Ask the Author: Brian Perry
Answered Questions (3)
Brian Perry
Getting inspired to write is pretty easy for me. Actually sitting down and writing is a heck of a lot harder though!
I mean, to me, the world is pretty inspiring. I live my life, I meet interesting people, I go interesting places, I read interesting stuff, and after all that I can’t help but have all kinds of thoughts bouncing around in my head just dying to get out.
There’s a decent sized gap in between inspiration and production though, so the next trick for me is actually sitting in my chair and pecking away at my laptop. That part isn’t as easy for me, but what works is simply this: I ask myself whether, on my death bed, I am going to feel good about having acted on my inspiration.
Or conversely, am I going to be old and gray and filled with regret for all the dreams I didn’t pursue.
To me, the fear of that regret is more powerful than my inherent laziness, and usually that’s enough to get me writing again.
I mean, to me, the world is pretty inspiring. I live my life, I meet interesting people, I go interesting places, I read interesting stuff, and after all that I can’t help but have all kinds of thoughts bouncing around in my head just dying to get out.
There’s a decent sized gap in between inspiration and production though, so the next trick for me is actually sitting in my chair and pecking away at my laptop. That part isn’t as easy for me, but what works is simply this: I ask myself whether, on my death bed, I am going to feel good about having acted on my inspiration.
Or conversely, am I going to be old and gray and filled with regret for all the dreams I didn’t pursue.
To me, the fear of that regret is more powerful than my inherent laziness, and usually that’s enough to get me writing again.
Brian Perry
Everyone is afraid when they start out, and in fact I'm sure even best selling authors worry that "this time" readers won't like their book. I let that fear hold me back for years, until I finally decided that given a choice between:
A) Trying and failing and having everyone hate what I did, and
B) Lying on my deathbed and wondering what might have been
Well, I'll choose option "A" every time.
A) Trying and failing and having everyone hate what I did, and
B) Lying on my deathbed and wondering what might have been
Well, I'll choose option "A" every time.
Brian Perry
I don't really get writer's block, but I do get plain old lazy! The key for me is just to sit down with my laptop and start typing. Once I do that, the words usually flow.
Once I'm writing, or thinking about writing, my problem usually isn't writer's block. The bigger challenge for me is that I often have so many ideas and thoughts bouncing around in my head that I need to sort through the noise and pick just one thought or concept to focus on.
Once I'm writing, or thinking about writing, my problem usually isn't writer's block. The bigger challenge for me is that I often have so many ideas and thoughts bouncing around in my head that I need to sort through the noise and pick just one thought or concept to focus on.
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