Ionut-Alexandru Radu

Ionut-Alexandru Radu asked Mark Lawrence:

I just wanted to say that you have become my favorite fantasy writer. Your style is very inspiring and i cannot even begin to try and describe the way you make me feel when i read your books. Anyway, when you write how do you come up with your connections between scenes and actions? How do you choose your scenes f.e. after torching Mabberton the next is on Lich Road.

Mark Lawrence That's not really a question I can answer any better than I can answer, "When someone asks you a question, how do you decide what words to say?" Or "When chatting with friends, how do you decide what to talk about next?"

In those examples I just open my mouth and speak and everything sorts itself out.

When writing I just start typing and the story flows. There's no great calculation about what comes next, just as there are no great calculations in a relaxed conversation.

More Answered Questions

Thomas

Thomas asked Mark Lawrence:

Afternoon, Mark. Do you have any tips on discovery writing? I've written two novels now that feel so 'meh' using extensive outlining. I'm writing a third, but I'm already losing steam following the outline. There's just no life or finesse in my work--nothing jumps off the page. I want to be able to write more character focused. However, I think of sitting down to write with nothing to follow, and it scares me :)

Goncalo Pinheiro

Goncalo Pinheiro asked Mark Lawrence:

Hi Mark! I'm finishing King of Thorns, which is amazing. I love Jorg and your prose. And one of the best details in the story so far is The Builders. I wonder if you consider to write a book about their Era and their Fall? Keep up the good work!

Gary Nicholas

Gary Nicholas asked Mark Lawrence:

I don't know how this process works and am sure you may have been told this before; but I want to share something I want to see. I was browsing the bookstore just the other day and I happened on several themed Monopoly sets. Two of these sets were based on The Legend of Zelda and another on A Game of Thrones. I have never bought a themed Monopoly game; but I want The Red Queen's War! Can you make it happen, Mark!?

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