Author interview with Akil O. Smith

Akil O. Smith is a Florida-based writer of sci-fi, poetry, and drama. He is the author of ALAM Beginnings, an award-winning science fiction novel set in the mid-80s.

Q: When did you first catch the writing bug? What drove you to persist?
A: I think the verdict is still out to say I’ve caught the writing bug. Mainly because I do have stories I feel will work better as film and all. However, all praise goes to my mom as I had dreams of the characters I am writing now. Tiyshio, Shawn, Nighcos were all people who showed up in my dreams and ever since I told her about those dreams, and her telling me to put it in a journal I have only continued to do such even so now. With any projects that come to mind.

Q: Does writing energize or exhaust you?
A: It does a bit of both, mostly energize, especially if I am writing an intense action scene. I become very alert. However, there are days more recently where I can tell I’ve overworked myself and it shows since I can barely pick up from where I left off.

Q: Do you try more for originality or to please your readers?
A: I prefer something more original. Especially since the majority of my works are intuitive dreams with tons of detail.

Q: What is your approach to incorporating elements of diversity and inclusion in your writing?
A: Being a person of color, I find it easier to write from my own perspective. To add onto that, I prefer to envision my book as a film and I often think to myself what types of people do I feel don’t get represented as much. ALAM Beginnings has characters while all alien represent a portion of our human race and a combination of such. African American, Latin, Asian, Caucasian. Even my main character is of a lighter tone because I feel like people that are of my complexion aren’t as shown off and sometimes we are meant to feel lesser so having a cool character that an adolescent youth reads and feels more desired in their skin would appreciate the representation.

Q: Do you have your own circle of writer friends? If so, what other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
A: I do, and it only builds on since I’ve published. I would say R.M. Almonte, how they challenge themselves to reach in their writing, as well as the encouragement we give each other. Currently, I am reading W.O. Torres’ book Tomorrow Lives Today. So far I am enjoying it.

Q: Have you ever gone on a “literary pilgrimage?” If so, where did you go and why?
A: The answer I want to give is yes, but not by the definition of the term. The closest I get to that is the people I am surrounded by. Since my first book takes place in New York and my second takes place in Tokyo, which I have never been to. Where I take myself to get in the writing mood is a walking trail. So I can clear my thoughts so that it is only left with just my book’s concepts. When I am ready I go to coffee shop that closes late and write about 6 pages for the day.

Q: Do you prefer to write stand-alone novels or series? Do you make connections between non-connected books?
A: I am not sure yet, since I am still new to this journey. While I have standalone books I am working on, I do think I prefer series, if I ever want to return to that storyline.

Q: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
A: I would tell him to not get distracted with those around him and finish that book so you can finish by the time you’re thirty.

Q: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
A: The first thing it did to me was know that I need to continue what I did by the end of my first novel. Which was drafting and that helped me a lot into the second thing. The other thing was knowing to start promoting before the book comes out. Self-publishing is such a different animal than traditional. It is one of those times where I got hit with “I could’ve waited and spread the word out” type of talk I had with myself. Especially now, I have to reorganize my time. Where in practice I would tell myself to have one week dedicated to making content to promote my current published work and spend the other week working on the next novel. Then I still have in my head that I want to get my book as an audio book and I want to re-edit it so that getting it in audio form is at the top of where it can be, so this time around it’s a more extensive process and you really have to spend a lot of time promoting your work, and finding the time to write the next.

Q: What was the best money you ever spent on your writing career?
A: At the moment it’s my book cover, it did cost me three quarters of a thousand dollars. However, I do believe it was worth every penny.

Q: How many unpublished and/or half-finished books have you written?
A: At the moment there is only three. The sequel to ALAM Beginnings, a poetry book and poetry hybrid novel.

Q: What does “literary success” or success as an author look like for you?
A: For me it might be a first step but seeing multiple discussion videos of people who are fans of ALAM making speculative videos. Or those who make videos dissecting my poetry and other works and finding the deep logistics it gets into. Most of all is being able to quit my day job because selling books is making the most of my highest profits.

Q: What kind of research do you do as part of your planning process, and how much time do you spend researching before beginning a new book project?
A: Speaking from experiences for both books I am working on– I have not been to Tokyo, let alone Japan. Having a book based somewhere I haven’t been is difficult. Then add on top of that, my book taking places during the start of the 90’s it is difficult to find out what parks were around. How did the skyline look like then? I had to cut down writing time to make sure I could write certain scenes in places to make the story work.
For another book it’s been more personal experience. Either from what I went through or others to incorporate into my characters. I prefer to have my research done at the time of writing or just in one day.

Q: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?
A: In a time when the women in sci-fi have been depicted either as people or archetypes., I choose to take inspirations from my own life. I grew up in female-led household. My mom was tough and funny, and my sister was ready to fight someone but very girly. Some aspects who they are were sprinkled into the women I wrote. I grew up feeling they had good qualities as women but most of it was of the characters I dreamt of, all in terms of ALAM. In other cases like the book I am writing after the sequel to ALAM, I am taking my own life experiences and writing from how I’ve interacted with these women as well as others.

Q: What kind of music or sounds do you like to listen to as you write, or do you prefer complete silence?
A: For ALAM Beginnings, I listened to songs that fit with the scenes. So I heard things from films. Instrumentals from artist like Instupendo, Toro y Moi, Disasterpeace, and more. For the sequel, I’ve listened to Nujabes to get the feel of Japanese centered story and Stumbleine.

Q: How do you select names for your characters?
A: Because of my mom I like taking a combination of things to create names. My mom knew I was a big fan of anime growing up so the name Tiyshio is a combination of tie and a play on an old friend of mines name Takuo. I liked Kuo and came up with shio instead. Same with Siyshi and Sunshi. Sunshi comes from Sun shine and Siyshi comes from Sight shine. These characters are supposed to be blasian sisters but their names have no connection or origin from Japan. For me it just fit.

Q: If you didn’t write, what would you do for work? (Or what do you do “for a living” if you aren’t supporting yourself with your writing – yet?)
A: If I didn’t write, I think I would work my butt off to get my FE and PE certification and work in attraction design. I love amusement parks and roller coasters and there was nothing else I would love to do in the world more than design them for living and explore my visual ways of storytelling with rides.

Q: Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle those reviews, whether good or bad?
A: I do read them, and my reviews are still below my target. I do only have one written poor review that indeed has gotten me to say I need to improve my narrative capabilities. I think with more reviews, good or bad, it will be reflected in my writing as I do my best to allow myself to see my work through unbiased eyes in order for it to be the best told version of itself. After reading others’ works, I believe there are a lot of good stories out there and the hard part is the execution. The execution can be hard depending on what kind of storyteller you are. I am still finding the fine line between too little and too much detail. So that I convey my ideas best on paper, besides being an engineer, I am a visual person. Describing the events can be difficult to not take out a lot or not read it out loud as a play-by-play.

Q: What was your hardest scene to write?
A: It’s a scene that I am writing now for the next book in the ALAM series. Currently I am at the midway point of the book, and I end my acts with a fight. So this is the midbook fight and is unlike my previous book. I have my characters separate into three groups, and so now I have one that’s about to get into a fight, another intimidating standoff, and the other thrilling rouse. The whole concept has been done in film and for me writing is more difficult than how I see it in my mind. What I am aiming to do is slow it down. Since the whole emotion of the chapter is tension, and to keep that tension flowing in the chapter is a huge challenge. Especially having it all feel like it’s not overstaying it’s welcome.

Q: What is your favorite book from your childhood?
A: Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper

Q: Do you have a favorite book of all time?
A: Tears of a Tiger

Q: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
A: It’s a combination of drawing the new cover and creating new ways to promote what I have.

Q: Does your family support you as a writer?
A: They do and help in more ways than they know possible.

Q: If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
A: Sit myself down and draft chapter by chapter. Tell myself to at least write six pages for the day till the point I feel like the chapter is done. Keep a gratitude journal to write my progress.

Q: How long (on average) does it take you to write a book?
A: Being that my longest was 20 years and I am now on my second book and now on year two of writing this book I would say 1-2 years. However, I want to improve that since I have so many projects I want to complete.

Q: Do you believe in writer’s block? If so, how do you break through it and begin writing again?
A: I guess I can say I have “writer’s block” right now. However, I feel like mines a break. Not to say I haven’t experienced it. I have and I do believe in it. Now not all writers are like me but I do believe a good, well detailed chapter-by-chapter outline will help with writer’s block. Speaking from experience I was able to write a good clean six months until it was time for me to dedicate my time to somewhere else. Mainly work and personal growth. Once I finished with those I jumped back into my book easy up until now, where I feel I’ve overworked myself. So I am taking a break, but I already know how to continue, mainly because my outline is very detailed and the imagination fills in the blanks easily.

Q: How did you become involved in the subject or theme of your book?
A: ALAM Beginnings was originally seen to be a comic book, but since I always envisioned an end and the fact that the threats were more personal in the first few stories it didn’t make sense to have the stories play out in a comic but instead in novel. It fight better as a sci-fi because I always seen it like Star Wars. A story that involved families and melodrama. It fit the best with the story.

Q: Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?
A: I write in more than sci-fi but I mainly write in sci-fi due to the scale of where I want to go with ALAM. I write poetry and soon romance. I would love to dive into thriller or crime. However, I would use it like how I would now. As a break from telling the tales of Tiyshio and his friend.

Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I started officially writing in 2006 so it’s been close to 20 years.

Q: What cultural value do you see in writing/reading/storytelling/etc.?
A: I find reading has a significant mark on our way of learning depending on if the writing is important or even for us writers how well we can write to have characters immerse in the stories. As long as we can learn and be imaginative and continue to do so, I believe we will continue to grow and teach others how to.

Q: What was the hardest part of writing your most recent book?
A: The hardest part is taking a break. Right now, it’s hard to write when truthfully I have to tell myself do not force it, and it’s mostly because I can feel the imagination is not there. Nothing is more nerve wracking than having to re-write something you aren’t happy with the way it turned out. I’ve had moments like this because I’ve rushed the writing process.

Q: What did you enjoy most about writing your most recent book?
A: The setting, the maturity, how new and engaging it feels. How much better the flow is for the story and even with it’s exposition how better do I mix it with the story. I enjoy seeing how much I have adapted as an author despite this being my second work in line to be officially published.

Q: What is your favorite trope from the genre in which you write? How do you make that trope your own when incorporating it into your work?
A: Fantasy and sci-fi share the same trope of the “chosen one.” With ALAM I really wanted to run with this trope and turn it on it’s head. There is nothing that I enjoyed better than taking the concept of the chosen one and melding it with everyday people. I could tell from an early age that others like myself were kind of tired of the chosen one character because it kind of gives away the story. However, I do like when the trope is turned into something like the villain created their greatest fall like in Harry Potter. My job is only to add to the concept.

Q: What inspires you to keep writing?
A: Anytime I hear from someone that tells me they couldn’t put my book down, someone who leaves a very detailed review. When I listen to certain songs that make me daydream of my book’s first film trailer.

Q: Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?
A: I’m a part-time writer. Having to work a normal job that takes most of my time does take away from a good writing schedule somewhat. I’ve just found ways to adapt and use minimal time to it’s maximum potential.

Q: For those interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where should they start?
A: I feel those who enjoy coming of age stories, or “I told you so” stories would definitely like this book. As well as those who enjoy action, sword play and world building. I feel like a good place to start is my favorite book Tears of a Tiger as some of that book has influenced this story and anime such as Bleach, Dragon Ball, and even Naruto has some influences here.

Q: How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?
A: Being a big tech guy myself I thought I would prefer ebooks, but the fact I can still be distracted, I am left with print books. I usually turn off everything and give myself to a book for an hour and I enjoy it. I guess I can say I went the alternative route and as I am going through it all I can say is it is not easy doing it on your own. I do know the conventional way also has its hardships as well, being how long it takes to officially get published and then how getting paid isn’t as much as the self-publishing route. I feel like there are trades between the two that make it hard to say which is better than the other. I choose alternative for the later gains in profit, as well the ownership.

Q: What do you think is the future of reading/writing?
A: Getting into this space now feels more welcoming than ever before. While I do feel like readership is still in a bit of a niche. I feel like with better word of mouth of authors like me and more, we can definitely see a growth in the reader space. Especially Hollywood is looking at literature to produce their next film. We are in a good space as long as the readers are willing to have it grow.

Q: What process did you go through to get your book published?
A: I went the self-publishing route, I had to find people to read my book, redraw my cover, and make it pretty and promoting it the best way I think could be possible.

Q: What makes your book stand out from the crowd?
A: Apart from it’s beautiful cover, I like to think of ALAM Beginnings as an exhilarating action thriller that will have people invested in it because of its rich characters and the mystery that unravels. I write with the philosophy of you can have a stellar tale but not so memorable characters. Or have memorable characters with an okay story. I’m more of a character piece type person. I want my characters to drive the story and not so much the settings or the back story and readers will definitely get that.

Q: How do you find or make time to write?
A: After writing my first book, I figured I am usually doing all but nothing or venturing to the theme parks on the weekends. I knew I could utilize my time more productively. The best way to do that was writing on the weekends.

Q: What are some ways in which you promote your work? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?
A: I’ve been mainly using Tiktok and it hasn’t worked as best as I would hope, and I do feel promoting can take a lot of writing time if not planned out or setting aside a day to do so. I watch one girl on Tiktok and she is hungry, she has at least 1-2 videos out a day. Whether if it’s her packing up an order or her making a quick video promoting one of two of her book series. On top of all of that she is already writing her third book in her second series and she just published the first book. Do I think she’s moving too fast, absolutely, but she is making sales and she doing a great job at it.

Q: What projects are you working on at the present?
A: Currently I am working on the sequel to ALAM Beginnings, and aiming to have that out by next year. Along with a poetry book compilation called Melon Thoughts.

Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: For ALAM 2 I definitely want to have it widely available, ebook, print, and audio and it will be something I work on for Melon Thoughts as well. I to would like to do a few signings for those who would enjoy in their city.

Check out Akil’s Linktree for more info on his books and to follow him on his many social media outlets!

Now available in print and on Kindle!

Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.