Lichen’s Comments (group member since Feb 09, 2012)

Lichen’s comments from the Lichen Craig Q and A group.

LOL Yoshi you are a riot. ;) *waves back*

People often ask me how I write. I have been writing non-fiction for a living for over 25 years now. Gentlemen's Game is the first published novel, but it is by no means the first foray into fiction. I find that the processes for fiction and non-fiction are similar. For Gentlemen's Game I had to do a lot of research into luxury yachts for example, and I spent a good day and a sturdy notebook doing that. I didn't use every tidbit I found, but knowing some detail allowed me to write confidently about the boat, its interior, speed. I actually needed to know what such a boat would cost so that I would know whether my protagonist could afford to own it. Research is I think a part of every good novel, just as it has to happen for non-fiction.

Typical questions:

Do you write daily?
Well, yes. Pretty much. Not because I have to, but because for me writing is like breathing. If I am not physically putting words on paper, I am working on marketing.

Do you write an outline first?
For non-fiction always. For fiction, no. Many fiction writers do write and follow an outline, but a minority find that doesn't work and I am one of those. I tend to be, rather, very character-driven. I have to form a character in my head first. By the time I start writing I know this character's background, personality, preferences, fears, joys. The stronger and deeper the character is the better I write. I find that a strong character tells the story to me and I write it down.

One interesting aspect of working in this fashion is that sometimes characters do things I don't want them to. Those who have read Gentlemen's Game will be interested to know that I had no idea what was going to happen in Chapter 14 until about Chapter 7. I woke up one morning and knew what would happen, and wrote 14. This is one of the few times I wrote out of chronological order. I also did not know what would happen in Chapter 21 - the last chapter of the book. I was in the middle of it when The Scene started (those familiar with the book know what scene I mean!) - I thought "Greyson what are you doing?" I was horrified.

But this is the thing: if I try to force my characters into an action or direction that they don't want to go naturally, my writing stinks. I have to give them a long leash and stay out of their way. A few different famous writers have discussed this phenomenon - that of the character taking over. Most memorably Stephen King wrote a short story about a character coming after the author with a vengeance - Johnny Depp starred in the film.

Has anyone written a strong character that then wanted to tell a story? I would love to hear about your experience!

Thank you for stumbling in! I am reader and writer Lichen Craig. Even if you haven't read Gentlemen's Game and don't want to, please sit in to hopefully enjoy some discussion around the technical aspects of writing - both fiction and nonfiction, or the nature of fiction.

I got an interesting email today from a reader who is determined to finish the book but finds the subject matter "disturbing". I'm not sure what that meant. It is dark, to be sure. But she said that she "skipped some of the middle to find some happiness".

At first this sort of freaked me out. I don't expect everyone to like it, but so far reader feedback is overwhelmingly positive. It got me thinking about the nature of fiction. This book actually has a positive ending, but it is a hard road getting there. Does fiction always have to be positive? What about "disturbing"? Is that all right - as this reader suggested - if the reader is provoked to think, reconsider, learn?

It also got me thinking about romance fiction. This is not a genre romance by any stretch. It is an unusual story and doesn't fit neatly into the romance category. For one thing, it is about two men - who do not identify as gay. They stumble upon one another and fall in love - much to their own surprise. It isn't a typical gay romance. One issue I think the above reader may be having is that she has read a lot of M/M slash and formula gay romance, and this is totally different. What about romance? Does it need to be anything in particular? Does it need to fit a genre? Are you more comfortable when it does?