Ask the Author: Dan Needles
Answered Questions (4)
Dan Needles
The trick for me is to recognize which of two things are going on: subconscious processing or premature critiquing.
In the case of subconscious processing it is all about loving yourself and trusting the process. In this case I my muse the space it needs to manifest what it can.
In the case of premature critiquing it really is fear based - that is I am afraid that what is in my head won't look so good on paper. The block isn't for ideas but the fear of manifesting them into reality because reality is finite and cannot contain everything, much less communicate it properly. But that is life. That is, when I turn off the judgement and kick my butt a bit to get going, the words flow no problem.
As a side note, the premature judgement is compounded by ADHD. ADHD is less about attention deficient and more about inability to tune attention. The hardest component of "tuning" is willing movement. Like most people in IT (about 80% have some spectrum disorder) I've learned a number of coping skills that work great to overcome the "inability to will the self."
In the case of subconscious processing it is all about loving yourself and trusting the process. In this case I my muse the space it needs to manifest what it can.
In the case of premature critiquing it really is fear based - that is I am afraid that what is in my head won't look so good on paper. The block isn't for ideas but the fear of manifesting them into reality because reality is finite and cannot contain everything, much less communicate it properly. But that is life. That is, when I turn off the judgement and kick my butt a bit to get going, the words flow no problem.
As a side note, the premature judgement is compounded by ADHD. ADHD is less about attention deficient and more about inability to tune attention. The hardest component of "tuning" is willing movement. Like most people in IT (about 80% have some spectrum disorder) I've learned a number of coping skills that work great to overcome the "inability to will the self."
Dan Needles
Strategically, this is a marathon, not a sprint; it is about the journey, not the destination; it is about investing in yourself, not in a single novel. If you look at every pebble (aka novel) you will steer yourself off the road and into a ditch. Instead, look down the road several years, even decades and just drive.
On the tactical side realize there are 3 things: writing, distribution, and marketing. The thing in your control is writing. This is what is familar in this journey and I hate to say it - the easy part. The other two areas are what happens when you, like characters in your book, enter the "magical" world and fate is thrust upon you. This world is not "artist" oriented. It is not about what you can thrust onto the world, male-like, yang-like, etc. Instead you must take what is there and be creative with what you are handed. This is sales oriented, feminine, yin-like. That is why this is where the challenge is. Like all of life (and every hero's journey in every story ever told) you are forced to transform yourself. You must die to yourself and become something new. And distribution and marketing are dark cave you must enter if you are serious about what you want to do. It helps to be aware of this.
On the tactical side realize there are 3 things: writing, distribution, and marketing. The thing in your control is writing. This is what is familar in this journey and I hate to say it - the easy part. The other two areas are what happens when you, like characters in your book, enter the "magical" world and fate is thrust upon you. This world is not "artist" oriented. It is not about what you can thrust onto the world, male-like, yang-like, etc. Instead you must take what is there and be creative with what you are handed. This is sales oriented, feminine, yin-like. That is why this is where the challenge is. Like all of life (and every hero's journey in every story ever told) you are forced to transform yourself. You must die to yourself and become something new. And distribution and marketing are dark cave you must enter if you are serious about what you want to do. It helps to be aware of this.
Dan Needles
Globalization has really thrown a wrench into businesses in the USA. That is the most profound thing I have seen in the last decade and I like to "show" what that means. One simple example is the diverting of FEMA funds to Terrorist after 911 which resulted in a much bigger disaster in Katrina AND the complete absence of this realization by the "teenager" like mentality of my young nation - the USA. I like to explore these meta patterns, especially those of culture (aka meta emotions) in the context of business and technology. I find talking about these things in textbooks sort of defeats the purpose. These lessons are experience oriented and MUST be told through stories to be effective.
Of course it also allows me to dabble into the future a bit more as I do like the tangible as well as the esoteric. On the technology side I am looking into realistic means for space travel (aka 1 KG needs to cost $500, not $500K to get into space.) I am also looking into advances in 3d printing, nano technology, and biotech. Of course I thrown in VR and the other technologies touched on in Terminal Connection.
So the short answers is life and my peculiar lens into it which is "shaded" by my autism.
Of course it also allows me to dabble into the future a bit more as I do like the tangible as well as the esoteric. On the technology side I am looking into realistic means for space travel (aka 1 KG needs to cost $500, not $500K to get into space.) I am also looking into advances in 3d printing, nano technology, and biotech. Of course I thrown in VR and the other technologies touched on in Terminal Connection.
So the short answers is life and my peculiar lens into it which is "shaded" by my autism.
Dan Needles
I am working on a sequel to Terminal Connection. It is set a few years in the future and revolves around the building of a Sky Ladder and is set around 2050 with the pressures of global warming resulting in climate change, over population, and increased conflict between China, India, and USA. I am weaving into the plot the various nuances and conflicts that come from switching to a global economy which in the states is an effective shift from a more "Nordstrom" or high end model to "Wall-mart" aka lowest price leader with all the benefits and risks associated.
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