Various genre authors interviewed

[Stephen Palmer]

As some of you may know via Facebook, G.J. Stevens has been conducting and publishing a lot of interviews with genre figures on his blog.
Mostly, these are with authors, but he recently interviewed John Jarrold, perhaps the best known genre agent in Britain.
He interviewed me recently, and the interview (link here) has gone down well.
Other recent interviews include Lewis Dartnell (space science), David Moody, Keith Brooke, Gareth Powell, Michael Cobley and agent Paula Munier (link here).
Check out the site!

 

[Toby Frost]

Very interesting interview - but how the heck do you write so fast?!

I thought your comments on inspiration and imagination were interesting. A while ago, I saw a genre author being interviewed about whether he had any tips for aspiring writers. His response was basically "No. They are either born great like me or shouldn't be writing". The trouble is that said author is rubbish. My own view is that the majority of people can be trained to produce reasonable prose, but that the ideas and "spark" may well not be there and really, in any sort of artistic endeavour, that's what counts.

As to the reason for writing, I've come to realise that writing is a way of processing real life. I don't mean to say that I wouldn't function without writing, but that it's a sort of continual response to what's going on around me. It's both taking inspiration (probably the wrong word) from life, and being pushed into writing by reality.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Interesting points!
Like you, Toby, I have to write. It's hard-wired into me.
As for writing fast...
(1) no children!
(2) writer's volcano.
(3) it works best for me to write intensively and "live" my work for a few weeks... then relax.

 

[The Big Peat]

Thanks for the links Stephen

A while ago, I saw a genre author being interviewed about whether he had any tips for aspiring writers. His response was basically "No. They are either born great like me or shouldn't be writing".

C'mon tobes, name names...