Ask the Author: Michael May

“Ask me a question.” Michael May

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Michael May I've never had writer's block. That's possibly because I'm lucky, but I don't think so. Too many other writers whom I respect say that they don't believe in it either.

The key - at least for me - seems to be always thinking about stories and writing. I don't wait until I'm at the keyboard; I'm taking in inspiration and thinking about it all the time: in the car, in the shower, before I fall asleep. By the time I sit to write, I already know more or less what I want to say (though it's important and fun to leave room for surprises!).
Michael May It's a lot of fun to hold my book in my hand or to hear strangers tell me how much they enjoyed it. But the best part is when I've written "The End" on a final draft and know that I've created something that I'd want to buy and read even if I hadn't written it.
Michael May Stop aspiring and start writing. I don't mean that harshly, but I think a huge impediment to writing is thinking of oneself as "aspiring." It's an excuse not to write; permission we give ourselves not to be putting in the work. Just do it. The barrier to entry in writing in non-existent.

When some people use the term "aspiring writer," what they really mean is something else: "aspiring PUBLISHED writer" or "aspiring professional author" or something like that. Those are different desires though and neither can be fulfilled without first putting in the time and doing the work of writing.
Michael May I'm writing a collection of non-comics short stories set in the world of Kill All Monsters. Each story digs into the background of a different character from the graphic novel, so hopefully it'll be a fun way to expand the world and get to know the cast even better.
Michael May Everything inspires me. Conversations that I have, things I read or watch, art that I see: it all goes in the brain, circles around and mixes together, then comes out again on the page. My challenge isn't looking for inspiration, it's focusing long enough to develop a real story out of the many, competing inspirations.
Michael May Most graphic novels originate with the writer, but Kill All Monsters is different. It began because artist Jason Copland wanted to draw giant monsters fighting giant robots and asked if I would like to write a story for that.

Another pal of ours, the talented writer and poet Alex Ness, suggested the idea of making it a post apocalyptic world where the monsters had already wiped out most of humanity. After that, it was my job to come up with the characters and something for them to do.

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