We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Rauner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kate, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

In a world overflowing with competition for your attention, people love to read. They love actual physical books, and big publishing companies no longer have a lock on the market. Print-On-Demand technology means any author can offer their work without the upfront cost of a large printing run. No longer must boxes of books languish in authors’ closets.

In one steadily growing trend, electronic books have further opened the industry. Independent authors not only produce books on their own, they outsell traditional publishers in some genres.

Like most trends, there’s good and bad. Readers have hugely increased choice and can feel overwhelmed. The search for a new author is a task many readers may not be willing to tackle. They could be missing out on a new favorite.

A soul-crushing search for a publisher (perhaps never succeeding) no longer dooms authors, but they’re increasingly on their own, trying to get their story noticed among millions of titles. Being an author takes a certain type of resilience. A combination of optimism, realism, and luck. Maybe that’s hasn’t changed.

On balance, I think the trends are positive, because without them, you’d never have a chance to read my books.

Kate, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I always loved science and read science fiction as a kid. Imagining the dangers and triumphs humanity will encounter in the future is fascinating. Science led me into my first career in engineering, and sci-fi led me into writing.

I enjoy learning, and research for each of my books satisfies that itch. World-building is great fun, and I use science as well as imagination in my stories. You’ll find technologies that may be at our fingertips today or farther off in the future, but always rooted in reality. Giving characters a believable world allows them to come alive, and I’m right there at their side, sharing the adventure.

I aim for you to say, at the end of one of my books, that was fun to read.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I’ve read thousands of fiction books over the years – I bet you have too. Surely, the best format for telling a story had permeated my brain, and I could write by intuition. Ha!

Turns out, it’s not that easy. I took an adult education class in creative writing where the teacher offered unrelated prompts and never talked about writing a complete story. That class wasn’t what I needed, but I didn’t know what questions to ask.

Hurray for the internet. Little by little, I found loads of books, webinars, and other resources. Established authors generously shared their insights. I wasn’t alone. People have puzzled over story structure for hundreds of years.

No author has ever pleased everyone, and I will not be the first. That’s a harsh truth, so I make *improvement* my goal. It’s practical. Something I can pursue no matter how trends in reading and marketing evolve. I aim to explore what makes a compelling plot, an engaging character, and a book to be proud of.

I know a lot more today than when I started, but it’s a never-ending journey that can fill a lifetime. I like that. It’s one of the joys of writing.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For me, the opposite applies. The best things happen to me by luck rather than planning. I fell into writing thanks to a friend.

My friend wrote a story with his young grandchildren. I helped him edit it into shape, and he uploaded it to Amazon. All the kids’ friends got to buy copies for 99 cents. Everyone was thrilled, and my friend said, he was sure I could write a story of my own. Why not try?

Coincidentally, “National Write a Book” month was about to start, so I tried writing a story. For me, the genre to use was obvious: science fiction.

I finished my draft on schedule, but what a terrible mess I created! It took me forever to beat it into a coherent story, but eventually I released my first book. People read it! I got reviews. Some people didn’t like my story, but some people did. I was sure I could do better, so I tried again.

Today, thirteen books later, I’ve colonized Mars and a moon of Saturn. I’ve sent pilots around Earth’s moon, and encountered intelligent aliens on a distant world. I even dabbled in science-inspired poetry. I can’t imagine life without writing, thanks to a dear friend and a dose of luck.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kateraunerauthor.wordpress.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kate.rauner/
• Twitter: https://x.com/katerauner
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kate-Rauner/author/B00DMEEMWS

Image Credits

Kate Rauner