Why do writers write? I asked a whole whack of writers what aspect of writing do they like best, and what do they wish they could do less of? Today, two very different writers offer their responses, Russell Blake and Bob Nailor.
Which element of fiction is most important to you as a writer:
Russell Blake: It’s probably equal parts plot, characterization, and action. No one of the three is superior to the other.
Bob Nailor: I find plot critical but if the characterization is bland, the plot won’t carry the story. The same holds true for setting and details. Action is necessary and sex, in my book, is an iffy thing. If you’re writing romance or erotica, yes, sex is important, but for science fiction or action novels, I find it distracting to have an “interlude” of gratuitous sex. As I see it, if you’re on the run from the antagonists, you don’t need to stop at the nearest motel for a little action there – get your butts out of town and away from the bad guys. At that point, it is lack of true characterization. I think it takes all the above PLUS good dialog to make a story complete with all the elements of fiction. Skimp on one aspect and you, as an author, lose a marketable story. Therefore, it takes all aspects—plot, characterization, setting, details, action, maybe sex, and dialog – for an author to blend into a tale worth reading. Like the Three Musketeers—All for one, one for all.
What part of writing do you spend the most time on: research, writing, editing, making coffee or cleaning your work space?
Russell Blake: Writing, by far. I spend about 80 percent of my time writing.
Bob Nailor: In the beginning of a new novel, I’d say research. Writing takes some time but then the editing takes over. I don’t write the perfect story in the first pass. In fact, most of my stories take at least five to ten edit passes to get most of the kinks and errors out of them. Then it goes to a professional. I’d say that a lot of time is spent in research making sure all my story facts are lined up properly. Editing is the next biggie. As to coffee—my wife handles that hurtle and as to cleaning my work space? Don’t you dare touch a shred of paper on my desk or attempt to find something. Ask me—I know exactly where the item is located in what you assume to be total and utter chaos. It’s my filing system.
Which of these do you enjoy most?
Russell Blake: I hate cleaning, I don’t make coffee, my research is usually cursory, and as much as editing (specifically, second draft rewrite) makes a novel, I frigging hate it. That leaves what I spend 80 percent of my time doing: writing.
Bob Nailor: Uh, that would be making coffee, it’s the easiest. But, really, I’d have to admit that I enjoy writing, especially when the so-called Muse hits me and the story takes off on its own and at that point I’m just tagging along to find out what is going to happen next. Some of my most creative writing has happened during this time. I have a basic outline of what the story is supposed to be, but when it takes off on a tangent, I give it full rein and let it go. Of course, as the author, I do have the right to edit and/or delete it. Research gets a little difficult since I will find a tangent and follow it to another tangent ad nauseam. Three hours pass and I am so lost in what I was originally researching. When I started to write Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold I got so involved in research, I had three 4-inch binders of printed material. My research overwhelmed my story. If I had included all my research, the novel would have been over 1,000 pages.
What do you wish you had to do less?
Russell Blake: Promo.
Bob Nailor: What I hate the most is marketing. Today’s authors not only have to write the story and then edit them but also be heavily involved in the marketing of the novel. Back in the 40s and 50s, the author squirreled away in the attic and wrote. When done, he would send it to the editor at the publishing company who would correct and make suggestions. The publishing company would handle all the marketing—all you had to do was show up and sign copies. Those days are gone.
What part of writing or publishing do you think you could help other writers with?
Russell Blake: Wow. Depends on their skill level. I could do a seminar on plotting and character arcs. Ditto for how to create a compelling action, or any other 
kind of, scene. Discipline would be the third seminar. Branding, a fourth. Sounds like I should quite writing novels and go into the selling picks and shovels to the miners business, eh?
Bob Nailor: I like to think I am helping other authors at the current time when I do edits of their work. I try to work with new writers and show them the ropes and tricks I’ve gleaned over the years. Plus, I write a weekly writing tip—for free—to help today’s writers keep up with the changing methods of writing, editing and marketing. If you join my mailing list, it is sent to you each Monday morning to hopefully help invigorate your desire to write and get the week off to a good start.
Which of your books or other works are you personally happiest with? Why?
Bob Nailor: I am truly thrilled with The Secret Voice for several reasons. First, the cover, a professional photograph of an Amish lad and one that I feel best exemplifies my protagonist, Daniel. Two, the story has several “true” events and some made up. Three, I have to keep ordering more copies to cover my book signings. The Amazon details and status don’t reflect the sales I have had with this book. Of course, my non-fiction book, 52 Weeks of Writing Tips made it to #2 on Amazon’s books on editing. My novel, Pangaea, Eden Lost has done well at book signings, too. I believe its popularity is due to the fact that like several of my books, I’ve woven facts and fiction together. I think the readers like trying to figure out which is truth and when I am blue-skying them.
Thanks, Bob and Russell, for your answers.
Featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Times, and The Chicago Tribune, Russell Blake is the USA Today bestselling author of over 45 books, including Fatal Exchange, The Geronimo Breach, Zero Sum, the Assassin series, The Delphi Chronicle trilogy, the JET series, the BLACK series and many others.
His non-fiction work includes the internationally bestselling animal biography An Angel With Fur and How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated), a parody of all things writing-related.
Blake co-authored action/adventure novels, The Solomon Curse and The Eye of Heaven, with legendary adventure author Clive Cussler, published by Penguin.
Blake lives in Mexico and enjoys his dogs, fishing, boating, tequila and writing, while battling world domination by clowns.
Russell is a proud member of RABMAD – Read A Book, Make A difference.
Visit Russell’s
- website and blog
- Facebook page
And follow him on Twitter @BlakeBooks
Bob Nailor resides in NW Ohio with his wife on a small, quaint country acre. When not traveling in his RV rig for research or fun, he can be found writing or reading. In the summer there is the yard work with garden and flowers. In the cold of winter he enjoys feeding the wildlife and watching it from inside the warmth of his home.
He is an EPPIE award winner and has several books published including The Secret Voice, Pangea, Eden Lost, Ancient Blood: The Amazon, Three Steps: The Journeys of Ayrold, and 2012: Timeline Apocalypse. He is also in numerous anthologies and had short stories published spanning several genres including horror, fantasy, science fiction, romance and adventure. You can visit his website at www.bobnailor.com for a list of books and short stories, many with sample reads.
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