Ask the Author: Matthew Carson
Answered Questions (5)
Matthew Carson
Wow...that's a longer answer than most folks probably want to read. The short answer is: a strange brew of video games, heavy metal, annoyance with convention, and Larry Elmore's artwork. :)
Matthew Carson
After a long stint in science fiction, I'm writing fantasy. I avoided it for a long time because it felt like it had all been done before. The entire genre exists in Tolkien's shadow, though now with a gritty, political feel to due to GRRM's work.
But, I had an idea that I hadn't seen done in fantasy before. The story had been rattling around in my head for a few years now in one form or another. When I finally gave the idea the consideration it deserved, it grew rather than diminished under my mental microscope. Everything kinda clicked together after that.
Nice and vague, huh?
But, I had an idea that I hadn't seen done in fantasy before. The story had been rattling around in my head for a few years now in one form or another. When I finally gave the idea the consideration it deserved, it grew rather than diminished under my mental microscope. Everything kinda clicked together after that.
Nice and vague, huh?
Matthew Carson
Write and read as much as you can. Take it seriously, and try to accept criticism (or rejection) gracefully. Also, don't quit.
Take chances. In the wise words of Wayne Gretzky, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
Take chances. In the wise words of Wayne Gretzky, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
Matthew Carson
Every writer must deal with this at some point. It just comes with the territory. Here are some of the ways I'm able to move forward, even when it feels like I've hit a wall:
1.) Talk it out. Find your first reader and talk out your motivations, your goals, and try to wrap your head around what is tripping you up. I'm often amazed at how trying to explain the situation to another person lets the pieces fall into place.
2.) Distract yourself. Give yourself something else to do to let your mind chew away at the problem. Sometimes when you get that flash of brilliant insight out of the blue, it's because your brain has been working on it in the background. Just don't let this short break be an excuse to stop writing.
3.) Take a different approach. Jim Henson's philosophy on the Muppet Show was often to introduce penguins into a scene if he didn't know what else to do. If what you're doing just isn't working, try something else. Sometimes all you need is a short bridge to span the gap to gain traction again.
4.) Show up. Set aside time to write on a regular basis and follow through on it. Stephen King's "On Writing" talks about muses: "Your job is to make sure the muse knows where you're going to be every day from nine 'til noon, or seven 'til three. If he does know, I assure you that sooner or later he'll start showing up." Brilliant.
5.) Read. If you are really and truly blocked, go read something. It serves as both a distraction and a way to enrich yourself. Look at the imagery, the sentence structure, and when the author illustrates a point beautifully. Learn from it, internalize it. Reading really is the rocket fuel for writers. You are never doing yourself a disservice by reading.
1.) Talk it out. Find your first reader and talk out your motivations, your goals, and try to wrap your head around what is tripping you up. I'm often amazed at how trying to explain the situation to another person lets the pieces fall into place.
2.) Distract yourself. Give yourself something else to do to let your mind chew away at the problem. Sometimes when you get that flash of brilliant insight out of the blue, it's because your brain has been working on it in the background. Just don't let this short break be an excuse to stop writing.
3.) Take a different approach. Jim Henson's philosophy on the Muppet Show was often to introduce penguins into a scene if he didn't know what else to do. If what you're doing just isn't working, try something else. Sometimes all you need is a short bridge to span the gap to gain traction again.
4.) Show up. Set aside time to write on a regular basis and follow through on it. Stephen King's "On Writing" talks about muses: "Your job is to make sure the muse knows where you're going to be every day from nine 'til noon, or seven 'til three. If he does know, I assure you that sooner or later he'll start showing up." Brilliant.
5.) Read. If you are really and truly blocked, go read something. It serves as both a distraction and a way to enrich yourself. Look at the imagery, the sentence structure, and when the author illustrates a point beautifully. Learn from it, internalize it. Reading really is the rocket fuel for writers. You are never doing yourself a disservice by reading.
Matthew Carson
Why do I have dreams so vivid that they are nearly indistinguishable from memories? Are we talking past lives, a glitch in the Matrix, or am I the dream in someone else's head? Yeah, I could do something with that. :)
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