42 Stories Anthology Presents: Jay "JC" Cannon Interview

 

(Jay  "JC" Cannon, in the Bahamas)

Jay "JC" Cannon won an Honorable Mention Award in the War chapter for 

COLLATERAL DAMAGE IS A CONSEQUENCE OF WAR

BAM: JC, what pen names did you use in the anthology?

JC: Jay Cannon, JC Cannon, Jorré
 
BAM: Where are you located? 

JC: Washington, D.C.
 
BAM: Where is your writing Space? 

JC: My couch at home.
 
BAM: Who do you write to when you picture your reader, or who is your target audience? Why?

JC: I write for myself, avoiding extreme views. I use sensitivity or SMEs for areas outside my expertise.

 

BAM: Ah, subject-matter experts. Got it. Is there something you passionately want the human race to stop doing that, in a subtle way, could appear in your writing?

JC:
Stop multiplying to excess.
Stop trashing the environment.
Stop seeing large amounts of money as a career goal and seek a career that permits you to provide a positive impact on society.

BAM: The second one is a big deal for me. Smokers make me furious, for example. On another note, is there a deceased or living writer you want to meet?
JC: S. A. Cosby.

BAM: He's a southern noir writer, among other topic. JC, on editing, do you edit alone, have a friend read your work, or do you hire a professional editor?
JC: I edit my book alone twice before sending it out to friends to read. I then have a professional editor review it before having it published.
 
BAM: Nice strategy. Tell me about your story outline process.
JC:
I first attempt to understand the arc of the story and the underlining messages I want to present to the reader. I place large sheets of paper on a wall describing an overview of each chapter. I review the papers alone or with friends, changing the papers until I am happy with the results.
I use a PowerPoint to capture the notes from the sheets of paper in timeline format, using blocks to describe important, high-level moments in the story.

BAM: Tell me more.
JC: I start with a long timeline to capture the arc of the entire book.

BAM: What else?

JC: I then write a timeline for each chapter in the book. 

BAM: Then?

JC: As I write, I go back to the PowerPoint to ensure I have not missed any important points and update the timelines as needed.

BAM: Very sound strategy. If you ever get writer's block, how do you overcome it?
JC: I outline each chapter to give me a roadmap of what to write. If I get stuck within a chapter, I go back to the outline to see what is missing.
I switch to a different unfinished chapter or review another chapter in hopes of removing the block.

BAM: Cool. Anything else?

JC: I walk and think about what I feel is missing from the story. I read a book of the same genre to relax my mind and renew my creativity.

BAM: I've learned so much from you during this interview, JC. If you could inspire thousands of writers in 42 words, what would you write? 
JC: If you have a bold idea for improving the world or a horrible mental burden you wish to release or a meaningful experience you wish to persist after you are gone; write it down. Then share it with readers for their edification.
 
Biography:
Jay Cannon grew up in the projects, worked on aircraft carriers, became a programmer in the US, England, France and Sweden; ending up at Microsoft. After retiring JC, became a Congressional staffer and later moved to DC where he writes science fiction.

Social media: 

https://www.jaycannonauthor.com/
https://twitter.com/JayCannonAuthor