Ask the Author: Shahid Insaf
Answered Questions (8)
Shahid Insaf
So many. Here are my top picks:
1. Writing your breakout novel: Donald Maass
2. A man called Ove: Fredrik Backman
3. How to study poker: Sky Matsuhashi
4. Fight like a physicist: Jason Thalken
5. Suspect: Robert Crais
6. The work of the imagination: Paul Harris
7. Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: Adele Westbrook
8. Physics for future Presidents: Richard Muller
9. The Capitalist Manifesto: Andrew Bernstein
10. Spy secrets that can save your life: Jason Hansen
1. Writing your breakout novel: Donald Maass
2. A man called Ove: Fredrik Backman
3. How to study poker: Sky Matsuhashi
4. Fight like a physicist: Jason Thalken
5. Suspect: Robert Crais
6. The work of the imagination: Paul Harris
7. Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: Adele Westbrook
8. Physics for future Presidents: Richard Muller
9. The Capitalist Manifesto: Andrew Bernstein
10. Spy secrets that can save your life: Jason Hansen
Shahid Insaf
During my medical school days in the former USSR, I had a psychotic patient named Yuri Makarov who kept insisting that he was the lost, illegitimate son of one of the most decorated Soviet architects, Georgi Makarov. I dismissed his claims as the delusions of a very sick man until I found out that there was indeed a very famous architect named Georgi Makarov who had died under very misterious circumstances. He had a son named Yuri. When I tried to find out details about this, I was stonewalled and essentially stopped from asking more questions. I've often wondered if here was a greater conspiracy and a lot of truth to what my patient claimed. It would be a very intriguing novel to write. Maybe I will someday.
Shahid Insaf
From my experiences as a Psychiatrist and from having studied Game theory and playing in the World Series of Poker.
Shahid Insaf
Inspiration takes a lot of perspiration. I have found that if I'm constantly thinking about writing, creating characters, writing down interesting pieces of dialogue and descriptions and putting a twist on characters based on people I already know, inspiration to write something automatically blossoms. If I stop this process of observation and effort, the inspiration dwindles.
Shahid Insaf
My next book is called '3 tales of Redemption'. I won't give the theme or the plot away.
My next book will be '3 tales of Justice'.
Some characters may repeat in all three books. We'll see.
My next book will be '3 tales of Justice'.
Some characters may repeat in all three books. We'll see.
Shahid Insaf
1. You have to WANT to write. Good writing cannot be forced. Writing should be for its own pleasure. Successes will follow depending upon the quality of your writing and your later marketing efforts. If you are writing solely with the goal of monetary success or fame in mind, you're probably doing something self-defeating.
2. Spend most of your initial time crystalizing your plot. Some writers are seat-of-your-pants writers. They write spontaneously, and go where their imagination and characters take them. I have found this approach to be somewhat exhausting and unpredictable.
3. Fill your work with conflict. A work of fiction without high-stakes conflict becomes insipid.
4. Read in order to write. Read fiction and non-fiction and read books about how to write fiction and non-fiction.
5. Don't give up. Never give up.
2. Spend most of your initial time crystalizing your plot. Some writers are seat-of-your-pants writers. They write spontaneously, and go where their imagination and characters take them. I have found this approach to be somewhat exhausting and unpredictable.
3. Fill your work with conflict. A work of fiction without high-stakes conflict becomes insipid.
4. Read in order to write. Read fiction and non-fiction and read books about how to write fiction and non-fiction.
5. Don't give up. Never give up.
Shahid Insaf
The capacity to create unique, interesting, unpredictable and profound characters. Life is primarily about self-discovery. Inventing great characters is, in my opinion, the best way to discover the hidden parts of oneself.
Shahid Insaf
I believe Writer's block happens primarily in 2 situations:
1. If the writer stop enjoying what he/she is doing and just approaches writing as a chore or a deadline or something that needs to be done despite there being no passion for it. Have fun while writing and you will be able to defeat the block!
2. If the plot is not clearly defined or if the author is not satisfied with the plot. Nothing stops writing faster than not knowing where you're going with the story. Define and crystalize the plot until it glistens!
1. If the writer stop enjoying what he/she is doing and just approaches writing as a chore or a deadline or something that needs to be done despite there being no passion for it. Have fun while writing and you will be able to defeat the block!
2. If the plot is not clearly defined or if the author is not satisfied with the plot. Nothing stops writing faster than not knowing where you're going with the story. Define and crystalize the plot until it glistens!
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