Ask the Author: Rian Adara
Answered Questions (4)
Rian Adara
Keep going.
Writing is a craft. It takes time and work to develop and hone into something you, and others, like to read. So many people get frustrated when they're not good right out of the gate, but next to no one is. And even when they are, they still need editing. For many, getting to where you want to go with your writing takes time. Don't set goals you have no control over. Like my goal to be traditionally published by the time I was thirty. So many factors in reaching that goal were out of my control that it was never a viable goal to begin with. I just didn't know it at the time. Now I'm 41, my first published book about to drop in a couple weeks, and I couldn't be happier. I'm glad it's A THING DIVINE. It's taken me a long time to get here, to understand this is who I am as a writer. This is what I write as a writer. This is what I'm good at writing as a writer. You only find that by experimenting, failing, experimenting, failing, experimenting and finally, finally succeeding. Keep going. If you want it enough, you'll get there. Just keep your mind open to all the opportunities that could come your way that you never thought to consider.
Writing is a craft. It takes time and work to develop and hone into something you, and others, like to read. So many people get frustrated when they're not good right out of the gate, but next to no one is. And even when they are, they still need editing. For many, getting to where you want to go with your writing takes time. Don't set goals you have no control over. Like my goal to be traditionally published by the time I was thirty. So many factors in reaching that goal were out of my control that it was never a viable goal to begin with. I just didn't know it at the time. Now I'm 41, my first published book about to drop in a couple weeks, and I couldn't be happier. I'm glad it's A THING DIVINE. It's taken me a long time to get here, to understand this is who I am as a writer. This is what I write as a writer. This is what I'm good at writing as a writer. You only find that by experimenting, failing, experimenting, failing, experimenting and finally, finally succeeding. Keep going. If you want it enough, you'll get there. Just keep your mind open to all the opportunities that could come your way that you never thought to consider.
Rian Adara
There is no inspiration, only Zuul.
I'm a very regimented writer, so I don't wait for inspiration to strike. I have my time where I sit down and write, and I have my word count I want to hit during that time. I will pump out words, even crappy words, in order to hit that daily goal. And I truly think this has helped me not have to deal with writer's block. That doesn't mean I haven't had bouts of times where writing has been extremely difficult for one reason or another. But true blocks where the words just don't exist? Never. And I think it's because I've trained my brain not to chase inspiration.
I'm a very regimented writer, so I don't wait for inspiration to strike. I have my time where I sit down and write, and I have my word count I want to hit during that time. I will pump out words, even crappy words, in order to hit that daily goal. And I truly think this has helped me not have to deal with writer's block. That doesn't mean I haven't had bouts of times where writing has been extremely difficult for one reason or another. But true blocks where the words just don't exist? Never. And I think it's because I've trained my brain not to chase inspiration.
Rian Adara
A dream, of all places. I don't usually pull my ideas from dreams because they're usually nonsensical, illogical, non-linear, and a big ol' mess. But this...it was so vivid, so visceral, so coherent that when I woke up the scene stuck with me and I just *had* to write it. And A THING DIVINE was born. 😈
Rian Adara
Oooooo I got some good things in the pipe!
The first one will be squatting in the same alley as A THING DIVINE, but, as of right now, anyway, won't be a romance. It's a Lost Boys x Dracula retelling-ish about a bed and breakfast run by the Star character named Mina that only appears when people are looking to get lost. Of course, it finds my main character, Lucy. It's got a creepy old Victorian, vampires galore, fragile sanity, and disturbing spice. I can't wait until this puppy gets out into the world.
The second is my Protect Titan duology. It's a dystopian cyberpunk about people being injected with a truth serum that mutates them, makes them a threat to society, and they end up fighting against said society not only for their own survival, but to stop a mission to kill half the city to keep the rich fat and happy. Book one actually started as a Divergent fanfic that was IC by the pretty barest definition, so if you liked Divergent (in whatever way you want to define "like") but wished it was more adult, then you'll like the Project Titan duology. I'm hoping to get book one out next year and then book two out six months after that.
The third WIP I have going is currently shelved, but I'm going to pick it up as soon as I'm done with Project Titan. It's tentatively titled WHAT THEY WROUGHT and it's a paranormal historical fiction about a woman who escapes 1692 Salem only to end up in the hands of pirates (because the Salem Witch Trials and the Golden Age of Piracy occurred simultaneously!!!). My MC, Maybe Leigh (probably my favorite character name ever) has witchy powers and ends up in a devil/angel relationship with a pirate who wants to use her powers, and her, for bad things, and a prostitute who is her constant voice of reason, however reasonable it actually is.
All books are queer and have diverse rep.
The first one will be squatting in the same alley as A THING DIVINE, but, as of right now, anyway, won't be a romance. It's a Lost Boys x Dracula retelling-ish about a bed and breakfast run by the Star character named Mina that only appears when people are looking to get lost. Of course, it finds my main character, Lucy. It's got a creepy old Victorian, vampires galore, fragile sanity, and disturbing spice. I can't wait until this puppy gets out into the world.
The second is my Protect Titan duology. It's a dystopian cyberpunk about people being injected with a truth serum that mutates them, makes them a threat to society, and they end up fighting against said society not only for their own survival, but to stop a mission to kill half the city to keep the rich fat and happy. Book one actually started as a Divergent fanfic that was IC by the pretty barest definition, so if you liked Divergent (in whatever way you want to define "like") but wished it was more adult, then you'll like the Project Titan duology. I'm hoping to get book one out next year and then book two out six months after that.
The third WIP I have going is currently shelved, but I'm going to pick it up as soon as I'm done with Project Titan. It's tentatively titled WHAT THEY WROUGHT and it's a paranormal historical fiction about a woman who escapes 1692 Salem only to end up in the hands of pirates (because the Salem Witch Trials and the Golden Age of Piracy occurred simultaneously!!!). My MC, Maybe Leigh (probably my favorite character name ever) has witchy powers and ends up in a devil/angel relationship with a pirate who wants to use her powers, and her, for bad things, and a prostitute who is her constant voice of reason, however reasonable it actually is.
All books are queer and have diverse rep.
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