Ask the Author: Seth A. Feldman
Answered Questions (3)
Seth A. Feldman
Currently, I'm working on Book 1 of a series called "Time a Tide", a complex fantasy-like story I've been working on for 20 years. It's gone through a lot of change and evolution in that time, but I've been able to develop a rich world with thousands of years of history and it's own cosmology and mythology. Of course, these things fit right into the plot of the series. I'm quite close with the characters by now.
The series will probably run 5 or 6 novels or varying length. Book 1: Changing Tides will be ~330 pages. Other volumes will likely be longer. Hopefully, it will be out in a few weeks.
The series will probably run 5 or 6 novels or varying length. Book 1: Changing Tides will be ~330 pages. Other volumes will likely be longer. Hopefully, it will be out in a few weeks.
Seth A. Feldman
Simple answer. The best thing for me is the ability to create. There's nothing like coming up with stories and ideas that get you excited and then finding a way to commit them to word. I've never really been bored in my life, because there's always something happening in my mind, some interesting characters to talk to or some other world to visit. Also, because ideas come from inside, having an open, analytical mind while you're working on ideas or stories can promote self-discovery.
Seth A. Feldman
I have 4 basic pieces of advice for aspiring authors.
1- Write. Write whatever you want, whenever you want. Try different styles, different perspectives, different genres. Give everything a chance, and in doing so improve your understanding of the craft. You probably won't write your Opus Maximus on your first try... Lord knows, as excited as I was about my first few attempts at a novel, they were pretty heinous... but if you really want to "get good", you need as much practice as you can get. Writing is just like being a bodybuilder, a baseball player, or a painter; without exercising the muscles involved and honing the related skills, you won't get any better. Go for it!
2- Read. A step that many people miss. Famous novelists and poets aren't just our inspiration; they're the models of excellence we look up to. No matter how much talent you were born with, you'll never hone your skills without polishing your technique. Again: a painter learns by studying art, while a ballplayer learns by being coached. A writer learns by reading. So read, and consider what you're reading. What does the author do? What does to author NOT do? Do you think you can improve on anything the author does or doesn't do? And don't just read your favorite writers; step out of your comfort zone by reading books from other genres. Familiarize yourself with the landscape.
3- Learn the language. As writers, we try to be good storytellers, and many of us have deep imaginations that bear compelling characters. But if we don't have a good command of the language we're using, our message suffers. It may be a pain in the ass, but learning proper grammar and spelling is paramount to clear communication. That's what our goal as writers is: to communicate. Everyone needs help proofreading and copy-editing, but the better you are at crafting proper and effective language, the less editing work you'll need done, and the more you can do for yourself.
Reading other authors and learning to command the language will give you more options for your tool box.
4- Interact with other writers. This is the scary part. Writers are often sensitive, thoughtful people, and when we pour of heart and soul onto a page, the fear that it will get laughed at, stomped on, and ripped apart is pretty daunting. Even now, I quake at the thought of talking to other writers, because I can never escape that fear that they'll all be better than I am. But there are supportive people in the community, and finding them can only help you. They can give you advice. They can help edit your work and develop your story. You will learn from each other by sharing knowledge and perspective, and you'll end up stronger for it. This is how you'll make contacts. You'll find people who know where the opportunities are, people who can introduce you to editors, agents, and publishers. More importantly, sharing with other writers helps to cultivate the thick skin you'll need to survive releasing your work to an audience. Feel free to keep your shield up; if you find someone you don't trust, don't show them your work. Who you bring into your presence is up to you. But it's tough to get anywhere writing in a bubble... I speak from experience... so get out there and meet your colleagues!
These are just the surface lessons. There's always more to learn. If anyone has any questions about writing or wants to discuss the topic, drop me a message.
1- Write. Write whatever you want, whenever you want. Try different styles, different perspectives, different genres. Give everything a chance, and in doing so improve your understanding of the craft. You probably won't write your Opus Maximus on your first try... Lord knows, as excited as I was about my first few attempts at a novel, they were pretty heinous... but if you really want to "get good", you need as much practice as you can get. Writing is just like being a bodybuilder, a baseball player, or a painter; without exercising the muscles involved and honing the related skills, you won't get any better. Go for it!
2- Read. A step that many people miss. Famous novelists and poets aren't just our inspiration; they're the models of excellence we look up to. No matter how much talent you were born with, you'll never hone your skills without polishing your technique. Again: a painter learns by studying art, while a ballplayer learns by being coached. A writer learns by reading. So read, and consider what you're reading. What does the author do? What does to author NOT do? Do you think you can improve on anything the author does or doesn't do? And don't just read your favorite writers; step out of your comfort zone by reading books from other genres. Familiarize yourself with the landscape.
3- Learn the language. As writers, we try to be good storytellers, and many of us have deep imaginations that bear compelling characters. But if we don't have a good command of the language we're using, our message suffers. It may be a pain in the ass, but learning proper grammar and spelling is paramount to clear communication. That's what our goal as writers is: to communicate. Everyone needs help proofreading and copy-editing, but the better you are at crafting proper and effective language, the less editing work you'll need done, and the more you can do for yourself.
Reading other authors and learning to command the language will give you more options for your tool box.
4- Interact with other writers. This is the scary part. Writers are often sensitive, thoughtful people, and when we pour of heart and soul onto a page, the fear that it will get laughed at, stomped on, and ripped apart is pretty daunting. Even now, I quake at the thought of talking to other writers, because I can never escape that fear that they'll all be better than I am. But there are supportive people in the community, and finding them can only help you. They can give you advice. They can help edit your work and develop your story. You will learn from each other by sharing knowledge and perspective, and you'll end up stronger for it. This is how you'll make contacts. You'll find people who know where the opportunities are, people who can introduce you to editors, agents, and publishers. More importantly, sharing with other writers helps to cultivate the thick skin you'll need to survive releasing your work to an audience. Feel free to keep your shield up; if you find someone you don't trust, don't show them your work. Who you bring into your presence is up to you. But it's tough to get anywhere writing in a bubble... I speak from experience... so get out there and meet your colleagues!
These are just the surface lessons. There's always more to learn. If anyone has any questions about writing or wants to discuss the topic, drop me a message.
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