Ask the Author: Nicholas Bruner
Answered Questions (4)
Nicholas Bruner
My favorite fictional world is the harsh desert planet of Arrakis in the book Dune, but I don't know if it sounds like a fun place to visit. Rather, I think I might like to visit Narnia--it has talking animals, noble humans, and toffees that grow on trees. There's enough danger to keep it interesting, but friendly fauns and owls and horses to help you on your way. And though it's a kid's book, I notice the fauns and badgers are always drinking ale!
If I can bend the rules a bit, the 18th century London of Boswell's Life of Johnson sounds delightful, especially if you're lucky enough to dine frequently with Boswell and Johnson and their friends. I'm not sure it counts, though, since it was a real place!
If I can bend the rules a bit, the 18th century London of Boswell's Life of Johnson sounds delightful, especially if you're lucky enough to dine frequently with Boswell and Johnson and their friends. I'm not sure it counts, though, since it was a real place!
Nicholas Bruner
The best thing about being a writer is creating new characters. It's a little bit like having a kid! Before you got started, this character didn't exist, but now that you're writing your book, there's a whole new person in the world with his or her own personality, goals and desires, strengths and weaknesses. I think much the point of writing fiction is building up situations where the characters can reveal the deepest aspects of themselves.
Nicholas Bruner
The best way to treat writer's block is to write nearly every day. Try to do it at the same time and in the same place so it becomes a habit. I write early in the morning, before anyone else is awake. I might think a bit before bed about the scenes I need to work on in the morning, so my mind can work on it overnight. If you wait until you're inspired, you'll only write on occasion. It needs to be something you do, whether you're feeling in the zone or not.
Nicholas Bruner
My current project is a fantasy novel, which I hope eventually to turn into a trilogy. My inspiration was Roger Zelazny's Amber series, and how he was able to write epic fantasy without elves, dwarves, trolls, and so on. I decided to do the same. Hopefully, all the creatures, cultures, and magic in the world I've created will look little like anything any reader has seen before!
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