Ask the Author: Rie Charles
Answered Questions (6)
Rie Charles
A phrase, a picture, an idea pops into my head. And there it sits and percolates. In time (in bed at night, on walks) my overactive brain sifts and sorts and a character appears. Then another. And another. Even a half story line. When I am finished the very rough first draft of what I am at that time working on, I put that manuscript aside and let these new ideas out to fly on their own. The writing begins.
Rie Charles
Do it. Just write. And keep writing. And put it aside while you work on another. And another. Come back to the first and self-edit again and again. Keep trying. Keep sending it to publishers.
That is the hard part...the keeping going when you don't seem to be getting far. But you will. Enjoy the process. Have fun.
That is the hard part...the keeping going when you don't seem to be getting far. But you will. Enjoy the process. Have fun.
Rie Charles
The answer that comes to mind sounds flippant but my favourite part is that I work in my own way, on my own schedule. I do need a schedule. That's important. But, for example, mid day I can go for a walk or a bike ride if I need to. I can get exercise and fresh air, feel better and at the same time think about a character or a scene. And that's still work.
Rie Charles
An old man, a granddaughter, a runaway, a plane crash. It's 1950 and early stages -- research time, dreaming and sparking time. And always fun.
Rie Charles
That's a difficult one because writer's block is difficult.
Beyond raging and whining, first I make myself work on another aspect of my writing (eg doing some research for another book I have in mind way down the line). After a day or two, if that doesn't work I will make a flow chart with all the of characters across the top of the page and write down how these have changed over the course of the story to date and where I want them to go. Usually during that process I have an ah-hah moment that clarifies a weakness or a problem with a character or circumstance. Then I am back to writing happily.
Beyond raging and whining, first I make myself work on another aspect of my writing (eg doing some research for another book I have in mind way down the line). After a day or two, if that doesn't work I will make a flow chart with all the of characters across the top of the page and write down how these have changed over the course of the story to date and where I want them to go. Usually during that process I have an ah-hah moment that clarifies a weakness or a problem with a character or circumstance. Then I am back to writing happily.
Rie Charles
I knew someone who was born with a hole in her heart years ago when open heart surgery was brand new. I always thought it would make a good story. But when I got to creating the story in my head I found it wanted to be made into a broader story that involved other types of loss.
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