Ask the Author: Simon Seth Reede
Answered Questions (4)
Simon Seth Reede
Ideas come from everywhere. I'll never come close to doing them all justice in prose. Not in this lifetime or ten more. If you can't find an idea to get excited about, an idea that will propel you through a few hundred pages, an idea that keeps you awake at night or sends you running from the shower for pen and paper to jot it down before you lose it -- then don't try to write.
Simon Seth Reede
Really think through your characters, what they want, and how your plot will block them from achieving it. Of course, they'll need to overcome those obstacles too. But without conflict, you have no story. Then make sure your characters behave consistently. Don't have them do stupid things or lapse in key actions in order to advance your plot -- unless they're stupid or forgetful. Don't get self-indulent and give us thirty pages about their past unless it's relevant to the story. And have some sense of your endpoint: how you're going to resolve your characters' dilemmas.
Simon Seth Reede
Just start writing. Any idea. A character sketch. A vignette from your day. You never know where it will lead. Master's Journey started as a short story that had no ending and a significant prequel. If anyone asks, I'll tell you where in the novel that short story can be found. Or perhaps you can guess.
Simon Seth Reede
I had always been interested in metaphysics. I did several programs at The Monroe Institute on out-of-body experiences and melded this info with what I know of multiple personality disorder. The rest is imagination!
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more