Writer's Q&A (Part Two)

I'm sorry for not keeping up with this blog, but last month or so has been hetic, writing-wise. You can see some of what I've written in the new Total Chaos book (I will go into this in a another blog posting) and there are a couple of other products down thae line that will have some of my writing in it (I will discuss them when they come out) But for now, the rest of the Q&A thread that I started on the Battletech forum. . .

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How did you get started writing for Catalyst?


I submitted to Battlecorps and started writing for them. Then I was added to the stable of writers and allowed to pitch for products.

When did you decide to become a writer?

Years ago -- if you have a copy of Battletechnology issue #21 lying around, you'll find a few things I coauthored with my friend. But seriously? About six years ago.

Do you write full time?
Alex Keller

Due to the local economic climate, right now, I do....

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My question is probably going to get answered with a YMMV, but: where do you find the time? That's always been my big block.

Easier when the local employment situation is bad.....

Relatedly, about how long does it take you to crank out an average story?
The Hawk

One to three months for the first draft, another month or two to refine them.

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Have you ever been working on a story. read something published by one of the other authors, and had to crumple the story, or part of it, because what the other author wrote changed your plot?

i.e you've got something going on planet A with faction C. But Author B wrote that Planet A was taken by faction D.
jc.knight

Nothing like that. I have had stories rejected because they didn't fit into events as they were unfolding, but nothing that another author wrote.

I generally take established events and slip the story into them. . . .

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How do you keep you muse on track and writting? mine seems to always vanish when i want to do any type of writing. then i have to track her done and keep her tied to a chair to get stuff done.

My muse is a stay at home muse (Unlike a fried of mine, whoes Muse is out riding the wilds of America and beating up poor defenseless bikers and tearing up biker bars for laughs -- she's a tough Muse.) As long as I write every day, she's willing  to cut me some slack....

Can we look forward to any more adult drink being added in up coming stories?

I think I can work in a few new adult drinks....stayed tuned....

What is your fav era to write in or just love anyway?

I love them all!

As a writer, I can't get stuck in one era. Each era has it's own charms and strenghts and I try to write stories that work best in those eras. With the Reunifacation War, War of Reaving and the Liberation of Terra sourcebooks now out or soon to be out, I have new material for stories that you'll see down the road (I hope!) My goal is to have published Battlecorps stories in all eras of Battletech by the end of the year...so we'll see....

Thanks for posting this and talking to eveyone.

Not a problem -- thanks for taking the the time to ask the questions!

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Next post, Total Chaos from a writer's POV. . . .

Craig