Comments on: “The Man from the Currents”

By: The Writer

The Writer — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:58:36 +0000

Well, there isn’t much money in the stories I’ve sold to date. So I don’t do very much with it. :) I try and spend it on specific things — rewards, as it were — so I can feel some sense of accomplishment. Usually it’s books, DVDS, and writing supplies. If/When I make more money, I’d spend it on things like cabin retreats, trips, and the like. Including crack and ladies of the night, of course.

Thor the whore doesn’t go much for the negligee, alas. He keeps asking for a Speedo, though…

By: Jake

Jake — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:26:05 +0000

Just out of curiosity, what do you spend your writing money on? Is it re-invested in equipment/books/cabin retreats to help with your writing? Do you have an investment plan? Or is it soundly invested in crack and ladies of the night?

Or do you just cave, and finally get Thor that negligee he’s always wanted? (So THAT’s why there’s a bunch of Victoria’s Secret catalogues lying around, suspiciously opened to the same page…)

I ask, not because I’m into your financial deets. Rather, I bet that most writers don’t know what to do with their first couple of paydays, since it’s not quite a steady thing. And hey…. I never know what to do with the few extra bucks I infrequently get…

By: The Writer

The Writer — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:22:34 +0000

See, I like that. The way the characters or the story itself can surprise the writer. I think that’s part of the fun of writing. We worry ourselves, we shock ourselves, but we also surprise ourselves. To me that’s a sign the writer is doing something right. The stories I end up dropping are the ones that stop popping, the ones that start to feel like work and no longer amuse me. Writing is hard work, no doubt about it, but it shouldn’t necessarily feel like work, not every inch of the way.

I read the blog of a writer/editor who complained that writing had always been difficult for him and that he didn’t really like it that much. Kinda sad, really, since he never followed up with why he bothered doing it in the first place (which was the thought going through my mind, and probably the minds of the other people who read that post).

I write outlines for many of my stories, but they’re not usually extensive and they’re never, ever written in stone. When it comes to actually writing the story, all bets are off. I feel less like a writer than I do a courtroom stenographer capturing the action going on around me. Or more accurately, the action going on in my imagination.

By: Jeff P.

Jeff P. — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:42:22 +0000

Jennifer Brozek was talking about the flip side of that coin on her blog recently. She said one of her characters killed another, and she never saw it coming.

In my case, it’s actually more about what they don’t do. Oh, they’ll occasionally throw out something I wasn’t expecting, but it’s more often a case of I’ve got a scene in mind, and I start steering toward it only to have the characters venture off in another direction. And I’ve found in every case I can think of, it actually helped the story (it’s usually one of those situations where it’s a cool scene, but doesn’t really do anything for the story).

By: The Writer

The Writer — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:13:47 +0000

I suppose it’s different for every writer, but I don’t think characters are that interesting unless they’re capable of doing things outside of the writer’s purview. Same goes with plot. I’ve always felt that the story is the boss, not the writer, and it should be allowed to roam wherever it wants.

Laurell K. Hamilton mentioned on her blog recently how she is reluctant to kill off any of her rather hefty cast of characters because they’re so close to her. To me that is the greatest interference of all. They’re not real people, first of all, and second, it’s not up to the writer to decide who lives and dies. Some writers think it is up to them, but I tend think that speaks more about the person than the story. If you know what I mean.

By: Jeff P.

Jeff P. — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:19:25 +0000

Glad to know I’m not the only one who’s sometimes surprised by the things his characters do. I read an interview with CS Friedman a few weeks ago, and she was saying how she pretty well knows what her people are going to do and she’s got them all under control.

Kinda made me a little sick.

By: The Writer

The Writer — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 10:56:25 +0000

That’s a good way to think. I’m very thankful I don’t suffer through the things I put my characters through. I guess that makes me something of an evil god (although that would imply I control the story, which I often don’t), but hey, no conflict, no story. :)

By: AllyBird

AllyBird — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:17:07 +0000

That’s why we are writers because we worry so much. We suck in like a sponge. If I didn’t think about writing instead of real problems I’d be insane by now. Diversionary tactics – if is happening to a character – it isn’t happening to you – right? :>)

By: The Writer

The Writer — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:04:14 +0000

That’s what us writers do. Amaze ourselves, scare ourselves, worry ourselves. It’s all part of the job. ;)

By: Jeff P.

Jeff P. — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:52:34 +0000

Although I got to tell you, I look at things like “Where the Sun Don’t Shine” and it kind of scares me, makes me worry about myself.