Michael
asked
Brian D. Anderson:
How important is your relationship with your fans as it pertains to your stories? Do they influence the way you write? - This question was asked of me by Brian, and one of the people commenting thought it would be interesting to get his take - so here I am to ask it ;-)
Brian D. Anderson
I'm happy to answer. :)
I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some absolutely wonderful interactions with fans. They have become as important to me as the stories themselves, and I love it every time I get a message or email from someone who has enjoyed my work. Even after more than three years, it gives the same thrill as it did the first time it happened. So in a sense, everything I write is for them.
I know it's popular among authors to say that they write for themselves. But in my mind, without the fans I don't see the point of publishing at all. I can always write a story that only I understand or would want to read then shelve it in the “for me” section. I feel that the best part of what I do is knowing that there’s a smile on the readers face when they put down my book and that they are excited when I release something new. But then I've always considered myself an entertainer rather than an artist. Don’t get me wrong, I love beautifully crafted writing and elaborate stories created to expand the mind and touch the soul. And those who have the talent for it and produce genuine works of literature are truly artists and have my utmost respect. But I also see the value in simply taking someone out of their humdrum world for a few hours and providing them with a bit of fantasy and adventure. Thankfully I don't need to be an artist to achieve this goal.
As far as the actual story lines and the influence my readers have, I think I would agree with you on that one. I wouldn’t write a story I didn’t like. I certainly want to satisfy the people who brought me to this point in my career, and they are in my thoughts when I come up with new ideas. But like you, there is no amount of goading or pleading that could make me write something I wasn’t comfortable with.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some absolutely wonderful interactions with fans. They have become as important to me as the stories themselves, and I love it every time I get a message or email from someone who has enjoyed my work. Even after more than three years, it gives the same thrill as it did the first time it happened. So in a sense, everything I write is for them.
I know it's popular among authors to say that they write for themselves. But in my mind, without the fans I don't see the point of publishing at all. I can always write a story that only I understand or would want to read then shelve it in the “for me” section. I feel that the best part of what I do is knowing that there’s a smile on the readers face when they put down my book and that they are excited when I release something new. But then I've always considered myself an entertainer rather than an artist. Don’t get me wrong, I love beautifully crafted writing and elaborate stories created to expand the mind and touch the soul. And those who have the talent for it and produce genuine works of literature are truly artists and have my utmost respect. But I also see the value in simply taking someone out of their humdrum world for a few hours and providing them with a bit of fantasy and adventure. Thankfully I don't need to be an artist to achieve this goal.
As far as the actual story lines and the influence my readers have, I think I would agree with you on that one. I wouldn’t write a story I didn’t like. I certainly want to satisfy the people who brought me to this point in my career, and they are in my thoughts when I come up with new ideas. But like you, there is no amount of goading or pleading that could make me write something I wasn’t comfortable with.
More Answered Questions
Cat Parradee
asked
Brian D. Anderson:
How close are you to releasing Dragonvein book 5? I love these books. Just finished book 4.
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