Stephenie Meyer answers her fans burning questions about ‘Midnight Sun’
Stephenie Meyer recently took to answering questions from her fans. Below she responds to questions about ‘Midnight Sun’…..
To address the many, many questions about Midnight Sun:
I’ve found that there really isn’t any answer I can give that changes the substance or tenor of the myriads of requests, pleadings, and demands I get for Midnight Sun to be finished, so I feel a little silly answering that question at all. But it’s the most popular question, so I’ll take another stab at it.
I am not working on Midnight Sun now. I don’t have a plan for when I’ll get to it; I don’t know now what the right time for it will be.
In your questions, there were some erroneous conclusions about the situation which I’ll try to set straight. First, Midnight Sun is not finished and locked in a safe, waiting for me to be done angsting over the leak. If it were done, I would be throwing it on the bookstore shelves myself. I’d love to be able to give it to all the people who are anxiously waiting for it. Second, I am not upset about the leak. I haven’t been for a long time; I was over it after about three weeks. Third, and most important, I am not trying to punish anyone. Not the persons who leaked it, not the people who read the leak, nobody. As I said, it would make me very happy to be able to give it to anyone who wants it.
So why the hold up? Because it’s not finished and lying in a safe. It’s not done, and finishing it is not a simple matter of sitting down in front of my computer and typing out the words; the words have to be there in my head to type out, and right now, they’re not. I have to be in the zone to write any story, and trying to force myself into that zone is a waste of time, I’ve found. I’ll get back to Midnight Sun when the story is compelling to me again. Just because people want it so badly does not make it more write-able; kind of the opposite, actually. I need to be alone with a story to write, and Midnight Sun feels really crowded, if you know what I mean.
People write for different reasons. I have always written to make myself happy. If I’m enjoying a story, feeling the creativity flow, engrossed in a world, then I write and I write fast. If I’m not into it, I can’t write. I’ve never been someone who writes on demand and I can’t imagine working that way. As cool as it would be to say to my favorite author, “You know, I’d really like to read a great book about a narwhal mafia. Write that for me, ‘kay?” or even “I’d love a sequel to that last one,” that’s not how it works. How it works is that my favorite author writes a new book about whatever he/she is interested in. Maybe it takes a year, maybe it takes five. If it’s something I want to read, I buy it or I check it out at the library. If not, I find something else to read. The end.
(All of this goes for writing about vampires in general, too. Vampires and I? We’re on a break.)
I’m pretty sure this won’t slow the pleadings and the demands, but I didn’t want you to think I was ignoring the question.
For full interview please visit Stephenie’s website.
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November 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I would rather wait 50 years and have it come out perfect then have steph write it half assed because she is in a rush to put it out there! So i say “Steph take your time.Just dont forget us!
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I have so much respect for Stephanie not to rush it out and throw it on the shelves because it would sell millions. She could easily do that, but the desire has to come from within for it to be as great as the other 4 books. I’m sure her fans, as much as we want it now, will wait for the finished work!!!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
i dont know, i think you are still hurt about this and that makes the person won cause if u werent mad and upset u would keep writing it to show no hard feelings. it is punishin us becauseof what that person did to u. right now the fans are dealing with cant waitin for all the movies come out so thats just pacifin them but when it’s all done and over they will want to able to read “midnight sun “.
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Joyce, I think you are way off base. Stephenie just said she wasnt punishing anyone and basically, the hype over this needs to die down before she is able to revisit this.
Stephenie, if you’re reading this, thank you for what you HAVE given us. I really love them all, especially The Host. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I heard it is being made into a movie? And, any chance there will be a second book for it? Is there anything else that your working on that we can look forward to? Thanks again! : )
~Tish
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Stephanie,
I’m a mother too and in love with your books…so please enjoy your fame and your family because no matter how long you take to finish Midnight Sun…. me as your fan will be waiting patiently. Love ya, Minerva
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:47 pm
i hate that someone(s) put the story out there in the first an ruined it for the rest of us.. i love stephanie meyers books.. she is a great writer.. but yes i would rather wait an it be perfect then have her do it just cuz fans want her to… believe i want to read the rest but i want it to be a great rest.. i would be hurt if i gave someone something that to keep private and they put it out for everyone to see.. most people dont understand what it takes to be a writer… its hard.. but i hope that she will get inspired to finish it soon lol.. cuz i really do want to read but i will def wait an get it when it comes out thats for sure!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Everyone should feel honored to have been able to read any of these books. To be a stubborn b-word, *cough* Joyce, is just out of the line. What makes you think that by acting like that Stephanie would want to write more for you? Who are you to say that she is still hurt? I’d imagine that it’s a part of life for a writer – more like a nightmare – to have a leak thrown into the public, but seriously – life goes on. It seems to me as though she is handling it her own way. And whether that be to work on the book or lock it up in a safe is up to her. Who’s to say it ever has to be published? If she doesn’t finish it, then what? You should grow up. It’s not punishing anyone, and any other series that comes out, you have to wait between movies. So if you’re hurting that badly about not having a movie or a book, re-read the series. Or read something else. But bashing on the author for your reasons is not going to solve anything.
On another note – Stephanie, you are brilliant and thanks for everything you have given to us!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:27 am
As long as it comes out before i die i can wait!!
November 25th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Sorry, but I can’t wait. I’m not getting any younger.lol
November 29th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Good job, i’m glad you’re enjoying it. happens all the time