A Pontypool author who is working on his second novel has shared his writing story and tips for others who want to be published.
Craig Evans, who writes as C.W. Evans, told Cwmbran Life: “I am so inspired by everyday life and writing is my true passion.
“I think about it all day every day, and when I’m not writing (or thinking about it!) I’ve always got my head in a good book.”
This is an occasional Cwmbran Life feature to put the spotlight on local writers.
Q. What first sparked your love of writing, and how did you get started?
A. I started my literary journey writing horror fan fiction (‘Goosebumps‘, mainly) in my early teens. For me, it was a great form of escapism, which evolved into a deep love of reading and writing my own horror stories. I discovered self-publishing via Amazon in 2011, and released my first supernatural young adult book a year later. I love the freedom self-publishing allows, the release of ideas and the ability to create art on my terms. It has worked out perfectly for me, as I also create my own book covers and promotional material.
Q. What are you working on now?
A. I released my debut cosmic horror novel, ‘The Fold,’ under my C.W. Evans name last April, and am currently working on another standalone survival horror story entitled ‘Nine Lives’.
‘Nine Lives’ has been inspired by the Saw movie franchise, along with the survival elements of the hit Netflix show ‘Squid Game’, and follows the twisted mission of Tabbytha Grace as she ‘collects’ individuals for the darkest social experiment in human history. It’s a lot of fun to write, as there are many interesting characters to develop and plot twists to craft along the way.
Q. Who is your favourite author and why?
A. Ah, this is a difficult one; I have so many! Growing up it was R.L. Stine, then as my writing progressed, I was heavily influenced by Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club is a masterpiece in my opinion). I am currently loving the work of A.M. Shine (author of ‘The Watchers’), as he beautifully weaves Irish folk horror with engrossing stories of survival and otherworldly beings. His poetic style is a joy to read, and his stories always appear at the top of my reading list.
Q. What does your writing routine look like? Where do you write? What tools do you use (computer and software)?
A. I write wherever the mood strikes. My time is limited due to my full-time design and marketing career, but I write between two to three chapters per week, and spend most nights editing previous chapters. I have detailed notes of each chapter laid out before I start, along with full character profiles and major plot points covered.
It typically takes me around two hours to complete a chapter, and I prefer to write in silence, as unfortunately, music distracts me too much. I use my trusty MacBook and Microsoft Word for writing eBooks, along with Adobe InDesign when formatting paperbacks.
Q. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing but doesn’t know where to begin?
A. For me, fully fleshing out the story before starting the fun stuff is key. You need to know your characters inside and out before you actually start writing your novel. What are their motivations, how would they act in certain situations, how do their backgrounds inform who they are today?
“However tempting it may be to just dive right into your story, you should take your time to lay out the groundwork first, including any research needed to add legitimacy to your story (a writer’s search history is something to behold!). Also, start the promotional side of things way earlier than you might think you need to. Network with people and start to build a buzz long before your intended release date.
You can find more about his book and buy it here on Amazon.