I can’t speak for any other authors but my mind is a very busy place. Ideas are zooming around everywhere and there doesn’t appear to be any traffic lights because ideas collide all the time!
Where do I begin on this topic?
Firstly, how do you get inside the mind of an author? Well, I think questions are the best way to get inside the mind of an author. Why? Because your questions will make an author THINK. This is by far the best way to get inside the mind of anyone.
Make us think about those questions. Vacen Taylor
Each person’s biological, psychological and physical growth will be different. Which in turn means we authors will perhaps answer the same question very differently. Our ideas, belief systems and perceptions may also be vastly different too. That’s what makes the world of books so richly diverse. As creators we look to achieve “our own take” on a story that has perhaps been done before or challenge ourselves to develop a unique piece of writing.
Given these diverse backgrounds, it’s understandable that people have always had a curious interest towards authors. An author who is talented and lucky enough to write a bestseller may find themselves in a position where people will suddenly want to know more about what makes them who they are today. Where do they get their inspiration? What helps them to group those words together so richly? How do they do it? Getting inside the mind of an author then becomes a priority.
Having had the opportunity to study counselling and learn things about communication and questioning skills over the past few years I’ve found I look at everything with a different point of view. I know what it’s like to be an author of fiction but also a student in the art of support and counsel. So delving into the mind of anyone can be a complex and uncomfortable exercise for a lot of authors and people alike.
Photo and written by Vacen Taylor
So, if we’re stepping inside the mind of an author what do you think we might find? If we were simply talking about what influenced them to become a writer, or perhaps, how they explore their ideas and alternatives or how they develop a character, then I have no doubt an author will have a logical answer for you. Okay, so this type of questioning would indeed delve into the mind of an author. An author would answer your questions the best way he or she could using their thought process. Then you may make basic assumptions thereafter about why they answered in a particular way.
Photo and written by Vacen Taylor
On the other hand, more challenging questions are often asked. These questions explore the deeper areas of an author’s mind. Questions like, what mental challenges have you faced when writing a novel? Can you tell us a little bit about how you felt after your book was finished? Or perhaps, what will be different in your life now your book is finished? Or, what motivates you to keep writing? These questions dig a little deeper inside the mind an author.
Feelings, motivations and challenges often reveal more about an author or anyone for that matter. It’s important to understand what makes us feel the way we do. What really does motivate us to write particular pieces of writing? Even the things that challenge us reveal something more about who we are, and that goes for all of us, not just authors.
So when you are aiming to get inside the mind of an author you now know the best way is with carefully thought-out questions.
Of course, I could have explored this subject quite differently and you might think that you haven’t been inside my mind at all. But in actual fact you have visited my mind and my thoughts both as the author and the student counsellor. Which is in fact the same mind.
So until next time. Be brave and bold in your chosen field of creativity. And never be afraid to explore new techniques.
Connect With Me