Will Elm

#ScribesAndMakers June 27. What's your favorite woodwind?

The bassoon. I don't really have a reason why, but it makes a beautiful, rich sound.

#ScribesAndMakers June 28. Aside from obligations, what are your biggest distractions from your creative work?

It's difficult to think of major distractions that aren't obligations. I'd say maybe it's fatigue, but rest is an obligation in some way.

#WritersCoffeeClub June 28. Can a reader ever truly feel what a writer felt while writing?

Depends how exact we need to be here, but yeah I think a reader could feel what the writer feels while writing. But I don't think they necessarily need to or should. I don't always feel the emotions I'm trying to elicit from my writing while I'm writing. So, for me, I'd hope a reader feels the emotions of the writing, not mine

#WordWeavers June 28. If you couldn’t die as long as you had more book ideas to write, how long are you living?

I don't know, but I have a lot of ideas for books. Not sure if they'd end up working or if the idea would fill a book or if they'd be good, but ideas aren't really a problem for me. It's the time needed to write them that's harder

#ScribesAndMakers June 21. Our next featured creator works collaboratively with their partner, often working in worlds the other created. Do you create work based on the creations of others? (Eg. Pop art, fan art, fan fic, etc.) Why or why not?

Nope. And not for any specific reason, but I enjoy working in the world I've created. Maybe with more time I'd write stories for other worlds, but my time is limited.

#ScribesAndMakers June 20. How difficult is it for you to receive criticism of your creative work?

It depends on what the criticism is and how it is delivered. Early on, people provided feedback and critiques that were very helpful and it was clear they were trying to help me and make the book better. But there are a few who it was clear either didn't read it, or just did not like what I was writing. There was no attempt to make the feedback helpful. That criticism was much harder to receive and frustrated me

I don't even really pay attention to reviews

#WordWeavers June 24. Do you use or make maps in your writing process?

Yes, I make crude maps to help me locate where places are in the world and then include more polished maps in my book. While writing, I'll often reference them when I need to know what direction someone is going or where they are travelling through.

#ScribesAndMakers June 24. Tell us a fish story (definition open to interpretation.)

Blub, blub, blubbbbbbbb.

#ScribesAndMakers June 22. Have you ever worked collaboratively on a creative project with others? How did it go?

I haven't. I prefer to write alone though I wouldn't be against a collaboration if it made sense and was the right partnership

#WritersCoffeeClub June 24. Must you know the ending before you write the first line?

No, I don't think so. I don't often know the specific ending before I write the first line. I'll know some aspect of the ending or the general idea of it but not how it specifically happens.

#WritersCoffeeClub June 23. Walk us through how you build a story.

I start with a character and a situation that they are in. I have an idea of what they are going to do at the end of their story. Then I create the world around them and basically pants the rest of the story.

#WordWeavers June 22. How do you use buildings and architecture in your current story?

There are some buildings that have significant purpose in reinforcing the culture of the place or the people. For example, certain people have shining white towers in their dense city and other people live in huts made from wood in forests. There are also a lot of buildings that are just there as background in a scene.

#WritersCoffeeClub June 22. How effectively do you convey tone in your writing?

I think I convey it well, though it's something you probably need to ask my readers.

#WordWeavers June 21. Does your current WIP’s MC arc feature positive, negative, or no growth?

This hasn't been the case for every book in the series, but there's positive growth in this one.

#ScribesAndMakers June 23. Talk to me day. #TTMD

Today's featured creator is: @EmpyClaw@mastodon.social

Happy Birthday!!! Are your RPGs influenced by your writing and/or the world Audra created?

#WritersCoffeeClub June 21. What do you listen to while you write? (music, silence, a crowded café?)

Silence. I am too easily distracted by noises around me.

#WritersCoffeeClub June 20. What of your immediate surroundings enter your work? The seasons, music, dreams?

Not really much. Sometimes it's the natural spaces around me, if they match up with what I'm writing. But I don't seek it out or intentionally bring it into my work

#WordWeavers May 9. Are there any unusual societal norms in your world?

Very unusual things like nature being revered and respected. Women being actual equals, there's no division of labor by gender. People sharing food they've grown themselves with their community.

#ScribesAndMakers May 3. When you see the word 'read', is your first instinct to read it as present tense or past tense?

Usually present tense. Unless I'm reading in the past tense, then I just follow the tense and think past tense.

#WordWeavers June 20. If you had no worldly pressures, how long would you happily write each day?

I think I could write for maybe 8 or so hours before becoming too tired to do any more. I'm not sure I would, there are other things I enjoy doing with my time, but assuming none of those were available to me, I could write for most of the day.

#WritersCoffeeClub May 10. What wisdom do you wish you could share with your younger self?

For writing, that you have to do it for yourself. You can't let others define your success. And sometimes just completing something is enough.

#WordWeavers May 7. Does your antagonist have any redeeming qualities?

Yeah, though it probably depends on what side you're on for whether they are redeeming. His defenders would say he's passionate, clever, and cares deeply for his people. Those not with him might have other words to describe him.

#ScribesAndMakers May 5. Have you ever worked with collage?

Nope.

#WritersCoffeeClub May 5. Have you ever taken inspiration from something which could have but didn't happen?

I assume this means a specific thing that could have happened (not anything that could have happened), then no. I don't take much inspiration from things that happen, or don't happen, in my own life.

#WritersCoffeeClub May 6. Talk about something you've written which you expected would (or expect will) divide readers.

I think the end of my first book will divide readers but I'm not really going to talk about it. Go read it and let me know.

#WritersCoffeeClub May 4. Is there a scene or a character or even a plot you regret adding to a finished work?

Not that I can think of. I'm certain there are scenes I'm not super happy with for one reason or another, but I don't think it rises to regret. Plus I'm not sure how the book would work if I'd change things. It could be a lot worse.

#WritersCoffeeClub May 3. Do you write your works localised to the setting or to your background? How do you decide?

I try to set it within the setting, but with secondary world fantasy, there's always a little bit of my background creeping in. I try to keep the world internally consistent and part of that means keeping the characters in that setting.

#WordWeavers May 8. MC POV: Describe your neighborhood.

There's a lot of tall trees around. And hopefully not much else.

#WordWeavers May 6. What writing-related challenges have you encountered recently?

It's mostly about finding time to write these days. The schedule has gotten very busy and it's hard to get into any flow when I'm only and to write for a few minutes.

#WordWeavers May 4. What's your MC's critical flaw?

I think her biggest flaw is that she trusts too easily. Combine her gullibility with her impulsivity and she can find herself being used by others.

#WordWeavers May 5. Is your MC aware of their flaw?

She's learning about it over the course of the books, but she's not aware of it. Her flaw also turns into a strength at one point, so it's a bit confusing to her.