Interview – Fantasy Writer Daniel Abraham
Author Speaks on Getting Published, Rough Drafts, the Writer’s Life
Apr 10, 2009
Fantasy writer Daniel Abraham shared his writing schedule, getting his first novel accepted for publication, how the writing process differs for each book, and insights for aspiring writers in an interview with Suite101’s Jennifer Jensen.
About Daniel Abraham
Award-winning author Daniel Abraham has written six fantasy novels (and co-authored a seventh), numerous short stories, and a graphic novel. His Long Price Quartet series continues with The Price of Spring, which will be released in July. A short story collection will also be released this year.
What’s the Story of Your First Novel?
I had published about a dozen short stories one place and another when Tor bought A Shadow in Summer (and the rights to the next three books in the series). My first semi-pro sale had been in 1994, and I had rejection slips dating back to the 80s.
How Did You Get the Book Accepted for Publication?
I wish I knew. I spent a lot of time on that book. I threw the first draft out and rewrote the whole thing from scratch at one point. I got a lot of very good feedback and tried to figure out how to apply it. And then, when we sent it out, an editor said yes.
How Many Drafts Does a Finished Book Usually Require?
Mileage varies. I'd say the middle of the bell curve is probably about three drafts. One rough first draft, one structural pass where I move scenes and subplots around, and a polish at the end so the language is better.
But that said, I can think of three times off-hand when I've written a whole draft, thrown it out, and started again from scratch. And at least twice when the rough draft was structurally sound enough I could pretty much turn it in to the editor as-is.
The longer I go, the better I've gotten. My more recent books have needed less messing with, but that's not a hard-and-fast thing. Just because I've done a couple books that didn't need big rewrites isn't a predictor that the next book won't need to be burned and built again from the ground up.
Your Favorite Part of the Writing Process?
My favorite part is the day when things are going well. I have a character or a scene that is so clear in my head and so ripe to be written, I can just sit down at the keyboard and watch the sentences take shape. It leaves me feeling competent and clever, and so it's all very gratifying.
The hardest part is the constant emotional whiplash of thinking that the thing I'm working on is the Best Thing Ever or else Utter Crap. Or, more generally, that I am the Best Writer Ever or else Utter Crap. I know quite a few writers, and all of them suffer this. We are all egoists and we are all insecure. I thought for a while that could be overcome, but I don't believe that any more. I think now the best we can do is have a sense of humor about it.
What is Your Daily Writing Schedule Like?
I drop the kid off at daycare at 8:30. I pick her up at 3. In between, I avoid writing. When I absolutely can't avoid writing, I do some. Five days a week with time off for the kid's holidays. If I'm really under deadline pressure, I'll arrange childcare in the evening or weekend and hole up to work, but that's pretty exceptional.
What Do You Wish You’d Known when You Started Writing?
- Plots have structures that are separate from the literal action.
- "Show, don't tell" is a beginner's rule; knowing when to dramatize something and when to summarize is the job description.
- Writing a brilliant short story or novel won't make you a better, prettier, smarter, or more morally pure person.
- Being clever is a vice.
Read more from Daniel Abraham about:
- Finding a literary agent.
- Creating fantasy worlds and the challenges of writing fantasy vs. realistic fiction.
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