Gary Priest writes short fiction and poetry both of which have been published online and in print. He lives in the UK at the end of a dead-end road, which may explain everything.
How long have you been writing and what got you started?
I wrote in my teens, but pretty much stopped for twenty years and took it up again in my late thirties. I was always a big reader and writing began as a way to extend and enhance that experience.
What is the best piece of advice you have for new writers?
Read, write, repeat.
What is your favorite type of fiction and who are your favorite authors?
I don’t have one. I read and write whatever occurs to me which includes literary, horror, sci-fi etc. Favorite authors, so many, but including; JG Ballard, Sylvia Plath, Phillip K Dick, Mark Twain, Allen Ginsberg.
How do you measure success when it comes to your writing?
Writing what I want to write and finding an audience.
Are you an outliner or discovery writer? Or somewhere in between?
Very much a discovery writer.
How do you deal with rejections?
Sulk for a few minutes then look for another publisher.
Do you participate in any online or in-person critique or writing groups?
I have in the past and found them useful up to a point, but in the end the best way to learn is to write and the best kind of feedback is a publisher willing to publish your writing.
What are your writing goals for the next twelve months?
I’d like to complete a successful novel. I have written two, but neither quite worked.
What are your writing goals for the next five years?
Continue writing, build publishing credits and improve as a writer.
What book are you reading right now?
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K Dick.
