1. Have you always been a writer?

I’d like to take the aggressively philosophical route and say that ‘I’ve been a writer since I was bitten by the writing bug in the 3rd grade’ or the annoying road of ‘Once you’ve decided you’re a writer, you’re a writer’ but I don’t really believe that. I have always wanted to be a writer but it wasn’t until I really got a hang of this whole “being a semi-functional adult” that I really wanted to be a writer and felt like I had made the transformation.

There was a great quote in Andromeda Romano-Lax’s “The Deepest Lake” which popped up as I was pondering this question that really hit me. One of the characters is pumping up another and says, “”If you write, you’re a writer [...] Identity comes first and it’s yours once you claim it and start doing the work. Not when you’re published, not when reviewers say you’ve done a good job, not when you get awards, not when you have a million followers.””

So, sure, I’ve been writing since I was a weird little 3rd grade kid, but it has just been within the last decade or so that I've really claimed it.

2. When did you realize that maybe writing was actually a “thing” you could do, get published and even sell?

That little 3rd grader knew that writing could be a ‘thing’, which is the joy of being young but then older me got scared and that fear of the unknown and uncomfortable tends to make things a bit hard which, upon reflection, is REALLY annoying. I was always creative but the world tends to tell creative people that there’s no money or future in it which is where that fear is born. Once I decided to ‘do it scared’ things changed and I knew that this could be a thing for me. Might not be making a living from it quite yet but at least I’m living the way I want to.

3. What was your first sale as a writer and how did it feel to sell your work?

My first book was an educational nonfiction work about Cyberbullying. It wasn’t until after the first month that the book was available that there was really any excitement. Those first sales are great fun but those are the family and friend sales, those awesome people that support your work. It’s after the obligatory “support your friends” period wears off when it feels really cool to see that little tally mark letting you know that someone wanted to read something you wrote.

4. How has writing helped you in other areas of life besides being something you could earn money from?

Writing has given me a different perspective of the world and how I interact with it. I pay more attention to the little details in life. I’m a painfully introverted person, but when I see an opportunity to meet and engage with people who look like they have some amazing stories, I’m going to do it. Right now, I’m on a cruise in Alaska, marking something off my bucket list that has been there since I was in middle school. The trip itself has been amazing and between the crew on the ship, who come from all over the world, and people we’ve met in ports, the stories are amazing. I tend to do my best writing when I’m on a cruise ship and these people and their stories find their way into my own tales. Being a writer has broken me out of my shell and often makes me more daring than I normally would be. The life motto over the past few years has definitely been, “do it for the plot.”

5. What was your biggest accomplishment as a writer?

This might be weird to say, but getting my first rejection from a publisher felt like an accomplishment. It felt good because it wasn’t a form rejection and they had taken the time to express that they really enjoyed the pages and the premise but they already had filled designated slots for that particular genre. The rejection stung but their words told me that there was a place in the world for my story, just not quite yet.

6. Who has inspired you the most in the writing field?

As a millennial, I had the honor of being a part of the “if our parents knew what we were reading, they would be mortified” generation. I knew I wanted to grow up and be the next K.A. Applegate or R.L. Stine. The two of them introduced me to the twisted world of horror and morally grey characters and I was hooked.

I look at Katherine Applegate and Micheal Grant (collectively K.A. Applegate of the Animorphs series) not only as writing inspirations but how to be a good human being. Frankly, Animorphs should have been a bigger deal, but they were overshadowed by Harry Potter. Where the Wizarding World and its creator have not ages well, Animorphs stands the test of time and that’s what I want. I not only want to create worlds and characters that withstand and that people care about, but also be someone you can look up to as a human.

7. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a writer and how did you overcome them?

Right now, the biggest challenge is time. I feel like I never have enough of it. Making the time to write when you’re working for a paycheck, pretending to have a social life, and dealing with day-to-day monotony is a lot. There are so many ideas brewing in my head, so many outlines, started stories and novels, so many worlds waiting to be born, it can be overwhelming. It’s part of the reason I’m so productive when I’m on trips, because I have no responsibilities. People will make fun of me for sitting on my laptop while on a cruise, but my idea of a vacation is getting some writing done! (I’m getting a lot of strange looks right now as we slowly sail past a glacier, but I’m also the only person who seemed to spot the pod of dolphins swimming alongside us, so I’m the real winner here)

8. What is the best writing advice you have ever received and why do you feel it is important?

Do it now. Do it scared. Just do it.

This is just a collective of advice from a multitude of places including but limited to an unhinged Shia LaBeouf video. It’s also the advice I tend to give people once they find out I’m a writer and they want my advice on how to get started. Just do it. Start writing and don’t stop. It’s not always going to be perfect, it’s not always going to be your best, but at least you’re doing it. Do I take my own advice? Absolutely not, I’m a perfectionist. But I’m doing it, and that’s the most important part.

9. What sort of writing do you do now?

My writing is all over the place and depends heavily on my mood at the time. I’ve been really into writing short stories lately so my focus has been there, but I also have about 10 novels either outlined or in progress. I like to bounce around between different projects because it keeps me working. If I hit a wall with one thing, I move to another for a while. When I can’t deal with my characters, I’ll jump over to my blog to prove to my followers that I’m not dead, I'm just a busy adult with ADHD.

10. Where can we find some of your work online?

My website is always a good start, or my blog. I’m working on being better at updating both, promise… maybe.

11. What advice do you have for aspiring writers thinking of taking the leap of getting their work published?

My best advice would have to be, take the advice of others with a grain of salt. I’ve met authors on all ends of the spectrum, those that have told me that my odds of getting an agent or publisher on my side are a million to one to authors who are so excited to meet like minds and cheer on their community. The path to success isn’t one size fits all. I’ve always approached writing like I do running a marathon- we’re all running the same race but it’s not against each other. I’m running my race. I’ll finish before some people and I’ll finish after some people. But I started and I finished. That’s what matters.

12. What are your final thoughts about being a writer?

All I can think about right now is how lucky I am. Being a writer taught me to be brave, to take chances and to do things scared. It’s taught me to be adventurous, open to new experiences, open to new people, and to explore. I’ve learned to be more curious, not to be afraid to ask more questions, and to take a step back to really soak in the world around me.

ABOUT JOSH:

Josh Gunderson is an author, educator, blogger, and cat dad. His acclaimed nonfiction works include You're Doing It Wrong, a memoir chronicling his life and career, and Your Digital Life: A Teen’s Guide to the Online World, a detailed exploration of the digital world and its challenges. Josh is also the author of the best-selling poetry collection The Lamenting Mallrats Society. In addition to his books, he writes regularly on his blog, Avoiding Neverland, sharing insights on topics ranging from social media to his love of cruising. Recently, Josh has expanded his writing to include fiction, with a particular interest in horror.