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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Karl Willett discusses his memoir, A Good Life: The Perception of Perfection, which shares his experience with schizophrenia and emphasizes that it is merely one aspect of a person’s multifaceted human experience.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed Karl Lorenz Willett about his life and career, the experiences that inspired him to write his memoir, A Good Life, and his writing process.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
I am a guy who has a unique perspective to contribute meaningfully in life after attempting suicide because I did not like the world order, and society appeared to be led by a gloomy ideology. With Man’s inhumanity to man, the wars, crime and discrimination, I felt I did not belong here.
I survived, thank God, and embraced every learning opportunity my life experiences had given me. I acquired knowledge of theoretical and pragmatic concepts of living a good life on earth.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
I was in secondary education, and I wrote essays and provided feedback on books I read or oral stories told to us. I gained excellent marks from the English language teacher, and it was there that I first thought I could write a book. However, I failed my CSE exam and gave up on the idea of writing a story.
When did you take a step to start writing?
It was not until I was idle and unemployed that I returned to a primary learning English class. The tutor encouraged me to write a novel, but I could not imagine or create fictional characters, so I wrote an authentic autobiography.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
I began writing in 1982. I handwrote the journal for thirty-four years and sent a sample of my raw and unedited writing to a publisher. It was liked, so I set about typing up a 280,000-word manuscript in less than six months and self-edited the pages where I felt I must omit them.
How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?
It has taken me nine more years, from 2016 to 2025, to write the rest of my story. I started with a self-edited print in 2021 and progressed to finally having an entirely professionally edited one.
Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write A Good Life?
It continues following the thread of my ongoing journey with schizophrenia. A mental health condition that has profoundly shaped my life and perspective. This journey, coupled with my belief in a God in the universe rather than the cosmos without one, forms the core of the book’s narrative. I hope it may help others without purpose or meaning, and have philosophical inquiries and spirituality to accept God in everything. Writing my own story was therapeutic for me.
What were your biggest challenges with writing A Good Life?
I wrote and rewrote to learn the craft of writing well, and I self-edited my work to maintain authenticity and remove grammatical errors; they were the most significant challenges.
What was your research process for A Good Life?
Because the book is based on memories and current life experiences, lived experiences happening during various months as my life story and ideology unfolded over the years, facts were checked using the World Wide Web and by listening to lectures on my subject of interest.
How did you plan the structure of A Good Life?
I structured it in a chronology as I shifted from theme to theme.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did A Good Life need?
Yes, I had support with editing. Although I first did rewrites, I exhausted my self-editing process by going back and forth through the story umpteen times. Then, two highly skilled independent professional editors copyedited and proofread the manuscript to keep it as close to perfection as possible by eliminating poor grammar and spelling mistakes. I took their advice where they thought the writing was ambiguous or too wordy and changed it.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a book?
Determine what type of book you want to write and understand why, and then build a writing routine.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
Due to the cost of self-publishing a book, I thought there must be another way to get my writing/ voice to my audience again without the costly expense of self-publishing. From time to time, I shall post a blog or article related to my values and ideology on my website, www.karllorenzwillett.co.uk
I will also continue to track my growth as I approach the departure lounge, where my human lifespan ends.
And finally, are you proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
Yes! Of course, thumbs up. I am thrilled to reach this goal of having such ambitious dreams and then working hard to achieve them, although the ups and downs of life have thrown curveballs. With two professionally edited books that are voluminous, the accomplishment feels amazing. I persevered through the trials and tribulations of life and eventually reached a goal, and I continued to learn and grow. Bravo!
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3G2Zteo
Kindle: https://amzn.to/42CP7uy
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4lkMViy
https://www.waterstones.com/author/karl-lorenz-willett/5045226
https://www.everand.com/author/549996477/Karl-Lorenz-Willett
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