SPFBO 9 Author Interview - João F. Silva
What inspired you to write your SPFBO entry? Is there a particular story, personal experience, or idea that sparked this book?
I started writing Seeds of War in early 2020 after having read several books which I felt were just very similar in tone, in plot and even in characters. I can say I was a little tired of the farm boy to hero trope, of prophecies and destiny, so I set out to write the complete opposite of that. I thought: what’s the opposite of one farm boy protagonist? The answer was: three protagonists! A middle-aged single mother, an elderly man and a chronically-ill younger man.
I was also a bit tired of books where the characters were all heroes and of this assumption that characters must be good or at least likeable. I found this to be untrue: characters can be unlikeable. In fact, I think being flawed and having bad characteristics makes them even more interesting to follow, so I tried to write characters like that, and the rest came as a result.
The fact that I am Portuguese and therefore an immigrant in the UK, where I live now, also influenced the story, I reckon. Being in a new country, with no friends, no family and no support system while having a very very tiny budget to live off of is extremely tough. it teaches you about survival, about yourself and the world, and I think all three characters have bits of myself and my journey in them. Interestingly enough, all characters are detached from the concept of ‘Home’: some are struggling to find one, others were forced out of theirs and others have found one but it is being threatened. I think that also came from my lived experience: Over the past 14 years I’ve lived in 14 different houses, in 5 different cities in 3 different countries, so clearly I am still struggling to find my roots, and so are my characters. I hadn’t seen this kind of strife in books before, so I decided to write it.
How would you describe your writing process? How did it evolve during the creation of this book?
My process has evolved massively since I started writing, which is normal. When I first started, I was just ‘free writing’ with no aim, and seeing where I could go. Then I started outlining, but the ideas that seemed good in the outline didn’t work out well on paper due to my poor writing skills, and I always ended up ditching the manuscripts. Now, I still outline, but I think I’m better at figuring out which ideas are feasible and cool and which ones aren’t. Once I’m confident in them, I write a more extensive version of the outline and then I finally get to drafting.
Draft One used to take me ages to write, but lately, I was able to crank out 120,000 words in just 54 days, which is amazing for me and I was extremely surprised and pleased with myself. This was only possible, though, because I used the kitchen clock method, where I write in bursts of 25min in between 10min breaks until I’ve either reached two full hours of productive writing or my wordcount goal for the day, which is usually 2,000 words.
The revision process and the edits are my least favourite part, but I’ve also been able to make it quicker with experience and the help of beta readers. I read the first draft very critically and try to pick it apart with the mindset of someone who’s looking for reasons to give it a one-star review. If I was that person, what would I point out? So I tear the entire first draft apart and write myself and edit letter on what needs to change, what can be improved and why.
Then I get to it, implement all that feedback, and when I’m fairly happy with the book structure-wise, I send it to beta readers, who always end up pointing more issues I missed. Then I revise the book again, and at that point, if I’m still not confident, I do a second-round of beta readers until I get positive feedback from them that the book is good. Then I move onto the line-by-line combing of the manuscript, focusing on flow, pacing and prose.
What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
I think my main challenge was dealing with initial criticism from people who I shouldn’t have been listening to. The act of writing is hard and the fact that writers have to do it alone makes it even harder. But writers often pour so much of themselves into the writing, which makes it very personal. So, sending out the book for the first time to potential critique partners and beta readers was hard. Some people never get back to you, and others tear your work apart and make you think you suck, your writing sucks and everything about it sucks. It’s extremely discouraging.
It took me months to figure out that the problem wasn’t necessarily my writing, it was just the fact that I was targeting people who have reading tastes that differ immensely from mine. I thought: “ok, this person likes dark fantasy and dragons, so they must be a good beta reader for me”, but in fact, I write adult grimdark epic fantasy while that person mostly reads dark YA romantasy with relationships between dragons and humans. Extremely different subgenres. I was defrauding their expectations and tastes, so I was setting myself up for failure and for criticism. Of course, that person wasn’t going to like my book!
So, finding the right beta readers was a challenge and until I found the right ones that told me that my book was good, I didn’t feel like I could do it. When you are among your people, who like the exact same books as you do and like to talk about the same things as you do, you know you have found your niche, your target audience. And if they like your book, then chances are many others will too. Your book doesn’t suck!
Who are your biggest literary influences and how have they impacted your writing style?
In terms of character setup and development, it has to be Joe Abercrombie, Peter McLean, Mike Shackle and Ed McDonald. In terms of magic systems, Brian McClellan and Brandon Sanderson. In terms of worldbuilding and plot setup, also Brandon Sanderson, which is funny because he would probably find my books too dark for his taste.
How do you approach world-building in your fantasy novel? What elements do you think are essential for a compelling fantasy setting?
I want the world to be immersive, but not exhausting. I want it to be easy for readers to grasp and understand, but also mysterious and with secrets for them to discover. I want it to be original and unique, but also familiar enough that readers are not lost at every page turn. I want them to ask for more pages to spend immersed in it.
To me, this all means the story needs a unique magic system that isn’t isolated but interacts with the characters; fantasy creatures that make it stand out from our own world and play a part in the story; and something else unique or unusual about the setting, such as alien-like fauna or flora, or a swamp setting instead of a typical medieval setting. I think in-world lore and history also help bring the world to life, making it more realistic and lived-in.
And then, I think it’s extremely important how the characters interact with the world. If they live in it, they won’t notice all the crazy things that are new to the reader, so there needs to be a balance between what to show the reader and what not to show, and when to do it, and how. It’s an extremely hard balance to maintain but it is crucial in creating a memorable world.
If you could give a piece of advice to the main character in your book at the start of their journey, what would it be?
It’s ok to ask for help. I think I’ll leave it at that.
As a self-published author, how do you navigate marketing and promoting your work?
I am very new, so I’m just figuring that out myself. I mostly want as many readers as possible to read the book, so I don’t want a potential reader to feel discouraged from picking up the book. That’s why I’m pricing the book at .99 and making it free on kindle unlimited. I also sent out over 100 digital review copies of the book prior to the release to bloggers and reviewers who I thought would enjoy it. I’m also fairly active on social media and despite the grim books I write, I just try to be a pleasant person and a force for good in the community, doing what I can to help others and just being nice to people. I believe that doesn’t go unnoticed.
What made you decide to participate in the SPFBO competition? How do you think this experience will benefit you as an author?
It was a no-brainer for me because there is literally nothing to lose. If the book gets cut in the first round, I will already have gained some initial exposure/visibility and even made friends with other writers who also entered. I’d love for writing to be my main source of income at some point in the future, but if that isn’t possible, I’m okay just enjoying the ride and taking all the positivity I can from people who are genuinely passionate about the same things I am.
If you were to win SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
It’s hard to say and honestly, I haven’t even considered that because there are so many great books entering this year and the competition is so based on luck that it is hard to fathom even making it past the first round. I can only imagine winning it would bring massive exposure to Seeds of War and potentially help solidify my credibility as an author in the community. It would certainly lead to more readers picking up the book, I wager.
What's next for you after SPFBO? Are there any upcoming projects you can share with us?
Writing never stops! I’m working on a prequel novella to The Smokesmiths series called Ruins of Smoke. It’s very fast-paced and action-packed and does a lot of worldbuilding at the same time. I’m excited primarily because I’ll be giving it out 100% for free to whoever subscribes to my mailing list. Book 2 in The Smokesmiths is also coming along and I expect it to be out in very late 2023 or early 2024.
