Ask the Author: Brian W. Peterson
Answered Questions (5)
Brian W. Peterson
I would go to the Nexus in Star Trek Generations. I would write and read and write some more. No outside pressures; no other responsibilities; just writing with occasional reading. Then I'd figure out how to get out of the Nexus so I could publish what I wrote.
Brian W. Peterson
I'm hungry and go to the fridge. We're out of mayonnaise for my sandwich!
Brian W. Peterson
Who knows? I have so many ideas: for novels; for scenes; for characters. I have ideas in folders, on my computer, and bouncing around in my head. Sometimes these ideas come out of thin air, other times from something I see in the news and I say, "What if THAT happened instead?" Sometimes I'll hear something and make up my own story. I have no recollection where my most recent novel came from or even why I set it in Ventura County, California (although I do know the area).
Brian W. Peterson
Besides the obvious (write, write, write), get training. That doesn't mean you have to go back to college, but be willing to take an online course or a night course. Be willing to learn ways to build conflict, sexual tension, and other character-related building blocks. Learn how to avoid getting bogged down in the middle of your story (hint: we all struggle with that from time to time). Writing, writing, writing won't help if you're doing it wrong.
Brian W. Peterson
I outline. I know how my story begins, many of the twist and turns, and how it will end. Along the way, as I write, I come up with additional twists, ways to add depth to characters, and more tension wherever possible. My pre-writing outlining is not so rigid it freezes my imagination and the creativity needed for the story. This limits the opportunities for writer's block.
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