On to our next Silly Tree author
interview. This time we talked with Terry Phillips. His story, “Gemini Wraith”,
is a tale of the true evil of which humans are capable. We hope you enjoy the
interview as much as we did.
____________________________________________________________________
1. When did you start writing
professionally?
Probably about five minutes ago now.
Seriously though, Gemini Wraith will
be my first published work, and whilst I have been writing for many years and
have long dreamed of moving into the sphere of professional writing, it’s only
within the last year I finally pushed all the lame excuses aside and have
started pursuing it seriously.
I’m still yet to discover whether I
shall be successful in pursuit of my goal, but at least I won’t be left
wondering “what if” in 20 years time.
2.
What inspired your story for the
Silly Tree anthology?
The story is actually a prelude to
the events in a novel I’m currently working on, and I wanted to go back and
build some back story to that particular work. I had been toying with the
concept of a Victorian era detective novel for quite some time, and finally began
setting words to the page as a result of my current Masters studies.
I also need to say that I also owe a
huge debt of gratitude to Matt, my old university flatmate, who has graciously
allowed me to turn his computer gaming pseudonym into a sadistic sociopath with
a penchant for flaying his victims alive. I owe him a signed copy when
the anthology is released.
3.
Have you ever hated anything you
wrote?
I really can’t say that I
have. There have been some pieces I have written in the past that have
not been as polished or well conceived as I would have liked, but as far as I’m
concerned they’re still potential fodder for a good resurrection and rewrite.
From my point of view there is no
one idea which is so bad it doesn’t possess some redeeming features or future
potential in a successive redrafting. The only real problem lies in
deciding when something is actually ready to see the light of day.
4.
How do you stay motivated?
I tend to get cranky with myself if
I haven’t at least done some form of writing on a daily basis. Even on
incredibly hectic days (which with 3 kids, 6 and under is pretty much every
other day) I like to try and ensure I’ve at least gotten something down before
my head hits the pillow.
I’m also the sort of writer who
likes to be a bit obsessive in my planning and preparation phases for a piece,
and I usually like to ensure I’ve got a fairly sturdy skeleton on which to
build before I get too far along in the writing process. I know a lot of other
writers who would prefer to fly by the seat of their pants, but I have found
that in the past that approach only gets me so far before I run headlong into a
creative dead-end.
For long pieces, I’ve been known to
select a “theme song” of sorts which I listen to as part of a writing ritual to
help get me in the right frame of mind when my motivation begins to lag.
It’s almost a little bit of operant conditioning Pavlov style – but then my
wife always said I was a simple creature.
5.
What is your favorite genre to
write?
One of the things which I am
discovering from my current studies is how much I enjoy being shifted out of my
traditional comfort zone and trying my hands at styles and genres I would not
have normally considered. That being said though, I have definitely
noticed a tendency for my works to drift backward in history into the realm of
historical fiction and fantasy more often than not.
I know a handful of sci-fi writers,
and whilst I’m a fan the genre I’ve never really had the inkling to head
seriously into creating a fictional future realm – perhaps that’s something I
may need to seriously consider stretching myself toward sometime in the near
future.
6.
Do you have advice for other
writers?
There’s so much good advice already
floating around out there, I struggle to think what I might have to offer on
top of all that. Perhaps what I would suggest is try not to fall into the
trap of thinking of writing as a purely solitary activity. There are
countless opportunities out there for writers looking to share and hone their
craft alongside their fellow artisans – everything from formal writing courses,
writer’s networks and festivals, online communities and blogs. Don’t
think you can just lock yourself away in a darkened room with no human contact
and produce a masterpiece.
Oh, that and caffeine.
Caffeine is your friend.
7.
What books or authors have most
influenced your life?
8.
Would you like to share a bit about
your current work in progress?
9.
When did you realize you
wanted to be a writer?
‘Want' has almost nothing to do with it. It's
either there or it isn't. If you happen to be one, you're stuck with it. You'll
write whether you get paid for it or not. You won't be able to help yourself.
When it's going well, it's like reaching up into heaven and pulling down fire.
It's better than any dope you can buy. When it's not going well, it's much like
giving birth to a baby elephant.
10.
Where have you been published?
No seriously. Buy it.
____________________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment