Today author John D. Mimms takes over our blog to tell us about his experiences being a writer.John Mimms latest novel is Death Theory (9 October 2017, John D. Mimms, 357 pages), a Paranormal Mystery.
John's first published work, The Tesla Gate, is the first instalment of a three-part, heart-wrenching, sci-fi/paranormal drama. Though fictional, the trilogy is based on scientific, paranormal theory.
"…touching sci-fi story that takes the reader on an unlikely road-trip adventure…a fast read with some entertaining ideas and a real emotional core in the relationship between father and son." ~ Publisher Weekly on the Tesla Gate
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On Being A Writer
by John D. Nimms
I have had several people ask – How long does it take to write a novel? How do you come up with the story? How much do you write every day? Do you write in the morning or evening?
The questions go on and on. I think most people who are not writers find it difficult to comprehend how someone can sit down and string thousands of words together to craft a story. The bottom line is, there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. There are truisms that go with each of these, but I will try to answer the way I approach it.
How long it takes to write a novel can vary widely, especially depending on the length of the book. A writer should never look at the big picture on how long it will take. It is impossible to say, even on the most thoroughly outlined story.
As many authors will attest, the story often tells itself. It sounds crazy on the surface, but it is truly an amazing thing when your planned story veers into territory you never dreamed of before. The only thing the author has any measure of predictability is on daily goals. In order to stay focused, you must set daily goals to keep yourself motivated and keep the story moving along. My daily goal is words. When I am writing a novel, I will not stop each day until I have written at least 2,000 words. For some, it may be more, or it may be less. I have found that 2,000 words a day is my ‘sweet spot’.
I usually do most of my writing in the evening. I am not a morning person, and that seems to be when my brain is most active. There are many who function better in the morning and that is totally fine.
How we come up with story ideas is also different for everybody. Your ‘muse’ will visit you at different times, and in different ways. I don’t have a process of coming up with story ideas, they just kind of hit me. My ideas are spontaneous and unpredictable. For my current novel, Death Theory, my stint in paranormal investigation played the biggest inspiration. After several investigations, I had a ‘what if’ moment. What if someone took this scientific theory, the death theory, and researched it in an unethical and murderous way? The kicker is, that happens to be the only way to scientifically research the death theory. Paranormal research and a disturbing theory occurred to me as the perfect combination for a story.
I have never personally used brainstorming to develop a story idea. I guess it would be ok if that is a strong ability of yours, but I have found the best stories often come out of nowhere. I sometimes resort to brainstorming once the story is formulated for character development and motivations only.
It is up to every author to discover what works best for them and stick to it faithfully.
I have had several people ask – How long does it take to write a novel? How do you come up with the story? How much do you write every day? Do you write in the morning or evening?
The questions go on and on. I think most people who are not writers find it difficult to comprehend how someone can sit down and string thousands of words together to craft a story. The bottom line is, there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. There are truisms that go with each of these, but I will try to answer the way I approach it.
How long it takes to write a novel can vary widely, especially depending on the length of the book. A writer should never look at the big picture on how long it will take. It is impossible to say, even on the most thoroughly outlined story.As many authors will attest, the story often tells itself. It sounds crazy on the surface, but it is truly an amazing thing when your planned story veers into territory you never dreamed of before. The only thing the author has any measure of predictability is on daily goals. In order to stay focused, you must set daily goals to keep yourself motivated and keep the story moving along. My daily goal is words. When I am writing a novel, I will not stop each day until I have written at least 2,000 words. For some, it may be more, or it may be less. I have found that 2,000 words a day is my ‘sweet spot’.
I usually do most of my writing in the evening. I am not a morning person, and that seems to be when my brain is most active. There are many who function better in the morning and that is totally fine.
How we come up with story ideas is also different for everybody. Your ‘muse’ will visit you at different times, and in different ways. I don’t have a process of coming up with story ideas, they just kind of hit me. My ideas are spontaneous and unpredictable. For my current novel, Death Theory, my stint in paranormal investigation played the biggest inspiration. After several investigations, I had a ‘what if’ moment. What if someone took this scientific theory, the death theory, and researched it in an unethical and murderous way? The kicker is, that happens to be the only way to scientifically research the death theory. Paranormal research and a disturbing theory occurred to me as the perfect combination for a story.
I have never personally used brainstorming to develop a story idea. I guess it would be ok if that is a strong ability of yours, but I have found the best stories often come out of nowhere. I sometimes resort to brainstorming once the story is formulated for character development and motivations only.
It is up to every author to discover what works best for them and stick to it faithfully.
Death Theory
Available NOW!
1 comment:
This Guest Post has me intrigued so now have this book on my TBR list.
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