Ask the Author: Devian Nikei
Answered Questions (8)
Devian Nikei
Great question! Editing editing editing!!! I hate to edit, but I have put the task in other's hands before and not been pleased with the results. Stories come easy for me.; most times they are plucked right out of my journals. Writing comes easy for me. I have been doing it for a very long time. I get frustrated during marketing and promotions because some people believe I am a novice or I write street literature because I am a self-published author. But these are well-crafted, thought-provoking novels that have taken years to write and edit. Painstaking revisions, test reads and research have gone into each one and I feel that readers can see the quality once they take the plunge and picked up the books. Thanks for your question :)
Devian Nikei
Hi Rod!... Yes I do. Writing can be a very frustrating activity. I used to get so frustrated when I would have to turn in work to a publisher and they would be like... no... no... still no.... I know I sound redundant, but I combat frustration with journaling. In your journals, grammar spelling syntax... nothing matters in your journal. You can just say whatever you need to say and get if off your chest, then turn the page. Journaling is a place where you can fall in love with writing and fan the flame of your passion for it. You find a lot of emotional gems and jewels when you come back to it later on. Sometimes you can clean a few of those lines up and use them in your books or songs.... And also massages... Lots of massages. That's how I deal with writer's frustration! Thanks Rod...
Devian Nikei
I deal with writer's block by journaling. I just finished up with a bout with writer's block which lasted for two years. Writer's block is as crippling and debilitating as an injury or disease. If you don't continue to write something through it, you may not ever come back to writing. Writer's block can make you fall out of love with writing and turn it into a chore so you have to be careful to find fun and innovative ways to continue the writing process. I do believe, however, that journaling truly helped me to overcome it and kept my writer's perspective fresh.
Devian Nikei
The best thing about being a writer is being able to say what you want to say without censorship. It's like a speech or a state of the union address. You can pick subjects that you are passionate about and use your perspective to entertain, inform, or persuade... the gambit of your influence is limitless. I believe that our books, stories and novels are our progeny. Long before words could be written down; stories, anthologies, and folklore was the history of the civilizations. Many of these stories have survived for millenia and I just want to make my indelible mark on the fabric of history and society. Devian was here!... and this is what she had to say.
Devian Nikei
My advice for aspiring authors is to seek guidance from a professional first. Writing is not for everyone. It is more than just a project; it is a lifestyle. If you truly desire to write and publish your work then you must be prepared for very harsh criticism and very little support. However, you can stave off a bit of the discouraging and disparaging remarks and critiques by having a professional product. It can be costly and time consuming, but having a professional product is well worth the investment.
Devian Nikei
Everything around me can potentially become inspiration for my writings. I am most inspired by my family and relationships. When I am stressed or facing adversity, writing is a creative outlet for me. Therefore, just about anything that I or others close to me are facing could very well provide the inspiration that I need to write a novel. I do consider myself to be somewhat of a journalist and historian so I do try to incorporate, in different forms; events, themes or causes which I feel need to be explored. I want my work to make a long-lasting impact. I believe that romance and erotica can be also be an expository and thought-provoking literary genre.
Devian Nikei
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Devian Nikei
The idea for my most recently released novel, Just in Case came directly from my journal entries. I had just recently finished another dead-end relationship and decided to share some insights, which I had gain throughout the years, in an entertaining novel from a male first person perspective. The book touches on many of the nuances of love and the male psyche. Honestly, I wrote the book as a kind of literary therapy to keep from busting a windshield or burning some clothes. This worked out way better!
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