Ask the Author: Gary Ernest Davis
Answered Questions (6)
Gary Ernest Davis
That's a good question, but I think "inspiration" is not the key. If a writer waits for inspiration they will likely decay and die before it comes. I follow Stephen King in looking for "tensions", problems, issues, annoyances that need addressing. If it's non-fiction I write to address those issues. If it's fiction I let the characters develop as they address the tensions. The discipline of actually writing regularly and trying to resolve problems and tensions through your writing is way more critical than inspiration.
Gary Ernest Davis
A book on children's counting types, aimed at parents and teachers, with my colleague Catherine Pearn. It's all but done. Then I have an idea for a sort of pot-pourri of blog posts on mathematics education - the posts most read by my followers. Two of my Ideal Readers for "Coffee, Love and Matrix Algebra" want me to write a sequel. One of them says it wouldn't actually be a sequel - it's just the story continuing. So I might start that at the end of August (another 80 days at 5:30 AM, writing and posting on the web.)
Gary Ernest Davis
Read Stephen King's "On Writing". Follow his advice about finding a tension. Try not to plot, but let the characters grow out of the tension (that's for fiction). And then ... WRITE, every single day. Also, read a lot. Writing's a craft, but there's a lot that's imaginative and intellectual about it, too. So it can be an art. Don't be precious- write every day. Oh, and do NOT edit your own work. Get, at the very least, a copy editor. Better - find someone who can tell you what's good and bad about your book, AND THEN LISTEN TO THEM.
When your books written set up a book page, linked to your separate author information page, and start a blog on your book page. Make an offer - couple of free chapters, limited -time free offer of PDF of the book - and get an email list: the most valuable marketing tool you can have. Establish your brand. You're not just a writer - you are a brand. Reach out to your community.
When your books written set up a book page, linked to your separate author information page, and start a blog on your book page. Make an offer - couple of free chapters, limited -time free offer of PDF of the book - and get an email list: the most valuable marketing tool you can have. Establish your brand. You're not just a writer - you are a brand. Reach out to your community.
Gary Ernest Davis
It depends on the genre. A technical or non-fiction book has a sort of iterative "explain things and then fix the structure" process. In my experience, fiction requires a different sort of absorption in the process - less tinkering, and more crafting. Finishing is great - holding the published work in one's hands is great (but e-books are fine, too). It's nice to feel proud of one's achievement.
Gary Ernest Davis
I never really had it - I wrote a chapter a day, for 80 days straight, and posted each chapter on the Web. I would start each morning at 5:30-6 AM by re-reading the previous chapter. If that didn't get me writing, I would generate a random number up to the number of the last chapter. I would read the random chapter and if that gave me an idea, then off I went. If not, I generated another random number until the writing flowed. The idea is not to stay stuck, and generating random previous chapter numbers to link to helps to keep the story from wandering too much.
Gary Ernest Davis
It came from a tension I felt in relation to how some academics perceive themselves and their works. The tension was that the central character, Professor Jeffrey Albacete has a textbook into its 9th edition. His pompous crowing, and self-centered behavior annoy his colleagues. Yet they recognize and admire his scholarship.
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