A Goodreads user
asked
Michael Grant:
How did you come up for the plot for the series Gone? Can I just say that you are an amazing author and I am seriously addicted to your books. I still have to read Light, but I do not want the series to end so I am putting it off a bit even though I am dying to know everything. Now whatever book I read my thoughts drift over to Gone. Let me just say I prefer reading this series over speaking.
Michael Grant
Well thank you very much for that.
What I come up with is the initial premise: kids cut off from the world, plus superpowers. From that point I'm just walking the premise forward, trying hard to stay true to characters, to live within the rules I've established for my fictional world, and of course, trying to keep it interesting.
So: Premise. Characters. Rules. Follow you premise, stay absolutely true to character, live with the world you've created, and whenever you come to a solution to everyone's problems screw it all up because there's nothing more boring than solving everyone's problems.
There's a famous quote from Raymond Chandler: “In writing a novel, when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns.” Basically he's saying, keep it interesting, keep mixing it up.
And by the way, if you write, and even if you don't, if you haven't read Chandler, you really should. Read The Big Sleep. Read the first paragraph of The Big Sleep and you'll see a writer establishing premise, character, setting, style and a unique 'voice' all in about 200 words. If you're a writer you read that and despair.
What I come up with is the initial premise: kids cut off from the world, plus superpowers. From that point I'm just walking the premise forward, trying hard to stay true to characters, to live within the rules I've established for my fictional world, and of course, trying to keep it interesting.
So: Premise. Characters. Rules. Follow you premise, stay absolutely true to character, live with the world you've created, and whenever you come to a solution to everyone's problems screw it all up because there's nothing more boring than solving everyone's problems.
There's a famous quote from Raymond Chandler: “In writing a novel, when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns.” Basically he's saying, keep it interesting, keep mixing it up.
And by the way, if you write, and even if you don't, if you haven't read Chandler, you really should. Read The Big Sleep. Read the first paragraph of The Big Sleep and you'll see a writer establishing premise, character, setting, style and a unique 'voice' all in about 200 words. If you're a writer you read that and despair.
More Answered Questions
A Goodreads user
asked
Michael Grant:
When you first started writing the Gone series did you know how you were gonna explain the FAYZ, or did you make it up as you go along?
Joel
asked
Michael Grant:
are there any cases of foreshadowing in the first book of the gone series?
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