Ask the Author: Steve Schatz
Answered Questions (7)
Steve Schatz
Very sorry for my delay in replying. I've been moving. I have two books in the Adima Chronicles. They are set in the Southwest, so reference the pueblo and Anasazi people. The second book (Adima Returning), digs more deeply into the Hopi beliefs, specifically the Katsinim.
Steve Schatz
Every day... 10 minutes. If I can't do more.. then that's ok. I make my fingers move on the keys. My other trick is to work on something else for a while or another part of the book. I write mysteries, YA, middle grade, poetry... so I usually have 5 or 6 things cooking at once. If I get stuck on the main one, I shift to another for a little while. I also keep an ideas folder...but rarely have to look at it.
Steve Schatz
There are times, when the stage has been set and I get to a place where I'm not sure what will happen or how and then, bam... inspiration hits and I type as fast as I can to keep up. There's a rush and a pleasure that is unlike anything I've ever felt. When you see all the pieces and they work.... it's a great feeling.
The other is seeing people read my work and be affected. It's a gift to me and I like it very much.
The other is seeing people read my work and be affected. It's a gift to me and I like it very much.
Steve Schatz
It's the standard one - write. You get better in time. Separate writing and rewriting... first just get that story out. Don't worry about how messy it is. THEN go back and rewrite. I spent 3 years on Adima Rising and the last rewrites were as significant as the first.
Write because you want to write, not because you think you'll be published or make a million dollars. That happens, but more often, you write a lot and after a long time, you might get published.
Write what you want, not what is popular. It's usually a 2-3 year process to publish a book after it gets signed, so if you are reading about vampires, there are already dozens of vampire books signed. Write something that you can read again and again and again... because you will.
Write because you want to write, not because you think you'll be published or make a million dollars. That happens, but more often, you write a lot and after a long time, you might get published.
Write what you want, not what is popular. It's usually a 2-3 year process to publish a book after it gets signed, so if you are reading about vampires, there are already dozens of vampire books signed. Write something that you can read again and again and again... because you will.
Steve Schatz
I'm writing the sequel to Adima Rising. My publisher (Absolute Love Publishing) wants the Adima Chronicles to be a three part series. That's my main work.
I'm also reworking a middle grade book about an outsider boy who was forced to move to a little town in the middle of nowhere and a girl ghost who needs to find her body. It's a ghost story about friendship.
I have a couple of others on a back burner, but promoting the book and building a web site is taking most of my other time. I have to keep my projects down or else nothing moves forward.
I'm also reworking a middle grade book about an outsider boy who was forced to move to a little town in the middle of nowhere and a girl ghost who needs to find her body. It's a ghost story about friendship.
I have a couple of others on a back burner, but promoting the book and building a web site is taking most of my other time. I have to keep my projects down or else nothing moves forward.
Steve Schatz
I force myself. One of the books on writing (sorry, I don't remember which one) said that writing was hard. Starting every book is hard. Starting every day is hard.
What I do is set myself a promise that I will write 10 minutes a day. That is success. Now, often, once I get started, I'll write more than that. Sometimes lots more. However, I set that as the goal...achievable.
Different parts of the book go more quickly and slowly. I often spend hours thinking and being in the experience of the book. I think about it. I do a lot of research, most of which is tossed. But I always come back to that 10 minutes.
What I do is set myself a promise that I will write 10 minutes a day. That is success. Now, often, once I get started, I'll write more than that. Sometimes lots more. However, I set that as the goal...achievable.
Different parts of the book go more quickly and slowly. I often spend hours thinking and being in the experience of the book. I think about it. I do a lot of research, most of which is tossed. But I always come back to that 10 minutes.
Steve Schatz
I had been to a "dreaming woman" (which I don't really understand... but is a spiritual exercise/experience). She had done a chart and read cards and talked about my life. On the way home, I had a very clear vision of an Aware village (everything that happens in the second challenge in Adima Rising). It was so clear and startling, I had to stop the car and let it pass. From that vision, the book grew out.
Now I'm working on the sequel and I knew during writing the first book what the main adventure would be. However, building out a sequel...what to include as background and what to leave out...and watching the characters grow, is a very different process.
Now I'm working on the sequel and I knew during writing the first book what the main adventure would be. However, building out a sequel...what to include as background and what to leave out...and watching the characters grow, is a very different process.
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