Ask the Author: Andy Weir
Answered Questions (334)
Andy Weir
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Andy Weir
Ideas come to me all the time. The hard part is actually buckling down and writing. That's a constant problem for a lazy guy like me. I set rules for myself for the workday hours. I'm not allowed to do most of the stuff I like (like browsing the internet for non-research purposes, watching TV, etc.)
Andy Weir
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Andy Weir
1) Write. Actually write. It's easy to daydream about a story. It's hard to actually write it.
2) Resist the urge to tell your friends and family about your story ideas. Doing that satisfies your need for an audience and saps your will to actually write it. Make a rule for yourself that they only way anyone will see your stories is by you writing them. It helps with motivation.
2) Resist the urge to tell your friends and family about your story ideas. Doing that satisfies your need for an audience and saps your will to actually write it. Make a rule for yourself that they only way anyone will see your stories is by you writing them. It helps with motivation.
Andy Weir
It's one of the few professions where you have total control over the final product. Yes, your editor will want changes, but ideally that's a collaboration and they're telling you ways to make it better.
Of course that means if the book sucks you have no one to blame but yourself. =/
Of course that means if the book sucks you have no one to blame but yourself. =/
Andy Weir
I don't really get writer's block. My main problem is usually picking which of many plot paths I want to take and committing to it.
Actually, my *real* problem is motivating myself to actually sit down and write. I have all the knowledge in my head, but writing it down is effort and I'm lazy.
Actually, my *real* problem is motivating myself to actually sit down and write. I have all the knowledge in my head, but writing it down is effort and I'm lazy.
Andy Weir
Originally the book was just a serial I posted a chapter at a time to my website. Once the book was done, people started requesting that I make an e-book version so they didn’t have to read it in a web browser. So I did and posted it to my site. Then other people emailed saying they want to read the e-book, but they aren’t technically savvy and don’t know how to download a file from the internet and put it on their e-reader. They requested I make a Kindle version they could just get through Amazon. So I did that as well. I set the price at Amazon’s minimum allowable price of $0.99. More people bought the book from Amazon than downloaded it for free from my website. Amazon has a truly amazing reach into the readership market.
The book sold very well and made its way up various top-seller lists on Amazon. That got the attention of Julian Pavia at Crown. He told his colleague David Fugate (a literary agent) about it. David ended up becoming my agent and Julian offered me a book deal. It was a whirlwind of activity because 20th Century Fox optioned the movie rights that same week.
The book sold very well and made its way up various top-seller lists on Amazon. That got the attention of Julian Pavia at Crown. He told his colleague David Fugate (a literary agent) about it. David ended up becoming my agent and Julian offered me a book deal. It was a whirlwind of activity because 20th Century Fox optioned the movie rights that same week.
Andy Weir
I will probably write another highly-technical book in the future, but my next project is more traditional sci-fi. See this question for info: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/2...
Andy Weir
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Andy Weir
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Andy Weir
Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke are my main inspirations.
Andy Weir
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Andy Weir
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Andy Weir
I didn't have any contacts in aerospace before the book came out. See this question for info on my research process: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/2...
Andy Weir
No I pretty much wrote it straight through as you see it. I didn't have a lot of rewriting or cut material.
Andy Weir
See this question for info on research: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/2...
I would say the main inspiration was "Apollo 13".
I would say the main inspiration was "Apollo 13".
Andy Weir
He did an amazing job! I have had a few emails back and forth with him. The audiobook publisher, Podium Publishing, were the ones who chose him to read the book.
I listened to parts of it and loved everything I heard. I didn't listen to the whole thing because it's ten and a half hours long and, you know, I've already read The Martian.
I listened to parts of it and loved everything I heard. I didn't listen to the whole thing because it's ten and a half hours long and, you know, I've already read The Martian.
Andy Weir
See this question: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/2...
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