Ask the Author: Brian MacLearn
Answered Questions (7)
Brian MacLearn
Sam Winchester. I've been a fan of Supernatural from the beginning. Sam is caring, intelligent, and carries a moral compass that strongly points north. He has all the attributes of a true hero, but somehow manages to still come off as "human" and vulnerable.
Brian MacLearn
I can't say that I've experienced writer's block. I fight procrastination more than anything. I've always been able to move the story forward, some days it's only a few paragraphs, some days I don't even see the day go by—lost in the story. I went nearly a month without writing because I wasn't happy with the direction I was headed in the story, and didn't know whether to scrap or continue. The solution came to me while I was driving. It fit perfectly and I finished the first draft with little pause after that. I think that authors that outline have fewer problems with writer's block. Me, I let the characters dictate the direction of the story. If they aren't taking, I'm not writing. I'm not being silly, but sometimes I just write in a new character to keep the story going…sometimes they stick, sometimes they get erased.
Brian MacLearn
I will never get tired, or quit smiling when someone asks me, "How do you do it? How do you come up with those ideas?" Writing is time consuming, but I have never experienced anything more gratifying than watching the story unfold and come to its conclusion. For me, one of the best things is that while I'm editing the most recent book, the characters from possible future novels are pestering me, posturing themselves to be the next novel. I know…go get the straightjacket and take me away…
Brian MacLearn
Don't let anyone steal your passion. Every story I write, I get better at my craft. My biggest regret was not having faith in myself earlier. It's never too late to start. I mean this with all sincerity: If writing is an itch inside of you, scratch it, don't ignore it, because it won't go away. If people tell you can't do it…find new people who will build you up. Your first, second, third or fourth effort may not be who you will become, but finishing the first one starts you on the journey to who you will be…and personally, the day I wrote "The End" on my first novel was the day my doubts fell away.
Brian MacLearn
I'm in the editing phase of my latest novel called "Isolation." I'm looking forward to getting it to a point where I can have some readers give their opinion on it. It started the way I envisioned it, but it dramatically took a turn different from what I thought, and then came back to finish the way I originally planned. This is a story that I want readers to say when they read the last line, "No way…" It has the emotion of Nicholas Sparks, the slightly supernatural feel of Dean Koontz, and the deep pondering thoughts of Mitch Albom.
Brian MacLearn
For me, it really isn't the writing that gets inspired, but the actual physical part of sitting down and starting. I have my moments of procrastination, but once I sit and start, I fall into the story and the characters take over from there. There are times that I have to stop because I'm getting sloppy with my sentences. Other times, I can't wait to start because an idea has formulated in my head and I have to get it down on paper.
Brian MacLearn
I was listening to the radio in the car and there was a story about bullies on the playground. Later that same night, the evening news was showing a clip of a victim fighting back against the bully. He actually hurt the bully, whose parents were thinking of pressing charges. The thought came to me; "What if the bully was still in your life twenty-five years later?" It became the premise for Against the Current.
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