Ian at a reading at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner last year.
Q. Do your personal experiences influence the stories you write about?
A. In some ways, everything I write is deeply personal, while in other ways, it exists in a separate universe unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I think a lot about something one of my college professors told me once about how he viewed his own fiction as one of those funhouse mirrors that wildly distorts real life—the image in the mirror looks bizarre and crazy, but if you look carefully, you can see exactly what inspired it.
That’s probably not the answer you’re looking for, though, so I’ll also say that most everything I feel drawn to write about is based on a struggle I’ve had that I thought other people could relate to. MFA Thesis Novel is about traditional academia and how it’s not at all conducive to building a real creative career, while Carcrash Parker and the Haven of Larpers is about dealing with manipulative bullies who lie to get ahead. Eikaiwa Bums, my first novel-turned chapbook, is also about navigating a for-profit English school in Japan, where I taught for many years.
Q. What message do you hope readers take away from your work?
A. Besides being able to pick up my books and genuinely have some fun, I hope readers walk away feeling like they found something that resonated with them, or that helped them understand an experience they’ve been through. All of my favorite books have taught me something about the greater world, and I want my readers to have that experience too.
Q. What does a typical writing day look like for you?
A. I work as a freelance editor and teach online, which means I can structure my days basically how I choose. I try to schedule 2-4 mornings a week for dedicated writing time, and usually start around 8 am and go until 11 or so. I like to start by reading some pages by a writer whose work I admire, listening to music to get energized, rereading what I wrote the previous session, or some combination of these.
Q. How do you handle writer’s block?
A. For me, having trouble writing usually means I’m too busy—not only too busy to sit down and write, but too busy to even think about what I’m working on. That reflective, meditative time is really important to me, whether it’s while driving, in the shower, before going to bed, or when I’m out walking, and if my mind is full of work problems or financial stress or drama of any kind, it’s harder for me to concentrate on developing a larger project.
Q. Do you keep a notebook, app, or system for capturing ideas when inspiration strikes?
A. I keep two small notebooks for jotting down ideas, one by my bed and one in my jacket pocket. For book projects, I also keep a full-sized notebook for mapping out ideas, characters, plot points, etc., and every few weeks I copy down ideas from the small notebooks into the bigger one so they’re all in one place. It’s a bit complicated, but it works for me.
Q. What surprised you most about the publishing process?
A. A lot of emerging writers see publishing as this magical, high-stakes milestone where signing a book deal means you’ve finally made it big. For me, though, signing a book contract was just another step in the writing process, where I learned to work with publishers, interpret contract language, handle a production schedule, and develop ways of working together to make the book a success. Think of it like starting any other professional relationship, rather than joining an exclusive club.
Q. What is the oddest piece of research you’ve done for a book?
A. The main character in Carcrash Parker and the Haven of Larpers spends a lot of time quoting ‘80s and ‘90s movies, and at one point I have him repeating Ally Sheedy’s line from The Breakfast Club: “When you grow up, your heart dies.” Just before the book went to print, I was going through the draft and thankfully thought to check that quote because I had the wording wrong. It would have been a small flub, but one I’m incredibly glad I caught.
Q. What are you working on next?
A. My new novel is about a thirtysomething couple who’s struggling to buy a house in today’s economy, which is even more difficult because the wife’s mother and the husband’s sister are living with them. It’s a novel about economic trials, romantic difficulties, and nontraditional family relationships, and of course, it takes place in New Hampshire!
Visit Ian’s page at https://nhauthors.com/ian-m-rogers/