Mason Yates is from a small town in the Midwest. Now living in Arizona and attending Arizona State University. Mason has been published in Dark Dossier’s 37th issue, and is set to be published in Schlock! in September.
1. How long have you been writing and what got you started?
I have been writing ever since I could put pen on paper, but I never really started with my dream of becoming an author until my sophomore year of high school. Ever since then, I have been dedicating a lot of time into writing.
4. If you could go back and find yourself five years ago, what advice would you give yourself?
If I could give myself any advice, I would tell myself to start writing early and start to build yourself as an author.
5. What is your favorite type of fiction and who are your favorite authors?
My favorite type of fiction would have to science fiction, horror, fantasy, mystery, and thrillers. My favorite authors are Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Dennis Lehane. I find that these are very inspiring people, and these people have inspired me to reach for my dreams.
6. How do you measure success when it comes to your writing?
Me, personally, I would measure success in writing as being able to entertain someone and possibly change their lives in some way. Hopefully, I will be able to give someone a story in which they can relate to and feel something for what they read.
7. What tips do you have for finding time to write?
Well, right now I am in college, so my best way to find time to write is to write before class. If there are any college students reading this, if you can, take an hour or so to reach class and sit in a study lounge. Being at Arizona State University, I find that if I sit outside my class and write, I can possibly get three or four or sometimes six pages done before class.
8. Do you favor the traditional route or self-publishing?
I have never self published, but I feel the traditional route is the most challenging and most rewarding. I think that young writers should try the traditional route before they do self publishing.
10. Are you an outliner or discovery writer? Or somewhere in between?
I am a discovery writer. I never keep an outline. I have seen a common thing amongst famous authors- a lot of the authors that I read, never keep an outline. I feel like the story should take you to a place, and not have you take the story to a place.
12. How do you deal with rejections?
Sometimes, I get discouraged with rejections, but whenever I get so many in a row, I think of all the authors in the world. Every author has been bombarded with rejections, and many famous works have been called bad by a lot of publishers. People have their opinions. Some may not like your work and others may find it amazing, so keep chugging and never give up, because eventually, someone is going to accept your work.
18. What are your writing goals for the next five years?
My writing goal is to keep publishing short stories until I establish a good reputation for it, then I am going to revisit a book that I had wrote during my sophomore year of high school that I think has great potential. After I revise the hell out of that book, I plan on sending to agents.
19. What book(s) are you reading right now?
Right now I am reading One Door Away from Heaven by Dean Koontz, but after I read that book, I plan on reading a Michael Crichton novel or Dan Brown’s series.
