Q&A from GoodReads
I recently got an author’s page on Goodreads (hooray for having a soon-to-be-published book!) and they asked me a series of questions as a primer for people getting to know me and my writing. For a first blog post, I figured this would be an excellent way to introduce myself to future readers and fans. So excellent, in fact, that I’ll be doing additional blog posts in the near-future that correspond with other interviews and AMAs (ask-me-anything) that have been planned for closer to the launch of my book, Master of Sorrows.
Speaking of which . . . if you haven’t preordered your copy of my debut fantasy novel, you should really get on that. I’ll even help you out by posting a link right here: http://bit.ly/MasterOfSorrows. This will link you to the UK edition of my book, which comes out February 21, 2019. You can have the hardback or paperback shipped anywhere in the world, or you can download the ebook. There will also be an audiobook available if you’re into that (I know I am), though it’s not available for preorder as of December 21, 2018. The narrator for the audiobook is Peter Kenny, though, and he’s fantastic (he’s the narrator for Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher series, as well as many of Iain (M.) Banks’s novels. So go check it out!
What are you currently working on?
Master of the Forge: Book 2 of The Silent Gods.
Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
The inspiration for The Silent Gods arose from a single question: “What if you were destined to be a villain?” This led to a series of other questions, all of which excited me, and I knew I had a keen idea for a fantasy series. I especially liked the concept of writing a coming-of-age story from the villain’s perspective, of seeing the character grow from a naive adolescent and then evolve into a full-blown baddie.
But to do that story justice, I also needed to acknowledge that real people rarely see themselves as villains. Real people believe they are the heroes of their own stories, regardless of whether the rest of us would agree with them.
Rephrasing that first question then: “What happens when a protagonist is given two conflicting moral narratives?” Further, “Does he embrace one and reject the other?” Probably. In fact, I’d say it’s inevitable. The twist, though, comes when the protagonist discovers he once served the opposing narrative and he is now on the opposite side of that narrative. In such a story, the hero would probably develop empathy toward his previous incarnation . . . but would that change his heroic path?
Answering that question is the inspiration for my novel. My goal then is to write a coming-of-age story that follows the tropes of the epic fantasy genre but to also subvert those tropes by presenting a protagonist who could be either a hero or a villain. I’ll let my readers decide which one the protagonist actually is . . . though I’ve got my own opinion.
What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Wow, there’s a lot of advice I could give, and a lot more that I probably shouldn’t. Suffice it to say that everyone has their own way of doing things. As long as you feel excited about what you are writing, you’re not doing it wrong.
Beyond that, there are seven common things I say to new writers (or to myself when I need a reminder):
#1: The first draft of anything is bad, so just vomit it out.
#2: There is no magic solution to writing. You just do it.
#3: Do you.
#4: Set goals and write them down.
#5: Patience and persistence will trump talent.
#6: Do it right and don’t settle for less.
#7: Writing isn’t easy – it’s hard. Good writing is even harder.
Now that may seem opaque, so if you want a more detailed explanation about what the heck I’m talking about, check out my blog post “7 Things I Say About Writing” at https://justintcall.com/blog.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
There are many kinds of writer’s block, and I’m susceptible to most of them. One that I am particularly immune to, though, is the kind when you’re can’t come up with what to write next.
My most common problem is that I come up with too many potential solutions for what comes next, and the need to choose between only one of those solutions can be paralyzing. With time, I usually sort through it all and figure out what is best or most needed . . . but sometimes I have to follow that plot thread for a long while before I know for certain that it’s viable. Even then, I prefer to follow the other plot threads, too, just to be certain I’m taking the best path. I try to get most of that out of the way during my plotting/outlining phase, though.
So I prevent half my writer’s block by outlining extensively and well ahead of my drafting phase. The other half of my writer’s block comes from a lack of motivation to write that day, either because I’m distracted by some other task that “absolutely requires my attention” or because I don’t feel excited by a particular scene I am about to draft (which is usually a sign that my outline for the scene needs more work). All of these things can lead to intense procrastination, though, so I’ve got five bullet-proof ways to get writing:
If I am outlining and working through a story problem:
(1) Take a shower.
(2) Take a long drive.
(3) Exercise on a treadmill or an elliptical.
The monotony of my body having to do the same repetitive thing usually frees my mind to work out those knots more easily than sitting at my computer and staring at a blinking cursor.
If I’m supposed to be drafting and I don’t feel excited about the scene I’m about to write then I’ll:
(4) Listen to an episode of the Writing Excuses podcast.
(5) Play around with my outline in Scrivener (which is what I use for outlining and drafting).
How do you get inspired to write?
I’ve answered this in the question about writer’s block, but I’ll repeat it here. For writing inspiration, I will often:
(1) Take a shower.
(2) Take a long drive.
(3) Exercise.
(4) Listen to the Writing Excuses podcast.
(5) Move around and/or expand on elements of my outline in the Scrivener App, which I have on my laptop, tablet, and smartphone.
Other things that inspire me to write:
– Reading the books of other great authors.
– Reading books about creative writing.
– Learning about world myths and folklore.
– Studying storytelling and the hero’s journey.
What’s the best thing about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is having created something out of pure imagination, sweat, and solace . . . and then having other people tell you they loved it. Nothing is more satisfying, fulfilling, or inspirational.
Of course, if you aren’t published yet, that can be one of the hardest things about being a writer, particularly if your writing isn’t good enough to merit praise or isn’t ready for public criticism. You still get the satisfaction of creating something wholly unique and your own, but it can be lonely and ungratifying on some days.
Runner up answers:
– Getting paid to do something you love (in this case, to write).
– Not having someone else micro-manage how you do your job.
The post Q&A from GoodReads appeared first on Justin T Call.
Speaking of which . . . if you haven’t preordered your copy of my debut fantasy novel, you should really get on that. I’ll even help you out by posting a link right here: http://bit.ly/MasterOfSorrows. This will link you to the UK edition of my book, which comes out February 21, 2019. You can have the hardback or paperback shipped anywhere in the world, or you can download the ebook. There will also be an audiobook available if you’re into that (I know I am), though it’s not available for preorder as of December 21, 2018. The narrator for the audiobook is Peter Kenny, though, and he’s fantastic (he’s the narrator for Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher series, as well as many of Iain (M.) Banks’s novels. So go check it out!
What are you currently working on?
Master of the Forge: Book 2 of The Silent Gods.
Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
The inspiration for The Silent Gods arose from a single question: “What if you were destined to be a villain?” This led to a series of other questions, all of which excited me, and I knew I had a keen idea for a fantasy series. I especially liked the concept of writing a coming-of-age story from the villain’s perspective, of seeing the character grow from a naive adolescent and then evolve into a full-blown baddie.
But to do that story justice, I also needed to acknowledge that real people rarely see themselves as villains. Real people believe they are the heroes of their own stories, regardless of whether the rest of us would agree with them.
Rephrasing that first question then: “What happens when a protagonist is given two conflicting moral narratives?” Further, “Does he embrace one and reject the other?” Probably. In fact, I’d say it’s inevitable. The twist, though, comes when the protagonist discovers he once served the opposing narrative and he is now on the opposite side of that narrative. In such a story, the hero would probably develop empathy toward his previous incarnation . . . but would that change his heroic path?
Answering that question is the inspiration for my novel. My goal then is to write a coming-of-age story that follows the tropes of the epic fantasy genre but to also subvert those tropes by presenting a protagonist who could be either a hero or a villain. I’ll let my readers decide which one the protagonist actually is . . . though I’ve got my own opinion.
What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Wow, there’s a lot of advice I could give, and a lot more that I probably shouldn’t. Suffice it to say that everyone has their own way of doing things. As long as you feel excited about what you are writing, you’re not doing it wrong.
Beyond that, there are seven common things I say to new writers (or to myself when I need a reminder):
#1: The first draft of anything is bad, so just vomit it out.
#2: There is no magic solution to writing. You just do it.
#3: Do you.
#4: Set goals and write them down.
#5: Patience and persistence will trump talent.
#6: Do it right and don’t settle for less.
#7: Writing isn’t easy – it’s hard. Good writing is even harder.
Now that may seem opaque, so if you want a more detailed explanation about what the heck I’m talking about, check out my blog post “7 Things I Say About Writing” at https://justintcall.com/blog.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
There are many kinds of writer’s block, and I’m susceptible to most of them. One that I am particularly immune to, though, is the kind when you’re can’t come up with what to write next.
My most common problem is that I come up with too many potential solutions for what comes next, and the need to choose between only one of those solutions can be paralyzing. With time, I usually sort through it all and figure out what is best or most needed . . . but sometimes I have to follow that plot thread for a long while before I know for certain that it’s viable. Even then, I prefer to follow the other plot threads, too, just to be certain I’m taking the best path. I try to get most of that out of the way during my plotting/outlining phase, though.
So I prevent half my writer’s block by outlining extensively and well ahead of my drafting phase. The other half of my writer’s block comes from a lack of motivation to write that day, either because I’m distracted by some other task that “absolutely requires my attention” or because I don’t feel excited by a particular scene I am about to draft (which is usually a sign that my outline for the scene needs more work). All of these things can lead to intense procrastination, though, so I’ve got five bullet-proof ways to get writing:
If I am outlining and working through a story problem:
(1) Take a shower.
(2) Take a long drive.
(3) Exercise on a treadmill or an elliptical.
The monotony of my body having to do the same repetitive thing usually frees my mind to work out those knots more easily than sitting at my computer and staring at a blinking cursor.
If I’m supposed to be drafting and I don’t feel excited about the scene I’m about to write then I’ll:
(4) Listen to an episode of the Writing Excuses podcast.
(5) Play around with my outline in Scrivener (which is what I use for outlining and drafting).
How do you get inspired to write?
I’ve answered this in the question about writer’s block, but I’ll repeat it here. For writing inspiration, I will often:
(1) Take a shower.
(2) Take a long drive.
(3) Exercise.
(4) Listen to the Writing Excuses podcast.
(5) Move around and/or expand on elements of my outline in the Scrivener App, which I have on my laptop, tablet, and smartphone.
Other things that inspire me to write:
– Reading the books of other great authors.
– Reading books about creative writing.
– Learning about world myths and folklore.
– Studying storytelling and the hero’s journey.
What’s the best thing about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is having created something out of pure imagination, sweat, and solace . . . and then having other people tell you they loved it. Nothing is more satisfying, fulfilling, or inspirational.
Of course, if you aren’t published yet, that can be one of the hardest things about being a writer, particularly if your writing isn’t good enough to merit praise or isn’t ready for public criticism. You still get the satisfaction of creating something wholly unique and your own, but it can be lonely and ungratifying on some days.
Runner up answers:
– Getting paid to do something you love (in this case, to write).
– Not having someone else micro-manage how you do your job.
The post Q&A from GoodReads appeared first on Justin T Call.
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Stormcaller
Goodreads Blog for the-strikingly-handsome-and-exceedingly-humble Justin T Call.
Fantasy novelist. Screenwriter. Game Designer. Storyteller. Stay-at-home Super Villain Dad.
Thoughts are my own.
Fantasy novelist. Screenwriter. Game Designer. Storyteller. Stay-at-home Super Villain Dad.
Thoughts are my own.
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