Ask the Author: Steven Smith
Answered Questions (7)
Steven Smith
Turning to the final page, he realised that the words were appearing as he went, telling the story of his actions, his life. With dread, he realised they were rapidly running out of paper to occupy.
Steven Smith
With Chasing Shadows, there wasn't a specific thing that triggered the idea. I remember getting a flash of an idea for the main character, Edison Crow. Not long after the idea that became Selah also joined it. Then I heard bits of conversations between them in my mind. From there, their relationship and the narrative grew into the finished book.
Steven Smith
Now that's a tough one. I am a strange character that can be inspired by any number of things. Prompts for short stories can do it. A song might trigger something. Snippets of conversations overheard in life or on the screen can spark an idea. I suppose the main thing for me is that I enjoy writing and that in and of itself helps inspire me.
Steven Smith
More than is helpful for my cluttered mind. The main thing is the sequel to Chasing Shadows. It's something I worked on immediately after Chasing Shadows was completed. Having worked through editing and polishing that first book, I've gained a whole new perspective on my writing. So I am tidying up what I've written, reacquainting myself with it and pushing on with that.
Aside from that, I am working on a short story that is set immediately after the first chapter of Chasing Shadows. It's a standalone story about the childhood of Edison Crow and Selah. I am working on setting up a mailing list, so this is likely to be a free story for people who sign up for that. I also have ideas for at least one more short story set in the Chasing Shadows world.
In between all of this, I am also working on learning as much as I can about marketing and book sales. I am really keen to push and promote Chasing Shadows. I am so proud of it, and really want to give it the best chance possible.
Aside from that, I am working on a short story that is set immediately after the first chapter of Chasing Shadows. It's a standalone story about the childhood of Edison Crow and Selah. I am working on setting up a mailing list, so this is likely to be a free story for people who sign up for that. I also have ideas for at least one more short story set in the Chasing Shadows world.
In between all of this, I am also working on learning as much as I can about marketing and book sales. I am really keen to push and promote Chasing Shadows. I am so proud of it, and really want to give it the best chance possible.
Steven Smith
Go for it! Don't worry about the what ifs and the what nexts and whether anyone will like it. Just go for it. If you have an idea, get it on paper/words on screen first. Without that, there's no point worrying about what comes after. There is always time to edit, polish, hone and tighten your manuscript later. But the most important thing is to get it written in the first place.
Steven Smith
Escapism. In much the same way as reading a book, or playing a video game, or watching a film helps escape the real world and the stresses of life, so too does writing for me.
Creating worlds, developing characters and concocting adventures for them is massively therapeutic. Don't get me wrong, there are times it can be frustrating as hell at times, but for the most part, writing is a release.
Creating worlds, developing characters and concocting adventures for them is massively therapeutic. Don't get me wrong, there are times it can be frustrating as hell at times, but for the most part, writing is a release.
Steven Smith
I stop writing when I get writer's block. I move away from the book, or short story I am working on and do something different. Sometimes it'll be playing a video game. Sometimes it's building Lego. It could be watching a film or reading a book. But the most important thing for me is to just take that step back and not force the issue.
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