Baylie
asked
Frank Beddor:
What do you like to do in your free time when you're not writing amazing books? What do you do when you have the idea for the story planned out in your head, but don't know how to get it on paper? How do you come up with such great ideas?
Frank Beddor
What do you like to do in your free time when you're not writing amazing books?
I READ amazing books. Admittedly, a lot of that time isn't exactly 'free'. I steal it from my sleeping hours. It's not unusual for me to spend most of the night reading, catch a two hour nap, and then get up to face reality. I also enjoy wandering, the experience of moving without any pre-ordained destination. Just eyes open, aware to every nuance of the environment, taking it all in. This is how I re-charge.
What do you do when you have the idea for the story planned out in your head, but don't know how to get it on paper?
I try not to strangle it to death by over-thinking. I try to allow it to breathe and develop in its own creative pattern as long as possible. And then slowly, I approach it and begin to observe and take notes. Most importantly, I try to switch off the left hemisphere of my brain (linear thinking/ problem solving) and allow the right hemisphere (imagery/visuals) to 'show' me the story. Once I see the visuals I can describe and articulate it onto the page. It is a collaboration with the unconscious, the muse, however you want to think about it. An inspired idea for a story or a character does not belong to the writer alone. It's a gift from the creative forces.
How do you come up with such great ideas?
I don't come up with anything. I listen to the subtle, creative energies that surround us. If you listen close enough patterns become discernible, like conscious dreams. I know an 'idea' is right on if it gives me a shiver. And I never say, "I had an idea." I always phrase it, "An idea came to me." A writer must first be humble and understand you are only an articulate channel for the stories that deserve to be told.
I READ amazing books. Admittedly, a lot of that time isn't exactly 'free'. I steal it from my sleeping hours. It's not unusual for me to spend most of the night reading, catch a two hour nap, and then get up to face reality. I also enjoy wandering, the experience of moving without any pre-ordained destination. Just eyes open, aware to every nuance of the environment, taking it all in. This is how I re-charge.
What do you do when you have the idea for the story planned out in your head, but don't know how to get it on paper?
I try not to strangle it to death by over-thinking. I try to allow it to breathe and develop in its own creative pattern as long as possible. And then slowly, I approach it and begin to observe and take notes. Most importantly, I try to switch off the left hemisphere of my brain (linear thinking/ problem solving) and allow the right hemisphere (imagery/visuals) to 'show' me the story. Once I see the visuals I can describe and articulate it onto the page. It is a collaboration with the unconscious, the muse, however you want to think about it. An inspired idea for a story or a character does not belong to the writer alone. It's a gift from the creative forces.
How do you come up with such great ideas?
I don't come up with anything. I listen to the subtle, creative energies that surround us. If you listen close enough patterns become discernible, like conscious dreams. I know an 'idea' is right on if it gives me a shiver. And I never say, "I had an idea." I always phrase it, "An idea came to me." A writer must first be humble and understand you are only an articulate channel for the stories that deserve to be told.
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Sep 06, 2019 04:44AM · flag