Ask the Author: M.S. Farzan
Answered Questions (9)
M.S. Farzan
I'm currently reading Play It Loud: An Epic History of the Style, Sound, and Revolution of the Electric Guitar, by Brad Tolinski and Alan di Perna. Before that, I was making my way through a huge backlog of fantasy reading and comic books. I'm also always thumbing through RPG books and campaign settings for research.
M.S. Farzan
After months of planning and preparing, I finally stood at the podium, realizing belatedly what I had forgotten in my haste to make it to the speech that morning. Pants.
M.S. Farzan
I'm a big fan of fantasy worlds like Middle-earth and the Forgotten Realms, but I'm also a sucker for creature comforts, like soap and running water. So I suppose that eliminates anything too medieval, but I'm also not interested in fighting against robots for the survival of humanity - so not too dystopian either. That pretty much leaves modern day, but what's life without whimsy? If given the choice, I'd probably live in the Marvel universe, and send in an application to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, beginning my career as an X-Man.
M.S. Farzan
Entromancy is a love letter to the cyberpunk genre in specific and action-adventure science fiction and fantasy in general. I love all types of fantasy and science fiction, and am particular to the shared worlds that one can discover in roleplaying games. The initial concepts for Entromancy came out of my love for those types of genres, and quickly morphed to incorporate more real-world themes, such as ethnic minorities, second-class citizenship, and stereotyping. Entromancy is also steeped in local flair; as a San Francisco Bay Area native, I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to writing about geographical locations.
M.S. Farzan
I find my inspiration from a lot of different avenues, but mostly from my hobbies and lived experiences. The initial concepts for Entromancy came from my love of fantasy and science fiction roleplaying games and novels. Similarly, my upcoming young adult urban fantasy novel is inspired by my experience growing up as a Muslim American in the United States.
M.S. Farzan
I'm currently working on the sequel to Entromancy, Technomancy: Book Two of the Nightpath Trilogy, and a separate standalone young adult urban fantasy novel.
M.S. Farzan
Write. Irrespective of what genre of writing you're entering, or what kinds of books, articles, or blogs you want to write, there's really no substitute for the experience of writing for its own sake. Write everywhere, at all times. Force yourself to write *a lot* in short and long bursts. Get comfortable with writing even when you don't want to. Your writing will not only get better; the process will help build your confidence as a writer.
M.S. Farzan
The best thing about being a writer is building worlds for others to read - and then experiencing the lives of your characters as you give voice to their stories.
M.S. Farzan
There are two really good ways to deal with writer's block that seem to work for me. The first one is to step away from whatever it is that I'm working on for a day or two, allowing my mind to clear itself and finding new inspiration after letting thoughts and ideas settle.
The other is simply to write more, even if it's not your best work, or on a separate subject entirely! Sometimes, experiencing a little writer's block doesn't necessarily indicate that the well is dry; rather, it might be a sign that your mind is occupied by something else or that your confidence is low. You may need to just get the wheels going, and allow momentum to do its thing.
The other is simply to write more, even if it's not your best work, or on a separate subject entirely! Sometimes, experiencing a little writer's block doesn't necessarily indicate that the well is dry; rather, it might be a sign that your mind is occupied by something else or that your confidence is low. You may need to just get the wheels going, and allow momentum to do its thing.
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