I might not be alive when the developments take place but the beauty is in exploring outlandish fantasy concepts and their plausibility to the reader.

 

4. Besides writing what else do you like to do and what are your hobbies?

 

I watch a lot of television shows on Netflix, along with some fantastic and spectacularly terrible films. I find terrible films terrific inspiration for writing because they encourage me to think that I could write much better ones myself. I enjoy watching special effects that are shoddy too because then the whole thing becomes an unintentional comedy.

 

My other pursuits are reading Sci-Fi/Horror/Action/Fantasy novels/comics, listening to rock/pop/electro/hip-hop music and playing videogames. Storytelling in videogames has evolved to the point where I feel more immersed in the medium than ever before. This is very empowering, that we can be connected directly to the art we enjoy and to influence the outcome in our own particular way too.

 

5. Who’s your biggest inspiration for your writing?

 

Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett are two of my very biggest inspirations for my writing. I’m constantly inspired by the output of my fellow writers, especially in the Wordpress blogging community. I read a staggering amount of beautiful poetry and gripping stories by very talented people. If you read what people put out in the blogging community then if they have books, I encourage you to buy and review them to help support these wonderful authors to allow them to continue their writing for many years to come.

 

6. How much time do you dedicate to writing your books?

 

All my spare time. I can spend hours crafting poems, I find the process extremely rewarding when I finish. Writing full time is my mission when it comes to crafting novels but I must take on smaller projects and other part-time work, if I am to be able to dedicate myself wholly to the craft of both writing novels and making music.

 

7. How important do you think writing is to the young generation?

 

Incredibly important. We want to be able to give our children the ability to express themselves in the clearest and most articulate way possible. We can do that by encouraging them to read often and to give them access to reference facilities that will make them hungry to learn how to write fiction and non-fiction to a professional standard. The ability to communicate effectively is good for both business and for pleasure. Effective communication will assist them to make meaningful relationships and satisfy their own creative desires, leading to happy and fulfilling lives.

 

8. How excited were you when you finally published your first book?

 

It was literally (pun intended) a dream come true. It was a magnificent, euphoric occasion, which I celebrated wholeheartedly as a significant milestone in my writing career. The only time I have been able to achieve a similar feeling to this was when my debut poetry book won an award in October 2016. It was the validation of my work (despite it being self-published) that made me feel very happy and grateful too that a panel had decided that my poetry was worthy of critical merit. I’m sure many others feel this way when their art is appreciated after it is out being admired by the public.

 

9. What is the easiest part of writing in your opinion?

 

The easiest part of writing to me is that once I have started a train of thought, I can generally keep going. I used to lament about the notion of “just start writing” but in my humble opinion, it really does get easier once you are in front of your computer screen or notepad and letting the momentum carry you forward into the project. That is truly the exciting part because you can see the art beginning to take shape, which you then mold/edit into the true nature of the piece further down the line.

 

10. What is the hardest part of writing in your opinion?

 

I think the hardest part of writing is both getting started and sticking with it. There are so many distractions in our lives, some of them are things that are unavoidable (such as family life and chores) but there are many more that exist just to stop ourselves from getting bored. It can be difficult to allocate time to what you love doing if your passion is writing. I can make writing much easier for me by thinking of it as less of a chore itself and more about enjoying my free time creatively. It also becomes easier if I use entertainment as a motivational reward to write, in that I must write a particular piece/page/poem/etc in order to earn the privilege of playing on a videogame or watching an episode of a TV show. That way I don’t feel guilty for enjoying myself afterwards. Writing something fantastic is hard, it can only done with patience, dedication, focus and plenty of breaks too!

 

11. What is your favorite and least favorite part of writing?

 

Funnily enough, I actually find editing my favourite and my least favourite part of writing. I enjoy the process when I can see ways of polishing my work to make it shine and sing even better than before. The process can feel tedious too, especially when I have to “kill my darlings” and lose things I have written to sharpen clarity of the sentences and overall feel of the piece. Come to think of it, one other favourite part of writing for me is when I read my piece as a ‘reader’ and get to enjoy the passion and the flow in it. That is when I can sit back and admire my work, deliver/submit it to where it needs to go and then move on to the next project. Finish what you start and keep making great art.

 

12. What can we expect from you next?

 

Another book of inspirational/romantic poetry is on the cards. I’m also preparing a Sci-Fi detective series, the first novel I hope to get written by the end of this year and out to publishers. I have a myriad of other writing projects that I want to experiment with and hope to have a music album out by the end of the year too. We shall see if I have bitten off more than I can chew ;)

 

13. How much more do you prefer writing poetry over an actual novel?

 

Poetry is something that comes naturally to me. It is quicker and more easily accessible when it comes to research and producing pieces. Writing a novel takes a large amount of time, dedication and effort. I see writing poetry as sprints compared to writing novels as marathons. As someone who has indulged in a lot of sprints, this would appear to be the best time to attempt a marathon after all. Maybe after the process, I will prefer to write novels more than poetry, we shall have to see.

 

14. Finally how do you deal with writers block?

 

I look at ways to give myself a creative buzz. I might go and look at research on the internet, read books on the topic that I am focusing on or have a snack like a biscuit to give my brain a sugar rush to work on! Also in terms of getting myself started, if my current project doesn’t want to budge then I go off to write something else. Writing very small pieces like flash fiction or poems such as haikus (a technique my good friend author and writing enthusiast Christie Stratos also uses) is an excellent way to get the creative juices flowing to then be able to switch your mindset back to your original project.

 

15. If you like to say anything else such as advice, shoutouts, or just whatever’s in your mind say it now. The stage is yours!

 

My advice to any writers out there is to be yourself in interviews to make them entertaining, to do lots of them, be generous with your time because it will pay off in the long run with the friendships and relationships that you build with fellow authors and your audience and never be afraid to submit your work for competitions, critique or publication in general.

 

You will only get better by allowing yourself to be put in a position where your work is evaluated. Do not be discouraged by rejection, particularly if the rejection is generic in nature. Take all experiences in life as a means to improve yourself and the way that you do things, in doing so more doors will open to you. Work hard and never give up, always push yourself for a few minutes longer and persevere, great things are just around the corner.

 

Thank you for the opportunity to chat with you Angel, you’ve been an excellent host and I’ve had an absolute blast chatting here with you J

 

Well that’s a wrap ladies and gentleman. It was nice talking to this brilliant and kind-hearted man. David, it was an honor talking to you and once again congrats on your books and poetry, that is certainty an honor to be proud of! I wish you the best on your future endeavors and may your success continue for years to come.

 

By the way please check out David’s website https://toofulltowrite.com/ it’s a really informative website and this man is an overall cool man to be friends with. If you’re a fiction author and need a free interview then David can make that happen. Also check out the many interviews he’s done for others and his cool blog posts. Finally, check out his social links and his books!

 

If you enjoyed this interview then leave a comment on our Facebook page “The Hybrid Nation” or drop us an email on our Contact Us page.

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hybridnationrevolution/

Hybrid Nation Website: http://www.hybridnationrevolution.com/contact-us

 

If you’re interested in getting David Ellis’s books, head over to his Amazon Author Page and grab yourself a copy on Kindle or in paperback, you’ll enjoy them!

 

Link to his books: David Ellis Amazon Author Page

 

Social Links:

Facebook: TooFullToWrite (Facebook)

Goodreads: David Ellis (Goodreads Author)

LinkedIn: David Ellis - Author & Poet

Twitter: @TooFullToWrite

Website: https://toofulltowrite.com/