Ask the Author: Rick Barry
Answered Questions (9)
Rick Barry
Interesting question. I would choose Tolkien's Middle-earth. This author's fertile imagination dreamed up a world with a rich history that includes past kingdoms, lost treasures, famous swords, etc. I'd explore!
Rick Barry
First up: Finding Success with Your Dream Writing Projects by Dennis E. Hensley
Rick Barry
Interesting question, and one I had never really considered. If I had to choose only one favorite couple I might say Tolkien's Aragorn and Arwen. As we read Tolkien's trilogy, we meet this couple one at a time, and we feel for them because their heart's desire is to be together even though multiple forces conspire to prevent them from becoming man and wife--until the ending, when both their dreams come true. Lord of the Rings wasn't written as a romance, but it does include a few. Aragorn and Arwen, Faramir and Eowyn, and Sam and Rosie Cotton. :)
Rick Barry
Many author friends agree that the best remedy for writer's block is simply to force yourself back to the keyboard and to resume working, even if you're not feeling "inspired." If you wait for the right mood, you will probably never write. When you woodenly keyboard word after word without feeling great inspiration, you might feel you're typing junk. And maybe you are! However, junk writing can always be edited and improved and polished at a later date. But that blank Word document that is still waiting for you to be in the mood? There is absolutely no way to improve it!
Rick Barry
Sometimes an author writes from inspiration, but often not. I mean, no matter whether it's an idea for a short story or a novel, when an exciting new idea wells up in my mind and convinces me that readers would like this story, then that powerful inspiration excites me, making it easy to sit and start developing it. But when you're three or four months into a novel and the ideas aren't flowing as fast as before, you have force yourself back to the computer and continue even if you don't feel "inspired." And you know what? Later, when the book is published, even I can rarely recall the portions where I felt inspired and those where I was simply using self-discipline to add new paragraphs to the story!
Rick Barry
Study the craft of writing for publication. Learning how to string words together in school or even college isn't the same as learning the craft of writing a gripping first page, of learning how to grow your characters through the course of the book, of how to maintain reader interest, etc. You can't write like Charles Dickens in the 21st century and expect editors to want your material. So subscribe to quality writing magazines, or read quality blogs by both published authors and successful literary agents to become well-versed with modern writing AND the current procedures for contacting literary agents, etc. Also, a good writers conference will provide a huge boost of literary adrenaline. Not only will you learn much, but you can begin to network with others in the industry. Best wishes to you!
Rick Barry
Probably the best thing about being a writer is hearing back from people whose lives you have touched in a positive way. It has been especially meaningful when a travel agent dying from cancer wrote to say how much my book meant to her, or the time a high school girl recovering from a car collision found comfort and a lesson in one of my novels.
Rick Barry
I'm developing a sequel to The Methuselah Project. But no spoilers here! Lol. Thanks for wondering.
Rick Barry
Actually, a book reviewer asked me the same question just recently. Here is the link to her blog with my full answer. Thanks for asking!
http://sarahruut.com/2015/10/26/meet-...
http://sarahruut.com/2015/10/26/meet-...
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