Ask the Author: Nicholas Holloway
Answered Questions (10)
Nicholas Holloway
Hey Brandon, so sorry this took so long! Your question got lost and I just happened across it, so I apologize! I am thrilled you enjoyed "The Loop," and I will definitely be checking out "Big Flies."
The hardest character to write was probably Jimmy. Of all the characters, I think he makes the most dynamic (almost circular) arc. He really showcases how terribly flawed, hopeless, selfish, and brutal a human being can be, but also how that same person can quickly die to oneself, turn everything around, and really put family first when pushed into a deadly corner. It's hard to put a pin on what Jimmy finds most important in life until that very thing is threatened, so I think he was the hardest (but the most fun) to write.
The Finches (what's left of them) will be back very, very soon. I am currently penning the sequel, titled "That Which Was Golden." This time, the story will be set in Colorado near the Rocky Mountain National Park, years after the final chapter of "The Loop." Based on the title, can you guess who the main character will be?...
I also just released my second mystery thriller, an exciting standalone set in the wild Alaskan wilderness, called "Three Houses on a Hill." Check it out if you haven't already!
The hardest character to write was probably Jimmy. Of all the characters, I think he makes the most dynamic (almost circular) arc. He really showcases how terribly flawed, hopeless, selfish, and brutal a human being can be, but also how that same person can quickly die to oneself, turn everything around, and really put family first when pushed into a deadly corner. It's hard to put a pin on what Jimmy finds most important in life until that very thing is threatened, so I think he was the hardest (but the most fun) to write.
The Finches (what's left of them) will be back very, very soon. I am currently penning the sequel, titled "That Which Was Golden." This time, the story will be set in Colorado near the Rocky Mountain National Park, years after the final chapter of "The Loop." Based on the title, can you guess who the main character will be?...
I also just released my second mystery thriller, an exciting standalone set in the wild Alaskan wilderness, called "Three Houses on a Hill." Check it out if you haven't already!
Nicholas Holloway
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Nicholas Holloway
There's no real answer for inspiration. For me, inspiration simply strikes, and then I rush to my desk to jot it down.
That said, in terms of method, I find what really helps me is setting the mood in the room to reflect the tone I am going for in the story. For example, my second novel is relatively eerie, so I listen to eerie instrumental music on YouTube while I write. I turn off the lights, light a candle, and essentially submerge myself in a setting that feels eerie. (A glass of whiskey won't hurt, either).
Then, let the ideas flow. Simply write. See what happens.
That said, in terms of method, I find what really helps me is setting the mood in the room to reflect the tone I am going for in the story. For example, my second novel is relatively eerie, so I listen to eerie instrumental music on YouTube while I write. I turn off the lights, light a candle, and essentially submerge myself in a setting that feels eerie. (A glass of whiskey won't hurt, either).
Then, let the ideas flow. Simply write. See what happens.
Nicholas Holloway
I am currently writing my second novel, "Three Houses on a Hill." It's another mystery crime thriller, this time set in the wilderness of Alaska's interior region.
SPOILER:
Ghosts (real or imagined) in this one. Stay tuned!
SPOILER:
Ghosts (real or imagined) in this one. Stay tuned!
Nicholas Holloway
1.) It's all about character.
You can have a terrible plot but incredibly diverse characters, and your story will be more memorable than any action-driven, explosive, Michael Bay-esque storyline.
2.) Use everyday life as inspiration.
Do you work with someone you can't stand? Use that. Develop a character based on the traits of that co-worker. Are you in love with someone and never told them? Pour those emotions, good and bad, into your character. Make them as real, as different, as flawed as everyone on this earth. Every person is as unique as a fingerprint - make sure your characters are too.
3.) Stick by your story. It's your baby. Don't give up on it. Don't throw it away. Procrastinate if you need to. But tell yourself, "One day, I will finish this."
Why not now?
As Gal's dad, Charlie, says in The Loop: "Write your story. Finish it before it finishes you."
You can have a terrible plot but incredibly diverse characters, and your story will be more memorable than any action-driven, explosive, Michael Bay-esque storyline.
2.) Use everyday life as inspiration.
Do you work with someone you can't stand? Use that. Develop a character based on the traits of that co-worker. Are you in love with someone and never told them? Pour those emotions, good and bad, into your character. Make them as real, as different, as flawed as everyone on this earth. Every person is as unique as a fingerprint - make sure your characters are too.
3.) Stick by your story. It's your baby. Don't give up on it. Don't throw it away. Procrastinate if you need to. But tell yourself, "One day, I will finish this."
Why not now?
As Gal's dad, Charlie, says in The Loop: "Write your story. Finish it before it finishes you."
Nicholas Holloway
The freedom to fully pour yourself onto a page.
It really is an art form, a weaving together of words, and sometimes those phrases and word combinations turn out really very cool. You get to speak in your own voice, breathe life into characters and make them as different and crazy as you want them to be.
When you re-read your work after a few weeks (or months, if you're me) away from it, and it reads like a book you would go out and buy, that's when you know you have something special.
It really is an art form, a weaving together of words, and sometimes those phrases and word combinations turn out really very cool. You get to speak in your own voice, breathe life into characters and make them as different and crazy as you want them to be.
When you re-read your work after a few weeks (or months, if you're me) away from it, and it reads like a book you would go out and buy, that's when you know you have something special.
Nicholas Holloway
The terrible truth is that I simply indulge in my procrastination. Sometimes it takes weeks for me to get a chapter actually written, but my mind is always coming back to where I left off, trying to figure out which of the dozen scenarios would be the best course for the story.
I think the main issue is that there are too many ideas swirling around in my head. Writer's block, for me, is sifting through all the junk ideas and discovering which path works best.
I think the main issue is that there are too many ideas swirling around in my head. Writer's block, for me, is sifting through all the junk ideas and discovering which path works best.
Nicholas Holloway
A bedridden old man can only fall asleep after he reaches over the edge of the bed to feel his dog lick his hand.
One morning, he wakes up, reaches over, and opens his eyes to find his dog asleep at the foot his bed, while an unfamiliar tongue licks his knuckles.
One morning, he wakes up, reaches over, and opens his eyes to find his dog asleep at the foot his bed, while an unfamiliar tongue licks his knuckles.
Nicholas Holloway
Isn't the answer always Hogwarts/Hogsmeade?
First, I'd grab a beer and a firewhisky in the Three Broomsticks, do a little writing outside of the Shrieking Shack, tuck away my crow feather quill and head on up to the castle.
I'd meander through the secret passages hidden behind the tapestries, unlocking thousand-year-old secrets within the old stone walls.
Then, I'd submit my writing to the Daily Prophet and hope to see it shelved somewhere amid the towering, teetering piles of books in Flourish & Blotts.
Ah, what a life that would be.
First, I'd grab a beer and a firewhisky in the Three Broomsticks, do a little writing outside of the Shrieking Shack, tuck away my crow feather quill and head on up to the castle.
I'd meander through the secret passages hidden behind the tapestries, unlocking thousand-year-old secrets within the old stone walls.
Then, I'd submit my writing to the Daily Prophet and hope to see it shelved somewhere amid the towering, teetering piles of books in Flourish & Blotts.
Ah, what a life that would be.
Nicholas Holloway
"The Witch Elm" by Tana French
"Marina" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
"Bag of Bones" by Stephen King
"The Winter People" by Jennifer McMahon
"Blanky" by Kealan Patrick Burke
"Marina" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
"Bag of Bones" by Stephen King
"The Winter People" by Jennifer McMahon
"Blanky" by Kealan Patrick Burke
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