An Author Speaks: Lynn Nodima on Writing

Perhaps it is my love of the written word, the way words can paint a scene into another person's mind, or how I can read something and be transported across time, space and into a new life when my own becomes bogged down and heavy, that has lead me to find some of the best unknown writers on the Internet. One of my most favorite writer's is not new to writing, but has put her writing career on hold. One might say that life got in her way. Lynn Nodima is a science fiction and fantasy writer that was mentioned as one of the Writer's of the Future in a 1987 contest for her work Trinity's Sorrow.

Recently, I was writing a how to article about writing ideas for a mystery topic. Well, any freelance writer worth his salt knows no matter how much experience you have in a field you must consult an expert. So, without hesitation I picked up the phone and called Lynn. Granted her genre isn't exactly mysteries, but she was a great source. I asked her my questions which pertained specifically to the article I was writing, and then asked if she would mind answering a few more questions for an article for Associated Content. Lynn graciously agreed.

Lynn Nodima Interview

S.E.: How long have you been writing?

L.N.: I have been writing for at least 40 years, as far back as I can remember. I started writing when I was 8 years old. Of course, those stories weren't exactly classics.

S.E.: Who are your favorite authors?

L.N.: Elizabeth Moon,Dianne Duane, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Anne McCaffrey.

S.E.: What genre of fiction do you enjoy writing the most?

L.N.: Science fiction and fantasy.

S.E.: Where do you get your plot ideas?

L.N.: Sometimes it's from news stories; for example, kidnapped children. One of my first novels was written because of kidnapped children. A Relative Truth [was written] because there were so many telemarketers calling. It was just a way to express my irritation. Sometimes ideas show up from the ether; they just show up. National Enquirer is a good place as well. A writer can take things that are a little unusual and twist them so they fit somewhere else.

S.E.: Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

L.N.: Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Reading is the only real true way to get a feel for the cadence and flow of words and how they fit together. Not to say that you should copy, if you don't read enough you won't have a basis for new ideas. All of your ideas will be old ideas. You need to know what has been done before so you can build on it.

S.E.: I had an instructor that once stated, "Be careful what you read, because that's what you will write." Do you think that is a true statement?

L.N.: Oh yes, I heard a writer, his name escapes me, on a panel at a Science fiction convention say that new writers write clichés; [such as ] fairy stories, vampire stories, Atlantis stories, werewolf stories. Writing clichéd stories will get them out of the way. Some of my cliché type stories turned out to be some of my better stories, because I had read so much in those areas.

S.E.: What do you think about self-publishing and online publishing?

L.N.: An author is someone who writes whether they are published or not. There is a definite advantage to being published by one of the major houses. But, most writers want someone to read what they have written and tell them that it is okay; that it is good.

You can get that from people you don't know, from people across the world, and that's something you couldn't get even 5 years ago. I would love to be published by an established publishing house, but it is satisfying to publish something online, to know that something you wrote has merit, even if it didn't meet an editor's specific needs or an editor couldn't see what you had would sell.

An editor that spoke on a panel I went to was aksed, "Have you ever made an editorial decision you regretted?" He mentioned that he had turned down Garfield, because he already had cat, Heathcliff. Editors make wrong decisions, too. When they buy books they are guessing that they are going to sell. They are taking a financial risk with every choice they make.

S.E.: Has the technological age of self-publishing influenced your opinions about self-publishing?

L.N.: The idea of creating a following online and having a platform where people can learn about an author and become fans of a book before it is published is amazing. For example, consider Eragon. [Eragon was first published outside one of the major publishing houses.] Today's writing environment is a good thing.

S.E.: Are websites like Associated Content, Redgage, E-how, or hub pages good tools for new writers?

L.N.: I think they are. They sharpen a writer's tools. Writers who use these publishing tools can make some money while they are learning their trade, but eventually a writer may be too busy to use them; however, they are a great spring board.

Lynn Nodima's works of fiction can be read on Hub Pages.