Ask the Author: Jay B. Snyder
Answered Questions (6)
Jay B. Snyder
The best thing about being a writer is the flexibility it gives to you. However, with that flexibility comes the need to be self-disciplined. There's no one telling you to report for work everyday, so you have to do that for yourself. It's a real job, except that you can stay home and write in your pajamas, if you want.
Jay B. Snyder
Read voraciously. Anything that you think you might want to read, then read it. Try reading outside your favorite genre, you might find a new avenue to venture down. Read both fiction and nonfiction. You can get some great ideas from nonfiction that can become fiction.
Write. You cannot be a writer unless you write. You may start off writing crap. Don't worry about it. Crap happens. Crap is good as it allows you to get out whatever it is twisting and turning in your head. Sometimes, you can find one thing out of the crap and actually do something with it that is creative.
Don't give up. It's hard to follow this when you've got bills to pay, kids and a spouse to be with outside of writing time. It's hard when you have a job other than writing to do. Having to juggle the life on the real world and the life of your story is hard to do sometimes. You just have to keep on keeping on.
Write. You cannot be a writer unless you write. You may start off writing crap. Don't worry about it. Crap happens. Crap is good as it allows you to get out whatever it is twisting and turning in your head. Sometimes, you can find one thing out of the crap and actually do something with it that is creative.
Don't give up. It's hard to follow this when you've got bills to pay, kids and a spouse to be with outside of writing time. It's hard when you have a job other than writing to do. Having to juggle the life on the real world and the life of your story is hard to do sometimes. You just have to keep on keeping on.
Jay B. Snyder
I do a variety of things to deal with writer's block. Sometimes, it is a simple as walking away from the project and doing something else. Sometimes, I bake. I have become a fairly decent cook and baker. With that, I have taken up cake decorating and am decent at it as well.
Running also serves as a way for me to deal with writer's block. I get on my running clothes, my Ipod, and just run. The music and the sights I see on my run help me to focus on the story rather than the blank screen in front of me.
Other times, I simply scream ;)
Running also serves as a way for me to deal with writer's block. I get on my running clothes, my Ipod, and just run. The music and the sights I see on my run help me to focus on the story rather than the blank screen in front of me.
Other times, I simply scream ;)
Jay B. Snyder
My inspiration for writing comes from a variety of things I encounter. Sometimes, it's just asking myself the question, "What if?" and going on from there. Other times, it's a song or snippet from a song or a conversation I overhear. It can be the news. The world is my inspiration. What I do with what the world gives me is my choice.
The next portion of what inspires me is my imagination. This goes along with the asking of the "What if?" question, but takes it farther by allowing me to imagine that question and the possibilities it holds.
The next portion of what inspires me is my imagination. This goes along with the asking of the "What if?" question, but takes it farther by allowing me to imagine that question and the possibilities it holds.
Jay B. Snyder
I am currently working on a number of projects. The main one is a historical-military-romance novel that follows the main characters from high school through the war in Iraq. A major portion of this will deal with PTSD from both the solider's view as well as his family.
My plan is to donate at least $1-5 per book (depending on book price) sold to projects that assist wounded warriors and their families.
My plan is to donate at least $1-5 per book (depending on book price) sold to projects that assist wounded warriors and their families.
Jay B. Snyder
I got the idea for The Orra in a dream actually. I tend to get a number of my ideas that way.
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