Ask the Author: Barbara Gregorich
Answered Questions (6)
Barbara Gregorich
Thanks for the question, Elizabeth. I discussed the pros and cons of series books on my Facebook Author Page in November, 2014. The link is: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbar...
In general, I think series, which have been around for at least 200 years, possibly 300 (nobody knows or agrees on what the first book series was), are a good thing. Readers crave knowing more about the characters they love, and writers enjoy expanding upon what they have created. These are positive things.
On the negative side, it's very difficult for a writer to keep visiting the same characters once a year, every year, with no end in sight. Creativity dries up. Routine sets in, as does predictability. Publishers pressure writers to write the same thing that sold before. Sometimes this works successfully, sometimes not. I think each series has to be judged on its own merits.
In general, I think series, which have been around for at least 200 years, possibly 300 (nobody knows or agrees on what the first book series was), are a good thing. Readers crave knowing more about the characters they love, and writers enjoy expanding upon what they have created. These are positive things.
On the negative side, it's very difficult for a writer to keep visiting the same characters once a year, every year, with no end in sight. Creativity dries up. Routine sets in, as does predictability. Publishers pressure writers to write the same thing that sold before. Sometimes this works successfully, sometimes not. I think each series has to be judged on its own merits.
Barbara Gregorich
Read, read, read. Think about what you read: about the structure and trajectory of the story, about the author's voice and style, about well-written sentences, about scenes and narrative. Think about what you would like to emulate, and what you would like to avoid. Always be aware of the pleasure a book gives you, and when you write, write to give readers pleasure.
Barbara Gregorich
I'm always inspired to write. What I (and most writers) need is time to carry out this inspiration.
Barbara Gregorich
I'm working on a nonfiction book on how to write a mystery novel.
Barbara Gregorich
Writing is what I love to do, so the best thing about being a writer, for me, is that it's what I most want to do: write. An easy answer, but very true.
Barbara Gregorich
I almost never have what's termed "writer's block" — not able to think of what to write next, or having trouble with how I should proceed with the book. For one thing, I have more book ideas than I'll ever be able to turn into books, so the problem of what to write next doesn't exist. On occasion I do have trouble figuring out how to proceed with a book. What I do then is start writing (by hand, on a tablet) possible approaches to the book. This type of thinking is usually stimulating: it allows me to see possible approaches to a book. Within a very short period of time, say one day to one week, I end up choosing one approach over all the others. And then I start to write.
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