Thursday

Writer Interview: Derek Chivers

The Twitter world of writers can be an overwhelming place, but once you find a few good Tweeps, it gets a lot cozier.  Meet my Twittertastic buddy Derek Chivers.  He’s got a great sense of humor and I think big things are happening for him.  Enjoy!
 

 
AG:  Tell us about your current project.

DC: Well, the book I’m querying now is called Stealing the Sun. It’s a sci-fi action/comedy about a pirate with daddy issues and some other interesting characters. It’s kind of a fun, fast paced romp that manages to be very character-driven as well. I was taking a break from another work in progress, so I tried to write something entirely plot-driven. Except, the plot became so intricately woven through my characters’ lives that it became something much better than I intended. If you can’t tell, I love this story. I’m, like, in love with it.


AG:  Is it your first book?

DC: My first complete novel-length fiction, yes. I played with the short story and novella formats for a while before undertaking the really ambitious project which I’m still working on. This book was a great chance to get some breathing room from that project, and sharpen the quill too.

AG:  How did you tackle the revision process before you queried?  Did you use CP’s?

DC: I have a great local writing and critique group called The Afterthoughts or The Life Partners, depending on who you ask and when. Would this be the appropriate time to plug our
short fiction blog, (http://thelifepartners.blogspot.com) where we take turns posting free short stories? Anyway, they were there for me one chapter at a time, and then I had an open call for beta readers once I had a full manuscript.

AG:  What was the querying process like for you?  Any tips?

DC: Ugh. It’s a lot more work than writing a novel, I can say that. Luckily there are a ton of resources out there for the querying writer; like criticism, you just have to develop that personal filter for what does and doesn’t work for you. A good bottle of bourbon helps ease the sting of rejection. Thick skin, keep your chin up, and all the other cliches.

AG:  Do you blog?  Where can we find you on Twitter and the internet?

DC: There’s the aforementioned
short fiction blog (double plug!), and I’m also on twitter, @derek_chivers, and on facebook, uh, Derek Chivers.

AG:  What online resources have you used to help your writing and querying and revision process?

DC: I received an amazing query critique from Mindy McGiniss over at
Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire. (http://writerwriterpantsonfire.blogspot.com) I’ve also found Janet Reid’s Query Shark (http://queryshark.blogspot.com) and Nathan Bransford’s blog (http://blogs.nathanbransford.com) to be invaluable resources.


AG:  Any extra info you’d like to add or discuss?.

DC: Twitter has been amazing for networking; no querying author should be without it. It’s how I met you, after all. Best of luck on Wicked Spirits (AG: Aww, thanks, Derek) and any other projects, I’m fairly certain good things are right around the corner for you. Also, if you could thank your husband for all the amazing hours of my life he’s wasted, that would be swell. Tweet you later!

AG:  HA!  Derek is referring to Bioshock, a videogame that came out in ’07.  My husband was the lead designer.  Thanks for the plug, Derek!  Bioshock Infinite will be coming out soon, too… ;)

Anyway, thanks for sharing, Derek.  Everyone, go go go meet Derek for yourselves on Twitter and his blog!

5 comments:

  1. Great interview. Go Derek! (Fellow WritersVoice teammate)

    And nice to meet you, AG.

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  2. Hi Melanie, thanks for dropping in for support! Nice to meet you, too. :)

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  3. Nice to learn a little more about you, Derek. I'd been to your website, but you don't have personal stuff there.

    I wish I had a writing group around here, but even though we have several colleges in town and it's a decent sized community, I can't find any. Luckily the online community is great.

    Beautiful picture of the mountains btw. It's a little flat where I live and it's nice to see some terrain sometimes!

    Go Team Cupid!

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