Ian asks: In a recent question about how to get beyond a first novel, you used the term ‘Burner novel’ in reference to letting a first book go. If “every writer has one million words of crap to get through,” how many books should one consider as practice novels?
Nichole asks: How do you decide which scenes get grouped together to create a chapter? Resources Mentioned: Down From Ten
Herbert asks: What are some techniques for maintaining tension in a series-long character arc for a longer, open-ended series? Resources Mentioned: Clarke Lantham Mysteries Moonlighting Moonlighting: An Oral History Dexter Bablylon 5 True Blood Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bjould …
Herbert asks: I have a lot of willing “beta readers,” but they don’t ever get back to me with feedback. I’ve seen I can hire beta readers on Fiverr. What is a reasonable price to pay for beta readers?
Charlie asks: I am a white, straight, male fantasy writer with little interest in ancient Norwegian culture and mythology. How far removed from real-world influences does my fantasy world need to be in order to be safe from the no cultural appropriation PC culture?
Nichole asks: What are some good starting points into your books? Resources Mentioned: https://jdsawyer.net/books/reading-order/ Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer And Then She Was Gone The Clarke Lantham Mysteries Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures Ideas, Inc. Hadrian’s Flight Tales of a Lombard Alchemist, Vol 1.
Ed asks: Are there lines a writer should not cross in fiction? Are there lines you won’t cross? Resources Mentioned The Persistence of Vision by John Varley
Nichole asks: Which writers have done the best with friendship groups in their writing? Resources Mentioned Harry Potter series Crudrat by Gail Carriger The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer Suave Rob series Doc Savage The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Splinter of …
Nichole asks: How can I better keep track of character development? My current method takes me out of the story flow.
Dan has a follow up on Ed’s recent question regarding what makes an “adult mindset.”
