Ask the Author: Seth Adam Smith
Answered Questions (3)
Seth Adam Smith
I originally wanted to publish a book about young Ichabod Crane (and in 2013, I actually wrote a draft which I submitted to publishers). One of the characters in that initial story was an older version of Rip Van Winkle. While writing him into the first draft, I contemplated Rip's legendary backstory—and the symbolic themes concerning "falling asleep" and "waking up"—and I realized I had written the wrong story.
In 2014, I dropped the first draft of the book about young Ichabod Crane and started working on a story about young Rip Van Winkle—and I'm grateful I did!
In 2014, I dropped the first draft of the book about young Ichabod Crane and started working on a story about young Rip Van Winkle—and I'm grateful I did!
Seth Adam Smith
The key to writing is to force yourself to write—even when you're not "feeling it." With this in mind, I treat writer's block like it's an actual, physical block—preventing me from accessing a certain thought or scene from my book. If something is preventing me from writing a particular scene, or thought, and I want to keep the momentum going, then I have no choice but to work my way around the block and write other things that are mentally "accessible."
In other words, when I hit a road block in a certain chapter, I will move on to a different chapter and write whatever I can while I'm there. This helps me keep the momentum going and prevents me from wasting the time I set aside to write.
In other words, when I hit a road block in a certain chapter, I will move on to a different chapter and write whatever I can while I'm there. This helps me keep the momentum going and prevents me from wasting the time I set aside to write.
Seth Adam Smith
Write, write, write! Write as much as you can—every day. Set aside time (early in the morning, if possible—no distractions) and write whatever you can. Also, don't do drugs.
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