Ask the Author: Rick Riordan
Answered Questions (545)
Rick Riordan
Good luck with your writing, but I would also say give yourself some grace, because you have a lot going on! Try to find a time of day when you can write effectively, even if it's just journaling or a few lines of dialogue, but don't beat yourself up if you can't do as much as you'd like. Just keep at it as much as possible. All writing is good practice.
Re. TV, I don't know of any plans for adaptations beyond Percy. It's just not possible to know that right now. As I've said before, TV is a tough business these days, and even getting five seasons of ANY show is a miracle. A series that spawns a spin-off series is even rarer. That's not a "no," it's just a "I have no idea, we'll have to see what happens."
I like animation, too. Again, no plans to explore that but who knows? One thing I learned over the last few years is that animation is even more expensive and takes even longer to make than live action. I had no idea.
Re. TV, I don't know of any plans for adaptations beyond Percy. It's just not possible to know that right now. As I've said before, TV is a tough business these days, and even getting five seasons of ANY show is a miracle. A series that spawns a spin-off series is even rarer. That's not a "no," it's just a "I have no idea, we'll have to see what happens."
I like animation, too. Again, no plans to explore that but who knows? One thing I learned over the last few years is that animation is even more expensive and takes even longer to make than live action. I had no idea.
Rick Riordan
Best advice for dialogue: Read it aloud after you write it. You will find out quickly whether the lines sound natural. Often, improving it is a matter of just cutting out a few words, because people don't tend to talk in complete sentences.
If you tag dialogue ('he said,' 'she said,' 'John exclaimed,' etc.) only do that when you have to, when it would be confusing for the readers otherwise.
Prefer the simple 'said' to too many synonyms, because those can get distracting. Also, try putting the tag as early as possible in the dialogue. If it's at the end of a long speech, it's not really helpful.
Finally, try just using an action as a tag. It helps build in pauses. For instance:
Clara rolled her eyes. "Not in a million years."
With that, you don't need 'she said.' It's very clear Clara is speaking.
Hope that helps, and good luck!
If you tag dialogue ('he said,' 'she said,' 'John exclaimed,' etc.) only do that when you have to, when it would be confusing for the readers otherwise.
Prefer the simple 'said' to too many synonyms, because those can get distracting. Also, try putting the tag as early as possible in the dialogue. If it's at the end of a long speech, it's not really helpful.
Finally, try just using an action as a tag. It helps build in pauses. For instance:
Clara rolled her eyes. "Not in a million years."
With that, you don't need 'she said.' It's very clear Clara is speaking.
Hope that helps, and good luck!
Rick Riordan
Thanks for reading! It's very difficult to answer "Will I ever...." questions because I just don't know. I don't have a master plan and simply write whatever project appeals to me at the time, which is quite a privilege, I confess. Yes, I'd love to write more books outside the Percy-verse. I have many potential ideas. I need to get through the Camp Half-Blood series and PJO senior year 3, and then we will see!
Rick Riordan
I don't know exactly, but as soon as possible. As you know, the Camp Half-Blood series jumped in front of it for a number of scheduling reasons, and since we wanted to publish all four of those books at six-month intervals, that meant writing FOUR books before I could get back to the final Percy book. I should be done with my revisions of the third and fourth Camp Half-Blood books by the end of the summer, and then will turn immediately back to Percy. The first draft of Percy 3 is done already, but probably 4-6 more months will be needed to do my final revision draft, after which it will need to be copy-edited, proofed, prepared for publication -- the usual process, which takes another 6 months more or less, so you can do the math. Anyway, I am not sleeping on it or taking a break until it is finished. We'll get it out asap!
Rick Riordan
For the new Camp Half-Blood book series, yes, you will see lots of the year-round campers, including Beckendorf, Selena and Clarisse. For the PJOTV season 4 renewal, I am afraid I don't have any information. I would not necessarily be worried. Sometimes it takes longer to announce than other times, and there is a lot going on at Disney right now with the new CEO and a bunch of changes in the leadership, which undoubtedly is part of what's going on. They also tend to be very conservative about their decision-making and prefer to look at the most recent numbers before deciding how/when/whether to renew things (even more so when there is new leadership) so they may be waiting to see how season three does, though of course I'd like to hear something sooner. That's just speculation on my part. I don't know anything concrete. Honestly, I'm not sure those decisions have been made yet, so I'm not sure anyone at Disney knows anything concrete about this either right now! We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Rick Riordan
Thank you for reading! I hope your brother enjoys the books. I suppose I relate most to Chiron, since we are both teachers and also thousands of years old. : )
Rick Riordan
Books one and two are done. I am doing my pass on book three right now and am about halfway through. I have read Pablo's pass on book four and it's already great, but I have not yet started my pass. Basically, each co-author writes their draft, based on a detailed outline I created. Then I write my draft, weaving in my own details and additions to the story, so that by the time the book is done, it is a hybrid of my style and theirs. If you were to look at the edited manuscript, you would see that it really is about fifty percent them, fifty percent me, but by the time we get each book cleaned up and copy-edited and we're all happy with it, it's almost impossible (even for us) to say who wrote what sentence or who suggested which idea. It's actually a lot of fun!
Rick Riordan
Good luck! I wouldn't worry too much about genre labels. Just write the story you want to tell. Most important thing: Finish it. Even if you don't think it's good or if you get stuck. Forge ahead and get the pages done. Then even if you decide you don't want to show it to anyone, that's okay! You've built up your writing muscles through the process. That's not to say the next story will be easier to write. It probably won't be. But it probably WILL be better because of the practice you got.
Rick Riordan
Thanks for writing. Neurodivergence is and always has been central to the Percy Jackson books. It absolutely runs in my family, in many different forms including autism, and so it's something I feel reasonably comfortable writing about.
At the same time, I think it's important to leave room for the reader's interpretation of the characters. Once you attached a label to someone, it can limit the way readers are able to make that character their own. In a way, you are saying, "This is what the character is, therefore that's the only way you are allowed to see them." And of course, most people don't want to be seen as only the way they are labeled. They want to be seen as full, complex, living people. So are there characters who are on the spectrum in Percy Jackson. Oh, I think so, of course. I might not pick the same ones that you do, however, and I think that's perfectly fine! As the old saying goes, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." It is a huge category, and presents differently in each person.
At the same time, I think it's important to leave room for the reader's interpretation of the characters. Once you attached a label to someone, it can limit the way readers are able to make that character their own. In a way, you are saying, "This is what the character is, therefore that's the only way you are allowed to see them." And of course, most people don't want to be seen as only the way they are labeled. They want to be seen as full, complex, living people. So are there characters who are on the spectrum in Percy Jackson. Oh, I think so, of course. I might not pick the same ones that you do, however, and I think that's perfectly fine! As the old saying goes, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." It is a huge category, and presents differently in each person.
Rick Riordan
Thanks for reading, and good luck with your studies! I think Percy would say, "I don't even know what classical and statistical mechanics are, so I'm glad you're taking the test and not me." Or maybe that's the author talking . . .
Rick Riordan
I understand that the "Uncle Rick" thing is a way of people inviting me into their families, of feeling a positive connection to me, and for that I'm grateful. I don't ever use that term myself or encourage it. I think that would be slightly creepy for me to do, but I appreciate the sentiment behind people choosing to use it.
I think I have talked enough about the movies for one lifetime. The term 'ad nauseum' comes to mind. I think I'll let it rest now. Surely you can find my old commentaries floating around on the internet somewhere if you really want to look.
Advice for writers is something I have offered in these Q&As many, many times before, as you will see scrolling through them. You can also check my website here: https://rickriordan.com/about/advice-... Hope you find something helpful, but the main thing is to just write! Simple to say, very hard to do.
I think I have talked enough about the movies for one lifetime. The term 'ad nauseum' comes to mind. I think I'll let it rest now. Surely you can find my old commentaries floating around on the internet somewhere if you really want to look.
Advice for writers is something I have offered in these Q&As many, many times before, as you will see scrolling through them. You can also check my website here: https://rickriordan.com/about/advice-... Hope you find something helpful, but the main thing is to just write! Simple to say, very hard to do.
Rick Riordan
That's an interesting way to look at the problem! Not finishing stories is an issue that faces most writers, especially when they are just starting out. I have dozens and dozens of unfinished stories from when I was in high school and college, but for me, the block wasn't about becoming too attached. I just didn't think they were good enough to finish. Another shiny new idea would grab my interest and I would tackle that instead (and not finish it). Whatever the reason, I can only encourage you to try finishing what you start. You will probably hate the endings. You will probably think the first drafts aren't very good. That's okay! Just force yourself through them. As other writers have said, a first draft's only job is to exist. Then you can revise as much as you want, or choose to do something else. But finish it. A big part of learning to write is learning to complete a project, pushing through even when you don't want to. There is no magic trick, no way through the block, other than to just keep writing. Worry about how good it is later. Just get the words out. You may find, after letting the draft sit for a while, that it's better than you realized. Even if not, you will have built your writing skills a little bit more through the effort, and will be better able to handle the next project. Good luck!
Rick Riordan
Thanks for reading! Another book project got moved in front of the third Percy Senior Year book (hopefully I'll be able to tell you about that project soon) but the first draft is done and it will be out eventually, most likely (but not 100% promising) 2027. Sorry for the wait!
Rick Riordan
Basically I try to prioritize whatever is due first. Deadlines are great motivators. So far, the only collaborative book projects I have published are the two Nico books with Mark Oshiro, and with those, Mark and I just figure it out depending on our workloads. Mark is just as busy as I am, probably more so, but we make it work with the help of our editor, who keeps us on schedule and keeps track of who has the manuscript and when it needs to change hands. The only thing I can really tell you about time management is that everybody is ALWAYS too busy, no matter what they have on their plate. I can't even wrap my mind around the fact that I used to have a full-time teaching job, two small kids, and an adult book and a kids' book to write in a given year, plus publicity events to do, but somehow I made it happen. Now, writing is my full-time job and you would think I'd feel less busy, but nope. I feel just as pressed as I ever did. You just have to carve out time and figure out how to make everything work -- or try, at least! I certainly still wish I was more organized and had more hours in the day.
Rick Riordan
At this point, I don't have any info on that, sorry! When I know more and can say more, I will.
Rick Riordan
I have already done both! I started my writing career by publishing seven adult mystery novels. A few years back, I wrote Daughter of the Deep, which was a sci-fi adventure based on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Rick Riordan
Well, since I write books, of course I am going to say that books are always better, but that's my personal bias! I think the crew and cast have done a remarkable job in a very challenging time for the TV industry bringing the Percy story to the screen, and I can tell you firsthand that hundreds of people poured their hearts and souls into this show, working long days for years to make it happen. If we had infinite time and infinite money and 20-20 foresight, are there things I would've changed or added? Sure! I think everyone on the team could pick some things like that. But making a TV show is a team sport, which means you have to let all the participants do their jobs and make their best creative decisions based on what is possible given the budget and the time frame, while juggling the wish list of the production team, the studio, the platform, and of course the fans. Absolutely I am involved and weigh in -- especially on the scripts. But no one can possibly control every single decision or detail, and no one is going to be 100% satisfied with everything.
The result is always going to be a compromise. As viewers, we all have our own litmus tests about what constitutes a good adaptation. Some changes that would bother you might not bother me at all, or vice versa, and in fact I think a lot of the changes in the series improved the story! But I respect and understand that everyone is going to have their own opinions, and reactions to the show are going to be in a wide range.
Having said that, I think the show has checked a lot of boxes for a lot of viewers and Percy fans, and the reception, judging from the metrics I've seen and the fan interactions I've had, has been overwhelmingly positive. The young actors, in particular, are incredible! I also think we're getting better as we go. I think season two improved upon season one, and season three is even better.
So I hope you'll keep watching and enjoying the show, but I get that it is a different experience than the books and that it may not work for everyone! I will say I've gained a great deal of respect for the work that producers, crew and actors do. It is unbelievable to me how hard they work to make even just a single episode of TV.
The result is always going to be a compromise. As viewers, we all have our own litmus tests about what constitutes a good adaptation. Some changes that would bother you might not bother me at all, or vice versa, and in fact I think a lot of the changes in the series improved the story! But I respect and understand that everyone is going to have their own opinions, and reactions to the show are going to be in a wide range.
Having said that, I think the show has checked a lot of boxes for a lot of viewers and Percy fans, and the reception, judging from the metrics I've seen and the fan interactions I've had, has been overwhelmingly positive. The young actors, in particular, are incredible! I also think we're getting better as we go. I think season two improved upon season one, and season three is even better.
So I hope you'll keep watching and enjoying the show, but I get that it is a different experience than the books and that it may not work for everyone! I will say I've gained a great deal of respect for the work that producers, crew and actors do. It is unbelievable to me how hard they work to make even just a single episode of TV.
Rick Riordan
Thanks for writing! Best advice for teachers: Don't give up after one year. It will be tempting, because the first year is completely overwhelming, but if you can make yourself do a second year, you will find (I hope) that it is much, much easier. Never easy, but definitely easier.
There are not a lot of deleted scenes from my books, honestly. There are a couple that I've mentioned in blog posts in the past -- you can probably find those with a web search. One is a short hazing scene from The Lightning Thief, the other is an aside in The Last Olympian where Percy stumbles across Nancy Bobofit.
There are not a lot of deleted scenes from my books, honestly. There are a couple that I've mentioned in blog posts in the past -- you can probably find those with a web search. One is a short hazing scene from The Lightning Thief, the other is an aside in The Last Olympian where Percy stumbles across Nancy Bobofit.
Rick Riordan
That is totally normal. When you start to read like a writer, it can be hard to enjoy a book because you will analyze what works and what doesn't. This can be a helpful problem, though. When you find a book that's really good, you may forget to analyze it and just enjoy it. That's a sign that the author really did a good job! I would just keep reading, but it might help to widen the types of books you are reading. For pleasure, I usually read books that are NOT like what I'm trying to write -- like adult fiction or nonfiction. That way I don't feel quite so obliged to study the text. Good luck!
Rick Riordan
Happy reading! As you said, I leave reviews for many of the books I have enjoyed, so you can start there. It also kind of depends on what subjects interest you. "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" is a short science read that I liked a lot. Coates' books, "Between the World and Me" and "The Message" are also quite short and thought-provoking.
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