Interview with Brady Moore
How did you become a writer?
I’ve been making up stories since before I could remember. I used to annoy my Elementary school teachers by drawing comic books in class. My older brother was the driving force for my creativity. We were both typical 90’s superhero nerds growing up on shows like Batman, X-Men, Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers. Eventually, we started making up our own superheroes, but like a true little brother, most of my characters were ripoffs of his. As I got older, the characters in my mind became more unique, but they never got past being a bunch of doodles in school notebooks.
I was still making up stories in high school, but my writing was mostly channeled into sports. I wrote for the yearbook and was sports editor for my school newspaper, where some of my articles were published in a local magazine. My plan was to pursue journalism, but I ended up majoring in Media Studies and focusing on film and radio. Most of my classes were writing intensive, which gave me the opportunity to turn some of my grade school ideas into short stories and scripts for assignments.
After graduation, I worked at a movie theater as a manager and projectionist. I started a movie review blog for all my friends who wanted my opinions on the free movies I got to screen. I originally began writing fiction as a way to fend off boredom between starting movies in the projection booth. I never thought I’d have the patience to actually finish an entire manuscript, but three hundred pages later, I’d written my first novel. Clairvoyants is actually the third novel I’ve written, but the idea came to me in high school. It took me decades to realize it, but I love the process of writing and I’ve finally found a way to bring all of those grade school doodles into fruition for others to enjoy.
What inspires you to write?
Whether positive or negative, I find inspiration in almost every aspect of life. For me, writing is one of the most therapeutic processes, because it allows me to channel every emotion into something constructive and cathartic. Everything from aspirations and fantasies to fears and traumatic experiences can be fuel for a great story. Observations about current events or special moments in history open the door to new ideas by allowing me to look at something familiar from a different perspective. That ability to use elements of fantasy to self-examine, or explore real world experiences and issues is what I love most about writing fiction.
Could you share some of your challenges as a writer?
Anyone who’s ever done a jigsaw puzzle knows how frustrating it can be. You have these clusters of pieces that match together, but you’re still scratching your head and trying to figure out how they all fit to make one clear picture. To me, writing is like putting together a giant puzzle. I can come up with all of these interesting characters and exciting moments, but I still have to piece them all together to form a cohesive narrative with a solid beginning, middle and end. I can have an amazing action sequence in mind or a great conversation between characters, but it doesn’t matter if I can’t find the perfect spot to place it within the context of the story.
It’s also challenging to write a book with over a dozen supporting characters. It’s an arduous task to make each one unique and memorable when they might only appear for a chapter or two. Running into plot holes can also be a problem, especially when writing science fiction. Before I even began writing Clairvoyants, I had to come up with specific rules and limitations to govern each character’s powers so that everything seemed plausible within the world I’d established. No matter how much planning you do beforehand, writing can quickly turn into a complicated process, but just like finishing a puzzle, it’s incredibly rewarding when it all comes together.
Tell me about your protagonist. What's your favorite trait and/or weakness?
The main character of Clairvoyants: The Fourth Kinetic is Rion, a 17-year old, African American boy with telekinetic abilities who discovers a hidden group of others like him. What I love most about him is that, like me, he’s the ultimate introvert. Introverts tend to relish being in their own space and that can sometimes get mistaken for being shy or standoffish. Introverts still yearn for companionship, we just aren’t always sure of how to forge relationships and I think that is reflected in the character. He isn’t the type of person who will strike up conversations with strangers and when someone talks to him, he tends to overthink about how to respond. The story of Clairvoyants mainly deals with Rion being forced out of his comfort zone in the route to self-discovery. Figuring out where you fit into social groups is something we all deal with, so I think readers will find him very relatable.
Do you have a routine you follow when writing?
The most important thing in my routine is to feel as relaxed as possible. I love listening to music before I write, because it really puts me in the right mindset to reenter the world I’m trying to create. I usually assemble playlists that are a soundtrack to the story I’m writing. Lighting scented candles or burning incense are also great ways to set the mood. Occasionally, I have some wine or a mixed drink to get the creative juices flowing.
Late nights when it’s quiet are when I work best, because there’s a lot of walking around and talking to myself. I’m not ashamed to admit that I occasionally act out the conversations between characters after my wife has gone to bed and my hyperactive dog is finally curled up on the couch. I try to recite dialogue over and over again so that it becomes second nature when I actually sit down to write it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Surround yourself with people who will support you, motivate you and give you constructive feedback. Be patient. Writing can be a very long, frustrating process and it can take years to finish a project. Don’t be afraid to step away and recharge your batteries. I started writing Clairvoyants and then stopped about a quarter of the way through. I worked on another project for a few years before coming back to it. When I started it up again, the passion for the story was back in full force. I had thought up so many new ideas that the story was heading in a new, more exciting direction. The right story is worth the time and meticulous effort. Don’t worry about timelines or making money off of it, just craft a story you can be proud of.
