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General Questions
Where
do you get ideas for stories?
The inspiration comes from
many sources: current events, personal experiences, and technical journals
among others. The trick is to take intriguing facts gleaned from disparate
sources, add plot points, character types and themes, and weave them into a
story that's entertaining, interesting and unique.
Do you
accept or review stories by other people?
Legal issues
make that prohibitive, so no, I do not accept or review stories. If you have a
great story kicking around in your mind, write it down on paper, even if it's
just fragments of thoughts. If you have a story to tell and you're determined
to make it available for the world to enjoy, but you lack the training to write
a good manuscript, then take a class or two. I worked for eight years, saved my
money, quit my job and spent a year learning how the pros do it. You can do it,
too. Ambition is key.
How long does it take you to bring a
story to market?
It takes just a few weeks to write the
skeleton of the story in terms of plot points, characters, story elements,
themes, metaphors, icons, foreshadowing, and linkages among all the them. Then,
it takes about three months to write a good first draft of the story.
Afterward, the story goes through a revision process that spans many more
months until it gets collaboratively edited with the publisher's staff. Then,
more months pass as the manuscript is reviewed by legal staff, design staff,
etc. Finally, once all the marketing and distribution aspects are ironed out, a
release date is determined and the book hits the store shelves. Gone are the
romanticized days when an author could sit fireside with a quill and inkwell,
and craft a story that would become a hardcover a few days after the last page
was penned.
What tools do you use to craft a
story?
I use a #2 pencil, an eraser, a 3-ring binder, a
word processor, and believe it or not, a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet keeps
fragments of thoughts, plot points, characteristics, and details organized. It
replaces the wall of post-it notes, if you would. A great deal of the revision
and edit process is done by hand - ie. the manuscript or screenplay is printed
out and revisions are done with pencil in hand.
Why do you
refer to it as crafting a story as opposed to writing a novel?
I believe a good story is independent of the medium. In other words,
a good story can be one you never tire of hearing over a camp fire. It could be
a manuscript that becomes a paperback, or a screenplay that becomes a feature
film or a play.
What's the most difficult aspect of writing a
story?
Dialog. I find the most challenging aspect of
writing is to write dialog that gives each character a distinct voice that
sounds natural given the character's personality.
What do you
want readers to take away from a story?
I want readers
to be entertained, first and foremost. Everybody's got their 9 to 5 job in
order to put bread on the table. My goal is to give the reader a chance to take
their mind off the daily grind. If a reader learns something new based on the
research that goes into the story, that makes it all the better. And, if a
reader walks away with a new perspective, that's icing on the
cake.
Do you care what critics write about your
stories?
To the extent that it affects my ability to
earn a living, yes. Other than that, no. I write for myself and for fans who
enjoy my work.
When did you begin writing?
I wrote a number of short stories in 1979. That was the year I
initially discovered I had some aptitude for crafting a story. Twenty one years
would pass before I would sit down to pen another story, and that was the first
rough draft of The Trainer. Two more years would pass before I
completed the story in screenplay form. Then, about a half year before the
story was reformatted into a manuscript suitable for paperback. Then, my
disastrous, multi-year misadventure with
internet
publishing. Having paid dearly for being ingenuous, my advice to
anyone/everyone: heed the advice of "predators & editors" and
"writer beware" information available
on the internet and always have contracts reviewed by an attorney familiar with
publishing. I digress...
Why did so much time transpire
between the first rough draft of The Trainer and the book release?
Many reasons. Bottom line is the same for me as most other authors -
until I can pay my mortgage, etc with my writing, I have to work on
non-literary pursuits by day, balance it with family time, etc. With some good
fortune, the next book release will take a few months rather than a few years.
Either way, I take stock in perseverance.
What did you do
between 1979 and 2000?
I'll leave that answer to my
biography.
Who are your favorite authors
/ writers?
Arthur Conan Doyle, Aesop, Edgar Allen Poe,
Mark Twain, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Ian Flemming, Tom Clancy, William Goldman,
William Shakespeare, and Woody Allen among others. I envy Woody for his ability
to tell his story using any medium. Also, his skill and versatility in being
able to take his stories to the big screen as a writer, director, actor - the
whole enchilada of story telling.
What stories fascinate you
most?
Although I love mysteries, dramas, thrillers,
science fiction and the occasional romantic comedy. What truly fascinate me are
biographies and history. These are real people and their life stories. The
events actually happened. People persevered, survived and lived to tell about
it - war, strife, persecution, loss, love, loyalty, determination - characters
that are made up by writers can be quite interesting, but there's nothing more
compelling and inspirational than the genuine article.
What
are your hobbies?
Keeping my head above water -
seriously! There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything
done. I try to divide my time among writing, family, maintaining/improving the
homestead and keeping myself fit and healthy. Usually the latter gets the short
end of the stick. When the miracle of miracles happens and I find discretionary
time on my hands, I enjoy photography, watching a good movie, reading trade
journals, camping, horseback riding and skiing. It's far more rare that I curl
up with a good book.
Why? Well, consider the
analogy - the last thing some police officers want to do is watch cop shows for
a hobby. It's rare, but not unheard of, if you catch my drift.
Will you be in my area for a book signing or other public
engagement?
Although I try to please my fans by making
singed books available through my web site for example, I'm a fairly reclusive
character myself. The ground hog ventures out into the public eye more often
than I do. So it's not very likely you'll see me in your neck of the woods.
But, not unheard of. |
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