10 Questions with author Jon Wesick
Host of the Gelato Poetry Series, instigator of the San Diego Poetry Un-Slam, and an editor of the San Diego Poetry Annual, Jon Wesick has published over seventy short stories in journals such as The Berkeley Fiction Review, Space and Time, Zahir, Tales of the Talisman, Blazing Adventures, and Metal Scratches. He has also published over three hundred poems. Jon has a Ph.D. in physics and is a longtime student of Buddhism and the martial arts. One of his poems won second place in the 2007 African American Writers and Artists contest.
How long have you been writing and what got you started?
I started writing seriously around 1997 or 1998. I was suffering from carpal tunnel like injuries and needed an emotional outlet.
What is the best piece of advice you have for new writers?
You have a pen and piece of paper. You don’t need anybody’s permission.
What is the worst piece of advice you have for new writers?
Anything “they” always say. Everybody has a different process. Use what works for you.
What is your favorite type of fiction and who are your favorite authors?
My favorite fiction is writing where the author steers clear of what’s been done before. Favorite authors include Richard Yates, Aimee Bender, Kelly Link, Raymond Carver, Jim Shepard, and many others.
What tips do you have for finding time to write?
Write whenever you can.
Do you prefer to outline a story in advance or write on the fly? Why?
I wish I could outline a story in advance but I can’t. I have to walk through it to find out what will happen. I usually start with a situation and then have to work step by step to turn it into a story.
How do you deal with rejections?
Statistically. Magazines accept something like 5% of the stories submitted. With those odds you have to submit many times to get your story accepted. Also my records indicate that the stories I think are best get rejected more. The only thing to do is simply keep sending the stories out. However, after lots and lots of rejections (I calculate 60) then you may need to seriously rework your story.
What are your writing goals for the next twelve months?
My short-term goal is to finish up a major writing project I’m working on. I don’t generally describe what I’m working on until I’m done.
For the next five years?
I’d like to get books of my writing published by real publishers. Big surprise!
Is there anything you’d like to plug? Feel free to share a link.
The Speed of Regret by Ganesha Lightwave (pen name) http://www.amazon.com/The-Speed-Regret-Ganesha-Lightwave/dp/1593304153
