Ask the Author: C.S. Elston
Answered Questions (6)
C.S. Elston
Inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere: A news story, a song on the radio, a conversation with a friend. There is no way to know when or where it's going to strike. But, when it does, it's unavoidable. It's awesome. You wouldn't want to avoid it if you could. That's why it's always smart to keep a notebook handy. Or, a voice recording app on your smartphone. Whatever works best, as long as you don't miss the opportunity to grab a great idea while it's there because they can be as fleeting as the memory of a great dream.
C.S. Elston
I really think writer's block is a myth. Or, maybe even an excuse. There are definitely pages that are a lot easier than others. But, if you grind it out, you always get through them. Sometimes, you even have to walk away. A lot of times I'll go workout or take a shower so that I can think about what's slowing me down. Most of the time, I have it figured out by the time I'm back in front of the laptop. It just takes some mental wrestling. Most of the time, that fight makes it all better anyway.
C.S. Elston
Creating. I love to create. It's also why I enjoy cooking so much. In both cases, you start with nothing but an idea and wind up with something you hope is wonderful when it's all over. The process can be a minor taste of hell at times but, in the end, we all hope it's worth it. And, usually, it is.
C.S. Elston
Write. That would be number one. If you have a busy schedule, you have to make time where you can. If you can only come up with 30 minutes a day, use those 30 minutes wisely. If you can carve out several good hours, even better. Make it a priority. A lot of people talk about having a good idea or the fact that they'd like to write. The number of people who actually dedicate themselves to it are much fewer. So, if you're doing that, you're already ahead of the curve.
The next thing I'd tell them is to let go of the fear of sharing it with people. Not everyone is going to like what you write. That's okay. They don't have to. As long as you do. But, a gift you don't share with anyone is both a gift and an opportunity wasted. No regrets. Life is too short.
Finally, I'd tell them to listen. Share what you write with people you trust before you share it with the world: People who have your best interest at heart and who will tell you the truth. Not people who just tell you what you want to hear. Listen to what these trusted people have to say. Digest it. Take all of their advice, analyze it, and throw out what you adamantly disagree with. Because, at the end of the day, your piece is still your piece. But, take the advice you do agree with and apply it. You might not even take something for 100% of what it is. But, it may point out a flaw in what you've written that you need to address. So, address it. Take the time and put in the effort to make it the best it can be. That doesn't mean it has to be perfect. Chances are, it never will be. A writer can rewrite forever. At some point, that's just an excuse to avoid the vulnerability that comes with showing your work to people. See advice #2. But, you owe it to yourself, the giver of the gift you've been given, and your audience, to make sure that, within reasonable boundaries, what you're writing is the best it can be.
The next thing I'd tell them is to let go of the fear of sharing it with people. Not everyone is going to like what you write. That's okay. They don't have to. As long as you do. But, a gift you don't share with anyone is both a gift and an opportunity wasted. No regrets. Life is too short.
Finally, I'd tell them to listen. Share what you write with people you trust before you share it with the world: People who have your best interest at heart and who will tell you the truth. Not people who just tell you what you want to hear. Listen to what these trusted people have to say. Digest it. Take all of their advice, analyze it, and throw out what you adamantly disagree with. Because, at the end of the day, your piece is still your piece. But, take the advice you do agree with and apply it. You might not even take something for 100% of what it is. But, it may point out a flaw in what you've written that you need to address. So, address it. Take the time and put in the effort to make it the best it can be. That doesn't mean it has to be perfect. Chances are, it never will be. A writer can rewrite forever. At some point, that's just an excuse to avoid the vulnerability that comes with showing your work to people. See advice #2. But, you owe it to yourself, the giver of the gift you've been given, and your audience, to make sure that, within reasonable boundaries, what you're writing is the best it can be.
C.S. Elston
I’m nearly finished with the rewriting process on my second book. It’s another fantasy but it takes place in the real world. Kind of like a comic book without the pictures. It’s called “The Gift of Tyler” but I haven’t let anyone read it yet.
C.S. Elston
I was driving down the 101 freeway in Los Angeles about ten or twelve years ago and, I don’t know why I was thinking about this but, I was thinking about all of the unhappy home environments that exist all around us. I was thinking about the fact that a lot of people who feel unloved really are in fact loved. They are just in an environment where the people who love them either don’t know how to say it or show it, or they’re too wrapped up in their own problems to recognize the problems they’re causing in the lives of the people they love by simply not expressing the love they really do have deep down. Sometimes, we just overcrowd that love with so much self-created, negative clutter, no one can see it because it’s like a wonderful gift hidden in the back of the closet where no one can enjoy it.
That got me thinking about how quickly someone’s attitude could change if they were faced with losing the person or people they love. Somehow, that translated into this fantasy world where they are being yanked out of the real world and separated onto islands, presumably, for eternity. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. And, in an extreme situation like that, that gift is going to find itself through the clutter in a hurry. Then what do you do? When love and regret overwhelm you like that, you can’t keep it inside. You have to let the people you have those feelings for know about it. In the case of the Snyder family in “The Four Corners,” that means an incredible journey lies ahead. Ultimately, the risk is worth the potential reward.
That got me thinking about how quickly someone’s attitude could change if they were faced with losing the person or people they love. Somehow, that translated into this fantasy world where they are being yanked out of the real world and separated onto islands, presumably, for eternity. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. And, in an extreme situation like that, that gift is going to find itself through the clutter in a hurry. Then what do you do? When love and regret overwhelm you like that, you can’t keep it inside. You have to let the people you have those feelings for know about it. In the case of the Snyder family in “The Four Corners,” that means an incredible journey lies ahead. Ultimately, the risk is worth the potential reward.
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