Ask the Author: Elgon Williams
Answered Questions (7)
Elgon Williams
The initial inkling came in 2012, when in route by bus to visit my daughters who were both living in Champaign, IL at the time. The bus stopped in a small city to the north of Bloomington called Normal. At the time I was texting with a friend from grade school named Dee who I had then just recently reconnected with. She asked me where I was. After telling her she said, "No. You're nowhere near normal!" It stuck in my head as a future book setting and why not a place where characters who are anything but normal? It took a couple of years, but during my substantive editing process for FRIED WINDOWS, I starting writing BECOMING THUPERMAN.
Elgon Williams
Reading inspires me. Unfortunately it takes time away from writing. So, I have to schedule it. In a more general sense, many things inspire me with ideas. Sometimes it is a muse, a friend or some one else. Other times it is an idea, or something someone says that triggers a thought process.
Elgon Williams
I'm working on three things: 1) a sequel to FRIED WINDOWS; 2) a sequel to BECOMING THUPERMAN; 3) revising a manuscript for submission that provides deep backstory for the character Brent Woods from FRIED WINDOWS, and who eventually appears in the BECOMING THUPERMAN Trilogy. That's how I write, multiple projects until something is finished.
Elgon Williams
Just keep the faith and write something everyday. I don't care if it's a shopping list, write something. Never give up on your dream. It's common for writers to quit writing for periods, but true writers always go back to it. And successful writers are those who did not give up. Authors are among the most self-driven people I know. Despite how minimal the prospect of financial reward, authors continue to produce stories. We don't really have a choice. Whether we are awake, asleep, at work, driving to or from work (or, as in my case, riding a bike) we are always writing.
Elgon Williams
The best thing is having someone read your work and tell you what they liked about it. I'd even go so far as to say I enjoy having someone tell me what they didn't like. Hey, at least they read it, right? The reason I write is to be read.
Elgon Williams
I have never really suffered from it. I don't believe it is a myth. I know several authors who endure periods of lower productivity or suffer from days or weeks of being unable to write. But I have always been able to write at least something. My advice is to write everyday to keep the internal, creative plumbing in order. Don't worry about what it is or whether it is good or awful. Everything is a rough draft until it is professionally edited.
Elgon Williams
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee are my favorites. Their relationship defines what a friendship should be. Overcoming everything, the good times and the bad times, and being there for one another to prevail against all odds.
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