Ask the Author: Megan Wong
Answered Questions (4)
Megan Wong
It depends. If I'm writing a new story then I usually take some time to "become bored." Boredom is an underutilized tool, most people think that we have to avoid it at all costs and so they use technology to stimulate their senses, especially by using the internet. I'm guilty of that too, but if I want to write something new - I have to be bored. I have to be able to think and rethink and imagine, so I sit and I stew in thoughts until an idea emerges and I play with it, see where it goes and if it's interesting enough that I'm not bored, I write it down.
Now, if I'm trying to deal with writer's block for writing a current story, I can do two things. The first is to write anyway, maybe a scene in the far future or something that just doesn't seem good at all, but I push on, I try to see if my characters have something else that they need to do. The second is to toy around with the idea, letting myself mull over it and then go to sleep. Dreams are super helpful and your thoughts before you go to sleep can be inspiring, so I let myself think about it, over and over, until something begins to play out in my head.
If I don't feel energetic about writing, then surrounding myself with other writers helps a lot. They motivate me because their excitement about their own work helps to fuel my own excitement.
Now, if I'm trying to deal with writer's block for writing a current story, I can do two things. The first is to write anyway, maybe a scene in the far future or something that just doesn't seem good at all, but I push on, I try to see if my characters have something else that they need to do. The second is to toy around with the idea, letting myself mull over it and then go to sleep. Dreams are super helpful and your thoughts before you go to sleep can be inspiring, so I let myself think about it, over and over, until something begins to play out in my head.
If I don't feel energetic about writing, then surrounding myself with other writers helps a lot. They motivate me because their excitement about their own work helps to fuel my own excitement.
Megan Wong
I'm currently working on a shorter novel in a different universe which has more fantastical elements that I created. I don't want to say too much, but it's definitely a bigger world then what you read in Island Whispers. The world is more complex in that it is populated with humans and all the things that come with humans: government, religion, fighting, etc... I'm really excited about this novel and I'll share more once I have cleaned it up.
Megan Wong
I wanted to write a story that had magical elements. I've always liked reading books that include mythical creatures and I wanted to write something that included all of those at once. I started out with the idea that I needed an "ambassador" from each group to tell the story from their POV. It was fun to just list out the different characteristics and that's where I started.
Then I ended up flying to see a friend in Texas, while staying there I began to flesh out these characters and write the story. I liked the idea of a complex villain, as I have read and heard from others that those are the best kind, who was "just" in his vengeance and while revenge isn't the best way to solve a problem - it's the villains that are always making the morally wrong decisions. The Elder just had this malice and so much pain that I wanted to really show people his backstory as well.
Then I ended up flying to see a friend in Texas, while staying there I began to flesh out these characters and write the story. I liked the idea of a complex villain, as I have read and heard from others that those are the best kind, who was "just" in his vengeance and while revenge isn't the best way to solve a problem - it's the villains that are always making the morally wrong decisions. The Elder just had this malice and so much pain that I wanted to really show people his backstory as well.
Megan Wong
The best thing is writing about something that you love and finding ways to dive deeper into stories. I like to play out scenes in my head to figure out what the characters will do or say and sometimes they surprise me.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more