Ask the Author: Jason Gabriel
Answered Questions (6)
Jason Gabriel
For me, characters are what inspires me. The inspiration process begins for me when I come up with a very basic idea for a character. Then I build a series of what if questions specific to the character idea. If I get some interesting answers, then my creative process takes over and I’ve got to get the character out of my head so I can sleep again! So essentially, I am inspired by three things. They are Characters, Characters and (wait for it) Characters.
Jason Gabriel
I finished doing my taxes, then the phone rang. It was the IRS.
"Snare drums in the background as the audience chuckles."
"Snare drums in the background as the audience chuckles."
Jason Gabriel
For me, writers block is a situation where I don't know my character(s) well enough, or the character just isn't working for whatever reason. It took me years to figure that out!
To avoid this, I now have what I refer to as character auditions. If a character doesn't make it past the audition, it goes in the audition file.
Sometimes I call characters up from there and get them back into the story.
I learned (in the hardest possible way) to never delete a piece of writing I've done. I never know when I might want it!
To avoid this, I now have what I refer to as character auditions. If a character doesn't make it past the audition, it goes in the audition file.
Sometimes I call characters up from there and get them back into the story.
I learned (in the hardest possible way) to never delete a piece of writing I've done. I never know when I might want it!
Jason Gabriel
I've been writing Fantasy and SciFi books for a very long time. Any writer will tell you, it's a very personal process. For me, it always generated a tremendous amount of anxiety.
I remember a story, can't remember where I saw it, but Stephen King supposedly threw an early paper draft of "Carrie" in the garbage because he thought that's where it belonged. His wife fished it out of the trash and thought it was great. The rest is history.
I'm not sure if that's just an "urban legend", but it describes perfectly what I go through with everything I write. I've always worried, that it's not good enough. I would read it then throw it in the "virtual" trash.
One day, I decided that I was tired of being afraid. I set aside my fear and shared some of my writing with a group of individuals who read the fantasy genre.
They loved it!
I never looked back.
So, I guess my advice for aspiring writers is shoot your "inner" critic and put it out there!
I remember a story, can't remember where I saw it, but Stephen King supposedly threw an early paper draft of "Carrie" in the garbage because he thought that's where it belonged. His wife fished it out of the trash and thought it was great. The rest is history.
I'm not sure if that's just an "urban legend", but it describes perfectly what I go through with everything I write. I've always worried, that it's not good enough. I would read it then throw it in the "virtual" trash.
One day, I decided that I was tired of being afraid. I set aside my fear and shared some of my writing with a group of individuals who read the fantasy genre.
They loved it!
I never looked back.
So, I guess my advice for aspiring writers is shoot your "inner" critic and put it out there!
Jason Gabriel
Currently working on book two in the shards trilogy. Now that football season is almost over, I should become more productive!
Jason Gabriel
Middle Earth of course! Whenever I need to "recharge", I crack open the Lord of the Rings and disappear into that world for a while. If I could go there, I would hang out and garden with Sam.
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