What inspires you to write?
Enjoyment. I get pleasure from words and combinations of words. And if they find a shape and turn into story, so much the better for both of us (me and the words).
Why did you choose to write in your particular genre?
I chose fantasy because it frees me from realism. I can make my own rules. I admire writers who can use it well, like Tolkien and Herbert and Heinlein.
What is the most important thing that people don’t know about your subject/genre but that you would like for them to know?
That if offers interesting angles on reality, and offbeat ways of approaching it.
Do you work with an outline or plot sketch, or do you prefer to let a general idea guide your writing?
The latter. I’m a lazy writer. I prefer to let the material follow its own path.
What role does research play in your writing?
I don’t do research per se but if something interests me I’ll read everything about it I can get my hands on. It’s an indulgence, not a work ethic.
Can you share a little bit about your latest book?
Spiderweb Alley. It’s about storytelling and the power of stories to shape people’s perceptions and how they manage their lives.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
What I always enjoy—watching how a word or an image can develop, change, follow its own nature to turn into something bigger than itself.
Tell us something unique about you.
There is nothing unique about me. I’m about as run-of-the-mill as one can get.
Want to learn more about Verlyn Flieger?
Waking Writer 
Leave a Comment