Terry Brooks: 4 ways his work has changed during his 30-year career

 

Terry Brooks offered a 30-year perspective on his career as a fantasy writer on September 1, 2007 during the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA.

 

Slightly-built and with a youthful voice and posture that contradict his silvery hair, Brooks used humor and passion to describe four ways that his work differs today from when he was starting to write.

 

How have my work habits changed?

 

He said he has always outlined his novels — structure, mood, setting, characters. Now, though, he says he takes the outline apart halfway through the book. “I feel more confident in the process,” he said. “It’s kind of fun to write yourself into a corner and see if you can work yourself out again.”

 

What am I interested in writing about now compared to 30 years ago?

 

“All fantasy has an undertone of concern about the human condition,” Brooks said. His early works, like the Shannara series, were about young men challenging big machines, much like the young writer, working as a lawyer by day and writing late into the night. He said his current books are more about families and secrets — “Very Faulknerian” — and about collapsing civilizations, as with Armageddon’s Children.

 

Where do I get my inspiration?

 

Brooks gets ideas from current events and day to day life. He said he’s written a book that was “triggered by one too many people who cut me off in traffic. This is how civilizations collapse!” He gathers information from books of ancient history, military history, adventure (mountain climbing, for example) and even the women’s fiction recommended by his wife.

 

Have I found validation?

 

It seems little here has changed over Brooks’ career. “Writing is an addiction you’re born with,” Brooks said. “If I’m not writing, I’m not a complete person,” he said. The best books is always the one he’s working on, he said.

 

I stood in line afterwards to get Brooks’ signature on our copies of Sword of Shannara, Elfstone of Shannara and The Black Unicorn. They’ll be up on the web shortly, meanwhile email Ken for pricing, or phone after Labor Day at 248-548-5459.

 

Shar