IndieView with Manheim Wagner, author of Korea: How You Feel

I had been carrying these stories around with me since 1998 when I finished my first year living abroad. The book is a combination of things that happened to me during my first year in Korea and of stories that I heard. 

Manheim Wagner – 17 July 2014

The Back Flap

Korea: How You Feel is a vivid snapshot of life as an English teacher during the late 1990’s Asian economic crisis, where things are not what they seem. From a bewildered arrival at Kimpo Airport in Seoul to an alchemic epiphany in the streets of Saigon, Manheim Wagner’s expatriate novel takes the reader on a philosophical journey that tears apart the romantic veneer of life in a foreign land.

About the book

What is the book about?

That’s hard to say. I reckon it’s about being a newly arrived expatriate, trying to find your way in a foreign land. The narrator, Michael, goes to Korea hoping to clean his life up and finds himself immersed in the seedy underbelly of Korea. In which, he struggles to find his way, often falling off the rails, before realizing himself and who he is. I guess you could say it’s both a scathing tirade of English teachers gone wild in Korea and the story of modern Korea. Readers will either love or hate the book.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing the book in September 2010 and continued working on it periodically around my day job as an English instructor at a Korean university.

How long did it take you to write it?

The first draft took about 9 months to write and the subsequent revisions and edits took nearly 2.5 years. It’s been a long journey. The original manuscript was over 100,000 words and we were able to distill it down to 50,000 words and keep the impact.

Where did you get the idea from?

I had been carrying these stories around with me since 1998 when I finished my first year living abroad. The book is a combination of things that happened to me during my first year in Korea and of stories that I heard.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Not really. Writing the first draft was pretty straightforward. I guess in the editing phase is where the struggle begun. Luckily, I had a keen editor with a sharp eye to help make the book tight. I think that was key because as a writer sometimes you become too attached to certain passages or lines that you wrote. A good editor helps you see what is important and what isn’t.

What came easily?

The book flowed well when I wrote the first draft. All of the events happen within a year. So, I just had to put everything in chronological order and write it.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

The characters are all based on real people. The main character Michael is a composite of myself (during my first year in Korea) and other people I met. He’s a conflicted narrator who does things he knows he shouldn’t but can’t stop himself from doing them. Along the way he meets local Koreans and other expats. His flatmates Dave and Kenny are based on my actual flatmates that I had when I first moved to Korea in 1997. It was a weird situation. We were housed together without having met each other…something that I would never want to experience again. The Jung Mi character is based on a close friend I had at the time, who struggles living in Korean society and fitting in. The Alex character is based on this freak that used to drive around Cheong Ju, South Korea on a motorcycle, wearing a jean jacket with “VIRGIN BRIDE WANTED” scribbled in magic marker across the back of his jacket, an utter freak if I ever met one.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Good question. I’d say Henry Miller, Charles Bukowski, Knut Hamsun and John Fante would be tops on that list. There is nobody better than Henry Miller when he is on. His writing explodes off the page. And, John Fante has to be the most concise writer I’ve ever read. There’s not a wasted word in any of his books. Knut Hamsun is the father of modern fiction. Without him, you don’t have Henry Miller, Sherwood Anderson, Hemingway or F. Scott Fitzgerald. Mysteries was a great influence on Korea: How You Feel — the outsider, loner trying to navigate his way through an unknown place.

Do you have a target reader?

I’d say anyone who is an expatriate or has lived abroad in a closed society would enjoy the book. But in general, anybody who is left of center would like the book. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I try to write every morning before I go to work when my mind is fresh. Otherwise, the day and its events color what I write. I have post-it notes all over my wall above my writing table. I use them to remind me what to write that day or what I need to add to the book.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

Not really. I use my post-it notes as a guide. The main thing I do is to stop writing before I finish my thoughts for that day. Then write down what I need to do the next morning when I start writing again. I stole that from Hemingway. He said something to the effect of “if you stop writing before you finish and leave some for the next day, you won’t get blocked.”

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I wait until I finish the first draft before I edit. Otherwise, I may deter the original flow of the book.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes. I had a friend who is a professional journalist who makes his living writing the crime beat. I figured if anybody was going to help me to be more concise, it would be a person who constantly deals with word counts and word limits.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Yes. It all depends on what kind of book I’m writing. For Korea: How You Feel, I had My Top Rated on iTunes playing randomly. So, there was a wide range of genres playing, from John Coltrane and Albert Ayler to The Replacements and Kraftwerk. Plus, I’m a big fan of traditional music from all over the world. So, it was a pretty eclectic mix playing.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yeah, I played the query game. It exhausted me and I gave up.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I got tired of writing query letters and sending them. It felt like a waste of time. I mean, if I got an actual response from an agent that was a victory. Most agents don’t even have the courtesy to write rejections.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Luckily, I have a friend who has been a graphic designer for over 20 years. I gave him a photo from another friend of mine, with my idea for the book cover, and let my friend design the cover.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

It’s a trial and error approach. I market on social networks a lot, in expatriate groups. I think each book has its own audience and finding that audience has to be done by trial and error.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Do it. You are in complete control of the whole process. The publishing industry is going the same way as the record industry. The only thing you’ll miss is the marketing department of a publishing house.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was a welcomed relief to escape — I’d say over 2/3 of my high school graduating class still lives there. I don’t understand how people can live their lives in one place.

Where do you live now?

I split my time between Spain and South Korea. I’m planning to move to Spain within the next couple of years.

What would you like readers to know about you?

That I enjoy life as an expatriate and that I try to write books, which are different in style from each other. Why would anyone want to write the same style or genre of book? I never have understood the book factories like James Patterson or David Baldacci.

What are you working on now?

I have a bohemian tale of attraction set in Paris, called What a Day for a Night, slated for publication this upcoming autumn. I stole the title from a Paul Westerberg song. It’s a day-in-the-life kind of thing told through the male narrator. It started of as a screenplay and turned into a novella. If you like art-house cinema tales of attraction, you’ll enjoy it.

I also sent a manuscript, based on my childhood growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia in the 1970s, to my editor. We’ll start working on that this summer.

End of interview:

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Get your copy of Korea: How You Feel from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook).