Ask the Author: R.R. Scott
Answered Questions (6)
R.R. Scott
The idea for my second Adam Cole novel, which I'm still re-drafting, came out of the murder mystery surrounding Mary Rogers in 1840s New York which Poe made famous. But that idea has spun and twisted hundreds of new threads, making the book completely original from the facts of the Mary Rogers case.
R.R. Scott
It keeps my curiosity and powers of observation strong in every day life. And I have the advantage of taking and doing it just about anywhere, as my workspace is largely in my head. I always have a small notebook and pen to scribble things down any time, anywhere when required. And writing gives me the biggest sense of relief and satisfaction over anything else I do. Getting my first story published was such an immensely self-rewarding feeling - no other occupation has given me that.
R.R. Scott
Quite often I suffer it, some times for weeks or months. But I'm my own worse enemy in that regard. I don't think I really get writer's block per say, as I always have ideas and things to write - I just get lazy with writing, and attribute that to writer's block.
R.R. Scott
Usually through reading. Reading other books makes me want to write! As do news stories and non-fiction works, which help generate kernels of ideas which my brain tries to pop and butter into storylines. Long periods of boredom, in which I realize writing is a better alternative than being bored, often inspire me too.
R.R. Scott
Right now, I'm finishing up the second draft of my second Adam Cole novel, researching and writing an outline for the third, all while still working on finding an agent for the first. I'm also constantly developing and writing Adam Cole short stories. My process is quite long for all of it, as I always do outlines and first drafts by hand. The second drafts get typed up, on my laptop in the case of my novels, and on my 1940 Remington Rand portable typewriter in the case of my short stories, which then get rewritten on to computer after that.
R.R. Scott
One hundred different writers could give you 100 different pieces of advice, all valid but not all necessarily applicable to you. Aside from the usual advice of always keep writing, don't let rejection get you down, etc, I think the best piece of advice applicable to anybody wanting to write is to read - a lot. Read the books you enjoy and are comfortable with but also step outside your boundaries, learn new things and see how other authors in various genres do it. It will all help you in informing your writing. Always read, always learn from what you read, and always ensure you continue to grow as a writer, even if you write for decades. Believe in yourself but never let yourself believe you're good enough to stop improving.
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