Ask the Author: Rob Howell
Answered Questions (6)
Rob Howell
Thanks very much! I'll have a follow-up in the spring.
Rob Howell
Generally speaking, three things, all basically designed to free my mind to let it do its thing.
One, I try to have five or more things in process at once. That way when I get stuck with one I have others that I can work on.
Two, take a shower. Silly as it sounds, for me my mind comes up with a bunch of ideas. Plus, it's relaxing.
Three, I drive to a bunch of events. If I keep having problems with a story, I will have times during the drive where my mind is especially creative. I have a voice recorder on my phone that I record whatever comes to mind. Then, when I have a chance to listen to it, I do two things. One, cringe at hearing my voice. Two, see where those random ideas take me.
One, I try to have five or more things in process at once. That way when I get stuck with one I have others that I can work on.
Two, take a shower. Silly as it sounds, for me my mind comes up with a bunch of ideas. Plus, it's relaxing.
Three, I drive to a bunch of events. If I keep having problems with a story, I will have times during the drive where my mind is especially creative. I have a voice recorder on my phone that I record whatever comes to mind. Then, when I have a chance to listen to it, I do two things. One, cringe at hearing my voice. Two, see where those random ideas take me.
Rob Howell
Write.
Write every day. Doesn't have to be much. Even 1 page, about 250 words, adds up. You get better and faster along the way, and it starts to feed on itself.
But it's a craft and like any other craft, it requires practice. I like to say that my career path is to become an overnight sensation in five years.
I also use the analogy of pottery. My novels are 100k words long. Writing the 100k words is merely digging clay out of the ground. Then I spend months shaping, polishing, adding glaze, and in general turning those words into something I think is cool and fun. Can't do any of those things without writing the words, and you can't write 100k words in a day.
Write every day. Doesn't have to be much. Even 1 page, about 250 words, adds up. You get better and faster along the way, and it starts to feed on itself.
But it's a craft and like any other craft, it requires practice. I like to say that my career path is to become an overnight sensation in five years.
I also use the analogy of pottery. My novels are 100k words long. Writing the 100k words is merely digging clay out of the ground. Then I spend months shaping, polishing, adding glaze, and in general turning those words into something I think is cool and fun. Can't do any of those things without writing the words, and you can't write 100k words in a day.
Rob Howell
Several short stories, including one for an anthology. I am also writing the sequels to I Am a Wondrous Thing, which I have titled Brief Is My Flame and None Call Me Mother. All three titles are from a riddle in I Am a Wondrous Thing.
There's also some military science fiction bouncing around my brain that requires me to get the physics right. Once that happens, I can do the universe building, because I don't quite know how the intersteller geography will work out.
There's also some military science fiction bouncing around my brain that requires me to get the physics right. Once that happens, I can do the universe building, because I don't quite know how the intersteller geography will work out.
Rob Howell
On a daily basis, my inspiration is simply the desire to my job well. I am a writer, and will continue to be, meaning I have to do the work constantly. Writing improves after practice, and there's no doubt that my fourth book is better than my first.
Overall, what got me to writing is harder to answer. Some of it was opportunity. I had the time and skills because of my past careers. Writing and telling stories had always called to me, but were always something "to be done later." Later finally arrived.
Overall, what got me to writing is harder to answer. Some of it was opportunity. I had the time and skills because of my past careers. Writing and telling stories had always called to me, but were always something "to be done later." Later finally arrived.
Rob Howell
It's a bit hard to say exactly where my inspirations come from. One task of Where Now the Rider was to complete a story arc of my main character, Edward Aethelredson, that locked him into the city of Achrida where most of his future novels will be set.
As for the particular mystery in Where Now the Rider, it came from a hodgepodge of other mysteries, mostly from Robert B. Parker.
I can't exactly describe where the ending came from, only that I was dissatisfied with the ending for a while and kept throwing words at the page. Then, suddenly, it was there. It needed crafting and polishing, but the idea, which was a major shift for this series came from that kernel.
As for the particular mystery in Where Now the Rider, it came from a hodgepodge of other mysteries, mostly from Robert B. Parker.
I can't exactly describe where the ending came from, only that I was dissatisfied with the ending for a while and kept throwing words at the page. Then, suddenly, it was there. It needed crafting and polishing, but the idea, which was a major shift for this series came from that kernel.
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