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By Hobbit (2005-12-11)
Hobbit: Well - yes, they do. How else would I gain something to rest my coffee mug on if it wasn’t for my computer manual? [grins]
Moving on… As an editor and/or a writer, any advice for first writer?
DJM: Well, I’ve said this before but it’s always going to be true so . . .
Keep writing. It’s no good to be potentially brilliant.
Oh, and commit to your ideas – follow them through to the end rather than breaking off to chase the next big idea; there are many such writers out there, who may be great, great writers but sadly, will never see publication because they never finish a project. Someone once suggested to me that it was fear of failure that caused this behaviour but I’m not sure it’s so deep-rooted, just a basic lack of commitment to the work. (And to be clear – this is not necessarily true of other areas of their lives – I am not making personal criticism here).
Hobbit: I heard something interesting recently in that editors often feel that it is not the first book, but often the second or third book that is the test for an author. The first book (or series) is one which has been germinating for what is often years; it’s when that is published that the writer suddenly gets writer’s block, nerves or a dearth of ideas.
I’m not saying that about you, but I thought it was interesting. Is it something you’ve heard, or even agree with?
DJM: Yes, I have heard this – I think it may even be true for a few writers. When you start out, naturally getting published is your ambition, your life’s dream even (it was mine!) You are so focussed on that end that you never really consider what happens thereafter…
It’s not just a case of waking up one morning with no new ideas (although that would be horrible). It is everything else which goes with writing – the business of writing, if you like - no one sits a new author down and explains the finer points of marketing or gives them a manual on how to present themselves.
As for selling your rights, that’s a whole minefield of it’s own – although of course, a good agent will be able to steer you through. Of course, there are tons and tons of "How to Write" books – but not much else which explains what happens next, probably because of its infinite variations…
(There is one exception but I’m not sure it’s still in print – An Author’s Guide to Publishing by Michael Legat. I have an old, tattered copy still somewhere – although I’ve chucked out most other "how to write" books I bought.)
Hobbit: Please tell me more about Swarmthief’s Dance. As I’ve said earlier, Swarmthief is a new departure for you.
DJM: Swarmthief has actually been ‘bubbling under’ in my consciousness for about eight years. I wrote a short story called Snoot and that now forms part of the Prologue for SD. When I wrote the story I intended it to be complete in itself, but afterwards there was always a nagging doubt in my mind – what exactly would happen to Snoot when he grew up? What would he be like? So when I decided to expand the idea it felt almost like a little gift to myself to be allowed to go back and pick up his story.
Hobbit: Snoot’s story is quite an intriguing one. Reading it as a prologue in the book made the beginning really quite different and a memorable start.
DJM: Initially, I had some difficulties establishing Vivreki’s character because, in the early part of the story, he’s arrogant and not easily likable. I’ve always liked him of course, but then, I like all of my own characters. He was designed to have a ‘glamour’ about him that attracts people to him even when they do dislike him. It was a difficult conundrum, and it wasn’t until I read a biography of Harry Houdini that I could really come to grips with the idea. Houdini was a fascinating man; an egotistical self-publicist with a highly intelligent, questioning mind.
I realised that I’d never read a Fantasy before where a character can do conjuring/illusions (I’m not saying there isn’t such a book out there, merely that I haven’t read it!). The only thing I could bring to mind was that brilliant film, Willow – with Warwick Davies and his ‘pig in a blanket’ illusion…
The ideas of illusion and misdirection and also the stage-presence of magicians began to fascinate me. (I’ve even learned to do the cup and ball trick in a rather amateurish way!) Eventually, I decided that Vivreki would be able to do a few magic tricks – initially to enhance his attraction to the ladies – and this drew me into the idea of examining magic, sense of wonder, ‘real magic’ (in the story) and belief…
I’m not saying I’ve reached any conclusions [laughs] but just that the sometimes-simple things which cause a chain reaction of belief, and the power that they give to certain people, made/makes for an interesting theme. 
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