Ask the Author: W.R. Heustis
Answered Questions (9)
W.R. Heustis
A couple of Thanksgiving ago, someone broke into my writing studio. They took unusual items and ones with a specific taste for art. To this day it is uncertain who did it or why. My studio is only known to a few people so it does narrow down the suspect list considerably.
W.R. Heustis
He answered the phone just as the power went off and the line went dead. He turned and faced that which he feared the most: his twisted, contorted, and defiled countenance reflected back at him in the mirror that fractured the moment he killed them all.
W.R. Heustis
I would travel to the world of the Hobbits and Gandalf. While there I would annoy Gandalf endlessly until he was willing to take me on as his apprentice. As readers, we know much about his abilities but little about where they originated. I would want to sit at his feet and learn about his source of wisdom and wizardry.
W.R. Heustis
This might sound odd or even peculiar, but I try to eliminate any kind of distraction and try to be quiet, to still my mind. When that is achieved, it is remarkable what comes to inspire and then guide my writing. For the most part, what inspires me is the human condition. In my effort to write, I want to get deeply enmeshed in my characters (that many times come directly from dreams) and want to hear their unique voice emerge. But with each character, each of them contribute to the core of what is trying to be supported. At the heart of each piece I write is the desire to make a difference in the reader's life. I don't want to merely entertain.
W.R. Heustis
Get yourself out of the way. Take your ego-mind expectations out of the equation and allow your imagination to operate freely. Get away from the material. It's possible it might not be going anywhere. If that is the case, a block is pertinent information telling you as much. One of my characters had two rules: don't force anything, and if it's not your song don't sing it. In other words, if it doesn't flow organically don't force the issue. You'll only make yourself frustrated. Second, listen to that still voice in side that has a lot more to say if you but listen. Good luck and continue on despite the resistance.
W.R. Heustis
At this point in my writing journey, I'd say that the first thing that comes to mind is how remarkable the process is when I get into a "flow." That means that the specific words, dialogue, and essence of the piece organically unfold. When all is said and done, and a finished work is at hand, it is a marvel of a mutual byproduct: my being the scribe and the muse being the source. It is a marvelous experience.
W.R. Heustis
The adage "write what you know" is the first thing that comes to mind. But that is not to say delve into anything superficial. Instead, explore those areas of your life that are unresolved, conflicted, and likewise real. It is essential to always lean toward the known because unless you're a brilliant mastermind of imaginary scenarios that defy careful scrutiny, you're far better off at least weaving in some of your life experiences into your writing. You never want to be accused of being inauthentic.
W.R. Heustis
I had a recent experience that put me touch with a memory of someone I once knew and about something he explained had happened to his brother: he had a massive heart attack while being intimate with his wife. That back story took me places I would not have explored otherwise. I started writing my new novel as if I'd just experienced the same except was able to return from the "other side" to write about the experience.
W.R. Heustis
As is often the case with virtually every book I feel compelled to write, there is an initiating issue that comes first. That may come in the form of a dream, an intuitive nudge, or some other means of internal cognition that not only provides me with the opening paragraph or first chapter, but also guides me through the unfolding plot and character development. I'm one of those fortunate writers who is blessed with a robust muse that meets me halfway in the overall process.
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