Ask the Author: J.W. Schnarr
Answered Questions (6)
J.W. Schnarr
I don't get writer's block. I get writer's fatigue sometimes, but fixing that is just a matter of not writing for a while. If I really want to be inspired, I pick up a book. Reading is amazing for getting creative juice flowing.
J.W. Schnarr
For me, the act of writing is what I enjoy the most about being a writer. Creation. I really don't care much about being published other than the closure it provides a story - I finally get to stop tinkering with it! And it is cool to see a book you made in your hand, but for me, it doesn't beat the thrill of making a world and living in it for a while.
J.W. Schnarr
Read everything. And really, pay attention to what you are reading. See how the story and the characters are put together. Be mindful of the language and how sentences are used. Every published novel is a blueprint for improving your own work - even the bad ones (they can show you what not to do!).
J.W. Schnarr
I'm currently working on a novel called "Malefica," about a witch who lives in the Inglewood neighbourhood of Calgary and who drowns people. The novel also explores issues of inner city homelessness.
J.W. Schnarr
I don't really have an issue with inspiration. For me, it's finding time when I'm not burnt from my day job as a journalist. I have found that the more words I bang out at work, the fewer words I'm likely to bang out at home.
There's a balance to be struck, for sure. I haven't totally found that yet, because it still takes me way longer than I would like when it comes to finishing a novel.
There's a balance to be struck, for sure. I haven't totally found that yet, because it still takes me way longer than I would like when it comes to finishing a novel.
J.W. Schnarr
I actually got the idea for "Living Dead" after slogging through a bunch of military/zombie fiction. It occurred to me that I really wanted to explore what might happen to people with mental health or addictions issues when they were overrun with zombies. These are people who were unable to take care of themselves before everyone around them started trying to eat them.
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