Ask the Author: Jamesjohn
Answered Questions (9)
Jamesjohn
That is what I'm writing to find out. It will take awhile...
Jamesjohn
Counteracting obscurity, deciding the next direction.
Jamesjohn
squirrel's return
Jamesjohn
Anything by Nick Hornby, then comparing them with their movies. I like to study the differences between the two formats.
Jamesjohn
I stay organized and build up a story in layers. It keeps the stumbling blocks small and manageable. I make a treatment, then a chapter outline, then a free-flowing first draft. Then I plan for several read-throughs, with the changes getting smaller and smaller, until finally I'm only rearranging the furniture and it's done. At each stage the stakes are small, which keeps the stress down.
Jamesjohn
My characters appear, sometimes do the funniest things, and I end up caring about them. As with seedlings, it's fun to watch them grow, satisfying to find what they become. Then it's exciting when they go off into the world. Maybe some of them will live on into the future.
Jamesjohn
Write, don't talk.
Do it. For you, for it, daily, consistently.
After you actually do it for a while, pushing aside all the wishing and big ideas, only then think about having it go somewhere. Get it to flow with your life first, for its own sake. Only then, for fun, let it go somewhere of it's own accord.
Do it. For you, for it, daily, consistently.
After you actually do it for a while, pushing aside all the wishing and big ideas, only then think about having it go somewhere. Get it to flow with your life first, for its own sake. Only then, for fun, let it go somewhere of it's own accord.
Jamesjohn
When I was struggling to write the second Drone Club book I took a break and first-drafted a quick novel about two of the characters. It helped me figure out some major plotlines for the series and brought in a fun new character. Now that with the Drone Club trilogy is published, I'm buffing up Stevo and Devin's adventure and am publishing episodes of their story on Kindle's Vella and soon hopefully on Radish.
Jamesjohn
It's my daily work, after coffee, feeding the neighbor's cat, and watering the garden. After I write, my day is complete. Then I'm happy to goof off or do hobbies.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more