Friday Feature: Journeys Towards Publication and Beyond: Paul Michael Murphy

It is a pleasure for me to introduce Paul Michael Murphy. I honestly don't remember how I stumbled upon Paul's blog. But, when I did, it became clear that his blog was the place to be. And then when he welcomed me by name in a post, I thought, 'finally--I've made it to the cool kids' table.' I've had the priviledge to read a WIP, and I would be surprised if an agent didn't snap it right up when he puts it out there. He's a genuinely nice guy and funny writer. Here's Paul.

Thanks for the interview, Paul. Please tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in a small town called Cass City, Michigan where I had a relatively easy time of things. School wasn’t too hard, I was good enough at sports to avoid being ridiculed, my dad worked, my mom was usually home, and I had a brother who quit whenever a call went against him in whiffle ball. I went to college at Michigan State University and that was nice too. Classes weren’t as difficult as I feared they might be. The girls were pretty. I had lots of free time and played a lot of video games. I became a teacher, met a girl who I managed to convince to marry me, had a daughter, and did some other stuff not worth mentioning. A few years ago I started writing with the idea of getting published.

What are you currently working on?

What I hope is a humorous young adult fantasy about a girl who’s kidnapped by a self-described “swashbuckling buccaneer” and taken to Load, a place ruled by a sarcastic teenager. Load is about to be invaded, and the king’s defenses consist of pollen, colored lozenges, and songs you can’t get out of your head. He’s also training teams of debaters. Lauren realizes that the only hope she has of getting home and of saving the lives of her new friends is to inspire the people of Load—who spend most of their time watching security camera feeds—to overthrow the king before the invasion begins.

What made you start to write seriously?

I try to not write seriously. As for what makes me write instead of take Facebook quizzes or watch Num3ers or cross-stitch, I find the thoughts in my head more entertaining than most TV shows and video games and I lack the dexterity for cross-stitch. So for me writing is about self-gratification. If I write something I like I give it to other people and hope they like it too. And if they don’t then I figure they have bad taste. And they probably watch Num3ers.

If you had to pick one favorite blog, what would it be?

During the college basketball season, my favorite blog is Mark Titus’s Club Trillion (http://clubtrillion.blogspot.com/) For writing, I’ll be boring and say Nathan Bransford’s because in spite of his reality TV fetish he seems like good guy and he posts regularly.

What is your favorite blog post that you have written?

This one was both fun to write and a service to men everywhere: http://paulmichaelmurphy.blogspot.com/2009/07/things-men-should-not-wear.html

What online resource have you found most helpful?

Verla Kay’s Blue Board is awesome, especially if you’re just starting out. When I got serious about writing I spent hour after hour reading old threads and I benefited from the wisdom of people who were farther along the path. No one makes you feel like an idiot at Verla’s, even if you obviously are. I also watched a lot of videos here: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews and read a lot of stuff about famous writers’ paths to publication because there’s something deeply satisfying about other people’s struggles.

What has been your biggest trial in writing?

I feel like I got a late start and I’m constantly playing catch-up. I don’t want to throw my high school teachers under a bus here, but they really taught me nothing about how to analyze a text or how to write much of anything except useless five paragraph essays. I read quite a lot in high school, especially for a guy, and I wanted to write. I just had no idea how. Thank God for the Internet.

What tricks have you acquired to make you write or create when you don’t feel up to writing?

When I was trying to lose weight I read something that said on those days when you really didn’t feel like exercising you should put your exercise clothes on anyway because having those clothes on triggers something in the brain and you’ll feel like doing it more. I think it’s the same with writing. Just turning on the laptop and staring at it usually leads to something. It might be crap, but even crap is better than nothing.

Tell us about a book that has impacted your writing life.

When I first thought seriously about writing I checked out a lot of books on the craft from my local library. One was Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Brown and Dave King and as I read it I realized I was already doing a lot of the things I was supposed to be doing. I found myself nodding along more than anything else as I read, and I thought, You know, I can do this.

What is your practical goal with your writing? Do you have a reach-for-the-stars goal that you would like to share?

My practical goal is to get published and go to a bookstore and see my book on a shelf. And then I’m going to take my book off the shelf and find one of those tables where the really hot books are showcased and I’m going to replace them with my book. My reach-for-the-stars goal would be to write a book that’s already on the hot books table.

So far, what has been the best part of your writing experience?

There’s not much I don’t like. I’ve cyber-met lots of fun people. My writing has given me an excuse to blog and I like doing that. It’s made me a better writing teacher and that’s something I actually get paid to do. I’ve had enough small successes to remain encouraged and enough disappointments to realize I can handle them. The best part is the writing itself. When it’s going well and when I’m writing that just-for-my-own-selfish-pleasure first draft, there’s not much better. Except maybe a Mythbusters marathon.

If you could be a character in a book, and live within their world, what character would you be?

I’m kind of risk-averse, so most characters are out of the question because they’re always getting into dangerous situations and fighting bad guys and whatnot. I’m a big fan of stories where the main character is the smartest guy in the room. I loved A Beautiful Mind and Good Will Hunting and I like biographies of really smart dudes. So since I write for kids, I’ll say Nick Allen of Frindle. He’s the kind of precocious kid I wish I would have been. Plus, at the end of the book he’s in college and he’s loaded. And he did it all without having to confront an evil wizard.

Eveyone, please make Paul feel welcome, and post a comment or question in the comments. He's going to check back when his teacherly schedule permits.