Ask the Author: Mayo Lucas
Answered Questions (19)
Mayo Lucas
I think they'd be as flummoxed, dazed, bewildered, and as frustrated as I often am. But they'd LOVE all the modern appliances!
Mayo Lucas
There is no one right answer to this question. It's different for everybody.
But here's how you can come close to figuring out what works best for YOU.
Make a point of writing at different times of the day or night that are available to you, and make note of that time, along with duration (1 hr...30 min., whatever), your production rate (pages, word count, etc.), and add a comment about how you felt, e.g., "got a sluggish start, but then I started flying" or "couldn't keep my eyes open and concentrate." If you've got a story idea or one in progress, work on that. Otherwise, just do what they call automatic or stream-of-consciousness writing. (Knock the editor off your shoulder for this kind of writing. Don't edit, revise, worry about spelling or grammar. Just give yourself permission to go for it.) Continue doing this writing at different times and make your notations. You might find only one "best time" or--if you're lucky--you might find several.
And that's how you find YOUR best time(s) to write. Happy writing!
But here's how you can come close to figuring out what works best for YOU.
Make a point of writing at different times of the day or night that are available to you, and make note of that time, along with duration (1 hr...30 min., whatever), your production rate (pages, word count, etc.), and add a comment about how you felt, e.g., "got a sluggish start, but then I started flying" or "couldn't keep my eyes open and concentrate." If you've got a story idea or one in progress, work on that. Otherwise, just do what they call automatic or stream-of-consciousness writing. (Knock the editor off your shoulder for this kind of writing. Don't edit, revise, worry about spelling or grammar. Just give yourself permission to go for it.) Continue doing this writing at different times and make your notations. You might find only one "best time" or--if you're lucky--you might find several.
And that's how you find YOUR best time(s) to write. Happy writing!
Mayo Lucas
My best answer to this is one I heard attributed to Nora Roberts years ago in answer to a similar question she was asked: "Apply the seat of one's pants to the seat of one's chair!" Hear! Hear! I second that. Generating text is THE #1 practice!
Mayo Lucas
In my younger years (teenaged & young adult), I would've chosen--in a heartbeat--to live in the 19th century. As I've grown older and more dependent on modern conveniences (O God of Washing Machines, Microwaves, Dishwashers, and the Combustion Engine!), I'm grateful to be living in this century. I just wish our modern American culture was kinder, more cohesive, and--frankly--smarter, the practice of critical thinking more common.
Mayo Lucas
Yowza! That's an impossible question because of the length and breadth of space required to answer it--but I'll try to give a good, representative sampling.
For non-fiction, I gobble up biographies/autobiographies, books by David Eagleman, neuroscientist, and Brian Greene, theoretical physicist; Jonathan Haidt for social science, Malcolm Gladwell and Mary Roach for quirky science; Chalmers Archer, Jr., for black, personal accounts; Claude Manceron for French history; Betty Friedan for mapping women's lives; and I'm a sucker for all things Napolean and Roosevelt.
For fiction, there's Dewey Lambdin for 18th century naval adventures; Fran Lebowitz, David Sedaris, Christopher Moore, and Tom Robbins for humor; then Stieg Larsson, Yann Martel, Bernard Cornwell, Edna Ferber, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and many more for all-around, good story-telling.
For the genre of romance, there are favorite books by Kathleen Woodiwiss, LaVyrle Spencer, Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Sarah McLean, Helen Hoang, Elizabeth Peters and...and...too many more to name. But you get the idea.
For non-fiction, I gobble up biographies/autobiographies, books by David Eagleman, neuroscientist, and Brian Greene, theoretical physicist; Jonathan Haidt for social science, Malcolm Gladwell and Mary Roach for quirky science; Chalmers Archer, Jr., for black, personal accounts; Claude Manceron for French history; Betty Friedan for mapping women's lives; and I'm a sucker for all things Napolean and Roosevelt.
For fiction, there's Dewey Lambdin for 18th century naval adventures; Fran Lebowitz, David Sedaris, Christopher Moore, and Tom Robbins for humor; then Stieg Larsson, Yann Martel, Bernard Cornwell, Edna Ferber, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and many more for all-around, good story-telling.
For the genre of romance, there are favorite books by Kathleen Woodiwiss, LaVyrle Spencer, Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Sarah McLean, Helen Hoang, Elizabeth Peters and...and...too many more to name. But you get the idea.
Mayo Lucas
Hm. There's nothing hard about writing...now. Now it's my favorite and easiest place to be, but it wasn't always so. In the beginning, I'd get sweaty palms and a nervous stomach just thinking about sitting down to write, afraid whatever writing talent or ability I had was just a fluke. I didn't let it stop me though, and it gradually got better. As my confidence grew, so did my comfort level with the process. Believing in yourself--in the beginning--is the hardest part. Just keep "applying the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair" and write your way through the hard parts. A helpful technique for getting past that Dreaded Bogeyman, Writer's Block, is to do stream of consciousness writing. Start with anything--a favorite movie, a meal, somebody's name, a memory and write LONGHAND 'til you get stuck or run out of ideas. When that happens, just keep writing your last word over and over until you get bored and your brain kicks back in...and off you go again. It's just a way to keep your writing wheels oiled.
Mayo Lucas
Keep writing! Keep learning! Don't worry about how others define you. If you write, you're a writer and are entitled to call yourself a "writer."
When I first started writing (ahem!) years ago, I was so determined to get the information I needed, I made up my mind to endure the sure-to-be-expected derision of others when I'd called, at different times, my state's law library, a local engineering firm chosen at random, and the American Embassy in Paris. Surprise! Not a single soul laughed, snickered, or scoffed. In fact, They were extremely helpful and even encouraging!
When I first started writing (ahem!) years ago, I was so determined to get the information I needed, I made up my mind to endure the sure-to-be-expected derision of others when I'd called, at different times, my state's law library, a local engineering firm chosen at random, and the American Embassy in Paris. Surprise! Not a single soul laughed, snickered, or scoffed. In fact, They were extremely helpful and even encouraging!
Mayo Lucas
Yes--so glad you asked! Dealer's Choice will be published October 30, 2024 on Amazon in both paperback and e-book format. There will be a pre-sale event in the next couple of weeks, and advance readers are already sending in positive reviews, which you'll be seeing here.
Mayo Lucas
Turned out that after my maternal grandfather died--the last of the family--I learned he wasn't who he'd always said he was. Through a bizarre series of inquiries from a geneology research firm and a law firm--they'd been looking for me--I learned my grandfather had taken on the identity of his brother, who'd died in infancy! WHY is the big question or course...and I'm working on supplying the answers. Great question--thanks!
Mayo Lucas
My most recent but as-yet-unsold book is Dealer’s Choice, an historical saga that’s part love story and part journey of self-discovery, set amid the colorful world of gambling that threaded the American West together in the years following the Civil War. (See the full synopsis at https://www.mayolucas.com.)
Frankly, Dealer’s Choice came about oddly. A fellow writer threw out the observation that one couldn’t have a suicide and a romance in the same scene. My brain heard that as a challenge and I started writing. (Ultimately, she was right—they couldn’t be a part of the same scene.)
Also, as someone who keeps a lists of words—those loved, despised, amusing, feel-good-in-the-mouth, etc., I’d noticed how much the vocabulary of gambling had soaked into our lexicon. 'You bet.' 'Up the ante.' 'She called him on that mistake.' Even the very obvious, 'take a gamble on yourself' or to 'raise the stakes' on something.
Finally, as an inveterate solitaire player (good for clearing the head before sleep), I’ve always been fascinated by the art put into the royal portraits of playing cards. In one deck, the queen of spades looks bored, the queen of diamonds looks like she retains water, the queen of clubs is very weary (too many "Off with their heads!" I suppose)... but the queen of hearts—ah, the Queen of Hearts! You can see the intelligence in her eyes.
Bottom line: I feel I was destined to write Dealer’s Choice--and it was a thoroughly satisfying story to tell!
Frankly, Dealer’s Choice came about oddly. A fellow writer threw out the observation that one couldn’t have a suicide and a romance in the same scene. My brain heard that as a challenge and I started writing. (Ultimately, she was right—they couldn’t be a part of the same scene.)
Also, as someone who keeps a lists of words—those loved, despised, amusing, feel-good-in-the-mouth, etc., I’d noticed how much the vocabulary of gambling had soaked into our lexicon. 'You bet.' 'Up the ante.' 'She called him on that mistake.' Even the very obvious, 'take a gamble on yourself' or to 'raise the stakes' on something.
Finally, as an inveterate solitaire player (good for clearing the head before sleep), I’ve always been fascinated by the art put into the royal portraits of playing cards. In one deck, the queen of spades looks bored, the queen of diamonds looks like she retains water, the queen of clubs is very weary (too many "Off with their heads!" I suppose)... but the queen of hearts—ah, the Queen of Hearts! You can see the intelligence in her eyes.
Bottom line: I feel I was destined to write Dealer’s Choice--and it was a thoroughly satisfying story to tell!
Mayo Lucas
I don’t think of it as getting “inspired” as in some sort of ah-ha! moment. The igniting spark that sends us down a multitude of creative paths is everywhere, in every act, every emotion, good or bad, in every sunset, in every storm. We are a derivative species, constantly incorporating and building on the ideas of others, whether we’re conscious of it or not. (No, I’m not talking plagiarism. That’s stealing and claiming it as your own.) That urge to mix and match and remake is what sets our species apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. (The Runaway Species by David Eagleman illustrates the depth and breadth of this trait, and it’s a wonderfully engaging read!)
Mayo Lucas
Yes. Yes, I can. :-)
Mayo Lucas
I’ve always read several books at once, bouncing from one to the other; but this is the first time I’ve been writing on several books simultaneously--four to be exact: Two historical romances that take place in the American southwest in the 1870s (my favorite era); a contemporary fantasy about an escaping angel; and a paranormal one about a witch, a troll, a prince, and the balance of good and evil in the world. While those last two have philosophical subtexts, they both focus on a central relationship.
Mayo Lucas
Years ago, my brother-in-law, Art, gave me and old, grubby chunk of 4x4 lumber (nowadays, we'd call it 'reclaimed wood'). On it he’d written—in barely visible ballpoint pen—“WRITER’S BLOCK.” I still have it. I used to rest my feet on it while I was at the keyboard…and kick it whenever the writing stalled. Eventually, I figured out that writer’s block was really just me fighting myself. Sometimes it was procrastination, sometimes plain old laziness…and sometimes just being distracted with other things. Then I found an exercise from a book called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Her advice was to sit down with pen and paper--sometimes the kinetic connection opens up creative flow--and just start writing. Anything. If nothing comes to mind, simply pick a word and write it over and over until your stream of consciousness kicks in. This is designed to flick that judgmental editor off your shoulder and tap into creative flow. It doesn’t matter what you write, just that you do write. She also recommended journaling every morning for 10 minutes or so to off-load all the flotsam and jetsam that clogs your head from the moment you wake up. Those things worked for me and, for the most part, I no longer need them. I simply pick up where I left off, comfortable with the possibility that those first few paragraphs will either get re-written a dozen times or trashed completely. I just need a running start.
Mayo Lucas
Getting to make up a world or scenario and live in it. You get to be all the characters, see all the events through their eyes, feel what they feel. Sometimes they surprise you. Sometimes they’ll tell you their secrets. Then you get to drive them, frustrate them, and finally reward them after they’ve worked hard and exhausted themselves, when they deserve it. The real people in my life are oddly reluctant to give me this kind of power, so what could be better than a life made up of writing your own world to explore and control? Buh-wa-hahahaaaaa!
Mayo Lucas
Oh, boy. Better grab a cup of coffee and have a seat because I have lots to say!
Apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and WRITE! This isn’t original to me, but I don’t remember its source. (Sounds like something Nora Roberts would say.) Self-discipline and habit are key—much more valuable and productive than the much-touted “inspiration.” If you wait for that unicorn to ride up and rescue you, your story and characters will starve to death.
Study and learn your craft. Read, read, read. Analyze your favorite books, dissect them. Get into a group of other writers. Learn to critique and be critiqued. You’ll need thick skin in this business, but also a brain flexible and porous enough to soak up everything that’s useful for your writing. Learn to be ruthless with your own work. Collect beta readers. Every writer needs a cheer leader and others with keen eyes for detail, great story instincts, and a willingness to be straightforward with their feedback. You’re not obligated to take anyone’s advice or suggestions, but it’s imperative (especially in the beginning) that you try on for size and test its merits. Now get to work!
Apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and WRITE! This isn’t original to me, but I don’t remember its source. (Sounds like something Nora Roberts would say.) Self-discipline and habit are key—much more valuable and productive than the much-touted “inspiration.” If you wait for that unicorn to ride up and rescue you, your story and characters will starve to death.
Study and learn your craft. Read, read, read. Analyze your favorite books, dissect them. Get into a group of other writers. Learn to critique and be critiqued. You’ll need thick skin in this business, but also a brain flexible and porous enough to soak up everything that’s useful for your writing. Learn to be ruthless with your own work. Collect beta readers. Every writer needs a cheer leader and others with keen eyes for detail, great story instincts, and a willingness to be straightforward with their feedback. You’re not obligated to take anyone’s advice or suggestions, but it’s imperative (especially in the beginning) that you try on for size and test its merits. Now get to work!
Mayo Lucas
I’d go to Anne McCaffrey’s Pern, get my own dragon, and ride through the skies. (In my mind, her Dragon Riders of Pern was the forerunner of Avatar.)
Mayo Lucas
Me, too! And thank you for the question! You’ll get your $5 in the morning. Dealer’s Choice is making the rounds with agents right now. Trust me, you’ll be one of the first to hear as soon as it gets picked up—and look out for the party when it gets sold!
Mayo Lucas
I’m currently reading David Eagleman’s Incognito (just finished The Runaway Species and Sum)—I love this man’s brain! I’d like to finish the Dalai Lama’s Beyond Religion, then I plan to dive back into the romance waters with Johanna Lindsey’s Make Me Love You and Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas. Reading, writing, blogging, emailing, tweeting, art projects—and sometimes laundry—so much to do, so little time! Ahhhh! she screams, running into the night, hair on fire!
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