Ask the Author: Chris Northern
Answered Questions (8)
Chris Northern
Gomez & Morticia Addam, probably. There aren't that many fictional couples to consider, when you think about it. Fiction tends to include a couple coming together, but you rarely get any glimpse of how things turn out in the long run, how the relationship develops into something balanced, something both can have confidence in. How many fictional couples raise children and yet still keep the romance and magic of their relationship to the fore? They are still having fun being together, and that's pretty cool.
I often think it might be interesting to take the 'happy ever after' at the end of the story and see what happens - most of the times I've done this as a thought experiement, with all kinds of stories, it doesn't last long or end well. But if G&M had a 'getting together' story, it would be clear from the motive and actions of each in that story that what we see would be the obvious inevitable result. And I kind of like that too.
I often think it might be interesting to take the 'happy ever after' at the end of the story and see what happens - most of the times I've done this as a thought experiement, with all kinds of stories, it doesn't last long or end well. But if G&M had a 'getting together' story, it would be clear from the motive and actions of each in that story that what we see would be the obvious inevitable result. And I kind of like that too.
Chris Northern
All depends on the point of reference used, doesn't it? At one end of the scale, we all die, so up to and including that moment, there's literally nothing to fear. At the other end of the scale, what is thought of one can effect others actions, which can negitively impact careers, social life, and so on (sorry about the "one" thing, English is clumsy in that regard - Spanish is better with su and tu making it clear who is meant). I read Dune early and kind of adopted the mantra against fear, slightly unnecessarily as I always had an innate gallic shrug about danger of any kind, a natural 'whatever' approach. Lately I've been fretting some about politics, which can go nasty places - as whitness much of human history - but politics is kind of dull for this chat.
Sumto is getting kind of antsy himself, nagging at me to get on, so I likely will soon. Soon.
And yeah, if it's not OK, it's not the end.
All the best.
Sumto is getting kind of antsy himself, nagging at me to get on, so I likely will soon. Soon.
And yeah, if it's not OK, it's not the end.
All the best.
Chris Northern
The Heir Reluctant is in edit now; this is a novel set in the same world as The King's Ward and features some of the same characters.
Chris Northern
I get ideas all the time. Banging ideas togethr to see if they spark into a story is something I do all the time, so I'm not really sure where the idea came from. I had this idea; psi talents who do not nurture because they would imprint the child with their own personality. That thought, that idea, "We do not nurture," was always the focus of the story. What are the consequences of that? Once I'd explored the consequences, found the right characters to express them, the story came clear.
Chris Northern
I was very young. I had no idea what I wanted to do for a living. I loved reading. I though writing would be easy. I was hilariously wrong.
Chris Northern
No one can stop you from doing the work. No one can stop you from putting the finished work before an audience.
Chris Northern
Here's the advice I got, and it really is the best available. Read a lot, write a lot, and if you have any talent at all you will eventually publish. There really is no short cut. Writing has one advantage over almost any other career; no one can stop you from doing it. No circumstance can completely stop you from doing the work. The sooner you begin the sooner you will develop the skills you need. So begin, and see each project through to a conclusion. Good luck.
Chris Northern
I tend to think that writer's block is usually strongly linked to an unidentified story problem. Finding the problem is the solution.
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