1. First, introduce yourself a bit. What is your name (or pen name) and where are you from?
R.S. Green. Half Scottish/half Yorkshireman currently living near Hull.
2. Next, tell us a bit about your most recent work. Is this your first published book? What is it about and what genre would you classify it as?
I released my debut poetry collection, F%#k it! Why not?!, a few weeks ago. It’s raising money for the mental health charity, MIND and is about mental health, grief, abuse, love, nature and family.
3. Tell us a bit about your main character; what are they like, how did they come about, and what are some of their strengths and weaknesses?
N/A.
4. What was your hardest scene to write in this (or any) book?
Quite open so no poems were hard to write.
5. Did you go the traditional route when publishing your book or did you choose to self-publish?
Self-publish through KDP.
6. What would you say is the most difficult part of your writing journey and what advice would you give to other writers?
Picking what poems to include. ‘Write, write and keep writing, daily’.
7. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I have three books planned called my F%#k it! trilogy.
8. What are some of your favourite authors and books and what inspired you to become a writer in the first place?
C. S. Lewis, Benjamin Zephaniah, Maya Angelou, Steinbeck, Hosseini, Milligan…too many.
9. What would you say has been the best way to market your books?
Instagram via generous followers and local radio.
10. Are there any tropes, clichés, or writing styles that you dislike and, if so, what are they and why?
Romance. Enemies to lovers. Poetry that is intentionally unclear.
11. Do you read reviews of your book and, if so, how do you handle negative feedback?
I do and with an open mind.
12. What are some of your quirks as a writer? Do you like to plot everything out or do you prefer to just “wing it” and see where the story takes you? Do you listen to music when writing and, if so, what do you listen to?
I have to catch some poems before they run out my mind. Some I half write then leave for days, weeks or months. Others I start and they kind of write themselves.
13. What is the best advice you’ve ever had when it comes to writing and what advice would you give to new writers?
Trust your gut and ‘follow your bliss’ and it’s a cliché but ‘write about what you know’….and don’t try to copy others.
14. What’s next for you? Are you currently working on any new books or stories?
I’m releasing my poetry books two and three next year, two to raise money for The Samaritans and three to raise money for the NSPCC.
15. Finally, feel free to plug your social media, website, and links to Amazon, GoodReads, and other relevant sites below, and detail any current offers available for your book/s:
If you’d like to be featured in an interview, please check out the interview submissions page to submit your answers.
Dr. K's Waiting Room 