Ask the Author: Frank Beddor
Answered Questions (1)
Frank Beddor
What do you like to do in your free time when you're not writing amazing books?
I READ amazing books. Admittedly, a lot of that time isn't exactly 'free'. I steal it from my sleeping hours. It's not unusual for me to spend most of the night reading, catch a two hour nap, and then get up to face reality. I also enjoy wandering, the experience of moving without any pre-ordained destination. Just eyes open, aware to every nuance of the environment, taking it all in. This is how I re-charge.
What do you do when you have the idea for the story planned out in your head, but don't know how to get it on paper?
I try not to strangle it to death by over-thinking. I try to allow it to breathe and develop in its own creative pattern as long as possible. And then slowly, I approach it and begin to observe and take notes. Most importantly, I try to switch off the left hemisphere of my brain (linear thinking/ problem solving) and allow the right hemisphere (imagery/visuals) to 'show' me the story. Once I see the visuals I can describe and articulate it onto the page. It is a collaboration with the unconscious, the muse, however you want to think about it. An inspired idea for a story or a character does not belong to the writer alone. It's a gift from the creative forces.
How do you come up with such great ideas?
I don't come up with anything. I listen to the subtle, creative energies that surround us. If you listen close enough patterns become discernible, like conscious dreams. I know an 'idea' is right on if it gives me a shiver. And I never say, "I had an idea." I always phrase it, "An idea came to me." A writer must first be humble and understand you are only an articulate channel for the stories that deserve to be told.
I READ amazing books. Admittedly, a lot of that time isn't exactly 'free'. I steal it from my sleeping hours. It's not unusual for me to spend most of the night reading, catch a two hour nap, and then get up to face reality. I also enjoy wandering, the experience of moving without any pre-ordained destination. Just eyes open, aware to every nuance of the environment, taking it all in. This is how I re-charge.
What do you do when you have the idea for the story planned out in your head, but don't know how to get it on paper?
I try not to strangle it to death by over-thinking. I try to allow it to breathe and develop in its own creative pattern as long as possible. And then slowly, I approach it and begin to observe and take notes. Most importantly, I try to switch off the left hemisphere of my brain (linear thinking/ problem solving) and allow the right hemisphere (imagery/visuals) to 'show' me the story. Once I see the visuals I can describe and articulate it onto the page. It is a collaboration with the unconscious, the muse, however you want to think about it. An inspired idea for a story or a character does not belong to the writer alone. It's a gift from the creative forces.
How do you come up with such great ideas?
I don't come up with anything. I listen to the subtle, creative energies that surround us. If you listen close enough patterns become discernible, like conscious dreams. I know an 'idea' is right on if it gives me a shiver. And I never say, "I had an idea." I always phrase it, "An idea came to me." A writer must first be humble and understand you are only an articulate channel for the stories that deserve to be told.
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Sep 06, 2019 04:44AM · flag