Ask the Author: Andrew Lauck
Answered Questions (7)
Andrew Lauck
There are so many out there that it's hard to choose, honestly. I'll break this into TV and books. My favorite TV couple would have had to be Chuck and Sarah, from "Chuck." As different as they are, the two characters constantly find a way back to each other, even when all hope seemed lost in the final season (Not really a spoiler). As for the literary couple...I'd have to go with my favorite trilogy of all time, The Night Angel trilogy. Brent Weeks truly crafted some of the finest couples I've read, whether it's Durzo and Momma K, Kylar and Vi, or Azoth and Doll Girl. The dynamics of these relationships are so well-written that it's hard to choose just one, although I would have to go with Kylar and Vi as their journey from beginning to end is so full of hardship and struggle. My second choice for that would be any number of Shakespeare's couples, since you can never discount the Bard. Third would be Edmund Dantes and his fiance of The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas, my favorite classic. Despite marrying his best friend while he's imprisoned, unbeknownst to her, and his obsession with revenge, the two coming together in the end as love conquers even the strongest of emotions...That book is a masterpiece.
Andrew Lauck
This is a tricky one. I've tried walking away, which didn't work for over a month and I've tried listening to music and staring at a blank screen. I recently encountered writer's block, though, and this is what worked: I went to dinner with my mom and my fiance, and we talked about other things. After dinner and a great conversation, I sat down with my headphones on, turned on a song that was completely different, and asked myself what I wanted to make. The next morning, I looked over my results and ended up scrapping a 1,300-word chapter, but I re-wrote that chapter with an alternate version of those results. The moral is that, whether it's good or bad, epic or dud, write. Don't think, don't ask questions, just write. We can't always write the best things, but you're the only one who sees your failures and laugh about them. If you only walk away with one thing, make it this: You can't edit or re-write something that was never written in the first place.
Andrew Lauck
The best thing about being a writer...For such a simple question, it's incredibly difficult, because picking one thing is hard. I'd have to say that my favorite thing about writing is that, when you write, you create. You create people you've never met, will never meet, in conversations you'll never have. You create worlds from nothing, or you can create a situation that will never happen. It's the idea of being able to do anything, go anywhere, be anything or anyone, and it's incredibly addictive. If I could pick a second aspect, it would be the friends and fans, because hearing or reading someone's support to do something you love is easily one of the best feelings on the planet.
Andrew Lauck
Music is a big part of my writing, whether I hear a song on the radio or sit down to write and put one on. It sets the tone or atmosphere for what I'm writing, so you can imagine how dark that playlist can get. Other than that, I find inspiration in films and shows that I watch, which is why (To my fiance's dismay) I always want to watch new things. Some of my biggest inspirations were Stephen King, Brent Weeks, Cormac McCarthy, J.L. Bourne, Joe McKinney, Dana Fredsti, and my parents in writing. TV shows or films that gave me ideas would be "Book of Eli," "The Road," "Jaws," "The Walking Dead (Specifically season two)," "Mad Max," and "Zombieland." I once watched a zombie movie where the cure was alcohol, which actually gave me a lot of ideas. Not so much for a cure, but to not be afraid to take things up a notch on the crazy pole. I came back to this to add that videogames can be a good source of inspiration, too, as "The Witcher III" and "Mad Max" have helped in a lot of ways. Anyway, I know I can get a little long-winded so I apologize for that, but I do hope this helped somehow.
Andrew Lauck
When I was in sixth grade, I thought I wrote my first "book," a hand-written, thirteen-page story. My teacher let me read it to the class and, after I did, she told me that if I had a passion for it and wrote often, I'd publish it someday. So, my advice is this: Write every chance you get, even if it's just in a journal or diary. Be honest with yourself and write what you love. Never give up, because writing is a talent and it's rare. You can't please everyone, and you shouldn't try to. Don't expect to always write something epic, we aren't all Stephen King or Brent Weeks. Out of the books I've read about tips and advice of the trade, I'd recommend Stephen King's "On Writing." It was insightful, honest, and written by a master of his craft. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, writing is about creation, whether you're creating a story of characters in a real world, or building an entire world from nothing, so remember to have fun and go where the writing takes you. Don't be afraid to stray from your plan, because I can attest that well-written characters will start to write themselves. Anyway, those are my thoughts. I realize I've only written one book so far, and I'm no expert, but hopefully this helps someone.
Andrew Lauck
I'm writing the sequel to "A Broken World," but what I'll do after that is a great question. I haven't decided yet if I want to go for a trilogy or go a completely different direction. I have a dozen ideas, and I know at some point I want to write a book in a genre no one would expect as a personal challenge.
Andrew Lauck
The question isn't entirely fair, as I'm working on the sequel to my first book, but the answer is the same. I love the horror genre, specifically stories of survival, zombies, etc. "The Road" and "Book of Eli" (Book and movie, respectively) are good examples. I've always wanted to see things, though, that are never done, and cliches are avoided, so I decided to write it myself with some dark humor thrown in.
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