Ask the Author: Jim Kroepfl
Answered Questions (5)
Jim Kroepfl
Go to your bookshelf or that pile of books by your bed and determine what kind of story you love to read, whether that's fantasy, science fiction, romance, etc. If you write a novel, you're going to spend so much time in that world, it had better be the kind of story you really enjoy. Also, really spend some time thinking about your story. Make sure it really has something interesting and thought-provoking to grab a reader's interest. But, above all, make your readers care!
Jim Kroepfl
The best inspiration for writing is having a good idea. This takes brainstorming and plotting. When it comes time to write a chapter, I'm just so excited to fall into the story world. Even though I generally know what I need to write, I am always surprised by what happens when the words begin to flow. Something unexpected always comes up.
Another technique I use to build inspiration is music. Stephanie likes to write to soft music, but I need fast-tempo, jam-oriented music, such as the Allman Brothers. I usually use the same music for a project, so when I'm writing a novel, I might listen to the same album literally hundreds of times. The best part about this is that when that music comes on, it helps put my brain into the story almost immediately. I hear those guitars and "it's time to make the donuts."
Another technique I use to build inspiration is music. Stephanie likes to write to soft music, but I need fast-tempo, jam-oriented music, such as the Allman Brothers. I usually use the same music for a project, so when I'm writing a novel, I might listen to the same album literally hundreds of times. The best part about this is that when that music comes on, it helps put my brain into the story almost immediately. I hear those guitars and "it's time to make the donuts."
Jim Kroepfl
We're working on two projects right now. The first is the sequel to Merged, which we are calling Re-Merged as a working title. The second is a dystopian story of a young girl who travels to the Pacific Garbage Patch with her husband and his brother to establish a new homestead for their religious sect back on the troubled continent. This began as a short story which will be published in an anthology this fall, and we are currently developing it into a novel.
Jim Kroepfl
Stephanie and I came up with Merged after a good friend passed away. Near the end, he told us so many stories about his life that we didn't know. We began to think about how all the knowledge and experience that evaporates when someone dies. What if it didn't have to be that way. What if you could actually keep your consciousness alive?
Another major element is when we heard politicians say, "Corporations are people." So, what happens when one starts adopting talented teens to advance science?
Another major element is when we heard politicians say, "Corporations are people." So, what happens when one starts adopting talented teens to advance science?
Jim Kroepfl
I don't get writer's block. This is because Stephanie and I spend a lot of time plotting our stories. We need to do this since we write together and we both need to know where the story is going and what is driving the characters. When we sit down to write, we know what we have to get done.
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