Ask the Author: Russ Linton
Answered Questions (7)
Russ Linton
Blue. No, yellooooooooooooow!
Russ Linton
Sometimes I re-read what I wrote earlier trying to work myself into the place where words start spilling out. I prefer silence to music or noise. I will resort to performance enhancing drugs (coffee) at times.
If all else fails, I read, but I read with a purpose. For instance, I'm currently researching/reading the Vedas and the Upanishads because there is a strong eastern influence to the fantasy world in my current WIP, First Song. I try to avoid reading things in the genre I am working on at the time to avoid any creative interference.
If all else fails, I read, but I read with a purpose. For instance, I'm currently researching/reading the Vedas and the Upanishads because there is a strong eastern influence to the fantasy world in my current WIP, First Song. I try to avoid reading things in the genre I am working on at the time to avoid any creative interference.
Russ Linton
Working title First Song - a character-driven fantasy taking place against the backdrop of a traditional epic sort of story. As with Crimson Son, I'm exploring the ideas of how normal people deal with an encounter with these epic forces.
The main character is a bug-humanoid called an Ek'Kiru. I've billed it as Metamorphosis meets Lord of the Rings. A journey or personal exploration surrounded by a unique fantasy world.
The main character is a bug-humanoid called an Ek'Kiru. I've billed it as Metamorphosis meets Lord of the Rings. A journey or personal exploration surrounded by a unique fantasy world.
Russ Linton
A gaming session. Not that I recommend turning your gaming sessions into novels. This session however was using a game, Dawn of Worlds, to create an RPG setting. So the entire purpose was a collaborative, world building game.
One of my good friends and writers, Benjamin Inn created a bug race during the session and I was immediately intrigued. I wanted to know how they ate, slept, dealt with other races. I had visions of them being attracted to humans but at the same being so revolting and strange to humans and that dynamic was rife with story ideas.
One of my good friends and writers, Benjamin Inn created a bug race during the session and I was immediately intrigued. I wanted to know how they ate, slept, dealt with other races. I had visions of them being attracted to humans but at the same being so revolting and strange to humans and that dynamic was rife with story ideas.
Russ Linton
Work your ass off. Craft, platform, marketing, submissions, none of it is easy. This will be the hardest thing you have ever done and if it isn't, you aren't doing it right.
Accept criticism and use it to improve. Surround yourself not just with blindly supportive but critically minded people who also happen to want you to succeed and share your goals.
Forget about being the "next big thing" and focus on being as pure of a "you" as possible.
Accept criticism and use it to improve. Surround yourself not just with blindly supportive but critically minded people who also happen to want you to succeed and share your goals.
Forget about being the "next big thing" and focus on being as pure of a "you" as possible.
Russ Linton
Being exactly like everybody else. No, really. I'm a regular guy trying to live a dream and most often tripping over my own feet in the process. Everyone has their passion and talent, some have yet to discover what that is perhaps, but they are there. Mine just happens to be for making shit up and getting people to read it. But the fact that the world and the people in it are so diverse, interesting, and amazing is why I can even begin to pull this off. So I suppose the best thing about being a writer is getting to revel in the "best things" (and the worst) about humanity as I create characters to populate imaginary worlds.
Russ Linton
Sledgehammers work nicely. I never get writer's block. It isn't that I'm a superhuman writer, I simply don't let it exist. For me, writer's block means the tank is empty and needs to be topped off. Reading, exploring, experiencing life even in the most mundane ways, will get things back on track.
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