Christopher Paolini Interview

We have been so fortunate to get an interview with Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle.

The Inheritance Cycle is now complete, how was the feeling when you completed the last book? Was it difficult to actually write the ending?

I didn’t think it would be difficult; I knew exactly what I needed to write, and I’d had it in my mind for over ten years. In fact, there’s a glimpse of the final scene of the series in the first book, Eragon, which I started all the way back in 1998. However, when I reached the last few pages, a rush of heat passed through me; it felt as if I had a fever. And each word became more difficult than the last. By the time I was on the last few paragraphs, I was actually shaking. Badly. After over a decade spent working on the series, typing the final words was terrifying and exhilarating. Worst of all, I didn’t get it right the first time. The last line was wrong. I knew it was wrong, but right then I was so worked up, I couldn’t fix it.

So, I put the last chapter aside and went and edited the rest of the book. And when I came back to the ending, I realized at once what was wrong. I had made a terrible, terrible mistake with the last line . . . I’d forgotten to put in the word ‘dark’. As soon as I did that, the line worked, and I was able to walk away from it.

Do you have plans to revisit the world you have created in future projects?

Eventually, yes. As I said, I spent over a decade working on the Inheritance Cycle, and I need a break! Still, I spent so much time creating the land of Alagaësia, I’ll never be able to leave it forever. Besides, I left a number of questions unanswered at the end of the series, and I suspect readers won’t forgive me if I don’t address them at some point.

What is it with the fantasy genre that you find so fascinating?

A number of things.

1: The mythic elements. All of humanity’s oldest stories are fantasy. The genre deals with issues that our species has been wrestling with from the beginning of time. What is right? What is wrong? What makes life worth living? How can you be honorable in a dishonorable world? And so forth. Dragons and magic and other fantastical things may seem absurd on the surface, but in reality, they are the manifestation of deep thoughts and feelings within our psyches. They are symbols, and powerful ones at that.

2. The language. Much of fantasy writing tends to play with our language in interesting ways, whether in inventing new words and tongues or in repurposing archaisms that few if anyone outside of academia are familiar with. Inventive use of English tickles my brain and gives me pleasure in a way similar to great music.

When you first started out with Eragon you had some great support from your family. Can you tell us a bit about that?

I was (and am) very fortunate to have parents and a sister who supported my efforts at writing. Not only did they give me the time and resources to write, but when I handed over the manuscript to Eragon, we decided as a family to self-publish the book, take it on the road, and find out if anyone else wanted to read it. We had been looking for something we could do together, as a family, and Eragon presented us with the perfect opportunity.

What was the feeling when you finally were picked up by a major publisher?

Cautious excitement. It was hard giving Eragon to anyone else; we didn’t know how they would treat the book, whether the book would do well in the stores, and so on. As long as we retained control over Eragon, we could continue to sell it ourselves. And it was selling well. However, interest in the book had grown to the point where we couldn’t keep up with demand ourselves. We needed the help of someone, and since the people at Random House/Knopf obviously loved the book, we took a chance and let them have Eragon. Fortunately for everyone involved, it’s worked out wonderfully.

You’ve said that you want to try your hand at science fiction at some point. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

I’d love to, but then I’d have to lock you in my basement until I finish writing this particular book. Sci-fi has always been one of my favorite genres, and after finishing the Inheritance Cycle, it seemed like a natural area for experimentation.

What got you started writing in the first place?

Boredom. I wasn’t in school, I couldn’t drive, I didn’t have a job, and no one lived especially close to us. So, I decided to try to write the sort of story that I enjoyed reading myself.

What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

Read: Good writers read. The more you read, the broader your base of knowledge. Read the things you enjoy to read, but also read things outside your comfort zone.

Write: Writers write. That’s what we do. Write every single day, even if you’re not feeling inspired. It’s like playing a musical instrument; you have to practice as often as possible if you want to be any good.

Learn: Learn everything you can about the language you’re writing in. It’s your biggest tool, and the better you understand it, the better you can get what’s in your head onto the page and into someone else’s head. I know diagramming sentences isn’t fun, but understanding the mechanics of your language makes everything else easier.

Edit: Find someone in your life who enjoys reading the sort of stuff you’re writing and who has a good foundation in English (or whatever language you’re writing in), and have them edit your work. As painful as it is, I guarantee you’ll learn more from editing than you ever will from writing alone. Unexamined art is lazy art.

Write about what you love the most. Writing a book is often hard, and if you truly care about the subject material, that passion will help you get through the hundreds of pages that lie between you and the end. It doesn’t matter what you want to write about; there are so many people in the world, you will always find readers who love the same things you do . . . even if all you want to do is write about singing toasters that also fly.

What do you do when you’re not writing, any hobbies?

I draw (I did all of the interior illustrations for the Inheritance Cycle), exercise, play games, and spend time with my family. Plus, I’ll occasionally work on making something out of chain mail or scale mail.

Anything you want to add to your fans?

A big thank you to everyone who has read the series! Without your support, none of this would have been possible. I hope that you’ll enjoy my future stories as much or even more than the Inheritance Cycle!

And as Eragon himself would say, “May your swords stay sharp!”

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The official Christopher Paolini’s Inheritace Cycle website – http://www.alagaesia.com/

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