Ask the Author: Rachel Trautmiller
Answered Questions (6)
Rachel Trautmiller
Sometimes the words pop into my head. It's not always convenient (3 a.m. rarely ever is)! Sometimes, I listen to music. My husband plays a mean guitar rift and sings with the voice of several talented artists combined (think Allice in Chains meets ZZ Top and Pink Floyd). That always gets the ideas coming.
Rachel Trautmiller
Honestly? Linked has been a long time in the making. If anyone ever read the original (and someone has, trust me) they would have hated it. I HATED IT. My point is, its evolved quite a bit since the original. Lots of the contained scenes are a product of places I've been or seen (not the gory ones, of course) over the period of a few years. Watch the news, you'll get an idea forming.
Rachel Trautmiller
Every writer deals with writer's block (and definitions may vary) from time to time. The two of us haven't tangoed hard-core yet, thank you God! I have, however, had moments of staring at my blinking cursor. It's best to get our of your head. Stressing out isn't going to make those juicy tidbits flow, at least not for me. Spending time outside of writing is important. Exercising, cleaning and being with my family help me relax.
Rachel Trautmiller
Don't give up. Sure, writing might look easy and when the words are flowing, it is. Like anything else in the world worth doing, it will take perseverance. When I started the Prequel to Linked in 2005 (No, it will NOT ever see the light of day) I had a dry erase board that had a quote.
"If it were easy, everyone would do it."
"If it were easy, everyone would do it."
Rachel Trautmiller
I'm currently working on Book 2 in The Bening Files. Amanda and Robinson were secondary characters, which I introduced in Book 1, Linked. They're an interesting non-couple who have a love-hate relationship. And we all know what sometimes happens there. Look for my twist on that tale, February 2015!
Rachel Trautmiller
Pajamas! Kidding. They are nice, but I work outside the home still, at this point, and I wear scrubs all day, so I'm always pretty relaxed. The best part about writing, is writing for me. I love meeting a character and getting to know them as I would a real person. They don't always show their true colors right away, though, so that can take some digging.
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