In Conversation with Robert Premus

Only in the last few years, I’ve found how much I love writing. I’ve created worlds and alternative universes where I clearly identify with the protagonists. Their goals, pain, struggle have come from my own life and even though I’m the one that wrote it, many times I hadn’t realized what I had been through until I had seen it on the page.

I’ve been writing for about fifteen years. I started in my mid twenties, always knowing I had creativity but living in a environment that wouldn’t allow or foster anything outside of being told what to do. So, I broke away from the family, leaving the farm to live in town where although I did find a few with talent, they wasted away in the pubs and any minor success they had achieved, was pissed away.

I went Exploration Drilling. For nine years I worked hard, meet some good and very bad people. I traveled all over Australia, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Working in the desert, living on a tropical island, learning to flying a plane was just part of the fun. I went to the U.S. and loved it so much, I got an apartment in Las Vegas, the perfect place to unwind and forget about work.

While living in the States, I spent time in L.A. learning about screenwriting and what the market wanted. I found screenwriting was what I needed, it’s structure, it’s progression, it showed how to move the story forward in a basic point form that allows a writer to map out the story and see what areas may need tweaking.

Way back when I was in High School, I wrote a story about a guy that drowned in the mine shaft near Sunny Corner, not far from Bathurst. Later with mining experience, I found that the old mine shaft would be more then worth reopening. That thought started the story of Pretty Ridge. A cold bastard place that had very few good memories for me. Nothing seemed to go right there which in turn set the scene. Research showed a cold snap in May of 1853 took hundreds of lives over night. During the 1850’s gold rush, about 8000 lives were lost and very little detail remains of the time.

At the end of 2011, I had enough of drilling, I lost the love of adventure and just needed to go home for a while.

At the end of 2014, I quit my job at Kelso High Campus as a Handyman and decided to solely focus on my writing career. Even though being a Handyman at a High School built out of Gyprock(Drywall) was tough and I loved it. Dealing with the kids and seeing the fight with their demons and issues, has shown me, with a little love and encouragement, the world is anyone’s oyster. I’m great believer in education, personal & spiritual development go hand in hand with life experience.

I have written hundreds of short stories, a few screenplays and completed my first novel THEM, has been published through Balboa Press.

indieactivity: Did you describe your writing?
Robert Premus (RP): I tend to use the WHAT IF method, I use my experiences and then say, what if this happened to this person because of this situation and then that happens … what do they do? The stories I have written, all have elements from my life, what I’ve seen, where I’ve traveled and I’ve experienced.

How did you get into writing?
Robert Premus (RP): What I have been Anger Management. I would write what angered me and what I needed to sort the problem out … in a non violent way.

Did you study writing?
Robert Premus (RP): I did a few courses online WritingClasses.com Gotham Writer’s Workshop was fantastic, I highly recommend them. I read a lot of books on fiction writing, screenwriting, filmmaking, acting, poetry and songwriting. I also joined a local writing group, went to conferences, Creative Screenwriting and talked to every writer that I could.

What do you do to get an idea that you can turn into a screenplay?
Robert Premus (RP): Drink Coffee. I live above a Cafe, that helps a lot. I’ve that work and family stress destroys my creativity, so I have to be alone, calm and as I relax with a good cup of coffee my mind opens.

Describe a few wrong impressions writers indulge in?
Robert Premus (RP): You will sell a screenplay for a million dollars – WRONG. If you want to write screenplays, become a filmmaker. I will book a become rich and never need to work again – WRONG. 99% of writers struggle for money.

Do you often take courses to improve your craft?
Robert Premus (RP): All the time, I never stop learning. Pilar Alessandra is a great teaching and script consultant. Robert McKee’s book Story is amazing. Stephen King, On Writing is absolutely worth reading, I think I’ve read it twelve times.

What books do you read?
Robert Premus (RP): I read everything. I read for fact and I read for pleasure. Matthew Reilly, Clive Cussler, Kim Kelly and Andy McNab

What do you do to keep in shape as a writer?
Robert Premus (RP): When I want to write, I don’t watch TV, for some strange reason TV drains my creativity.

When you are offered a ply to write, what is your routine?
Robert Premus (RP): Get up at 5am and for until 7am before i go to work, weekends and days off, I’ll write in to the morning until about lunchtime then go do something else. I need a break or the writing tends to go weird

How do you develop a character in a script?
Robert Premus (RP): I think about them, who they are and what they want. I’ll write a few lines about their life, experiences and goals, then go from there

What is the most memorable character you have created?
Robert Premus (RP): “Phil Green” from A Certain Direction. He’s the kid I wish I was.

What do you want from a director during production?
Robert Premus (RP): A lot of directors change everything to own the story, if they can do that, then write the damn thing yourself

Do you get offers from film industries?
Robert Premus (RP): Nope

What do you think a writer can do to get into the industry?
Robert Premus (RP): Become famous, then Hollywood will offer to help you.

Who is you favourite writer?
Robert Premus (RP): Matthew Reilly – The Great Zoo of China was fantastic

Why?
Robert Premus (RP): Clear, clean writing. He gets to the point. He doesn’t over describe and repeat or question the character’s actions

What is the most memorable character you have created?
Robert Premus (RP): Patience and open mindedness. With both, successful playing can occur and magic is more likely to occur

What advice would you give to amateur writers around the world?
Robert Premus (RP): Write for yourself, not an elusive payday.

Briefly write about your career?
Robert Premus (RP): I am a Writer, a Designer and Uncle. I love creativity. Whether a person expresses their talent through the Arts, Construction, Engineering or Leadership, everyone should have the chance to shine. I love the written and visual language of story. I will do whatever I can to help those that ask for it.