Ask the Author: S.E. Ellis
Answered Questions (3)
S.E. Ellis
I'm currently working on the sequel to Hestia the Dreamwalker. Tentatively named Hestia the Wolfrunner. I'm about 75% of the way through the first draft and still aiming for an August release. As unsympathetic as I am to "writer's block" I have to say I went though a period of a few weeks where my personal life derailed my ability to write.
p.s. Having recovered more from his mother's death, Kuross has grown less shy and has much more agency in this book. And he's as wilful and obstinate as his sister...
p.s. Having recovered more from his mother's death, Kuross has grown less shy and has much more agency in this book. And he's as wilful and obstinate as his sister...
S.E. Ellis
At a basic level, I really enjoy being able to share stories with other. For me, being able to close that gap between who I am and who I was meant to be.
I will say though that I do love it when readers ask me, "When is the next book coming out?" I also love talking to kids about writing, so that is a nice fringe benefit.
I will say though that I do love it when readers ask me, "When is the next book coming out?" I also love talking to kids about writing, so that is a nice fringe benefit.
S.E. Ellis
I would have to defer to professionals like Stephen King and Nick Redfern for my attitude towards writer's block. If you are a writer, that is your job. You don't show up for your job and say, "I don't feel like working today". Whether you want to or not, when you're on the clock, you work.
Now, having said that, I will not pressure or delude myself that I'm doing anything other than greasing the wheels. If I'm in that position, I'm going to sit down, drink from my bottle of Coke (hecho en mexico) or a Red Bull (hecho en Austria), turn up my music to 11 (thank you Spinal Tap) and those fingers are going to start flying over the keyboard so fast all you'll see is a blur. What are they typing? I have no idea.
To paraphrase William S. Burroughs, "Your hands know more about writing than you ever will. Your job is to get out of the way and let your hands do the work."
Most likely garbage that I can't use later on, but that's the point at that time; I'm trying to flush those mental blocks out, and the only way I know how to do that is to write, write, write. Write garbage until it slowly turns into gold. It may be 4 minutes, it may be 40 minutes, it may be 4 hours, but you have to grease those wheels until that machine starts churning out the good stuff.
And where do I usually plant myself mentally before I let those hands free? Often, I'll just let the characters talk. Talk to me, or talk to each other. I've gone to GB's Fish & Chips and waited in line to order while making smalltalk with the Greek Goddess Hekate. Personally, I know that I'm "in the zone" when the characters do all the work, and I'm just taking dictation. Sometimes they need to talk to each other over lunch, or maybe take a stroll down Broadway and comment on the shops as we pass them on our way to the used book store.
Now for some reason I'm hungry for fish & chips...
Now, having said that, I will not pressure or delude myself that I'm doing anything other than greasing the wheels. If I'm in that position, I'm going to sit down, drink from my bottle of Coke (hecho en mexico) or a Red Bull (hecho en Austria), turn up my music to 11 (thank you Spinal Tap) and those fingers are going to start flying over the keyboard so fast all you'll see is a blur. What are they typing? I have no idea.
To paraphrase William S. Burroughs, "Your hands know more about writing than you ever will. Your job is to get out of the way and let your hands do the work."
Most likely garbage that I can't use later on, but that's the point at that time; I'm trying to flush those mental blocks out, and the only way I know how to do that is to write, write, write. Write garbage until it slowly turns into gold. It may be 4 minutes, it may be 40 minutes, it may be 4 hours, but you have to grease those wheels until that machine starts churning out the good stuff.
And where do I usually plant myself mentally before I let those hands free? Often, I'll just let the characters talk. Talk to me, or talk to each other. I've gone to GB's Fish & Chips and waited in line to order while making smalltalk with the Greek Goddess Hekate. Personally, I know that I'm "in the zone" when the characters do all the work, and I'm just taking dictation. Sometimes they need to talk to each other over lunch, or maybe take a stroll down Broadway and comment on the shops as we pass them on our way to the used book store.
Now for some reason I'm hungry for fish & chips...
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