Comments on: Get Published Episode 36 – John Hemry Talks About “The Writing Life” http://www.michellplested.com/getpublished/get-published-episode-36-john-hemry-talks-about-the-writing-life/?source=rss Looking at writing from an amateur's perspective Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:20:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan Dan The Art Man http://www.michellplested.com/getpublished/get-published-episode-36-john-hemry-talks-about-the-writing-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1713 Dan Dan The Art Man Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:20:53 +0000 http://www.michellplested.com/?p=1453#comment-1713 Thanks for answering my question Mike. I've always enjoyed hearing how other writers go about writing their stories. Sounds like you have a good one down for different situations. There's always something for me to learn. I like how you talk about once the story is plotted, you never have to stop to think about what comes next. Take that writers block! I've been thinking about coming up with some kind of method such as the one you use with spreadsheets to keep track of everything. I really like what Terry Brooks wrote in his book “Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life.” He explains his method, very similar to yours in a lot of ways, and he points out that since he outlines he only has to write the rough draft, one revision, and then he's done. He writes a paragraph out for each chapter. I usually write the idea for the whole book in one monstrous paragraph, and then try and plot the story out with bullet points. Then try and break it into three acts and see what's working from there. Dan Wells of the Writing Excuses podcast and author of the Tor book “I Am Not A Serial Killer” has an awesome 7 Point System I've been trying to implement lately. His blog post about it with links to a video of the lecture he gave at "Life, The Universe & Everything" on it is here: http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/?p=405 He pretty much starts with the ending, and then figures it all out from there. Cool Stuff. Thanks again Mike! Thanks for answering my question Mike. I’ve always enjoyed hearing how other writers go about writing their stories. Sounds like you have a good one down for different situations. There’s always something for me to learn. I like how you talk about once the story is plotted, you never have to stop to think about what comes next. Take that writers block! I’ve been thinking about coming up with some kind of method such as the one you use with spreadsheets to keep track of everything. I really like what Terry Brooks wrote in his book “Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life.” He explains his method, very similar to yours in a lot of ways, and he points out that since he outlines he only has to write the rough draft, one revision, and then he’s done. He writes a paragraph out for each chapter. I usually write the idea for the whole book in one monstrous paragraph, and then try and plot the story out with bullet points. Then try and break it into three acts and see what’s working from there. Dan Wells of the Writing Excuses podcast and author of the Tor book “I Am Not A Serial Killer” has an awesome 7 Point System I’ve been trying to implement lately. His blog post about it with links to a video of the lecture he gave at “Life, The Universe & Everything” on it is here: http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/?p=405 He pretty much starts with the ending, and then figures it all out from there. Cool Stuff.

Thanks again Mike!

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