Ask the Author: Virgil Allen Moore
Answered Questions (10)
Virgil Allen Moore
Nicess The Wanderer was inspired by an old RPG character. I played a healer in a game. Normally, I'd be the heal-bot. But, I decided to solo things instead. I built a character that could out-heal most situations. It was a weird build and I always liked to idea of a healer that could take on things by herself.
I didn't even think about Nicess for more than fifteen years. Until one day, I made her into a Dnd character for 5E. From there, I got to fall in love with her all over again. She drank to bury her pain. Made the wrong, non-optimal decisions, and just walked-the-fuk-on sometimes. She was broken and still able to function after all the shit she goes through.
I was able to play several sessions with her and then when my schedule changed, I had to stop. From there, I decided to write her story out. It took less time than I thought it would. And I was able to finish the book within eight months.
Right now, I'm working on book two. With a full plan for four books in total. Of all the hell Nicess goes through in book one, she goes through a lot more before the end of the series.
I didn't even think about Nicess for more than fifteen years. Until one day, I made her into a Dnd character for 5E. From there, I got to fall in love with her all over again. She drank to bury her pain. Made the wrong, non-optimal decisions, and just walked-the-fuk-on sometimes. She was broken and still able to function after all the shit she goes through.
I was able to play several sessions with her and then when my schedule changed, I had to stop. From there, I decided to write her story out. It took less time than I thought it would. And I was able to finish the book within eight months.
Right now, I'm working on book two. With a full plan for four books in total. Of all the hell Nicess goes through in book one, she goes through a lot more before the end of the series.
Virgil Allen Moore
I was reading the first book of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Until Dark. I had gotten to the last section of the book. Until then, the book had been about vampires only. At that point, there was a major reveal that introduced fantasy elements into the story. That pissed me off. And I was very vocal about it at work. I went on for hours about how I felt the novel lied to me as a vampire story. I kept soapboxing that I could write a better vampire novel. And I did it so much that one day someone said, "Then why don't you just write it."
So I did and I spent the next three months writing my very first novella. It was 37k and it had more than half of the book filled with typos. I cut my teeth on that book. I don't regret it, but I do regret showing it to others. In the end, it shows how far I've come as a writer. So for the sake of transparency, I'm kind of glad it's out there.
So I did and I spent the next three months writing my very first novella. It was 37k and it had more than half of the book filled with typos. I cut my teeth on that book. I don't regret it, but I do regret showing it to others. In the end, it shows how far I've come as a writer. So for the sake of transparency, I'm kind of glad it's out there.
Virgil Allen Moore
I'm writing Immutable Magic Book 2, Drawing Power. I'm currently 58,000+ words into it. And I'm thinking about going back to The Redgold Series and writing a book about Marin.
Virgil Allen Moore
Do you have an idea? Write it out. Do you think it'll turn out bad? Oh, it will. Don't worry about that for now. Just write it out. Because it will have errors. It will have issues. It will have things you will later be either ashamed of or embarrassed about. So whatever the concept, write it out to get it out. You'll need to stumble before you can walk. And after you get through it, you'll need to start again with another idea to learn how to walk. It'll fail too. But after that, you can start to jog, you'll stumble a few times again, but after a few broken bones from the words of others, you'll start to run. And it's then that you'll begin to shine. Writing will become easier and natural.
This takes time. Some say that becoming a master takes 10,000 hours. That's not true for a writer. Our measure of mastery is numbered in wordcount. For the first 30k, it's painful. Until you break 100k, you'll rethink everything you write. Then until you get to 250k, you'll want to write out some of your best ideas. Don't write them all out. Save some for later. When you get to 500k, you'll feel near bulletproof. But when you reach 1 Million total words written in story form, you'll be able to consider yourself a writer and absolutely no one will be able to tell you otherwise. Get to 1 Million wordcount and you'll have made it.
This takes time. Some say that becoming a master takes 10,000 hours. That's not true for a writer. Our measure of mastery is numbered in wordcount. For the first 30k, it's painful. Until you break 100k, you'll rethink everything you write. Then until you get to 250k, you'll want to write out some of your best ideas. Don't write them all out. Save some for later. When you get to 500k, you'll feel near bulletproof. But when you reach 1 Million total words written in story form, you'll be able to consider yourself a writer and absolutely no one will be able to tell you otherwise. Get to 1 Million wordcount and you'll have made it.
Virgil Allen Moore
I get to create people. I'm able to think about how they think and how they would react to any given situation. They become a part of me. And as a writer, I'm able to put them in my worlds. It's a great feeling when I'm able to bring those characters through a fulling life in my stories.
Virgil Allen Moore
That's one thing I don't normally have in the usual way. I've never thought to myself, "What happens next?" and couldn't answer it. On the other hand, I have felt not up to writing some days. Normally it's from a bad head space. Either a bad review or something not tracking with an ad campaign. It's the reason why I tend to not market my novels anymore, it reduces both instances from happening too often and allows me to write whenever I get the time.
Most days I spend about an hour writing and I'm able to get about 1,000 to 1,500 words in.
Most days I spend about an hour writing and I'm able to get about 1,000 to 1,500 words in.
Virgil Allen Moore
A DM has everything prepared for an epic sixteen hour one shot. Five people show up on time with all their supplies and are ready to start the moment they walk in...
Virgil Allen Moore
About ten years ago, I would've said The World of Darkness with vampires, werewolves, and mages. But now, I'd say the world of the Spellmonger series by Terry Mancour. The concept of magic has always interested me. I've loved the different vampiric gifts that can come up in novels. Magic is like an open extension of those gifts.
Virgil Allen Moore
I tend not to have a summer reading list. I read in batches. Sometimes I don't read anything for a year, and then I read a book or two a month. I'm not a fast reader, so unless I'm really into the story, I usually don't take the time to pick up new novels.
However, I usually read The Jack Reacher series, and The Spellmonger series.
However, I usually read The Jack Reacher series, and The Spellmonger series.
Virgil Allen Moore
There was a scandalous paper that was released during the last 4 days of my freshman year of high school in Gainesville, Florida. The paper had very detailed illicit information about seven or eight very popular girls at my high school. The families called in private investigators, tried to blame over two dozen people for it, and interrogated more than 30. It was utter chaos. People were blaming others left and right for writing it. Friends were turning on friends. It was madness. In the end, no one ever found out who wrote the paper. But, I'm pretty sure the echoes of that week inspired the movie Mean Girls.
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