Cringing, I stepped forward, blushing like the room was a nervous 180 degrees. I had been waiting for this; nevertheless, my books were handed to him. He quickly looked at me and routinely picked up the pen, and somehow, I gulped and finally recited, “So I just want you to know that I really admire your work; it really inspires my own.” There!
He suddenly stopped, and peered over his thick glasses at me (could he even see?), “Really,” he responded with interest, “What are you writing?”
“Two books”, I quipped, perhaps not feeling my fear as greatly.
“Really”, he praised, seemingly honestly impressed, “Wow, how’s it going?”
I wasn’t expecting this question, “Um…”, I quickly thought of an answer, “long and tedious”.
“Mmmm”, he murmered in agreement, signing his name and handing me the books, as if to acknowledge that that was very true.
My confidence was back, and I extended my hand, “Thank you very much”, I told him, looking him in the eye,
“Your welcome”, he agreed, and as I turned away “and good luck!”
And as I came down from cloud nine, the lady hosting the event, who had previously told me earlier that I was just like everyone else, walked past me, saying respectfully, “Ba-Bye now, have a nice night!”. And though I automatically said, “you too”, it was obvious to me that I had just met Christopher Paolini, he had signed my copy of Brisingr (his newest novel), and, author to author, writer to writer, we had connected with a very simple touch: a handshake.
I highly recommend you read Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr. Paolini is a talented author and a really wonderfully funny guy. No, he’s not very tall (about my size, 5’7″ or so) or very old (he’s 25), but he’s been writing the Inhertance Cycle for 10 years. He’s one of my favorite authors, and for the work he’s done, a writer I admire. And because he’s been writing so long, there has to be a few tips he can give on his writing process, right? And because I’m such a good student, I took notes! 🙂 Here’s some of Paolini’s tips on how to go about writing (summarized):
- Read. To be a good writer, it is important to gather your information first.
- Plug your ears. After you know what you will write, it is best just to tune everything else out and write what you intend. Raw thought is the best stuff of creation. Don’t worry about revising just yet, that can come later. And, if you do, most likely you will run in circles. Stick to your ideas!!
- Find a method that’s comfortable for you. Paolini says he wrote most of his third book with an inkwell and parchament!! Hey, if it works…
- Write like it’s your livilihood. When Paolini was writing his novels, it became obvious that if he didn’t write, he didn’t eat. His family had invested everything they had into the novels, and if they didn’t sell, the family could no longer survive. Therefore, when you write, think of it like, “If I don’t write this, I won’t be able to eat dinner, today, tomorrow, or next week”, and you will succeed in getting the job done well.
- Check yourself. If you are coming up with someone’s history, make friends with them, whoever they are. Let them become your spouse, your breath, your deepest sexual urge, and invest in them so that they can live. Are you writing a language? Know your languages!! An author’s greatest fault is writing off his story as an aquaitance. Make it PERSONAL.
- Again, don’t become distracted. At this point in the game, it is easy to say to yourself, “I can cut and paste, no problem!” But, dear writer, your are wrong. Stick to your guns or get shot down.
- Find someone to critic your work. As Paolini says, it is the only way to make your writing reach its full potential. And, I’ll add, don’t be sad when a good phrase has to be cut out. Be brutal. Don’t take yes for an answer. Be tough.
- “Never, ever, ever give up!” , cried Paolini, when asked what tip he would give to young writers, as if to say that the worst thing a writer could do would be to quit. Continuing, he explained theat every writer has moments where her or she feels like giving up. Thus, writers, be patient; the final product is coming!
I think, every story has some point to make, and in this case, for what complicated writing Paolini does, he makes a good one: never complicate your writing. It is so easy for a writer to be caught up in greatness when he as greatness right before him. Remember, though you know your own life and work, it is a mystery to someone else. I mean, think of your family and you could probably come up with a whole cast of characters! Every character is a part, a little piece, of you. They are not strangers, and neither is your story. After all, what made the great writers great after all? Their writing was already at the tips of their very lives. Lewis and Tolkien wrote out of a local pub, for crying out loud, could you not write out of Carabou Coffee? You are human, just like your story. And everyone has a story (ever engage in a converstation?); it’s not like you have to go very far to find one. Like I said, writing is breathing, and you don’t even need to go to Carabou to find it.
And so, dear friend, writing is very simple. But first, you must realize: writing is human (as are you!). And, in my case, as I found out, so are its authors.
“And good luck.” -Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle.
Copyright of Jessica Anne McLean, 2008, all rights reserved. Thanks to Christopher Paolini, especially for his time, in coming to the Novi Borders (for a book signing and discussion) and in signing my copy of his books, and his work, in writing the Inheritance Cycle. Check out Brisingr in a store (or library) near you!
The Rose 