Interview with former Litopian Geoffrey Gudgion...

[Richard Sutton]

I just posted a new interview with author Geoffrey Gudgion on my site. He's working on his third novel. Saxon;s Bane, his first, was published August of 2013 and if you haven't read it, it's a page-turner!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

To quote Geoffrey; "I was writing for the story, for this idea that was fighting to land on the page."
That's exactly how I feel about my writing, hence I don't plot it out in advance. I write notes about possible ideas, but then the story heads in its own direction.

 

[Carol Rose]

That is an awesome cover!

 

[1408]

The book sounds really interesting, and to be honest the second book does too! I also kinda want that helmet.
"There’s a danger that the research becomes so interesting that you stop writing." This rang true, especially when you end up on Wikipedia and dragged through link after link until you wake up in a daze from reading about ropes when you initially set out to read about tabby cats!

 

[Richard Sutton]

To quote Geoffrey; "I was writing for the story, for this idea that was fighting to land on the page."
That's exactly how I feel about my writing, hence I don't plot it out in advance. I write notes about possible ideas, but then the story heads in its own direction.

That's how it works for me, too Alistair. We used to call it Pantsing. back in the day, as in "seat of your pants" approach. I never know exactly how anything is going to get to the ending, even when I write the ending first!

 

[Richard Sutton]

The book sounds really interesting, and to be honest the second book does too! I also kinda want that helmet.
"There’s a danger that the research becomes so interesting that you stop writing." This rang true, especially when you end up on Wikipedia and dragged through link after link until you wake up in a daze from reading about ropes when you initially set out to read about tabby cats!

I get that! My current project is set in New Orleans, so I've had to travel for local research (get that? HAD to...) The research keeps turning up new directions, or getting side-tracked, so the book is an on-again, off again, but I swear it will be drafted by March!

 

[tabby3]

I don't plot it out in advance. I write notes about possible ideas, but then the story heads in its own direction.

Whenever I do that, I'm told my plot becomes 'disparate'. I like to think it's organic.

 

[James Marinero]

A good thread. In another life I was a project manager. When I started writing I had a plan, a structure and no ending (like a typical IT project). I sat down to write and let the story go its own way - I had no choice. I now believe that if you do that, then you do not end up with formulaic work.

Now (filler for Alistair), some readers may like formulaic work but being a book factory is not what I had in mind when I started out, and I still don't have it in mind.

Not having a plan is a great approach and as a believer in getting out of the comfort zone I end up with the MC in impossible situations. On one occasion it took me three weeks to work out how he would get out. I did, and it was immensely satisfying to do so. It would would have been easier to re-write, but that would have been a cop-out. I believe that approach shows through in the writing. Of course I would never go as far as the writers in Dallas who dug up Sue Ellen with a gross script device (if my memory serves me correctly).

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Interesting James. Last few days I've been back at work on my current novel (rather than editing others), and once again I found myself writing, when I saw my character reach out for a scroll she had been trying to find. Suddenly I saw it vanish and I thought, 'what now?' I hadn't planned it at all, but I trust what I see is meant to be and I do not 'reject' the idea or think it will make it difficult to find a solution to yet another problem. I trust the story, so I simply write it

 

[Karen Gray]

Looks awesome... And... I'll be tripping off to the bookshop me thinks