Ask the Author: F.C. Schaefer
Answered Questions (10)
F.C. Schaefer
This is an odd answer, but the fictional world that has always fascinated me was the dystopia Stephen King creates in The Stand. I read the book decades ago now, but his description of an America where a superflu has wiped most of the population is so vivid, and so horrifying, that it totally drew me in a way almost no other book has ever done.
F.C. Schaefer
The dead left their graves. The living joined them.
F.C. Schaefer
The Last Lion by William Manchester and Paul Reid
F.C. Schaefer
I've never read much romantic fiction, but I've read stacks of fantasy books, most of whom have love stories of some kind in them, which is true of the fantasy novel I am attempting to write at the present time. And so my favorite fictional couple comes from an epic work of fiction by the great Stephen R. Donaldson. They would be Terisa and Geraden from his Mordant's Need series, which is a great portal fantasy that too few people have read. Terisa is a shy young woman from the modern world who is mistaken for a powerful Sorceress by an inexperienced young wizard from the land of Mordant, a country badly in need of her help. The reader realizes from the beginning that these two are perfect for each other because they are marginalized and unappreciated in the world's they come from, but together, they bring out the best in each other, so much so that they are able to take on the formidable evil that plagues the land of Mordant and find happiness. It's the inverse of opposites attract, and I love Donaldson makes it work in these books.
F.C. Schaefer
I have been working on an outline of a fantasy novel, but my inspiration comes from my lifelong love of comic books and Anime rather than Tolkien. The alternate history story that I am writing now comes from a simple What If? History is full of all sorts of stands and loose ends that a writer can work with to create an entertaining fantasy. I read a newspaper story about the lowering of age requirements for jailers in Maryland and it become an important aspect of my main character in Big Crimson, an epic horror novel. So much of fiction is just a mashup of characters and genres.
F.C. Schaefer
I see the finished book in my head, with all the plot holes and writer's blocks worked out; it is not easy when I am rewriting the same section for the third time because it is too clunky, but the faith that my characters will come alive on the page and the story will flow gets me in front of the computer screen when I really don't feel like writing. That and the notion there might be a reader somewhere who maybe, just might, fall in love with one of my books.
F.C. Schaefer
I have two books I am working on at the present time. One of them is a fantasy novel, although my primary inspiration is not Tolkien so much as DC and Marvel comic books, along with some of the best Anime; so far I've done a very rough draft. The other story I'm working on while the fantasy book is simmering is an alternate history set in 1964 with JFK running for re-election; thereby putting all those history books I've read to good use.
F.C. Schaefer
It is true: read, read, read, write write write. And by reading, read everything, fiction and nonfiction both, and not just the genre you want to write. Write often and always, try writing reviews, not just on Goodreads, but Amazon-I post at least one review a month on IMDb. It's really good practice in expressing yourself, but it's also in a public forum where you will get some notice. Writing everyday will also give you a chance to hone your grammar skills, something that must be done constantly.
F.C. Schaefer
While writing, you really get to be your characters, at least for a little while; the good and the bad. And you get to go all the places they do and experience everything they do; you feel their pain and revel in their triumphs. This is true for my protagonists and my villains; there is nothing better than a creating a great bad guy and letting him go to work. Heroes don't need to be flawed, but they need to be interesting; give them a selfish reason for putting themselves at risk. There is nothing like the adventure of crafting a story and filling it with great people for the reader to meet.
F.C. Schaefer
I have one character say something to another character, then have that character respond; they may say nothing that furthers the story at first, so I have to hit delete a lot, but if I hang with it, sooner or later something usable comes out of their mouths.
Often times I will have a problem making all the parts of a story fit together, I know where I want the story to end up, but can't find a way to get there that works or makes sense within the book. This is when I have to step back and take a hard look at what got me to this impasse; sometimes it's all a matter of stepping away from the work for a little while and trusting in my imagination and intuition to come up with a solution. But many times what we call writer's block results from an idea or premise that has been poorly plotted out, and the solution will require lots and lots of rewriting; a process I am all too familiar with in the past. It's why a writer needs to put a lot of effort into that first draft and find out what will work and what will not. And always trust your inner voice to tell you that you are on the right path.
Often times I will have a problem making all the parts of a story fit together, I know where I want the story to end up, but can't find a way to get there that works or makes sense within the book. This is when I have to step back and take a hard look at what got me to this impasse; sometimes it's all a matter of stepping away from the work for a little while and trusting in my imagination and intuition to come up with a solution. But many times what we call writer's block results from an idea or premise that has been poorly plotted out, and the solution will require lots and lots of rewriting; a process I am all too familiar with in the past. It's why a writer needs to put a lot of effort into that first draft and find out what will work and what will not. And always trust your inner voice to tell you that you are on the right path.
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