Us Before Them Updates #2 / Q&A
Now that I'm in the home stretch for Us Before Them (A Zach Croft Novel), I figured it'd be good to keep you up to date with my progress. In addition, I wanted to answer some of your questions.
January 12, 2025:
What's your number one tip for fleshing out characters?
The best way to give characters more depth is to focus on their relationships with other characters. For instance, Carver would not be nearly as interesting of a character if he did not exist alongside Zach and Ryker. He does all these bad things in 2030, but by 2053, he actually cares about Zach. Then, Zach figures out what he did. That instantly creates a very difficult dramatic situation to deal with in the story.
Bring back Ryker or I will riot.
Unfortunately, Us Before Them is a science fiction and not a fantasy novel, so there will be no necromancers to bring him back from the ashes. I… um… am sorry for any emotional turmoil I have caused.
So, I'm not a big fan of dystopians, but I really want to read this one (Us Before Them). What can I look forward to?
The Forgotten Colony really focused on what happens when we let environmental ruin go too far. Us Before Them will focus on the consequences of tribalism in the wake of such ruin. Colleagues will turn on colleagues, friends will turn on friends, and humanity's list of crimes will skyrocket. However, that environmental destruction is not entirely referring to the solar flares... to put it lightly, Alpha Cen is not as hospitable as Zach Croft would have hoped.
What made you want to start writing?
Whenever my favorite characters got killed off in the books I read or TV shows I watched, I got super mad and thought I could do better (if you'll remember the introduction to The Forgotten Colony, I was a very arrogant 12-year-old). Then, once I started writing the book and realized I wasn't the master writer I believed myself to be, I was already in too deep. I wanted to make good on the promise I made.
Yes, the writing process brutally humbled me.
But it needed to happen, and now writing is a massive part of my life.
Plotter or pantser? Regarding that, what tools do you use for planning in general?
For The Forgotten Colony, I made the mistake of waiting until after the first draft to outline. That is, I wanted to "see where the story took me." Unfortunately, it took me to some of the worst writing in the known universe. Part of why the book took almost 4 years to complete was the fact that I had to essentially throw out every word of the first draft. Then, I was left picking up and rearranging the scraps.
For Us Before Them, I took a much more regimented route and—for the most part—outlined the entire book before the pen hit the page. This was really crucial because the flashback and present day timelines are only a year apart, so I needed to maintain continuity. I used an online tool called Miro to create a timeline using digital sticky notes. I then added short descriptions for each scene in the book.
Some people think that outlining will hinder their ability to consider new ideas and directions for the story. But that's not true. Several times, I thought of better storylines and made changes accordingly. The only difference was that I didn't have to throw out thousands of words—just a handful of sticky notes.
I fully credit my speed in finishing Us Before Them to the extensive outlining I did at the beginning.
How do you stay consistent with writing at the same time as school?
This is something that has personally worked for me but may not for others:
I know I need to get both my writing and my homework done each day. But there are consequences if I don't do my homework. There aren't physical consequences if I forget to write one day.
Therefore, I write the second I get home from school—way before doing my homework—because I know I'll still get my homework done at some point. It won't matter if I'm tired from writing—there are consequences to not doing my homework.
If I were to do my homework first, there's a higher chance that I would skip writing for the day because I'm too tired.
Again, this works for me, but everyone is different. School is the most important thing. Make sure you're doing what's best for you, and don't let grades slip for writing.
What do you think is a scene in the story that readers should look forward to?
A space station will be falling from the sky.
That is all I will say.
J.B. Ryder
Hey, readers! Do you like this format of post (a handful of quick questions with some writing and Us Before Them information mixed in)? If so, please leave a like on this post, and I’ll do more like it.
Have you read The Forgotten Colony yet?
To all of you who already bought The Forgotten Colony, thank you so much for your support. Your excitement and enthusiasm for the book has made the long four-year journey totally worth it.
If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon.
If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a copy, it’s available on Amazon now, in paperback, hardcover, and ebook format.
I still can't believe Ryker is dead. I'm gonna cry...
Wait Ryker is dead? I read TFC I thought he was still alive