Ask the Author: Hogarth Brown
Answered Questions (6)
Hogarth Brown
Luckily for me, I've not had writer's block. But I think the biggest danger to writing is modern life with its constant demands on one's attention, and the need to juggle and make money until the books do well.
I think gone are the days when one could live on a shoestring in Paris, let alone London, and live off bread, cheese and wine as you crafted your masterpiece. I think finance and time demands are some of the biggest challenges facing creatives, and writers in particular, because writing is so time-consuming: it's one of the reasons why writing my first two books took so long - I always had to juggle writing with work, friends and family.
Still worth it all though.
I think gone are the days when one could live on a shoestring in Paris, let alone London, and live off bread, cheese and wine as you crafted your masterpiece. I think finance and time demands are some of the biggest challenges facing creatives, and writers in particular, because writing is so time-consuming: it's one of the reasons why writing my first two books took so long - I always had to juggle writing with work, friends and family.
Still worth it all though.
Hogarth Brown
For me, the best parts are wide and varied, but I'd say that as a creative project you get to recreate an entire world (even if it's historical) from scratch. Writing is like being an actor, but you get to play every part - even the weather!
I really enjoy inhabiting the characters and then having them come to life and live out the story - often a character will surprise you and one must accommodate for this, but it's also thrilling when they do and act upon the stage you have given them. For me, the most satisfaction comes from the whole entirety of the project. It's exhausting, but one really feels a sense of achievement when the book is finished: a few weeks rest and then it's time to start another one.
I really enjoy inhabiting the characters and then having them come to life and live out the story - often a character will surprise you and one must accommodate for this, but it's also thrilling when they do and act upon the stage you have given them. For me, the most satisfaction comes from the whole entirety of the project. It's exhausting, but one really feels a sense of achievement when the book is finished: a few weeks rest and then it's time to start another one.
Hogarth Brown
My advice to aspiring writers is determination, discipline, and persistence - and revise, revise, revise, and then revise again until you have done the absolute best you can do with your talent. Oh, and keep going.
Writing is an absolute gruelling marathon - just when you think you have mastered one thing along comes another challenge, especially as an indie author. However, writing is also immensely rewarding on a personal level and nothing can take away the feeling of having finished and published your book(s).
Writing is an absolute gruelling marathon - just when you think you have mastered one thing along comes another challenge, especially as an indie author. However, writing is also immensely rewarding on a personal level and nothing can take away the feeling of having finished and published your book(s).
Hogarth Brown
I'm currently finishing the master edit for my second book in the Hermeporta series: The Hermeporta Beyond the Raging Flames.
It took a bit of getting back into as I'd been away from the second book for a significant period of time, but I'm enjoying being surprised or entertained by what I wrote, as I know that probably will be the same for the reader too. Professor Sloane (he's one of my favourite characters) he really gets himself into some scrapes - especially in book two! And as for Illawara, she has some major, major challenges to overcome herself.
It took a bit of getting back into as I'd been away from the second book for a significant period of time, but I'm enjoying being surprised or entertained by what I wrote, as I know that probably will be the same for the reader too. Professor Sloane (he's one of my favourite characters) he really gets himself into some scrapes - especially in book two! And as for Illawara, she has some major, major challenges to overcome herself.
Hogarth Brown
Funnily enough, that came with a separate project of illustrating a children's book. The book was published, but things didn't quite work out. However, with my contribution to the illustrations, I was also asked to come up with story ideas for future books.
The first seed of one of those ideas became: The Hermeporta Beyond the Gates of Hermes. The characters in the children's book were all named after flowers: that's where the name Illawara came from for the Professor's daughter. Her name is important and takes on full development in my second book. However, the book that I've written is NOT for children (especially near the end) but it did start that way.
The first seed of one of those ideas became: The Hermeporta Beyond the Gates of Hermes. The characters in the children's book were all named after flowers: that's where the name Illawara came from for the Professor's daughter. Her name is important and takes on full development in my second book. However, the book that I've written is NOT for children (especially near the end) but it did start that way.
Hogarth Brown
Gosh, so many sources of inspiration. I would say it all started when my mother gave me the Greek Myths and Legends to read as a child and I remembered that they made such a huge impression on me. That's why there is a certain cameo from a long-forgotten Goddess in my first book, and numerous references to others. I also read Ovid and Homer while young and that also helped because they are such great storytellers. I also get ideas from art, music, science, performance and philosophy.
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