Author Interview: Bryan Timothy Mitchell
1. Hi Bryan tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?
Hello, I’m Bryan Timothy Mitchell. There are many Bryan Mitchell’s out there but one thing that distinguishes me from others is my middle name, Timothy, so to spare them from being confused with me, I am using my full name in my creative works. I am more than a name though. I have quite a few nouns attached to me such as father, husband, veteran, and countless others. There are several adjectives that gravitate my way as well. One that pops into my head is persistent and that’s come in handy when it comes to writing.
What inspired me to write was that I found freedom in it. To sit down and write a story allows you to explore and tinker with so many ideas. When I was younger, writing was a chore. In school, I’d give one-word answers if possible. If the teacher wanted a sentence my response would be something like “The answer is _______.” But in my head, I often would daydream. I’d create stories and would return to the ones I liked most, adding details to them. This happened so often that eventually it seemed a waste if I didn’t start sharing some of the stories I dreamed up. That’s what ultimately led me to write.
2. What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?
I see the fantasy genre as an open door. It can take you as far as your imagination will allow. Even then, it can expand your imagination. I know some people think it’s childish and whimsical, but when you read a good fantasy book the possibilities are endless. Like all stories, there is structure, and yes, outcomes can be predictable, but there is a lot more wonder and opportunities of awe-inspiring moments in the fantasy genre.
3. Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together? (include release date etc here)
Here’s the blurb for Infernal Fall:
There is only one way out of Hell.
Daniel Strong is a troubled young man with only one bright spot in his life—his girlfriend, Kristine. He hopes to propose to her on a hike in the mountains, but a mysterious artifact in a dark cavern ruins his plan. Things quickly go downhill—literally—as handling the ‘keystone’ causes Daniel to fall straight into Hell, leaving Kristine behind.
A soul-harvesting demon tells him the only way out is through, that he must go to Satan and bargain for his freedom. But the shadow-man responsible for leaving the keystone behind tries to show him there’s another way out. Against his better judgment, Daniel finds himself listening to the demon’s claims, that appealing to the Master of the Underworld himself is his only choice.
As the unlikely group traverses the many levels of Hell, hurt, anger, and fear hound Daniel, reminding him how hopeless his efforts truly are. All Daniel can do is push forward in hopes of making it back to Kristine.
Will Daniel heed Kristine’s words to choose life? Or will he succumb to the lies pulling him down with every step?
Infernal Fall is a modern twist on the classic tale: Dante’s Inferno. Grab your copy on October 25th and embark on a harrowing tale of light vs darkness and discover if there truly is only one way out of Hell.
I started Infernal Fall several years ago. After the rough draft, I went over it about five times before I had an editor look at it. I learned a lot from that editor and those since, but I also took part in some amazing writing classes such as the Novel Writing Intensive with Steven James and Robert Dugoni. That course really elevated my writing. Also, writing communities such as Realm Makers and Word Weavers helped me to improve as well. So my challenge was that I needed to improve. I thought of writing as a solitary thing. I didn’t want anyone to see my blemishes, but it’s an important step to have others read your work and to give you honest feedback so that you know what’s working and what’s not working. Otherwise, you could be stuck in limbo trying to figure it out on your own.
4. What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?
The best characters stand out from the crowd and have distinct characteristics and ways that make you want to be around them all the time. These kinds of characters reveal things you never considered in your story. They are so mysterious that even the writer is constantly learning new things about them in the earlier drafts of the story/series. Maybe they’re evil. Maybe they are divine. Maybe they’re one or the other and we’re not sure yet.
There must a lot of me in my characters, since they came out of my head. I realized early in the process that it is super easy to write characters that are like me, but it’s a lot more fun when you can write characters who are nothing like me.
5. For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?
Seek professional help. Maybe you don’t need a psychologist, but maybe find an author to give you a critique of your work. It is better than reading a “How to” book because the feedback and advice is directed at your work.
6. What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?
One trick I use to help me make deadlines is that I won’t necessarily start off where I left off. I may start over at Chapter 1 or Chapter 12 to get a better vision of what to do with Chapter 13 or even 27. This helps you to improve your early draft and clear off any story ideas that didn’t pan out in the long run. It can also fix logical issues you didn’t see. It may remind you of an early idea that you had forgotten, and maybe you can work that into the story. The key thing is to get words down. They don’t have to be fancy. They just have to make sense with the story. Don’t get in your own way by trying to write poetically. Prose doesn’t always have to be rich. I think if an entire novel is filled with beautiful prose it kind of takes away from the story. It’s better to let the prose be natural. If there are spots that you find where you can and should enhance the prose for a particular scene or character then go for it but don’t overdo it. The story is more important than the words
7. Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?
I’m a bit of a hybrid when it comes to outlining a novel or writing it by the seat of my pants. Both methods work great for different writers. I usually just start by the seat of my pants letting the story come into better focus. What happens is that while I’m away from the computer I start getting story ideas for future chapters and I tend to write those down to help me navigate the story faster. That becomes my outline. Even with that, I will change the outline as needed if a more interesting route reveals itself while I’m writing or editing.
8. What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?
After Infernal Fall, I plan to release the second book, Almost Paradise. I have some flash fiction and short story pieces I intend to release over time. These pieces will be related to Infernal Fall. I have a short story prequel that is free for my subscribers called No Place Like Home. Once Almost Paradise is finished this series is finished. I may even combine then in a special edition later on, but I have a lot of short story and flash fiction ideas that are based on this series, so I think there may be more spin offs and anthologies to come. It’s hard to think about the next novel past these ideas but I do intend to start new stories once this is finished.
9. With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?
I think stories need to be honest. You can have good triumph over evil all you want in your stories but if it doesn’t seem real or honest, it won’t resonates with the audience you’re trying to inspire unless it’s a comedy, of course.
10. What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?
Lord of the Rings. I’m sure you’d love for me to expand on this. Honestly, it has to do with burnout. I’m sick of Star Wars and Harry Potter. I do enjoy reading Harry Potter to my kids, but I’ve grown a little weary of it. The movies are usually on television. Star Wars too.
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