Ask the Author: Karin Bishop
Answered Questions (17)
Karin Bishop
Thank you for asking. I know that it’s customary to say, “Yes, I’m fine, thanks; and you?” but truth is in order. I’ve had a series of medical problems in the last few years; not as bad as some but enough to affect my life and my writing output. Chief among them is The Big C, but what’s particularly frustrating is neuropathy affecting the fingers on both hands, making typing more difficult and much slower. Frustrating, too. I’ve tried various forms of speech-to-text (doing some of that now) but they always involve a lot of editing afterwards, which ‘takes me out of the flow’. I’ll have to proofread this as well and hope for the best.
Oh, and I hope you’re well!
Karin
Oh, and I hope you’re well!
Karin
Karin Bishop
I have been on cruise ships, but that was many years ago and I'm sure the industry has changed, although it was correct at the time I wrote the Ports books. On my very first cruise, I quickly grew tired of the obligatory and repetitive chatting among the strangers I was seated with at meals (are there really that many insurance salesmen and Mary Kay reps?) and found the musicians/entertainers and staff far more delightful to talk with--once I showed my genuine interest. They were filled with wonderful stories from ships around the world.
To answer your question: Yes, I have played piano for years, but I'm more of a 'piano player' than 'pianist' (struggled with guitar, but that's another book series) and only wish I could play at the level of Taylor! And thank you for reading my books!
(PS: The 'crew culture' varies from line to line, even those owned by the same conglomerate, and will determine how freely the staff will chat with you. Cunard is stuffier than Carnival, for instance. Within any given line, the itinerary largely determines the age; Alaska will have older passengers than the Bahamas, and so on. Cruise length is a big indicator, obviously; everything's different on a 9-day transatlantic cruise, compared to a 3-day run to Cabo.
To determine the type of passenger and staff I wanted to spend time with, I learned to study the brochures and websites, not just for itineraries, room size and prices, but to look for formal dressing while dining, whether children were in the photos, did they promote lectures or waterslides, historical tours or ziplining, and so on--and one travel agent even advised me to look for the color of passenger hair!)
To answer your question: Yes, I have played piano for years, but I'm more of a 'piano player' than 'pianist' (struggled with guitar, but that's another book series) and only wish I could play at the level of Taylor! And thank you for reading my books!
(PS: The 'crew culture' varies from line to line, even those owned by the same conglomerate, and will determine how freely the staff will chat with you. Cunard is stuffier than Carnival, for instance. Within any given line, the itinerary largely determines the age; Alaska will have older passengers than the Bahamas, and so on. Cruise length is a big indicator, obviously; everything's different on a 9-day transatlantic cruise, compared to a 3-day run to Cabo.
To determine the type of passenger and staff I wanted to spend time with, I learned to study the brochures and websites, not just for itineraries, room size and prices, but to look for formal dressing while dining, whether children were in the photos, did they promote lectures or waterslides, historical tours or ziplining, and so on--and one travel agent even advised me to look for the color of passenger hair!)
Karin Bishop
I'm glad you liked the story; I've wanted to sneak in some Gilbert & Sullivan since I love their operettas. On a less happy note, health issues have seriously impacted my writing, and I have nowhere near the input I did have in the past. I've been struggling for years now on a sequel to "Western Sunset" and don't know if that will happen. However, I already HAVE set "Pirates" in my To Do box to expand upon. Perhaps it will happen, and your message adds urgency.
In the meantime, I hope you're well and thank you for your message.
In the meantime, I hope you're well and thank you for your message.
Karin Bishop
(Some of this you may already know)
The last few years have been hard or devastating for so many, that my own situation pales, but it's affected "my literary output", to sound high-falutin'. Some health problems, some financial ones, and my writing routine was severely disrupted. I had to fall back on writing-for-hire to get through the pandemic, with little time for my own.
That mea culpa aside, I'm about halfway through the continuation (I avoid the word 'sequel' if I can) of Western Sunset. And my routine has been to set a completed book aside for a month, let it lie fallow, and then edit it with fresh eyes ... which pushes publication back further.
Western Sunset was finished at the start of 2020 and then that fallow bit, final edit, and it was published in July. I'd already started blocking out the follow-up, continuing Liz's story, and chose to ignore the existence of COVID, thinking that things were too grim and readers wouldn't want to dwell on it -- and that maybe we'd get it contained in a few months.
But the pandemic went on and on, so after careful consideration -- and reading other authors' discussions on writing blogs, where "To acknowledge the virus or not" was a major topic for contemporary fiction -- I dismantled the book and rebuilt it. It now takes place in the summer of '20; now that things have relaxed, it's odd revisiting life when there was no toilet paper in the stores.
Still plodding along with the book. Sorry I don't have a firmer answer!
(Some of this you may already know)
The last few years have been hard or devastating for so many, that my own situation pales, but it's affected "my literary output", to sound high-falutin'. Some health problems, some financial ones, and my writing routine was severely disrupted. I had to fall back on writing-for-hire to get through the pandemic, with little time for my own.
That mea culpa aside, I'm about halfway through the continuation (I avoid the word 'sequel' if I can) of Western Sunset. And my routine has been to set a completed book aside for a month, let it lie fallow, and then edit it with fresh eyes ... which pushes publication back further.
Western Sunset was finished at the start of 2020 and then that fallow bit, final edit, and it was published in July. I'd already started blocking out the follow-up, continuing Liz's story, and chose to ignore the existence of COVID, thinking that things were too grim and readers wouldn't want to dwell on it -- and that maybe we'd get it contained in a few months.
But the pandemic went on and on, so after careful consideration -- and reading other authors' discussions on writing blogs, where "To acknowledge the virus or not" was a major topic for contemporary fiction -- I dismantled the book and rebuilt it. It now takes place in the summer of '20; now that things have relaxed, it's odd revisiting life when there was no toilet paper in the stores.
Still plodding along with the book. Sorry I don't have a firmer answer!
Karin Bishop
Yes, but with an asterisk after that ...
The last few years have been hard or devastating for so many, that my own situation pales, but it's mine. Some health problems, some financial ones, and my writing routine was severely curtailed. Nerve problems have slowed typing, for one example. But I had to do writing-for-hire to get through the pandemic, with little time for my own.
That mea culpa aside, I'm more than halfway through a continuation (I avoid the word 'sequel' if I can) to Western Sunset; the further adventures of Liz Fleming. At this time, all I can say about completion is "...some time in the spring?" I started it and ignored COVID, thinking that things were too grim and readers wouldn't want to dwell on it (and maybe we'd get it contained in a few months). Then the pandemic went on and on; after careful consideration--and a lot of other authors' discussions on writing blogs -- where "To acknowledge the virus or not" was a major topic -- I dismantled the book and rebuilt it. It now takes place in the summer of '20; now that things have relaxed, it's odd revisiting life when there was no toilet paper in the stores!
Still wear my mask, though.
The last few years have been hard or devastating for so many, that my own situation pales, but it's mine. Some health problems, some financial ones, and my writing routine was severely curtailed. Nerve problems have slowed typing, for one example. But I had to do writing-for-hire to get through the pandemic, with little time for my own.
That mea culpa aside, I'm more than halfway through a continuation (I avoid the word 'sequel' if I can) to Western Sunset; the further adventures of Liz Fleming. At this time, all I can say about completion is "...some time in the spring?" I started it and ignored COVID, thinking that things were too grim and readers wouldn't want to dwell on it (and maybe we'd get it contained in a few months). Then the pandemic went on and on; after careful consideration--and a lot of other authors' discussions on writing blogs -- where "To acknowledge the virus or not" was a major topic -- I dismantled the book and rebuilt it. It now takes place in the summer of '20; now that things have relaxed, it's odd revisiting life when there was no toilet paper in the stores!
Still wear my mask, though.
Karin Bishop
Tumbling Turner Sisters, by Juliette Fay
Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult
Feversong, by Karen Marie Moning (have to finish the Fevers!)
Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman, because it's Neil Gaiman!
Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch, recommended for its cinematic qualities.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, because it's been optioned by Spielberg. I'm interested in book to screen changes.
Working my way through some Sarah Dessen books I haven't gotten to yet.
Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult
Feversong, by Karen Marie Moning (have to finish the Fevers!)
Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman, because it's Neil Gaiman!
Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch, recommended for its cinematic qualities.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, because it's been optioned by Spielberg. I'm interested in book to screen changes.
Working my way through some Sarah Dessen books I haven't gotten to yet.
Karin Bishop
A psychic/mystic/occult bookstore opened in town when I was a teenager. (My readers may recognize it in two of my books!). My friend Robin and I went there to check it out after school, and it was like The Addams Family come to life. The front door was a beaded curtain, and the single large room was filled with books and tables with paraphernalia -- candles, crystal balls, wands, and apothecary jars with unknown contents were stacked along the wall, sending strange, exotic aromas through the room.
Having just opened, there were people milling about, sampling or shopping or simply standing in groups and chatting; signs advertised readings and séances in back rooms and there was an ebb-and-flow as people went back there or emerged.
Robin and I moved through through all the shoppers; we'd look at each other wide-eyed in wonder at some things we saw and heard, and speculating about some others, our heads together in stifled giggles. I stopped to look closely at one book -- it was Jules Michelet's book on witchcraft; I remember it had a red and white cover -- and she drifted off to examine another table of crystal balls of various sizes and prices.
Robin was looking at one bowling-ball sized orb in an ornate base of dark twisted metal, and a gentleman came up to her. As we'd moved through the store, we'd heard him referred to as "The Commander" and he was old enough that we assumed it was his former military rank; some people knew him, nodded to him and paid him greater respect than one would another shopper.
This is Robin's reporting of the incident: The Commander said something like, "Beautiful, aren't they?" meaning the display of crystal balls. She agreed, and said a silly line about, "Maybe they need batteries or something, because I can't see the future!" The Commander didn't take it amiss, but said, "You don't need batteries. Just stare into the heart of it -- you can blink if you need to, but keep your eyes on the center of the crystal."
She told him that she did so, and he said, "In a moment, it will start to cloud, to swirl like a mist ... do you see it?" Robin told him yes, although she told me she saw nothing. The Commander said, "The mist will clear and you can see people ... do you see all those people in there?"
She didn't know if he meant the people in the store, reflected in the ball, or if he meant people actually inside the ball. Around this point, I looked up at them and saw him waving his hands over the ball as he talked to her, and went back to my book.
The Commander said, "See all those people? They're all inside, but that's as it should be. Your friend over there? She's not in the ball. She's not inside, and it means things will be harder for her."
Robin pulled me out of the store so quickly that the beads were swinging wildly. We heard the clattering and the angry murmurs from the people inside as we hit the sidewalk.
I should say that other than the curiosity about this new store, which we shared, Robin had never and has never show any interest in the occult. This story was unlike her; she wouldn't have made it up and I hadn't even asked, "What did the old guy want?" As it was, it was several minutes before she calmed down and told me what he'd said.
Perhaps this mystery is more of a spooky, around-the-campfire kind of incident; certainly the meaning of The Commander's diagnosis of me has troubled me for years. And is "harder" a good thing, or a bad thing? I've gone back-and-forth over possible meanings, but at least this incident has been worthwhile; I've used versions of that bookshop and gentleman in my two books that deal with the occult -- Fool Moon, and Breath of Life.
While I've used the setting, I haven't used the setup as a plot trigger, but it lends itself to several plots --
Perhaps Robin was wealthy and gullible and The Commander was working a scam on her. Or on me. Or I was in cahoots with The Commander to con Robin ...
Perhaps it was just his sales technique, but he unknowingly pisses off the Elements of the Universe and unleashes black magic ...
Perhaps Robin made it all up to worry me, to begin gaslighting me for some nefarious purpose ...
Perhaps Robin comes back later and buys the ball and begins a descent into madness, or becomes possessed ...
Many possible plots, and if anyone wants to take one of these, do so with my blessing and I'll read your book with fascination!
Having just opened, there were people milling about, sampling or shopping or simply standing in groups and chatting; signs advertised readings and séances in back rooms and there was an ebb-and-flow as people went back there or emerged.
Robin and I moved through through all the shoppers; we'd look at each other wide-eyed in wonder at some things we saw and heard, and speculating about some others, our heads together in stifled giggles. I stopped to look closely at one book -- it was Jules Michelet's book on witchcraft; I remember it had a red and white cover -- and she drifted off to examine another table of crystal balls of various sizes and prices.
Robin was looking at one bowling-ball sized orb in an ornate base of dark twisted metal, and a gentleman came up to her. As we'd moved through the store, we'd heard him referred to as "The Commander" and he was old enough that we assumed it was his former military rank; some people knew him, nodded to him and paid him greater respect than one would another shopper.
This is Robin's reporting of the incident: The Commander said something like, "Beautiful, aren't they?" meaning the display of crystal balls. She agreed, and said a silly line about, "Maybe they need batteries or something, because I can't see the future!" The Commander didn't take it amiss, but said, "You don't need batteries. Just stare into the heart of it -- you can blink if you need to, but keep your eyes on the center of the crystal."
She told him that she did so, and he said, "In a moment, it will start to cloud, to swirl like a mist ... do you see it?" Robin told him yes, although she told me she saw nothing. The Commander said, "The mist will clear and you can see people ... do you see all those people in there?"
She didn't know if he meant the people in the store, reflected in the ball, or if he meant people actually inside the ball. Around this point, I looked up at them and saw him waving his hands over the ball as he talked to her, and went back to my book.
The Commander said, "See all those people? They're all inside, but that's as it should be. Your friend over there? She's not in the ball. She's not inside, and it means things will be harder for her."
Robin pulled me out of the store so quickly that the beads were swinging wildly. We heard the clattering and the angry murmurs from the people inside as we hit the sidewalk.
I should say that other than the curiosity about this new store, which we shared, Robin had never and has never show any interest in the occult. This story was unlike her; she wouldn't have made it up and I hadn't even asked, "What did the old guy want?" As it was, it was several minutes before she calmed down and told me what he'd said.
Perhaps this mystery is more of a spooky, around-the-campfire kind of incident; certainly the meaning of The Commander's diagnosis of me has troubled me for years. And is "harder" a good thing, or a bad thing? I've gone back-and-forth over possible meanings, but at least this incident has been worthwhile; I've used versions of that bookshop and gentleman in my two books that deal with the occult -- Fool Moon, and Breath of Life.
While I've used the setting, I haven't used the setup as a plot trigger, but it lends itself to several plots --
Perhaps Robin was wealthy and gullible and The Commander was working a scam on her. Or on me. Or I was in cahoots with The Commander to con Robin ...
Perhaps it was just his sales technique, but he unknowingly pisses off the Elements of the Universe and unleashes black magic ...
Perhaps Robin made it all up to worry me, to begin gaslighting me for some nefarious purpose ...
Perhaps Robin comes back later and buys the ball and begins a descent into madness, or becomes possessed ...
Many possible plots, and if anyone wants to take one of these, do so with my blessing and I'll read your book with fascination!
Karin Bishop
Yes, a significant amount of my books feature protagonists that fit your description (not all, by any means!) and those books are usually cited at the bottom of the Amazon synopses as "A Transgender Young Adult book by Karin Bishop".
There are two reasons for these young trans girls fitting your description (although I'd hesitate to say "too-perfect"). The first is the least satisfying, and is purely objective: Readers like them. I get emails (my contact information's at the end of every book) and there are those who identify with the girls, and there are emails from parents of teens who are grateful for the stories. As to the troubled relationships with fathers, I note with joy the news articles from enlightened fathers of trans daughters -- but the fact that they are fathers is the news, not that they are accepting parents, because the accepting, supportive father, sadly, still seems a rarity. (One of the books I'm working on has a supportive father and antagonist brother)
There are as many varieties of trans girls as there are any other group. I have never written about a trans "mean girl" or bully, or a morbidly obese trans boy, or a crippled trans kid, yet those are very real people. Perhaps at one point I will try writing about someone like that, but there are other authors who cover the less happy lives many trans people live.
As to the denim skirt, I have worked with high school drama programs, and I can testify from observation (or even a day at a mall) that the denim skirt is overwhelmingly popular among teen girls -- the ones who aren't in jeans, that is. Putting on that skirt is not only a way for the trans girl to fit in better, but it's an emblem of commonality with girls her age.
And that leads to my second reason, my most important reason for my trans girls being as you described. I am primarily interested in the differences of gender roles; large and small, subtle variations or glaring oddnesses, both internally and externally.
What does my protagonist experience in the process of (to simplify) "being born a boy and living as a girl"? There are two or three stages of major worldview shifts. In two-stage, the protagonist has always known they were different-gendered, and makes that knowledge a physical reality. Or three-stage: they were living as their assigned gender, not really happy but not really questioning things, then discover that their unhappiness is gender-related. And the final shift for both types is when they are living in their proper gender. Both of these types also experience the transition phase (and, yes, that first denim skirt!).
I am most interested in what happens within the character's sense of self, as their "position in the world" becomes unfixed from their birth assignation and moves across the gender spectrum and my goodness that sounded highfalutin', didn't it?
The internal worldview shifts are matched by the external ones -- what does it mean for parents, siblings, friends, teachers, religious figures in a trans kid's life, when that "fixed position" changes for them as well?
To be overly simplistic, there are three general outcomes post-transition (I'll use trans females, assigned-at-birth as males). The first is that the trans individual still bears so many masculine physical and movement markers that they will never pass -- the "man in a dress" outcome.
The second is that they're not overtly physically masculine and have trained hard to move and speak as femininely as possible -- the "is that a man or a woman?" outcome.
The third possible post-transition outcome is acceptance by strangers as a female. This outcome is more likely to mean the transition period is easier, less fraught with danger at being "read", and so on.
That third outcome is, let's face it, far more likely with "small-framed, naturally feminine" girls (also those with certain genetic markers, such as Scandinavian or other heritage with reduced facial hair, smaller frames, etc.).
Let me state again that there are authors out there with characters that fit the first two outcomes; the books show suffering from bullies, physical abuse, and mental anguish. My personal feeling is that they are unpleasant to read -- even as they answer the demand that those kinds of stories be told -- and for me, there is an almost fetishistic obsession with their agonies.
In those kinds of books, it seems to me that the agony becomes the story, piling injustice upon misery, whereas my primary interest is the characters' movement across what I'll call "the gender acceptance spectrum" -- both their internal acceptance of Self and their external integration in society -- then, yes, a significant amount of my trans girls fit your definition.
I went into this at length because you are not the only reader that has asked this and you took the time to give specifics. For what it's worth, I also have readers write, "I love your books with adult characters; why do you waste your time writing about teenagers?"
And my final statement is that the teen years are the most fluid, the most malleable, the most transitional -- in every sense of the word! -- for all children, regardless of gender, race, religion, whatever. We are not the same people at twenty that we were at ten; we're usually not even the same at eighteen as we were at thirteen.
At no other time in life do humans go through so much flux -- it's as if there's nine months of change in the womb, and nine years of change as a teenager. The teen years are the time when children become, more or less, the adults they will be. The teen years are also the time when sexuality is discovered, and in a cosmic joke of bad-timing, it is the time when personal appearance is most critical and agonized over ("A zit?? But it's Prom!!").
It is for these reasons that I write (most of) what I write.
There are two reasons for these young trans girls fitting your description (although I'd hesitate to say "too-perfect"). The first is the least satisfying, and is purely objective: Readers like them. I get emails (my contact information's at the end of every book) and there are those who identify with the girls, and there are emails from parents of teens who are grateful for the stories. As to the troubled relationships with fathers, I note with joy the news articles from enlightened fathers of trans daughters -- but the fact that they are fathers is the news, not that they are accepting parents, because the accepting, supportive father, sadly, still seems a rarity. (One of the books I'm working on has a supportive father and antagonist brother)
There are as many varieties of trans girls as there are any other group. I have never written about a trans "mean girl" or bully, or a morbidly obese trans boy, or a crippled trans kid, yet those are very real people. Perhaps at one point I will try writing about someone like that, but there are other authors who cover the less happy lives many trans people live.
As to the denim skirt, I have worked with high school drama programs, and I can testify from observation (or even a day at a mall) that the denim skirt is overwhelmingly popular among teen girls -- the ones who aren't in jeans, that is. Putting on that skirt is not only a way for the trans girl to fit in better, but it's an emblem of commonality with girls her age.
And that leads to my second reason, my most important reason for my trans girls being as you described. I am primarily interested in the differences of gender roles; large and small, subtle variations or glaring oddnesses, both internally and externally.
What does my protagonist experience in the process of (to simplify) "being born a boy and living as a girl"? There are two or three stages of major worldview shifts. In two-stage, the protagonist has always known they were different-gendered, and makes that knowledge a physical reality. Or three-stage: they were living as their assigned gender, not really happy but not really questioning things, then discover that their unhappiness is gender-related. And the final shift for both types is when they are living in their proper gender. Both of these types also experience the transition phase (and, yes, that first denim skirt!).
I am most interested in what happens within the character's sense of self, as their "position in the world" becomes unfixed from their birth assignation and moves across the gender spectrum and my goodness that sounded highfalutin', didn't it?
The internal worldview shifts are matched by the external ones -- what does it mean for parents, siblings, friends, teachers, religious figures in a trans kid's life, when that "fixed position" changes for them as well?
To be overly simplistic, there are three general outcomes post-transition (I'll use trans females, assigned-at-birth as males). The first is that the trans individual still bears so many masculine physical and movement markers that they will never pass -- the "man in a dress" outcome.
The second is that they're not overtly physically masculine and have trained hard to move and speak as femininely as possible -- the "is that a man or a woman?" outcome.
The third possible post-transition outcome is acceptance by strangers as a female. This outcome is more likely to mean the transition period is easier, less fraught with danger at being "read", and so on.
That third outcome is, let's face it, far more likely with "small-framed, naturally feminine" girls (also those with certain genetic markers, such as Scandinavian or other heritage with reduced facial hair, smaller frames, etc.).
Let me state again that there are authors out there with characters that fit the first two outcomes; the books show suffering from bullies, physical abuse, and mental anguish. My personal feeling is that they are unpleasant to read -- even as they answer the demand that those kinds of stories be told -- and for me, there is an almost fetishistic obsession with their agonies.
In those kinds of books, it seems to me that the agony becomes the story, piling injustice upon misery, whereas my primary interest is the characters' movement across what I'll call "the gender acceptance spectrum" -- both their internal acceptance of Self and their external integration in society -- then, yes, a significant amount of my trans girls fit your definition.
I went into this at length because you are not the only reader that has asked this and you took the time to give specifics. For what it's worth, I also have readers write, "I love your books with adult characters; why do you waste your time writing about teenagers?"
And my final statement is that the teen years are the most fluid, the most malleable, the most transitional -- in every sense of the word! -- for all children, regardless of gender, race, religion, whatever. We are not the same people at twenty that we were at ten; we're usually not even the same at eighteen as we were at thirteen.
At no other time in life do humans go through so much flux -- it's as if there's nine months of change in the womb, and nine years of change as a teenager. The teen years are the time when children become, more or less, the adults they will be. The teen years are also the time when sexuality is discovered, and in a cosmic joke of bad-timing, it is the time when personal appearance is most critical and agonized over ("A zit?? But it's Prom!!").
It is for these reasons that I write (most of) what I write.
Karin Bishop
You might think it a cliche, or the easiest answer, but I'm going to say --
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. There's a reason their romance has lasted over two hundred years. The intellectual sparring, conforming to social mores but finding loopholes, the misunderstanding and realization of each other's worth ...
And a plug for the 2005 version; yes, they cut characters and condensed things, but it's like a time machine back--and the continuously flowing camera is marvelous!
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. There's a reason their romance has lasted over two hundred years. The intellectual sparring, conforming to social mores but finding loopholes, the misunderstanding and realization of each other's worth ...
And a plug for the 2005 version; yes, they cut characters and condensed things, but it's like a time machine back--and the continuously flowing camera is marvelous!
Karin Bishop
I haven't written any Fantasy as the genre is usually classified, but two of my books are classified as Paranormal. "Fool Moon" deals with People of Power, and "Breath of Life" deals with modern witches living among us. Hopefully, both books are still grounded in our normal everyday world, which I find more interesting than wizards in castles in mystical realms (although I've enjoyed reading some of those, too!)
Karin Bishop
All of my books have a trans main character. Actually, every book has a trans character, usually the protagonist, and are usually told in first person. In the majority of my books, the protagonist is teenage, but there are some with college-age or in their twenties. In Reclamation, the narrator is the older sister of the trans character. I hope you enjoy them!
Karin Bishop
See my answer for getting inspired ...
I don't deal with psychological block as much as chronological block--not finding the time to write that day because Real Life gets in the way!
What some writers call a block, for me might be the signal that I've written my characters into a corner. It might be interesting to see how they deal with it, but there is a crucial difference between them and people in corners in Real Life, and that is my supposed omniscience.
I'm SUPPOSED to know, more or less, how things develop and how they'll work out. Some books of mine have been meticulously written out--I even tried lateral timelines on a roll of butcher paper! Others, I simply fastened my seat belt and held on, transcribing rather than scripting.
With my "supposed knowledge", I might see that the corner will not allow the flow, and I take steps back (like retracing your missteps in a labyrinth), one-by-one, until I see the clear path ahead. And sometimes it KILLS me to remove the paragraphs or pages, because they might have some really good stuff in them. I've learned to copy the "corner text" and paste it in a blank doc and save it--it might be useful in another book.
Besides my docs of story ideas and snippets, I also transcribe (literally) paragraphs or sections of other writers' books that particularly struck me as Gorgeous Writing. Occasionally, if I'm feeling sluggish, I'll read a few of those for renewed energy. I recommend it, too, because rather than copying and pasting, I actually type the text, and I can SEE how they constructed their sentences, how they chose their words, to get the FEEL that made me want to keep their writing in the first place.
And then I try to write like that!
I don't deal with psychological block as much as chronological block--not finding the time to write that day because Real Life gets in the way!
What some writers call a block, for me might be the signal that I've written my characters into a corner. It might be interesting to see how they deal with it, but there is a crucial difference between them and people in corners in Real Life, and that is my supposed omniscience.
I'm SUPPOSED to know, more or less, how things develop and how they'll work out. Some books of mine have been meticulously written out--I even tried lateral timelines on a roll of butcher paper! Others, I simply fastened my seat belt and held on, transcribing rather than scripting.
With my "supposed knowledge", I might see that the corner will not allow the flow, and I take steps back (like retracing your missteps in a labyrinth), one-by-one, until I see the clear path ahead. And sometimes it KILLS me to remove the paragraphs or pages, because they might have some really good stuff in them. I've learned to copy the "corner text" and paste it in a blank doc and save it--it might be useful in another book.
Besides my docs of story ideas and snippets, I also transcribe (literally) paragraphs or sections of other writers' books that particularly struck me as Gorgeous Writing. Occasionally, if I'm feeling sluggish, I'll read a few of those for renewed energy. I recommend it, too, because rather than copying and pasting, I actually type the text, and I can SEE how they constructed their sentences, how they chose their words, to get the FEEL that made me want to keep their writing in the first place.
And then I try to write like that!
Karin Bishop
Since I don't have NYTimes bestsellers and the subsequent lifestyle ...
For me, it's the people I meet as I write, the characters (I hesitate to call them MY characters). I've been asked, "How do you come up with all the things they say and do?"
I do create them, initially, but perhaps it's like dressing a Barbie and placing her HERE and not THERE and then, somehow, life comes to her.
There is this strange wonderful moment where they speak on their own, take action on their own, and all I do is transcribe. I don't stare at the ceiling and think, "What's an appropriate pithy thing for her to say right now?" Because, hopefully, if I've done the creation properly, dressed her and placed her properly, she becomes alive and I just record what is said and done.
For me, it's the people I meet as I write, the characters (I hesitate to call them MY characters). I've been asked, "How do you come up with all the things they say and do?"
I do create them, initially, but perhaps it's like dressing a Barbie and placing her HERE and not THERE and then, somehow, life comes to her.
There is this strange wonderful moment where they speak on their own, take action on their own, and all I do is transcribe. I don't stare at the ceiling and think, "What's an appropriate pithy thing for her to say right now?" Because, hopefully, if I've done the creation properly, dressed her and placed her properly, she becomes alive and I just record what is said and done.
Karin Bishop
How much of the chemical soup between our ears determines our worldview and our sense of self? I'm interested in the connection and disconnection (or non-connection) between brain and body, especially cognitive function and genetic variations.
In each of my books, I'm interested in the protagonist's discovery of and journey to their true Self. In some, I focus more on those around the protagonist, because when in transition, those around you are transitioning as well, in how they relate to you.
All of these areas apply to Elizabeth in "Vitamins".
In each of my books, I'm interested in the protagonist's discovery of and journey to their true Self. In some, I focus more on those around the protagonist, because when in transition, those around you are transitioning as well, in how they relate to you.
All of these areas apply to Elizabeth in "Vitamins".
Karin Bishop
Write! Be read! Write some more! And read!
Karin Bishop
There are three projects in various stages, but I will only comment on the one that should be published in a month: A college psychology class leads to unexpected discoveries and a new future for a young man.
Trying to final-proof it in time for Christmas!
Trying to final-proof it in time for Christmas!
Karin Bishop
Not inspired as much as driven! I've always been writing; but this is probably more about topics/subjects/plots. The ideas come from everyday reading, watching, listening. Maybe a news article on brain research; perhaps a conversation overheard in line at the supermarket. I note it on my iPhone or record a voice memo.
I have a backlog of ideas; sometimes I'll write a page or two outline or sample dialogue.
If my current project gets stagnant or I'm in a cul-de-sac (never a dead end!) I might browse through my folder of ideas, looking for something to nudge me forward.
But the day-to-day writing? I look forward to it, each day!
I have a backlog of ideas; sometimes I'll write a page or two outline or sample dialogue.
If my current project gets stagnant or I'm in a cul-de-sac (never a dead end!) I might browse through my folder of ideas, looking for something to nudge me forward.
But the day-to-day writing? I look forward to it, each day!
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