Ask the Author: Richard Milner
Answered Questions (6)
Richard Milner
Vessel of Kali began with a single picture of artwork, of the Hindu goddess Kali, in a book I received as a gift. I looked at the piece of art, and I was consumed. The premise for the story, the backdrop of the world, the basic structure of the plot, the main characters and their general arcs: all of it erupted at one time. In short, I obeyed. I dropped the book I'd been working on until then, furiously got to work on Vessel, and over a long period of time honed and carved the story through many, many drafts to get it to where it is. As I changed over time, personally, the story crystallized. Eventually, I realized it was more or less a fictional memoir. I'm eternally grateful for that initial piece of artwork, because it changed me forever.
Richard Milner
Anything and everything influences me, 24-7. The way a leaf spirals to the ground might prompt the premise for a full story. The cadence of a barista's voice while buying coffee might outline a character portrait. A piece of doom metal might ignite visions of a celestial setting. A lot of initial inspiration happens this way: spontaneously, rapidly and often holistically. The rest is hard work - nails scratching away at blocks of stone. This is why I try to surround myself with art, movies, and music that spurns my imagination and supports my creative inertia. I also dive headlong into specific lines of investigation when I feel the need to explore, most often related to arcane and paranormal subject matter; I crave those things. More often than not, this desire is the result of some unconscious churning that'll come out sooner or later, in the form of "inspiration."
Richard Milner
I'm currently in the research and planning phase for a novel called Body of Ash, a follow-up to my last novel, Vessel of Kali. I hesitate to call Body a sequel, because both books can be read independently of each other, and both books fully finish, in and of themselves. Body takes place in the same world as Vessel, some 14 years later, and involves some of the same characters and themes, although from a very different perspective. I'm really eager to fully dive into the moment-to-moment writing of Body, because the book pushes itself further, creatively, and deeper, character-wise. In fact, I'm even eager to move beyond the book, because I have so many other crazy story ideas that need time to be fleshed out.
Richard Milner
Never - I repeat: never - hedge your voice, your thoughts, your perspective, or your creative power for the sake of critics, publishers, industry conventions, or any other factor motivated by fear. Proudly defend your creation and your right to write precisely what you want. Don't believe for a second that your job as a writer is to figure out the "right way" to write. The chance to write is a gift bordering on sacred, and it needs to be protected - as a collective art form, and a manifestation of our human experience. Be truthful with yourself when writing, and your work will show exactly who you are.
Richard Milner
Freedom. Freedom of the word - an absolute freedom of expression unique to language. Writing is a fusion of the heart and mind, a creative process filtered through an architectural lens. Through the pen (or keyboard), entire worlds rise and fall, live and die, as real to readers as the reality we live within. Writing is a gift. When writing, I have not only the time to structure complex thoughts and feelings, but the chance to truly connect to others. Through stories, I can reach a hand back through millennia, where our forebears told myths and tales to carry knowledge and wisdom through generation after generation. I feel I have an obligation when writing - an obligation to be reverent to our collective storytelling past, and to make good on the opportunities of the present.
Richard Milner
I find that writer's block is best circumvented before it has the chance to even exist. In short: set yourself up for success.
Front-load your planning. Many writers undervalue the importance of planning, and get stuck because they're trying to plan what to write *while writing.* Instead, plan, develop a routine - just like going to work, or going to the gym - and then be a soldier about following your routine. Create an environmental space & time where you can safely enter "writing mode," whether it be under a tree in your back yard at midnight, or from 6-8 AM in the bathroom before your kids wake up - whatever is creatively conducive and stimulating.
Once writing, if you find yourself stuck, the worst thing you can do is stop. Writing is exactly like exercising a muscle, or practicing an instrument: it only gets done, and gets better, through the act itself. Waiting on or relying on inspiration is a surefire way to get blocked. Don't shrink from writer's block - smash it with an elbow to the face.
Front-load your planning. Many writers undervalue the importance of planning, and get stuck because they're trying to plan what to write *while writing.* Instead, plan, develop a routine - just like going to work, or going to the gym - and then be a soldier about following your routine. Create an environmental space & time where you can safely enter "writing mode," whether it be under a tree in your back yard at midnight, or from 6-8 AM in the bathroom before your kids wake up - whatever is creatively conducive and stimulating.
Once writing, if you find yourself stuck, the worst thing you can do is stop. Writing is exactly like exercising a muscle, or practicing an instrument: it only gets done, and gets better, through the act itself. Waiting on or relying on inspiration is a surefire way to get blocked. Don't shrink from writer's block - smash it with an elbow to the face.
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