Ask the Author: William Dietrich
Answered Questions (7)
William Dietrich
I hope to continue his story someday, but I do have some projects stacked up in front of him!
William Dietrich
Work in a newsroom! No writer's block allowed. Or, make yourself sit in the writer's chair for a set period each day, with a set quota of words. Doesn't matter if that first draft is crap; once you have something down it's much easier to revise than face a blank page. Writer's block solved.
William Dietrich
Freedom. If you have some success you can control your time and pursue your interests. You also can have rich experiences, especially as a journalist. The worst thing, especially for freelancers, is the relative lack of security. While some authors are highly successful, many struggle for a regular paycheck.
William Dietrich
Read widely and write constantly. Give yourself time to develop as a writer; it's practice and revision. Successful writers need talent (which can be developed with practice), persistence, and luck (which is being prepared to take advantage of writing opportunities when they come along.) Competition is stiff, so it's unlikely you'll succeed commercially by treating it as hobby - you need to go all-in, the same as in any other career.
William Dietrich
I'm doing a young adult eco-fable set in prehistoric Africa, and a nonfiction advice book based on Napoleon's maxims. I'm also doing another Ethan Gage novel.
William Dietrich
When I grew up, writing for a living was what other people did. As a working class kid I didn't know any authors, journalists, or artists. But I loved to read, and in college stumbled across an irresistible deal: As a reporter, you can be paid to go to interesting places, people, and events. All you have to do is write about it afterward! That sounded like a good job to me. So I became a journalist and in time had the opportunity to tackle a book (nonfiction). This was another dream career, because I'd always loved reading. Then one thing led to another, and here we are...twenty books written and counting.
William Dietrich
"The Barbed Crown" and "The Three Emperors," the two latest Ethan Gage adventures, revolve around major Napoleonic events in 1804 and 1805: Napoleon's coronation, the decisive naval battle of Trafalgar, and the decisive land battle of Austerlitz two months later. Parallel to these historical happenings is a quest by Ethan and Astiza for a medieval automaton, the Brazen Head, that can foretell the future. I was struck by how obsessed modern society is to forecast: the weather, stock market, or long-term events like climate change are examples. If you could know, with certainty, how much would you want to know? And to what lengths would powerful people go to obtain such knowledge? These drive the books.
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