Author Christopher Moore on Writing

his comic fiction novels have already

his comic fiction novels have already put him in the same class as Kurt

put him in the same class as Kurt

put him in the same class as Kurt Vonnegut and John Steinbeck hi my name

Vonnegut and John Steinbeck hi my name

Vonnegut and John Steinbeck hi my name is Stephanie and welcome to

is Stephanie and welcome to

is Stephanie and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking to author Christopher Moore how do you

to author Christopher Moore how do you

to author Christopher Moore how do you go about the development of your

go about the development of your

go about the development of your characters trying to give them their own

characters trying to give them their own

characters trying to give them their own point of view their own style speech etc

point of view their own style speech etc

point of view their own style speech etc I had a great teacher guy named Shelley

I had a great teacher guy named Shelley

I had a great teacher guy named Shelley Lowen coffee he ran the professional

Lowen coffee he ran the professional

Lowen coffee he ran the professional writing program at USC I didn’t attend

writing program at USC I didn’t attend

writing program at USC I didn’t attend that but I took extension courses from

that but I took extension courses from

that but I took extension courses from it and he taught to find out what your

it and he taught to find out what your

it and he taught to find out what your characters want and what their what

characters want and what their what

characters want and what their what they’re willing to do to get it and

they’re willing to do to get it and

they’re willing to do to get it and that’s how I always go about creating my

that’s how I always go about creating my

that’s how I always go about creating my characters is finding out what their

characters is finding out what their

characters is finding out what their agenda is and that sort of makes it

agenda is and that sort of makes it

agenda is and that sort of makes it easier to find their point of view and

easier to find their point of view and

easier to find their point of view and then too they have them speak make their

then too they have them speak make their

then too they have them speak make their dialogue come out and sound authentic to

dialogue come out and sound authentic to

dialogue come out and sound authentic to them and then you go backwards from the

them and then you go backwards from the

them and then you go backwards from the story and say what do I need this

story and say what do I need this

story and say what do I need this character to do their personality needs

character to do their personality needs

character to do their personality needs to fit that and sometimes that’s the

to fit that and sometimes that’s the

to fit that and sometimes that’s the whole vehicle for humor I wrote one book

whole vehicle for humor I wrote one book

whole vehicle for humor I wrote one book it was about a hypochondriac who gets

it was about a hypochondriac who gets

it was about a hypochondriac who gets the job of being deaf why would you say

the job of being deaf why would you say

the job of being deaf why would you say you’re drawn to such dark themes and

you’re drawn to such dark themes and

you’re drawn to such dark themes and storylines my dad was a cop as state

storylines my dad was a cop as state

storylines my dad was a cop as state trooper and so you know people who work

trooper and so you know people who work

trooper and so you know people who work in the emergency services developed this

in the emergency services developed this

in the emergency services developed this dark sense of humor to sort of as a

dark sense of humor to sort of as a

dark sense of humor to sort of as a defense mechanism and so that’s why I

defense mechanism and so that’s why I

defense mechanism and so that’s why I grew up with and I think the idea of

grew up with and I think the idea of

grew up with and I think the idea of mixing humor and horror wasn’t as

mixing humor and horror wasn’t as

mixing humor and horror wasn’t as foreign to me as it might be to somebody

foreign to me as it might be to somebody

foreign to me as it might be to somebody who didn’t have that sort of upbringing

who didn’t have that sort of upbringing

who didn’t have that sort of upbringing what would you say is the trick to comic

what would you say is the trick to comic

what would you say is the trick to comic writing especially when you’re combining

writing especially when you’re combining

writing especially when you’re combining the genre of horror it’s completely an

the genre of horror it’s completely an

the genre of horror it’s completely an instinct thing a lot of it is you know

instinct thing a lot of it is you know

instinct thing a lot of it is you know the cliche whistling through the

the cliche whistling through the

the cliche whistling through the graveyard or gallows humor you know you

graveyard or gallows humor you know you

graveyard or gallows humor you know you need to laugh when there’s that much

need to laugh when there’s that much

need to laugh when there’s that much tension and to try and build the tension

tension and to try and build the tension

tension and to try and build the tension so it’s actually scary is the harder

so it’s actually scary is the harder

so it’s actually scary is the harder part then making it funny what’s funny

part then making it funny what’s funny

part then making it funny what’s funny is just something that comes naturally

is just something that comes naturally

is just something that comes naturally to me it’s because it’s how I react to

to me it’s because it’s how I react to

to me it’s because it’s how I react to the world but trying to make those two

the world but trying to make those two

the world but trying to make those two things work in Congress with one another

things work in Congress with one another

things work in Congress with one another it’s it’s work you know I have to be

it’s it’s work you know I have to be

it’s it’s work you know I have to be honest it is but it’s usually the scary

honest it is but it’s usually the scary

honest it is but it’s usually the scary part that’s harder than the funny part

part that’s harder than the funny part

part that’s harder than the funny part what is your favorite monster to portray

what is your favorite monster to portray

what is your favorite monster to portray on paper I wrote a book about a sea

on paper I wrote a book about a sea

on paper I wrote a book about a sea monster the less Luzerne of melancholy

monster the less Luzerne of melancholy

monster the less Luzerne of melancholy Cove and it was this 100 foot long sea

Cove and it was this 100 foot long sea

Cove and it was this 100 foot long sea monster rises from the depths to feed on

monster rises from the depths to feed on

monster rises from the depths to feed on depressed mammals and and has sex with a

depressed mammals and and has sex with a

depressed mammals and and has sex with a tanker truck and then is really

tanker truck and then is really

tanker truck and then is really depressed and feels rejected when the

depressed and feels rejected when the

depressed and feels rejected when the tanker truck blows up he thinks that

tanker truck blows up he thinks that

tanker truck blows up he thinks that she’s just being hard-to-get

she’s just being hard-to-get

she’s just being hard-to-get and so that was really probably my

and so that was really probably my

and so that was really probably my favorite monster to write of anything

favorite monster to write of anything

favorite monster to write of anything that I’ve done I read that you prefer

that I’ve done I read that you prefer

that I’ve done I read that you prefer working in isolated areas but obviously

working in isolated areas but obviously

working in isolated areas but obviously you need people for inspiration so what

you need people for inspiration so what

you need people for inspiration so what is that like for you well I lived for

is that like for you well I lived for

is that like for you well I lived for years and years and years in little

years and years and years in little

years and years and years in little towns out in the middle of nowhere

towns out in the middle of nowhere

towns out in the middle of nowhere Central Coast of California I was in

Central Coast of California I was in

Central Coast of California I was in Kauai in the North Shore for a while but

Kauai in the North Shore for a while but

Kauai in the North Shore for a while but I have to visit obviously as you said

I have to visit obviously as you said

I have to visit obviously as you said culture and interaction of human beings

culture and interaction of human beings

culture and interaction of human beings to observe the writing process itself is

to observe the writing process itself is

to observe the writing process itself is just isolation and and discipline I

just isolation and and discipline I

just isolation and and discipline I don’t I don’t blend for those things

don’t I don’t blend for those things

don’t I don’t blend for those things very well you know I I can’t socialize

very well you know I I can’t socialize

very well you know I I can’t socialize when I’m writing I just am sort of this

when I’m writing I just am sort of this

when I’m writing I just am sort of this machine that types and you know eats

machine that types and you know eats

machine that types and you know eats what are you working on right now I’m

what are you working on right now I’m

what are you working on right now I’m working on a book about painters in

working on a book about painters in

working on a book about painters in French painters in the late 19th century

French painters in the late 19th century

French painters in the late 19th century set in Paris on Montmartre has the cast

set in Paris on Montmartre has the cast

set in Paris on Montmartre has the cast you might think it might would have you

you might think it might would have you

you might think it might would have you know Toulouse Lautrec and go again and

know Toulouse Lautrec and go again and

know Toulouse Lautrec and go again and the Impressionists and so forth and I

the Impressionists and so forth and I

the Impressionists and so forth and I hope it’ll be funny and I hope it’ll be

hope it’ll be funny and I hope it’ll be

hope it’ll be funny and I hope it’ll be entertaining you don’t have weird

entertaining you don’t have weird

entertaining you don’t have weird supernatural stuff in it but it’s just

supernatural stuff in it but it’s just

supernatural stuff in it but it’s just such an interesting period of time and

such an interesting period of time and

such an interesting period of time and an interesting place that you know I’ve

an interesting place that you know I’ve

an interesting place that you know I’ve been drawn to it and I want to see if I

been drawn to it and I want to see if I

been drawn to it and I want to see if I can do something with it thank you so

can do something with it thank you so

can do something with it thank you so much you’re very welcome