Ask the Author: Deborah Chester
Answered Questions (10)
Deborah Chester
Apologies for not responding sooner! Planning a fantasy novel should take at least a month if not longer. You need to allow plenty of time for world building and making sure all those details are plausible and consistent. You need additional time to work through the plot from start to finish and to design your cast of essential characters, especially the protagonist and antagonist plus their most valuable side characters.
Deborah Chester
Sorry for this long overdue response. I would have changed some aspects of 41's character design. I like his enigmatic qualities, but he's not sufficiently complex. None of the characters are. That was back when I was young and hungry. I had very tight deadlines for those books, and no time to think them through. I have considered reviving the series with the Salukan girls that 41 and Kelly adopted, but so far haven't found the time.
Deborah Chester
I had it plotted out ahead of time, but of course a few things came to me during the writing. I'm delighted that you're enjoying it thus far.
Deborah Chester
My most recent book of fiction is a novella that I indie-published on Kindle in December 2015. I knew I wanted to write something in the Nether fantasy universe I've created. I feel like there are several void points where other stories have jumped over. Now it's time to fill in. So I focused THE KING'S LADY on the first week of King Faldain's reign. I've never been completely satisfied with the ending of THE CHALICE, and I wanted to tweak things slightly.
After all, once a young, untried fantasy hero seizes the throne, what does he do next? How does he figure things out? There's bound to be a considerable political shake-up happening around him, with people jockeying for power and/or his favor.
After all, once a young, untried fantasy hero seizes the throne, what does he do next? How does he figure things out? There's bound to be a considerable political shake-up happening around him, with people jockeying for power and/or his favor.
Deborah Chester
Whenever possible, I try to work on one project at a time. Occasionally, though, I find myself writing two books at once. I put most of my effort toward the book with the earliest deadline, and will work either in chunks of say, three to five chapters before I switch to the other one. I have also tried writing on one book for half the week and the other one the rest of the week. But alternating back and forth in short bursts has never worked well for me.
Hope this is useful!
Hope this is useful!
Deborah Chester
I'm revising my forthcoming textbook on fantasy writing, titled THE FANTASY FICTION FORMULA, which will be published by the Manchester University Press tentatively in Fall 2015.
Deborah Chester
Figure out what type of story you want to write and then read as much as you can. Read fiction--not just in your selected genre but all types--and read some nonfiction as well. Read daily. Strive to read at least one novel a week. Look at how stories are put together. How, for example, do writers introduce their characters into the stories? Which approaches grab your attention best? Or consider how writers conclude chapters. Do they always stop with a hook? Or do they close chapters with the viewpoint character falling asleep? Which method do you personally find more effective? Dig into some reference books on writing craft. Not the kind that discuss the author's means of finding inspiration, but the books that serve up real nuts-and-bolts information on putting scenes together and how viewpoint should be handled. Look at Jack Bickham, James Scott Bell, and Robert McKee. Good luck!
Deborah Chester
Writing, of course!
Seriously, though, I love being independent and setting my own hours. I love being creative and seeing a story and its characters come to life on the pages.
Seriously, though, I love being independent and setting my own hours. I love being creative and seeing a story and its characters come to life on the pages.
Deborah Chester
I believe writer's block stems from two or three causes. The most frequent reason I get stuck is that I'm unprepared to write an upcoming scene or portion of my book. I haven't done my research or I haven't planned the material well enough. Another cause for writer's block can be that I've made an error somewhere. Perhaps my protagonist's motivation is implausible or I've allowed the villain to ease up so the conflict is dwindling. My story sense is good about nagging at me to stop, re-evaluate, and pay attention to what I'm doing. And sometimes I think people become blocked for some emotional or psychological reason. They're afraid to try or they're afraid they'll offend someone in their family. Maybe they're afraid of making mistakes and being laughed at. Usually they're hindered by a very potent inner critic. My answer is to face whatever is inhibiting you and take a chance. Your story doesn't have to be perfect and you shouldn't expect it to be. Just write and keep writing until you become better.
Deborah Chester
Usually I'm inspired by a new idea that revs me to sit down at the keyboard. Occasionally I'm inspired by my flat bank account that tells me to stop goofing around and get busy with that next chapter.
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