Ask the Author: Crispian Thurlborn
Answered Questions (6)
Crispian Thurlborn
It's inevitable. Every writer hits slow patches or experiences those moments when their brain decides enough is enough, packs their bags, and tiptoes out the door leaving a hastily scrawled address and a false phone number.
In the past, I've had writer's block that has lasted months. What I've discovered over the years is that whenever I hit a wall, I get up and walk away from the pen or keyboard and do something else. I try not to let it bother me.
Watch a movie or maybe go for a run. Play a video game or go down the pub. I usually find playing the guitar helps. Anything to take my mind off of the story or scene I was working on.
Sometimes it's just a matter of waiting it out... your brain will come back, wearing a sombrero and clutching a piña colada while sporting a fresh tan. It won't apologise, but it will be ready to return to the grind.
In the past, I've had writer's block that has lasted months. What I've discovered over the years is that whenever I hit a wall, I get up and walk away from the pen or keyboard and do something else. I try not to let it bother me.
Watch a movie or maybe go for a run. Play a video game or go down the pub. I usually find playing the guitar helps. Anything to take my mind off of the story or scene I was working on.
Sometimes it's just a matter of waiting it out... your brain will come back, wearing a sombrero and clutching a piña colada while sporting a fresh tan. It won't apologise, but it will be ready to return to the grind.
Crispian Thurlborn
The girls. The cars. The money.
Oh, that question was for me? Um. It's probably the uniform. Pyjamas and dressing gown (slippers optional). You don't have to shave.
You also get recognised in public (even more so if you catch the bus whilst wearing the aforementioned uniform) whenever frequenting pubs or the local café by the slight hunch and the tired, sombre, look chiseled into your face.
Of course, best of all is that warm feeling of accomplishment when you get a personal response from a fellow writer or reader who just 'gets' what the hell you were rambling on about in the first place.
Oh, that question was for me? Um. It's probably the uniform. Pyjamas and dressing gown (slippers optional). You don't have to shave.
You also get recognised in public (even more so if you catch the bus whilst wearing the aforementioned uniform) whenever frequenting pubs or the local café by the slight hunch and the tired, sombre, look chiseled into your face.
Of course, best of all is that warm feeling of accomplishment when you get a personal response from a fellow writer or reader who just 'gets' what the hell you were rambling on about in the first place.
Crispian Thurlborn
I'm probably not the best one to be giving advice out. All I can say from my own experience is this:
- Write for yourself.
- Don't take on too much at any one time.
- Don't worry if you get halfway and suddenly feel as though your story is awful.
- Forget about formatting until you're ready to publish. Just write.
- Don't feel guilty if you don't write all the time. Sometimes stepping away gives you a different view of things.
- Use shampoo and conditioner to develop a thick skin.
- Burn incense and dance in a circle to ward against the negative comments (if thick skin hasn't developed as required)
- Practice catching to be better prepared when your book is hurled back at you by agents and publishers (they can't help being wrong).
- Write for yourself. Always.
- Write for yourself.
- Don't take on too much at any one time.
- Don't worry if you get halfway and suddenly feel as though your story is awful.
- Forget about formatting until you're ready to publish. Just write.
- Don't feel guilty if you don't write all the time. Sometimes stepping away gives you a different view of things.
- Use shampoo and conditioner to develop a thick skin.
- Burn incense and dance in a circle to ward against the negative comments (if thick skin hasn't developed as required)
- Practice catching to be better prepared when your book is hurled back at you by agents and publishers (they can't help being wrong).
- Write for yourself. Always.
Crispian Thurlborn
I'm working on a full-length novel called "Glade". I wrote a very early draft for the story way back in September, 2000.
Most of that was written whilst I sat in a tiny, Korean, internet cafe surrounded by Starcraft gamers and the smell of stale cigarette smoke and cold cup-ramyeon. I was fortunate to have the terminal by the only window and was able to look out over the street below as workers surgically tore up the road to implant the new subway line beneath. Beyond the grey uniformity of the buildings and the constant flow of traffic there was a splotch of green; a small island of colour in a bland cityscape.
The 'park' was nothing more than a few car lengths in size, but was large enough to have a wooden bench beneath a solitary tree. The tree looked old and tired. I liked to think that the tree looked up and saw me watching it and for a fleeting moment it revealed to me a time when it was young and the land was different. It was a nice thought.
The story doesn't have anything to do with that directly, but I got the idea from it.
Most of that was written whilst I sat in a tiny, Korean, internet cafe surrounded by Starcraft gamers and the smell of stale cigarette smoke and cold cup-ramyeon. I was fortunate to have the terminal by the only window and was able to look out over the street below as workers surgically tore up the road to implant the new subway line beneath. Beyond the grey uniformity of the buildings and the constant flow of traffic there was a splotch of green; a small island of colour in a bland cityscape.
The 'park' was nothing more than a few car lengths in size, but was large enough to have a wooden bench beneath a solitary tree. The tree looked old and tired. I liked to think that the tree looked up and saw me watching it and for a fleeting moment it revealed to me a time when it was young and the land was different. It was a nice thought.
The story doesn't have anything to do with that directly, but I got the idea from it.
Crispian Thurlborn
I have no special method. Small things inspire me. It really could be anything. A phrase, a toothache, a bad day, the label on a beer bottle. Anything. A friend of mine once gave me a miniature book (5cmx4cm) that she had made. It only had 10 pages in it and so I wrote a poem. I put stanza on each page and returned it to her. I'm not sure what happened to that little book, but you can find the poem on my website.
I suppose that if I had to pick something in particular that inspires me it would have to be music and photography. Music drives me when writing scenes. I often get ideas for stories based upon the music rather than the lyrics. I was digging someones drive last month whilst listening to rock/metal as I shovelled. I came up with a great idea for a story based upon a hard rock/heavy metal guitarist. I don't want to say much more just now, but it's something I'll come back to in the future.
I like lots of different music. I can quite happily listen to Beethoven or Mozart before switching to Iron Maiden or Guns N' Roses, then switch over again to Björk, The Cure, or Dead Can Dance, etc. Generally though I stick to a particular genre at any one time.
I also love photography and often take pictures of scenes, people, or objects than have stories waiting to be told. I use this when 'looking' for covers that then give me an idea for a story.
I suppose that if I had to pick something in particular that inspires me it would have to be music and photography. Music drives me when writing scenes. I often get ideas for stories based upon the music rather than the lyrics. I was digging someones drive last month whilst listening to rock/metal as I shovelled. I came up with a great idea for a story based upon a hard rock/heavy metal guitarist. I don't want to say much more just now, but it's something I'll come back to in the future.
I like lots of different music. I can quite happily listen to Beethoven or Mozart before switching to Iron Maiden or Guns N' Roses, then switch over again to Björk, The Cure, or Dead Can Dance, etc. Generally though I stick to a particular genre at any one time.
I also love photography and often take pictures of scenes, people, or objects than have stories waiting to be told. I use this when 'looking' for covers that then give me an idea for a story.
Crispian Thurlborn
Football.
I actually wrote the original story for "The Chalice" back in 2006 to coincide with the World Cup. I was living in Korea at the time and busy working on a novel called "Throne of Ice". Sir Duras Stonehammer and many of the other characters within "The Chalice" also appear in "Throne of Ice".
It just so happened that as I was looking through some old notes I stumbled upon some of my folders from university that must have got lumped in with them. One of the modules was on sport history, or the origins of football to be specific.
I love football. Even today, with the eye-watering contracts that players get, you can still see the expression of tribalism, identity, and devotion on a scale that rivals major religions. Football stadiums are the cathedrals of the people. We congregate on Saturday and Sunday to 'worship' our teams. If you've ever been to a football match, especially a derby, then you'll know firsthand how electric the atmosphere can be. Today, there may only be 22 players on the pitch, but they remain our 'armies' upon the 'field of battle'.
The idea of combining a fantasy setting with elements of football in its earliest form along with a nod to modern football culture was interesting to me. I suppose it's a variation of Fantasy Football.
I actually wrote the original story for "The Chalice" back in 2006 to coincide with the World Cup. I was living in Korea at the time and busy working on a novel called "Throne of Ice". Sir Duras Stonehammer and many of the other characters within "The Chalice" also appear in "Throne of Ice".
It just so happened that as I was looking through some old notes I stumbled upon some of my folders from university that must have got lumped in with them. One of the modules was on sport history, or the origins of football to be specific.
I love football. Even today, with the eye-watering contracts that players get, you can still see the expression of tribalism, identity, and devotion on a scale that rivals major religions. Football stadiums are the cathedrals of the people. We congregate on Saturday and Sunday to 'worship' our teams. If you've ever been to a football match, especially a derby, then you'll know firsthand how electric the atmosphere can be. Today, there may only be 22 players on the pitch, but they remain our 'armies' upon the 'field of battle'.
The idea of combining a fantasy setting with elements of football in its earliest form along with a nod to modern football culture was interesting to me. I suppose it's a variation of Fantasy Football.
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