Ask the Author: Ate Grypstra
Answered Questions (6)
Ate Grypstra
Stop trying.
Make some music.
Play a computer game.
Drink some coffee.
Make some music.
Play a computer game.
Drink some coffee.
Ate Grypstra
The best thing about being a writer is being able to create things that weren't there before. That is a truly awesome experience, which always makes me think about Tolkien's concept of Man being a sub-creator ("'Sub-creation' [refers to the] process of world-building and creating myths. In this context, a human author is a 'little maker' creating his own world as a sub-set within God's primary creation. Like the beings of Middle-earth, Tolkien saw his works as mere emulation of the true creation performed by God." - Tolkien Gateway).
The second best thing is obviously that you make an AWFUL LOT OF MONEY with writing!
The second best thing is obviously that you make an AWFUL LOT OF MONEY with writing!
Ate Grypstra
READ! And then ... read some more.
Ate Grypstra
Just sit down with an iPad or laptop and start working!
Ate Grypstra
I got the idea for my latest novel during a conversation with my publisher over a cup of coffee in a lunch room in Leeuwarden. We had just decided to cancel the publication of the manuscript of a dark fantasy/sci-fi novel, on account of its being a bit too dark and humourless (and also because it had already been published as a webbook). So we started bouncing around a few ideas and it was there and then that I decided that it was going to be a realistic young adult novel in which I was going to combine a couple of ideas I had had earlier (such as: having a female protagonist and having her work in a snack bar (because, well yeah: snack bars are atmospheric places)). I also knew at that moment that other ingredients that needed to be included were: white collar crime, playing in rock band and ... zombies. The latter was an idea from another planned novel which I cancelled (about an evangelistic pastor who has to get into physical shape to battle an outbreak of the zombie virus in a home for the elderly in my home town (hey, I already told you I cancelled it, didn't I? ;-)
Ate Grypstra
It manuskript fan myn nijste boek leit op it stuit by de útjouwer. De wurktitel is 'Femke Faalt' en it wurdt in realistysk jeugdboek. Gjin fantastyske eleminten ditkear. Hoewol ... de wurklikheid is gauris gekker as fiksje, sa hat mar wer ris bliken dien!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more