Ask the Author: Dale M. Chatwin
Answered Questions (7)
Dale M. Chatwin
For me, the best thing about being a writer is being able to tell a good story and to craft relatable characters. I spend a lot of time crafting worlds and lore, but none of that matters if the characters aren’t believable or relatable. It is the characters who bring your world and story to life.
Dale M. Chatwin
The curse that plagues all writers. Writers block is something that needs to run its course, like a cold. The most important thing I will say is don’t force yourself to write. If you force yourself to write you’re making it a chore and this can often sour the creativity. My advice would be to do something different for a while, go out and see new places, do some people watching, take a notebook with you and jot down observations, and also think about your story. Always have your story in your mind, go over what’s happened so far and where you would like things to go. Eventually the writers block will dissipate and you’ll be wondering why you even stopped writing in the first place.
Dale M. Chatwin
I would visit Middle-earth and travel all across its lands, marvelling at the beauty, the magic, and indulging in its cultures. My prime location would be The Shire.
Dale M. Chatwin
My latest novel Fate & Existence (due out on September 30th) is a continuation of last year's novel Destiny & Death, so the idea is carried over from that novel, but the main plot of Fate & Existence was inspired by the current events surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak. I wrote the bulk and completed the novel during the lockdown. So, in effect, the novel is also a kind of document of the times, written in real-time about events happening while writing, which in itself is no easy feat, as things were changing all the time. Though the novel ultimately gives a fictional account of the Covid-19 outbreak, it remains true to the spirit of the time.
Dale M. Chatwin
There are a few elements of inspiration for me. People inspire me, their personalities, little quirks they may have, their life stories. Places inspire me too, the geography of that place and its local history especially inspires me. Mythology and Folklore are big inspirations for me. My current trinity of novels are inspired by mainly by Greek Mythology, but there are elements of Celtic mythology, Sumerian mythology and British folklore.
Dale M. Chatwin
I am currently working on the third novel in my Amniotic Trinity titled Fury & Revival.
Dale M. Chatwin
There are four things you always need to do:
1: Read. Make sure you are always reading. Learn from the greats, learn from the not so greats, and learn from your favourites, study what they do.
2: Write. Always carry a notepad with you, whether it’s a physical one or a digital one on your smart phone. Observe the world around you and write notes, you never know what might inspire you. Then, of course, keep up with the writing, find time to write, no matter how busy you are. There is always time.
3: Think. Your novel should always be in your mind. Construct the world in your mind. Think about it, get lost in that world and the characters. Think about your novel every single day so it becomes as normal to you as the real world.
4: Believe. In your self firstly. Writing a novel is a big task that can sometimes seem daunting. It’s a commitment and the thought of letting other people read it, of what they might think, can turn a lot of people off. Believe in yourself, believe that this is worth it and you will write. Also, believe in your story. You have to believe that it is real, otherwise how are you going to write it in a convincing way? If you believe the story is real, then so will your reader.
1: Read. Make sure you are always reading. Learn from the greats, learn from the not so greats, and learn from your favourites, study what they do.
2: Write. Always carry a notepad with you, whether it’s a physical one or a digital one on your smart phone. Observe the world around you and write notes, you never know what might inspire you. Then, of course, keep up with the writing, find time to write, no matter how busy you are. There is always time.
3: Think. Your novel should always be in your mind. Construct the world in your mind. Think about it, get lost in that world and the characters. Think about your novel every single day so it becomes as normal to you as the real world.
4: Believe. In your self firstly. Writing a novel is a big task that can sometimes seem daunting. It’s a commitment and the thought of letting other people read it, of what they might think, can turn a lot of people off. Believe in yourself, believe that this is worth it and you will write. Also, believe in your story. You have to believe that it is real, otherwise how are you going to write it in a convincing way? If you believe the story is real, then so will your reader.
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