Ask the Author: Alex Dolan
Answered Questions (3)
Alex Dolan
Good question! I'm going to interpret this as a romantic couple (I'd probably have a different answer if we were just talking about couple of friends or colleagues). I really love the romance between Henry and Clare in The Time Traveler's Wife. Because the book is told using alternating viewpoints, I felt like I really go to know both characters, so I could feel both of them falling in love with each other. By the end of the book, I was so attached to them, I might have been a third wheel in the relationship.
Alex Dolan
I trudge through it. Some days, that means slagging through a few hours of garbage before I feel like I've written anything worthwhile.
I feel like it happens more when I'm going through the "blank canvas" syndrome—in other words, it's easier for me to freeze up at the beginning of a project, before I've defined the characters or the story. When this happens, I don't force myself to write prose, and instead work on the elements of the story or the people. That way, I can keep moving forward on a process that feels more mechanical and requires less creativity.
For example, I can take a notebook and brainstorm interesting character names. Often, I'll fill out biographies for each of the main characters, where it's easier for me to plug in information about someone's life history. When I have all of that figured out, I'll play around with an outline for the book. So if I'm having problems writing a chapter, I can always go back to my outline, and figure out, with what I know about my characters and the situation, how I can move that scene forward.
Basically, if you find yourself having writer's block, I'd recommend stripping your book down to its smallest elements, and work on those, rather than overwhelming yourself with a blank page (or screen).
If that fails, read. Letting the creative part of your brain rest can be healthy, and sometimes reading a book can spark something interesting.
If that fails, get out and do something. That's not meant to be glib. Sometimes your brain is simply fried, and it might be time to stimulate it with something other than your laptop screen. Ultimately, life experiences are going to fuel your writing anyway.
I feel like it happens more when I'm going through the "blank canvas" syndrome—in other words, it's easier for me to freeze up at the beginning of a project, before I've defined the characters or the story. When this happens, I don't force myself to write prose, and instead work on the elements of the story or the people. That way, I can keep moving forward on a process that feels more mechanical and requires less creativity.
For example, I can take a notebook and brainstorm interesting character names. Often, I'll fill out biographies for each of the main characters, where it's easier for me to plug in information about someone's life history. When I have all of that figured out, I'll play around with an outline for the book. So if I'm having problems writing a chapter, I can always go back to my outline, and figure out, with what I know about my characters and the situation, how I can move that scene forward.
Basically, if you find yourself having writer's block, I'd recommend stripping your book down to its smallest elements, and work on those, rather than overwhelming yourself with a blank page (or screen).
If that fails, read. Letting the creative part of your brain rest can be healthy, and sometimes reading a book can spark something interesting.
If that fails, get out and do something. That's not meant to be glib. Sometimes your brain is simply fried, and it might be time to stimulate it with something other than your laptop screen. Ultimately, life experiences are going to fuel your writing anyway.
Alex Dolan
The obvious answers are always "keep writing" and "keep reading." But I'd really recommend finding a mentor. You could start by taking a class and connecting with your teacher, or if you're already working on a manuscript, finding an editor who really knows the craft and understands the kind of book you're trying to create.
Don't be afraid to approach people before you commit to working with them. If you're spending money, you should make sure you're comfortable with the person who will be giving you feedback on your work. Don't be discouraged if it takes you a while to find the right one. I've gone through my share of bad haircuts before finding the right salon. For something as important as your writing, you'll want to make sure you have the right person.
I'd recommend that you find a person with a deep knowledge of writing craft, and someone who respects your work enough to improve it without changing its fundamentals. Also, you want to have basic chemistry with them, so you like each other enough to work together.
A good mentor will encourage you to push yourself, and inspire you to write. Ultimately, you want to create the best book you can. A good mentor can help accelerate your development so you can get to a publication faster.
Don't be afraid to approach people before you commit to working with them. If you're spending money, you should make sure you're comfortable with the person who will be giving you feedback on your work. Don't be discouraged if it takes you a while to find the right one. I've gone through my share of bad haircuts before finding the right salon. For something as important as your writing, you'll want to make sure you have the right person.
I'd recommend that you find a person with a deep knowledge of writing craft, and someone who respects your work enough to improve it without changing its fundamentals. Also, you want to have basic chemistry with them, so you like each other enough to work together.
A good mentor will encourage you to push yourself, and inspire you to write. Ultimately, you want to create the best book you can. A good mentor can help accelerate your development so you can get to a publication faster.
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