Who are you?
Michael P. Spradlin, a writer and assassin based in Michigan.
What do you write?
I typically write fiction and non-fiction for a middle-grade audience. As such, there are certain themes and stories I stay away from that are inappropriate for that age group. But for the most part, it has all the same elements of writing for any age. I love writing for this age group. 4-6th graders are great. They’re smart and funny, and they haven’t completely turned into angst-ridden, crabby teenagers yet. I love the fact that kids really appreciate a good story, and I love it when they share their insights and thoughts about what they took from it. They’re an incredibly involved and honest audience.
Where do you write?
It really varies. I don’t have a set way, place, or method. 90% of the time, I use my laptop, but I will also occasionally use a Moleskine notebook. I find that writing in longhand makes the story feel more organic to me. Plus, when I do type those notes in later, it’s like an extra round of revision. I’m stuck with Word and know how to use about 10% of it. I’ve tried things like Scrivener, etc., but I find that ‘productivity apps’ require so much time for me to master that it leads to a big loss in productivity.
When do you write?
I write at all different times of the day. Whenever the mood strikes. I don’t really set a time limit, just until I feel like I’m done. I do have deadlines, but I only pay attention to word count when it gets down to the nitty-gritty. I’m always extremely reluctant to turn in a manuscript. I will forever feel that with just a little more time, I can make it even two percent better. I guess it’s like the old saying that says “no book is ever finished, it is only abandoned.”
Why do you write?
It’s just another form of self-expression. We all have something we do to express our inner selves. For my wife, it’s gardening. Her gardens are works of art. Working with plants and the soil gives her a visceral connection to something that feeds her soul. For me, it’s writing. If I feel like I’ve written something good, effective, or passionate (choose your adjective), that almost creates the sense of a ‘runner’s high’ in me. So, that feeling in and of itself is a reason to continue writing.
When it comes to writing, I’m fairly self-motivated. I want to know how the story ends myself, so that keeps me going. Plus, I also really liked to be paid and buy things like groceries and housing. So that is also an incentive. I’m not very good at much else. I would say about 90% of my inspiration comes from reading other writers. I will read something particularly good, then ask myself, “Could I do this that well?” Could I write a line of dialogue the way Elmore Leonard does? Or create a down-on-his-luck, misfit character the way Steinbeck has? I’m certainly not at that level, but the challenge is what keeps you going.
How do you overcome writer's block?
Thankfully, I’ve never really had writer’s block. If anything, I suffer from too many ideas. I did have an episode once where I had to finish a contract while I was incredibly sick with a post-surgical infection. After that, it took me a while to write anything productive again. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an idea or anything like that. I think I was just physically and mentally at a low point, and it took me a minute to get started again. If I’ve taken a break on a particular piece, almost all that it takes to get me started up again is to reread it, and I find that gets me back into the voice.
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
The one thing I really enjoy is reading, and I find that unless it’s reading for research, I don’t get to do as much pleasure reading as I used to. But I rarely feel like writing is work, so I joke that I’m either starting to write, writing, finishing writing, or getting ready to write.
My thanks to Michael P. Spradlin for today's interview.