Ask the Author: Michael Costello
Answered Questions (6)
Michael Costello
Many little seeds were planted from chilhood onwards. My relatives brought me up with a social conscience, to look out for and care for those less fortunate than yourself.
Many driving holidays to country towns and the outback and places like Broken Hill, Wilcania and Alice Springs left an indelible picture in my brain. The dead, disenfranchised looks in the eyes of the Aboriginal people along the banks of the dry Todd riverbed and in many country towns haunted me.
It was these same people with nothing in the way of possessions, who took in my alcoholic father and cared for him when everyone had given up on him.
After a lot of research on the history of the whiteman's treatment of the Aborigines, our indigenous people, ideas started and a novel was taking shape that would become "Season of Hate".
Many driving holidays to country towns and the outback and places like Broken Hill, Wilcania and Alice Springs left an indelible picture in my brain. The dead, disenfranchised looks in the eyes of the Aboriginal people along the banks of the dry Todd riverbed and in many country towns haunted me.
It was these same people with nothing in the way of possessions, who took in my alcoholic father and cared for him when everyone had given up on him.
After a lot of research on the history of the whiteman's treatment of the Aborigines, our indigenous people, ideas started and a novel was taking shape that would become "Season of Hate".
Michael Costello
I sit down and start. Discipline is behind most writers' efforts. Having said that, it is also necessary to take time off between drafts and new projects just to let everything filter through. Be kind to yourself. If you keep on pushing, pushing, pushing because you feel guilty about not completeing a project quickly, chances are the strain of trying to create will show in the writing. Everything takes time, be patient and don't force the Muse.
Michael Costello
Fortunately this has never happened to me. Sometimes to get started on a project, my first words may be something like, "I/she/he never thought this would happen to me/her/him." or "How did it come to this?" It just gets the creative juices going and can be edited out later. I never use "It was a dark and stormy night..." lol.
Michael Costello
It is hard work and you have to love doing it and be disciplined. It is something pretty wonderful though when the right words and ideas align. You come to understand that this is why you write.
Michael Costello
Before you start, have a rough idea of the beginning, middle, climax and end. Get the first draft down. Keep going until you do. The craft and joy is in the rewriting. Get your novel in the best shape you can by as many new drafts as necessary, editing and polishing before you send it out. Get a good independent assessment, irrespective of cost. Friends and family won’t/can’t tell you about the smallest of faults. Someone with no fear or favour will. Be kind to yourself. If something isn’t coming, let the world turn a bit then come back to the problem.
Michael Costello
Two novels. The original project I put aside for “Season of Hate”, a sea adventure and the other, a love story - strangely enough about a hired assassin. There is also a play wanting to be written but I’m letting it cook a bit more before I start on it.
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