1. Chris

    I thoroughly loved your books. They were so immersive and I soaked in every minute detail. In fact, I miss your worlds so much, I am re-reading them in lieu of any new books. So, do not be discouraged. You have fellow authors who totally understand everything you just said about writing. Of course, your fellow authors do not control book advances or have a special line to Kenneth Branaugh or Joe Johnson.

    Thank you for this very honest post. Even though you may feel discouraged and displaced, it is a comfort to me personally. One thing I have learned is the importance of community among writers, particularly those of us who write speculative fiction. We are here at least to give solace and shed some sympathetic tears.

    And, I cannot wait to read your new novel! Please press on and do not give up.

  2. What a great post. Your parenthetical comments about Tolkien’s languages and economists fantasies made me laugh.

    The rest of the post? Not very funny.

    I’ve been in doldrums for a year. For me it’s always because I don’t know where the story is going. I don’t know what scene comes next. Once I figure that out, I can write like crazy in the middle of party and not even hear the revelry. Once I know where I’m going, I’m able to write fast. As you say, I just follow the characters around describing what they get up to. But first I have to know where they are and what they want and how they plan to get it. 

  3. Fred Warren says:

    There are few things more disheartening than releasing a story you’re very proud of into the world and hearing little but cricket chirps in response. Modern technology has inundated the market with new stories, and unless you have the good fortune to go viral, ala The Shack, it’s a long, hard slog just to get noticed. It’s like waving your hand in a crowded stadium and shouting, “Here I am!”

    But Bruce is right–you’ve got to keep writing.

  4. Bethany J. says:

    “With regard to discouragement, I appeal to the truth that because we are made in God’s image and he is a creator, creating is what I made to do. I tell myself that whether my current work is published or not is irrelevant: I write because I am a child of God and this is an itch he has given me that I must scratch.”

    Ahhh, this is so encouraging right now!  Thank you, Chris!!  I’ve been in the doldrums for over a year, maybe two – mostly because “real life” has taken precedence.  Getting married and having a baby consume a lot of time and concentration!  But in a good way.  🙂  (I hear you on the displacement woes, too…argh.)  Lately my “creative juices” are flowing like mad, which is thrilling, but I can’t seem to focus on one single story.  I jump from project to project.  Each day it’s a new interest.  This quote is a great reminder that creativity in itself is God-honoring, and although I may not have the time and energy to put out a full book right now, I can still hone my craft in a myriad of ways.

  5. Galadriel says:

    Very useful tips. Thanks.  I really should find the other books in the series…only found the first one.

  6. Mr. Walley, I’ll admit that the first book of your series I almost let go of. It did have a slow buildup, but I was intrigued enough with the premise that I kept with the series.

    I am so glad I did.

    I think the Lamb Among the Stars is a truly epic, great series in the same cosmic vein as JMS’s Babylon 5, a grand way to deliver a story with action, humor, loss, hope, and wonder. I, like other readers, have obviously been remiss in letting people know. My apologies.

    I’m excited to hear about your new idea for an alternate history, since that little sub (cross?) genre is a personal favorite of mine. If anyone can bring this niche the treatment it deserves, I believe it is you.

    Thank you for the Lamb Among the Stars. It’s got a permanent place on my bookshelf.

  7. Chris, thank you for a wonderful article. I so appreciate your look at Scripture to find the answers to the problems you spotlight.

    Regarding writing to silence, I only have my blog to use by way of comparison, so it may be different for fiction, but I keep thinking, if I had this many people in a room waiting to hear what I had to say, would I be disappointed? I augment that question by asking God to bring who He wishes, and then I trust that He has done so. Consequently, whether or not the numbers meet my expectations, I can still be happy knowing that the people who showed up on any given day have an appointment, so to speak. 😉

    Becky

  8. Hi, Chris
    You couldn’t have written a more timely article for me. Thank you very much. I’ve been in the doldrums a bit lately. Being a full time teacher here in the states, I have a very demanding job already. Over the past six years, I’ve written or cowritten 9 novels–all while teaching full time and trying to shepherd a family of 6, 4 of whom are adolescents. I’ve been completely stressed out by the process. Discouragement has definitely set in. One major reason why is that, even though I’ve sold over 300K books, I have very little income to show for it. Certainly far from the income needed to write full time, which is what I’d like to do. I didn’t get into writing for the money. God made me a creative person. I need to create. I’ve always wanted to write. And since becoming a Christian, I’ve wanted to share Him thru my stories. In large part, based on emails and letters, I think I’ve done that. But somewhere, in there, I ought to be able to make a living doing this. It’s so discouraging to get a royalties statement and think, wow, all that work…and this is what I earned? So, long story short, here I am in summer, no teaching. You’d think I’d be itching to write. But actually, I’ve had a really hard time getting into it. The doldrums, indeed. I’m hoping for a fresh wind to fill my sails. Because I know, in a blink, the school year will begin once more, and I’ll be looking back at the time I let slip through my fingers…

  9. Go Chris! Good words, very good indeed. Looking forward to reading this book of yours!

  10. Ros says:

    There are two practical techniques I use to get around the problem of displacement activities.  The first is the Pomodoro technique.  I use this site: http://mytomatoes.com/ but you could equally well use a kitchen timer or stopwatch.  The point is simply that you only plan to work for 25 minutes at a time.  So any displacement activity can wait until the break.  25 minutes is much less scary than a whole day or a whole afternoon.  Anyone can do 25 minutes!  And then, of course, once you’ve started, it’s massively easier to keep going.  The other is the #1k1hr challenge on Twitter.  It’s a similar idea but with the fun of doing it alongside other people.  The challenge is just to write 1000 words in an hour.  At the end of the time, everyone chips in with their word count and someone usually calls the next time.  Oh, also, I sometimes use Write or Die, which is almost as scary as it sounds:  http://writeordie.com/

  11. Shannon McNear says:

    Chris, thank you so much for this post, and for your honesty. I am ashamed to say that I only just read the last two books (finished The Infinite Day last night, in fact) … but they were so worth the read. I’m amazed at the scope of the story … your worldbuilding and the theology and characters and … the possibilities!
    Speaking of being caught up in real life, I manage to write–some–while mothering and teaching my eight (the two oldest are in college now, thankfully), but enjoyable reading is what’s suffered most. But my 20-year-old eldest, who has read Lamb Among the Stars twice now and rates it one of his absolute favorite series, nagged me until I committed myself to finishing the series … and I’m so very glad he did. 🙂 I’m still absorbing it all.
    Thank you for being obedient to your call, wherever that has led … and I can’t wait to see what you’ve written next!

  12. Ruben says:

    Hi Chris…  I have read science fiction / fantasy for most of my life.  I enjoy it as a genre that, at its best, tackles tough issues and highlights human strengths and frailties in different environments. Christian sic-fi/fantasy seems to me dastardly difficult.  You have done an wonderful job and all 3 of your books are standing in a place of prominence on my book shelf beside Tolkien’s works and the less well know works of Julian May.  I want to encourage you for doing something that is both exceptional and outstanding in the fullest sense of that word.  Thanks for your hard work and dedication.  As evidenced by  LOTR, we never know what God may have in store.   I part with a sincere thank you and a tip of my hat to a master wordsmith. 

  13. So THAT’S were you went. I enjoyed the trilogy and so did my friend who reads to her husband at night. I was too slow at getting the third book that she ran out and bought it herself.
    I am realizing that I should have let you know that I enjoyed the books. For some reason, not until this year did I think about writing to authors and thanking them. I’m sorry that I let chirping crickets be my voice.
    Thank you for your work.

  14. Dr J says:

    Chris … Your books are amazing. Check Spielberg and Cameron movies. Most if not all have slow starts that build up over time. Give time for character. Most don’t know how. You do and did a fantastic job in your trilogy. Keep on writing. You have a unique talent. Your time will come.

    Also, a general work to all Christian writers, STOP ending your works with the coming of Christ. A noble theme I’m sure, but it sort of stops the series forever.  Sometimes it is too simple a soluction as well.

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