Glen Gabel

Published both independently and traditionally, as well as working as a screenwriter, Mr. Gabel is the “From Pen to Page” person on several social media channels (see bottom of this page for links).

Bardsy Character Anthology 2022 published his short story, Where Light Has No Purchase. A debut novel, The Soothsayer, is the first book in a YA Christian fantasy series, while Manitou is a supernatural crime thriller. One project he’s developed as a screenwriter is a dramatic comedy titled The Elephant Ride, is currently in pre-production.

Do you have a writing routine? Where and when do you write?

I try to set aside time to write a few days a week, usually early in the morning, when both the coffee and my brain are fresh.

Do you have any patterns or rituals associated with your writing time?

Sometimes I’ll play a little music to help me find the emotional tone I’m looking for in a scene or chapter. Other than that, I just try to clear my head of anything distracting and get to work.

What do you do when you hit a wall with your writing?

I go back about twenty pages and reread what I’ve already written. I also remind myself that it’s just a draft. It’s not supposed to be perfect the first time I put words on paper. That’s what revisions are for.

Do you plan your book in advance (plotting and outlining) or are you a “discovery writer” (AKA “writing into the dark”)? Or are you somewhere in between?

Somewhere in between. Like a lot of writers, I see scenes play out in my head a few times, or at least the highlights, and then I do my best to put them on paper in a way that doesn’t suck.

I’ve found that outlining the major story beats ahead of time is helpful, but I also allow my characters to take the story places I hadn’t initially planned.

What’s the last book you read that made you go “wow!”?

The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clair Huffaker was a fantastic read. That’s the one that sticks out to me the most at the moment.

What book or author do you find yourself recommending and why?

I don’t typically recommend books unless I know a little about the reader. I enjoy Michael Crichton, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Cormac McCarthy, but I know plenty of people who don’t.

If someone shares what they like, and I can think of something similar, I might suggest it.

What’s on your To Be Read pile?

I’m still trying to wade through Moby Dick, along with a volume of work by Robert Louis Stevenson that I keep meaning to finish. There’s also a stack of Louis L’Amour, Bukowski, a few odd thrillers, and some pulp fantasy novels lying around. I’m great at starting books, but finishing them is my nemesis, lol.

What advice do you have for readers?

Try not to go into a new book with too many expectations. Let the author take you somewhere unexpected, with characters you might not initially identify with. You may find the experience surprisingly rewarding.

What author, past or present, would you wish to have a long conversation with? Why?

Professor Tolkien would be one of the first, of course, but I’d also be happy talking shop with Dean Koontz, Stephen King, or Peter Straub.

Do you have early memories of reading or writing you’d like to share?

I wrote a lot of little short stories when I was young, and I was probably more fascinated with the electric typewriter than with finding the perfect word. I think that’s something we tend to lose as we get older: the joy of creating something without constantly self-editing and doubting ourselves.

What books and/or authors have most influenced you as an author?

Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, On the Road, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Catch-22, and perhaps Arthur C. Clarke’s Rama series.

What do you most enjoy about being a writer? What do least enjoy about being a writer?

I love finishing a fantastic, productive day of writing and feeling good about the work I’ve put in. I also really enjoy coaching other writers and helping them feel more confident in their abilities.

On the downside, there’s the billionth revision, when I’m nitpicking the phrasing or rereading something for the millionth time looking for mistakes. And, of course, there’s getting a nasty review from someone who fundamentally doesn’t connect with a story I’ve written.

What would you tell a new writer?

Don’t give up. Seriously.

No good author started out that way, and no one has the right to shut you down because you’re not “good enough.” (That goes for yourself, too.) Keep at it, keep learning, keep writing, and keep being brave enough to put yourself out there. Meeting a reader who really connects with your work makes it all worthwhile.