Meet the Author: Lynn Nodima

Lynn Nodima grew up reading and writing. Her works are heavily influenced by her love of the written word and the science fiction genre. Lynn writes science fiction and fantasy. Her books are available in ebook format through Kindle on Amazon.

Lynn Nodima's Books:

Heart Failure
The Viper Pit
Alas, Atlantis!
All I Done: Grampy Goes to Town
A Relative Truth
Design Defect
Trinity's Sorrow



When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was eight years old. I read a book that I liked, but I thought I could have done it better. It was science fiction—maybe the first science fiction book I ever read. It was about a little girl who found herself in a strange alternate dimension. I remember that much, but the actual book title escapes me. At that point, I was reading at least 12 books a week, so its not surprising that I can’t remember.

How long does it take you to write a book?

That’s hard to answer. I wrote the first draft of my first novel (400 double spaced pages) on an old manual Remington typewriter in 14 days. I edited it and reworked it for the next 4 years. It has not been and probably will not be published. I saved each chapter in a separate file, and over the years have lost an important chapter. If I ever find it, I will reconsider.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I don’t have a set schedule. I tend to write more at night than through the day, and I try to write a full chapter before stopping. Some days I don’t write at all, others I write two or more chapters. It really depends on my work schedule for my editing work.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?

I tend to reread the previous chapter before starting on the next one. When my kids were little, they learned to touch my shoulder before talking to me while I was writing. Otherwise, I was so in the ‘zone’ I never heard them.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Ideas are everywhere. Sometimes it is from something I read. If you write fantasy or science fiction, the tabloids are a good place to look. All the “Elvis is alive” or “Aliens are here” type stories can be fodder for the muse. However, the morning paper, or these days, social media and online articles, are a good source, too. Sometimes, ideas come from a random comment I hear.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I read. I like to be creative, too, so I do a lot of crafting like sewing and beading.

What would you tell other Christian women who want to write?

No one is born knowing how to write. It takes practice and a good understanding of grammar. If you need to learn more about grammar, find a good grammar workbook and commit to working through it.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you are not a writer. A writer is one who writes, not one who is told he or she is a writer. Write, write, and write some more. Turn a deaf ear to anyone who does not believe in you.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I have written one book, mentioned above, which is not published. I have started two others, and have written lots of short stories. My stories tend to be either science fiction or fantasy, or a combination of the two. Not by choice, necessarily. That is just what appears when I let my muse play on the keyboard. My favorite is always the one I am writing at the moment.

Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

1.       Ignore people that say you have to write what you know. If you don’t know something you want to write about, research! With the Internet and public libraries, there is no reason not to be able to find information you need. Much of the time you will find it free. If you have to pay for it, decide if it is worth having.

2.       If you want to write, write. Wishing and dreaming only gets you wishes and dreams. Action is what gets you to the point you can publish.

3.       Learn what “show, don’t tell” really means. Use the five senses in your writing to let readers see the scene. Don’t tell the reader your character is angry. Show the reader by having your character throw something, yell, or even just curl their fingers into tight-knuckled fists and taking a threatening step toward whomever he or she is angry at, depending on the character and his or her specific personality traits.

4.       Learn what point of view means. Staying in one character at a time is important. It makes the book easier to read. This does not mean you can’t have more than one view point character. It means don’t have more than one view point character in one scene or chapter. Many wonderful books are written with alternating point of view characters in alternating chapters. Doing this lets you inform your reader about how another character feels or what another character thinks without confusing your reader.

5.       Open your favorite book in your genre. Type out the first chapter. Pay attention to how words are used, how images are used, and how feelings are portrayed.  Now find another book by a different author. Do the same thing. Once you are done, discard the pages (if typewritten) or the file (if done on a word processor). You don’t need the pages, but the exercise will help you see how other writers write scenes and dialog.

What do you like to read?

Almost everything. I read science fiction (especially space opera), fantasy, mysteries, westerns, and some of the tamer romances. I also enjoy reading about scientific discoveries (another good place to get ideas), and human interest stories. I like to reread favorite books over and over.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

For as long as I can remember, all I wanted to be was a writer. We had that question come up on the last day of my 8^th grade year. Each student had to tell what they wanted to be. I said I wanted to be a science fiction writer as good as Robert Heinlein. My classmates thought it was a joke, but it was really what I wanted.

Fun fact(s).

My favorite color is red. My favorite animals are unicorns and dragons (not real, I know, I know). My favorite author is Elizabeth Moon. When Star Wars first came out, I saw it 17 times in the theater, and have seen it many times since.