This is going to be a good one.
*crack my knuckles in preparation*
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been secretly collecting a bunch of questions from fellow writers that I’ve wanted to answer in a segment of #AskWatson, but never really had enough to run with… until now.
Makes sense, given the Legion is geared towards my readers.
It seems that hasn’t dissuaded a few scribes from sneaking by Lyara’s watchful gaze.
So this Sunday segment is dedicated to my fellow fibbers, both aspiring and established.
Starting with…
Hey Daniel,
How did the Legion come about in your mind? I’d love to do something similar with my newsletter but I don’t know where to begin lol.
I wish I could take 100% credit for the Legion and how it came about, but the truth is, I borrowed much from my previous life in online marketing. A lot of the guys I follow write daily emails that showcase their personality, beliefs, and values, which, in turn, creates something of a tribe among their readers.
A “world,” even.
Given fiction (especially fantasy) is 90% world-building, I figured, why should the fun stop after the last sentence of my novels?
HINT: IT SHOULDN’T.
The problem is, most newsletters are drier than Gandhi’s flip-flop, and readers have long grown weary of monthly updates that say a whole lot of nothing. So, in a nutshell, that’s how the idea of the Legion came about.
I wanted to offer something fun, fresh, and unapologetically abrasive to keep my readers entertained between releases. And I am proud to say that nearly 15+ months into this illicit operation, readers like it.
My advice:
Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, find your voice, and let it rip.
Your readers will thank you for it. Hope that helps.
Next question…
Every writer has an author they idolize. Who is yours?
Do they? 🤔
Meh, I’m only playing with you, crumble.
As a matter of fact, I do have an author I look up to as both a creative AND a publisher. The irony is, this person isn’t Tolkien, Martin, Sanderson, or any other fantasy author.
He is also revered and despised, depending on who you ask.
But he is also a prolific publisher of thrillers, sometimes putting out eight novels a year and is closing in on a $1 billion (yes, with a ‘B’) net worth.
Any guesses for who I’m talking about?
I’ll wait a moment.
No idea?
Fine. Enough teasing.
The author is none other than…
James Patterson
And I admire him because:
- He cannot stand slow, bloated narratives. His books are designed to be bingeable, quick to read, and he avoids complex prose like it’s the plague. That’s exactly the stance I’ve taken in fantasy with The Divided Region.
- He’s a storyteller first, writer second. Literary purists despise him for his collaboration with co-authors, stating it “sells out” the art form (which is such a ridiculous take, considering he writes COMMERCIAL fiction), but guess who doesn’t care about James’ publishing model? That’s right, his readers. They are the only people he cares about serving (snap).
- He is not afraid to go against the grain (again, snap). Take one look at his novels, the way they are written, and the number of chapters that make up his books (typically 100+). His work violates more writing “rules” than it adheres to, and that’s what makes a Patterson book a Patterson book.
That said, just because he is something of a hero of mine doesn’t mean I read all of his work (I don’t). Thrillers aren’t my bag, but fantasy/sci-fi books that read like thrillers?
Now we’re talking.
Sadly, they are rarer than honesty in politics – and I’m working to fix that.
Right, time’s short. Let’s get through the last few:
How the hell are you able to write emails every day? I’ve pasted some of them in Wordcounter, and many are 400-500 words long – that’s more than I write in a day for my WIP!
For readers who aren’t prudent with scribe jargon, WIP = Work In Progress.
To answer this author’s question quickly and succinctly:
I share stories about my life (just look at the last two emails), give opinions on industry news, and occasionally roast a cave troll. Ideas are everywhere. Train your antenna to see them, and you’ll never run out of emails.
Hi DJJ,
A lot of readers are into “romantasy” these days. Has that impacted how you write/plot The Divided Region?
Not one bit.
Romance-heavy, spice-laden fantasy has never been (and never will be) my mug of Elven ale. Nor is it for many of my readers.
I’m a far too traditional reader of the genre in the sense that I like hardy characters doing hardy things in tough environments, supported by a diverse cast of characters that aren’t always tending to the rod in their breeches.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t romantic threads woven in TDR.
There are.
But they are just that… threads.
Right, my fingers are really burning now. Last one:
Have you found writing micro stories helped your overall novel writing?
Absolutely.
It forces one to be pithy and choosy about the words they use, which, coincidentally, James Patterson advocates in writing.
But here’s the thing:
Micro-stories haven’t just made my writing tighter.
THEY ARE ALSO A LOT OF FUN TO READ.
That’s why I recently published my first-ever volume of bite-sized tales spanning fantasy, sci-fi, and horror for you to enjoy over the coming days and weeks ahead.
To learn more about Tiny Epics: Vol. 1, go here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/Tiny-Epics-Vol-1
That sums up this rather long and special writer’s edition of #AskWatson. Don’t forget to reply to my emails if you’d like your question to feature in next Sunday’s segment.
Until then, my hands are in dire need of ice.
DJJW