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Really interesting interview! I was especially intrigued by David's response about how activities that require spending time alone to practice, and which require self-motivation and self-discipline, can also make one a more effective writer. I had never thought of it this way, but I think this is a great insight. People seldom think of that kind of solitary self-motivation and discipline as a special skillset, but it absolutely is.

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It really is! I think that's why I struggled with finishing novels (still do) and finally gravitated to short stories. It's very tired into discipline and re-wiring our brains to feel gratification in simply producing rather than just the end product (at least in my case).

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That's really interesting! I think I have the opposite problem. All of my previous pursuits (riding, art, etc.) have been pretty solitary, so writing alone has been great. I love to sit for hours and just focus on a project, whatever it is. It's my meditation. But I've struggled to adjust to the hectic social aspect of writing (and budget my time accordingly!)

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I suppose I enjoy alone time, too. I often say my happy place is waking up to no alarm, making a cup of coffee, and sitting down at my desk to write. If I can have that in the morning, I'm pretty much set the rest of the day.

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Fantastic interview questions, Winston! This was great 🔥🔥🔥 Your question about what world of his creation would David prefer to live is one I'm going to keep in my back pocket.

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Thanks for reading, Brian! David has so many videos that I felt like I could find an answer to almost any question in his expansive library. I tried to choose some that I felt were both applicable to emerging writers while also highlighting David's key talents. Highly recommend his 270 video playlist on storycraft! I should've linked it in the post.

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May 10, 2023Liked by Winston Malone

Very nice interview Winston. There’s a lot of information in there that can really help a writer wherever they are in their journey. I have always wondered why writers gave their art away, now I realize that it’s to get readers onboard with your style and get them to come back for more. I’m eager to check out David’s music too so thanks for sharing.

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Hey Sandra, thanks for the comment. David is wealth of knowledge. And yes, giving out free stuff is the best way to attract customers. The issue is that everyone expects writing on the internet to be free for some reason (it happened in the dot com boom). This has been the struggle that many newspapers, magazines, and the publishing houses writ large have come to face head on. I suppose subscriptions have somewhat eased the mindset of purchasing versus buying in bulk, but it's a cultural phenomenon that we'll have to either change over time, or learn to adapt with as indie authors. Thanks for your continued support!

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Brilliant interview. The question about how fiction changes how you see the world was a highlight and David's answer is spot on. I have tried to explain this but people seem quite set in seeing 'fiction' as a completely distinct entity that has no bearing on anything else which is utter nonsense. Everything you see, read, or hear is a story whether based in fact or fiction, it has been crafted for a purpose whether that is to promote a message, distort facts, or highlight a specific thing, etc.

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