More Through the Eyes of An Otherworldly Writer — Roulf Burrell

This week I’m please to share Part 2 of Roulf Burrell’s interview with Jane Choate — More Through the Eyes of An Otherworldly Writer. If you enjoyed Part 1 (and I’m sure you did), you will no doubt enjoy Part 2 with this amazing fantasy/scifi writer.

How do you imbue out of this world characters with human characteristics we can relate to?

By staying with the universals. Life of all types needs to consume energy, wants to reproduce, faces the end of its existence. Most creatures and aliens still take in the world around them, interpret the data, think and feel about it, then act correspondingly. Fiction changes these elements in fun and educational ways.

Do you see plot or characterization as more important? Or are they fairly equal in your writing?

Is the front wheel or the back wheel of a bike more important? Without both, I’m not going anywhere. I love good characters, but I’d rather watch a James Bond film where action abounds, than My Dinner with Andre–boring talk. Besides, the sci-fi/fantasy genre tends to be plot driven. Plot moves the action; it’s the back tire to which we chain the pedals. Think of the old Twilight Zone episodes. You had characters, but they weren’t that deep. A man with a gambling problem. We don’t know why. A boxer who doesn’t want to take a dive. Episodes didn’t feature their past histories but a surprise plot twist that cast events in a different, sometimes bizarre perspective. I lean in that direction.

What role does humor play in your books? (I know there has to be a lot of humor!)

Webster defines humor, in part, as, “appealing to the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous.” Humor provides entertainment, a needed laugh. Practically, humor assists story tension by granting a needed pause. A smile breaks up dramatic events that would lose their tension if held too long.

What do you see as your biggest strength in writing?

The ability to say a common thing in an uncommon way. From Saint Augustine to Groucho Marx, I’ve spent years collecting picturesque or unique phrases. I practice crafting my own phrases by varying their components slightly. I once became so dissatisfied with my boring description of the sunrise, I forced myself to create 100 different ways of describing the sun coming up, even a couple from the Sun’s point of view.

You belong to a Christian writers group. What role does your faith play in your writing?

My faith is as central to my personality as the fact I am a male or was raised in the Midwest of America. It’s foundational to my thinking and feeling; my humor, my creativity, my word choice or my plots. It shaped who I have become, so it’s reflected in what I say and do, or don’t do. So I don’t try to add my faith to my writing in a conscious way. As C. S. Lewis said, “The world doesn’t need more Christian authors. It needs more authors who are Christians.” I content myself to tell stories and trust my faith will show through.

What are your favorite otherworldly characters? Next week we’ll take a closer look at the writing life of Roulf Burrell. Stay tuned… .