At the end of 2012 I had the chance to have a fascinating talk with science fiction and fantasy author Myke Cole.

Originally for a presentation on becoming a professional writer I gave for the Stonecoast MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Southern Maine, I think this interview will be of interest to all writers who are struggling to make their way in the world.

Here are some of the topics we talk about:

  • Myke’s definition of being a professional writer and what caused him to quit his job, move to New York city, and start writing full-time
  • What happened when he was sent to work on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
  • His childhood dream, the one that trumped even a cushy six-figure salary job
  • Some of the cool things Myke has been able to do since turning pro
  • About the advice of needing to write faster and what it’s like to be on contract to write a book a year
  • Two keys of successful writing
  • What happened when Myke asked the hottest authors and agents in the industry for writing advice
  • A favorite quote from Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea
  • Being a pro writer is like being your own CEO – how to balance the writing with the other aspects of managing your career
  • Self-publishing vs going with a traditional publisher
  • The importance of marketing and what the publisher will and will not help you with
  • The importance of going to conventions and other ways an author can get the word out about their books
  • What happened when I tried to pin Myke down about the importance of social media for the new author
  • Thoughts on Twitter
  • Thoughts on joining the military and how it helped Myke go pro
  • Options for writers who want to try going pro, but need extra income
  • The mental and emotional aspects of being a writer
  • The uniqueness of the Shadow Ops series and being a military fantasy writer
  • The “publish or perish” paradigm
  • On why it’s important for writers to not beat themselves up
  • The things that will make you successful as a writer
  • How to get in touch with Myke
  • Final thoughts

Here’s the interview:

interview_with_myke_cole_by_kendall_giles.mp3 (Duration: 45:08 — 41.3MB)

Additional Resources

Myke Cole’s website: mykecole.com

Myke’s second Shadow Ops novel, Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier:

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