Ask the Author: Sever Bronny

“Ask me a question.” Sever Bronny

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Sever Bronny Back when I was green behind the ears, I once said to a certain author, "Hey, I'm thinking about writing a book." He snorts, looks me dead in the eyes, and says, "Oh, yeah, kid? Well 99% of people TALK about writing a book, but only 1% finish." I still pass that story on to people to this day.

For anyone else reading this, that author was the person asking this question here on this post.
Sever Bronny I can see why you think that!

From Riven:

Oba Sassone possessed the same kind of solid black eyes as Thomas and appeared just as young and hairless. But unlike Thomas, his physique was that of a seasoned gladiator, skin dark metallic, muscles rippling with veins. He wore brown pants and a tattered long-sleeved shirt the color of red wine, unbuttoned. Two curved blades hung from his hip, one on each side.

Hope you're enjoying the adventure :)
Sever Bronny What a wonderful question!

I wanted to go on an adventure. I thought back to who I was at 14 years of age, and wrote a character loosely based around that person (Augum). I then added who I'd want Augum to go on an adventure with, hence Bridget and Leera. The rest flowed naturally. Always I asked questions like, "What's the coolest thing that can happen next?" and "What sort of adventure would I want to go on next?" It was a lot of fun, a fun that continues to this day!

Glad you're enjoying my work, Autumn :)
Sever Bronny Hello Karen,

I get my ideas from ordinary experiences in life. The way a person speaks, for example, can wind up in a portion of a character's speech. The way a person moves their hands, the words they use, etc--I consider all of these tools in a toolchest, to be used as needed. Scenery, concepts, politics, ideas in general all work on the same principle: each is a tool in my toolbox. All I need do is pick it up and apply it. Reading books and watching movies is an even faster way for me to add to my toolbox. I'm always curious and always hungry to learn little idiosyncrasies that can enrich my world. And no one idea is original, it's the packaging of the lot that becomes something new and perhaps, if I did a good job, interesting.

:)
Sever Bronny Hello Jake,

Nothing would make me happier if that were possible, but there is currently no way to bundle paperbacks on Amazon. I believe that will change in due course as Amazon allows authors more options with their books.

Best,

Sever
Sever Bronny Hi Jennifer :)

By knowing that the book really is crafted in the coming drafts. I think it was Hemingway that said every first draft is utter garbage. The trick is layering and sprinkling in the fixes in future drafts. My books don't get good until about draft 3. So that first feeling of "utter crap" is just you telling yourself which parts need fixing. Pay attention to those feelings. Take notes. Fix on the drafts until you're like, "Okay this is great."

:)
Sever Bronny The short answer is yes, absolutely. Unfortunately audiobook production is a costly enterprise, so it's difficult to say with certainty at this time. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Sever Bronny Yes, it's something I've been pondering for a while and plan to follow through on in the future :)
Sever Bronny
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Sever Bronny Sure, Shalizeh -- Study the craft of writing and story telling as much as you can. Read a book called "Self-editing for Fiction Writers" by Renni Browne, also "Wired for Story" by Lisa Cron.

Apply yourself and finish writing a riveting and interesting book. Edit it many times over, until it's flawless. Hire a professional editor. Have it proofread. Learn how to market it (research online). Learn how to release a book (again, research that online).

Don't be afraid to take years in your studies. Don't be afraid to make it perfect.

Lastly, write the next book :)

Good luck!
Sever Bronny Usually I take a step back from the work and go watch or read some inspiring fiction. Watching particularly emotional movies tends to do the trick, especially ones that make me cry like a baby. A.I., Schindler's List, Gran Torino, Bicentennial Man, Exorcist--wait, not that last one, that's for when I want to piss myself scared.

Anyway, I used to be the guy that would sit there, banging his head against the wall, until something came to me, but I'd like to think I've learned my lesson (I probably haven't).

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