Ask the Author: Lucas Flint
Answered Questions (22)
Lucas Flint
No idea. My life isn't very mysterious :P .
Lucas Flint
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Lucas Flint
Hi Jonathan! That basically describes ALL of my books, as almost all of them are about normal humans who get superpowers one way or another :) .
I don't know if you meant something else, but like I said, that pretty much describes all of them, so yes.
I don't know if you meant something else, but like I said, that pretty much describes all of them, so yes.
Lucas Flint
Hi, Bryan! Very glad to hear you've enjoyed the Capes Online audiobooks. I agree that Joe's narration really brings the story to life and am lucky to have him as my narrator.
Unfortunately, while I would love to get the whole series into audio, the first two books did not perform quite as well as we expected, financially-speaking. That makes it harder for us to do the audiobooks, especially on Joe's end, because we are doing a royalty split plan rather than an upfront payment per book, so whether he gets paid is dependent on how well the books sell.
This doesn't mean that the other four books will NEVER come to audio, but right now, it doesn't look very likely. Best I can tell you is to leave good reviews on both audiobooks and recommend the existing audiobooks to friends and family so they can buy it, which will give us added incentive to get Books 3-7 out there.
But if you really love Joe's narration and my books, I'm launching a Kickstarter at the end of the month (May 30th, to be exact) to raise funds for my first superhero book, "The Superhero's Test." It's not LitRPG, but if you love superheroes and Joe's narration, then you'll definitely love this audiobook.
You can get notified when the Kickstarter launches here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
Unfortunately, while I would love to get the whole series into audio, the first two books did not perform quite as well as we expected, financially-speaking. That makes it harder for us to do the audiobooks, especially on Joe's end, because we are doing a royalty split plan rather than an upfront payment per book, so whether he gets paid is dependent on how well the books sell.
This doesn't mean that the other four books will NEVER come to audio, but right now, it doesn't look very likely. Best I can tell you is to leave good reviews on both audiobooks and recommend the existing audiobooks to friends and family so they can buy it, which will give us added incentive to get Books 3-7 out there.
But if you really love Joe's narration and my books, I'm launching a Kickstarter at the end of the month (May 30th, to be exact) to raise funds for my first superhero book, "The Superhero's Test." It's not LitRPG, but if you love superheroes and Joe's narration, then you'll definitely love this audiobook.
You can get notified when the Kickstarter launches here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
Lucas Flint
You're welcome! Always enjoy talking with readers like you. Feel free to ask me questions anytime.
Good luck with your novel!
Good luck with your novel!
Lucas Flint
Sorry, but I generally don't read the unpublished works of new writers unless I know them really well already. I simply don't have the time to do that between writing my own books and everything else I have to do. Thanks for asking, though, and good luck with your book!
Lucas Flint
There are a lot of reasons why I wanted to be an author, so it's hard to pick one.
Probably the main one is because I enjoy writing and telling stories. It's probably what I am best at and what I enjoy doing. Doesn't mean it's always easy or fun or that I never run into problems, but I still think it's the best job in the world or at least the best for me.
I don't think the author life is for everyone, especially full-time authorship, but I think it's great and I wouldn't trade it for any other career in the world.
Probably the main one is because I enjoy writing and telling stories. It's probably what I am best at and what I enjoy doing. Doesn't mean it's always easy or fun or that I never run into problems, but I still think it's the best job in the world or at least the best for me.
I don't think the author life is for everyone, especially full-time authorship, but I think it's great and I wouldn't trade it for any other career in the world.
Lucas Flint
Ideas for my books come from pretty much everyone. Life experiences, books and stories from other writers, talking to other people, music ... pretty much, life itself is where my ideas come from. I know it's kind of a generic writer answer to that question, but just because it's cliche doesn't make it any less true.
The trial and error part is figuring out which ideas resonate with readers and which do not. I've put out books I thought were pretty great that readers didn't care much for, while other books I thought weren't so good were loved by readers.
Coming up with ideas is pretty easy, especially if you've written as many books as I have (in fact, I have so many ideas that I doubt I'll ever get to write them all even at the pace I write). The trick is writing it in a way that readers will find interesting.
If you can nail that (and I'm always trying to get better at that), then you're pretty much set. Or as set as you can be in this business, anyway :P .
The trial and error part is figuring out which ideas resonate with readers and which do not. I've put out books I thought were pretty great that readers didn't care much for, while other books I thought weren't so good were loved by readers.
Coming up with ideas is pretty easy, especially if you've written as many books as I have (in fact, I have so many ideas that I doubt I'll ever get to write them all even at the pace I write). The trick is writing it in a way that readers will find interesting.
If you can nail that (and I'm always trying to get better at that), then you're pretty much set. Or as set as you can be in this business, anyway :P .
Lucas Flint
You're welcome!
The origin for your superhero is important and can be pretty much anything. Some methods include the hero manifesting his powers unexpectedly, gaining them from a scientific/magical experiment, getting them from a costume/equipment, or even something else entirely. It doesn't really matter how you do it as long as it's interesting and makes sense within your story world.
On choosing a setting, there are pros and cons to using a real town/city vs. making your own. If you choose a real world location, you'll need to do some research to make sure you get the details right. Depending on how familiar you are with the location, you might need to do a ton of research or very little (if you used your hometown, for example, you probably won't need to do much research, whereas a foreign city you've never visited would require a ton of research to make it feel authentic to readers).
A made-up city, however, doesn't require nearly as much research, if indeed any at all. You have total freedom to make whatever you want. On the other hand, it also means you need to work harder to make the location seem alive and real to readers and not doing your research doesn't mean you can skimp out on worldbuilding, either.
It all comes down to research. If you like or are willing to do the research, picking a real world town/city for your setting will probably work. If, on the other hand, you don't want to do a lot of research, making your own town/city is probably the better option.
Either way, make sure to do your best and have fun doing it!
The origin for your superhero is important and can be pretty much anything. Some methods include the hero manifesting his powers unexpectedly, gaining them from a scientific/magical experiment, getting them from a costume/equipment, or even something else entirely. It doesn't really matter how you do it as long as it's interesting and makes sense within your story world.
On choosing a setting, there are pros and cons to using a real town/city vs. making your own. If you choose a real world location, you'll need to do some research to make sure you get the details right. Depending on how familiar you are with the location, you might need to do a ton of research or very little (if you used your hometown, for example, you probably won't need to do much research, whereas a foreign city you've never visited would require a ton of research to make it feel authentic to readers).
A made-up city, however, doesn't require nearly as much research, if indeed any at all. You have total freedom to make whatever you want. On the other hand, it also means you need to work harder to make the location seem alive and real to readers and not doing your research doesn't mean you can skimp out on worldbuilding, either.
It all comes down to research. If you like or are willing to do the research, picking a real world town/city for your setting will probably work. If, on the other hand, you don't want to do a lot of research, making your own town/city is probably the better option.
Either way, make sure to do your best and have fun doing it!
Lucas Flint
Sure!
First off, don't make your superhero invincible or perfect (what is known as a "Mary Sue," if you haven't heard that term). Your hero can be powerful, maybe event the strongest in the world, but that doesn't mean he never struggles or has flaws. Conflict lies at the heart of all good stories, including superhero stories. Give your hero something to struggle against (whether that's a dastardly supervillain plotting to destroy the world or an internal struggle about making the right choice in a tough situation) and that will help make your story interesting and fun to write, too.
Second, develop an interesting antagonist (or villain) to contrast your hero with. This villain doesn't need to be as powerful as the hero necessarily, but he should provide a real challenge to the hero who the hero can't beat too easily. Pitting your hero against a challenging, threatening villain who he needs to use all of his skills to beat often makes for great, interesting storytelling.
Finally, try to flesh out the setting of your story a bit. You don't need to write pages and pages of worldbuilding, but try to consider what sort of world or town your hero lives in. Are superheroes common in your world? How are people with powers treated by the rest of society? Do people generally trust or distrust people with powers? How do governments and other powerful institutions treat superheroes? And so on.
You don't need to answer all of those questions, but thinking about them can open your mind to new and potentially interesting conflicts that could take your story to the next level. I wouldn't spend too much time on worldbuilding, however, because worldbuilding is not writing.
Those are my top three tips. Best of luck to you and your friends with your superhero story! Hope I helped.
First off, don't make your superhero invincible or perfect (what is known as a "Mary Sue," if you haven't heard that term). Your hero can be powerful, maybe event the strongest in the world, but that doesn't mean he never struggles or has flaws. Conflict lies at the heart of all good stories, including superhero stories. Give your hero something to struggle against (whether that's a dastardly supervillain plotting to destroy the world or an internal struggle about making the right choice in a tough situation) and that will help make your story interesting and fun to write, too.
Second, develop an interesting antagonist (or villain) to contrast your hero with. This villain doesn't need to be as powerful as the hero necessarily, but he should provide a real challenge to the hero who the hero can't beat too easily. Pitting your hero against a challenging, threatening villain who he needs to use all of his skills to beat often makes for great, interesting storytelling.
Finally, try to flesh out the setting of your story a bit. You don't need to write pages and pages of worldbuilding, but try to consider what sort of world or town your hero lives in. Are superheroes common in your world? How are people with powers treated by the rest of society? Do people generally trust or distrust people with powers? How do governments and other powerful institutions treat superheroes? And so on.
You don't need to answer all of those questions, but thinking about them can open your mind to new and potentially interesting conflicts that could take your story to the next level. I wouldn't spend too much time on worldbuilding, however, because worldbuilding is not writing.
Those are my top three tips. Best of luck to you and your friends with your superhero story! Hope I helped.
Lucas Flint
I knew I wanted to be an author when I was 12 (so close to your age). I didn't know superhero fiction would be my primary genre, though, until much later. I've always loved superhero fiction, though, so it makes sense I'd write here.
What you describe is something most beginning writers (including some much older than yourself) struggle with. Even I used to struggle with finishing my work and not letting my critical voice stop me.
My best advice is to do your best, but don't expect perfection. One of the most important lessons about writing I've ever learned is that we writers are rarely good judges of our own work. I've published books I thought were terrible but readers loved and published books I thought were great that readers didn't care much for. So I try not to judge my own work too harshly. Just keep writing, even if you think it's 'stupid,' and finish every story you write. That is the only way you'll learn how to be a writer.
If that doesn't help, just tell yourself that you can revise it later on. Remember, you can't edit or rewrite a blank page. Many writers, myself included, write first and then edit later. That may help silence your critical voice long enough for you to finish that first draft, which will bring you that much closer to having a finished story you can publish or share with others.
What you describe is something most beginning writers (including some much older than yourself) struggle with. Even I used to struggle with finishing my work and not letting my critical voice stop me.
My best advice is to do your best, but don't expect perfection. One of the most important lessons about writing I've ever learned is that we writers are rarely good judges of our own work. I've published books I thought were terrible but readers loved and published books I thought were great that readers didn't care much for. So I try not to judge my own work too harshly. Just keep writing, even if you think it's 'stupid,' and finish every story you write. That is the only way you'll learn how to be a writer.
If that doesn't help, just tell yourself that you can revise it later on. Remember, you can't edit or rewrite a blank page. Many writers, myself included, write first and then edit later. That may help silence your critical voice long enough for you to finish that first draft, which will bring you that much closer to having a finished story you can publish or share with others.
Lucas Flint
Hi, Mesfin!
Glad you enjoyed my books. Unfortunately, I don't usually make my readers into characters in my stories. I just prefer to make my own characters, although sometimes I do borrow traits from real people I know when making characters.
The closest thing to becoming a character in my stories is one of my Patreon tiers. If you subscribe to my Patreon for $3, you can name a character who will appear in one of my future short stories/novels after yourself (you can find my Patreon account here: https://www.patreon.com/lucasflint).
Other than that, I don't do it, but thanks for asking anyway and hope you will continue to enjoy my books.
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
Glad you enjoyed my books. Unfortunately, I don't usually make my readers into characters in my stories. I just prefer to make my own characters, although sometimes I do borrow traits from real people I know when making characters.
The closest thing to becoming a character in my stories is one of my Patreon tiers. If you subscribe to my Patreon for $3, you can name a character who will appear in one of my future short stories/novels after yourself (you can find my Patreon account here: https://www.patreon.com/lucasflint).
Other than that, I don't do it, but thanks for asking anyway and hope you will continue to enjoy my books.
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
Lucas Flint
In terms of upcoming books, the second Lightning Bolt book, "The Superhero's Glitch," is scheduled for release this month. I'm working as hard as I can to get it ready for publication, so hopefully it will be out soon.
But if you are looking for other books I've written, you can check out:
The Supervillain's Kids (takes place after The Young Neos)
Minimum Wage Sidekick (set in a different universe from The Superhero's Son)
Dimension Heroes (a crossover trilogy between Superhero's Son and Minimum Wage Sidekick)
The Legacy Superhero (like MWS, set in its own universe)
Lightning Bolt (another series starring Bolt, which just has one book out currently)
So there's a lot of reading material for you to consume while waiting for my next book, enough to keep you occupied for a while even if you read fast :P .
Glad to hear you recommended my books to your classmates. Word of mouth is the most important and powerful marketing tool for any writer, so I'm pleased to hear that you recommended my books to your classmates. Hopefully they'll check out my books.
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
But if you are looking for other books I've written, you can check out:
The Supervillain's Kids (takes place after The Young Neos)
Minimum Wage Sidekick (set in a different universe from The Superhero's Son)
Dimension Heroes (a crossover trilogy between Superhero's Son and Minimum Wage Sidekick)
The Legacy Superhero (like MWS, set in its own universe)
Lightning Bolt (another series starring Bolt, which just has one book out currently)
So there's a lot of reading material for you to consume while waiting for my next book, enough to keep you occupied for a while even if you read fast :P .
Glad to hear you recommended my books to your classmates. Word of mouth is the most important and powerful marketing tool for any writer, so I'm pleased to hear that you recommended my books to your classmates. Hopefully they'll check out my books.
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
Lucas Flint
Every book I write draws on my own experiences to some extent, though not always consciously on my part. In terms of direct childhood experiences, Bolt's childhood was fairly different from my own, seeing as he grew up a single child in a big city rather than in a small town and big family like me.
I never really saw superheroes as role models per se; just really enjoyed superhero fiction, whether cartoons, comics, TV shows, or movies. It's only as I've gotten older that I see how some superheroes, like Superman or Captain America, can be seen as role models. It's my hope that my superheroes can also impart good lessons to kids who read them, though if you just enjoy them as entertainment, that's okay, too.
Glad to hear you're on the final Superhero's Son book. The next series is called The Young Neos, with the first book being "Brothers," so you might want to try that next after you finish this one.
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
I never really saw superheroes as role models per se; just really enjoyed superhero fiction, whether cartoons, comics, TV shows, or movies. It's only as I've gotten older that I see how some superheroes, like Superman or Captain America, can be seen as role models. It's my hope that my superheroes can also impart good lessons to kids who read them, though if you just enjoy them as entertainment, that's okay, too.
Glad to hear you're on the final Superhero's Son book. The next series is called The Young Neos, with the first book being "Brothers," so you might want to try that next after you finish this one.
Thanks,
Lucas Flint
Lucas Flint
I'll be happy to answer your questions for your school assignment. Not bothered by getting multiple questions at all. Actually enjoy getting questions from readers.
As for why I write superheroes, it's because I'm a big superhero fan and have been ever since I was a kid. Getting to write my own superhero stories and put them out into the world is like a dream come true. Plus, superhero books sell better for me than other types of books I've written, so there's a financial incentive as well.
Good luck with your assignment,
Lucas Flint
As for why I write superheroes, it's because I'm a big superhero fan and have been ever since I was a kid. Getting to write my own superhero stories and put them out into the world is like a dream come true. Plus, superhero books sell better for me than other types of books I've written, so there's a financial incentive as well.
Good luck with your assignment,
Lucas Flint
Lucas Flint
Hi, Sam,
How long each book takes to write can vary depending on the project. For most of my books, I would say it takes a couple of weeks of pre-planning, then two to three weeks to write the book itself, and then another week or two to edit it and prepare it for publication.
All in all, I would say it takes about a month or so to write, edit, and publish a book, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter depending on the length and complexity of the project.
I don't outline and generally prefer to wing it. However, that doesn't mean I don't do any preplanning at all. Before I write a book, I typically need to know the main characters (protagonist and antagonist, with a few supporting characters here and there), the conflict (why the protagonist and antagonist are fighting), and the setting (where all of this is happening). It becomes easier with ongoing series, because each book builds on the last, though I still need to know those three basics even with later books in the series.
So long as I know all of that, I can write a book, though I definitely do more preplanning with some books and series than with others. I generally try to avoid doing too much preplanning, however, because I find that can stifle my creativity and drain my desire to write the book itself.
Hope that helps,
Lucas Flint
How long each book takes to write can vary depending on the project. For most of my books, I would say it takes a couple of weeks of pre-planning, then two to three weeks to write the book itself, and then another week or two to edit it and prepare it for publication.
All in all, I would say it takes about a month or so to write, edit, and publish a book, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter depending on the length and complexity of the project.
I don't outline and generally prefer to wing it. However, that doesn't mean I don't do any preplanning at all. Before I write a book, I typically need to know the main characters (protagonist and antagonist, with a few supporting characters here and there), the conflict (why the protagonist and antagonist are fighting), and the setting (where all of this is happening). It becomes easier with ongoing series, because each book builds on the last, though I still need to know those three basics even with later books in the series.
So long as I know all of that, I can write a book, though I definitely do more preplanning with some books and series than with others. I generally try to avoid doing too much preplanning, however, because I find that can stifle my creativity and drain my desire to write the book itself.
Hope that helps,
Lucas Flint
Lucas Flint
Hi, Federico,
Here is my suggested reading order for my series:
1) The Superhero's Son
2) The Young Neos (takes place after The Superhero's Son and follows most of the same characters)
3) The Supervillain's Kids (takes place after The Young Neos, though it's possible to read it independently of the last two series)
The above three series all take place in the same universe and feature a lot of the same characters, settings, and ideas. And, of course, you should read each book in each series in numerical order (i.e. read Book 1 first, then Book 2, then Book 3, etc.).
Minimum Wage Sidekick and The Legacy Superhero take place in universes separate from the previous three, so you can read them in any order you want. I'd suggest picking up Minimum Wage Sidekick, however, because I'm coming out with a crossover between MWS and The Superhero's Son next month called Dimension Heroes.
I hope that helps!
Lucas
Here is my suggested reading order for my series:
1) The Superhero's Son
2) The Young Neos (takes place after The Superhero's Son and follows most of the same characters)
3) The Supervillain's Kids (takes place after The Young Neos, though it's possible to read it independently of the last two series)
The above three series all take place in the same universe and feature a lot of the same characters, settings, and ideas. And, of course, you should read each book in each series in numerical order (i.e. read Book 1 first, then Book 2, then Book 3, etc.).
Minimum Wage Sidekick and The Legacy Superhero take place in universes separate from the previous three, so you can read them in any order you want. I'd suggest picking up Minimum Wage Sidekick, however, because I'm coming out with a crossover between MWS and The Superhero's Son next month called Dimension Heroes.
I hope that helps!
Lucas
Lucas Flint
This answer contains spoilers…
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Lucas Flint
Be consistent. Consistency is often the difference between the struggling amateur and the successful professional. Learn how to consistently and regularly produce good books and you'll likely have a great career.
But don't be afraid to experiment, either, both in craft and in business. Keep doing the things that work and toss aside the things that don't.
But don't be afraid to experiment, either, both in craft and in business. Keep doing the things that work and toss aside the things that don't.
Lucas Flint
Having control over my schedule. Sure, there's always a lot of work to be done, but I still have more control over my daily schedule and how it is structured than most people do.
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