Anne Rice Gives Aspiring Authors Advice at Meet Anne Rice Event

Anne Rice, acclaimed author of The Vampire Chronicles, Christ Our Lord, Angel Time, and many other novels, made an appearance on facebook to answer fan questions in a live discussion. The discussion took place on Barnes & Noble's Official Facebook Page under the headline Meet Anne Rice on November 11, 2009. The discussion started at 1pm eastern time and ended at 5:30pm eastern time. Anne Rice fans asked questions about characters, inspiration, future endeavors, plots and much more. Many aspiring authors took this chance to ask their favorite author for tidbits of advice regarding the writing process, traits of a good writer, rejections and how to combat writer's block.

Ms. Rice was kind enough to allow me to use the words she provided during the discussion for this article. Wisdom, advice, courage and inspiration can be taken from the words, Ms. Rice, graciously gave the aspiring authors attending the facebook discussion.

Anne Rice on Her First Novel Rejection's:

"Did I get many rejections on my first novel? I got about a year's worth and they were scathing. But I just kept going. I was lucky. Some people get a lot more. Don't "believe" in rejections. Believe in yourself when you write."

Anne Rice on Rejections Writer's Often Recieve:

"Writers should never take rejections seriously ever. Editors in New York reject publishable material every day simply because it's not quite what they want. Many books receive lots of rejections. Just keep going. You will find the right person. People break in all the time. Editors are always telling funny stories about the blockbusters they rejected. Not to worry. If you find your work interesting, some one else will. And who knows? Many, many will."

Anne Rice on The Traits a Writer Should Possess:

"The most important trait of a writer is an authentic voice. Writers have to have faith in their own voice, and their own way of doing things. Originality is the gem that every writer possesses. Originality also brings on the most merciless attacks. The world resents originality in the beginning writer, and then rewards it abundantly once that writer has been successfully published. Cherish your own voice. Don't try to sound like anybody else. Sound like yourself and take the slings and arrows and keep going."

Anne Rice on Becoming a Full Time Writer and The Toughness of The Book Industry:

"I was in graduate school when I decided to drop out of the PHD program at Berkeley, and become a full time writer, come hell or high water. The book industry is always tough. It's always going to be huge, and essentially overextended. Don't worry about this. Just keep in mind that people do break in all the time. Our profession is unique in this regard. Every couple of years somebody goes from a kitchen table office to the top of the Best seller list. Keep the faith. Writers need faith. People will always tell you that it is impossible to become published. Laugh at them in your heart, and keep writing. If i had advice on how to get published, I'd share it. I don't. Just keep writing and keep believing in yourself, and seeking a way to be published."

Anne Rice Doles Out Advice to Fantasy Writers:

"For writers writing fantasy, it's imperative that you believe in the fantasy, that you wrote about it with vivid detail as you might write about "reality." That is what counts. You make others believe it is real."

Anne Rice on Overcoming Writer's Block:

"On the subject of writing block, of course chocolate helps! Chocolate helps everything. Truly you have to brainstorm to go through writer's block. Watch a film that excites your imagination tremendously. Pick up a book with delectable prose that just trips along. Do whatever makes you want to sit down and pound away on the keys. And try again and again to write right through that block. Just write until the juices start. Don't put up with Writer's block. With me, movies are very powerful. Highly plotted, visually beautiful films help. Amadeus helps. Immortal Beloved helps. Gladiator helps. But eventually you have to just write, and write and write."

Anne Rice's newest novel, Angel Time, was just released in October. It is the first in a series of books called Songs of the Seraphim. You can find it here at Barnes & Noble online book store.

A very warm Thank You goes out to Anne Rice for her candid, open and fresh answers during the discussion. You can view the discussion by going to Barnes & Noble's Official Facebook page here at Meet Anne Rice.
Keep on writing!