Ask the Author: Trayner Bane
Answered Questions (7)
Trayner Bane
Winds howled outside my window as the darkness poured down its rain. By the light of a dying candle, I cautiously approached goodreads.com searching for the lost souls of many, only to find my way of passage blocked; the internet, bloodied in a contorted pile, had been severed in front of me.
Trayner Bane
I was working on a video game design as part of a potential to acquire a large video game title. My 9-year old daughter at the time suggested a video game title and, for fun, we tinkered around with the idea. She focused on game play and drawing while I focused on back story. She soon lost interest, but I couldn’t stop writing. At around 100,000 words I told myself, “maybe I should write a book series.” It’s been a wonderful experience.
Trayner Bane
Most of the time, the inspiration comes out of nowhere. For example, I was in my backyard one evening and a young lone deer cut through the tree line. Deer head west through my yard every morning to water, then head back east through my yard to nest. This lone deer had this look of fear as we caught each other’s eyes. It wasn’t fear of me so much as a general fear of its environment. It leaped through the trees casually and went about life. I took that experience and applied it in Windhollow and Axe Breaker. It’s amazing how much life can inspire.
Trayner Bane
The imaginative release and the therapy it provides.
Trayner Bane
I haven’t had to deal with writer’s block since I don’t have deadlines. I associate writer’s block with being under a time constraint since I don’t “have to” write. Having said that, sometimes I just don’t feel like writing despite having a creative bug gnawing at me. In situations like this I do something else writing-related. For instance, I’ll think about plot, areas of the Lands of Windhollows (terrain, fauna, etc.), what a certain object’s role is in the series (the stone given to Billy’s father), and anything else that isn’t “writing.” You’d be surprised how productive you can become when you just don’t think about writing.
Trayner Bane
Don’t think so much about the process of getting words on paper or the final result. For me, writing comes from deep within. Some may say deep within the soul. Wherever you feel it comes from, you need to find that connection and learn how that connection works with your emotions and your mind. For example, when you close your eyes can you see what you want to write? Not the words, but the imagery. When you close your eyes can you feel the emotions you want to express? If you can learn how these connections work, the process of writing will follow.
Trayner Bane
I’m currently working on book 6 in the Windhollows series.
https://windhollows.com
https://windhollows.com
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