Welcome back! As promised, here is Part 2 of my interview with author K.M.Weiland. She writes historically based fiction with a great deal of heart. If you missed Part 1 please check it out here. Otherwise, let's dive straight in... Briefly, how would you describe your book ‘A Man Called Outlaw’?
Outlaw takes place during the land wars that rocked the Wyoming Territory in the mid and late 19th century. It’s the story of two men, in two different generations, who are faced with balancing the choice between doing what’s right and sacrificing everything that’s dear in their lives. Having grown up steeped in the legends of western films, I supposed I was destined to write at least one story set in the Old West. Plus, I’ve always been deeply moved by the thematic elements of doing what’s right even when it hurts. In Outlaw, I got to explore both.
Were there any characters in this story that you especially related too?
Ultimately, they’re all my characters, so in a sense, they’re all me. None of them are in any way based on myself, but the mysterious gunslinger Micah Russell and the grumpy Frenchman Émile Conseiller both have a particularly special place in my heart.
Where did your initial idea for writing this book come from?
Years ago, a friend of my father’s had written a western-style ballad called “Outlaw Canyon.” It was a story just begging to be told. I filed it away in the back of my mind and didn’t think much of it for several years, until one day I realized that the characters I had been working on in another story would fit perfectly into the “Outlaw Canyon” setting.
When writing, do you ever reach a point in the book when you doubt yourself as a writer, or the plot or characters? How do you push past that?
“I reach that point in every book I write! The first fifty pages or so, in particular, are always harrowing. I’m an extensive outliner and usually spend months preparing for a story, but when I actually sit down to write the opening lines, I inevitably freeze. I find myself wondering how in heaven’s name I ever finished a single short story, much less seven novels. Undoubtedly, they were all flukes. Whatever talent I had up and evaporated in the intervening time since I typed “the end” in my last novel. I’m just one big phony! But I keep writing—and pounding my head on the keyboard—and eating lots of chocolate. Eventually, the words come, the story finds its rhythm, and everything starts falling into place. After Outlaw, I started keeping a daily journal about my writing experiences; it’s incredibly comforting to be able to look back at my progress in other projects and see the reassurance that I have gotten through those tough patches before.”
When writing, do you ever reach a point in the book when you doubt yourself as a writer, or the plot or characters? How do you push past that?
I reach that point in every book I write! The first fifty pages or so, in particular, are always harrowing. I’m an extensive outliner and usually spend months preparing for a story, but when I actually sit down to write the opening lines, I inevitably freeze. I find myself wondering how in heaven’s name I ever finished a single short story, much less seven novels. Undoubtedly, they were all flukes. Whatever talent I had up and evaporated in the intervening time since I typed “the end” in my last novel. I’m just one big phony! But I keep writing—and pounding my head on the keyboard—and eating lots of chocolate. Eventually, the words come, the story finds its rhythm, and everything starts falling into place. After Outlaw, I started keeping a daily journal about my writing experiences; it’s incredibly comforting to be able to look back at my progress in other projects and see the reassurance that I have gotten through those tough patches before.
How do you know when a book is finished and ready to be sent to a publisher?
Inevitably, I never see a project clearly until I finish the next project. So after “finishing” a book, I let it sit for a while, revising it off and on, as I’m working on my next project. Generally, it takes me about two years to write a book. Not until that second book is finished am I objective enough to go back to the first one and decide that it’s ready to see print. I refuse to hurry that process. Margaret Atwood said that you don’t always know when a story is ready, but you always know when it’s not ready. I believe that firmly, and I won’t compromise the integrity of a project by hurrying it.
Have you ever faced any setbacks in reaching your goals as a writer?
I hit the same speed bumps as anybody: where you’re burned out, where everything you write for a period of time stinks, where you’re devastated by harsh criticism. But nothing I would really call a “setback.”
What is your latest work in progress?
The Deepest Breath. I just started sketching it earlier this week, so it’s still in a very formative stage. What I do know is that in takes place in early 20th-century Kenya, London, and probably France, and features secret agents, vigilantes, a romantic triangle, and the overwhelming power of sacrificial love.”
Lastly, any advice for writers?
Don’t write unless you have to; writing isn’t worth it unless it’s an undeniable passion. But if you’re blessed enough to suffer that passion, embrace it wholeheartedly. Read like crazy; write like crazy. Don’t be afraid to take risks; don’t be afraid to break the rules—once you know them. And, especially in the uncertain days of publishing in which we live, don’t allow your worth as a writer to be defined by whether or not you’ve been published. If your words never touch more than a single life, you can still count yourself a successful writer.
Once again, thank you Katie. I don't know about you but I feel like writing!
I hope you enjoyed that as much as me. If you did, please let Katie know. You can comment on her blog or post your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks!
