FAQ, the writers edition
WHAT'S THE HARDEST PART OF THE BOOK FOR YOU TO WRITE?
Tough question. It's all tough in its own way, to tell you the truth. But the part that almost always gives me trouble for every book is the part that leads up to the big climactic moment--the mission or heist or whatever it is where the "action" of the book all culminates. The on-ramp of that is always tough for me. Don't know why--but it is.
ARE YOU DOING NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH THIS YEAR?
No. Sadly, I'm doing Finish Your Rewrite of the Titleless Heist Book, You Doofus month.
There is far less camaraderie for that one, I'm afraid.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU START A NOVEL AND YOU WRITE ABOUT 20 PAGES AND THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO WRITE?
Well, in that case I would say one of two things have happened. 1. Either you need to add more conflict (things that stand between your character and his/her goal) or 2. You need to be open to the possibility that you don't have a novel on your hands--you have a short story or novella. Those are good to write, too. Just shorter.
WHAT HOW-TO BOOKS ABOUT WRITING DO YOU RECOMMEND?
See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski
Screenplay by Syd Field
On Writing by Stephen King
DO YOU HAVE TO BE AN ENGLISH MAJOR IN COLLEGE TO BE AN AUTHOR?
Well, I hold two--count 'em TWO--degrees in applied economics. So no.
WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF BEING AN AUTHOR?
Getting paid to do what I would gladly do for free.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO WRITERS MAKE?
That depends. A LOT. Some authors do get filthy rich but the VAST majority will never make a living wage from writing. Ever. You do it because you love it first. Always.
HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO PUBLISH A BOOK?
You can publish a book at any age--just as soon as you write a book worth publishing.
HOW MANY DRAFTS OF YOUR NOVELS DO YOU DO?
Always at least three. Always. Usually many more.
WHAT'S THE BEST ADVICE THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS.
This business isn't for wusses. Not. Even. A little bit.
DID JOHN GREEN REALLY STEAL YOUR TITLE MOJO?
I sooooo wouldn't put it past him.
-Ally
Tough question. It's all tough in its own way, to tell you the truth. But the part that almost always gives me trouble for every book is the part that leads up to the big climactic moment--the mission or heist or whatever it is where the "action" of the book all culminates. The on-ramp of that is always tough for me. Don't know why--but it is.
ARE YOU DOING NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH THIS YEAR?
No. Sadly, I'm doing Finish Your Rewrite of the Titleless Heist Book, You Doofus month.
There is far less camaraderie for that one, I'm afraid.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU START A NOVEL AND YOU WRITE ABOUT 20 PAGES AND THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO WRITE?
Well, in that case I would say one of two things have happened. 1. Either you need to add more conflict (things that stand between your character and his/her goal) or 2. You need to be open to the possibility that you don't have a novel on your hands--you have a short story or novella. Those are good to write, too. Just shorter.
WHAT HOW-TO BOOKS ABOUT WRITING DO YOU RECOMMEND?
See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski
Screenplay by Syd Field
On Writing by Stephen King
DO YOU HAVE TO BE AN ENGLISH MAJOR IN COLLEGE TO BE AN AUTHOR?
Well, I hold two--count 'em TWO--degrees in applied economics. So no.
WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF BEING AN AUTHOR?
Getting paid to do what I would gladly do for free.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO WRITERS MAKE?
That depends. A LOT. Some authors do get filthy rich but the VAST majority will never make a living wage from writing. Ever. You do it because you love it first. Always.
HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO PUBLISH A BOOK?
You can publish a book at any age--just as soon as you write a book worth publishing.
HOW MANY DRAFTS OF YOUR NOVELS DO YOU DO?
Always at least three. Always. Usually many more.
WHAT'S THE BEST ADVICE THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS.
This business isn't for wusses. Not. Even. A little bit.
DID JOHN GREEN REALLY STEAL YOUR TITLE MOJO?
I sooooo wouldn't put it past him.
-Ally
posted by Ally Carter at Sunday, November 16, 2008
15 Comments:
I'm also a big fan of Stephen King's On Writing. Guess I'll have to check out the other two titles you mentioned!
HOW MANY DRAFTS OF YOUR NOVELS DO YOU DO?
"At least three"
1st draft
edited copy
and re write?
i hope you finish heist/kat soon!! and GG3!! cantt wait!!!!! :D
"On Writing" is seriously the book that made me decide I could sit down and write a book. Life-changing. I love Stephen King's first-person voice so much (fiction or non-fiction).
On Writing was one of the books I took with me to college- guess that says something! Also a must-have: The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Not so much for writing as for the second editing stage... of either 'four' or 'eighty' for me.
And no, it's not for wusses. I'm trying to shed my wussy-skin right now and submit something!
Thank you! And the writing business seems very...frightening.
--Nadia
I don't think I could be a writer.
I rather read it than writee it.
and writers can be crazy sometimes
:]
If you can't make a total living off of your writer's profits how do you find time to write and do your part-time job?
-Devin
I wouldn't put it past John green either. He seems to be a little on the B.A. side lately. =]
Love the FAQ.
Great answers and great questions. I'm really acting on this idea I have for a book I've already titled "Pinkies First."-le gasp- maybe I stole your title mojo. So far I've got two EARLYEARLYEARLY manuscripts with title I think are amazing.
"Or Otherwise Classifed" aka.OOC
AND
"Pinkies First" aka Pinkies.
Wow, being an author sounds tough!! I think I'll stick to just writing for fun. I don't take criticism well so I know I wouldn't be a good published author. But you, you are amazing, Ally!! Great work!!=D
any title mogo that i had before left me when i actually got an idea. so yeah. the best title i can come up with the the book i'm working on is "The Reality of Dreams"...ha. whatever. when i couldn't come up with a title for the short story i wrote for english class i phoned my friend (apparently i sounded kinda insane due to the amount of coffee that i'd had in order to finish editing/revising my not-so-short story.) and she couldn't come up with a title. then i got an idea for a title but i couldn't use it cuz it didn't make sense. i guess that's what happens when you have to come up with a title after drinking coffee...
I have a question. Can you give us a hint. Like Kat/Heist is it in 1st person, 3rd person limited, or 3rd person omnisient(sp?)?
Its true about guys liking the lyky book. A guy in our school read and was like "NO WAY!!" thats wheat i heard from a friend of mine.
When ever i have an idea in my head for a story i jot it down.Then i start coming up with character names. Then i stop writing about it. I guess i lost interest b/c in writing it b/c i thought about it to much. Does something ever happen to you when you write?
do you think that the third book could come out sooner than june becuse i really injoy the books. even though the second book has only just come out i have already read it and would like the third now
Post a Comment
<< Home