Ask the Author: Christian Butler
Answered Questions (5)
Christian Butler
I was listening to a song from the soundtrack from a film done by a band I rather enjoy, and in listening to that track, this very vivid image came to mind of these two characters together, students in high school. And I knew then whatever it meant, I wanted for there to be a story designed entirely for that moment, for making manifest everything it was I’d felt in having seen this image and the experience of it and everything it meant to me. I just knew that any story working towards making manifest everything about that moment that was important and special and emotional and intimate would be a very special story, and something intense, hopefully intense.
Everything else came as a result of that.
Everything else came as a result of that.
Christian Butler
Really, it can come from anything. It really just depends on whatever it is going on in my head and in my life at the time, specially regarding the many, various interests of mine and how all of that connects.
Sometimes it could be the emergence in mind of a specific image. Others, it might be the concept of some experience I’ve got in mind, some emotional journey or sensation. Whichever the case, whatever it is I “see” or experience, if it is of suitable interest and I feel there may in fact be something there substantial enough to carry what could become an entire narrative experience, I’ll go about the process of its development, the first step usually being the reverse-engineering of what that story might be in terms of providing context and meaning and purpose behind the eventual experience for the reader and audience of that initial inspiration.
Sometimes it could be the emergence in mind of a specific image. Others, it might be the concept of some experience I’ve got in mind, some emotional journey or sensation. Whichever the case, whatever it is I “see” or experience, if it is of suitable interest and I feel there may in fact be something there substantial enough to carry what could become an entire narrative experience, I’ll go about the process of its development, the first step usually being the reverse-engineering of what that story might be in terms of providing context and meaning and purpose behind the eventual experience for the reader and audience of that initial inspiration.
Christian Butler
My debut novel, Days of Class in its final stages of production, so at present, I’m working on getting it nice and polished and pretty and as perfect as I can get it for when it becomes available for all the world to read and experience next year (November 22nd, 2022).
Aside from that, now that this thing is becoming reality and is now out there in the world, a physical product of its own independent existence in the world, I’m simultaneously working on making sure there’s more of a substantial presence for me and my work so that there’s some likelihood for people to come across it and—hopefully—experience it.
It’s the start of this new and awesome journey and it’s been a ton of fun and I’m quite enjoying the experience of it.
Aside from that, now that this thing is becoming reality and is now out there in the world, a physical product of its own independent existence in the world, I’m simultaneously working on making sure there’s more of a substantial presence for me and my work so that there’s some likelihood for people to come across it and—hopefully—experience it.
It’s the start of this new and awesome journey and it’s been a ton of fun and I’m quite enjoying the experience of it.
Christian Butler
Well, every medium has its own distinct characteristics, meaning whatever those elements, there are things they can do very well and other things maybe not-so-well or at least, not so easily as we might experience working in other media.
When it comes to writing and working within the boundaries of that specific medium, there aren’t really much in the way of any limits as to what it is you can do in telling your story. The world can be as massive or extensive in scope as you want or can manage. The story can cover as large a time-period as is conceivable or conversely, play with the notion and experience of time in ways other media simply cannot achieve with anywhere near the same degree of flexibility and freedom.
The story-world afforded us by the written word is, in this sense, near-limitless. Though technically it is necessary to acknowledge that in choosing this medium, that isn’t necessarily technically true—
The limit of the text-only story-world is our use of language and the words, themselves. Especially regarding the raw number of words necessary in telling whatever story it is you wish to tell in whatever desired scope and complexity.
The **potential** is limitless, but the raw materials in making manifest that potential does actually have physical form and shape—they are our words, our language, and our understanding and use of that language.
Getting a grasp on that, allows more for the effective use of that potential.
When it comes to writing and working within the boundaries of that specific medium, there aren’t really much in the way of any limits as to what it is you can do in telling your story. The world can be as massive or extensive in scope as you want or can manage. The story can cover as large a time-period as is conceivable or conversely, play with the notion and experience of time in ways other media simply cannot achieve with anywhere near the same degree of flexibility and freedom.
The story-world afforded us by the written word is, in this sense, near-limitless. Though technically it is necessary to acknowledge that in choosing this medium, that isn’t necessarily technically true—
The limit of the text-only story-world is our use of language and the words, themselves. Especially regarding the raw number of words necessary in telling whatever story it is you wish to tell in whatever desired scope and complexity.
The **potential** is limitless, but the raw materials in making manifest that potential does actually have physical form and shape—they are our words, our language, and our understanding and use of that language.
Getting a grasp on that, allows more for the effective use of that potential.
Christian Butler
Personally, tackling any creative block has always indicated some degree of my not really knowing or having in mind a coherent idea of what it is I’m trying to do or to best go about the doing of said thing. Meaning, if I’m trying to tell some story and come across difficulty in that process, whether the actual writing of it, or in characterizing it to others or even just for myself, developing the concept of it and making determinations for what it should do and where it should go: in essence, it seems always to boil down to simply not yet knowing what that story is.
So the “solution”—which will essentially be unique to whatever project or story it is we’re creating—is to basically do more work in figuring out that story.
If you can nail that down, at least for me and my experience of it, then there won’t really be any other obstacles of that variety to stop from doing the work, leaving to just sit down and get busy.
So the “solution”—which will essentially be unique to whatever project or story it is we’re creating—is to basically do more work in figuring out that story.
If you can nail that down, at least for me and my experience of it, then there won’t really be any other obstacles of that variety to stop from doing the work, leaving to just sit down and get busy.
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