Authors Challenge Themselves

'WHAT kinds of challenges have you set for yourself in your writing? Share it here in the comments section.

But first, Do you like to challenge yourself in your writing and do you admire it in books you read when it is obvious the author has done so? I am the same way - whatever is my WIP is my biggest challenge but there are subjects and issues that become enormous hurdles. For instance - had to think like a pedophile in City of the Absent as Alastair Ransom interrogates one of these lowlifes and in order to get confession he has to "like the guy" or rather pretend to and to "understand" his sick needs. I pulled it off but it took a lot of effort and deep, dark staring into the abyss of the human condition. I have also had to BACK off the more horrendous stuff in my Instinct and Edge titles at times to write something lighter, again too long staring into the wickedness that is the dark side of mankind - a truly sinister aspect in our shared psyche and collective gene pool (how far are we truly from our predatory ancestors?).

But now take Children of Salem, whoa...talk about having to stop and start - try like thirty years off and on (witch hunt, hang thy neighbor, pitchforks and torches stuff). Now with Titanic 2012 I do it to myself again - I go out of my way to challenge myself; this time doing two time periods alternating chapter by chapter, set a hundred years apart. Nothing challenging about that....generational horror science fiction suspense thriller - whew!

Hoping to have Titanic out in time for Halloween now as we've had set backs  and challenges. But tell us here now in the comnnents section WHAT has been some big challenges you have set for yourself in your writing?

Rob

www.robertwalkerbooks.com
first chapter free stuff here