Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

When I’m in the early world-building stage I like to listen to music; the distraction makes my mind wander, which is precisely what I need to get new ideas. Once it’s time to fill in the details, however, I need silence, otherwise, I won’t be able to focus on one subject long enough to get anything done.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

One book at a time, but I always have multiple projects of different types going at once so that I can channel whatever type of creativity my brain has selected for the day (sadly, I do not have access to that control panel).

When I’m feeling high levels of focus, I work on my current novel, taking satisfaction in crafting the precise details.

When I’m feeling medium levels of focus, I’ll work on my long-term D&D campaign, enjoying the light brainstorming required to map out a few options for where it could go next.

When my attention is bouncing all over the place and the only scenarios coming to mind are delightfully chaotic clusterf#%@s, I’ll work on a module for a single session TTRPG or murder mystery party, and try to anticipate the various ways that the characters could achieve victory or perish horribly.

Another great aspect of having multiple project types is that while the creative process for each may vary, the results can overlap; what starts as one can easily become material for another.

Some of the characters in I Guess We’re Heroes were originally created for a single session TTRPG about a monster getting loose on a freighter in deep space.

Most of the setting didn’t get used beyond the game itself, but the gleefully murderous robot H8-U-4LL and the comically naïve adventurer Jack Danger stuck in my head long enough to get fleshed out into full characters for a novel.

Pen or typewriter or computer?

Always the computer! I constantly re-write various sections to see which version I like best, and having to do that without a word processor would not only be exceedingly tedious but would also make me feel guilty about wasting so much paper.

Typewriters have the advantage of making that fun clickety-clack sound while you work, but you can get most of that effect on a computer if you use a mechanical keyboard.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Absolutely. If I’m trying to force ideas out when I don’t have inspiration, it won’t produce anything of quality. This is one of the reasons I like to have multiple projects of different styles going at the same time; if I’m not in the right headspace to work on one type, I’m usually feeling up to working on another type.

It’s also important to know when to take breaks; sometimes your brain will just not have anything to give, and you need to go do something else for a while.

Many of my best ideas have come when I wasn’t working on a writing project, which is why it’s important to always carry something with you to take notes; whether it’s a pocket-sized paper notebook or an app on your phone, being able to record an idea when inspiration strikes is critical.

About Graham Fluster

Graham Fluster’s love of writing began with creating stories for tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons, GURPS, and D20 Future, and has since evolved into the (slightly) less chaotic formats of science fiction and fantasy novels.

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About the Book

I Guess We’re Heroes by Graham Fluster
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller

Synopsis

A team of scientists discover intelligent alien life, and start a dangerous race to capitalize on the opportunity. As the decades pass, however, first contact fades from living memory, and is mysteriously absent from any official historical records.

For the next five centuries humanity ventures out to the stars, their various political factions leaving no shortage of problems for an enterprising crew to make a living off of.

The mercenaries of Specialized Support Contractors were only looking for small jobs befitting their fledgling company, but soon find themselves forced into the limelight when their employer’s ambitions place an ancient alien weapon in their possession.

Digging deeper into the origins of their cargo brings even more heat from vested interests who want the truth of humanity’s first contact with alien life to be kept secret. With entire planets caught in the crosshairs of a looming interstellar war, any choice the mercenaries make could have catastrophic consequences.

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