Here you can find an interview I gave after publishing The Seekers: Soul Ties
Author Interview:
1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?
I think I always had a good imagination and desire to create. Not only did I constantly have some story playing in my mind, but I also loved reading. I think I’ve gotten into sci-fi even before starting school. Harry Harrison became my favorite author for years. Maybe his books got me interested in computers. I’ve always wanted to learn how they worked and how to make them do my bidding. This wish led me to learn programming. So when my PC first executed what I wrote, it really did seem it was alive! And this is precisely what I feel about the characters in my book.
So, I like writing because it allows me to replicate the feeling of creating something alive. To see what my creation will be like and what it will do in the future. But for many years, my imagination proved to be the only thing I needed. The stories and the characters existed there just fine. Putting all of that on paper is a lot of work, and I mostly avoided it for many years. An educational video of David Stewart, a fellow writer, has finally pushed me into writing only a few years ago.
2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?
Writing at home at my computer is most comfortable. When I was studying at the university, I had to write on my phone. Yet, what else was I supposed to do during breaks? And my favorite time to write is whenever I’m inspired, meaning after reading someone else’s book or watching a movie.
3: Where do your ideas come from?
From everywhere! Books, movies, cartoons, video games, even everyday life — everything’s an inspiration. Yet, I guess real life is the least inspirational of them all.
The world of my current series, The Seekers, was the first one I’ve ever created. I was middle-school age, and I loved Warcraft III. You can find some aspects of that game, including nature and species, in my Soul Ties. But I also like Harry Potter, so you’ll find some elements of it in my upcoming books of The Seekers series.
My love for Star Wars means that I have a lot of stories connected to that universe as well. One day I shall start a new series where you’ll be able to find some similarities with the established universe.
Only the third and final book series I have in mind has no connection to any other franchise. Instead, it is inspired by all the thoughts I had about life. Sure, some thoughts came to me while I was reading or watching something. But I’ve consumed so much that it all blended together into one incredibly complex world. I just hope one day I shall have the skill to put it on paper.
4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
I usually have an ending first. Sure, while I write the book, it usually matures and transforms. So, the final version of the ending may be different, but not a whole lot.
After that, I develop a general feel of the story. Its purpose, if you will.
When I have those two, the start of the story usually comes to me.
So, now that I have this framework, I start writing an outline. It is not very detailed, but it allows me to think about where the story is headed. But it’s just a guide, not a prescription. So, when I start writing the book, I rarely look at the outline. And I never stop when the tale goes off-rails, I just push it a little bit into the right direction. I think it makes the story more alive, especially because it always evolves while I write it and no longer fits the outline.
5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?
The Seekers: Soul Ties is a high-fantasy adventure. Maybe I like it because a lot of stories I consumed were in this genre. Warcraft, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars… Even the sci-fi I enjoyed was always of the adventure kind.
Right now, I’m writing the second book of the series, and it’s also a high-fantasy adventure. But the third one may be sci-fi. I haven’t decided.
6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?
The cast with superb acting skills and suitable voices. My first book has no humans in it, so it makes absolutely no sense to make a live-action movie out of it. But an animated one — that’s my dream, for sure! I think animation offers a lot of flexibility if you can tame it. And it allows me to continue the series for many years without fear of actors getting old.
7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?
My favorites are Tolkien, Harry Harrison, J.K.Rowling, Dostoevsky, and Puskin. And no, I don’t read as much as I used to or want to. Recently I’m trying to find more time for reading. But being a writer means having a constant need of beta-readers. And the easiest way to get them is to beta-read in turn. So lately, I’ve been reading a number of drafts of fellow writers.
8: What book/s are you reading at present?
Nothing translated into English. But recently, I finished reading a very good draft for a new book by Willi Nuessle.
9: What is your favourite book and why?
I don’t think I have one. But if I have to choose, then today I fancy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It feels grand. A culmination of a long, excellent story. So many questions are being answered. So many plot lines resolved. And all of that done masterfully.
10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?
Start slow. Learn how to write properly (three-point structure, character arcs, etc.) and only then start experimenting. But don’t let your first book to be dry. There’s a difference between the book written by the rules and a dry book. With my first book, I made the mistake of experimenting too much. Since I had no idea what I was doing, the result was horrible. I had to rewrite a lot.
When you have some experience, try writing well from the first try. Maybe it’s just me, but the first versions of my draft are always a mess. It’s fine because I’m having fun while writing instead of getting annoyed by rewriting a sentence for the third time. But if I’ll ever manage to write well from the first try, it would mean that the book will be out much faster. It means I’d be free to write another one much faster!
About the Author:
Anton Anderson is a programmer by trade, but a fantasy writer by soul.
He enjoys creating. And creating fictional worlds offers more freedom than programming.
Anton worked in the field of autonomous vehicles, and now he moved to cybersecurity.
From early childhood, Anton loves fantasy, science-fiction, detective, thriller and mystery.
His first published book “The Seekers: Soul Ties” was long in the making, but rich with experimentation and discovery.
Anton holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Informatics in Economy.
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