Hello, friends! Today I have the honor of interviewing David Fielding! David is a man of many talents, being both an actor and writer. David’s best known role is as the iconic Zordon on Mighty Morphan Power Rangers. As a writer, he has several published novels, and has also written for some anthologies.
I actually met David a couple of years back in 2015 at Houston’s Comicpalooza. It was my first time at any type of con, and I was invited their as a panelist for different literature panels. I can attest that David is an extremely genuine gentleman. He took his time with each and every fan that came to see him, something not seen in all actors/writers. It was a great learning experience for me, since I was a very new and young writer at the time.
To learn more about David, you can check out his social medias below:
Alright! So let’s move on to some questions.
1) What made you decide to go into acting?
I grew up reading books about adventure and myths, and then comic books dealing with heroes and I watched a lot of adventure and sci-fi films as well. I knew I wanted to be a part of those things and so in high school I began taking drama and acting classes. Once I graduated I sought out other acting programs, studied Shakespeare and other playwrights and auditioned for and acted in as many stage productions as I could. There is no better teacher than actually being on stage and having to bring the words and the character to life.
2) With your background in acting, what made you start writing as well? Were there any particular books/events/people that inspired you to start writing?
I started writing early on, making up my own comic books or stories I could read to my family at Christmas time. In High School I began playing D&D and a number of other role-playing games and so had to learn the dramatic structure of how to tell a story. I read a lot of books on writing and the type of books I was interested in writing and I continued to make notes or jot down ideas all through college. Several types of books influenced me to become a writer – pulp novels were a big influence, books of two-fisted heroes that meted out their own brand of vigilante justice – characters like Doc Savage, The Spider, The Shadow and Conan the Barbarian. I also read a lot of Stephen King and his book “On Writing’ is probably one of the best books I’ve read on what it’s like to be a writer.
3) Do you find that being an actor helps you be a better writer or vice versa?
I think they influence each other greatly – they are two sides of the same coin. Both require an understanding of character and motivation, as well as being able to negotiate obstacles in order to tell a story or achieve a goal. Writing allows you to put words in a character’s mouth, acting allows you the chance to interpret those words, to bring them to life.
4) What is your writing process? Is it a set process or more fluid?
I know that many authors have a routine – they get up and write for four hours straight or they set aside a certain amount of time to lock themselves away and write – I’m not that disciplined. I write in fits and starts and sometimes will spend an entire day writing a bit here and there. Sometimes I’ll get a good streak going and write steadily for a few hours. But mostly I write when I make myself – I should shut of the internet and not turn it back on, that might allow me to write more without distractions.
5) What advice do you have for new/aspiring writers?
Write. Sit yourself down, take pen or pencil in hand or open up a document on your computer and WRITE. It doesn’t have to be good. In fact, it won’t be at first. It will be terrible. But keep going. Keep writing. Put one word down and then the next and the next and the next. KEEP WRITING. You will get better. If you wait for the right time, or the right piece of paper or the right idea, you’ll miss all the other ones that could’ve been allowed to flow through your fingers if only you had started. So WRITE. Every day if you can – five words, ten, twenty or two hundred. Just keep at it.
6) Where do you draw your inspiration? Is it more internal inspiration or external?
My inspiration comes from a lot of different sources. Most times they are external, like seeing an object or an action play out in front of me (two people arguing or a car almost having a collision) and that will spark a scene or an idea. Other times it is internal, I’ll just be mulling over something and my mind will paint a picture and I’ll have to jot it down before I forget it. Sometimes a news article or a science journal piece will spark an idea. I write under the umbrella of what is called speculative fiction – a ‘what if” genre. What if steampunk was real? What if magic is real and is used by people every day? What if your neighbor is an time traveling alien? I write paranormal stories, pulp stories, science fiction and fantasy, and so my inspiration comes from all of those things that interest me. In many ways, being a writer allows you continue to stay engaged with the magic of making things real through the power of words.
7) What drew you into your genres?
They are all the things I have loved since childhood, and so I can’t say I ever really left them. I was drawn to them at an early age and never really left them behind!
8) What project have you enjoyed working on the most?
I’m not sure I have a favorite – all of them have their good points and their bad points, and when I am working on them I’m focused on trying to do the best I can. I enjoy writing most of all though because I really enjoy it when readers get what I’m writing about, when they understand and respond, that let’s me know I’ve been able to entertain and take them on a journey.
9) What is the deciding factor on whether or not to pursue a project?
If it excites or motivates me. I have to believe that there is value to it. If its just for giggles then there is no real reason to put effort into it – if however it is something that moves or touches other people, then it is worth it. We are all here to learn and understand and to share as much as possible, so that others than come after us will be able to know and understand something about us.
Thank you for the interview, David! The insight into your writing process is amazing. Your comment on how acting and writing are two sides of the same coin was an interesting point, and lends a view on how being creative in one area can assist you in the other. It was also interesting to hear how your writing process is not too structured. As a creature of habit myself, it’s always interesting to hear about less structured writers in terms of process. I appreciate you taking the time to answer all these questions!
I am sure you all enjoyed the interview as much as I did! Please feel free to leave a comment below on your thoughts.
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