Mark Pantoja is a writer who previously worked as an environmental scientist for the EPA. In our latest Q&A, learn about Pantoja’s favorite authors as well as his advice to fellow writers. You can read his latest story, “The White Tiger,” in our [November/December issue, on sale now!]
Analog Editor: How did this story germinate? Was there a spark of inspiration, or did it come to you slowly?
Mark Pantoja: Like a weed. This story started out as an attempt to work out all the research, tech, and worldbuilding for a series of novels in the same SFnal setting. I intended it to be short. I set a week deadline to write it and month to edit it. Twelve months later I was done writing it and six months later I was done editing it. Part of this was a pandemic response to having a lot of time on my hands, but mostly I was down rabbitholes of research in search of perfection. I can’t even remember what drove me to start this particular story, though I always knew I wanted the blackhole bomb to go off in the end. Oops. Spoiler.
AE: Who or what are your greatest influences and inspirations?
MP: I feel like I’m always finding new writers whose work influences mine, however, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that Iain M. Banks, Ursula K. Le Guin, China Miéville, John Varley, and David Graeber are all over this story.
AE: What is your process?
MP: Messy.
AE: How do you deal with writers’ block?
MP: Luckily, I don’t have writer’s block. I def have writer’s apathy from years of rejection and internalized impostor syndrome, like why am I even doing this anymore? But that’s pretty easily overcome by putting ass in chair. Also, a long walk or a pillow over the face for an hour while you lie on the couch seized with anxiety, mentally breaking down cause you just found a huge plot hole you don’t know how you’re going to fix totally counts as writing.
no one is going to walk in one day and start pouring on the recognition or the money or the accolades. You have to go for it. Or be a nepo baby. Marrying rich isn’t a bad idea, either.
AE: How did you break into writing?
MP: I’ll let you know once I do.
AE: What inspired you to start writing?
MP: Bad writers with good book deals.
AE: If you could choose one SFnal universe to live in, what universe would it be, and why?
MP: Bank’s Culture novels. Utopia with intrigue.
AE: What SFnal prediction would you like to see come true?
MP: Star Trek world peace.
AE: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming writers?
MP: Don’t hesitate. No one is going to give it to you, whatever it is—writing, music, dance, acting, career. I want to say you should go for it one hundred percent, but I certainly didn’t, and well, it’s taken me this long to get this far. I’m 47, barely employed, wearing the same clothes for two days, and haven’t left the house for three. So yes, you should probably go for it one hundred percent. That sounds like a bunch of empty advice, but it’s true: no one is going to walk in one day and start pouring on the recognition or the money or the accolades. You have to go for it. Or be a nepo baby. Marrying rich isn’t a bad idea, either.
AE: Many of our Analog authors are interested in science. Do you have any scientific background, and does it impact your fiction?
MP: I have a degree in anthropology and worked as an environmental scientist and science consultant for the Environmental Protection Agency for twelve years. Besides loving to learn how the world works and trying to incorporate that into my work I have also learned the language of government and bureaucracy, so, there’s that.
AE: How can our readers follow you and your writing?
MP: You can find me on the hellsite that was once known as Twitter (https://twitter.com/mynameisanumber/), but there’s not much left there anymore and apparently I’m not cool enough for bluesky yet, so if you want to learn more: Markpantoja.com
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