Today, we’re visiting with K. Dawn Byrd, a prolific and talented writer w
ho said she writes for the pure joy of putting words on paper. Wow, what a great sentiment. Let’s hear what she has to say.
JRC: You’ve released five books this year. How do you do that? What is your writing schedule?
Dawn: I don’t really have a writing schedule as to a certain time of day or a certain number of hours per day. It’s more like a 30-day schedule. All of my books are written in 30 days marathons. I decide how many words I want to write in 30 days and I write my daily word count on a calendar, which helps me keep track of where I am and where I need to be.
JRC: When did you first start writing? And what brought it about?
Dawn: I started writing in 2009 just because I thought it would be fun. It was.
JRC: You’ve written young adult romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and young adult romance-mystery. Which is your favorite, and why?
Dawn: It depends on what kind of mood I’m in as to what is my favorite genre to write. It also depends on what I’ve just written. If I’ve just finished a dark suspense, it’s time to write something lighter like young adult. I love to read and write anything with a good romance.
JRC: You hold a masters degree in professional counseling. Tell us how that helps you in developing your characters.
Dawn: In my opinion, my masters degree taught me more about what makes people tick. When my characters do certain things, I like to add something in from their past that helps the reader understand their actions.
JRC: Zoe Mack & A Case of Fatal Attraction is your latest book released. Can you tell us a little about it?
Dawn: Here’s the cover blurb:
Zoe is thrilled when she lands her first paying case until she learns she’ll be going undercover at a local blood bank. The fact that she faints at the sight of blood makes working there more than difficult. Who would steal blood and what would they do with it? Is her creepy vampire-like coworker using it in a cult ritual?
When Zoe learns that Nate will be working undercover with her, she’s overjoyed. She soon finds that the gorgeous Rikki’s attraction to Nate is too distracting and considers throwing him off the case. Zoe questions his loyalty even as Nate proclaims that she’s the only girl for him.
Nothing is as it seems and Zoe has no clue who can be trusted. Who’s stealing the blood? Is it the director? The vampire-like guy with the fangs who wears all black? Or, her gorgeous co-worker who has a thing for Nate?
JRC: Your fiction has been in Kindle editions. Do you think you’ll put some of your fiction out in paperback?
Dawn: My publisher recently decided to take ten authors to print. Pa
rt of the criteria was that the books were bestsellers for my publisher. Mistaken Identity, which is my bestselling book ever, will soon be available in print.
JRC: Who is your first reader?
Dawn: I write so fast and so many books per year (four this year) that it’s hard to find someone devoted enough to keep up.
JRC: Do you interact with other writers regarding your books, for instance, in a critique group?
Dawn: No, I don’t interact with other writers regarding my books. I really don’t have the time. In addition to writing, I work full-time and several weekends out of the month, which leaves little time for anything else.
JRC: Work full-time plus some weekends, and you have written four books already this year. Wow. What advice can you give for those struggling to get into the young adult market?
Dawn: Write for your own enjoyment. If you don’t enjoy writing it, why bother? Also, read a lot of young adult to get a feel for the voice and what’s available in the market.
JRC: Thanks, Dawn, for stopping by, and for giving us some insight into a prolific writer’s life. Dawn’s books can be found on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/M9YUXH
Jim, interesting post
I felt Dawn’s feverish energy for writing translate right through the interview. Loved it! Thank you.
To answer some of your questions:
My books are anywhere from 42,000 words to 80,000 words. Since my publisher bases the price on word count, I try to keep the young adult books under 50,000 words to make them more afforadable for young adults.
I write all books in 30-day marathons. I decide approximately how many words I want before starting and then map out the daily word count on a calendar, which helps me keep on track as to where I need to be. Upon completion, I put the book away for two weeks and then give it a thorough edit. It works for me!
A book in 30 days. Amazing. I like the idea of setting a goal for number of words each day and meeting it. Might have to incorporate that idea with my own writing. Thanks for inspiring interview.
Now that is a busy woman. It’s great that Dawn loves her work. She could never accomplish so much in so little time without an almost obsessive devotion to her writing, considering she also has a day job. Thanks for this, Jim.
Are we talking first draft in 30 days or wrapping the whole thing up, from word one to shipping? If the latter, can you share with us, how many of those days are first draft days, editing, etc? I’d love to write a book in 30 days, but I can’t ever get close to 30 weeks at this point.
And how long are the books? How many words, on average?
I can write it in 30 weeks. Then, it’s another 30 to get it “publisher ready.” Clearly, that’s why I don’t write four books in a year.
This was a very enlightening interview! The mystery was nicely explained as to how the author writes so much in a year. That is inspirational. It is time to get tapping on the keyboard…
Blessings,
Janice
I love to hear authors talk about loving the work. So many complain about how hard it is. If the joy of writing doesn’t come through, the reader will feel the author’s tedium. These sound like fun books.