Sorry if you already answered this Mr. Gibbs, but I’m really forgetful. I notice in SS sometimes you say that burner phones are really hard to get and even Erica doesn’t have one, but later she does, and it sometimes goes back between those two. I know it’s a really small detail, but did you mean for this to happen or was it an accident? Btw, your books are amazing.
Oh and have you ever thought that SS or FunJungle series are too long? All the books are great, but did you ever feel like you’ve run out of ideas or strayed too far from where you wanted the books to go? Also, will you ever make Ben become an adult, or will you stop the series. Thanks for taking the time to go through the blog!
Elaine –
I recognize that the reliance on phones changes in the books. That’s because I have written the series over more than a decade and it has become harder and harder to track things I have said before. Frankly, the less I can let my characters use phones, the better, I think. I like for them to rely on their wits, rather than technology.
Elaine –
If i thought that a series had gone on for too long, then I would stop writing that series. I have kept writing these series because I have not run out of ideas. In fact, I have many more ideas that I would like to write.
I will not make Ben an adult, though. Then the series would not be middle grade any more.
Sorry to bother you with more questions. I notice that you have a handful of characters to deal with, when writing how do you build their personality and do you ever mix them up, not just in the specific series but all your characters? Also since you’ve basically travelled the whole world, which place were you most amazed about and felt a special connection to, do you have one for all the settings you have too? And what do you think about AI writing stories, do you think it can help future writers or do you think it will be bad for the future writers?
Sorry for all the questions, thanks for answering them!
Hello Mr.Gibbs
I might be being forgetful but I don’t remember Ben ever crying throughout the series and even Erica cried about something once, given that all Ben has went through I’d expect him to cry at some point. Could that be something that happens in the future
Elaine –
It is really easy for me to keep my characters apart. I imagine each of them very distinctly.
There are so many amazing places on earth, but I keep getting drawn back to going on safari in Africa (although there are many wonderful places to do that).
I hate the idea of AI writing stories. I think it cannot create, it can only mimic, and the only reason it can mimic is that AI developers illegally taught the programs using books that were stolen from authors (like me, but many others as well). Whether or not anyone chooses to use it is up to them, but in my belief, any shortcutting you do to the writing process takes away from the quality of your writing.
Vsauce
I don’t think I have ever had Ben or Erica cry in the series. Not sure if I have anyone cry at all. I suppose it could happen in a future book. But I can;t say for sure.
I think In SSAS Mike briefly mentions that trixie told him Erica cried about Ben going missing on the ship
Sorry if you already answered this Mr. Gibbs, but I’m really forgetful. I notice in SS sometimes you say that burner phones are really hard to get and even Erica doesn’t have one, but later she does, and it sometimes goes back between those two. I know it’s a really small detail, but did you mean for this to happen or was it an accident? Btw, your books are amazing.
Oh and have you ever thought that SS or FunJungle series are too long? All the books are great, but did you ever feel like you’ve run out of ideas or strayed too far from where you wanted the books to go? Also, will you ever make Ben become an adult, or will you stop the series. Thanks for taking the time to go through the blog!
Elaine –
I recognize that the reliance on phones changes in the books. That’s because I have written the series over more than a decade and it has become harder and harder to track things I have said before. Frankly, the less I can let my characters use phones, the better, I think. I like for them to rely on their wits, rather than technology.
Elaine –
If i thought that a series had gone on for too long, then I would stop writing that series. I have kept writing these series because I have not run out of ideas. In fact, I have many more ideas that I would like to write.
I will not make Ben an adult, though. Then the series would not be middle grade any more.
Sorry to bother you with more questions. I notice that you have a handful of characters to deal with, when writing how do you build their personality and do you ever mix them up, not just in the specific series but all your characters? Also since you’ve basically travelled the whole world, which place were you most amazed about and felt a special connection to, do you have one for all the settings you have too? And what do you think about AI writing stories, do you think it can help future writers or do you think it will be bad for the future writers?
Sorry for all the questions, thanks for answering them!
Hello Mr.Gibbs
I might be being forgetful but I don’t remember Ben ever crying throughout the series and even Erica cried about something once, given that all Ben has went through I’d expect him to cry at some point. Could that be something that happens in the future
Elaine –
It is really easy for me to keep my characters apart. I imagine each of them very distinctly.
There are so many amazing places on earth, but I keep getting drawn back to going on safari in Africa (although there are many wonderful places to do that).
I hate the idea of AI writing stories. I think it cannot create, it can only mimic, and the only reason it can mimic is that AI developers illegally taught the programs using books that were stolen from authors (like me, but many others as well). Whether or not anyone chooses to use it is up to them, but in my belief, any shortcutting you do to the writing process takes away from the quality of your writing.
Vsauce
I don’t think I have ever had Ben or Erica cry in the series. Not sure if I have anyone cry at all. I suppose it could happen in a future book. But I can;t say for sure.
I think In SSAS Mike briefly mentions that trixie told him Erica cried about Ben going missing on the ship