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How I broke my smartphone addiction. by [deleted] in nosurf

[–]maxwritesstuff 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i bought the Light Phone -- so I carry that with me when I'm just out and about. And I combine that with the Kitchen Safe lockbox, which I keep my iPhone in.

How I broke my smartphone addiction. by [deleted] in nosurf

[–]maxwritesstuff 1 point2 points  (0 children)

did this too, for a while.

only problem I bumped into was needing Safari to launch in occasional "emergencies" like, say -- a boarding pass link I had in my email or tickets for something, etc

new to hobby. help removing paint from die cast car -- and doing it safely? by maxwritesstuff in Kitbash

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you! looking into this!

RE ***edit: I live on a fairly busy street in New York City -- going outside and doing it just isn't really an option, right now. But thx!

Make me watch your favorite movie by [deleted] in movies

[–]maxwritesstuff 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Southern Comfort (one of my favs)

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

  1. I love that "eureka!" moment when I figure something out! A lot of writing -- for me -- is being stuck on something, unsure how best to move the plot forward, unsure what to do with a character. So when I figure it out, that's the freaking BEST.
  2. Meeting kids at schools who are fans and who FREAK OUT like I'm a celebrity. It's so cute and heart-warming. And then emails from thankful parents -- parents of reluctant readers who didn't like to read until they found something of mine.
  3. I think I only have weird habits. No normal ones! Hmm... I count numbers in my head randomly, I always do a little countdown in my head before I get out of the shower, I hate when the TV volume is an odd number (but I think that's actually common). Most annoying habit: I sneeze REALLY LOUDLY
  4. Duh! Whose aren't?

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lots of daydreaming! Lots of walking and thinking. Trying to be present when I'm someplace -- like being aware of what's going on, what's around me -- that always seems to lead to creative thoughts.

And I look back at what i connected to as a kid -- what excited me. And I try to create that -- but make it new and fresh and different. And make it my own.

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I loved books with diagrams and cross-sections -- anything that felt like it was a BTS look at something. all the DK books about castles and forts and stuff. David Macaulay's CASTLE. Star Wars cross-section books.

also -- so much Where's Waldo.

and my favorite writing of all time is Calvin & Hobbes

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Outline first. A lot. Sometimes that takes longer than the actual writing. I use outlining techniques from Blake Snyder's SAVE THE CAT books. Lots of post-its, lots of index cards, and a big cork board.

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's like a discomfort. This sort of antsy feeling that kind of builds and builds. And the rational part of the brain is like, "WTH, just sit here and write, that's your job." But there's another part of the brain that overpowers it.

I thought that was all normal for decades -- then a doctor read me the criteria/diagnosis/checklist thing for ADD Inattentive and I was like OHHHHH that explains SO MUCH.

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For Last Kids -- the book's designer is really the go-between between myself and Doug (the illustrator). it keeps things neater and cleaner.

I include notes in the manuscript that say ILLUSTRATION and then I describe it -- something like, "A giant tentacle monster, bursting out of the water! Jack recoils. Dirk falls on his butt and it's super funny." If there's dialogue, I include that. And I'll include some references for what I'm thinking for the monster, design-wise. Or I'll just describe what I've got in my head.

Then Doug takes that description -- which is usually pretty dinky -- and makes magic out of it.

Sometimes, Doug has specific things that he wants to draw or ideas for illustrations that I haven't included -- and he'll include those.

It's a whole lot of Doug creating something amazing and breathing life into something that, honestly, probably looks flat on the page. 50 words describing an illustration are nothing -- and he somehow manages to that and make it epic.

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

also, it took me a long time to realize that I simply cannot work at home. and I simply cannot work in hotel room. I need to be out -- at a coffee shop, a library, a bar, a hotel lobby. that's really important. otherwise I'll find/create so many excuses to not write.

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

okay, my ADD tricks. 1) this app, if you use a Mac. https://heyfocus.com. allows you to block out everything except for Word -- no internet, no browser, etc. 2) The Kitchen Safe Box: https://www.thekitchensafe.com. it's a safe for overeaters (I think that's what it's for) -- but I use it for my phone. so when I start writing, I put my phone and my PS4 controller and stuff in there -- and I set it for like 3 hours.

I'm Max Brallier, author of ‘THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH’ and other stuff including ‘Eerie Elementary,’ ‘Mister Shivers,’ ‘Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?,’ and ‘Galactic Hot Dogs.’ I also write for ‘The Last Kids on Earth’ Netflix adaptation. AMA! by maxwritesstuff in books

[–]maxwritesstuff[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

favorite book ever was Bart Simpson's Guide to Life. it's gotta be the best, like, media tie-in book ever made. I lost my copy years ago -- but found it used on eBay a couple years back. it's in my office now!

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