Why did you decide to become a writer?

I have a deep love of story. I’m a big gamer and reader, so for years, I’ve referred to video games as interactive novels. Stories inspire me and telling my own is the only thing that’s ever seemed like the kind of career that I won’t get bored with. Unfortunately for my past jobs, I’m very easily bored.

Who/what are your writing inspirations?

There are many. My early inspirations were J.R.R. Tolkien, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and Edgar Allan Poe. Later I discovered Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Ray Bradbury, and Mark Twain. More recently I’ve been working through Haruki Murakami’s works.

What are your favorite genres to read?

I’m very eclectic. As long as the story is interesting in some fashion, I’m happy. I look for quality work and ignore the whole concept of genre. I’ve always considered the label of genre as mere marketing for bookstores.

Favorite writing food / snack?

Water, pretzels, and Twizzlers.

What do you hope readers take away most from your writing?

I hope they gain the same love of stories that I have. I want my readers to follow me despite whichever genre I happen to write in. Come for the story, the characters, and the journey. In a perfect world, perhaps I’ll get a horror fan to dive into fantasy or a sci-fi fan to pick up a magical realism book as I keep publishing.

Who’s the favorite character of yours that you’ve written and why?

I like all my characters for various reasons. Some make me laugh and others are just fun to write because they are either devious, kind, or innocent in a world full of darkness. I do my best to make all my characters individuals worthy of the reader’s interest.

What is your writing style? Outliner/Planner or Seat of the Pantser?

Planner. I am doing a chapter a month novel on my Patreon and I’m experimenting with pantsing. I hate pantsing. The novel is taking a very weird turn and I’m already looking back on previous chapters thinking I could have done some interesting things if I’d only known where I was going with the whole thing. I’ll see the novel through to the end, but any subsequent rewrites will be 100% planned out.

If someone wanted to become a writer, what tips would you give to them?

I have a pinned article on my website titled “Guidelines for Writers” that is also available for free on my Patreon. In that article, I offer seven guidelines that every writer should internalize. The big three are, Write a lot, Read a lot, and Writing is Rewriting. Those are the best bits of advice one can get and give, as well as the hardest to commit to.

Have you ever purchased something from a late-night infomercial? If so, what?

LOL, no. I’m a massive cheapskate with things like that. I spend a lot on books, but I’m frugal with everything else.

 
If you could collaborate with any other author(living, dead, or undead) who would that be and why?
Ray Bradbury. He is one of the most dynamic authors I’ve ever read and I think I would learn a lot from him. Another author would be Stephen King. For me, collaborating with any of my idols would be the ultimate learning experience.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you do?

No idea. I’d likely be a miserable wreck. I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else.

Coke, Pepsi, or?
Pepsi most days, but I do love a Coke with a chocolate frosted donut.

What’s one thing people should know and/or don’t know about you?

If you ever meet me at a convention, while I may seem very outgoing and confident, I am a nervous ball of self-doubt and insecurities. I’m always terrified I’m being too pushy or overly annoying, so I often avoid after-parties and gatherings. I enjoy smaller groups and quiet conversations.

 

Is there a character that has the most “You” in them? Or the opposite of you?

 

I think every character I’ve written has some of me in them. I’d say I’m most like Travis Daniels in a lot of ways. He’s a great deal more capable, but we share the same frustrations.

If we lived in a Fahrenheit 451 culture, which book would you want to memorize?

Dandelion Wine by Bradbury. I would have said Fahrenheit 451, but that seemed potentially cliche.

Has anyone written a fan fiction based on your work?

I wish! Not yet.

*Is JP Behrens a pen name? If so, why did you pick it?

No, I don’t use pen names. I want everyone to know who I am and what I’ve written. Like many artist, I need attention!

Have you used Beta Readers? If so, what did you think of your experience and would you recommend it to other authors?

I do, but it’s important to find ones that you trust and who are smarter than you. You need to be open to the comments, but also remember in the end, you are the writer, so you get final say, for better or worse.

 
Follow me on my new Patreon, https://patreon.com/JPBehrens, for updates, check-ins, exclusive short stories, and other works.
 
Also, check out JPBehrensauthor.com for links to my published works and interviews.