Written Author Interview
Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing? What is a day in the life like for you?
My name is Paul Inman and I’m an author, filmmaker, screenwriter, musician, educator and, most importantly, a father and husband. I have a passion for creating things in most art forms and I’m not afraid to try new things to create stuff.
I guess a day in my life looks similar to many others; I wake up, go to work, come home, spend time with my family. And I also find time to write, make films, or anything else that tickles my fancy.
What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
My first novel, Ageless, was inspired by a few different things. A friend from high school wrote a novel – and went on to become a huge success (although at the time, she wasn’t) – and I thought “I can do that.” Turns out I couldn’t. Not yet, anyway.
A more direct influence was the TV show Fringe. There is an episode about a man who is born, ages, and dies in the span of a day. I thought it could be interesting to stretch life out for a long time. Of course, this idea isn’t new, but I wanted to put my spin on it.
Lastly, I think I was going through some weird premature mid-life crisis.
I was never a writer growing up, but I enjoyed stories and storytelling. I wrote plenty of music and as an extension, I wrote plenty of lyrics (I didn’t look at that as “writing” then). I guess my first serious adult writing – read writing NOT for a school assignment – was when I tried my hand at a short story for a storytelling podcast. Plotted it but never finished. It wasn’t easy. I should revisit that story…
How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?
That’s a great question. Sometimes I wish I was meticulous. My characters are created organically from the situations that they’re put through. They grow, change and morph depending on their wants/needs like we all do. I try very hard to make them as real as anyone. I do my best to avoid certain stereotypes or caricatures. MY goal is for them to feel like real people who span the gamut of emotion. Not one or two dimensional, but well rounded. Not everyone is a hero all the time and no one knows they are the villian. I try to make the characters feel like a natural progression of their circumstances.
What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first time readers or people looking for something new?
I can read anything but I most enjoy the genres covered in speculative fiction (Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy, etc.) You can easily see the influences in my writing.
Here’s some recs from some great authors:
Horror – A God in the Shed and its sequels by J-F. Dubeau; The short story collections Spider Season and Long Term Damage by Billy Hanson; Macabré: A Horror Anthology presented by MS Chambers (featuring my novella “Welcome to Hel!”)
Sci-Fi – Rise and its sequel Fall by Brian Guthrie; and, of course, Ageless by Paul Inman (that’s me – shameless, I know)
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
The most difficult thing is balance. Finding the time to juggle writing, filmmaking, being a good dad and husband is tough. I find that my creative drive comes in spurts, as I’m sure it is with others.I try to be purposeful about writing and make it something I do as often as I can to make it a habit instead of “waiting for a muse to strike.” Sometimes it’s hard to walk away from it to do life when the fires are burning hottest.
What is your process to completing a novel from outline to final product?
I do a lot of pantsing or sporadic planning as I’m writing. I don’t always love having a beat by beat plot or a character sheet delving into minutiae. I generally like to plot a chapter or so at a time. I find writing to be more exhilarating and engaging if I’m learning right along with the characters. It makes the writing more adventurous. I’ve written a novel where everything was planned to oblivion. I didn’t enjoy the process as much. It was fine, I guess, but it could be tedious and I felt a little hindered by that. However, the novel doesn’t give any of that away. It’s a good story, I think. But it’s how I felt, I don’t know…
What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
I guess that could depend on the definition of unhinged. Haha! I might play this one close to the chest because that writing isn’t out there yet.
What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
On rare occasions, writing advice drives me up the wall. Just write. You don’t have to be anyone but yourself. But I’d recommend an editor. There I go giving my own advice. [facepalm]
What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
Another great question! I could be lying if I said there was a time when successful writing looked like fame and fortune. I’m not sure if I ever wished for that. Success is writing. When you finish the story you’ve worked on for ages, that’s success. It would be nice to make enough money to make it my main income. If that never happens, then I’m happy knowing that I created what I wanted to how I wanted to. Finding an audience is success too.
Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
My writing journey isn’t like a lot of others. I didn’t want to be a writer. I wanted to tell stories. Writing is one of many ways I can do that. I enjoy the creative freedom of writing. As a comparison, filmmaking is very collaborative and full of compromises (and that’s not a bad thing). Writing is just you, holding the reins, driving the story you want to tell.
Thanks for letting me talk about something I love and thanks for all you do for the writing community!
If you’re interested, you can find my online presence here – https://linktr.ee/paulinmansc
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About
Paul Inman, award-winning filmmaker and writer, crafts compelling stories across films, music, podcasts, and literature. His latest work, Welcome to Hel!, a cosmic horror novella, is featured in Macabré: A Horror Anthology. His debut novel, Ageless, won the Sword & Laser Contest on Inkshares.com. Inman’s films have earned accolades at festivals like Beaufort International Film Festival, KingCon ‘24, and the South Carolina Underground Film Festival, and can be found on Shorts TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. A graduate of Coastal Carolina University, Inman holds a BA in Music and an MA in Teaching.
Social Media
Instagram: @palinmansc
Threads: @paulinmansc
Website: paulinmansc.com
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