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James McInerney Interview – Red Book

James McInerney has been featured in various UK and International magazines and newspapers and has been featured on various radio stations in the UK and the Netherlands including the BBC (where he is a part of the newspaper review team).

His words have been adapted and performed by many musicians and vocalists, with many of them gaining a lot of airplay on multiple radio stations. His first book was also used in a sci-fi American TV show.

His books ‘In between the Lines’, ‘Bloom‘ and ‘Red‘ are currently available. His fourth book is due out Winter 2018.

James McInerney Interview - Red Book

What inspired you to start writing?

I didn’t really have any inspiration. At school we were not taught about poetry or writing. I think we learnt about the old school poets: Byron, Shakespeare and many others but we did not really look at the poetry side of things, it was more about them as a person. I started writing poetry around 1998 when I started getting into movies and loving the instrumental soundtracks that accompanied them. I could not only see the emotion on the screen, but it was echoed in the music as well and it caught my attention. I used the music from the films to help write my poetry and I still do that now.

What did you like to read when you were a boy?

I loved all kinds of books as a kid. I was always at the library, borrowing books so that I could become lost in the make-believe worlds created by the writer. My favourite book growing up was ‘Matilda’ written by Roald Dahl. I loved the Harry Potter series also.

What is the greatest challenge in writing a book?

I think when writing a book, the hardest part is finding the time. My life is busy with family and friends and the real challenge is trying to find the right kind of balance so that you keep everyone happy. I am almost at four books and I still find it hard to commit myself equally to everyone and everything. As I am now writing and finishing my fourth book, the newest challenge is trying to be unique and create original material. I am almost at 500 poems, so it starts to get difficult to make each new write into something that feels fresh.

How much research do you do before writing the book?

I don’t really do research. I write poetry so for me it is about living life, feeling the emotions and trying to make sense of them via my words. I guess as I live and breathe I am constantly researching, constantly experiencing things that will eventually become new poems for future books.

James McInerney Interview - Red Book

What motivated you to write the book “Red”?

My fans are a huge motivation for me. I love writing every day, it has become my daily outlet to get rid of the heavy that the world lays upon my shoulders. I have a huge fanbase and the constant support from my fans inspires me to write more and more so that I can share it with them on a regular basis.

Can you tell us more about your latest book “Red”?

I am very proud of ‘Red’ because it is the first ever book that I hand-typed on my old-fashioned typewriter to get that authentic look that I love. It is a continuation of my ‘love lost’ theme style of writing that I have stuck with over the years. As always it covers so many subjects that so many people relate to when it comes to love. It ranges from happy all the way to sad and everything else in between so that my readers have the full spectrum to delve into when purchasing my book. It covers some real hard-hitting topics and has some amazing photography / artwork which is another passion of mine.

How did you came up with the idea of writing poetry genre book?

I just kind stumbled upon it. When I started writing in 1998, before the social networking sites, poetry wasn’t really as popular as it is now. I just wrote for my own amusement and shared it on some poetry sites but it wasn’t until I went onto the BBC and they told me that I should get a book out that I started looking at it in a different light. Since then I have become popular on the social sites, I have a huge fan base and do things in the media and I am releasing my fourth book this year.

Who are your favourite authors?

I tend not to have favourite authors, I just love to read books and there is so much material out there right now that can be delivered to your device at the touch of a button that I think the current and future generations will always be spoilt for choice. When I am not writing for my own poetry books, I tend to read a lot of prose from authors like Harlan Coben, Philip Pullman, Anthony Horowitz and so many more.

How much time do you dedicate for writing on a daily basis?

It varies on a daily basis depending on how inspired I am feeling. I have days where life gets in the way and I just can’t find the time to put pen to paper and then there are other days where I can be full of ideas. I do try and get a few lines down on my non-productive days just to keep my brain active and switched onto poetry.

What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring writers?

I always say that you should never give up on your dreams if they are what you truly want. Over the many years that I have been writing, there have been days where it felt as though nothing was ever going to happen for me and I was stuck in a rut and it all seemed pointless, but I never gave up. I marked it up as a non-productive time and told myself it would get better and to keep pushing forward. I am glad I did – for all the doors that closed, the important ones opened and made the struggle worthwhile. I am not saying it’s easy now – it isn’t. There are so many social sites, so many poets and busy newsfeeds where your update can be lost in the blink of an eye but it does get easier once you start having fans that look for your new stuff and like and comment and share.

Buy his book now:

 

About Nikhil Narkhede

He likes to read inspirational books. He is a Professional Blogger, Entrepreneur and a power networker. By education he is a Computer Engineer and by profession he is an Online Marketer.

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