The last part of our Book Tour Stop for Seven Threads: A Book of Short Stories is a Q&A with Jason Atkinson — thanks to Laura Fabiani for providing the questions, and Atkinson for the answers and time.

and hey, don’t forget the giveaway!

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
A: The only parts I write on paper are the ideas and some structural parts of the stories. I see it like this…anyone can type something. But if you are willing to take the extra time to write it down and actually put some effort in, then maybe you are willing to use it in your story. And that’s exactly how it worked for me with this book. If I wrote it down and actually finished writing down the idea, then I knew I was “into” it enough to see how it would flow with the rest of the story already written.
Q: How long have you been writing?
A:I could answer this in a few ways, but to be specific, I would say writing in a more professional manner has come around in the past 2 years. I have been writing as a whole for much longer, but not until recently did I consider seriously making something of myself until a couple of years ago.
Q: Have you ever started writing and then just decided to throw it away?
A: Yes and no. I have begun stories and part way through realized that my heart isn’t in it, so I stop. I don’t throw it away though as I may find myself needing it again one day. But as mentioned, I certainly have found myself second guessing and just moving away from a story. If I have to force it work, then it’s probably not coming from me. I want pure, honest stories.
Q: Which story of the Seven is your favorite, and why?
A: The first story I wrote in this book is “The Gentle Man”, which coincidentally is also the first story you can read. This story was how the entire book got started in the first place, and was also the most interesting for me to write. If other readers out there are like me, they will read this story and find themselves immersed in a movie just like I was when I wrote it. I think that is a part of why writing is so enjoyable for me. I don’t just get to write the stories, but I also get to experience first hand what they look like in my imagination.
Q: What advice would you give budding writers?
A: To be a writer, you simply need to write. Worrying about quality in the beginning is pointless and a waste of valuable energy. Success comes in many forms, and yes, a paycheck is one of those although it is not the most important.

Success for writers comes when you personally feel satisfied with what you are and have done. It doesn’t matter the genre or how long something is. If you can stand by what you wrote and feel proud of finishing it – then you are successful.

Just sit down, and do it. You’ll be very happy when you complete your first piece. Even if after looking back you realize it might have been awful – that was your first step towards a better writer and storyteller. So what are you waiting for?