Matt Bliss is a writer currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada while he slowly releases cosmic monsters on the unsuspecting public. He has contributed stories to various publications including Scare Street’s Night Terrors, Chimera from Lost Boys Press, and other published and forthcoming works.
What is the best piece of advice you have for new writers?
Don’t give up. Even when the rejections pile up, and each one feels like another punch in the gut, keep going. Write the best story you can and move on to the next one. You WILL write better stories, so don’t get hung up on the bad ones.
Are there any writing resources, such as books or websites, you’d like to recommend?
The Submission Grinder has been a tremendous help. Whether it’s finding new markets to submit to, checking expected response times, or tracking submissions, it’s a great tool. My favorite resource, however, has always been the local library. Not only to find new authors and fiction to read but also for books on writing, editing, and the craft, of which there are plenty. Most libraries have digital content like ebooks and audiobooks that you can access from a phone or tablet, making it easy to find something new.
How do you measure success when it comes to your writing?
This is a tough one. I’m a spreadsheet/numbers kind of guy, and I track everything. I could, and sometimes do, measure success based on things like pay scales and acceptance rates, but the bar is always moving. No matter what mark you set as success, once you get there, then what? It will never be enough and you’ll always look toward the next hill after you conquer the last. My advice is, no matter where you are, take a look back once in a while and see how far you’ve come. Be proud of yourself.
What tips do you have for finding time to write?
Anyone who can hold down a full-time job, manage family and life responsibilities while still finding the time to write is a superhero in my eyes. But they exist and prove that it’s possible. Unlike some advice I’ve seen out there, I don’t recommend neglecting your family or the thing that’s paying your bills in order to make time to write. Instead, recognize the little moments of downtime you do have and make the most of them. Most creatives already spend a lot of time in their own head, so go ahead and use it. It’s not spacing out, it’s working on your plot or characters or whatever bat-shit crazy idea you have. Make notes when you can, phones are great for this, and when you do finally sit down to write, you can get straight to work.
Are you an outliner or discovery writer? Or somewhere in between?
Outliner… mostly. I like to outline the beats I want to hit and fill in the blanks in between. Sometimes those beats are extremely vague and I have to trust that I’ll figure it out along the way. If I get into a sort of flow-state while writing, I’ll steer into it and pursue it until its end. After each writing session though, I review the outline and adjust it if the story seems to progress in a different direction. My outline almost always changes, and that’s okay.
How do you deal with rejections?
Not very well, but it gets easier. It’s no secret that writers will get A LOT of rejections, but what I wish I knew when I started is that my skin wasn’t as thick as I thought it was. Rejections hurt. I’ve gotten some particularly nasty rejections before too. But the disappointment will pass, eventually, and you’ll come out the other side stronger. Handle that emotion the best you can, and get back to writing. What matters is staying true to yourself and telling the story that you wanted to tell.
Do you ever get criticism from family or friends who don’t understand your passion?
Totally, but I’m lucky enough to have people who continually support me along the way as well. There are always going to be people who just don’t get it though, and that’s fine, because you’re not writing for them. You’re writing for you. Even if no one else cares, you care, right? That’s what matters. Be yourself and do what makes you happy.
Is there anything you’d like to plug? Feel free to share a link.
You can find more about me and links to all my works on Twitter at @MattJBliss.
