I would get a lot of writing done if I lived in isolation in a cave under a swamp.
From Claire Cameron
How do you solve a mystery? How do you write a book? The techniques for starting both are surprisingly similar. Find an intriguing question and, pen and dagger tucked under cloak, search for clues.
Many of my favorite survivors in fiction show that it may not be the most muscled, macho or mighty people who pull through. A strong mind and body aren't always enough. You might also need a resilient heart.
The body needs food, warmth and water, but your heart needs more.
I like situations that push a character to the edge.
I was haunted by a bear attack that happened in Algonquin Park in 1991. The problem was that I don't believe in ghosts, so that ruled out an exorcism. My other choice was to start writing.
I would have liked to be on the streets of Manhattan during 9/11. My working theory is that people are much kinder to each other in times of trauma than we tend to portray in our stories.
I love the Internet, and I love wasting time on the Internet - even though it sometimes ends up being not being a waste of time.
I cried most days working on the first draft. The last scenes were the hardest. I had a feeling where I wanted to end - the exact note - but I couldn't see how to get there. Sarah Murphy, my editor, asked the right questions to help me. I think of 'The Bear' as a hopeful book.
I'll settle for successful during my lifetime because at least I can be conscious of the delusion that it means something.
3 perspectives
2 perspectives
1 perspectives