Sharing Talents

Tips for Writers

Visiting professor Benjamin Percy shares insights on creative writing

On traps writers should avoid — Young writers in particular rely on movies to inform their craft. A short story is a snapshot, a moment in life. It’s a unique form of writing that relies on subtlety more than exaggeration.

On where ideas are born — I have a muse and essentially her name is Oregon. My stories take place there. Fiction grows out of place. Always keep your eyes open, understand where you grew up. Write about your own backyard, the place you know best.

On how to visualize characters — My characters are composites of people I’ve known. Maybe a character has my grandfather’s voice and looks like someone I saw in a magazine. I always have a voice and a face in my head and try to transfer both to the page so a reader sees what I see.

On how to make it happen — Write at the same time, same place every day. Writing is sort of like falling into a dream. When you reach a zone, magic starts to happen. If you have a designated spot and time, it will happen that much quicker.

For Percy, the magic hours are from 5 a.m. to noon.