Belle Faye
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hello, Lois McMaster Bujold. I'm Jenibelle and I would like to ask some questions. Here are my questions. Do you find it hard writing books?, Where can you find most of your ideas?, And for most of your stories, Do you see yourself as the main character? I hope I get a response.
Lois McMaster Bujold
Hi Belle --
See also my answers to your classmates, some of which I will cross-link. https://www.goodreads.com/questions/1...
"Do you find it hard writing books?"
Yes.
"Where can you find most of your ideas?"
Answered here, among other places: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/1...
"And for most of your stories, Do you see yourself as the main character?"
No, my stories are not written as self-inserts. Most of them explore very different lives than my own. That said, all my characters, major and minor, hero or villain, have to come in some sense out of my own mind, experience, and knowledge. Until I have internalized a character to some degree, I cannot know what they will say when they open their mouth to speak, let alone what they will do or how they will react in a given situation.
I've also described this as stepping into a character's skin/body/mind and wrapping it around me, but it's their skin, not mine.
Best of luck to you in your reading and writing...
Ta, L.
(Wow, whichever kid has the bad luck to be last in the queue is going to get short shrift. Must try to even it up somehow...)
See also my answers to your classmates, some of which I will cross-link. https://www.goodreads.com/questions/1...
"Do you find it hard writing books?"
Yes.
"Where can you find most of your ideas?"
Answered here, among other places: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/1...
"And for most of your stories, Do you see yourself as the main character?"
No, my stories are not written as self-inserts. Most of them explore very different lives than my own. That said, all my characters, major and minor, hero or villain, have to come in some sense out of my own mind, experience, and knowledge. Until I have internalized a character to some degree, I cannot know what they will say when they open their mouth to speak, let alone what they will do or how they will react in a given situation.
I've also described this as stepping into a character's skin/body/mind and wrapping it around me, but it's their skin, not mine.
Best of luck to you in your reading and writing...
Ta, L.
(Wow, whichever kid has the bad luck to be last in the queue is going to get short shrift. Must try to even it up somehow...)
More Answered Questions
Kate Davenport
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
I wonder how much interest Miles is taking in his half-sisters and one third (?) brothers, since they are so far away physically and so different in age. I have had several friends with siblings and half siblings far away physically and/or chronologically and they run the gamut from being very close, to being cordial acquaintances, to being essentially strangers.
Jane Bigelow
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
I love the character of Nikys, and I'd be happy to read of her again in whatever way Lois wants to do it. Characters do change, if the fiction is any good. I've liked some of Lois' books better than others, but they're all good. I admire her choice of a middle-aged woman as adventuring protagonist in Paladin of Souls. Could her weaving could be part of a story line for Nikys? I'm sure Lois has plenty of ideas already.
Nathaniel Maldonado
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hello!! What model of car do you drive? Thank you, Nathaniel P.S. Love all of your novels
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more