Local author is highly disciplined

Holly Bell

From the West JordanJournal, December 2002

Ken Rand has probably written several pages on his next literary piece by the time most of us are getting out of bed.

The West Jordan resident has written 12 books, 100 short stories, 200 humor columns and numerous articles and interviews. He recently began what he calls his first "mainstream novel" and plans to have it done by Christmas. Meanwhile, on any given day he may have 40 or so manuscripts in the hands of publishers all over the world. Productivity and finishing what he starts are Ken's bywords.

"Somebody somewhere wants what you are writing," said Rand, who tries to put a manuscript in the mail every day, whether it is something new or something revised for a different publisher. "Start writing and then finish it...many writers simply don't finish what they write and so don't get published," he said.

His most recent publication is a collection of five stories, Tales of the Lucky Nickel Saloon, published by Yard Dog Press, a small publisher that concentrates on what Rand terms "eccentric" or fantasy literature.

The five tales revolve around the said saloon in Old West Laramie, Wyoming. Originally the five stories were separate and appeared in such publications as the French fantasy magazine Fairies and on-line at Gothic.net. Rand reworked the pieces, tying the stories to each other and Yard Dog published them as one related anthology. He termed the collection "not great literature but great entertainment."

Rand said he began writing when he was four and has never stopped. Professionally he worked for 30 years in newspapers, radio, and public relations in Utah and Wyoming. He moved back to West Jordan in 1992 and has supported his "semi-full time" writing by conducting writing seminars and working part-time at the Kearns Library.

But only on an afternoon or evening shift. For in the morning is when Rand lets his creative juices flow, "producing words," as he calls it. His goal is 1,000 words or four to six pages of work every morning, and he often uses dreams from the night before as a basis for his current piece.

In the late morning or afternoon, Rand turns to the more mundane task of doing his self-marketing and public relations work and his editing. Thirty years of journalism have made him look to make his work "accurate, clear, and brief."

"Revision is important," said Rand who tries to cut out about 10 per cent of what he writes: hence the name of another short book, on writing, called The 10% Solution published by Fairwood Press and used by Rand in his writing seminars.

While Rand has enjoyed success with his fantasy writing -- "every trip to the mail box is an adventure, hoping there is a check" -- he is also seeking the big "break through."

That next novel, the one to be done by Christmas? Well, Rand said it would be written to a broader audience. It will be about an auto daredevil thrill show, which was where Rand worked for several seasons doing public relations.

"I don't want to be totally typecast (in fantasy)," he said. "My long range goal is to publish commercially and have fun."

Reprinted with the kind permission of the author

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