Author Bio:
Ammar Habib is a bestselling and award winning author who was born in Lake Jackson, Texas in 1993. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining, but will also stay with the reader for a long time. Ammar presently resides in his hometown with his family, all of whom are his biggest fans. He draws his inspiration from his family, imagination, and the world around him.
What inspires you to write?
As far as inspiration goes, I honestly draw inspiration from everywhere. I’ve had a huge imagination since I was a child, so that is usually my biggest source. I have a hard time switching my imagination off, which can be a problem when somebody is trying to talk to you and you’re imagining a battle scene in your head! The other place I really draw inspiration is from the world around me. I try to stay observant because sometimes the best inspiration passes by right in front of you!
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing process always begins with a theme. I ask myself, “why should readers read this? what do I hope they get out of it?” As entertaining as I hope my stories are, I want them to hold some sort of moral lesson or theme for the audience as well. At the same time, I don’t want to slap readers in the face with this ‘theme’. Instead, I want to show it in the characters and story arc. So I take a lot of time in figuring out who my character are. As far as pre-writing goes, I probably spend more time fleshing out the characters than I spend on anything else. Many times, putting in the effort to create three dimensional characters is the separator between good and great work.
However, with that said, my writing process is very fluid. I like to try and create an outline before I go into the actual writing. But many times I find myself starting the first draft before I’ve even finished my outline. The inspiration comes in bursts so I try to capitalize on those bursts as much as I can. I find that being too stringent on my writing process can actually become a hindrance.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I have conversations all the time! I guess that comes with having an active imagination. The dialogues between me and my characters are sometimes in my head or in my dreams at night. Honestly though, having these "imaginary conversations" does help when you're trying to build three-dimensional, believable characters. I take it as my subconscious just trying to help me out!
Who are your favorite authors?
There are a ton of authors that I like, but my all time favorite is Og Mandino. Every single one of his books have touched my heartstrings, but my three favorites are: 1. The Twelfth Angel 2. The Greatest Miracle in The World 3. The Choice.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I've published both through a traditional publisher and through self-publishing. They both have their pros and cons, and authors definitely need to do their research before deciding on which route to take. Today, I have an awesome agent who advises me on which path to take. However, before then my process was that I would always explore the traditional publishing route first. If I couldn't find a publisher interested in the book I was pitching, then I would look into self-publishing. However, with each passing year, self-published authors are having more and more success due to all the tools now available to them.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
The industry is always changing. My agent keeps me up-to-date on where the puck is headed, but the truth is that you are never too sure. All it takes is one book to become a major hit, and suddenly the entire industry is changing the course of their direction. Personally, I think non-fiction is always a growing genre and always seems to have a pretty steady audience. For fiction, I feel as if the ball is heading back in the direction of realistic young adult fiction.
What genres do you write?
Superhero, Thriller, Young Adult, Historical, Inspirational, Childrens, Comic Books (so a bit of everything!)
What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print
Website(s)
Ammar Habib Home Page Link
Follow Ammar Habib On Amazon
Author’s Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
All information is provided by the author and is presented as it was submitted so you the reader get to hear the author’s own “voice” in their interview.
