The War of Memory Project

Writing doesn’t always come easy.  In fact, it’s a rather lengthy process that is hardly easy at all.  Everyone has something they’re good at and something they find very challenging to do.  This week’s question was asked by Amy Morris-Jones.

Question 20: What element of writing (setting, characterization, plot development, etc.) do you find most challenging?

H. Anthe Davis

I think creating a coherent and controlled plot is my biggest problem.  My characters are basically people, so I’m rarely concerned about them, and I’ve been working on my setting for more than a decade so could probably detail it down to individual blades of grass if pressed.  But actually figuring out how to push all the characters into one place, keep them there, and make them do something dramatic and purposeful, can take me a long time to get right.  My first book spent a decade being rewritten until I…

We all start somewhere.  Anyone who does anything gets an initial inspiration to do whatever it is they do.  Writers are no exception.  What exactly is it that makes people want to write what they write?  What makes us pick up a pen (or put fingers on a keyboard) and write? This week’s question comes from our very own H. Anthe Davis.

Question 19: How did you get into writing and what made you select your genre of choice?

Linda G. Hill

I actually don’t feel as though I had a choice in either getting into writing or choosing a genre. I’ve been making up stories since Kindergarten – I remember writing a “book” at my mother’s friend’s dining room table and driving them both crazy because the only words I knew how to spell were “the” and “and.” I’ve been doing it ever since. Same with genre… It doesn’t…

Every author has someone or something that influenced them.  They can be anything from another author to a style.  Even a single book can be an influence.  This week’s question is brought to us by H. Anthe Davis.

J. R. R. Tolkien inspired an entire genre.

Question 17: What authors, styles or intellectual movements have most influenced your writing?

Elizabeth Rhodes

First it was Mario Puzo’s The Godfather.  I liked reading multiple storylines at once from many points of view.  There are many authors who use this technique, but I saw it in Puzo’s book first.

The second was a movement that I’m not sure has a name.  I grew tired of stories that boiled down to clear-cut forces of good and evil fighting against each other.  Despite what we may feel, no one person or cause is completely good or evil.  Instead I wanted to write about heroes that…

Not everything comes from an author’s mind.  Probably not a good idea, anyway.  Sometimes they need help, whether it’s research, editing, critiquing, or creating covers.  There are some great resources online that can help with these and more.  This week’s very useful question comes from Amy Morris-Jones.

Question 16: What are your favorite online resources/websites for writers?

H. Anthe Davis

Whee, link time!  Alas, I lost a lot of my links in my computer upgrade, but I do have a few of interest.  I make my own maps using the GIMP 2 program (like an open-source Photoshop), following the advice of a great mapmaking tutorial.  I use this color chart sometimes, and this medieval demographics calculator (though just for a rough guide), and I find Peter Menzel’s photography site (and books) to be really helpful in visualizing the differences between cultures in terms of food and home-goods consumption.  I also…

Since the early twentieth century, new types of media have become popular ways of telling stories.  Books were no longer the only way to get your stories.  Movies, radio, television, computer games, the internet, and more kinds of media have influenced many authors. But how are our authors influenced? This week’s question is brought to you by D. T. Nova.

Question 15: All of us write prose fiction (unless I’m mistaken) in an era that has an astounding variety of storytelling media. Has your writing been significantly influenced by any works of newer media?

Elizabeth Rhodes

When I first started writing novels in earnest a few years ago, I became heavily influenced by the music I happened to be listening to at the time.  Jasper has influences from song lyrics by Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, and The Cult.  I have other stories in the works that have been influenced…