Ask the Author: Gideon E. Wood
Answered Questions (9)
Gideon E. Wood
I'm less interested in whodunnit than in how. "How?" is a question of mystery. How do we face and eliminate dangerous illiberalism without becoming illiberal ourselves? How do we love richly when we know it will lead to loss one way or the other? How do we balance our desire for self-development with our need for self-acceptance?
I don't know. Maybe I can't. Almost certainly, to be truthful. But I'll try. I have and will continue to construct plots that allow me to try to solve these mysteries. Give me fifteen or twenty books to figure out it's impossible.
I don't know. Maybe I can't. Almost certainly, to be truthful. But I'll try. I have and will continue to construct plots that allow me to try to solve these mysteries. Give me fifteen or twenty books to figure out it's impossible.
Gideon E. Wood
I tend toward anxiety and insomnia. I've developed a few tricks to help nudge me toward sleep at night. Most involve self-storytelling. Tel (the spoiled, alcoholic, oversexed prince of The Stagsblood Prince) kept showing up in those bedtime tales. I let my subconscious show me what kind of trouble he might find himself in--and how that trouble might change him. Magic can happen in that shimmery boundary between wakefulness and sleep.
I've fistfuls of ideas for future stories harvested from those trippy borderlands.
I've fistfuls of ideas for future stories harvested from those trippy borderlands.
Gideon E. Wood
After the initial burst of inspiration, the nugget of the idea, I set goals and stick to them. I'm a "time spent writing" goal person, as opposed to a "word count" person. It seems to work for me fairly well.
I think inspiration comes from the subconscious, and it can't be relied upon. Good, ol' fashioned doing-the-damn-thing? I can take that to the bank.
I think inspiration comes from the subconscious, and it can't be relied upon. Good, ol' fashioned doing-the-damn-thing? I can take that to the bank.
Gideon E. Wood
My debut, The Stagsblood Prince, is out in a bit over a month. The bulk of my writing focus is on getting that under as many eyeballs as humanly possible.
I have the second book of the Stagsblood trilogy drafted. I suppose I'm pre-revising in the background.
I have the second book of the Stagsblood trilogy drafted. I suppose I'm pre-revising in the background.
Gideon E. Wood
I'm too new to offer advice without feeling like a pretentious boob. Ask me in five years? Ten?
I will say this: Put an aspiration in one hand. Put nothing in the other. Compare and contrast hands.
One is either writing or not writing.
I will say this: Put an aspiration in one hand. Put nothing in the other. Compare and contrast hands.
One is either writing or not writing.
Gideon E. Wood
I tend to gravitate more to solitary pursuits. "Sorry. Can't. Writing all evening."
It increases the value of social occasions. I'm more present when I finally see people.
It increases the value of social occasions. I'm more present when I finally see people.
Gideon E. Wood
Truthfully, I've only been treating it as a job for a couple of years. I haven't encountered a true block. When I'm a bit stuckish, I go for a walk. As little as a half-hour always knocks something loose.
Gideon E. Wood
I wrote a book. It didn't edit itself. (Fucking scary, right?)
Gideon E. Wood
Well, this might be the weakest of weak sauce, but I'd really like to visit the place I created for the Stagsblood trilogy. It's not always the most pleasant of worlds. War, poverty, racism, corrup--HEY! This sounds familiar. In all seriousness, it's a fantasy world similar enough to our own that my brain would (probably) not instantly melt if I found myself there. No wifi, but I expect I'd adapt quickly.
There are a few characters I'd jump at the chance to hang with. (Lookin' at you, Corporal Bin.)
There are a few characters I'd jump at the chance to hang with. (Lookin' at you, Corporal Bin.)
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