Tim Powers: Ask Me Anything

This was posted by John Goodwin on Facebook: "We are hosting our first AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Writers of the Future Judge, multiple World Fantasy Award Winner, Tim Powers. The Writers of the Future forum has just been upgraded after winning the Critters Best Writer Forum Award. Save the date and share the news!!! And be sure to check out the Forum! It's free and open to anyone who joins the Forum.

https://www.writersofthefuture.com/forum/online-workshop/

NOTE: So that everyone can have a good time, we will enforce our Anti-Harassment Policy to everyone participating."

Saturday, April 24th, 2021. 1-3 pm PST. Mark your calendars!

Very excited for this.

I was part of the Q and A with Dave Farland a couple of weeks back- what great opportunities!

What an awesome idea. Definitely will be here at the prescribed time.

Very excited for this! Wouldn't miss it

Start making your list of questions for Tim Powers! And please help us promote the event by sharing to your social media. You can copy and paste the file. It really helps. Thank you!

So how does the AMA work? Are we asking questions here on the forum?

@craydimensional. If it works like others, John Goodwin will post where in here Tim Powers will be present, and then you post questions in that thread and he’ll respond to them. I assume John will post location (likely here) and instructions as we get closer. Tim is really fun, one of my favorite writers. Don’t miss it, and come with thoughtful questions. Cheers!

A reminder to all in the Forum. It's rare to get one-on-one time with a literary giant like Tim Powers, and that's what he is. A GIANT.

This Saturday we have a special event happening in the WotF Forum. It's an Ask Me Anything AMA event with bestselling writer extraordinaire, TIM POWERS. If you don't know that name, go get a copy of ANUBIS GATES. Or ON STRANGER TIDES, my personal favorite. Tim is one of the most literary writers in speculative fiction. He's also funny and is an intellectually stimulating person to hang out with. The event will be held here Saturday, April 24th, from 1 pm to 3 pm PST, on this Forum, in this very Writers of the Future Online Workshop Topic. 

Don't miss out! Tim Powers is a judge of this Contest and in my opinion, one of the most creative writers alive today! 

Bring good questions about the Contest, about writing, and about stories Tim has written that you've enjoyed! It's an AMA!

See you there!

Wulf Moon
Forum Moderator

Tim: Will you comment on your story "On Stranger Tides" - Did you enjoy the movie and how it portrayed your story? Thank You, Jan

Tim, "Stress of Her Regard" is one of my top three novels of all time. (Just reread it to figure out structure.) Is it considered taboo to bring books for signing to the WotF conference? Planning on winning someday....

Our show is about to begin in thirteen minutes! I can see John Goodwin is already here. Looking forward to this! Tm Powers is my writer hero!

Posted by: @jannerenberg

Tim: Will you comment on your story "On Stranger Tides" - Did you enjoy the movie and how it portrayed your story? Thank You, Jan

 

Well actually the movie had pretty much nothing to do with my book, but that's okay. It really couldn't have had, since the movie was the fourth in an ongoing independent series! But I've liked all the "Pirates" movies, so I had no objection.

Posted by: @empressed

Tim, "Stress of Her Regard" is one of my top three novels of all time. (Just reread it to figure out structure.) Is it considered taboo to bring books for signing to the WotF conference? Planning on winning someday....

By all means bring books to be signed! And thanks for the nice remarks about Stress of Her Regard"! Hope to see you at the WotF conference before too long!

Posted by: @timpowers

Posted by: @empressed

Tim, "Stress of Her Regard" is one of my top three novels of all time. (Just reread it to figure out structure.) Is it considered taboo to bring books for signing to the WotF conference? Planning on winning someday....

By all means bring books to be signed! And thanks for the nice remarks about Stress of Her Regard"! Hope to see you at the WotF conference before too long!

If Tim has time, he'll likely draw you a cool illustration in it, Victoria. It's really fun to watch him do this. 

Tim,

When submitting to an agent, what advice would you give for the biography when the author doesn't have writing-specific credentials? I'm changing careers and have struggled with what to say about myself and what is not relevant. 

-David

Hi Tim, in a three novel series, if you wrote book 1 in 1st person and found the continued story required other POVs would write books 2 and 3 in multiple 1st person perspectives or in multiple 3rd person POVs?

@timpowers I understand that in fiction passive voice is frowned upon. However, I find I start of using it a lot when I start descriptive settings. What is your view on using passive voice for some of the description. 

Tim, if you had one top piece of advice to give aspiring writers, what would it be? 

Posted by: @lost_bard

Tim,

When submitting to an agent, what advice would you give for the biography when the author doesn't have writing-specific credentials? I'm changing careers and have struggled with what to say about myself and what is not relevant. 

-David

Hi, David -- I'd mention only such biographical details as might be relevant to the book -- onetime Secret Service agent, astronaut, pickpocket, etc! -- and I'd keep it brief in any case. Really the book should speak for itself!

I have 2 if that’s okay.

1. What inspires you?

2.What do you look for in a winning story?

@wulfmoon I saw a picture of yours. 😀 Didn't realize it was from the conference.

Tim, I understand you were friends with Philip K Dick. How did that come to be and how has he influenced your writing, if at all?

Posted by: @ccrawford

Tim, if you had one top piece of advice to give aspiring writers, what would it be? 

You've heard it before, but -- read ceaselessly, and not just fiction, and not just current stuff; and write ceaselessly, and get what you write to editors.  (Also, re-read books that affect you! It's on the second or third re-read that you see past the scenery and catch on to how the writer got the effects.)

Tim, Forgive me for not having read "On Stranger Tides" yet but I just learned that you wrote it. When your book was purchased and optioned for the movie, will you discuss the process of having sold a book and then having it completely remade? I know that most movies don't follow books (which is why books are usually better). Is it painful as a writer to see your work changed?

Tim,

As an unpublished author approaching a traditional publisher, is there a minimum or maximum word count you'd suggest for a novel?

Thanks so much  for your time!

@timpowers What inspired you to become a writer? Do you think it’s ever to late in life to start?

Posted by: @henckel

Hi Tim, in a three novel series, if you wrote book 1 in 1st person and found the continued story required other POVs would write books 2 and 3 in multiple 1st person perspectives or in multiple 3rd person POVs?

Multiple first person might get confusing, but multiple third person is generally no problem, as long as you make it clear when you switch from one perspective to another. 

Posted by: @scott_m_sands

Tim,

As an unpublished author approaching a traditional publisher, is there a minimum or maximum word count you'd suggest for a novel?

Thanks so much  for your time!

Minimum these days seems to be about 80,000 words, and maximum is about 150,000. (And I think you're smart to approach a traditional publisher! I'm dubious about self-publishing.)

Hi! Thanks for being here and doing this. On Stranger Tides is one of my all time favorite reads - gave me such a book hangover. 

I’m working on a big multi-POV historical fantasy novel of my own. What are your thoughts on pacing and character on a book this big and complex? What challenges did the drafting of On Stranger Tides go through? Any thoughts that would help?

Thanks again!