Ask the Author: James Beach
Answered Questions (6)
James Beach
Getting to play with ideas, any ideas I want - and having an unlimited set budget because it's all in words.
James Beach
I was at a very lovely art deco venue for an event, and I was having a miserable time. I had brought a folding bluetooth keyboard with me. So I sat at the bar and started writing as if I was a noir detective stuck in Hell.
James Beach
I just find an idea I love, and run with it. : ) It's so much fun.
James Beach
I currently have about 11 manuscripts backed up. : ) Some are fantasy, some are mystery, some are science fiction. I also have a few different nonfiction works I can write as well. I look forward to charging through as much of them as possible.
Currently on my front burner is a detective story set in Hell.
Currently on my front burner is a detective story set in Hell.
James Beach
Write. : )
And then find what you enjoyed writing the most.
And then write more in that direction.
Also, keep your creative and your critical mindsets separate. Both are needed, and useful. But applying both at the same time can just lock a person up.
Similarly when starting out especially, it's so useful to write all of the way to the end of the piece before editing. Then you can really see what you want to work with, and what you might want to skip, cross out, or put in a separate story.
Also, don't feel like you have to perfect you stories. Especially at first. You will most likely do better to write an entirely new one, and apply new ideas and writing to that one. And so on.
Heinlein's 5 rules also work quite well:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you start.
3. You must refrain from rewriting except to editorial order.
4. You must put it on the market.
5. You must keep it on the market until sold.
And then find what you enjoyed writing the most.
And then write more in that direction.
Also, keep your creative and your critical mindsets separate. Both are needed, and useful. But applying both at the same time can just lock a person up.
Similarly when starting out especially, it's so useful to write all of the way to the end of the piece before editing. Then you can really see what you want to work with, and what you might want to skip, cross out, or put in a separate story.
Also, don't feel like you have to perfect you stories. Especially at first. You will most likely do better to write an entirely new one, and apply new ideas and writing to that one. And so on.
Heinlein's 5 rules also work quite well:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you start.
3. You must refrain from rewriting except to editorial order.
4. You must put it on the market.
5. You must keep it on the market until sold.
James Beach
I just keep writing. : )
Just keep putting words into the program or onto the paper. It doesn't matter if I like what I'm writing or not. At some point, just statistically, I cannot help but write something that I can work on. And then I'd have a story.
Just keep putting words into the program or onto the paper. It doesn't matter if I like what I'm writing or not. At some point, just statistically, I cannot help but write something that I can work on. And then I'd have a story.
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