Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 234

Life Throws Me A Curve Ball…

The post I'd planned on writing today has to be postponed till Tuesday, the 22nd.

Watch for another Author Interview on Monday :-)

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Tagged: author, curve ball, Facebook, interview, life, planning, post, Twitter

This Is The Way It Must Be Done!

I'm an author.

I'm published, too.

Oh! For those who don't know, "writer" Must be applied to those who have written but not yet published. If you read the first two sentences of this post again, you'll notice that I used "author", which, according to the received wisdom of those who tell us, with fervor, what we Must do, should have been "writer". If I'd used writer, then I could have Properly written the third sentence:

I'm a writer.

I'm published, too.

So, I'm also an author.

Let's see… The etymology of "author" says: "one who causes to grow" and "one who sets forth written statements".

O.K., "sets forth" could be construed to be publishing, but only if you need it to mean that so you can segregate "writers" and "authors".

If you look at the etymology of "writer", you'll find: "one who can write, clerk; one who produces books or literary compositions"

Hmmm… If we take "produces" as meaning publishing, we have writers who have published.

"Writer" also has this root meaning: "sign-painter"

Naturally, the English language is rather organic and tends to grow beyond certain meanings. Does this mean that using the term "author" for a person who has written something but not yet published is Wrong ?

There are many things that various people say Must be a certain way. And then, there are actually things that Must be a certain way.

If you don't want to be killed by a long fall to the pavement, you Must not walk over the edge of the roof.

But, Must we restrict the term "author" to those who have published?

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Tagged: author, authors, publish, publishing, writer, writers, writing

Author Interview ~ Jessica Greene

I'm delighted to welcome Jessica to our blog today!

I met her at Little Bonobo's Book Cafe :-)

Let's begin, Jessica.

Where are you from and how old are you?

I'm from San Diego, California, but I've lived in England for a few years now. I'm 25.

When did you begin writing and can you remember how it felt inside, back then?

I kept journals starting from when I was really small, and I liked to write and illustrate poems about animals in them. When I was 12 I decided to write a novel. It was about giant anthropomorphic rats from outer space. Unfortunately I didn't get very far with it. In high school I did a couple of really fun creative writing projects for my English and creative writing classes. For one of these projects we had to choose a picture of a person from a newspaper or magazine and create a character from it. Each week we would write a story about the character. It was so much fun! I think it was around then that I decided I seriously wanted to be a writer.

Was there any certain date or time you remember when you began to call yourself a "writer"?

The year I did my MA in Creative Writing in Authorship. The people on my program and I referred to ourselves and each other as "writers". By the end of that year I had started to think seriously of myself as a writer, rather than someone who wanted to be a writer.

What are your hopes, or dreams, or goals for your writing?

I want to be able to write a novel with interesting, believable characters and a solid plot with good flow and tension in the right parts. I'm revising my first novel now, and I hope I can get it to that point. Like most writers, I'd like to be published some day.

Please tell us a bit more about your formal training in the art of writing?

I have a degree in English, which helps, although I don't think you need a degree to be a writer. I studied abroad for a year at UEA Norwich, in England. It's supposed to be the top university in Britain for creative writing, but to be honest I didn't notice much difference in the creative writing classes there compared to other classes I had taken elsewhere. They were helpful, but most creative writing classes are helpful. And I returned to England after I graduated to do my MA in Creative Writing and Authorship, this time studying in Sussex. It was quite an adventure.

It does sound a bit like an adventure; my, yes :-)

What do you feel has taught you the most about "how to write"?

Reading. Reading widely from a very young age. Reading deeply within my genre (currently I write YA fantasy), and reading different genres as well. I think writers need to read as much as they write. Stephen King's advice is to read four hours a day and write four hours a day, which I think is pretty spot on. The other thing that has taught me a lot about writing is writing itself. Like everything else, it takes a lot of practice. I write nearly every day and I've seen a ton of improvement in my work in the past couple of years.

Who are your favorite writers and why are they favorites?

My best friend is scandalized by the fact that the Harry Potter series is my all-time favorite work of literature. But it really is so close to perfect. The characters are so unique, believable, lovable, hate-able; the plot is exciting; the twists are perfect; and the world JK Rowling creates is just a delight to get lost in for a couple of hours. For that reason I would say JK Rowling is my favorite author. I also love the Brontës. I love that their books explore female autonomy at a time when women were so oppressed, and I love that each sister has her own voice—Anne's writing is wild, Emily's dark, and Charlotte's just plain strange. Another writer I really love is Tad Williams. The worlds he creates, and the characters—you just want to live inside his imagination. I love his novel Tailchaser's Song, and his science fiction series Otherland just blew me away.

Yes, I've read only one of the Otherland books. Once I get my book published, I should read the others :-)

Where and/or how do you get your ideas for your writing?

My imagination has always been overactive, and I spend a lot of time thinking in terms of stories. So when I learn something interesting or see something interesting, it's bound to make me think of a story. I came up with story ideas quite frequently while I was in college, because I was always learning new things. Generally I find travel, exercise, and reading to be great for the imagination.

What's your normal revision or editing routine?

I'm revising my first novel at the moment. The plan is to write a fresh outline including all the changes I want to make, and go through several rounds of revision to make the plot, characters, and fantasy world as good as I can make them. One thing I've found helps a lot in editing is reading aloud (it helps catch typos and awkward phrasing), so I'll be doing a lot of that. Then I'll do a final proofread and send it out to beta readers, who will in turn likely tear it to shreds.

Reading aloud is an awesome revision aid! And, I hope (and suspect) your Betas won't be that cruel :-)

Tell us about your blog: its purpose, how you go about deciding what to post, and what you want to do with it in the future?

My blog called Little Bonobo's Book Cafe and I post about reading, writing, and creativity. I love being part of the writer/blogger community. It's a fun way to meet other writers, share ideas, offer encouragement, and learn new information. I'm still trying to figure out my posting schedule— whether I want to do certain types of posts on certain days, or focus more on reading or writing or book reviews. I've seen some amazing blogs lately, and I'm feeling inspired to improve mine.

Please say just a bit more about the book you're working on.

My novel is a young adult fantasy about a teen-aged girl whose little brother has been kidnapped by a faerie magician. I love stories about magic, and it's been really fun (and challenging) creating my own world from scratch. At the moment I'm also working on a second novel—a young adult science fiction set on Mars—but its still in the early stages, and I've got a ton more research to do.

Well, Jessica, I can only see bright omens ahead for you :-) Thanks ever so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon at Little Bonobo's Book Cafe.

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Alright, dear readers, time to ask Jessica a few questions…

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Tagged: author interview, Emily Brontë, England, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Jessica Greene, Otherland, Tad Williams

Author Interview ~ Lindsay Buroker

Today's interview is with Lindsay Buroker from E-book Endeavors. I first met her in Twitter-land and was fascinated by her Goblin profile pic :-) Let's get this interview rolling!

So Lindsay, tell us a little about yourself.

I've worked as a lifeguard and been a soldier in the U.S. army, but for most of my adult life I've worked for myself. I currently run several websites and blogs and make a living from the advertising revenue and affiliate income. I e-published my first novel in December, and it's been fun learning how to promote my own work instead of always selling somebody else's!

I started Ebook Endeavors to share what I'm learning about the process.

As for the rest, I live in the Seattle area with two vizslas who more or less run the house and dictate my work schedule. Writing is permitted after a trip to the dog park, thank you very much. For hobbies, I play tennis, garden, and hike.

I had to look up vizsla and discovered, to my glee, that they're Hungarian. I just happen to be half Hungarian :-)

Now, please, tell us about your books.

The Emperor's Edge is a high fantasy adventure in an urban steam-age setting. Here's the blurb:

Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is good at her job: she can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed.

Worse, Sicarius, the empire's most notorious assassin is in town. He's tied in with the chaos somehow, but Amaranthe would be a fool to cross his path. Unfortunately, her superiors order her to hunt him down. Either they have an unprecedented belief in her skills… or someone wants her dead.

Encrypted is high fantasy, too, though there's more romance, and there are some science fiction elements.

Blurb:

Professor Tikaya Komitopis isn't a great beauty, a fearless warrior, or even someone who can walk and chew chicle at the same time, but her cryptography skills earn her wartime notoriety. When enemy marines show up at her family's plantation, she expects the worst. But they're not there to kill her. They need her to decode mysterious runes, and they ask for help in the manner typical of a conquering empire: they kidnap her, threaten her family, and throw her in the brig of their fastest steamship.

Her only ally is a fellow prisoner who charms her with a passion for academics as great as her own. Together, they must decipher mind-altering alchemical artifacts, deadly poison rockets, and malevolent technological constructs, all while dodging assassination attempts from a rival power determined the expedition should fail. As if Tikaya didn't have troubles enough, her new ally turns out to be exiled fleet admiral, Federias Starcrest, the man who recommended taking over her nation. To trust him could be a mistake; to fall in love with him would be a betrayal to her people, her family, and the fiancé she lost in the war. Those runes cloak more than mysteries, however, and he may be the only one who can help her unravel them before their secrets destroy the world.

Whew!! Two books I'd love to read!!

Lindsay, when did you begin writing and can you remember how it felt inside, back then?

I was always reading and writing stories as a kid. I was an only child, so I had to entertain myself somehow on road trips. I'm not sure I was into analyzing my feelings then (okay, now either), but making up stories in my head kept me busy. I wasn't always the best at finishing them though. Completing stories is a more recent development.

:-)

Was there any certain date or time you remember when you began to either think of yourself as or call yourself a "writer"?

I still don't, which is funny since most of what I do to make a living revolves around writing, albeit non-fiction (not nearly as fun as making up stories!). With my day job, I think of myself more as an entrepreneur than a straight-out writer. Even with my novels, I think of myself as a storyteller more than a wordsmith.

Interesting differentiation…

What are your hopes, or dreams, or goals for your writing?

A couple years ago, I would have told you it was to have my novels in print on Barnes & Noble shelves across the world, but the e-publishing revolution has changed things somewhat. I'm not sure what the future holds, but I enjoy being an indie author, and it's hard to imagine giving up the control that comes with that.

I do, of course, plan to write more novels, and I hope more folks will find them and become fans of my work.

Have you had any "formal" training in the art of writing?

Uhm, I took a creative writing class in tenth grade. Does that count?

Yep.

I have a liberal arts degree and did lots of writing of one sort or another along the way, but I never wanted to pen literary fiction, which seems to be what college courses teach. I always knew I was more Hollywood and just wanted to tell fun stories.

What do you feel has taught you the most about "how to write"?

I joined an online writing workshop a few years ago, and that taught me a lot.

From critiquing others' manuscripts, you learn what doesn't work for you. From having others critique your manuscripts, you learn what you're doing that doesn't work for other people. You can't please everybody, but, somewhere along the way, you internalize the useful feedback and find your style.

I tend to be a kinetic learner, so the workshop process taught me much more than I'd ever learn from reading a book on writing or attending a lecture. Of course, there's still plenty of room for improvement!

Who are your favorite writers and why are they favorites?

I enjoy writers who do characters well, and Lois McMaster Bujold always jumps to the forefront of my mind as someone whose characters really come alive. I like the way her plots evolve from the hopes, fears, and dreams of the heroes. A lot of authors come up with the plot and then create characters to fill it. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's less my style.

Where and/or how do you get your ideas for your writing?

I get ideas from the non-fiction I read and from watching shows like Modern Marvels on the History Channel. The counterfeiting scheme in Emperor's Edge came out of a two-hour show I caught on the history of money laundering.

My early stories were derivative of the medieval fantasy stories I grew up reading, and that's something I've tried to get away from. It's true that history is weirder than fiction, and there are a lot of fun ideas to be mined from the last ten thousand years or so.

What is your normal revision or editing routine?

I write the first draft, just trying to get a semblance of a story out there. I usually have an idea of how things are going to end, but that first draft is very much me muddling my way through, figuring out how to get to that point.

I do a lot of re-writing in the second draft, but I'm more comfortable with the story at that point, and there's less groping around in the dark. I also clean up sloppy sentences and fill in more world-building and setting details at this point.

Things tend to be fairly solid by the end of that draft. I ask beta readers to take a look and incorporate their suggestions. Then I do one last pass, tightening everything. I usually cut a few thousand words that aren't pulling their weight.

And that's it. After that, it's off to an editor for proofreading. There are times, like during a pivotal conversation between characters, where I'll go over things several times, but, for good or ill, I'm not somebody who revises endlessly.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Just that I hope folks will check out my ebooks.

The Emperor's Edge is available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Encrypted: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Lindsay, thanks for taking time for this interview. I've learned a few things over at your site, E-book Endeavors, and I intend to continue following you as you learn more about the new world of self-publishing. Thanks again!

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O.K., folks, time to ask Lindsay a few questions :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our Comment Link Is At The Top of The Post :-)

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Tagged: author interview, ebook, ebooks, goblin, Goblin Brothers, Lindsay Buroker, Lois McMaster Bujold, Modern Marvels

Why People Won't Like My Book And Why They Might Want To Consider Reading It…

I'm engaged in a discussion over in the forums of BestsellerBound about why the theme of my soon-to-be-published book will make it hard to sell.

I knew as I planned and wrote it that it would be, at the very best, a niche-book–of interest to a rather small audience.

While I certainly didn't even attempt to write it for the "general reader", I do hope that some small yet significant group of readers will find it valuable.

It is a story, yet the Prologue says: "…this book is a story told in 'notes'. Even though some readers may think it is a novel or a history, its form is difficult to classify in what are called genres."

The working blurb I have is even more indicative of Notes from An Alien being a book that won't appeal to a wide market: Start with a 500-year InterWorld War. Continue through ecological disaster and the decimation of populations. Follow the institution of a Worlds' government that helps bring a glimmer of hope. Discover the challenges and failures of unifying three very different Worlds. Explore what it takes to give birth to a lasting peace. This is what reading Notes from An Alien promises. And, this story could help Earth…

I often have to battle feelings of rank stupidity when I compare what I'm doing to what popular authors have mastered. Of course I only feel stupid on the days when my work to promote the book has completely worn me to a quivering frazzle…

Still, I went into this project with clear eyes about what most of the reading public wants and what I felt I had to offer them.

Let me be painfully clear:

Our world is in grave peril.

People are regularly being lied to and manipulated by the powers that be.

The powers that be have no rational solutions for the multiple, global crises humanity is suffering through. They, essentially, could care less…

Most folks who love to read just want something to help them ignore the intense pressures of daily living and escape to worlds that entertain or "safely" thrill.

I admit that those last five sentences might be either false or apply only to me but this is one of those days when my work to promote the book has completely worn me to a quivering frazzle…

I'd better bring this post to a conclusion and go for a therapeutic walk. Let me end with a few more words from the book's Prologue, the words of Sena Quaren:

"What I say next may or may not be believed but, either way, this story is true—true as fact or true in the way fiction can rise to heights unattainable by mere facts.

"I am a woman from a star system about twelve light-years from Earth. If you choose to believe me, my story might be considered a history lesson—how to achieve unity and peace—a lesson that Earth desperately needs. If you choose to not believe I'm real, my tale might be considered a science fiction story about how to achieve unity and peace—a lesson that Earth desperately needs…"

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Tagged: alien, book promotion, Earth, Environmental disaster, fiction, global crisis, humanity, Notes from An Alien

Author Interview ~ Gwendolyn Newpenny

I'm glad we have Gwen here today for an interview. I've been following her excerpts from a story on her blog and I'm happy we can learn a bit more about her as a writer :-)

Gwen, where are you from and how old are you?

I am from Tennessee. I am in my late 40s, married with 5 children and 2 grandchildren.

Ah, grandchildren. Lovely :-)

When did you begin writing and can you remember how it felt inside, back then?

My first attempt at writing was in the 6th grade. I wrote a Cinderella play. I was going to act it out with my friends at recess. I couldn't get enough of my friends to participate so the play was never seen.

Awwww… :-(

Was there any certain date or time you remember when you began to either think of yourself as or call yourself a "writer"?

I would like to be known as a writer but that day hasn't happened yet. I am currently just a woman with a blog that writes creatively.

Well, this may be your day, 'cause I definitely think you're a writer!

What are your hopes, or dreams, or goals for your writing?

I would like to be published some day. I need a great story to pop in my head.

I think the one you've been serializing on your blog is a great story :-)

Have you had any "formal" training in the art of writing?

No I have not had any formal training. I did go to college. I wrote lots of papers on different subjects there.

What do you feel has taught you the most about "how to write"?

At this moment it is trial and error. I write it. I read it. If it sounds good to me. I post it on my blog.

What is  your favorite genre of writing?

My favorite genre is Science fiction but I read anything that catches my attention in the first couple of pages.

Where and/or how do you get your ideas for your writing?

I get my ideas from real life. I mix it up with a bunch of added fiction.

:-)

What is your normal revision or editing routine?

I use the backspace button a lot. This would be my editing process at the moment.

Another Big :-)

Do you anticipate being published?

I don't know when or if I will ever be published. Anything could happen.

Tell us about your blog.

I started a blog to see if people would like what I put on the page. I have no plan. I haven't come up with the perfect story. At the moment, I just write what comes off the top of my head.

Again, Gwen, I must say that what you write is very good and I, personally, hope the story unfolding on your blog becomes "perfect" for you…

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing with us!!

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Folks, I strongly urge you to stop by this modest lady's blog and drink in the wonderful prose :-)

A House In Pride

Now, dear readers, time to ask Gwen a question or two…

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Tagged: author interview, blog, Cinderella, Gwen Newpenny, Gwendolyn Newpenny, science fiction, Tennessee, writer

A Quick And Rare Sunday Post…

If you haven't yet explored the Blogroll over there in the right side-panel,

you're missing out on meeting some Great People !!!

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Tagged: author, authors, blog, blogroll, great people, writer, writers

Do Pre-Publication Promotion And Sanity Go Together ?

So someone writes a book and wants other people to buy it.

The day that book comes out, there will be at least 2,000 other books seeing the light of day.

Hence, all the talk about pre-publication promotion, author platforms, and a writer's audience.

If you try to do everything that everyone says to promote a book you'll evaporate in a cloud of angst.

My book will be published in late May and I began pre-publication promotion about a year and a half ago–long before I began writing the book. I took the idea and themes of the book and shared them as widely as I could. It gave me some valuable information on the small percentage of people who would be interested in the book I would write :-)

There are not as many people interested in a book that tells the story of going from seemingly interminable war to an enduring and noble peace as there are folks who would rather escape reality with a good vampire story.

I've got nothing against anyone's reading appetite but I do need to be clear about my book being potentially hard to sell.

So, for months now (since the book was being written and through the editing processes), I've been trying various recommended ways to promote it.

I learned early-on to steer clear of people and sites that were trying to sell me some amazing method they claimed would guarantee  sales of my book when it's released. I guess I'm just an Eskimo and those folks are trying to sell me snow…

The key approach I've learned is called, by some, Relationship Marketing:

Let people get to know you, share your goals and philosophy, give them support in what they're doing; then, maybe they'll be interested in your book…

And, even if they don't want your book, they may know someone who does.

Before I learned some of the finer points of relationship marketing, I was introduced to Seth Godin's book, Unleashing The Idea Virus (buy it here or download it free here).

Very basically, he talks about finding "hives" (or tribes) of people and unleashing your idea, thereby "infecting" people with it. The best thing that can happen is for the tribe to have a lot of "sneezers"–people who naturally share anything they like as widely as they can.

Relationship marketing contains elements of Godin's ideas plus social networking.

I tried, as hard as I could, to utilize Facebook and Twitter but I've pulled my involvement in both way back; the signal to noise ratio is just too heavily weighted toward "noise" for a book like mine to make much impact.

During the months I was trying to use those tools, I slowly became quite temporarily insane :-)

Luckily, I also started this blog and worked to build friendships with other writers with blogs…

I've also been using the virtual world, Second Life, to build a network of friends who might like my book. You can read more about that here and here.

Now, here I am, a little over two months from book launch, brain-frazzled, but willing to forge ahead and work my way back to sane coherency in my promotion efforts.

I'm also going to try to squeeze in more time on the forums at BestsellerBound :-)

My methods and mistakes are certainly not a guide for any other writer. Each of us has to evaluate the potential pools of readers and how best to approach them; each must select their own set of tools.

One bit of advice I think could apply across the board is to incorporate relationship-building into your promotion efforts. I think you'll find the results will last a lot longer :-)

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Tagged: author platform, BestsellerBound, book promotion, promotion, Second Life, Seth Godin, social networking, Unleashing The Idea Virus

Author Interview ~ Haley Whitehall

I'm so happy Haley said yes to an interview! Let's get it rolling…

Haley, where in the world is your home?

I am from Wenatchee, Washington.

When did you begin writing and can you remember how it felt inside, back then?

I began telling stories when I was four. My parents would write them down for me. Sometimes I woke them in the middle of the night with a creative idea that couldn't wait till morning.

I wrote my first story in the first grade. It was a tall tale about my historical hero Davy Crockett. I was very proud of myself. I loved the feeling of creating something. My teacher typed up the story and I shared it with the class. I felt "published" right then and there. I was a shy child and writing made me feel powerful and allowed me to create friends with the stroke of my pencil.

I love that you'd wake your parents :-) Speaks of your sense of "author-ity".

Was there any certain date or time you remember when you began to either think of yourself as or call yourself a "writer"?

I started to think of myself as a writer in the first grade. My teacher told me that I was talented with words and was going to be a writer someday. Now that I have a growing portfolio of pieces I've written, some nearly ready to be submitted to agents, I also call myself a writer.

What are your hopes, or dreams, or goals for your writing?

I want to write novels and children's books. I have so many ideas I hope I get the time to write them all down. I'd like to earn enough to support myself by doing what I love–writing. As a historical fiction writer, I want to share/teach history through my work.

Noble goal…

How did you decide to write historical fiction?

When I was younger I experimented with other genres. Some writers are versatile and some find their niche. I spent much of my childhood on my grandparents' ranch which made me day dream about pioneer times. I was also strongly influenced by John Wayne movies and other westerns which is popular entertainment in my family. I wrote my first novel, when I was 12, about a pioneer family. The research I did for that book led me to explore the Civil War and I instantly fell in love with that tumultuous time. Historical fiction inspires my creativity. It just fits me.

Have you had any "formal" training in the art of writing?

I've taken a few creative writing classes in college and have been to a few writing workshops but that is all.

What do you feel has taught you the most about "how to write"?

Reading books like crazy to find out what works and what doesn't. I've also written daily for years. It took me a while but I discovered my genre, historical fiction, and my voice/style. Getting involved in my local writer's organization, Write on the River, being involved in writers groups [including starting my own online group] where I acquire numerous critique partners, attending workshops and conferences, and networking with other writers.

So, who are your favorite writers and why are they favorites?

I have many favorite writers. Mark Twain and Ann Rinaldi are among my favorite historical fiction writers. My writing style/voice has been influenced by them. I also like the prolific writers Gary Paulson and Avi. Their books are well-written, creative, easy reads which help me escape the present when I need a break. However, my favorite book of all time is the Civil War YA novel, Rifles for Watie, by Harold Kieth, winner of the 1958 Newbery Medal.

Where and/or how do you get your ideas for your writing?

That is a question that is nearly impossible to answer but I will try anyway. My overactive imagination even surprises me sometimes. Sometimes ideas just pop into my head and I have no idea where they came from. Other ideas are inspired by something I've seen on TV, something I've read or a dream I've had. I believe that my Muse, Clio, is always busy getting me ideas.

I've also found out the name of my Muse…

Are you published?

I have published a magazine article. However, I've realized that my true passion is novel writing. I will be submitting query letters for several of my W.I.P's soon. If all goes well I hope to be published again in the not too distant future.

Tell us about your blog: its purpose, how you go about deciding what to post, and what you want to do with it in the future?

My blog is dedicated to writing. I share my thoughts, experiences and what I have learned as I soldier through the writing world and this is not going to change. I write to help/inspire other writers, get help from others, and to network with the global writing community. I am part of the post a day challenge. I seldom plan out what I am going to write. I wake up and wait for my muse to give me an idea. Often it is related to what I am currently working on in my W.I.P.

Haley, thank you for this interview! Let's get your links up, ok?

My blog is Soldiering through the Writing World

And, a recommended writers conference: Write On The River

O.K., dear readers, time to ask Haley a few questions :-)

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Tagged: Ann Rinaldi, author interview, Davy Crockett, Gary Paulson, Haley Whitehall, Historical fiction, Mark Twain, Newbery Medal

World Crises And The Fiction Writer ~ Can They Help Humanity?

Here I go again, inching out on that limb I keep bending with the weight of speculation…

The title of today's post could seem useless as a question since folks can point to a multitude of works of fiction that have aided humanity, to varying degrees, in its seemingly never-ending struggle.

To another type of person, the question of writers helping humanity could seem like a ludicrous proposition. Writers of fiction create stories that have characters going through crises but solving the world's problems is for the philosophers and scientists.

Some may feel that showing various characters facing challenges and reaching successful resolutions is of definite aid to humanity since humanity is a large group of individuals and solutions of world crises begin in each of our hearts.

Other people will feel other sentiments…

O.K., since my posts are rarely written to push a certain agenda but to foster thought and creativity, let's consider a few questions:

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* Is humanity just a bunch of individuals?

* Should we count on science and technology to solve world crises?

* Does religion have any role to play?

* Is it necessary to even think about humanity as some kind of "entity" that has requirements that people need to fulfill?

* Is fiction a proper tool for purposely proposing solutions to world crises?

* Does it go against some "law" of creativity to ask writers to make their fiction conform to some response to world conditions?

* What is the role in society of the fiction writer?

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The book I'll be publishing in May does happen to be a work that hopes to spark a sense of "mission" in the reader, to hopefully induce people to take an active interest in discovering ways in which they can contribute to lessening the burden of humanity's ills, to make a contribution to the possible attainment of world peace and tranquility.

That all said, I certainly don't feel that writers as a group need to be changing their own ideas about what they want their fiction to accomplish. Even though my book is attempting to facilitate some rather huge goals, I still want to read books that entertain me or divert me from the strains of current culture or make me forget about everything but a fantastic tale that has no bearing on political or humanitarian or scientific or religious agendas…

Still, can writers be more aware of how their work could include elements of plot or character or theme that, even if in a small way, contribute to a saner, healthier, more tranquil world?

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Tagged: authors, crises, crisis, fiction, humanity, purpose of writing, writer, writing goals