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Message 1 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Hey guys  Christopher Paolini has read all your questions  and you can check out if the Eragon author has answered yours! |
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Message 2 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Weridwham asks: Hi, were u a bookworm when u were younger?
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Message 3 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
Yes, I loved (and I still love) to read books. I used to visit the library every week, each time leaving with a pile of books nearly as tall as myself. In fact, the librarians always used to make jokes about how many books I checked out, but I didn’t care—I enjoyed reading too much.
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Message 4 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Magicdancer 123 asks: Do you enjoy Books? If you do at what age did you start reading novels?
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Message 5 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
When I was very young, I actually hated to read. In fact, I remember marching up to Mom and saying, “I’m never going to use reading my entire life; it has nothing to do with reality!” That all changed one day when I visited the library and—in the children’s section—found a series of mystery books with bright covers and splashy spines. I checked one out. When I read it, it was as if something clicked in my head: all of a sudden I could hear the dialogue, I could see the characters, and I could smell their surroundings. It was like magic! From that day on, I’ve been in love with the written word.
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Message 6 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
BlueDolphinDiva16 asks: Hi I luv ur books! My fave character is Saphira I hav watched movie as well! Who is your fave character?
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Message 7 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
Saphira is my favorite character, too. She is loyal, funny, brave, intelligent, noble, fiercely independent and endowed with the innate wisdom of her race. Part of what makes her so appealing is that Eragon becomes linked to her when she hatches. Their relationship is very different than if he had suddenly joined up with an age-old dragon. This way, they're both young and exploring the world for the first time.
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Message 8 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
P.I.N.K can't beat the best asks: What I'd like to ask, is what inspired you to write about dragons and suchlike? And what age did you publish your first book?
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Message 9 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
The idea for the Inheritance cycle came from my love for the magic of stories and how they can transport the reader into fantastical places. Also, I was inspired by the book Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, by Bruce Coville, the tale of a boy who buys a “stone” from which a dragon hatches. I liked the idea so much, I couldn’t get it out of my head. So I asked three questions: what land would a dragon egg come from, who would find it, and—since dragon eggs can’t be common—who else would be looking for it? My quest to answer those questions led me to envision the story that became Eragon. I was seventeen when it was first published.
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Message 10 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Jonas Obsessed asks: Did you ever base any of the characteristics of your characters on people you knew? How long did it take you to write each book?
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Message 11 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
Two characters are based (loosely) on people I know, Eragon and Angela. When I first invented Eragon, he was me. Writing about yourself is probably one of the easiest things for a fifteen-year-old author to do. I found that as the story progressed and Eragon did things that I've never done—such as fight monsters and fly on a dragon—he evolved into his own character.
Angela the herbalist was inspired by my sister, Angela. She knows the Latin names of all our local plants and actually had a humorous argument with her uncle about whether toads are really frogs. She is a wonderful and fascinating person, full of wit and wisdom. Other characters are from my imagination.
It took about three years for Eragon—a year each to write, rewrite, and edit it. If you removed time taken for promotional activities, Eldest and Brisingr took about two years each.
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Message 12 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
timelordchild asks: How does it feel to know so many people read your work and enjoy it so much? Did you ever want to do anything else as a child?
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Message 13 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
When I was a child, I never intended to become a writer. In fact, for a long time, I thought I would grow up to be an artist instead, since I love drawing and painting.
It’s a strange and wonderful feeling to know that so many people have read my books. All I set out to do was tell a story that I would enjoy myself, and I never imagined that anyone outside of my family might actually read it. That the books have been so popular is a source of never-ending amazement to me, and I am immensely grateful for the support of all of my fans around the world. Without them, none of this would have happened.
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Message 14 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
YMA6 Girl asks: I have read Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr and they were all amazing! I especially loved Eragon! How did you come up with the creatures' names?
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Message 15 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
I'm glad you enjoyed reading the books. The names of my characters and places come from three sources. Some are invented through jokes or wordplay, such as Eragon, which is dragon with one letter changed (it also means era-gone, as in a time gone by), and Saphira, which was inspired by sapphire. The rest of my names either come from my invented languages—like Isidar Mithrim—or are derived from real languages, such as Old Norse, German, Old English, and Russian. Picking the right name is a process that can take days, weeks, or even years. If I have difficulty choosing the correct moniker, I use a placeholder name until a replacement suggests itself.
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Message 16 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Star asks: Hi! I was just wondering, what inspired you to become an author? That is my ambition, and I would very much enjoy it if you answered my question.
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Message 17 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
Painting, carving wood, metalwork, being outdoors, and writing poems and short stories are activities I enjoyed as a child. But I never intended to become an author. The creation of Eragon was just a wild challenge for myself, my attempt to write a book that I would enjoy reading myself, and the first part of a larger story. Publication was the furthest thing from my mind. I certainly didn't know how big a project I had tackled, but as I poured my heart and soul into the story, writing it soon overshadowed other activities. Only after the completion of Eragon did I seriously contemplate a career as a writer.
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Message 18 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Pipette and Spatula asks: What advice would you give to children (like me!) who want to become award-winning authors?
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Message 19 - posted by Christopher Paolini
(U14201576)
, Nov 4, 2009
The best advice I can offer is to write every chance you get. Read widely and study how authors compose their sentences, dialogues, and plots. Improve your grammar and vocabulary; they are the tools of the trade. And find a mentor (an author, teacher, or journalist) who can help you grow in the craft, so your creative vision can sparkle.
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Message 20 - posted by Samba
(U13976172)
, Nov 4, 2009
Polly asks: why do you like dragons and myths?
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