Q&A with Author, Lloyd Britton

Lloyd Britton – Author Bio

Usually describing himself as an artist and poet, Lloyd Britton pursues many creative endeavours and has a wide variety of interests that shows his versatility and uniqueness as an artist and intellectual. As a writer of fiction, he explores the genres of fantasy, surrealism, experimental prose and the blend between prose and poetry. He also explores ideas of existentialism, philosophy, religion, psychology, sociology, linguistics, interpersonal and
intrapersonal dynamics of relationships and the symbiotic and emergent nature of reality.

In 2020 he started a series of fantasy stories under the main title of Tales from the Welkin Wanderers. In this series Lloyd applies an experimental approach to high fantasy storytelling, using a wide cast of characters with multiple narrators and story lines that cross over and link in a variety of ways. Each character tells their story from their unique perspective, allowing the reader to visualize their internal world, while having to figure out the wider reality of the realm they exist in. This creates a complex tapestry of beliefs and perceptions that just like in real life are sometimes contradictory, showing the innate eccentricities in the way every individual perceives the reality they are a part of.

The ideas and themes that are explored in the fantasy genre are particularly appealing to
Lloyd, with a strong emphasis on world building and creation of lore being prevalent in his
work.

Q&A

What is it about dragons that you love so much?

From the nursery rhyme Puff the Magic Dragon to the story of Saint George Slaying the
Dragon, the versatility of dragons in our culture is unparalleled, from a history of dragons
being evil beasts that need to be slain, which personifies them as the definitive monster in the overcoming the monster story, to a wealth of depictions in literature that shows the variety and scope of their character, as intelligent and benevolent beings, dragons are for the most part symbols of power and strength, that I personally find satisfies a deep seated desire to overcome the harshness of the world, be a force to be reckoned with while here and find our places as individuals within it.

Why do you enjoy writing about dragons?

The complexities of dragons in all our cultures around the world, shows them to be devices
that reveal our most basic and fundamental desires and principles. This, as a writer poses
certain challenges that are enjoyable to explore and figure out. When writing about dragons, you must ask yourself several important questions about how these creatures are to appear. Will they be intellectual? Have the ability of speech? Do they have a fatal weakness? Are they tameable? Answering all these questions and more are all part of the defining of the character of the dragon in the story and all of them have consequences for the story being told, this presents an exclusive challenge to storytelling, that shapes the tale in a way that is diverse and unique.

What are some of your favorite books to read featuring dragons?

Eragon, The Hobbit, A Song of Ice and Fire series.

What got you into writing?

I have always loved stories and growing up I wanted to write my own and discover the
satisfaction that comes from engaging someone in a story. I consider my writing journey to officially start after suffering from a psychotic episode in 2012, which changed a lot about the way I perceive reality, the road to recovery was long and arduous, and through exploration of different coping mechanisms, I discovered the art of haiku, which became a method of expression that enabled me to deal with my severe mental health issues.
For me personally. writing haiku and other poetry served as a reminder of my love of writing and storytelling that I had as a child, and poetry soon turned into writing prose as well.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to other writers, what would it be?

Constantly remind yourself why it is you want to write. Explore your motivations and
intentions of why writing is important to you, write it down, write it down multiple times
throughout your life and keep on evaluating and analysing it. Use this as the springboard for inspiration and motivation and always remember the power of the desire to understand and to be understood in turn.

Where can readers follow your writer platform?

Learn more about Lloyd at: Instagram