Ask the Author: Rory Fox
Answered Questions (7)
Rory Fox
The book(s) I am working on are essentially ideas-driven plots, which explore issues about thinking. I read, discuss widely and listen to as many different perspectives as I can, in order to identify the underlying thinking(s) which are influencing and driving people's opinions. Once I begin a story I become inspired to finish because I am curious about how the characters are going to act, and how its all going to end.
Rory Fox
There are so many well designed worlds, from Middle Earth to Hogwarts. Its hard to pick a single one as a favourite. However, as a writer, the one which I am most fascinated by at the moment is the one which I am designing for the Greyle Tales (See https://greyletales.com/ ). In order to ground thinking stories, the island has contextual and personality oddities which would make it a fascinating place to visit. As I draft stories I am also discovering some idiosyncratic individuals which would make extraordinary dinner party guests.
Rory Fox
This summer I've decided to try and read Plato's works. There are about 23 Dialogues and his two main books (The Republic and Laws). For years I have dipped in and out of his works, reading snippets and extracts. But I dont think that kind of selective reading really does justice to an author, so this summer I am going to rectify matters, at least in relation to Plato's works.
Rory Fox
Be patient with yourself and dont worry, otherwise stressing about a block can make it worse. If you can't do what you want, then do what you can. So, if you can't write a specific scene, then jump ahead and write a later scene that you know is coming. If you can't see how to move a plot forward, then spend some time developing a character, and that may well suggest new plot.
Rory Fox
Practise, often! In my first year of writing non-fiction I wrote about 5000 words a day, so that I could explore styles of narrative and dialogue. By the end of the year I had written more than 1 milion words, all of which I ended up discarding. It felt like a painful and wasteful process, but it enabled me to find the writing style which I was looking for, and it ended up being completely different to what I had started with.
Rory Fox
I am working on a series of short stories which exemplify and discuss philosophical problems. The first five stories explore scepticism, the role of attitudes and foundational principles in thinking, as well as logic and meaning. I am trying to make the issues as accessible as possible, so the stories follow characters through episodes which illustrate thinking issues and also show why the issues are important.
Rory Fox
I have been a teacher and I have enjoyed discussing thinking problems with generations of Young People and their parents. I have noticed that there is a lot of interest in the foundational problems of rationality, especially as it relates to religion, ethics and politics. I've often been asked for suggestions of further reading about these issues and sometimes I've struggled to find enjoyable stories which explore them in an approachable but informative way. So, I decided to put pen to paper.
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