Interview with Brian Oliu
1) How did you get into writing?
I feel like I’ve always been into writing — it is something that I always did, even as a child — making up stories, crafting narratives, putting together words. My mother was a librarian so I grew up around books & was able to read pretty much anything I wanted. I drifted toward the nonfiction books — atlases, biographies, things of that nature.
2) What was it like, writing your NBA Jam book?
I believe in “method writing” — meaning that I try my best to embody my work so that when I write about it, it seems genuine. For that book, I knew that I wanted to write an essay about each one of the teams in the game. I played the game a lot to familiarize myself with the nuances & quirks, but I also played a lot of basketball as I was writing in order to make parallels with the game as well as the nostalgia elements.
3) What was it like, writing your story for the “War Dragons” app?
It was a new experience for me — I’m not much of a genre writer, so it was exciting to have the opportunity to work on something a bit out of my comfort zone. As a result, I took a different approach: I did an extensive outline of the novella before I started writing, as well as wrote in large chunks. Furthermore, I have never considered myself a coffee house writer, but the majority of the novel was written at Starbucks — I think it’s important to change your routine when you’re working on a new project, & I think that really helped in constructing the novella.
4) Have you ever had writer’s block get in the way of your work?
I go through periods where I don’t write as much as other times, but I would never really classify it as “writer’s block” — sometimes life gets in the way of what you’re working on which can distract you from putting in good work. For me, the key to get through those moments is to write your way out of it — to set aside some time to really bulk something out. It doesn’t matter if it’s any good or not — the idea is to just create & eventually the good stuff will come.
5) Why do you write about video games more often than not?
I find the idea of the different worlds of video games really interesting: we embody two different spaces when we play them — the physical space as well as the ethereal space of the game. It’s a fascinating dichotomy that I find myself coming back to — especially considering that writing operates the same way.
6) What is different between writing nonfiction and fiction?
For me, it’s about process: writing an essay is much different than writing fiction. For me, essays allow me to meander a little bit more when I am constructing — I have a handful of concepts that I want to include & I see how I get there. With fiction, I usually have a larger plan that I work toward when working with fiction & I try to stay on that course.
7) Do you think having a known setting makes writing fiction easier?
I think it’s always good to have as a jumping off point, as you have things that you can research & include instead of having yourself completely make up a whole new world. It allows you to focus on character & plot a little bit more. In later drafts, you might find yourself changing the setting entirely, but it’s nice to focus on certain elements with each draft & a known setting provides that in a way.
8) Is there anything you hope to accomplish through your writing?
I think any writer really wants to have a readership — to not only have a number of people read their work, but for their work to affect the people that do read it. It’s always exciting when I run into someone who has read & enjoyed my work — there’s a special type of joy that brings.
9) Do you have any tips for aspiring authors out there?
I think the key, always, is to write: try not to worry about “being an author” or getting published — there is a space for your work in the world if you put the effort into your craft. I’m pretty sure every problem that writers come across is answered by simply reading & writing more.
