Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Writing and fishing had always been hobbies of mine, but a few years ago, after struggling with a corporate job for a long time, I decided my goal was to figure out how to live life on my own terms and put passion and inspiration first and work backwards to make a living from there. I’ve written two books now, the first basically a collection of my blog essays, and now Fishing for More is a full-length memoir.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Fishing for More: A Memoir, and it was inspired by the process of leaving my 15-year corporate career and starting my own business in the fishing industry as a fishing guide and YouTuber. I got a lot of questions from guiding customers as to what I did for a living prior, and they always said something to the effect of “Wow! That’s a story!” So it just made sense to marry my love of writing with my new career and write it. It is partly about fishing, but it’s mostly my story of self-discovery and navigating the entrepreneurial world, so I tried my best to write it universally so that anyone could see themselves in my shoes with their own “more,” whatever that may be.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I actually wrote the entire thing using the dictation feature on my MacBook because physically typing brought too many of my old desk-job issues back to light. The editing process was a little more difficult for me since I don’t know how to tell my computer to delete or add words or correct grammar! Beyond that, I often talk to myself in a British accent to make the story sound more stimulating to my brain and give me confidence others will want to read it!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My biggest influence for this book was Mary Karr with both The Liars’ Club and The Art of Memoir. I got about 80 pages into my own book and though “Where the heck is the rest of this?” I then needed to learn how great memoirists work their craft to finish mine and realized I was skipping over all the hard parts that were really the meat of the story.
What are you working on now?
Currently marketing this book, but I have aspirations to write a collection of stories from my guided fishing trips…if my customers let me!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s so hard to pick one thing, but for me this book goes hand-in-hand with my guiding service and YouTube channel in that they all support – and hopefully sell – one another.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write and get the garbage out! I was so afraid to write something bad, and that kept me from writing at all until I realized how important revising and editing is. It’s going to suck for a long time, first drafts, second, third…but the more you work with it, the clearer it gets.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Mary Karr had mentioned that she probably rewrote the equivalent of like five to ten books worth before getting the final draft of The Liars’ Club. If she had to rewrite that much, I knew I had work to do.
What are you reading now?
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost.
What’s next for you as a writer?
It depends how this book goes, but hopefully writing more of them.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates, Catch-22, and a book about survival because I’d be clueless.
Author Websites and Profiles
Brett Bloemendaal Website
Brett Bloemendaal Amazon Profile
Brett Bloemendaal’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
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