Sam
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
You've built some pretty outrageous and fantastic worlds in your writing, but are able to draw the reader in so easily. I've never had a point when starting one of your books where I am at all reticent to dive in completely. Is there a process for this world creation? Do you have a set map in your head from the beginning or does it kind of grow along with the story?
Jeff VanderMeer
The main thing about making the reader suspend disbelief is to engage in the three-step Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance method...but seriously, it is a combination of doing some research and thinking about it but also being willing to have the confidence to just let some elements go unexplained or to offer just a one-sentence explanation and move on. Sometimes writers will have what I call a "tell"--like, three paragraphs trying to explain how something works and it's because they're not confident in it--they think they're pulling some b.s. on readers. The important thing is to not have that tell. Everything in fiction is made up and everything can be believable if you approach it the right way.
More Answered Questions
Andrew
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
Hey Jeff, So I guess my question(s) is, do you ever feel like, 'Well, gee, I need to do some more elaborating on Area X. Or on the Southern Reach?' Does your editor come to you and say,'Uhhhh, Jeff, you need to Sci-fi this thing up a little. We need spaceships, here, and a plasma canon for the surveyor'?
Jessica
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
Your projects tend to be a little out-of-the-box: huge anthologies that could kill people if they fell asleep reading them, books that are hard to summarize, and a writing book that was basically an art project as well. Do you ever get stuck and think, "Oh god, what am I doing? Did I bite off more than I can chew? Who is going to buy this?"
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