Interview with M.D. Casmer
I have been working with Cass since late 2022. He is a talented, creative writer and an absolute joy to work with! I truly enjoy his innovative blending of genres. Here is a bit more about him, his works, and his process.
Name/pen name:
M.D. Casmer
How did you come up with your pen name?
I chose to use a pen name because my legal name has more consonants than most people I’ve been acquainted with can pronounce easily, or remember to spell. I wanted to use a name that was easy to remember but stood out. So I re-arranged my initials and used my first name. It works out, because I really enjoy my name.
Tell us about your books and where we can find them!**
Currently, I have two out! They’re short story collections all set in the same fictional world of “Veritagia.” They’re named Voice of the Dead and The Mystery of Lord Vickerton, and while they are released in chronological order for the series, they do not have to be read in a particular order. I made the stories each stand alone for easy recreational reading.
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks and drinks, time of day, etc.?
My routine can vary to fit what life throws at me. But for the best results, I need as silent of an environment as I can get (I’ve gone so far as to use noise cancelling without anything on); start with a sprint of about ten minutes. When the timer goes off, I usually slap it silent and plow on, because by then I’m hooked and fixating on my story. I can do about 1k words in a half hour in a pretty rough and ready first draft. I’ve done as much as 15k in a day with this method, but it requires more headaches for me/my editor (Sorry EJ/Maddi!). But to wind down and exit my strategically induced fixation, I consume media related to my story. Oftentimes, this is a book that I draw inspiration from in some way for the current project.
Worrying about things like snacks or music just gets in my way of writing, so I don’t use them to set up a drafting environment, but I do like to use them as a bit of a reward! Dots are a heavily underrated candy, and I keep a box on hand for times when I can pound out 5k words or more in a day.
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
Oooh, good one. I used to be a pantser, proudly. When I switched from short stories to novel writing, that fell apart quickly and I tried upwards of ten different methods of outlining before I found one that felt like the magic answer to writing a story. It’s enough of an outline that I’m basically connecting the dots of my story, but it’s vague enough that I get the satisfaction of “pantsing” from dot to dot. I’m also not opposed to changing things if I pants a really cool twist or plot point.
I love being creative, but I work best within parameters.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread, etc.?
Notes app when in concept stage, then that gets exported and sent over to Scrivener, where all of my original notes are kept in a folder to reference as I world build or develop. I do all of my drafting and editing in Scrivener as well.
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
So far, EJ. I don’t have anyone that I can share my story with before it’s complete. When I’ve done it in the past, it has always come with suggestions or unsolicited edits and corrections. It’s made writing a pretty solitary activity for me, which suits me quite well.
Does reading help you write or distract you?
Oh hands down, reading helps me. I keep myself immersed in similar books to what I’m writing so I don’t lose sight of my narrative voice.
What (if any) research went into writing your books?
I research a lot. I read books that I feel have similar pieces to what I’m trying to achieve, I watch shows that have visuals reminiscent of what I’m imagining, and Google and I become good friends!
In a few instances, I’ve gone out and recreated scenes as close as I can to get the feel of it. I’ve walked parts of Detroit, and the small town I live in to get timing down and visual perspective when in similar settings. I’ve even picked up a hobby or two because I wanted to know them more intimately to better write them in some of my stories.
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
I am my target audience. I write stories that I wish I could find on the shelf at the book store. And the world is big enough that if there’s something that I like, someone else will to!
After my own satisfaction, I’d probably say it depends on the story. I intend to write for a wide audience over my career. I have ideas for young readers, middle grade, a few for YA. But most of what I write will be for general adult audiences.
What advice would you give your earlier self?
I would advise myself to practice finishing stories. I edited and rewrote drafts straight into the trash can for years in the past.
Also, to try and mimic my favorite authors. I’ve recently started doing this in flash fiction as a “workout” and I feel like I’m really making strides as a writer.
What monetary or numerical goals do you have for your book?
I don’t really have a dollar amount, but I want my current WIP to do enough in sales that it can pay for editing and marketing on my next self-published book so I don’t have to go out of pocket.
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
It took about a year for Voice of the Dead. Mostly because I was writing it for myself before I thought to publish it. Once I knew it was going to be a published collection, I’d say it took me about four months in total. The second book was about the same from complete start to finish in four months.
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
I decided to self-publish because it was a feather I wanted in my proverbial cap. I wanted to be a published author from a pretty young age.
But now that I’ve done that, I want to try my hand at trad publishing. Not because I feel that it’s better than self-publishing at all, but because I want to know that I’ve got what it takes to get accepted. I’ve still got a few things coming up that I want to self-publish regardless of my trad status.
What else do you want to share about yourself or your writing?
My two favorite genres are fantasy and mystery. Often, I’ll try to blend them together, but it’s a personal mission to try and write a detective in every archetype and genre during my career as a writer. If you’ve got a genre, or mix of genres, that you’d like to see a mystery in, please let me know!
I appreciate every reader making my meditative, stress relieving hobby into something more worthwhile than it could have ever been without them.
Where can readers connect with you?
I have a blog there as well, and it’s probably the best way to learn about what I’m working on or sign up as a beta reader, etc.
Other than that, I’m @mdcasmer on all of the social platforms! I might not be the best content creator, but I’m definitely there and responsive!
**M.D. Casmer is also the author of “The Nightmare,” a short story featured in our spooky anthology, Crumpled Papers and Empty Caskets.
