More Questions from an L.E. Modesitt Fan

[lmodesitt]

Thank you, and I'm glad you finally got around to reading them.

First, the choice of black for order and white for chaos was most deliberate and planned from the very beginning of writing The Magic of Recluce.

Second, my editor, David Hartwell, once observed that no novel is ever finished, but that the question is when revision won't markedly improve the book. Robert Heinlein suggested, in essence, that excessive rewriting was worthless, and that such effort was better spent on writing something new. If you can't fix the major problems in two or three drafts, then either you don't know enough to fix them or they can't be easily fixed. In either case, you're better off sending the story off to a magazine and starting another, hopefully learning from each one you write. It takes time. While I sold my very first SF story, I wrote more than 20 after that before selling another. There's no substitute for putting the words on the page, and it's better to write different stories than to keep trying to rewrite one.

Hope this helps.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Amarra]

Thank you so much for the response, sir!

Was it difficult for you to get started? I've heard horror stories of failed attempts at being published, and it makes me a little nervous to even try.

[lmodesitt]

Difficult is a relative term. I wrote close to seventy-five stories in the first five years. Six were published.

On the other hand, once I started writing novels, I've had every one I wrote published.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[talisein]

Any chance we'll ever see the unpublished works?

[lmodesitt]

No. Anything which I -- or a large number of editors -- didn't feel was professional enough to be published was destroyed. I've seen too many heirs of writers dig out early and less professional work and publish it for financial or other reasons. The only way to stop this is to make sure there's nothing there.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Amarra]

Mr. Modesitt, I have another question if you're able to spare the time.

When you write, do you plan out ahead of time exactly what will happen throughout the story or novel, or do things just happen as your characters go along? How do these incredible ideas come to you?

[lmodesitt]

I generally have a good solid idea of where the plot is going, but not of all of the internal specifics. Some of those arise from the interaction of the characters, the culture, and the environment. I have a very good idea of the society I'm portraying.

As for the "ideas"... I couldn't explain exactly where they come from, except from the combination of a devious subconscious and a lifetime of wide and voracious reading.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Echus Cthulhu Mythos]

I have a question about Darknesses. Is the constant use of the number '21' deliberate?


For example:

Spoiler: show

Alucius commands the 21st company, he is the 21st to recieve the Star of Gallantry since the Cataclysm, in the attack by Talent creatures in the return from Deforya there are 21 human casualites and finally, when returning to his steed, there are 21 bravos who are out to kill him. There might be others too, but that's all I can remember at the moment.

Just wondering.

Ooo, and also, as Scepters isn't out in NZ, in that book does Alucius get to command a major attack? All the major battles in Legacies and Darknesses are while Alucius is a defender.


Cheers!
Kieran

[Gil galad]

I just finished darkness yesterday cant wait to get my hands on scepters!

[Echus Cthulhu Mythos]

I finished it yesterday too, again. I love that book. Scepters ain't out in NZ. It was one of the ones Orbit didn't publish! Grr. That means we need to get American versions with ugly covers.

[Brians256]

Gil-Galad, ummm... sort of. You'll have to read the book to see if you think he commands it and/or if it is major. Also, you may or may not qualify it/them as attack.

How's that for being wishy-washy!

I will say this, Mr. Modesitt does increase the scale of the problems and actions in which Alucius is involved. It seems that sequels need to do it bigger, better, faster or all three, and Mr. Modesitt is attempting to go for option D.

BTW, Scepters was excellent. I only wonder if Mr. Modesitt came from a family that just doesn't talk much. It seems most of his intelligent characters just don't chat. They have very terse statements. But, I guess that helps tighten up the writing. If he had characters that were chatty, the books would be around 800 pages of nothing happening like some OTHER authers (that I happen to not like and won't mention by name).

[lmodesitt]

My immediate family talks a great deal, especially my offspring. On the other hand, my father talked less, and only when he had something worthwhile to say.

I have to admit that the use of "21" was entirely subconscious. I had no idea I'd used it that much!


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Dorrin]

2. No... the creatures are not generated magically. Some possess rudimentary magical abilities, such as the stun lizards.

Here's a thought. Some of the creatures from the accursed forest use chaos as a hunting tool - ie, the above mentioned stun lizards.

How is possible for them to grow to such great age (cf. Justen distubs one of the great old ones during the Order War) when the prolonged use of chaos seems to reduce lifespans. (cf. any of the white wizards...)

I mean, it's not like there are other creatures feeding them order to maintain them. I can see them as a tool for the forest to provide balance, but I can't see what they would be balanced with.

Just my 0.05c

[lmodesitt]

The deleterious effects of chaos are in direct proportion to the frequency of use and to whether it is balanced by order.

Stun lizards are reptilian, with a lower metabolic rate, which means that they don't have to hunt [and use chaos] as often as a warm-blooded predator of the same mass. They also balance order and chaos on a rudimentary level [at least the ones who live to great age do].


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Echus Cthulhu Mythos]

Just wonder, when you visit these forums, do you have a look around at what else is here?

[Kvetch]

I doubt it, if he ever wants to write a book again.

[lmodesitt]

No... time is tight enough that what time I do spend here is addressing the questions you all have, and providing information that might be useful or interesting.

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Echus Cthulhu Mythos]

Fair enough. It is much appreciated that you do give up your time to answer questions.

Thanks.

[Aunflin]

No... time is tight enough that what time I do spend here is addressing the questions you all have, and providing information that might be useful or interesting.

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Thankfully, you don't waste your time (as I do) with these forums. I'd rather you'd write all the books you can!

By the way, when's the exact release date for Alector's Choice? I can't wait to read it!

Also (even though I shouldn't be saying this, I think), if you ever have time to read, try out Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel, by Susanna Clarke--it's very good!

[lmodesitt]

The "official" release date is June 1st, but exactly how that translates to availability is another question.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Aunflin]

Awww...A whole month to wait! I think I'll manage--since I don't have to wait years and years for your books to come into print... The only unfortunate thing is that I'll read it in like a day...and have to wait miserably for seemingly endless months for The Eternity Artifact.....

Oh, well...

[Emperor]

I have a couple of questions for Mr. Modesitt.

I was told that to be a writter, you have to reader.
My first question then is what authors or books do you read?
and do any influence your work?

[lmodesitt]

I'll answer the second question first. Yes, there's no doubt that what I read -- or what any author reads -- has an influence on what and how we write. Now... that influence may be anything from "Wow! That's neat... and could I do something like that?" to "Oh, please... shoot me if I ever attempt anything that idiotic." But, in my opinion, an author who says that what he or she reads has no influence is either not really reading or deluding himself or herself.

As for what I read... I can't answer that short of a long, long listing. When I was first deeply interested in F&SF, I was reading several hundred books in the genre every year. I still read anywhere from 30-70 every year [except for the year when I was a judge for the World Fantasy Awards and read over 300].

In addition to my reading in the field, I read a great deal of non-fiction, especially in the fields of science, history, and economics, and a scattering of other fiction.

So... from my point of view, a writer has to be widely read.


L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

[Emperor]

Thats impressive, 30-70 books a year? Apart from that though my next question, if its not too troublesome, would be:

What drives you to write that next book, regardless of which series its from? Is it just a passion, or the fulfillment from your readers?

[Aunflin]

Indeed!

If you wish to write about war, politics, science, or etc. you have to read books relating to such topics--it's called research, though in my mind it is called Information Enjoyment--I always love learning/pondering new ideas/thoughts, whether in fiction or nonfiction.

I read all manners of things (including cereal boxes!) I've even learned to make food by reading the ingedients list on product boxes/cans... I'm a cook by trade, by the way--another reason to love LEM's books: he seems to be quite appreciative of food--as any wise man should be.