We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Deston Munden. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Deston below.

Deston, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

This is one of the most asked questions that I receive as a fantasy and science fiction author: How do I get started? And the answer is simpler to answer but hard to commit to. You have to get started without the expectations that you already set up for yourself. Just start the book. WRITE it. Don’t plan everything. You’re going to miss things anyway. Just write the book.

The idea itself is the easiest part for me. Everyone has ideas. They are bountiful and perfect in your head. What becomes the problem is sitting down and getting that idea from that perfect stage to probably the most imperfect thing you’ll ever experience in your entire life. That’s the first draft. Plenty of writers do not get to this step or they get stuck on it. That’s because the first draft is every imperfection of that idea coming to life. Some people outline and others don’t (I’m in the latter). Either way, it’s a hard process getting that idea to paper. Others get stuck on what I call the beginning loop. They will start the process and then continue to start more and more things until nothing gets done. It’s important to get that first draft done. The rest will come.

The second draft, for me, is to iron out those plot holes, details, and errors. Have people read it and get a general feel of the story. It’s easier to fix a full page than a start a blank page. More than likely, you have new ideas to strengthen your story by now. You can realistically fix the things that you may have missed or messed up. Editing used to be more most painful phase. I learned now that it’s much more fun than I gave credit for. Enjoy this like you should enjoy the first draft. You’re making it.

The third and fourth drafts are narrowing down things like grammar and spelling as well as formatting. This is where I also decide what I may want the interior and the cover art to look like. This is where the process gets exciting. Whether it’s with a publisher or self-publishing (I’ve done both), this is where it starting to become a reality in my head.

From there it’s setting up the dreaded marketing plan and building up hype for the book. This is my dreaded part. I’m glad I have help with this now.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Absolutely! My name is Deston J. Munden, I’m a fantasy and science fiction author from North Carolina. I’ve written 3 books so far and 4 books are in the editing process. I’m known for Tavern, a high fantasy novel featuring an orc tavern owner and Dusk Mountain Blues, a sci-fi book about space mutant hillbillies.

I got into the industry by self-publishing my first novel Tavern. From there, I’ve spread out to more traditional indie publishing. I think what sets me apart from my other peers is that I have a very distinct voice and background. I’ve developed my tone to both be accessible to new people and a hit among fans. Nothing too complicated but impactful. And orcs. I love orcs and weird fantasy/sci-fi races. I want to bring an element of culture and difference to every person or group of people that I write. That’s the main sale of a Deston J. Munden book. You want to get your claws into the world and keep digging.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Tavern was rejected 75 times before it was self-published. I knew that it was a great book. Every person who read the book loved it. They just didn’t know how to market it. Or rather, how to market me. I’m a bit of an anomaly, which is fair, I understand. However, it hurt to be close every time just to fall a bit short. It’s hard to see what the potential of a person can be when you give them a chance. I’m always pushing myself forward, trying to get better, and working hard to get other people within my industry. Other people aren’t willing to take that risk on people.

At the end of the day, I’m glad that I took the time to try and keep trying. I wouldn’t be where I’m at now without the failures. Very few people get the taste of success without tasting failure first.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s easily sharing my world and my words with other people and seeing how it inspires them. I’ve learned so much about myself through sharing these stories and helping other people share those. I want to be an inspiration for people. I want to be Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, and George RR. Martin, those names that brought me into the industry. The ones that got me reading and learning more about craft and constantly improving to get better and better. If I get one person who was inspired by my work or just enjoyed the ride, I’ve done my job. I don’t think any artist can ask for me. It’s a humbling experience and I wouldn’t want to change my career path for the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://djmunden.wordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordjmunden/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/D.J.Munden/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SrBuffaloKnight
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@authordjmunden

Image Credits

Photographs by John Maxwell
Images by Mina Driver and Sammi