Ask the Author: Stuart G. Yates
Answered Questions (8)
Stuart G. Yates
I have so many! Some have already been at the core of several of my books, but to tell which is which would be giving too much away. But, I do feel it is important that you write about what you know best - and that has to be yourself!
Stuart G. Yates
hi Martin!
Yes, I've thought about this myself. I think, first of all, that Western readers seem to be a very loyal lot. They appreciate good stories and come back to certain authors time and time again. There is something eternally romantic about the Western and, if it is a well-written, authentic tale, this is much appreciated.
But, to be honest, I don't really know. I love Westerns myself and always wanted to write one. Now that I have, I can't see myself doing much else!
Yes, I've thought about this myself. I think, first of all, that Western readers seem to be a very loyal lot. They appreciate good stories and come back to certain authors time and time again. There is something eternally romantic about the Western and, if it is a well-written, authentic tale, this is much appreciated.
But, to be honest, I don't really know. I love Westerns myself and always wanted to write one. Now that I have, I can't see myself doing much else!
Stuart G. Yates
Disappearing into a fantasy world of ones own making! Escape. In the worlds I create, I have total freedom to put my characters in the most awful situations, watch them struggle to overcome their problems, have them fall in love, feel fear, do all the things I wish I could have done! I love it.
Stuart G. Yates
Whoa...I don't know! I sound an idiot don't I, but I honestly do not know. It's something I've always wanted to do. I remember when I was 13, sitting in my school classroom, and, during an English lesson, the teacher, dear old Tony Clarke, walking around asking everyone what they were reading. The boy in front of me, can't remember his name, something Mason...anyway, Mr Clarke asked him if he ever read his dad's books. I perked up. His dad wrote books! My God...so I started thinking...Wouldn't it be fantastic to write books, get them published, have someone, somewhere read one of mine in a classroom one day...I love writing, telling stories, etc. Always have. And now, that's what I do. Not to any great success, but I keep trying! I just love writing. It would be nice if more people shared my stories, but hey, selling books is secondary to the sheer buzz of creating.
Stuart G. Yates
I don't know. I never know when it comes to pure fiction. By this I mean, a work of total imagination. When I'm working on historical fiction, it's so much easier, because the story already exists. I merely have to fill in the blanks! But, say with 'Unflinching', my forthcoming Western, I simply had this idea about a Pinkerton Detective travelling across America. I had to think, 'why would he be sent to the West'. So, I thought up a simple idea. And once the idea was set, that was it, the entire story told itself. I've loved watching films since I don't remember when, and films have taught me so much about how to develop stories. Westerns in particular. So, I suppose it was only natural that one day I would write - and now I have. The challenge now is what to write about for my next one. The same character, or someone completely different? Time will tell.
Stuart G. Yates
This is one of those questions that always gets bounced around. I don't get 'writer's block'. I do not understand how you can! I sometimes get stuck in a scene, or lose concentration, but I'm never 'blocked'. I simply go away, have a cup of coffee, stare out to the surrounding hills, dream...Dreaming is good! Sometimes I don't want to write. I'm fed up, or I'm sick. But that's different. Once I'm inside a story, it simply will not let me go. So I write. And write. And that's it.
Stuart G. Yates
Read. This may sound a somewhat crass answer, but to be a good writer, you must read GREAT books. Read for pleasure, but also read to critically analyse how great authors build plot, develop characters, engage readers. Study sentence structure. Grammar is important, but don't get too bogged down. Try and imagine your reader is sitting opposite you, listening to you, so 'show' them what happens, draw them in, reveal the details but not too many. Always try and leave you chapters on a cliff-edge.
Stuart G. Yates
The 4th in my Varangian series. I've only just finished my very first Western, which is with the publisher right now!
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