Interview with David B. Coe

What advice would you give to aspiring fantasy writers?

DC: I'm asked this question more than any other, and I still don't know if I have one piece of advice that would fit all cases. For young writers -- students who wish to be a writer someday, I'd say keep on writing and reading as much as you can. Carve out some time from your schedule so that you can write a bit each day, preferably at the same time every day, so that it becomes as much part of your routine as brushing your teeth (but please, for the sake of us all, don't do it INSTEAD of brushing your teeth....). And read, in genre and out, so that you begin to recognize what things work for you as a reader and what things don't. That knowledge will be invaluable as you write. I'd also encourage younger writers to write as much short fiction as possible. As tight as the short fiction market is right now, it's easier to break into than the novel market. You don't need an agent. All you need is a good story and a suitable place to send it (a journal, an anthology). Even if you have a novel burning a hole in you, impatient to come out, you can start with some short stories -- background pieces on certain characters or, if you're world-building, on certain historical events. Those shorter pieces will help you get a better handle on your subject matter for the novel, and they just might help you get published.
For older writers who have work they're trying to sell, I'd recommend that they attend some of the bigger conventions in our field -- the World Science Fiction Convention or the World Fantasy Convention. These can be a bit pricey, but they offer the opportunity to meet and chat with editors, agents, and publishers, as well as other writers, both aspiring and established. There are no better venues for doing business.

Tor is now recognized as the very best fantasy publisher and has been for years. Are you proud of being under contract with such a renowned publisher?

DC: Tor has been a great place for me and yes, I am proud to have the Tor logo on my books. They publish great writers, they put out a ton of books and they're recognized for the quality of their authors and the fine packaging of their books. That said, there are lots of other fine houses publishing fantasy and science fiction right now, and an author could do very well with any of them. There are also several small presses that do a great job putting out a limited number of titles every year. I feel fortunate to be with Tor, but I certainly don't think that Tor stands alone in the field. George R.R. Martin, David Weber, Elizabeth Moon, Lois McMaster Bujold, Lynn Flewelling and lots of others seem to be doing just fine for themselves writing for publishers other than Tor.

After writing an award-winning trilogy, is there added pressure when it comes down to writing a new series?

DC: I don't really think of it that way. I'm pleased that the LonTobyn books were recognized with the Crawford, but just as I wouldn't allow the quality of my work to slip because of the award, neither would I feel any added pressure to write better stuff. I push myself pretty hard -- I'm a tough critic of my own work. I won't publish anything that I think is slipshod, nor will I allow myself to grow lazy or complacent with anything I write. But I also know that I can only do my best and if that's not good enough, there's really nothing I can do about it. Fortunately, that hasn't been a problem for me -- my books have been received pretty well, both critically and commercially. The point is, though, I try my best to put out quality work with every book I write -- the Crawford doesn't add to that or detract from it. It was a nice honor to receive, but in a way, I've moved on.

We would like to thank you for kindly taking the time to answer our questions, Mr. Coe. We wish you continued success in your career, and hopefully we can do this again at some point.

DC: Thanks very much. I enjoyed it, and I'll look forward to chatting with you again.

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Interview by Patrick
fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com