Ask the Author: Geoffrey Saign
Answered Questions (6)
Geoffrey Saign
I'm an extrovert, so really never had writer's block. If I'm stuck on a plot or character point, I talk to people. Usually something comes clear from their feedback or just listening to my words. There are times when I've stopped writing for 4 months. Once, long ago, for 10 years. Intiution guides me, so if it says take a break, I do it. The last 2 years I've written 25-30 hours/week on top of a full-time job, and summers, 40-60 hours. That allowed enough work to be done to begin publishing two series I'm very excited about.
Geoffrey Saign
The creative process, and then sharing the final product with family, friends, and new readers who don't know you. Hearing positives and that people enjoy your story is wonderful. Learning skills that make the technical side of writing easier, allows the creative side to flourish, so more time is spent creating versus rewriting basics.
Geoffrey Saign
Find the process that works for you. Outlining, free writing, island writing, or a mix. Learn the basics, be critical about your writing but never negative. Give yourself a pat on the back for whatever you write. Bad writing is essential to learn good writing. So it's all good, helpful, and necessary. Read other books to study sentences, paragraphs, characterization, suspense, and plotting. I used to belong to writing groups, but now have several great readers and editors I prefer. I'd rather have one great reader than a dozen so-so readers. Some prefer a group process. I free-write with a beginning and ending in mind, and then outline more heavily, just chapter ideas, as I get into the book. Make it all fun, and relax. If you don't enjoy it, why bother?
Geoffrey Saign
Gorgon, the sequel to WhipEye. It's done, just needs further editing. This summer I will write the first draft of book 3 in the WhipEye Chronicles, and also edit the first book in the Divided Draghons series, of which 3 books are written. I hope to publish them beginning with book 1, Wyshea Shadows, in January, 2015.
Geoffrey Saign
I love writing, so it's never a chore. Also, the hardest areas for me were always technical, how to write without repetitious words, how to write clear sentences, and grammar. I've always had a great imagination, and too many book ideas to write them all.
Geoffrey Saign
I had an image of a boy walking into a pet store and talking to a parrot. The boy later became a girl. The sentence over 5 years became WhipEye.
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