Ask the Author: Craig Faris
Answered Questions (7)
Craig Faris
Demelza and Ross Poldark by Winston Graham, because I think their story is a classic example of how how first love, Elizabeth, isn't always the right one. Ross never loses his affection for Elizabeth even after she marries his arch rival, and this puts a tremendous strain on his relationship with Demelza, but true love is stronger that fleeting affection.
Craig Faris
Nothing inspiring me more than attending a critique group meeting. I also like setting a deadline, real or not to get a story finished. I seem to do my best work under pressure. I one had a request from a book to film agent to send her my unfinished novel. After five months, she sent me a deadline to have it on her desk in 20 days, and this was in April, before I had finished my taxes. But not only did I file those in time, I wrote of 100 pages, finished the novel and had it on her desk the day of deadline.
Craig Faris
Short stories and plotting my next novel. For me, the process takes awhile. I start with a killer, attention getting opening scene, then I come up with a GREAT ending. The rest takes care of itself.
Craig Faris
Never START with writing with a novel! NEVER! A novel is a HUGE commitment and it can take years to finish with absolutely NO guarantees that it will ever be published. A short story uses all of the elements required by a novel, but you can finish and polish it in 3 days rather than 3 years. Then join a writers critique group and enter your stories into literary contests. When your writing start winning awards, then you have the training to begin a novel.
Craig Faris
Meeting and befriending my fans. That's why I LOVE speaking at writers conferences.
Craig Faris
I try to work on plotting or just a few scenes at a time. Writing a short story is the best medicine I've found. Sometimes you realize that the short story can be a great introduction into a novel if the plot can expanded into a novel-length presentation without losing its focus.
Craig Faris
Yearss ago I saw a movie called Executive Action, one of the first films about a conspiracy to kill Kennedy. It that film there was one scene where they used a 35mm camera mounted on a rifle stock and it prompted a question in my mind, "How many cameras are pointed at celebrities and presidents everyday and what if the camera contained a gun?" That was the inspiration for the opening scene to The Spectrum Conspiracy.
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