An Author I Want to Emulate

Jonathan Stroud.

Awesome guy.  Actually English.  Has written my favorite character in all of literature:  Bartimaeus.  Cerasi already knows this guy (author and character), but when she asked for book recommendations it had to be his other novel "Heroes of the Valley".  It's a one book deal, unlike his other (FABULOUS)  Bartimaeus trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and Ptolemy's Gate.  And (BONUS!) he's written another Bart book called The Ring of Solomon, which I didn't know about until I went on his website the other day. 

Which if you wanna visit yourself is: www.jonathanstroud.com

But I'll hit the high points here, since this guy is awesome, and I just fully realized his awesomeness by visiting his site.  To preface, I have not really googled any of my other favorite authors before or visited their websites.  Like not even Rowling.  (Though I have read and watched interviews of her..)  So doing this sort of 'research' is new to me.  Well, I just went looking for the title of the book I wanted to recommend Cerasi, and found Stroud's site.  He has some lovely things to say. 

Perhaps most relevant to all of us is the FAQs section.  He answers how does one become a published author.  He gives four pieces of advice.  (One of which I know Ada will be MOST interested in!)
    -  practice         "Write as much and as often as possible."
    -  experiment   "Try as many different kinds of writing as you can"
    -  read               "As above – as much and as widely as you can."
    -  persevere       "(i.) Don't be disheartened by ideas and projects that don't work out. I've got zillions     of half-finished things in boxes, assembled over many years. Individually they may not have been any good, but together they pushed me in the right direction.

(ii.) When you're confident you've got something worth showing, send your material to several publishers at once, so you don't waste time if it's rejected. But check to make sure these publishers actually do the kind of book you're proposing! Don't worry if you get rejections, but listen to any advice."

 

See Ada, proof that Andres can suck it: a published, experienced, quality author says to experiment.  Wonder of wonders.

Also, he graduated as an English major.  Also with no idea of what he wanted to do.  Heartening.

He said that it takes him an average of a year to punch out a book like The Amulet of Samarkand.  Stroud has this funny section that details a typical day for him as a writer.  NOTE:  his goal is to write 5 pages a day/ 25 pages a week.  When you think about it, not super fast.  I doubt though, that I could just start punching out a novel like this any time soon.  However, maybe 10 pages a week?  That's only 2 pages a day.  Doable, I think.  So, I'm going to have a real go at getting some work done on Chronicles of an Escape Artist. 

Another thing he said, that should be comforting to us as fledgling writers, in response to what is he working on now: "I can't tell you yet. It's too early. When a book is just being started, it's weak and feeble and needs to be protected. So I keep it very close to me, while it gathers strength. With luck one day it'll be sturdy enough to send out into the wider world!"  

We may not have stuff that we feel can show to the world, but that's ok.  So does every author, even published ones. 

I just love this guy and everything he has to say about writing, because it really comforts me coming from someone I want to write like.  Not exactly like, mind you, but in the fantasy genre with interesting, developed and hilarious characters.  With intriguing plots and solid style (especially with Bartimaeus).  I encourage you to check him out.  Start with The Amulet of Samarkand.  If you don't laugh within the first 10  5 pages,  I'll buy you lunch.  

And then we need to re-evaluate our friendship.