2/9. Have you ever talked to a reader of your story? How did it go?
Fiction. After read-aloud, they liked what they heard. It was gratifying.
Non-fiction. I’ve been asked to autograph a few copies of my technical books. It was surprising.
2/5. If you found out that someone had to live your MC’s life (like in the “Stranger than Fiction” movie), would you change the story?
Not really. It would be very unpleasant for them. Likely fatal. But. The world is unpleasant.
2/9. Have you ever talked to a reader of your story? How did it go?
Fiction. After read-aloud, they liked what they heard. It was gratifying.
Non-fiction. I’ve been asked to autograph a few copies of my technical books. It was surprising.
2/8. What’s the most frustrating thing about writing?
Too many ideas. Too little time.
2/7. What’s the most rewarding thing about writing?
I get to read my fiction aloud.
2/6. Share an important or fun lesson you’ve learned as a writer.
Technical reviewers often know a lot more than I do. It means playing catch-up at the last minute. There can be a lot to learn. It's important to understand the topic well enough to decide on what's important and what's trivia that is only good for winning bar bets.
2/8. What’s the most frustrating thing about writing?
Too many ideas. Too little time.
2/7. What’s the most rewarding thing about writing?
I get to read my fiction aloud.
2/6. Share an important or fun lesson you’ve learned as a writer.
Technical reviewers often know a lot more than I do. It means playing catch-up at the last minute. There can be a lot to learn. It's important to understand the topic well enough to decide on what's important and what's trivia that is only good for winning bar bets.
2/5. If you found out that someone had to live your MC’s life (like in the “Stranger than Fiction” movie), would you change the story?
Not really. It would be very unpleasant for them. Likely fatal. But. The world is unpleasant.
2/5. If you found out that someone had to live your MC’s life (like in the “Stranger than Fiction” movie), would you change the story?
Not really. The MCs’ journeys are unpleasant. But. The world is unpleasant.
2/4. Look back at the first thing you wrote. What did you do right?
Tough one. Early fiction? I doubt I did anything right.
My first published work was a book on Python. What I did right was to persevere through a lot of drafts. Also. The other thing I did right was to be lucky enough to get spotted by an acquisition editor. I think the dumb luck of being in a good place at the right time was helpful.
2/5. If you found out that someone had to live your MC’s life (like in the “Stranger than Fiction” movie), would you change the story?
Not really. The MCs’ journeys are unpleasant. But. The world is unpleasant.
2/4. Look back at the first thing you wrote. What did you do right?
Tough one. Early fiction? I doubt I did anything right.
My first published work was a book on Python. What I did right was to persevere through a lot of drafts. Also. The other thing I did right was to be lucky enough to get spotted by an acquisition editor. I think the dumb luck of being in a good place at the right time was helpful.
2/3. Share a vivid sensory description from your story. What was writing it like?
The town of Beaver Dam Wash sprawled around a patch of gravel at the edge of the desert. A river gurgled through a maze of channels. Trees flourished in the river’s floodplain. Beavers had blocked some of the channels, trapping the precious water in shallow ponds. Birds swarmed through the bushes.
I think of screenplays with a description for the director of photography.
2/3. Share a vivid sensory description from your story. What was writing it like?
The town of Beaver Dam Wash sprawled around a patch of gravel at the edge of the desert. A river gurgled through a maze of channels. Trees flourished in the river’s floodplain. Beavers had blocked some of the channels, trapping the precious water in shallow ponds. Birds swarmed through the bushes.
I think of screenplays with a description for the director of photography.
2/2. Do you enjoy writing “good”, “bad” or morally gray characters more? Why?
I like the good characters. It's like writing competence porn. They’re far from perfect, which makes it fun writing to introduce their problems.
The bad guys are a struggle. I see a narrow frontier. On one side is bad but relatable, a good thing to write about. On the other side is sympathetic, which dilutes their evil intent.
