Ask the Author: Ben Silver
Answered Questions (7)
Ben Silver
Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I would probably explore the reaches of Ubervald, which is home to the vampires and werewolves of that region. After collecting the proper charms for protection, I would visit the great houses of said beasties and study their culture in an anthropological sort of way. A great deal is generally known about the cultures of people who fear and hunt monsters but I would be interested in the philosophies of the monsters themselves.
Ben Silver
Write a scene for another part of the book. Usually when I am stuck it is because the moment I am writing in the story is not interesting or has no clear way forward. Writing a later scene is a tool to reverse engineer the story. It is always a good idea to have an ending in mind before beginning the story. That keeps the story from wandering off on a tangent and I find it reduces the number of plot holes that come up.
Ben Silver
I love knowing that I have done something unique. Of course all stories take inspiration from somewhere, but no one else creates exactly what I have created.
Ben Silver
Make time to sit down and write. Block off specific times when you are not checking your phone, surfing the web, or whatever. Let anyone in your life know how important that time is to you. After that, write. Do not worry if what you write its bad. All great writing is rewriting. Once you have something written, seek criticism. Most people will say, "I liked it. It was interesting," or similar. That is no help. Find people who give meaningful feedback. One benefit for me of having a teenage editor is that is not overly concerned with politeness.
Ben Silver
The last book in Bards of Abadis will be out within the next week or so. My son, who is also my editor, asked me to write more stories that happen in the same fantasy world. I have just started on the Heirs of Abadis series, the first book of which should be available by the end of the year.
Ben Silver
Getting uninspired is the real trick. I have abandoned writing more than once in life. The need to create is not something I am able to ignore.
Ben Silver
I wanted to write a book about family. Specifically, the Bards of Abadis Trilogy focuses on a nontraditional family. It is a fantasy series but buried within the magic and swordplay, a number of family dynamics play out. The characters adopt siblings, disown blood relatives, and remake the family dynamic in their own way.
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