what is your name?
My name is David Stienmetz
how would you describe what you do?
What I attempt to write is epic contemporary fantasy. Contemporary in that it isn’t set in the distant future or distant past but at a similar time period to
our own.
what are you currently working on?
I am currently working on the last chapter of a novel called “Ripped Awaye.”
what has had the greatest influence on your work?
The greatest influence upon me thus far has been my experience in the Army.
what is the greatest misconception about you or your work?
I don’t know that I’m well read enough for anyone to have misconceptions about my work. If there were, I supposed they might conceive that I am anti-war. I am not necessarily pro or anti war, but I find that even after having been a soldier in a combat zone, I can still attempt to look at it with a fresh perspective.
what do you see as the main strengths and weaknesses of the medium you work in?
The strengths in writing fictional prose are almost too many to count. The greatest I would say is that you can give the reader more detail and more of a direct experience of character than they might get from a television program or film.
how has technology impacted upon the work you do?
Technology is a must in these days. Alot of my friends still insist that typewriters have some magical essence about them that makes your writing better, but I find that the speed and utility of computers more than make up for any ancient blessings they fail to bestow. Besides, I can type nearly as fast as I talk on a good day and that really saves time and finger cramps from writing by hand.
what’s the greatest piece of advice you would like to pass on?
As for advice, I hardly find myself in a position to give it, but I guess I would say that writing is alot like drawing, painting, or even playing sports. The more you do it the better you’ll get. If your brain is a muscle, think of writing as heavy lifting, and reading as your cardio.
where can we find you online?
Lol, I have not yet returned to writerscafe.org after the whole site deletion fiasco. I occasionally post work on my facebook, but haven’t yet found a comfortable place to stick to. I have recently had a piece put in the UW Madison’s Student Writers Collection 2011.
what are you reading at the moment?
I am currenly reading Skavenslayer, and enjoying every bloody bit of it.
what are you listening to at the moment?
I am listening to E.S. Posthumus “Unstoppable” because it makes every keystroke seem like the blowback of a machinegun.
anything else we should know?
Other things to know? A useful tool that I’ve found helps to keep characters in order is to sketch a portrait of each of them which I post on the wall of my office for quick reference. If I ever wonder what one of them might say, I simply turn and ask them.