Ask the Author: John G. Stevens
Answered Questions (7)
John G. Stevens
Love what you do.
I think it's vital to be writing (especially at the beginning) because you love it. If nothing ever comes of your current writing project and you still want to do it: you've found something special. You've found the art that you want create in this world because no one else has. No one else can. No one else can take your unique thoughts and build a tangible experience out of it. I forget who said it first (Neil Gaiman?), but there's a phrase, "Write the story you want to exist but doesn't yet." For me, this is the key. I write because I love the thing I'm creating and no one else will do it.
I think it's vital to be writing (especially at the beginning) because you love it. If nothing ever comes of your current writing project and you still want to do it: you've found something special. You've found the art that you want create in this world because no one else has. No one else can. No one else can take your unique thoughts and build a tangible experience out of it. I forget who said it first (Neil Gaiman?), but there's a phrase, "Write the story you want to exist but doesn't yet." For me, this is the key. I write because I love the thing I'm creating and no one else will do it.
John G. Stevens
This happens. Sometimes the tank is empty and the words just aren't there. I like to recharge periodically. Sometimes I need to take a night off, watch some Netflix, play video games etc, maybe play some board/card games with friends. A little break here and there definitely helps me clear out the cobwebs get my head back in the game. I will say though, the more I write the easier it's getting. It used to take me a lot longer to build momentum and crank out a chapter, now I can do the same in half the time. Still, rest is needed from time to time and allowing yourself a break to recoup (without the self-inflicted guilt, please) is often all that's needed.
John G. Stevens
Thanks for the question!
Wow. Where to begin...
The world of Echowake has a lot of influences. I didn't really plan it that way but it evolved over time.
The setting started out as "a barren wasteland with air whales flying overhead." I've always liked post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction so that idea excited me. The air whales overhead gave it a nice fantasy element too.
I also knew I wanted to have magic. I borrowed a page from things like Dragon Ball and Naruto and decided to make the magic chi-based. Something based on the life-force of a person, but it wasn't something everyone could do.
One of the characters early on belonged to a guild of inventors, so I wanted to have some technology, but not too futuristic. I settled with a gear + steam engine level of technology. It fit well with this recovering dystopian (or even post-dystopian) world as they entered a second industrial revolution. The character, incidentally, was definitely influenced by Lucca (from Chrono Trigger) and Bulma (again, from Dragon Ball.) I never really setout to do "Steampunk", and as such it's not the typical Victorian and parasol style of Steampunk. It's a bit dirtier than all that.
Speaking of dirty. Being a dystopian world, there wasn't much in the way of government and certainly no militaries or police force. So how do people go about protecting their towns and cities? Probably by forming some kind of militia. Let's call them Marshals. And they should be armed... We have plenty of metal craft in this world (thanks to the steampunk inventors) so guns seem plausible. Hmm. A group of do-gooders running around in the Scorch (a desert-like environment) with guns fighting wild raiders... is this a Western? Just a little bit! ;) But let's mix it up. One of the characters has a large 6-chamber revolving rifle. Now that's dystopia!
Because this dystopian world was created by some great cataclysm hundreds of years prior, that meant the world as it was before was gone. But what was it like? What vestiages might be left from those old civilizations? There might be ancient technologies left behind that are more advanced than anything steam power could offer. Enter: Science Fiction. This is a popular trope in many stories and it fits just perfectly in my world.
Maybe it's true what they say, there are no more original ideas, only original combinations of ideas. If that's true, then I'm in a good place!
Wow. Where to begin...
The world of Echowake has a lot of influences. I didn't really plan it that way but it evolved over time.
The setting started out as "a barren wasteland with air whales flying overhead." I've always liked post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction so that idea excited me. The air whales overhead gave it a nice fantasy element too.
I also knew I wanted to have magic. I borrowed a page from things like Dragon Ball and Naruto and decided to make the magic chi-based. Something based on the life-force of a person, but it wasn't something everyone could do.
One of the characters early on belonged to a guild of inventors, so I wanted to have some technology, but not too futuristic. I settled with a gear + steam engine level of technology. It fit well with this recovering dystopian (or even post-dystopian) world as they entered a second industrial revolution. The character, incidentally, was definitely influenced by Lucca (from Chrono Trigger) and Bulma (again, from Dragon Ball.) I never really setout to do "Steampunk", and as such it's not the typical Victorian and parasol style of Steampunk. It's a bit dirtier than all that.
Speaking of dirty. Being a dystopian world, there wasn't much in the way of government and certainly no militaries or police force. So how do people go about protecting their towns and cities? Probably by forming some kind of militia. Let's call them Marshals. And they should be armed... We have plenty of metal craft in this world (thanks to the steampunk inventors) so guns seem plausible. Hmm. A group of do-gooders running around in the Scorch (a desert-like environment) with guns fighting wild raiders... is this a Western? Just a little bit! ;) But let's mix it up. One of the characters has a large 6-chamber revolving rifle. Now that's dystopia!
Because this dystopian world was created by some great cataclysm hundreds of years prior, that meant the world as it was before was gone. But what was it like? What vestiages might be left from those old civilizations? There might be ancient technologies left behind that are more advanced than anything steam power could offer. Enter: Science Fiction. This is a popular trope in many stories and it fits just perfectly in my world.
Maybe it's true what they say, there are no more original ideas, only original combinations of ideas. If that's true, then I'm in a good place!
John G. Stevens
Ideas and inspiration come from everywhere. My wife has a specific piece of jewelry that gave me the idea for an entire spinoff novella. Maybe even a series of novella. Sometimes that's all it takes! I can feel the world that lives around a single idea, even before I work out the details. Sometimes you just know the potential is there.
Other times my mind wanders, I'll think about different kinds of magic and interesting ways it could be applied. Sometimes I come across something that gets me excited and build entire characters around those ideas.
I've often gotten the idea of a character name or story theme while out and about, so I'll often make notes on a notepad on my smartphone.
Other times my mind wanders, I'll think about different kinds of magic and interesting ways it could be applied. Sometimes I come across something that gets me excited and build entire characters around those ideas.
I've often gotten the idea of a character name or story theme while out and about, so I'll often make notes on a notepad on my smartphone.
John G. Stevens
You get to explore a world where no one has ever been before. I love the sense of discovery and revelation in writing. Not just in the world building, but in induvidual scenes. Being in the scene with the characters, undestanding them and how they would react to events changing around them. It's hard to describe. Maybe it's like being a test-pilot on a fantastic safari adventure to new impossible worlds? Let's go with that!
John G. Stevens
I'm working on the direct sequel to Echowake. The main outline is complete and writing is progressing nicely. I've learned so much making the first book the second time is already going a lot smoother. I'm addicted, I just can't leave this world behind!
I'm also gathering details and inspiration for a sidequel titled The Strength of Words and a distant era prequel. More details available on the website!
I'm also gathering details and inspiration for a sidequel titled The Strength of Words and a distant era prequel. More details available on the website!
John G. Stevens
Nearly fifteen years ago, I was working on a new creative project with a friend. We actually wanted to make a Flash-based cartoon with the aesthetic of a 16-bit era RPG crossed with Japanese Anime. We had some interesting ideas, including some recycled ideas I had for an actual RPG design from when I was in 6th grade! I still have that tattered sketchbook with maps, characters and everything. We worked on it for months but life quickly got in the way before producing the first episode.
I saved those early screenplay drafts and worked on them off and on for years. Finally, in 2010 I decided to take those ideas and novelize the story. After ten chapters or so, I found the story was much bigger than I ever realized. The final draft checks in at similar length to Return of the King. A lot of life happened in that span, I'm glad to finally share it.
I saved those early screenplay drafts and worked on them off and on for years. Finally, in 2010 I decided to take those ideas and novelize the story. After ten chapters or so, I found the story was much bigger than I ever realized. The final draft checks in at similar length to Return of the King. A lot of life happened in that span, I'm glad to finally share it.
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