Ask the Author: Dawn Blair
Answered Questions (4)
Dawn Blair
I usually have several ideas going at once, all at various stages of development. So, I'll talk about the one that just popped from "image of character in my head" to "seedling of a bigger plot." As an image, this character came from a painting I did several years ago. It featured a planet rising behind the surface of this rocky moonscape. An archer moved among the rocks. My youngest son begged me to keep it. He said that it would soon be the cover of a book. That's when the character said to me, "I'm a moonhunter. You should see my prey." I started wondering what he was stalking behind those rocks.
As I was driving home one day, I started thinking about my moonhunter. All of a sudden, as is usually what happens, I saw an angry kid going to get water from the well for his mother. Something not nice, but not evil waited for him inside the well (okay, what is it with me and wells recently? First Steigan, now this poor kid). By the time I got home, I had to write the prologue down. It really felt like a data dump for the next couple of days -- all this information kept coming to me, scenes, words, character backstories, etc. The most important thing I learned was that this character isn't a moonhunter like I first thought. His name is Moonhunter.
As I was driving home one day, I started thinking about my moonhunter. All of a sudden, as is usually what happens, I saw an angry kid going to get water from the well for his mother. Something not nice, but not evil waited for him inside the well (okay, what is it with me and wells recently? First Steigan, now this poor kid). By the time I got home, I had to write the prologue down. It really felt like a data dump for the next couple of days -- all this information kept coming to me, scenes, words, character backstories, etc. The most important thing I learned was that this character isn't a moonhunter like I first thought. His name is Moonhunter.
Dawn Blair
Sacred Knight book 4 and For More Information, Call Loki (The Loki Adventures #4)
Also am posting two weekly comics at www.legendaryherocomics.com
Also am posting two weekly comics at www.legendaryherocomics.com
Dawn Blair
I listen to music. Different music inspires me to work on different projects. For my Sacred Knight series, I listen to a lot of Two Steps from Hell and other courageous soundtrack music. Watch any of my Sacred Knight videos at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=... and you'll get a feel for what I listen to.
For The Loki Adventures, I listen to 80's pop music.
For another story, I get very inspired by listening to Mr. Mister.
Thank goodness for streaming music! I love the Internet.
Oh, and yes, I do have a paid subscription to Pandora -- it helps me discover new music and I want the artists to get paid. I want them to keep creating music so that I can stay inspired. Now, shameless plug here: Pandora, pay the musicians well and fairly, please! It's the most important thing you can do as a company. Start now. Don't delay any longer. Thank you!
For The Loki Adventures, I listen to 80's pop music.
For another story, I get very inspired by listening to Mr. Mister.
Thank goodness for streaming music! I love the Internet.
Oh, and yes, I do have a paid subscription to Pandora -- it helps me discover new music and I want the artists to get paid. I want them to keep creating music so that I can stay inspired. Now, shameless plug here: Pandora, pay the musicians well and fairly, please! It's the most important thing you can do as a company. Start now. Don't delay any longer. Thank you!
Dawn Blair
What's that? LOL!
Actually, this is a very serious question for me. I really don't have writer's block. I might be stuck on a story. When this happens, I just step away from the story and move onto another project. If I wait and give it space, the answer comes to me. It's a matter of trusting the process.
However, I have dealt a time in my life when I no longer felt like writing at all and that was the scary. I grieved over the loss of my writing. It's actually when I started drawing and painting, but right before I did, I thought I'd go crazy; there's nothing like having creativity burning through your veins and not having an outlet for it. This is probably the closest I've ever come to a true writer's block.
So, how to deal with writer's block: trust the process, if a project needs space -- give it, listen to your own rhythms -- it'll tell you what project to work on, and allow yourself to have some downtime -- it might be just what you need to open up another creative aspect of your life.
Actually, this is a very serious question for me. I really don't have writer's block. I might be stuck on a story. When this happens, I just step away from the story and move onto another project. If I wait and give it space, the answer comes to me. It's a matter of trusting the process.
However, I have dealt a time in my life when I no longer felt like writing at all and that was the scary. I grieved over the loss of my writing. It's actually when I started drawing and painting, but right before I did, I thought I'd go crazy; there's nothing like having creativity burning through your veins and not having an outlet for it. This is probably the closest I've ever come to a true writer's block.
So, how to deal with writer's block: trust the process, if a project needs space -- give it, listen to your own rhythms -- it'll tell you what project to work on, and allow yourself to have some downtime -- it might be just what you need to open up another creative aspect of your life.
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