Chris
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Ask#2 ~ In short, please help me know that choosing to write could possibly create something for me to hold onto. I'm 49, I've done slayed my demons and am no longer running; however, as pleased as I am with my life's progress, my forward momentum is gone. I feel I am lost without a compass. I've always wanted to write but I have no audience. Should I invent one? ~ In advance, I thank you for any thoughts. Christine
Lois McMaster Bujold
There are many how-to-write sources -- I usually recommend Pat Wrede's blog, for starters: http://www.pcwrede.com/blog/
Why to write is a different question. It is perfectly possible to write for oneself, for one's own pleasure -- in fact, that pretty much has to underlie all other goals, or one might just as well be flipping burgers for a living, or doing something else more reliable to get the desired attention or validation. After that initial joy-in-creation, further ambitions are up to the individual, and can vary wildly according to taste.
As a cart-horse-protocol observation, it is generally necessary to write something before one gets or grows an audience for it, although one does sometimes see people trying to do it the other way around. A friend of mine describes those as "people who want to have written." Not recommended.
Beyond that, there are lots of ways to reinvent one's own life, especially necessary for older women, as we tend to lack satisfactory standard social role models for actually, like, still being alive when older. If you ever get to Ista's book, Paladin of Souls, it addresses some of those issues. (Note it is a sequel to The Curse of Chalion, however.)
Ta, L.
Why to write is a different question. It is perfectly possible to write for oneself, for one's own pleasure -- in fact, that pretty much has to underlie all other goals, or one might just as well be flipping burgers for a living, or doing something else more reliable to get the desired attention or validation. After that initial joy-in-creation, further ambitions are up to the individual, and can vary wildly according to taste.
As a cart-horse-protocol observation, it is generally necessary to write something before one gets or grows an audience for it, although one does sometimes see people trying to do it the other way around. A friend of mine describes those as "people who want to have written." Not recommended.
Beyond that, there are lots of ways to reinvent one's own life, especially necessary for older women, as we tend to lack satisfactory standard social role models for actually, like, still being alive when older. If you ever get to Ista's book, Paladin of Souls, it addresses some of those issues. (Note it is a sequel to The Curse of Chalion, however.)
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
Gard Evyr
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Lois, I noticed in reading Chalion/Paladins that out of all modern fantasy 'greats', your writing in the medieval 'idiom' is the most authentic in terms of colloquialism / style of language / manner of speaking, syntax, turns of phrase. Many authors write very 'modern' medieval prose. How/where do you learn this authentic manner of accurate syntax/dialogue/prose? Reading a lot of historical fiction, or? Thanks!
Sandy
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
While reading a book about math errors my mind kept turning toward Prof. Vorthys and "engineering failure analysis". In many cases you likely don't have or need specific math details in stories. But I am aware many folks are math-phobic. Does that ever motivate you to slide over mathmatical details? I also wondered if you ever find math fun and creative in itself or is it more a means to an end?
Kate Davenport
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Maybe unfair to ask since your books don't fall into this category, but what makes an author abandon a series that has an unfinished through-line? I now have 4 different series I have followed where the author seems to have abandoned them and moved on to other things without wrapping up the larger story. (Example: 18 months between each of the first 14 books. 5 years since the last one, a semi-cliffhanger.)
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