My year is incomplete without hosting Stephen Zimmer on my little blog! I first interviewed him in 2019 about Rayden and then last year about owning a small press. Last week, I shared reviews for his new novellas Darkness Enthroned and The Awakening. Today, I am back with more questions for Stephen and it is amazing to me how much wealth of knowledge he has.
Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author and filmmaker based out of Lexington Kentucky. The Rayden Valkyrie novels, of which Prowling the Darkness is a part, is one of his works, others including but not limited to, the Rising Dawn Saga, the Fires in Eden Series, and the forthcoming Faraway Saga. Stephen’s visual work includes the feature film Shadows Light, shorts films such as The Sirens and Swordbearer, and the forthcoming Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV Pilot. He is a proud Kentucky Colonel who also enjoys the realms of music, martial arts, good bourbons, and spending time with family.
Let’s chat with him!
In Conversation with Stephen Zimmer
Thank you very much for hosting me and for this interview. I am very honored to be featured on the amazing Armed With a Book site!
What does your writing process look like? Is it different for different series or the routine stays the same?
I have honed my writing process across the years into something that works very well for me in terms of staving off writer’s block and maintaining a higher level of output. I write on a computer that is dedicated solely to writing and is in another space from the one I use for business. It is also offline. I have zero distractions from notifications or any temptations to check social media that way. I listen to music, having found that it insulates me from distracting noises outside the home and even general home activity. All of this has led to a point where my mind snaps into a writing mode when I sit down in my writing space.
I approach all series in a similar manner, in that I give a lot of thought to the individual volume/installment I am about to write, and the series as a whole. The book being written has to serve two roles in that it must be entertaining and engaging to readers in and of itself, while also serving a key role in the greater arc of the series.
I consider myself a hybrid in terms of the plotter/pantser spectrum, somewhere near the middle with a little tilt toward the plotter side. I outline enough to give structure and destination to the given volume while also allowing space for new ideas, subplots, and characters that inevitably emerge over the course of writing a new book.
Every writer must find their own process, the one that works best for them, and it is dynamic in nature, in that it is always being refined. For my own process, I am always open to discovering anything that helps me create the best work possible.
Often authors focus on one series at a time. Do you do the same?
I have found that writing more than one series is very helpful to my own creativity and process. I discovered this when I was alternating the writing of new titles in my Rising Dawn Saga and Fires in Eden Series. Each time I revisited one world after writing in another, I found my mind and perspective refreshed and recharged to a significant degree. In many ways, I could see the big picture of each new book more clearly than I would have if I just went from book one, to book two, to book three in sequence on one series. There is something that happens in my creative mind on a deeper level when I step back from a world for a little while, I’ve found, that results in a stronger mindset when I come back to it. This method may not work for other writers, as all writers are different in their processes and what works for them, but this most certainly is what works for me.
Rayden and Ragnar are such distinct characters and I enjoyed reading their books back to back. Are they both set in the same world and, if so, do they ever meet?
Rayden and Ragnar are definitely in the same world/universe, and it is not a spoiler to say that they do meet, as I have released a story in television pilot format (available right now on YouTube, to watch for free) in Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart. I plan to tell that story in a novel format but suffice it to say that their paths do come together, and I am looking forward to writing the adventure that contains their meeting. I have left a few faint hints in some of the novellas regarding the course of their travels that are harbingers of where they will meet.
What is next for Rayden and Ragnar?
I have loads of stories to tell for both of them. A Ragnar Stormbringer novella that is complete and awaiting editing is forthcoming, very soon. I have a duology of novels envisioned for Rayden that derive from elements contained within the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy. I also have a duology of novels in mind that tell most of Ragnar’s origins and what set him in motion. Likely, there will be another Rayden Valkyrie novella coming this summer too. But the novellas and novels for both will continue … with some special ones where both will appear!
How is writing a novella different from writing a novel about these characters?
I have found novellas to be a great format for storytelling that offers a reader a tale that does not require the time commitment of a novel, but it does allow for more characters and plot development than a short story format allows. Being able to offer a shorter format that still lets me introduce and expand secondary characters and plant seeds that sprout into plot twists is a wonderful option in telling the stories of Rayden and Ragnar. With their action-driven nature, the result is a faster paced read that I think many readers find enjoyable in between reading a bigger, more immersive novel.
What are some challenges you have faced as a writer and what helped you overcome them?
The biggest challenges that I have faced as a writer come not in the writing, or the pursuit of the craft and honing my skill sets, but rather in the industry and market itself. It is no secret that the book market is heavily saturated, and today’s authors have to wear publicity and marketing hats constantly to avoid falling off the radar of readers. It takes a lot of time to do this, and there are many, many days where you feel the results of that promotional work don’t always measure up to the effort put into it, which can be frustrating. Nevertheless, you have to keep the faith and press onwards and upwards!
What is your advice to new authors and upcoming writers on writing distinct characters and world building?
Do not worry about trends. In chasing trends, you risk becoming derivative and also will find that the next trend is already rising after you have been chasing the current one. Don’t write characters and stories that you think others are wanting. Rather, write the characters and stories that genuinely come from your heart and focus on your own voice. This will result in your best and most authentic work in the long run, and you will not be reliant on the whims of trends.
What are some of your inspirations for your stories?
My inspirations come from all kinds of places. People I know inspire elements of characters, and people I encounter but don’t know also have such impacts. Dreams are a huge source of information, as I am a very vivid dreamer and often get ideas for creatures and environments from dreamscapes. As a student of history and world events, I derive a lot of inspiration from various figures and events that have taken place in our world. My overall inspiration for a book really is an amalgamation of all these sources, woven together into the spirit of my storytelling.
Thank you so much for reading! 🙂 I hope you discovered some new novellas in Stephen Zimmer’s work and enjoyed this conversation. I will be back on Saturday with a non-bookish post about one of my favorite music artists.
The Awakening: A Ragnar Stormbringer Tale and Darkness Enthroned: A Rayden Valkyrie Tale are available on Kindle.
Cover image: Photo by Willian West on Unsplash
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