Ask the Author: Brian Landers
Answered Questions (4)
Brian Landers
I always have lots of ideas and the trick is to pull them together. For Families of Spies the inspirations were:
a) holidays in Kefalonia and Sicily and the realisation that sailing from one to the other was practical
b) research I had done for an earlier book on regime change in Iran
c) discovering a memorial to a massacre of trade unionists by the Mafia on Mayday 1947
d) my love of Italian food
a) holidays in Kefalonia and Sicily and the realisation that sailing from one to the other was practical
b) research I had done for an earlier book on regime change in Iran
c) discovering a memorial to a massacre of trade unionists by the Mafia on Mayday 1947
d) my love of Italian food
Brian Landers
Just write. I really value external review and have made fundamental changes to my books as a consequence. But unlike many writers I never ask for comments until the first draft is completed. I don't want to keep polishing the first few chapters and never finishing the whole book.
And remember you are writing for yourself, advice is for guidance only. The changes I've made, including deleting characters or modifying plots, have been because people have convinced me that their suggestions made sense, not because they claimed to have more experience of publishing.
And remember you are writing for yourself, advice is for guidance only. The changes I've made, including deleting characters or modifying plots, have been because people have convinced me that their suggestions made sense, not because they claimed to have more experience of publishing.
Brian Landers
I wrote my first book while commuting - nowadays the best thing about being a writer is not having to commute.
And to be honest good reviews are very rewarding.
And to be honest good reviews are very rewarding.
Brian Landers
If I am stuck on how to start a book I try to find a location that would be suitable for something dramatic and write whatever comes to mind - that always sparks a story.
If the block comes mid book I just drop that chapter and start a later scene, knowing I can usually come back to the half finished chapter, and if I find I can't then the chapter was unnecessary.
If the block comes mid book I just drop that chapter and start a later scene, knowing I can usually come back to the half finished chapter, and if I find I can't then the chapter was unnecessary.
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