In a recent interview with Sword & Laser, Jim Butcher described his Dresden Files series as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer starring Philip Marlow".
How perfect is that?!
As my title promises, Jim Butcher also gave great advice to new writers, but I'll save that for the end. Everything needs a hook, right?
Jim Butcher & Live Action Role-Play (LARP)
Want to meet Jim Butcher? Grab your cape and blasting-rod--a sentence I thought I'd never write!--and head out to Independence Missouri.
When he's not writing Butcher is an avid Live Action Role-Player, or LARPer, playing under the name of Longshot.
He invites fans in the vicinity of Independence Missouri to come out and kill some theoretical monsters, be beaten into theoretical unconsciousness and even be 'theoretically killed'.
The Idea That Started The Codex Alera Series
Apparently the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for," applies to bets as well.
In 2004 Butcher was challenged by a member of the Del Ray online writers workship to write a good story based on a lame idea.I'd be interested how Jim pitched that series to his editor!
Jim took the bet and the challenger gave him the lame idea of a lost Roman legion and Pokemon.
The story Butcher wrote became the first book in the Codex Alera series.
Jim Butcher's Advice For New Writers
You've been more than patient, so without further delay here's Jim Butcher's advice for new writers:
Question: Can you give advice to any new writers in our audience?
Jim Butcher's response:
Write every day.Awesome advice!
Even if you only write a little bit, even if you only write a sentence or a word, write. Because, even if you've just written a word, you're one word closer to the end of the book than you were at the beginning of the day, and that's progress.
Writing is about momentum, so get that momentum, set your time aside every day and stay honest.
Jim Butcher shares great information in the interview--memories, anecdotes--that I haven't mentioned. The Sword & Laser (episode 16) video is well worth watching.
Thanks to K.B. Burnfield for sending out a link to this interview.
Other articles you might like:
- Making Time To Write- Simon & Schuster Partners With Author House To Create Archway Publishing
- Editing: Make Sure Your Story's Bones Are Strong
Photo credit: "Super Troopers!" by JD Hancock under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.
