Hi Justin and welcome to Creativity@Work.
1. When did you first start writing?
I first started
writing and taking it serious when I was in high school. I would write poems in
class because I was bored. Of course when English class came around and I had
to write a poem it came with no problem whatsoever. I had written prior to high
school but didn’t really have the passion I had for it now plus I was young and
writing had always felt like a chore. It wasn’t until I used my imagination and
wrote what I wanted on my own terms that I really started writing more and
found a new appreciation for it.
2. What led to your love for literature? Any
favorite books / teachers / writing mentors?
I enjoy writing and
have a knack and understanding for literature but I would not say I love it. I
think there’s a fine line between writing and reading literature. If it’s
writing literature then I love it, if it’s reading literature then I definitely
don’t love it. Call me crazy but I’d rather write than read. I’ve always had a
solid reading level but never cared to read in fact I only started reading more
due to my becoming a writer and thought I’d read more to develop relationships
with my fellow authors and see what it is they’ve written. Sorry if I took that
question elsewhere, basically I enjoy literature but don’t love it. Some of my
favorite books are The Endlands by Vincent Hobbes, Vlad: The Last Confession by
C.C Humphreys and of course various poetry by many of the greats, Poe,
Dickinson, Hughes, Frost and even Shakespeare.
3. What's your writing process like? Do you
outline? Do you write by hand / type / dictate?
If I’m writing a story
or book I’m usually 100% typing it on my computer. I’ve thought about writing
an outline out on paper but then I remember we are in 2016 and well..why make
things harder and complicated? I do however write poems by hand and even
sometimes write them using a notepad app on my phone. I guess when it comes to
writing I like the short and long stories on the computer and the poems can be
written any way.
I’d also consider
giving one of those voice sites that type for you a chance, it’d save me on
typing so much, possibly prevent writer’s block and prevent me from developing
carpel tunnel.
4. What's your editing process?
I was going to ignore
this question but then I felt if I’m thinking about that then what I have to
say about it must be worth talking about. I edit my work personally at three
different times before I send it off to be edited. I go over it as I’m writing
it, after a particular chapter is done and when the final product is done. I
look over every bit whether it be spelling errors, punctuation, grammatical
errors, the whole bit really. I am also a person who realizes that no matter
how many times I got over my work I am going to miss stuff, it’s human nature.
I am so used to my own writing that I can see something 100 times before
someone kindly(at least I hope they are) points out that I’ve made an error. I
then send my work off to be edited by a professional and I only stress out over
it if they send me back a bunch of fixed errors to which I then want to curl up
in a ball and sob for dropping the ball and making so many mistakes on my
latest work. In all seriousness I do pretty well and I take my process quite
serious when it comes to editing.
5. Any favorite apps / software / technology
for writing?
I don’t use any big
time apps to write aside from notepad on my phone. I use WordPerfect because
I’m stuck in 2003 but hey it works for me and I’m happy with it. I’m not afraid
of upgrading or trying new things though.
6. Any favorite apps / software / websites for
marketing and promotion?
I have many websites I
use to market and promote. Aside from the obvious Facebook and Twitter I use
Pinterest, Tumblr and iAuthor which is a site based in the UK that helps and
creates a outline and profile to help indie authors promote. I also use Youtube
for book trailers, and am addicted to Goodreads. Most people drink coffee I go
on Goodreads. So I definitely have quite a bit of places I go on to market and
promote.
7. What did you find most / least useful in
learning to write?
Cursive. I get the
idea that you want to learn how write your signature or write in a fancy way
but I always thought they should just teach you how to write your name fancy
and that was it. If I wanted to know how to write any further in a fancy way I
would rather than have it mandatory.
8. Who or what inspires you? Where / how do
you get your book ideas?
When I do read I like
to take small bits of an idea and store it in my brain to later create and put
my own creative spin on. I also take in what I see, hear and feel all around me
when I’m outside. I watch television and film so of course I take ideas from
that so overall I am inspired by anything and everything as long as I find it’s
useful, entertaining and I can make it my own.
9. When in the day do you usually write? For
how long?
I write anytime I feel
I have something. I usually go on the computer at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to
do book stuff so if that consists of writing and I feel in the mood to write
then I’ll usually spend two hours writing. For the most part anytime I feel I’m
in the spirit of writing I will sit down and write.
10. How much research do you do? What kind?
When it comes to a
book topic I usually do extensive research when it requires me to do so. For my
latest novel Opium Warfare it required me to sit down and do quite a bit of
research from opium and drugs during the time of the book to Shanghai and the
1920's itself. I research key aspects when need be and I’m always researching
marketing and promoting tactics and trying to use them when I can fully
understand them.
11. How much marketing do you do? Which
platforms are you most active on?
I do quite a bit of
marketing. Right now I’ve taken a break from major writing to focus on
marketing. I know they say you should never stop writing and I haven’t as I
still write my poems but I’m taking a break from writing that next big novel.
I’m on Goodreads, Copyblogger and Author Marketing Club where I’m watching
videos and webinars looking for the next way to market and promote. I would say
right now I either do too much marketing or not enough lol. It’s all or nothing
as I have my days where I’m focused and trying out marketing tactics or I’m off
my game and can’t seem to find a solid grasp of marketing.
12. What's the most fun aspect of marketing?
The most challenging?
Trying out a new way
to promote and market your book that you haven’t done before is fun for me. Of
course it’s fun when you first try it and if it succeeds then it’s still fun
but it becomes less fun if it doesn’t help you. The most challenging for me has
been writing useful articles and blog posts that people will take an interest
in and trying to understand the full grasp of content marketing and
copywriting.
Bio:
Justin Bienvenue is an
author and poet from Massachusetts. He enjoys picking his brain and rummaging
through the nonsense to find those creative and innovative gems that will
become poems and stories. While his published works are mainly horror and
poetry based he is by no means afraid of expanding into other genres and will
gladly take on the Goliath of other genres with his metaphorical sling shot.
When he’s not writing
he enjoys playing video games and watching sports such as football, baseball
and basketball. He also enjoy the outdoors by playing sports and other
activities when he can. Some of his interests include, History, Egyptology,
Ufology, The Wild West and The Civil War.
Opium Warfare
As a boy, I remember
my father telling me a bedtime story about the day my grandfather was
decapitated. Sure, it seems like an odd tale to tell a young boy, but I was
strong and my father knew I could handle it. He told me because he wanted me to
know about our family, where we came from, the struggles we overcame and that
started with my grandfather, who was in the fur trade like his father. Business
boomed, but only because he made a deal with another man to help him with the
money. When business got bad, the money decreased and when my grandfather
couldn’t pay his debt, he couldn’t pay the man back, and it was in that moment
that things changed forever. My father always said he knew not of the details
of what happened entirely, but knew my grandfather got his head taken off
because he could not pay the man back. He also told me there was a myth behind
the cruel act, but swore to tell me when I got older. He never did after all. I
always suspected it being due to something along the lines of my grandfather’s
head rolling down the top of a hill of the opium fields where he was killed…I
always liked to mix my imagination together with the rumours.
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