Indie Author Interview with Tyler Wittkosky

Indie April continues way past April here at Lover’s Quarrel. The indie author interview is with Tyler Wittkosky.

LQ: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

TW: My name is Tyler Wittkofsky. I graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and my Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics. I’m currently working in PR/Communications and I’m very active in volunteering around my community.

So how did I start writing? I’ve been a writer from a young age, my grandmother was an English teacher so she worked with me a lot. She loved to read short stories that I wrote and her validation made me continue writing. She always had a dream of publishing her own book, which was why I originally began my journey. My first novel was inspired by my own struggles with mental illness, and that’s what kicked off my writing career. My current work in progress is actually inspired by the book my grandma always told me she wanted to write.

LQ: What does your writing process look like?
TW: Like most writers, my writing process is sporadic. I work a full-time job that spans over into my personal life and volunteer a lot of my time to local non-profits- mainly so I can keep my whirlwind of a bipolar mind at bay.

I write when I’m inspired. I do it a lot in my free time, on lunch breaks from work, or those nights when my mental illness shows up and I know that I won’t be sleeping. I base my progress as I complete chapters. I have my grandmother and fiancé that read- or listen to me read- each chapter of my work as I finish them. They guide me to either let me know I’m on the right path, or if I’ve missed the mark.

LQ: What was your favorite book to write so far?
TW: So far, my debut novel (Not) Alone was my favorite book to write. It really delves into the reality of living with mental illness and parts of the book fictionally showcases some struggles that I actually went through growing up. I wrote it, delved into the depths of the darkest parts of my mind, just to help others going through the same thing. It was a very real experience, and I think I will always have a special bond with that book.

LQ: Who is your favorite character to write about?
TW: I love all of my characters, so this one is tough. I think one of the characters in one of my works in progress will ultimately be my favorite character to write about. This character is more of me than any other character I’ve developed.

LQ: Who are your favorite authors? Have any of them influenced your work?
TW: Wow, I have so many. I first want to shout out some of my favorite Indie Authors: C.S. Ratliff, S.M Holland, Joe Vallen, and Andrew Murphy.
Now, as far as well known authors I would say my top three are Stephen King, Charles Burkowski, and Raymond Carver. King didn’t influence my style, but just made me love reading. Burkowski inspired my poetry collection, “Coffee, Alcohol, and Heartbreak” and the occasional poems that I write now. Carver didn’t inspire my work, but my former editor told me my writing style was very similar to his, so I read him and fell in love with his storytelling ability.

LQ: How are you doing during the current pandemic?
TW: Fortunately, both my fiancé and I are still working. Not being able to go anywhere besides work and the grocery store is really driving us crazy because this is the time of year we start having barbecues. When I’m home, I’ve been trying to get some indie author reading done to hopefully kick start my stalled out writing.

LQ: What are you currently working on?
TW: I currently have two works in progress, with one being the beginning of a planned five-book series. I’m about halfway through one and just began the other. One is based on my grandma being the first female principal in a rural community and the struggles she faced in her first year. The other is going to be a series based on my fiancé and mines relationship, from day one to the day we say “I Do,” on August 15th, 2020, so I’m going to really need things to return to normal by then.

LQ: Anything else you would like to share?
TW: If there is one thing I can advocate for people to do, it would be to check out more indie authors. Indie authors are completely underrated- and I’m not just saying this because I’m one. Their work is just as good, if not better, than some more well-known authors. I implore anybody looking for their next read to look at the #WritingCommunity on Twitter to find thousands of options to choose from.
Also, if you would like to check out my work you can find it on my Amazon Authors Page here.