Ask the Author: Jeff Wheeler
Answered Questions (154)
Jeff Wheeler
I've mostly steered away from dragon tropes in my books because I haven't found an angle on them that I feel is original or different. Dragon riders, of course, have been popular for a long time and I don't see myself trying to write in that genre. However, that said, I do have an idea about dragons which I'm excited about. Stay tuned!
Jeff Wheeler
Some readers have enjoyed Landmoor even though it’s not complete. There are Easter eggs from it in my other books.
Jeff Wheeler
Hi Gabriella: I do have a recommended reading order on my website to try and prevent spoilers. My worlds are pretty interconnected so this may be helpful: https://jeff-wheeler.com/reading-order/
Jeff Wheeler
It's always been just a short story.
Jeff Wheeler
It is on Audible in the Tales from Kingfountain collection: https://www.audible.com/pd/Tales-from...
Jeff Wheeler
Great question! Right now, I would have to say my trip to Lauterbrunnen Switzerland. It inspired my Angel Sworn series and the first book comes out in June. You can see some images of that amazing setting on my website.
Jeff Wheeler
You can listen to Poisoner's Revenge in my story collection here: https://amzn.to/4gkyk3b
Jeff Wheeler
Hi Timothy: all of your questions revolve around an important principle. To become good at anything takes a lot of practice. Malcolm Gladwell likens this to 10,000 hours. An author who inspired me said it takes about a million words. I don't know any shortcuts. You learn the craft by doing it. A lot of new writers start with writing novels, but I like to suggest starting with short stories to learn the different skills. As you read books, analyze how the authors figure things out. There are a lot of resources out there to help you learn. Writing craft books (mine is called Your First Million Words...Charlie Holmberg just put one out called Charlie's Book of Magic), writing conferences & classes (Storycon, Inkers Con, Storymakers, Writers Block). There's even a company called AuthorsAI which I'm part of which has a tool called Marlowe that can help you analyze your writing. It's not generative AI, like ChatGPT, so it won't write the novel for you. The practice of writing is what you bring to the table.
Jeff Wheeler
Hi Jonathan - interesting questions. Here are some thoughts. First, coming up with names can be challenging and fun. For inspiration on medieval era names, you can Google for this to get a lot of different names to choose from. If you're writing fantasy, you might want to consider coming up with your own names as part of your world-building. I love to zoom in on maps to find inspiration for names. Second, making antagonists compelling and dangerous is simply a matter of imagination. A villain believes they're the hero of their own story so you need to understand their motivation and what drives them. Making them sympathetic is more interesting than just making them pure evil. Third, I'll turn this question back on you. What makes a fantasy book magical to you? You might find that the feeling of "wonder" is something you should strive to capture. What causes that feeling within you?
Jeff Wheeler
Hi Joseph - that's a really good question! When I switched from fantasy to thrillers (for Dresden Codex), it required a lot of research into the new genre and the types of tropes that readers expect. I read a lot of books to try and distill the core elements and see how I could make them work with my writing style and brand. I'm glad I did it because I think it has impacted my fantasy writing too (trying to create even more tension and keeping things fast paced). That said, keep in mind that if readers expect one kind of writing from you, they won't necessarily jump with you to another genre. I found that to be true as well. My Dresden Codex series didn't sell as well as my fantasy books have. But the learning experience was invaluable.
Jeff Wheeler
Excdellent question, Julianne, and thanks for asking and for giving my writing a try. My worlds do overlap and you'll notice the "easter eggs" between them. Muirwood and Kingfountain, for example, begin to overlap and the Harbinger Series is a future overlap between the two worlds (which is why I recommending reading both of those series first). I have plans for The Invisible College which I haven't revealed yet, but it's also a good place to start since it doesn't tie into the other worlds. At least not yet...
Jeff Wheeler
Hi Michael - glad you enjoyed that series so much. As of now, I don't have any plans to further that story. As much as I enjoyed writing the world, it really did catch on with most of my fans. So I'm focusing on other storylines right now instead.
Jeff Wheeler
On my website you'll find two resources that should be very helpful to you. If you look at my Blog section, you can sort it by "writing craft" and find all the articles I've written on the subject. You will also find a link to "writing classes" that I teach as well as classes by other authors I respect and admire. I literally have a class on finding flow and the authors who sponsor the classes participate in Q&A with those who purchase the classes.
Jeff Wheeler
The series is finished, meaning I told the story I intended to tell. But I did leave the door ajar in case I wanted to add more to the storyline in the future. At this time, I don't have any plans to.
Jeff Wheeler
In the "reading order" section of my website, you can set it to list the books in chronological order by series (Muirwood, Kingfountain, etc). If you want to read them chronologically across series, I don't have that available yet. My assistant is working on a graphic that will make this easier to figure out. Stay tuned!
Jeff Wheeler
Hi John - I have passed on your thanks to Tanya. And after you've read The Maid's War, I'd stop there. Because I'm doing one more Ankarette novel that takes place after that book and before The Poisoner's Revenge. Stay tuned!
Jeff Wheeler
I usually recommend The Kingfountain Series, starting with The Queen's Poisoner.
Jeff Wheeler
It's why I'm glad I was a history major in college. So many stories and themes to borrow!
Jeff Wheeler
That's always a hard question to answer, because I love all my books for different reasons. I'm particularly fond of Wretched of Muirwood because it's the book that launched my writing career. By Queen's Poisoner is also very special to be because it broke through to a larger audience and I adore little Owen and Evie and Ankarette.
Jeff Wheeler
I'm not sure what your question is. Can you try it again?
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15 hours, 34 min ago · flag