A Little Something about Jacob Bourret
Jacob is a native Kansas City man with many passions and talents. He has a deep connection and love for music that began at an early age. Truly honed his musical skills in his high school career. In the daytime, he is a successful business entrepreneur, while in the evening hours, he works diligently on his first album. Jacob pulls inspiration from his personal experiences, dreams, and even his nightmares.
He does wonders in weaving a fantastical tale of love, power, and the journey to self-discovery. In his musical creations, a listener can pick up on a variety of influences, such as his gentle heart, his work with yoga, and the beauty of collaborating with other creatives to produce a truly unique piece of art.
Questions and Answers:
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Ever since I can remember. I was inspired by author’s like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein and how they could immerse you in a world of imagination. That is what I wanted to give to people who read my book.
2. How long does it take you to write a book?
It took me about 6 months of writing to get my first book done, which was spent over the course of 3 years. From conceptualizing the plot to character development, sitting down and writing it all out took the most effort.
3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I do most of my writing in blocks after my full-time job or on the weekends. I sit down and write for 3-4 hours at a time. Whenever I get stuck, I move on to the next part or re-read everything from the beginning to get back into the flow.
4. What would you say is your unique writing quirk?
I’m not sure if anyone else writes like this, but I write backwards in a sense. I’ll start with endings of chapters or specific outcomes of the book and then go back to work my way to that point. Hardly do I ever write something from beginning to end, I typically skip around and write highlights then fill in the details later.
5. Whether it be traditional, self, or story book apps. How d you find the publishing process?
Luckily, I had a friend whose father has published a couple dozen books and has tried nearly every way possible. He gave me the advice to self-publish.
6. How much of your writing process involves research in your subject matter or plot?
If I were writing non-fiction, there would be a ton of research involved, but fiction is a little tricky… there wasn’t much research involved on my end as most of my book has been inspired by real-life events and experiences.
7. When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I’ve only written one book so far, but it requires a sequel for follow up on some of the plot. I finished it earlier this year at age 30.
8. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
When I’m not writing, I spend my time playing music and soccer with friends. I have a full-time job as an entrepreneur and business owner of a smart tech company that specializes in mobile app development.
9. What does your family think of your writing?
My mom is the only one who has read my book and she liked it! I’m not sure my family really cares too much.
10.What was one of the most surprising things you learned about yourself in creating your books (characters, location, plot)?
I was most surprised by how much of the story was inspired by my upbringing. I was raised in a religious home and went to a non-denominational Christian school K-8th grade. I saw how some of the story of Jesus and Christian values reflected in my writing unintentionally.
11.What is it you particularly like about the genre you write?
My book is a sci-fi romance novel to say the least. I like writing fantasy and fiction.
12.Do you have any suggestions to help others become writers? If so, what are they?
I would suggest asking friends to help you stay accountable. Tell them your goals, vision and set deadlines. They will ask you about how it’s coming along and even help you get it done. They helped me figure out solutions to problems I had along the way, like writer’s block, design work for the cover, photography and how to promote the book once launched.
13.Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Since I’ve just launched my book, I’ve only had a few readers so far. All positive reviews and I’m looking forward to selling more copies and getting more feedback.
14.Do you like to create books for your target audience?
I don’t. I like to create books for people who are similar to me and going through some of the same things I went through when I was younger.
15.What do you think makes a good story?
A good story has a little bit of everything: comedy, romance, action, drama, etc. It also has deeper meaning. It keeps the reader engaged and wanting more the whole time.
16.How do you handle writers block and what do you tell other aspiring authors who may be fighting or fearful about hitting that wall?
Writer’s block affects us all at one point or another. It’s an easy fix for me. Since I outline the entire book and have a rough idea of the plot beforehand, I skip over the part I’m stuck on and come back to it later. Or I re-read the entire book from start to where I’m stuck to force myself back into the book like a captivated reader. And lastly, I get someone else to help me – which you can easily do by hiring a ghost writer online. This makes it fun because then you get a complete outsider’s perspective helping you tell your story and you can be surprised where they may take it and revise whatever you want.
Final Notes:
Jacob is another fine example of how other talents can drive and influence ones own creative abilities. Just like an artist can be driven my certain subject matter to paint or draw, Jacob seems to use his love for music and relaxation techniques to find his center and develops his characters and the world they live in. I find that truly fascinating and inspiring. Jacob's book Ananomys is a book I would try and read, in order to just figure out the process he used to write it.