Ask the Author: C.A. Hiddleston
Answered Questions (8)
C.A. Hiddleston
For me, inspiration starts with an idea I want to explore. I research the idea and sometimes take a college course to get a fuller picture. Characters gather round, become different facets of the idea, take on a life of their own, and cannot be controlled. About 2/3's of the way through the book, I struggle for direction until a path opens up to the end.
C.A. Hiddleston
How do you become an author? You just write—because you are driven to say something important. You take creative writing classes, where others read your stories or poems, and give constructive criticism. You do a lot of reading. If you want to write better, read good writing. There’s a subject or story just for you to find.
How do you write a novel? First, be thinking about a big idea. You need a premise to get started. You can write about what you know, or what you want to get to know. Do research. Combine what you know already, with research on what you don’t know. In my recent Kindle Vella story, “Caesar Augustus and the Next President of the United States,” I matched what could happen in our future government, with how ancient Rome lost it democracy and became an empire. I listened to college lectures on “Famous Romans” by Professor Rufus Fears from the University of Oklahoma, I reread parts of Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire written in the 1770’s, I listened to Professor Tuck’s lectures on Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City, I looked at diagrams and photos of the White House, and I Googled the backgrounds of Nikki Haley, Kamala Harris, Ivanka Trump, and Augustus’ wife Livia. I poured all this material into a blender and pushed the mix button. I was surprised how closely the history of the late Roman Republic matched our own current trends. But does history have to repeat? Maybe not.
Writing the first draft of a story is an adventure. Your imagination goes wild. You go quickly and write subjectively--like you’re in love. Your characters come alive, start acting for themselves at your fingertips, and feel surreal.
When you’re done with the first draft, put the manuscript aside for two months. Then come back to revise, but this time you edit objectively. You’re not being mean to any particular character, but being realistic like a publisher. Shore up the parts which lag. Make your dialogue crisp and short. Rework parts that don’t make sense. Use action verbs, employ your five senses in your scenes, and spend a lot of time on the last two pages--to make your story unforgettable.
How do you get published? First, find an agent. They have connections with publishing houses who may be interested in your manuscript. Some publishers don’t use agents, and you submit directly to them. Or you can self-publish. Platforms are also available to publish electronically on the internet. Although my first two books had a traditional publisher, I am really liking Kindle Vella on Amazon. It’s a much faster process, you get paid 50%, and the whole experience is interactive. Kindle Vella has this neat feature, where the author writes personal notes at the end of each Episode, letting the reader know what you think about each part of the book.
How do you write a novel? First, be thinking about a big idea. You need a premise to get started. You can write about what you know, or what you want to get to know. Do research. Combine what you know already, with research on what you don’t know. In my recent Kindle Vella story, “Caesar Augustus and the Next President of the United States,” I matched what could happen in our future government, with how ancient Rome lost it democracy and became an empire. I listened to college lectures on “Famous Romans” by Professor Rufus Fears from the University of Oklahoma, I reread parts of Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire written in the 1770’s, I listened to Professor Tuck’s lectures on Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City, I looked at diagrams and photos of the White House, and I Googled the backgrounds of Nikki Haley, Kamala Harris, Ivanka Trump, and Augustus’ wife Livia. I poured all this material into a blender and pushed the mix button. I was surprised how closely the history of the late Roman Republic matched our own current trends. But does history have to repeat? Maybe not.
Writing the first draft of a story is an adventure. Your imagination goes wild. You go quickly and write subjectively--like you’re in love. Your characters come alive, start acting for themselves at your fingertips, and feel surreal.
When you’re done with the first draft, put the manuscript aside for two months. Then come back to revise, but this time you edit objectively. You’re not being mean to any particular character, but being realistic like a publisher. Shore up the parts which lag. Make your dialogue crisp and short. Rework parts that don’t make sense. Use action verbs, employ your five senses in your scenes, and spend a lot of time on the last two pages--to make your story unforgettable.
How do you get published? First, find an agent. They have connections with publishing houses who may be interested in your manuscript. Some publishers don’t use agents, and you submit directly to them. Or you can self-publish. Platforms are also available to publish electronically on the internet. Although my first two books had a traditional publisher, I am really liking Kindle Vella on Amazon. It’s a much faster process, you get paid 50%, and the whole experience is interactive. Kindle Vella has this neat feature, where the author writes personal notes at the end of each Episode, letting the reader know what you think about each part of the book.
C.A. Hiddleston
I am in the beginning stages of "Amuse Me," a novel about two scattered, high-energy people in their late twenties, who get introduced by friends and instantly hit it off romantically. Since they are both intensely funny, whimsical, and unrealistic about everything, I have a notion they might crash and burn together. What do you think?
C.A. Hiddleston
The best part of being a writer is when your characters come alive and start acting according to their own personalities at your fingertips. They become independent of your control in a sense. The feeling is surreal.
C.A. Hiddleston
The ideal answer is to have a regular work time everyday and just write. After a few minutes, hopefully, you will get the writing juices going. The reality of serious writer's block hits us all, however, where discipline doesn't work. Having the big idea which gets you excited is perhaps the greatest motivation. Usually the middle of the novel is a muddle through period. Concentrate on your big idea, think of themes, and write you way out of the middling troubles. Is this too happy an answer?
C.A. Hiddleston
Since past societies had less of the conveniences (now necessities), I don't want to go to the past. If I go to the future, tribulation is all around. Finally, if I am looking for a present-day world, I can travel to the destination in real life. Did I duck the question?
C.A. Hiddleston
He came, he saw, and he conquered. Aren't all wars a horror story?
C.A. Hiddleston
"The Man Who Accepted Everything" is a combination of ideas. I like mixing ideas and seeing what happens. The mental health aspect of the novel drew from my experiences as an attorney working with mentally ill clients. The science of "the cube" and Mitch's ideas about the universe came from research on theoretical physics. The Russian culture and history came from two SMU classes, reading, and research. Where do I get my romantic ideas? I won't say.
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