Ask the Author: S.C. Selvyn
Answered Questions (6)
S.C. Selvyn
Sometimes I just need to give myself time to work through the specific concerns I have that are keeping me from being motivated (e.g. "this scene is awful," or "this storyline is boring"). I'm always amazed at how my mind, without even trying sometimes, will just come up with the perfect solution to a blockage. And other times, I've just had to sit down at the keyboard and write some ideas down -- sometimes even starting a scene or chapter from scratch -- until I feel like I'm motivated to tell the story again. I've also had to just skip over entire scenes or chapters to write something that engages me, only to come back to the blocker scenes later when I'm more motivated than before to give them another shot.
S.C. Selvyn
Hearing from readers of all ages that my story has made some sort of positive difference in their lives. That is the entire reason why I write.
S.C. Selvyn
If you're afraid to start writing, then just start writing. Know that it will probably be awful and that you'll probably change it a million times, or you might never use it at all. But the process of writing as often as you can is absolutely critical to you figuring out what kind of stories you want to tell (and how), what you're good at, and what your opportunities for improvement are.
And eventually, if you write enough, you'll come to realize that you're very capable of telling an interesting story. You just need to take the time to write... delete or change the stuff you don't like... then just keep doing that over and over again until all that's left is stuff that you actually do like!
After that, the next challenge is getting feedback from readers who will give you an honest opinion. Most people don't want to hear feedback or constructive criticisms, but if you want to be a writer, you have to know how important reader feedback is to helping you polish your stories and writing style until they're solid enough to appeal to a larger audience.
And finally, never give up. I wanted to so many times, even after I published my first book. But you have to have faith in yourself and commit to doing something you've always dreamed of. And you can't let self-doubt or setbacks stop you from achieving your dreams. You have stories inside of you that someone somewhere out there absolutely needs to read, so power through, and ensure that your stories are told!
And eventually, if you write enough, you'll come to realize that you're very capable of telling an interesting story. You just need to take the time to write... delete or change the stuff you don't like... then just keep doing that over and over again until all that's left is stuff that you actually do like!
After that, the next challenge is getting feedback from readers who will give you an honest opinion. Most people don't want to hear feedback or constructive criticisms, but if you want to be a writer, you have to know how important reader feedback is to helping you polish your stories and writing style until they're solid enough to appeal to a larger audience.
And finally, never give up. I wanted to so many times, even after I published my first book. But you have to have faith in yourself and commit to doing something you've always dreamed of. And you can't let self-doubt or setbacks stop you from achieving your dreams. You have stories inside of you that someone somewhere out there absolutely needs to read, so power through, and ensure that your stories are told!
S.C. Selvyn
I'm just now wrapping up a short prequel for "The Trials of Ildarwood" while beginning a novella that delves into the backstory of two of the main characters in the series. I've always wanted to tell their story and I hope that my readers eventually find both the prequel and novella characters as inspirational as I do.
S.C. Selvyn
I'm inspired to write whenever I see people going through difficult times or whenever I hear their stories of perseverance. My greatest hope in life is that this series, while being a needed escape for readers, might also help some of them to avoid the types of pitfalls that these characters inevitably face. And more than anything else in the world, my greatest wish is that the series will one day save at least one reader's life.
S.C. Selvyn
I've wanted to write "The Trials of Ildarwood" since I was in middle school, which -- not to date myself -- was over 20 years ago at the time of answering this. The story has evolved substantially over the years as I my experiences grew and perspectives changed, but many of the characters and the overall storyline are similar to what they were 20 years ago.
The premise all along has been about kids with elemental abilities who used them to embark on incredible adventures, but it was a fairly recent (within the past seven years) development that I decided to make the epic adventure secondary to the day-to-day struggles of these characters and their families. I feel like that's what sets my series apart from others -- the very human nature of these characters' ordeals.
The premise all along has been about kids with elemental abilities who used them to embark on incredible adventures, but it was a fairly recent (within the past seven years) development that I decided to make the epic adventure secondary to the day-to-day struggles of these characters and their families. I feel like that's what sets my series apart from others -- the very human nature of these characters' ordeals.
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