Ask the Author: Jeff S. Bray
Answered Questions (8)
Jeff S. Bray
Honestly, being able to set my own schedule. I have the freedom to be where my family needs to be. Most of the time the deadlines I face are not that hard and I can work when I need to and spend time with family when I want to.
On the writing end, I love hearing from readers when a connection is made. When they read my writing, I never get to hear about reactions unless a comment is made or a review is left. So, when I hear that something I wrote hit the mark I had intended, it is fulfilling.
On the writing end, I love hearing from readers when a connection is made. When they read my writing, I never get to hear about reactions unless a comment is made or a review is left. So, when I hear that something I wrote hit the mark I had intended, it is fulfilling.
Jeff S. Bray
The Shire from The Lord of the Rings. Lay back under a tree and sip a pint.
Jeff S. Bray
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series
Jeff S. Bray
I keep a journal. (NO it is NOT a diary) I write in this journal whenever I get an idea. Most of my ideas come from dreams I have. The Five Barred Gate began with a dream I had about living in the US with laws against being a Christian. "Waiting" is a short story I wrote, and have yet to publish, is about dying without being saved.
You don't have to dream, you just need to have ideas, then write them down. And by all means, do not wait to write them down. My journal is on my phone. The second I get an idea, I write it down. If you wait you will forget. So when you get that, "I wonder if..." or "It would be interesting if..." feelings, write it down, then develop a story around it as if 'if' really happened.
You don't have to dream, you just need to have ideas, then write them down. And by all means, do not wait to write them down. My journal is on my phone. The second I get an idea, I write it down. If you wait you will forget. So when you get that, "I wonder if..." or "It would be interesting if..." feelings, write it down, then develop a story around it as if 'if' really happened.
Jeff S. Bray
Never give up on your dreams. If you have genuine aspirations of becoming a writer do not let ANYONE stand in your way. It took me until the age of 40 to realize this. I have always let life circumstances and the naysayers to triumph over my calling to be a writer.
Another crucial thing is that to remember you are not Stephen King or Max Lucado. You cannot expect to be paid thousands of dollars with the first piece you write. There is a steep learning process. You must work in the trenches. I began my writing career writing for freelance job sites. I am still a Freelance Writer, it is what pays the bills. But even that took a couple of years to build up to what I currently charge per article. You will have to accept the small price when you first begin, but as you establish yourself, then you will begin to see your worth increase. But don't be afraid to begin small, we all have to start off somewhere.
Another crucial thing is that to remember you are not Stephen King or Max Lucado. You cannot expect to be paid thousands of dollars with the first piece you write. There is a steep learning process. You must work in the trenches. I began my writing career writing for freelance job sites. I am still a Freelance Writer, it is what pays the bills. But even that took a couple of years to build up to what I currently charge per article. You will have to accept the small price when you first begin, but as you establish yourself, then you will begin to see your worth increase. But don't be afraid to begin small, we all have to start off somewhere.
Jeff S. Bray
Plain and simple. Walk away. Do something else. Anything else. Watch TV, read, scroll your FB newsfeed. Or you could take a walk, exercise, do housework. Forcing your mind will only produce forced work. There is commitment to writing, but there are always exceptions to the rule.
Jeff S. Bray
I have had the idea of a simple romance story. As most of what I write revolves around dreams I have had, this dream needs to go down on paper. It is currently titled, Little Reminders of Who I Am. It is a story about an Atheist who through her parents, a new love interest, and an encounter with a stranger, finds her relationship with God again. I am five chapters into it and it is an exciting adventure. I look to have it ready by the middle of 2020.
Jeff S. Bray
For Elissa the Curious Snail: I was in the middle of editing my novel, The Five Barred Gate, and I needed a break. I overheard my daughter tell my wife, Carolyn, that she was bored. My wife told Audrey to go read a book. She said that she had read them all. Then Carolyn suggests to her to go ask Daddy to make up a story for her. I laughed because I had never written a Children's story before. But I played along and asked her what she wanted a story about. Eventually, she decided she wanted a story about a snail. So I got to work. A few hours later, Elissa the Curious Snail was born.
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