Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself? How did you get into writing? In which genre are you "at home"?
I thought long and hard about how to start this interview and finally decided on my life motto. Carpe diem. That's a pretty good way to get to know me. On the one hand, I love quotes and sayings, and on the other, I want to fill my time with things that make me happy. Writing, for example. But let's start at the beginning. My real name is Uta Maier, but I write under the pseudonym Mila Olsen because it just looks nicer on a cover. However, Mila Olsen sounds much younger than I am at 47, so some readers are surprised when they meet me.
My age doesn't bother me at all, even though I'm more of an older person in the self-publishing sector. On the other hand, I take a more relaxed view. I write because I enjoy it, and if at some point it no longer makes me happy, I'll stop. Just carpe diem. It's a hobby that became a profession - I'm actually an occupational therapist, even though I wanted to be a writer as a child. I also wrote a lot for a while as a teenager (after I was too old to play with dolls), but never seriously believed that I could actually become an author at some point. Today, I'm glad that I only found my way back to writing late in life, because it's very labor-intensive, especially as a self-publisher, where you also have to take care of marketing and so on. As I'm an absolute family man, I probably wouldn't have been able to reconcile this with my conscience when my children were small. Fortunately, my three girls are now old enough and only my husband grumbles now and again 🙂
I no longer know how I actually got into writing. It was a process, starting with editing (as I also studied German as a minor subject) and ending - after reading "Harry Potter" - with a first, unfortunately rather unsuccessful, novel, back then still in the fantasy genre. I had to learn a lot. No, actually everything. At the time, I simply had no idea about writing books and taught myself everything. Luckily, I then found a really good, very ungracious editor who didn't let me get away with anything. From then on, things went uphill. At some point, I turned my back on the fantasy genre and specialized in coming-of-age novels, in which there is always a dramatic love story and a lot of darkness. It's a mix of genres, so to speak.
What fascinates you about writing?
I can immerse myself in another world and simply leave the fears and worries of everyday life outside. In my novel, I can decide what happens next, no one else can. It's also fascinating to create your own little universe and to create characters that inspire you.
Where do you write best? At home, in a café?
At home, definitely. I try to do it at Starbucks every now and then, but it never works out as well as I'd like.
Do you plan your stories down to the last detail, or do they develop over time?
I'm definitely a plotter and try to plan out all the important turning points and every scene in great detail. However, it often happens to me that I deviate from the plot during the writing process. The last third usually turns out differently than I initially imagined, but I definitely need a proper plan to get going. It's happened to me too often in the last four years that I've started with a vague idea and got stuck at some point. That's why I now have several 250-350-page unfinished manuscripts on my PC.
Do you use any special writing programs?
I write with Papyrus and am completely happy with it.
Have you ever had writer's block and what do you do about it?
I only havewriter's block when something is wrong with the plot. You subconsciously notice this and a break can help you to recognize the problem. Or I get someone to read over it - for example, I have a friend who read my kidnapping sequel when I was almost ready to put it to bed. She immediately told me where the story started to stagnate. That helped me a lot at the time. Otherwise, only really serious family problems and worries such as serious illnesses etc. prevent me from working creatively. Nothing helps then, only patience.
How can you improve as an author?
Write, write, write. And reading, of course, to constantly expand your vocabulary and get a feel for the arc of suspense and the structure of novels. I basically read far too little, but I'm addicted to all books about writing. Oh yes - very important - as an author you should never take criticism personally. In general, you should be able to take criticism and put it into practice. A good editor is worth his weight in gold when learning to write.
Do you have any literary role models?
I have to confess that I was never a fan of classic literature. (I used to buy those yellow interpretation booklets when I was at school).
As I'm currently writing books for young people, I read them too, of course. I love the writing style of Suzanne Collins and Joanne K. Rowling. I also enjoy reading Catherine Ryan Hyde, Joy Fielding and I like Cody McFadyen from the psychological thriller genre. Stephen King is a real role model for me. He writes every day and never plots. Brilliant.
What is your favorite book?
"Hello, Mr. God, this is Anna" by Fynn
What advantages do you see in self-publishing?
With self-publishing, I am my own boss. I can decide everything myself. From the cover to the content. No one tells me what's hot at the moment and what's better to write. That's not my thing, I wouldn't put my heart and soul into it. What's more, I spend a long time writing a book, sometimes a good nine months (with editing, revisions etc.). My lifetime is too precious for me to write after trends. What's more, I mix different genres, which publishers don't like anyway. I also earn a lot more than a midlist author at a big publishing house, for example, and I can take my marketing into my own hands, something that publishers only do for their top titles. There are simply too many books going under there and, if these publishing authors are to be believed, this trend is on the rise. If my own book doesn't do well, then I've done something wrong as an author. Either it's too special or the cover wasn't chosen correctly or the blurb is too meaningless. I'd rather blame myself than get angry about the supposed or actual mistakes of others.
What do you like about Nova MD?
The whole concept. I'm still very new to Nova MD, but so far everything has run smoothly. I'm pretty happy to have found a company that takes care of the entire sales process for me. What's more, the process, from sending in the print file to the publication date, was handled incredibly quickly, so that the book was - and still is - available to order in all the major chains such as Hugendubel, Thalia etc. in no time at all.
Are you curious about Mila Olsen's books now? You can find them on Amazon, among other places.
