life serial
About | Email | Twitter | Goodreads | Last.fm Flickr | Ask | Archive | RSS

Matthew Allard is an author, freelance writer, and Internet geek. Some of his stories were inspired by illustrations from Ian Dingman and made into a book called To Slow Down The Time.

This is his blog.

Mailbag

enigmaindisguise asked: I am a writer myself, only not in the same caliber as you. What I’m asking is this, when you write, your ideas, do they just bounce around in your head relentlessly until you get them down on paper (or on a keyboard)? Or do you plot things out first. I must say, I’m a bouncing idea person myself, but I was wondering if any real writers were the same way.

Hi there! I don’t do a lot of outlining before writing. I just write and work things out in my head as I go along. Maybe it’s not the most productive method. Everyone is different and has their quirks that help them to work best. I try to make my writing as honest as possible, and that means it comes out as it comes to me and as the story dictates. I may know what is coming, but it’s not written in the stone. The story tells me.

Thanks for writing! Best of luck with your work, and please try to stop discounting your own talent.

Anonymous asked: How did you escape Michigan?!

On an airplane while everyone else was sleeping and the guards had their backs turned.

Anonymous asked: Where do you think a writer should live? LA or NYC?

The beauty of writing, at least the beauty of writing prose, is that it can be done anywhere. Writers should live wherever they feel inspired. And a little bit in his or her own head as well.

[I try my best to get around to all questions at some point—in private or public—so please feel free to send a message. Bonus points if you can do it without being anonymous. It’s nice to know who you are.]

  1. lifeserial posted this