Interview with Kenneth I Friedman [kenfriedman] on Whohub

28041 interviews created

What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?

It has been so many years since I read my first book. I remember avidly reading the newspapers and listening to the radio for World War II news when I was a boy.

I started writing after I retired after more than 30 years in the business world, received my Ph.D, and tried teaching in a university. I decided to write a book about the American landings in the Philippine Islands in October 1944. The book's title was Afternoon of the Rising Sun: The Battle of Leyte Gulf and published in 2001.

I finished and published my second book, Morning of the Rising Sun: The Heroic Story of the Battles for Guadalcanal, in 2007. The first readers of both books were military veterans and devotees of World War II history.

What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?

I enjoy writing books about World War II naval history. I have a web site that describes the battles for Guadalcanal and from where viewers can order my book. The URL is: www.battlesforguadalcanal.com. I have another web site that discusses the subject of my first book. It's URL is: www.battle-of-leyte-gulf.com.

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

Before ever setting a word to paper, I begin my research by reading books and other material that covers my intended subject. I then develop a broad outline for the book. Once I feel I know enough to begin writing COHERENT thoughts, I begin writing the first chapter.

What type of reading inspires you to write?

I believe that any writing, either non-fiction or fiction, should tell a story. When I read a book, I first try to discern if there is a good story or not. If there is, the book will continue to hold my attention such that i wish that I want to keep reading until I finish it.

What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?

First, it must have an element of truth or reality in it to hold the reader's attention. Second, the characters must be compelling so the reader cannot help but want to know more about them. Third, there must some structure to the story. The reader must be able to follow the story's plot or path. Fourth and most important, the author must ALWAYS write directly for the reader and hold his audience's interest.

What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

Since I write non-fictional works, my text primarily uses third person. Nonetheless, I sometimes use first or second person depending on the story's context. My style is using a narrative rather than a descriptive style.

I avoid passive voice wherever possible. Personally, too much use of passive voice tends to become dry and does not hold the reader's attention well. In that way, IMHO, writing using active voice increases the chance that my writing will hold the reader's attention and increase the chance of having a successful book.

What well known writers do you admire most?

Steven Ambrose, Shelby Foote, Winston Churchill, and Tom Clancy.

What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?

The reader must believe the character is real. Since I write non-fiction, my characters actually lived, which makes them, by definition, real. The writer's responsibility is to make even a character that had lived or is alive seem like one about which compels the reader to want to know more.

Are you equally good at telling stories orally?

People with whom I personally contact consider me a good story-teller. I firmly believe everything I write must tell a good story.

Deep down inside, who do you write for?

To me, the answer to this question is quite simple: THE READER. I also write to achieve one objective --- my writing is what people want to read.

Does reader feed-back help you?

Absolutely. Any author "worth his salt" yearns for reader feedback, whether good or bad.

Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?

I have not yet participated in writer competitions.

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?

Yes, I do. My wife usually acts in this capacity because she never hesitates to offer constructive criticism.

I always hire a professional editor and go through at least three rounds of INTENSIVE editing. IMHO, good professional editors are worth every penny I pay them. Without them, I do not believe I could not have achieved the critical success of my work thus far.

Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?

Based on the critical success of the two books already published, I have found my "voice."

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?

I work every day on my writing AND my writing business. I knw I cannot make hard schedules sinve creativity is not something upon which you can keep to a strict schedule.

What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?

Books, papers, and other reference material surround me in my workplace. To some people who do not understand the creative process, my work place seem somewhat disorderly. Nevertheless, it is well organized for my needs.

Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?

I could not have written my books and my PhD dissertation without a computer. I only print when I have a draft manuscript that needs reviewing. I use paper copies in the early stages of writing until my manuscripts need to be sent to a reviewer over the internet. I then use the review capabilities my word processing software has from that time forward.

What sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?

I subscribe to forums that specialize in World War II. I also develop web sites that readers (actual or prospective) can ask questions of me about my book's topic as well examine the story my book tells. E-mail is a vital part of my information interchange with others.

My two web sites are:

www.battlesforguadalcanal.com
www.battle-of-leyte-gulf.com

What has been your experience with publishers?

I have to say my experiences with publishers have been, to be kind, mixed. My marketing and their methods sometime conflict with each other. That is why I chose to publish my second book myself so that I could be totally in charge of its marketing. Since I have a doctorate in Marketing, my knowledge of how to reach a target market is at least as good as many publishers.

What are you working on now?

I am now working on a third book that covers the time before the beginning of World War Ii in the Pacific. I am still in the research stage that I foresee will last for some time before I put anything to paper.

What do you recommend I do with all those things I wrote years ago but have never been able to bring myself to show anyone?

By all means, you MUST put your ideas on paper and try to get them published. Anyone who has done this before knows how difficult that process is. You might consider hiring a QUALIFIED, PROFESSIONAL editor to review your work to see if it has the potential to be successfully published. If you do not show your work to someone else, you will never know if your creation has any merit at all. I tell you that there is no better feeling than to see your work published into the marketplace.

As someone once said, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Good luck.

Send me a question, comment
or ask my opinion about something: