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An Interview With David Geer

Tell us a bit about yourself. What would you like us to know about you?

I enjoy working on computers, writing, crossword puzzles and classical music.

I've written about how to make money as a freelance writer since my first published writing successes. I've been at it six years and continue to earn more year on year from my techniques.

I write about technology most of the time, but my tips on making more money apply to all freelance writing.

I have been published in the following publications:

* Alaska Business Monthly
* America's Network
* Byte.com
* ComputerBits
* Computerworld
* ConsumerSearch
* Crain's Cleveland Business
* CSO (Chief Security Officer)
* Data Center Management
* Digital Magazine News
* Distributed Systems Online
* Government Security News
* HGTVPro.com
* Hostingtech
* IEEE Computer magazine
* Information Security Magazine
* ITWorld.com
* Lakestyle
* Laptop
* MobilePipeline
* Nuts & Volts
* ProAV
* Servo Magazine
* Smart Computing
* Security Management Practices
* SecurityPipeline
* TechEdge
* Technical Support
* TechWorld.com (UK)
* TeraData
* The ACUTA Journal
* The Engineering News-Record
* The Enterprise Open-Source Journal
* The Hosting Standard (Canada)
* UpstreamCIO
* VARBusiness
* Voir Dire
* Wireless Business & Technology

What are you doing now? (Career? Married? Single? Children? Pets?)

Tons of writing. My schedule "overfloweth".

What is your favourite food?

I like seafood, steaks, Italian, Mexican, Greek and other foods. I'm not big on deserts.

What is your favourite colour?

It's a toss up but I like white, blue, navy, red and black the most.

What is your favourite sound?

My favorite sounds include silence, the outdoors and all the sounds it makes--both modern and natural, classical music, country and some pop and rock too, the TV or DVD when something good is on.

I also like the sound of my car moving down the road because it means I've gotten out of the house for a change. I like to take off and go without any special plans.

Who is your favourite person?

I love my family. I don't get too excited about celebrities.

What is your favourite place?

Home is where the heart is I guess. Mine still wanders a bit.

What is your favourite memory?

My late teen years.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

Comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. I guess all my answers to these kinds of questions will be in plural, since I obviously can't decide on one thing.

What is your favourite word?

No fav here.

What is your favourite writers' quote and why?

Don't have one.

What is your most favourite quality about yourself?

It might be better to think in terms of quantity. I weigh 200lbs! :)

What is the least favourite quality about yourself?

I'm too perfectionistic.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

I wouldn't know where to begin. Newport, RI was nice.

What inspires you to write and why?

It's just really cool being a writer.

What is your favourite book and why?

Well, I have no favorite fiction books. I think Write Tight is a great book every writer should have.

What is your favourite genre and why?

Non-fiction. I'm more of a concrete kind of guy. I do write songs and poetry too though. I play the guitar and write chords for my pieces too.

List your three favourite authors (any genre) and why?

Me, for answering this many questions in one interview. This is a lot of questions.

What do you think makes a writer successful?

Tenacity. Not letting any negativity into your head. Not letting anyone tell you you can't do it no matter who they are. If Stephen King told me to quit writing right now I'd tell him to go sit on his throne.

Whta is it that makes you successful as a writer?

I'm a business man first, last and always. That business just happens to be writing. I don't quit. I work hard and I sacrifice. I started writing full-time from the beginning of my career.

What are your goals as a writer?

"Fame and fortune, fame and fortune. THEY will be OURS some day!" :)

What is the best tip you can give to fellow writers?

God gave you a head for a reason, and it's not to use it as a hat rack. This is a business. No one is going to give you anything.

You have to own your career and its course and make it all happen yourself. No matter how much work you think it is, it always turns out to be more work than you think it is.

What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

Information, provocation, distillation, opinion (sorry to those newspaper writers who don't see a place for that), inspiration, navigation, pretty much a whole bunch of -ations.

List your three favourite online writer-resource sites and why (include URLS).

www.freelancesuccess.com--a huge member org for top writers. Very helpful and active forum. Top writing gigs are publicised and discussed.

www.writers-editors.com--got me 10 gigs in one year!

Google--how did we ever get along without it?

If you have published a book, tell us about your publishing success (title, publishing date and company, where it is available to purcahse).

I have just released an ebook on "How to make more money as a freelance writer", which is getting a great response.

Find everything you need to know about it at www.geercom.com/ebook.html, where it is also available for purchase (PayPal payment system). Learn more about me at www.geercom.com or Google David Geer or geercom.com or any of these keywords:

technology writer
high-tech writer
computer writer
(there are many more through which I can be found in top five results in Google)

How long did it take you to write your book(s)?

About 200 hours.

What would you do differently if you could repeat the same publishing experience?

Nothing.

What have you learned about the publishing world?

Books are easier and harder than magazine writing in a lot of ways.

This is your chance to 'Talk Back' to your readers. What would you like to say to them?

Hi. If you have comments on my work, don't hesitate to tell me.

What's the one thing that you want them to know about your writing?

It's genuine and impassioned.

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