theboyintheclock AMA

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus : How have things been since Spire of Woods?

<theboyintheclock> Mostly well, although my job has changed significantly and I've been struggling to find the time to write as a result. I'm in a good place now though and getting in some time before work everyday.
<theboyintheclock> I've also been able to take some time off, and am currently back on the East coast, which is very exciting for me.

<cmd102> Question from Joebros147 : Hi, a huge fan here! I am supposed to make a short presentation about a piece of work by any English writer. My teacher said it can be a novel or a short story I really liked, so, naturally, my first choice was The Spire, I adore it so much that I'm going to spend 20 minutes talking about it... Anyway...Which (if any) other stories have you written? Are they available anywhere, either Reddit or published
<cmd102> elsewhere?

<theboyintheclock> thank you, that's really kind of mind blowing to me that someone will be talking about something I've written in school.
<theboyintheclock> I don't have anything published or floating around reddit, but I do have a couple of other pieces that maybe I'll polish up. I'm also currently working on a novel (kinda a dark fantasy thing)

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : What is the most fulfilling aspect of writing for you?

<theboyintheclock> writing, for me, is as much a compulsion as anything else. I get cranky...actually more like insufferable when it's not going well. But the thing that's most fulfilling for me is when I go to re-read something to check it for typos and get lost in the story. That's kinda how I know I've got something worth sharing.

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : Can I smell your hair?

<theboyintheclock> I'll send you a lock the next time I get my hair cut.

<cmd102> Question from KPants : Fuck, marry, kill. Caitlyn Jenner, Martha Stewart, Rob Lowe

<theboyintheclock> Not super comfy with the premise of the game. Maybe marry Rob Lowe though cause I like the West  Wing and Parks and Rec a lot.

<cmd102> Question from Polar_Starburst : what's your strangest or creepiest experience, paranormal or otherwise?

<theboyintheclock> in middle school we used to cut through a narrow passage of woods to get from the school to a street. it involved going through this man's yard. He used to yell at us sometimes, so we'd do it quietly. (as a kid, i thought this guy was totally unreasonable - I mean this saved us like 10 minutes of walking)
<theboyintheclock> but, you know, we were walking through his grass/side yard. I kinda get it now.
<theboyintheclock> anyway, one day we come into the woods and there's this figure crouched there.
<theboyintheclock> in rapid succession I had the following thoughts: it's a dummy/scare crow he's propped up to scare us. I'm going to kick it. Then I take a step forward and see it's a person. I think it's my friend Salem facing away from us for a split second
<theboyintheclock> cause there were no features on the 'dummy's' face
<theboyintheclock> but then I realize I can see eyes. It's a dude crouching in the woods by a middle school in hunter's attire wearing a plane leather mask.
<theboyintheclock> we turn and sprint away and he yells something. We got to a crossing guard (who was an actual, semi retired cop) and told her what happened.
<theboyintheclock> I have 0 doubts that was a guy looking to snatch a child.
<theboyintheclock> cops didn't find anyone, we did cut through there again, but never on our own.
<theboyintheclock> that one took a while to realize it was creepy.

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus : Do you ever feel like how the creator of the sims must feel? Like you've created something truly amazing yet can never surpass your own work?

<theboyintheclock> Hmm, I'm not sure. No, I don't think so. Though, I see my work from my perspective, which is to say, when I'm not actively reading it and into it, I mainly remember what I didn't like. What I'd like to fix.
<theboyintheclock> I feel like I can do, maybe not better, exactly, but I feel like I have room to improve, and, with work, will.
<theboyintheclock> but I probably will never tell a story quite so personal again.

<cmd102> Question from baconmoontwist : Red hot chili peppers or linkin park?

<theboyintheclock> Chili Peppers. Gun to my head, I couldn't name two linkin park songs.
<theboyintheclock> this makes me realize I haven't really gotten into new music since I stopped driving.

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : If you could gain superhuman abilities in one sense at the cost of permanently losing another, which would you choose?

<theboyintheclock> No deal!
<theboyintheclock> no, I don't want to change a single sense perception. not stronger or weaker. All of our society is designed around the middle of the human bell curve, and any change to that would be a massive pain in the ass.
<theboyintheclock> I'm in Brooklyn staying with a friend right now, I love it hear, but, my god, I don't want to smell it any better, nor do I want to not be able to eat all the food (or I guess have it taste like cardboard).
<theboyintheclock> and I love movies so blindness and deafness are out.
<theboyintheclock> I guess  could survive being deaf, but that would be very isolating.

<cmd102> Question from decomprosed :  Much like people do with films, I tie music very heavily into horror fiction. Sometimes, things are just background noise. Sometimes, the stars align and I can't think of a particular piece without the music I've associated with it. The Spire definitely had that pervading sense of dread, and the atmosphere that it evoked was, at times, almost perceptible in an auditory sense. Needless to say, in the time
<cmd102> I spent reading them, your words followed me. As I have a very easy time seeing The Spire as a film, I'd like to know; does music influence your writing? If so, how in-depth? Are you a visual writer, or more finite in your approach? Funnily enough, I was listening to a lot of the band Spires That In The Sunset Rise while reading your series. Very apt. Additionally (still in the vein of music), to quote Azealia Banks: "what's your
<cmd102> dick like homie, what're you into?"

<theboyintheclock> When I write I listen to one song to get me in the frame of mind to write the piece I'm working and to clear everything else out of my head. For the Spire, it may have been Brick by Ben Folds five, but I'm not sure I'm remembering that right. Then after I listen to the song for the mood, I switch to white noise.
<theboyintheclock> to drown out everything else.
<theboyintheclock> As for my approach, I'd say I'm more aural than visual. I often read things out loud to myself and change them according.
<theboyintheclock> Personally, I'm stuck on 90s alternative stuff. Little bit of early 2000s stuff. I always thought it was weird how my dad only listened to 60s and 70s music, but now I'm basically doing the same thing.

<cmd102> Question from JoyceJacobs :  1. Who would you consider to be your influences as a writer? and 2. How does their work continue to impact your writing style?

<theboyintheclock> I think everything you consume is going to influence you one way or another, whether you're internalizing it subconsciously, trying to emulate some aspect of it, or trying to avoid the mistakes/aesthetics you dislike.
<theboyintheclock> I try to read a lot of nonfiction, so it may be weird to say that some of the influences I've had are people like Michael Kimmel and CJ Pascoe -- though in a very narrow way and I do not 100% endorse any of their work, I have some reservations in the one case and out right criticism in the other.
<theboyintheclock> in terms of fiction, I touched on Elie Wiesel. But I'll also add memoirist Bill Bufford to the list. And, in a weird way, Elizabeth Wurtzel - whose prose can not conceal her personality. The manic quality is unbelievable.
<theboyintheclock> Wurtzel is a unique case though, and again, I don't endorse any particular piece, but take a look at that sentence structure sometime. It's  like doing complicated algebra problems.
<theboyintheclock> I feel like the point escaped me there a little. But there's usually something a professional is doing that's worth studying and considering adding to your bag of tricks.

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray :  If you could change anything about The Spire in the Woods, would you? If so, what?

<theboyintheclock> There are a couple of things I'm actually working on with the Spire. Moments I truncated where I had more detail I could have shared, and some moments that, well, need some editing.
<theboyintheclock> I'll keep you in the loop.

<cmd102> Question from Polar_Starburst : how do you deal with writers block and procrastinating?

<theboyintheclock> Procrastinating is a bigger problem for me than being blocked (though it happens). I've been dealing with it by finding someone who will sit and work in the same room with me. We do what's called Pomodoro, we do 34 minutes than an 8 minute break, then 34 minutes, etc.
<theboyintheclock> this keeps me off of reddit
<theboyintheclock> and having someone in the room means I'm almost guilted into working or I'm wasting their time too.
<theboyintheclock> As for writers block, I usually will "cut" to another scene. I always have to remind myself I can time lapse. And if that doesn't work, I go back to the question 'what does this say?' even if your story is 100% true, a memoir of life events, you don't want to put in the part where you were watching TV unless it's really relevant.
<theboyintheclock> so when I'm blocked I go back and ask if the scene is even relevant to what I want the story to communicate in terms of subtext/emotional transference.
<theboyintheclock> usually the answer is no, or I've overwritten and can delete a couple of paragraphs and jump forward to the next scene.

<cmd102> Question from KPants : What is your favorite Disney movie?

<theboyintheclock> Robin Hood for sentimental reasons: it was my first favorite movie. But I was recently absolutely blown away by Zootopia. What a complex topic for a kids movie to tackle. (Not with out some criticisms, but incredible to see)
<theboyintheclock> And I have to say, I talk about the Lion King on a regular basis. It's actually kinda weird. I should stop.

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus : What are your views of the afterlife? How have they effected your writing process?

<theboyintheclock> I'm an atheistic agnostic. I don't think that there is an afterlife, but on a technical level, I can't say that for sure. I'm also weird about the distinction(s) between knowing and believing, as I mentioned in the interview. Has it effected my writing process? Yes, a little.
<theboyintheclock> In part, this idea that I have one life helps me do things, but that remains a personal struggle and one I can't reason away.
<theboyintheclock> I think that my views have made me less romantic in how I approach topics.

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus : Is there any chance of Nosleep ever not being filled with cliches?
<cmd102>  Do you like nosleep more with cliches?

<theboyintheclock> All things are relative. There are a lot of people throwing their hats into the ring, trying their hands at something they're inexpert in (myself included) and some of those works will be successful and some will be terrible. Will it always be full of cliches? Probably as long as there are tons of people, yes. But sometimes a well placed cliche wor
<theboyintheclock> ks and there's plenty of fairly original stuff mixed in. This might be a large number thing more than a quality issue.
<theboyintheclock> For me, I've read less and wait for things to filter up more. But if everyone did that, the sub would probably die. So...maybe take my advice sparingly.

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray :  You're only allowed to eat one snack for the rest of your life. What would you choose and why?

<theboyintheclock> This is a hellish proposition if ever their was one.
<theboyintheclock> Hmm.
<theboyintheclock> going to go with that party mix with the little rice crackers in it. Because it's delicious and fairly filling. Also if I get sick of anyone thing I can pick it out.

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : If you could be any mythological creature, what would you be and why?

<theboyintheclock> Proteus if he counts as a creature.
<theboyintheclock> shape shifting, can't beat that.
<theboyintheclock> (well, in my book)
<theboyintheclock> if not...
<theboyintheclock> an East Asian river dragon. I like water. I'd love to be able to live in it, but the stuff in water is so scary, I'd have to be big enough that nothing would mess with me.
<theboyintheclock> European dragons were metaphors for greed (specifically greedy tyrant kings), so I want no part in their jackassery.

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus : What is your philosophy on horror?

<theboyintheclock> I'm not sure. I think, personally, tone and suspense are what I respond to, but when it comes time for something to happen, I think that you need to not look away (at least not all the time). I'm not into torture porn, but I think that early horror worked in its setups but failed in its climaxes because it hesitated to actually depict the horrific.
<theboyintheclock>  (speaking more of film here than literature, but I think that argument can be made))
<theboyintheclock> It's a fine line to balance.
<theboyintheclock> I also think it's important that thing that is being examined has an unpleasant side beyond danger. Dying isn't inherently horrific, even if it is suspenseful. Green Room (brilliant, one of my favorite movies of the past several years) is incredibly suspenseful, is it horror? I don't think it is. Unless El Dorado and Precinct 13 are horror, too.

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus : Has any media ever played into the inspiration of your stories?

<theboyintheclock> Oh yes, definitely.
<theboyintheclock> When I was really trying to figure out how to write a story, I'd sit and watch my favorite movies with a notebook in one hand and the remote in the other. I paused the movie every time I noticed anything and would write it down. You notice so much more, particularly about structure, than you'll retain over 90 minutes of passive watching.
<theboyintheclock> I took the same approach to books, reading with sticky notes and cramming them everywhere, and writing in the notes feature on the kindle.
<theboyintheclock> And a couple of the elements of the spire came to me via local headlines when I was growing up (in case, by media, you were thinking more of the news)

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : If you could pick the method in which you die, what would you choose? If you could also pick the method your greatest enemy (or person you dislike, if you don't have enemies) dies by, what would you choose for them?

<theboyintheclock> I'd like to die in my sleep at a very old age.
<theboyintheclock> There are one or two people that, while I wouldn't wish death on them, well, to paraphrase Mark Twain, there are a couple of obituaries I'll read with enthusiasm.
<theboyintheclock> Yeah, weirdly enough, I can't wish health conditions on them. Even hypothetically. Something instantaneous, still. Maybe a car accident so no one would think too deeply about it or try to make anything heroic out of their deaths whle at the same time, it being fast.

<cmd102> Question from _NuclearCorpus :  I hope you the best. What is the "best" day for you?

<theboyintheclock> Low level distraction through out the day. Something to look forward to that isn't stressful - like a steak in the fridge and time to cook it and eat it. The right beer to go with it. Yeah, a full belly. And, not to put to fine a point on it, but I do have days, even a fair amount of days, were my baseline emotions are fairly positive. It'd have to
<theboyintheclock>  be one of those days.
<theboyintheclock> Get out to forest.
<theboyintheclock> Full belly, a buzz, and company that doesn't mind neither of us talking.
<theboyintheclock> A cool breeze
<theboyintheclock> and some shady trees.
<theboyintheclock> That's about ideal for me. I'm a simple guy.

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : Any advice for new writers?

<theboyintheclock> It's a process that you make incremental gains through effort. I read a lot about writing, and online you see a lot of people talking about their one problem, and most of them come from this seemingly deeply held belief that the writing process is a lot like the reading process. That you sit down and the story flows out of you. Sure, it can feel th
<theboyintheclock> at way when everything's clicking, but it's really not that way at all, especially at first
<theboyintheclock> and you need to go back and edit it everything.
<theboyintheclock> Someone once said, life is stranger than fiction. To which the author (I think it was, again, Mark Twain) replied, 'of course it is, fiction has to make sense.'
<theboyintheclock> power through the early attempts that will suck, finish them, and starting something else won't seem like such an impossible task.

<cmd102> That's it, everybody! Thanks so much theboyintheclock for hanging out with us! And thanks to everyone who submitted questions! Keep an eye out on /r/nosleepinterviews for our next guest, /u/Organizing_Secrets!