Ask the Author: Jason Arias
Answered Questions (3)
Jason Arias
My advise for aspiring writers is to read everything that excites you. Even read stuff that doesn't excite you, if it's important enough.
The whole time you're reading, be writing, be seeking out authors you love, and figuring out why you love them, and taking their workshops. Learn how to find story in everything, and what makes some stories more compelling than others. Dissect language and play with structure. And in turn let language and syntax crawl inside you and change your DNA, keep you awake at night, continue to excite you.
Learn as much grammar as you can stomach. Listen carefully to critique and thank your critics, those people are sharpening you. Keep reading. You're still reading, right? And writing? Those two things are the keys to getting better at your craft.
When you feel like all your stuff sucks, look back at what you were writing five years ago and realize how much more that stuff sucks. You're making progress, you just can't feel it.
And I guess that's the main thing: Know that whatever you're doing is the best you can do right now, but you're only getting better.
The whole time you're reading, be writing, be seeking out authors you love, and figuring out why you love them, and taking their workshops. Learn how to find story in everything, and what makes some stories more compelling than others. Dissect language and play with structure. And in turn let language and syntax crawl inside you and change your DNA, keep you awake at night, continue to excite you.
Learn as much grammar as you can stomach. Listen carefully to critique and thank your critics, those people are sharpening you. Keep reading. You're still reading, right? And writing? Those two things are the keys to getting better at your craft.
When you feel like all your stuff sucks, look back at what you were writing five years ago and realize how much more that stuff sucks. You're making progress, you just can't feel it.
And I guess that's the main thing: Know that whatever you're doing is the best you can do right now, but you're only getting better.
Jason Arias
I'm usually inspired to write by an accumulation of angst built up from everyday life. By that I mean, I'm always looking for time to write, but when I tend to make the most time is when something is rubbing me wrong, and I need to work my way through it on the page.
Usually that pent up writing isn't an exact replication of (or anywhere near) whatever's on my mind, in my body, etc. But sometimes it is. And when that's the case it usually comes out on the page as essay, memoir, or somewhere in between.
If I'm completely burned out from writing I usually take a break and read a ton. It usually doesn't take too long before I'm inspired again. Sometimes the best thing you can do, when your pushing something hard, is to walk away from it for a bit. Give it time to air out. Just make sure you go back.
Usually that pent up writing isn't an exact replication of (or anywhere near) whatever's on my mind, in my body, etc. But sometimes it is. And when that's the case it usually comes out on the page as essay, memoir, or somewhere in between.
If I'm completely burned out from writing I usually take a break and read a ton. It usually doesn't take too long before I'm inspired again. Sometimes the best thing you can do, when your pushing something hard, is to walk away from it for a bit. Give it time to air out. Just make sure you go back.
Jason Arias
Hey Lee,
Great questions. This link will take you to my author website page with links to various ways to buy "Momentary Illumination of Objects In Motion": http://jasonariasauthor.com/published...
It can be purchased from Black Bomb Books website, Amazon, or you could ask your local bookstore to order it for you. I am one of many authors in the "Clowns" anthology, and it looks like that's still on Amazon as well.
As far as another book, yes, I do have something in the works. I'm always writing short stories, but I'm also currently working on a novel that will take place in the early to mid 20th century in a real resort town that used to exist, but was over the years swallowed by the ocean. It's early in the process since I'm still researching, promoting "Momentary Illuminations..." quite a bit, and oh yeah, I've got my day job. But I'm excited. It'll be my first novel.
Thanks for writing,
Jason
Great questions. This link will take you to my author website page with links to various ways to buy "Momentary Illumination of Objects In Motion": http://jasonariasauthor.com/published...
It can be purchased from Black Bomb Books website, Amazon, or you could ask your local bookstore to order it for you. I am one of many authors in the "Clowns" anthology, and it looks like that's still on Amazon as well.
As far as another book, yes, I do have something in the works. I'm always writing short stories, but I'm also currently working on a novel that will take place in the early to mid 20th century in a real resort town that used to exist, but was over the years swallowed by the ocean. It's early in the process since I'm still researching, promoting "Momentary Illuminations..." quite a bit, and oh yeah, I've got my day job. But I'm excited. It'll be my first novel.
Thanks for writing,
Jason
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