An Interview with Jesse Gordon

Jesse Gordon is a published science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer. He has published several novels, short stories and articles. Jesse Gordon is also a screenwriter, and has just finished writing the screenplay to The Oatmeal Man.

How did you get into writing? At what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I was twenty I decided that I wanted to be, at the very least, a part-time fiction writer. I'd always written short stories for my own personal pleasure, but it was at this point that I decided to try actually getting published. Piers Anthony and Orson Scott Card were huge early influences for me. I wanted to be just like them.

What was your first book or story that you completed? Did you ever get it published?

My first completed story was called "A Pair of Wings," written under my then-pseudonym, A.J. Thompson. The story was eventually published in Anotherealm. It was about a young farm boy who built himself a pair of wings in order to escape his abusive father.

How did you finally get published? When were you able to write on a full time basis? Please explain your success story?

I'd done a serialization of The Knack, an urban vampire novel I'd written in 2003. The series ran for a year, after which a group of enthusiastic readers formed a small press publishing company to bring it into paperback format. That started a trend for me: writing online serials and having them (the reasonably popular ones, anyway) published in print later on down the road.

How do you stay motivated to finish a novel? How do you stay focused?

Resisting the urge to "sprint" helps a lot. If I pace myself, I gradually settle into a rhythm of a certain amount of words per day. Also helpful: knowing that the initial excitement of starting a new project is short-lived - and that's okay. The rest of the writing process is more work and less play, but that's perfectly normal for me. I rarely get discouraged if I remind myself of this.

What is your writing schedule like? Do you write in the mornings, evenings, and for how long?

Time of day is less important than actually getting in my own personal quota. On some days this means working for eight hours straight; on others it means doing an hour here, two hours there. In either case, I've learned that getting up and walking around every 10-15 minutes isn't procrastinating, it's *brainstorming*.

How do you get your ideas? What is your method for remembering them?

I almost always start with a single scene, a seed or kernel, something that pops into my head while sharing a conversation with someone, listening to a piece of music, reading a book, etc. From there I figure out a way to envelope the scene in a complete story - I try to come up with an excuse to relate the scene without simply leaving it as a vignette. The logistics of this almost always involve a pen and Stick-It notes being carried around with me wherever I go. Very rarely I resort to jotting down my dreams in a composition notebook the morning after.

How do you get over writer's block?

I never start a project or writing session with a blank computer screen. I always make a point of sitting at the computer only *after* I've scribbled notes long hand. The casualness of pen and paper is conducive to the muse - there's a childhood instinct linked to hours spent doodling in class when I should've been studying. Also helpful: being comfortable with the fact that the writing process isn't the same every day - and that's okay. If I'm not feeling creative on a Monday, I can always do technical busywork, notes or outlining. That way on, say, Thursday, when I'm inspired, I can just write without having to organize my thoughts first (as I've already done that on Monday).

What piece of advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a writer? What is a good starting point for them?

There are numerous roads to the same goal. Use the Internet; get a web site and post excerpts or serialize your novel(s); cultivate a following with this alongside a witty, insightful blog; sell DIY / POD copies to your readers while you pitch to agents and editors; make YouTube videos based on your stories and include links to your work; write screenplays for your friends' film projects and plug your site during the ensuing interviews; listen closely to family and friends, just in case one of them is related to Stephenie Meyer.

To find out more about Jesse Gordon and his published work, go to the official Jesse Gordon website.