Ask the Author: John York
Answered Questions (6)
John York
I usually get the general idea for the type of book I'll write from friends and relatives. My most recent book, Billy Bean's Ghost, was my own idea. I wanted to try something different - something shorter than usual, a murder mystery, and a ghost story. Didn't take a lot of decision making. Just rolled with it.
John York
I don't really ever have writer's block. Sometimes I'll wonder how the next part of a story will go, but I just sit down and start writing as if I was sitting down with someone and making up a story ad hoc. If it turns out to not work out, I can always omit it or rewrite it. If I get one of my inspirations in a dream, I'll always start writing it down the next day.
John York
I love to hear from people who have read one of my books. It's just a great feeling to know somebody actually read something that I wrote. It fills a creative need for me. I write music too, but I'm too nervous to play those compositions publicly very often, but a novel is something that people read on their own. Hard to explain. I love coming up with the stories. It's actually fun.
John York
Just sit down and start writing. That's what I do. Everybody has a story. Just think of something you did or that somebody else did, and write about it. Try writing out a narrative by using dialog. That helps me a lot. Instead of writing, "They broke up." Write the break-up as it might have happened. What did they say to each other? What were they feeling? If you're writing fiction, you can make it up!
John York
I've just finished the manuscript for a modern Western, adventure, fantasy. I had a friend suggest that I write a Western, which wasn't really my thing, but I started thinking about how to work some fantasy into that genre and, viola! - I figured out a story and plot line. Title is still up in the air, but maybe "Trouble in Choctaw County"
John York
All my books are stories that come to me in dreams. Sounds unrealistic, but that's how it works for me. I've always liked telling stories, so coming up with one just comes natural.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more