Meet Don Miasek

We recently connected with Don Miasek and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Don, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?

In both writing and communication, it all comes down to being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. This goes for the reader and for your characters.

After a crippling setback, how does the brave spaceship captain Ezza Jayens deal with it? What about Cherny, the timid ex-spy? Or Jenna, the fiercely determined vagabond? Faced with the same obstacle, everyone approaches it from a different angle, and so you have to tailor your communication style to accommodate each.

This goes for the reader as well. I need to anticipate what they’re feeling after an action packed scene, or a humourous joke, or a heart-wrenchingly sad moment. I’m communicating facts and emotion to the reader, getting them to learn what I want them to learn, and feel what I want them to feel.

One issue when communicating to the reader, however, is that you don’t get any feedback from them like you would in a normal conversation. At least, you don’t get any feedback until your book is in print and it’s far too late! This is where beta readers and writing groups come in handy, so you can hear firsthand what areas of the manuscript need improving.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I love science fiction.

I write sci-fi, I edit sci-fi, and I watch sci-fi. It lets humanity speculative about what’s to come. Whether it’s societal or technological, it gives us a chance to hypothesize. Worried about the growing authoritarianism in a world where tech gives immense power to a select few? Well, we’ve already lived through that in George Orwell’s 1984. Or perhaps you’re concerned about a regression of gender equality. Humanity dealt with that already in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

Science fiction lets us experiment with the future in a risk-free environment. Nobody was actually harmed in Fahrenheit 451 or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but there are still lessons to learn.

And yes, although I taunt fantasy authors every chance I get, I do love me some Dungeons & Dragons and Lord of the Rings.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Getting Feedback: I mentioned how important communication is, and getting a good writing group with trustworthy beta readers is vital. You can read your own work a hundred times, only for a fresh set of eyes to spot ten mistakes in ten seconds. Did you insufficiently explain some key plot point? Or did you overexplain it? A beta reader will let you know.

Go, Go, Go: It’s so tempting to agonize over the same chapter for hours (days! weeks!) in some futile attempt to get it perfect. As much as I hate to say it, the harsh reality is that unless you want to spend a decade on one book (which, to be fair, some people do) you need to be willing to move onto the next chapter. You can always go back and revise later, but it’s far too easy to get stuck with zero progress.

Plan Ahead: Okay, not everyone is going to be on board with this. Architects vs gardeners? Yeah, I’ve heard the debate, and naturally there’s no singular right way to do it. But personally, I rarely regret taking a few extra hours before starting a story (or even just a scene) and typing it all out in point ahead of time. The result is a quicker scene to write, and one that feels more satisfying narratively.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

This might be strange to say, but I think focusing on one’s strengths is most important. A book cannot be all things, and that’s perfectly fine. What people remember are the powerful moments that leave them breathless.

Isaac Asimov’s theories on robotics are legendary. Characterization or prose? That wasn’t his focus. It’s the speculative element that made him great.

Murderbot by Martha Wells has phenomenal characterization, particularly for the titular character. Murderbot’s unique personality resonates with people in a way that other characters don’t. It (and Murderbot is definitely an ‘it’) is easy to empathize with, and something about it captures the imagination. Would Wells have been better served to write more about the technology? Or world build on the company? Probably not.

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Image Credits

Other notable people in the images:

Peter G. Reynolds – Aurora Award Winner for Short Story
Gillian Secord – Aurora Award Nominee for Short Story
Justin Dill – Aurora Award Nominee for Short Story

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