Suzanna J. Linton is a fantasy and urban fantasy author. She grew up in an oral storytelling culture and decided to become a writer after reading Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight in high school. She is the author of the Stories of Lorst series and the Lands of Sun and Stone series — four published novels. She writes full time from home, building her world as she writes rather than planning it all in advance, and lets her characters drive the story.
Host: Richard Lowe | Guest: Suzanna Linton
Interview Transcript
Richard: What is your story?
Suzanna: I grew up in a very oral culture of storytelling. My mother was a big reader, so I was always surrounded by books. That spilled out into me telling my own stories. But I didn’t really think about becoming an author until I read Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight in high school. I was stunned by the world she built and the characters. The main character, Lessa, was not likable — she had her own selfish agenda, and part of the story arc was her learning to put the needs of others beyond her own. The dragons themselves were fascinating, and the whole society was so different from what I was used to. I thought, I want to create worlds like that and share them with people.
Character-Driven Fantasy
Suzanna: I believe my work is character-driven. Whenever I come up with a new idea for a novel, I start with the voice of the character — what’s their journey, what’s their struggle? Then the rest of the world builds around that. My world building responds to the needs of the plot. If I need a certain religion or political structure, I create it as I write. I don’t sit down and build the entire world before I start.
For Secret Burdens, the third book in the Stories of Lorst, I wanted to delve into a different character’s mind. The first two books revolve around Clara. This time I wanted to write from a man’s point of view and deal with the concept of honor and lost honor — how you recover it, how you feel comfortable in your own skin again, how you get your integrity back.
There was a point while writing Secret Burdens where I wasn’t listening to the character. I was trying to force it in a direction, and the writing was terrible. When I let the character take over, I was able to finish the novel and write it more easily.
Why Fantasy
Suzanna: I can make my own rules. I don’t have to worry about getting a letter saying I got something wrong. There is some basis in reality — I deal with horses, armor, and fighting. But I can use that as a framework and build around it. It’s a bigger playground.
Writer’s Block Is Fear
Suzanna: I don’t like the term writer’s block. What people call writer’s block is really fear. You’re afraid your story won’t be good, that you won’t write it well, that the work will be too hard, or you’re afraid of a particular plot point. Once you recognize the fear and make a plan to overcome it, you can bypass the block.
When I don’t feel like writing, I write fanfiction, take part in online role-playing, write poetry, or read a book. Something is always moving.
Marketing: Your Name Is Your Brand
Suzanna: One mistake I see people make is making their first book their brand — creating a Twitter page with the book title as the username. That’s just your first book. Your name is your brand. Build everything around your name, because that’s what’s long-lasting.
I’ve had success with Amazon ads — keywords are really important, and you should add to them several times a week. I use newsletter swaps through cross-promo groups on Facebook, where you feature someone’s book in your newsletter and they feature yours. I’ve also done giveaways and online PR. I’d suggest staying away from blog tours — that market is so saturated it’s almost spam.
Building a connection with your audience is what brings sales. Cultivating your fans matters because they’ll help spread the word. Twitter is mostly for networking with other writers, but Instagram invites readers into my life. I keep them open for genuine connection.
The Writing Life
Suzanna: I try to be at my desk by nine. Mornings are desk work — email, sales, research, contest prep. Afternoons are for writing. I try to clock off at five and avoid business on weekends to give myself space and keep from getting stressed.
I use NaNoWriMo when I need an extra push — Clara and Willow’s Fate were both written during National Novel Writing Month. (Note: NaNoWriMo has since shut down.) Community keeps me going.
Advice for Self-Publishers
Suzanna: Research, research, research. Don’t throw yourself into it. I published Clara without really understanding what I was doing and made a mess of it. I’ve been catching up ever since. Learn what goes into a successful book launch. Create your platform before you publish. Find an editor. And don’t create your cover art in Photoshop — hire somebody. My covers are done by Fiona Jayde Media, and they’re beautiful.
Don’t expect overnight success. Publishing is the long game. I was recently at an event and didn’t sell a single book, but I handed out business cards and talked to people. That person might go home and look up my books online. Don’t let yourself get too discouraged. Reviews are not for you — they’re for potential readers. Don’t treat them like writing critiques.
You need to observe the world and reflect it in your writing. You can’t do that if you’re sucked into a computer all day. There’s a time to unplug, walk away, turn off your phone, and absorb the world around you.
Learn more about Suzanna Linton at suzannalinton.com.
Find Richard Lowe at TheWritingKing.com.
Video edited by Bonnie Dillabough.