Ask the Author: Jonathan Thomas Stratman
Answered Questions (5)
Jonathan Thomas Stratman
The best answer I've heard to this question comes from mystery writer, Aaron Elkins. If you like mysteries but haven't read him, you should.
His answer about inspiration is a bit underwhelming but absolutely accurate. He said, "I get inspired every morning at nine o'clock."
Another of the big writing secrets might be expressed: "write early, write often." That's what I do.
His answer about inspiration is a bit underwhelming but absolutely accurate. He said, "I get inspired every morning at nine o'clock."
Another of the big writing secrets might be expressed: "write early, write often." That's what I do.
Jonathan Thomas Stratman
Writers meet people all the time who say they want to write. There is much less to writing than meets the eye. I have a hard time saying I'm a writer. No, it doesn't really make sense. But saying it seems pretentious. The truth is, I sit at a typewriter and make stuff up, try to make it interesting and exciting, hope people will find it, read it, and like it. It's not nearly as interesting, exciting, or ... inspirational ... as it sometimes seems in movies or other books. Don't get me wrong. I love what I'm doing, and the reaction I get from you, the readers. I think what many people think they like about "the writing life" doesn't have much to do with actually sitting in one place, writing.
Jonathan Thomas Stratman
I had the great good fortune to do a video on prolific author, Jane Yolen, long before I had published anything but short stories. She said, if I get stuck on one project, I just move to another.
The truth is ... so far ... I rarely get stuck, or blocked. I was a commercial writer for thirty years, which means I went to an office, sat at a typewriter—later a computer—and figured out what I wanted and needed to say. Now I do the same thing, except for myself, on my own projects.
But yes, sometimes I feel like I might need a break, so just switch to something else. I always have several things going.
The truth is ... so far ... I rarely get stuck, or blocked. I was a commercial writer for thirty years, which means I went to an office, sat at a typewriter—later a computer—and figured out what I wanted and needed to say. Now I do the same thing, except for myself, on my own projects.
But yes, sometimes I feel like I might need a break, so just switch to something else. I always have several things going.
Jonathan Thomas Stratman
I have two series ongoing, plus three or four one-off novels that have to also vie for my attention. At this moment, (January, 2017) I'm two-thirds finished with the 4th Hardy mystery, concepting the 4th Cheechako, revising a one-off called "The Raven of Time," and doing final edits on Father Hardy 3, "Holy Oil." Yes, I do sometimes feel scattered.
Jonathan Thomas Stratman
When I was a kid in Alaska, I loved dogsled races. I wanted to grow up to be a musher. I loved the story of the original serum race from Nenana to Nome, the origin of today's Iditarod race. Since I'm writing about kids, they can't compete in that race, but I get to set up dogsled adventures in two of my books, "Cheechako" and "Musher!" so my readers get to go on authentic-feeling dogsled races ... right from home. If you love dogsledding, you'll want to mush along with Will, Elias and Blackie.
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