Ask the Author: Simon Goodson
Answered Questions (9)
Simon Goodson
Hmmm... well the mystery I face most is why are the blooming trains late AGAIN. Not much of a story there though.
The biggest mystery is where does all the time go. There's definitely a time thief around. Maybe I could write a story about that! Oh, hang on... Terry Pratchett did that already. Damn!
The biggest mystery is where does all the time go. There's definitely a time thief around. Maybe I could write a story about that! Oh, hang on... Terry Pratchett did that already. Damn!
Simon Goodson
I have times like that. I find the best thing is to get the ideas down in rough form, so I can then get it out of my head. :-)
Simon Goodson
Write! More importantly, write for yourself. Write what you want to write, what makes your mind catch fire. Write it and enjoy it. Don't worry about what other people think. Some will like what you write, some won't, but the most important thing is that you enjoy it.
Simon Goodson
Writing! Seriously, there's something magical and amazing when an idea suddenly explodes into a story, or when a novel suddenly expands in a way you hadn't seen coming. There's lots of other good things, but that's far and away the best.
Simon Goodson
I've never really had it. Ideas are constantly flying around my head like a snowstorm so my problem is the opposite - being overwhelmed rather than hitting a wall.
That said - I have struggled a few times when I've started thinking too much about what people will make of what I'm writing, while I'm actually writing it. That took a lot of the flow out of the writing and made it a trudge, and so not so good. In each case I've had to remember that when I'm writing a story it's for me alone - I want to know what happens and how. Once the first draft is complete I can start thinking about what other people will make of it.
That said - I have struggled a few times when I've started thinking too much about what people will make of what I'm writing, while I'm actually writing it. That took a lot of the flow out of the writing and made it a trudge, and so not so good. In each case I've had to remember that when I'm writing a story it's for me alone - I want to know what happens and how. Once the first draft is complete I can start thinking about what other people will make of it.
Simon Goodson
A lot of people have compared my writing to that of Isaac Asimov, Andre Norton and now Ray Bradbury. How does it feel? A mix of disbelief, terror and pride.
Disbelief because being compared to such amazing authors is way beyond anything I ever imagined achieving, and I can always see things I could have done differently or improved. I guess that's true for all authors with all their books.
Terror because that's an awful lot to live up to! OK, maybe terror is a bit strong but I am a writer. Much as I love the praise, I do have to be careful that I don't start writing with one eye on what people will think of what I write - that way lies madness and poor writing. I have to just let it flow, get a great story that I really enjoy and then start thinking about whether it makes sense to anyone else.
Pride - well, I think that one's obvious. Every time someone writes a great review, compares me to an amazing author or gets in touch directly to say how much they enjoyed the stories it gives me a buzz. It's one of the great things about being an indie author, I get the chance to have a really great relationship with my fans.
Disbelief because being compared to such amazing authors is way beyond anything I ever imagined achieving, and I can always see things I could have done differently or improved. I guess that's true for all authors with all their books.
Terror because that's an awful lot to live up to! OK, maybe terror is a bit strong but I am a writer. Much as I love the praise, I do have to be careful that I don't start writing with one eye on what people will think of what I write - that way lies madness and poor writing. I have to just let it flow, get a great story that I really enjoy and then start thinking about whether it makes sense to anyone else.
Pride - well, I think that one's obvious. Every time someone writes a great review, compares me to an amazing author or gets in touch directly to say how much they enjoyed the stories it gives me a buzz. It's one of the great things about being an indie author, I get the chance to have a really great relationship with my fans.
Simon Goodson
Hi Scott,
Great to hear you're enjoying it so much. Book four is well on its way - the current target date for publishing is mid-September. My editor is working on it now (and really enjoying it, which is a good sign).
There's a more detailed update over on my blog...
http://www.simongoodson.com/wanderer-...
Simon
Great to hear you're enjoying it so much. Book four is well on its way - the current target date for publishing is mid-September. My editor is working on it now (and really enjoying it, which is a good sign).
There's a more detailed update over on my blog...
http://www.simongoodson.com/wanderer-...
Simon
Simon Goodson
I've been asked this a few times and always thought it a strange question. How do I get the ideas for stories? What, you mean not everyone has ideas popping into their head dozens of times a day?
My problem isn't getting ideas for stories, it's trying to find the time to write them down and not get too distracted by the latest great idea.
My problem isn't getting ideas for stories, it's trying to find the time to write them down and not get too distracted by the latest great idea.
Simon Goodson
I'm working on book 4 in the Wanderer's Odyssey series. I'm well past 100,000 words now and feel like I'm about three-quarters done. I'm loving the story, especially how both Jess and the Wanderer are developing.
(Fairly) regular progress updates can be found on my blog at http://www.simongoodson.com/
(Fairly) regular progress updates can be found on my blog at http://www.simongoodson.com/
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