Ask the Author: Eric Matheny
Answered Questions (6)
Eric Matheny
If I get blocked I try to throw a twist into the plot. This invigorates the creative process as it allows you to change gears.
Eric Matheny
I went to college with a guy who drove drunk into a car parked on the side of the highway and killed two people. He then ran from the scene on foot but was arrested. He is serving 26 years in prison.
I thought to myself, what if that happened but the perpetrator got away? I went from there.
I thought to myself, what if that happened but the perpetrator got away? I went from there.
Eric Matheny
More often than not, by reading. I'll see what a writer is doing and it gets me motivated.
Eric Matheny
I'll give more details when it appears that I actually may finish the project. I am prone to start lots of books, get between 60-200 pages in, and realize it's not going anywhere. Since I don't plot too far ahead, it's really a trial and error process for me. I wish I were more precise but I've been doing it this way for 12 years and like most writers, I am a creature of habit.
Eric Matheny
Read everything you can get your hands on. See what techniques authors employ. Don't blatantly copy an author's style but allow yourself to be inspired and open to new ideas. There are several books I can pinpoint that literally changed the way I write.
Master the craft. Write lots, even if you never intend to do anything with it. Don't delete old, unpublished, or partial manuscripts. There are lots of occasions where you may be able to use some of that work later on. There were several parts in THE VICTIM that I had written in previously unpublished manuscripts. If the writing is strong, save it for later.
And lastly. Never give up.
Master the craft. Write lots, even if you never intend to do anything with it. Don't delete old, unpublished, or partial manuscripts. There are lots of occasions where you may be able to use some of that work later on. There were several parts in THE VICTIM that I had written in previously unpublished manuscripts. If the writing is strong, save it for later.
And lastly. Never give up.
Eric Matheny
You don't have to wear pants while doing it and your parents can still be proud of you.
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