I was perusing Schlock Mercenary this morning when a pop-up ad appeared touting a site called Pages Unbound . The site purports to be a home for freely available novel-length fiction on the web. Interested, I clicked through.
What I found is that Pages Unbound is actually a link page that goes to where people are mostly posting "web serializations", i.e. novels on the fly, via things like blogs or independent web pages.
Technically, I find nothing wrong with either having a link page to novels being written on the fly or the people who choose to publicly display their creations via the web. That's a choice that people are free to make.
That being said, welcome to the next generation of vanity press. On the up side, least it cuts out the immoral predator "publishers" like Publish America and Authorhouse. However, a quick browse of the linked pages show pretty much exactly what you'd expect: a bunch of first-draft quality beginner tracks of questionable value. Basically a Greek chorus of people desperate to be appreciated for what they've created.
It hurts, in a way, because I know that feeling. With only four short stories in the wild, the odds of meeting anyone outside of my editors, friends, and family who've actually read my works is vanishingly small.
There's so many facets to this that I'm boggled a bit at where to begin. You can weigh the existence of the Pages Unbound site against the all the other attempts to exploit the power of the web to leverage the death grip big publishing has on the throats of writers. Alternately, you can commune with the misery of those who create and desperately want to be read, even though so many of them need so much work to be readable.
Oh, lord, do they need work.
Regardless, every writer starts somewhere and then learns or doesn't. Those that learn move on and forward in the business, those that don't find other things to do with their time. If something like Pages Unbound helps promising writers move forward from the teeming masses of "wannabes" into the prose producing ranks of "writer", so be it. It's not bad, just an avenue that's open to question.
Still, I do have a problem with the whole concept. These people are posting their work in blogs and other socially interactive web environs, but there's no central location for mentoring and nurturing. You have to go to each individual location and read and then comment there, if facilities are provided. Plus it's hard to gauge if the Pages Unbound contributors are even open to feedback. Do they want to move out of casting their tales into the void or not? Or are they amongst those poor deluded fools who have convinced themselves that their words are like golden baubles for the benighted masses simply because the words are the "author's"?
Hard to tell.
All in all, I can't support an effort like Pages Unbound unless it's tied to an uber-community that supports its contributors by providing an independent venue to exchange and discuss craft, business, and the place of prose on the web.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Death to the Literatsi
John Scalzi had words for a nitwit in LA who derided Heinlein in Scalzi's name. Complete comments along with a boisterous discussion thread (which happens any time Heinlein's name is invoked) is here:
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=191
For the record, I am not a fan of those who judge a piece's worth by its "literary" pedigree. In fact, the best way to get me to ignore someone's opinion is for them to start yapping about the "literary" merit of a story. I immediately peg those people as posturing poseurs worthy of scorn, derision, and rotten tomatos if any are to hand.
Spare me.
Literature cannot exist soley on the pretentious airs of the mutual back-patting society that is the self-annointed "literatsi". True literature is best judged by that which survives the test of time and speaks across the generations to the breadth of human understanding, not within the theses and papers of the closeted bearers of academic letters or other presumptive cultural gatekeepers. Ergo, judging something as having "literary" merit because of its fancy structure or avante-guarde approach as it comes out of the publisher's gates with the ink barely dry is laughable.
If a piece of fiction does not compel a reader to keep turning a page to "see what happens", then it is useless. Thus, a writer who cannot create compelling stories to go with their oh-so-crafted "literary" words does not deserve to be read and generally isn't. Crafting a well-told tale comes first. Great art can only be built upon solid craftsmanship and that's as true of woodworking as it is for oil painting as it is for prose.
Other than publishing and distribution's continued and drawn out commission of seppeku through the bean-counter driven extermination of the mid-list, nothing has done more to destroy the breadth and consumption of speculative-fiction prose than those who inflict "literary" posturing upon words that tell no tale anyone outside of the "enlightened" literatsi want to hear.
By my definition of "literature" Heinlein succeeded. His works have survived and spoken across generations, although I think the ones that will be remembered more 50 years from now are not his more pretentious later works like "Stranger in a Strange Land", but rather his earlier enjoyable reads like "Starship Troopers".
http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=191
For the record, I am not a fan of those who judge a piece's worth by its "literary" pedigree. In fact, the best way to get me to ignore someone's opinion is for them to start yapping about the "literary" merit of a story. I immediately peg those people as posturing poseurs worthy of scorn, derision, and rotten tomatos if any are to hand.
Spare me.
Literature cannot exist soley on the pretentious airs of the mutual back-patting society that is the self-annointed "literatsi". True literature is best judged by that which survives the test of time and speaks across the generations to the breadth of human understanding, not within the theses and papers of the closeted bearers of academic letters or other presumptive cultural gatekeepers. Ergo, judging something as having "literary" merit because of its fancy structure or avante-guarde approach as it comes out of the publisher's gates with the ink barely dry is laughable.
If a piece of fiction does not compel a reader to keep turning a page to "see what happens", then it is useless. Thus, a writer who cannot create compelling stories to go with their oh-so-crafted "literary" words does not deserve to be read and generally isn't. Crafting a well-told tale comes first. Great art can only be built upon solid craftsmanship and that's as true of woodworking as it is for oil painting as it is for prose.
Other than publishing and distribution's continued and drawn out commission of seppeku through the bean-counter driven extermination of the mid-list, nothing has done more to destroy the breadth and consumption of speculative-fiction prose than those who inflict "literary" posturing upon words that tell no tale anyone outside of the "enlightened" literatsi want to hear.
By my definition of "literature" Heinlein succeeded. His works have survived and spoken across generations, although I think the ones that will be remembered more 50 years from now are not his more pretentious later works like "Stranger in a Strange Land", but rather his earlier enjoyable reads like "Starship Troopers".
Friday, December 07, 2007
About the potential 'Zine
I thought I should spell out a little bit more about what's coming with the webzine if our investigations prove that it's do-able.
The basic premise is that paper-based publishing is currently involved in a fairly advanced form of bureaucratic bean-counter driven seppeku. Because of the change in customer attitudes regarding access to content and competition from other kinds of entertainment, we need to leverage the power of the internet to offset the lack of innovation and opportunity coming out of traditional publishing.
Do I want to be a publisher? Has it always been my deepest dream to edit? Hell, no. Unfortunately, sitting on the sidelines is being effectively complicit in the death of the only art I can create and that's just not my style.
So, here's where I'm going, if all the ducks line up and march to cadence:
Darwin's Evolutions
A Journal of Speculative Fiction
Multi-format web-based periodical home for science fiction and fantasy stories, 1k to around 10k. Book and movie reviews. News of note. Commentary on genre and things like Manga and Anime, etc. Will offer a variety of reader formats (as many as we can get converters for, anyway), including audio pod-cast.
Published monthly with a minimum of three stories. We will be a home for new fiction as well as quality reprinted stories that have reverted to Author rights. We will also publish a speculative fiction based web comic serial in each issue.
No assinine pretentions of reaching for "Literary" acclaim. Just a home for ripping good yarns. Give us characters to care about, vivid worlds, exciting plots, and actual resolutions where something is learned or someone changes. Wordy, narcissistic navel gazers and indoctrination-oriented activists bearing soapboxes need not apply.
The goal from the get-go will be to provide a professional and quality publication regardless of format the customer chooses to use to enjoy the content.
One of the primary features of the 'zine, however, will be how it conducts its business. We're not going to put up a wall between ourselves, our contributors, and our customers. There'll be a tip bucket on the front page for the magazine and every story will have an associated tip bucket for the author/artist. Each author and artist will have an account that will baldly state the financials for the 'zine as a whole and their stories in particular. My goal for the author/artist tip buckets is to have them dump directly to whatever account their associated person has available to receive electronic transfers. If the mag has to "escrow" the buckets and cut a check, that accounting will be completely transparent to the affected parties.
On the front page of the 'zine, there will be a graphic counter that will illustrate how our funding is doing relative to money out versus money in as an indicator of fiduciary health so that customers will be able to see the effect their donations have.
The basic premise is this: if we can pick stories people enjoy reading and feel happy to drop a buck or two on as a thank you, then we deserve to survive. If not, then the operational model has no place in the world.
The author tip buckets will also serve as a means of choosing stories for a "Best of" anthology.
I'm basing the pay rate off of Andromeda Spaceways In-flight Magazine at this point. $0.0125 per word, $20 minimum for any story. Worthy reprints submitted will receive a $20 flat fee. Art will be $20 for interior-line and whatever I can scrape together above that for cover - probably $50 to $100 but I'm not promising anything.
The goal is to eventually build enough reader support to pay SFWA pro rates as a base for all content.
For our investment, we expect the rights to publish stories electronically on the internet, in audio pod-cast, and via print-on-demand media and to keep such rights for a period of one-year from initial date of publication, after which all rights revert to the author who can choose to leave the story up in our archives or withdraw it at that time.
An offer to be included in a "Best of" anthology will involve a duplicate payment equivalent to the original advance and will option a story for an additional year beyond the date of publication of the antho, with the same revert-to-author and removal options as with the normal magazine after that time.
Stories in the archives, by the way, will still have tip buckets associated with them. Any time a story is read on-line, the author's tip bucket and the magazine's tip bucket will be available for clicking.
Anyway, that's the great and grand overview. We'll be framing things up over Christmas holidays and beta-volunteer readers and folks who submitted test stories will be able to test-drive the result sometime in January.
D
The basic premise is that paper-based publishing is currently involved in a fairly advanced form of bureaucratic bean-counter driven seppeku. Because of the change in customer attitudes regarding access to content and competition from other kinds of entertainment, we need to leverage the power of the internet to offset the lack of innovation and opportunity coming out of traditional publishing.
Do I want to be a publisher? Has it always been my deepest dream to edit? Hell, no. Unfortunately, sitting on the sidelines is being effectively complicit in the death of the only art I can create and that's just not my style.
So, here's where I'm going, if all the ducks line up and march to cadence:
Darwin's Evolutions
A Journal of Speculative Fiction
Multi-format web-based periodical home for science fiction and fantasy stories, 1k to around 10k. Book and movie reviews. News of note. Commentary on genre and things like Manga and Anime, etc. Will offer a variety of reader formats (as many as we can get converters for, anyway), including audio pod-cast.
Published monthly with a minimum of three stories. We will be a home for new fiction as well as quality reprinted stories that have reverted to Author rights. We will also publish a speculative fiction based web comic serial in each issue.
No assinine pretentions of reaching for "Literary" acclaim. Just a home for ripping good yarns. Give us characters to care about, vivid worlds, exciting plots, and actual resolutions where something is learned or someone changes. Wordy, narcissistic navel gazers and indoctrination-oriented activists bearing soapboxes need not apply.
The goal from the get-go will be to provide a professional and quality publication regardless of format the customer chooses to use to enjoy the content.
One of the primary features of the 'zine, however, will be how it conducts its business. We're not going to put up a wall between ourselves, our contributors, and our customers. There'll be a tip bucket on the front page for the magazine and every story will have an associated tip bucket for the author/artist. Each author and artist will have an account that will baldly state the financials for the 'zine as a whole and their stories in particular. My goal for the author/artist tip buckets is to have them dump directly to whatever account their associated person has available to receive electronic transfers. If the mag has to "escrow" the buckets and cut a check, that accounting will be completely transparent to the affected parties.
On the front page of the 'zine, there will be a graphic counter that will illustrate how our funding is doing relative to money out versus money in as an indicator of fiduciary health so that customers will be able to see the effect their donations have.
The basic premise is this: if we can pick stories people enjoy reading and feel happy to drop a buck or two on as a thank you, then we deserve to survive. If not, then the operational model has no place in the world.
The author tip buckets will also serve as a means of choosing stories for a "Best of" anthology.
I'm basing the pay rate off of Andromeda Spaceways In-flight Magazine at this point. $0.0125 per word, $20 minimum for any story. Worthy reprints submitted will receive a $20 flat fee. Art will be $20 for interior-line and whatever I can scrape together above that for cover - probably $50 to $100 but I'm not promising anything.
The goal is to eventually build enough reader support to pay SFWA pro rates as a base for all content.
For our investment, we expect the rights to publish stories electronically on the internet, in audio pod-cast, and via print-on-demand media and to keep such rights for a period of one-year from initial date of publication, after which all rights revert to the author who can choose to leave the story up in our archives or withdraw it at that time.
An offer to be included in a "Best of" anthology will involve a duplicate payment equivalent to the original advance and will option a story for an additional year beyond the date of publication of the antho, with the same revert-to-author and removal options as with the normal magazine after that time.
Stories in the archives, by the way, will still have tip buckets associated with them. Any time a story is read on-line, the author's tip bucket and the magazine's tip bucket will be available for clicking.
Anyway, that's the great and grand overview. We'll be framing things up over Christmas holidays and beta-volunteer readers and folks who submitted test stories will be able to test-drive the result sometime in January.
D
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Further Sniping at Writing Advice
Here's a valid definition of a "story":
A story consists of characters that the reader can empathize with in a setting the reader can visualize who are then caught in a bear trap which they escape or address via dint of their own efforts and, in the process, learn something or change in a recognizable way.
Pursuant to that, the Monkey Method (an amalgamation of concepts distilled by Dave Freer):
You get 200 words to hook a reader. In that first 200 words you must establish a character (or characters) the reader can empathize with, build enough of a world for your reader to visualize the surroundings using all five senses (also called "grounding" the reader), and you must provide tension in situation enough that the browser will be inclined to turn the page to find out "what happens next" and thus become a reader.
Three language constructs that stick out to editors and identify beginning writers:
1) Beginning a sentence with a gerund phrase. (First word in a sentence ends with "ing")
2) "As" at the beginning of a sentence and used to denote incongrous simultaneity to actions.
3) Overuse of passive language constructs (i.e. weak "to be" verbs instead of rich action verbs).
A story consists of characters that the reader can empathize with in a setting the reader can visualize who are then caught in a bear trap which they escape or address via dint of their own efforts and, in the process, learn something or change in a recognizable way.
Pursuant to that, the Monkey Method (an amalgamation of concepts distilled by Dave Freer):
You get 200 words to hook a reader. In that first 200 words you must establish a character (or characters) the reader can empathize with, build enough of a world for your reader to visualize the surroundings using all five senses (also called "grounding" the reader), and you must provide tension in situation enough that the browser will be inclined to turn the page to find out "what happens next" and thus become a reader.
Three language constructs that stick out to editors and identify beginning writers:
1) Beginning a sentence with a gerund phrase. (First word in a sentence ends with "ing")
2) "As" at the beginning of a sentence and used to denote incongrous simultaneity to actions.
3) Overuse of passive language constructs (i.e. weak "to be" verbs instead of rich action verbs).
Monday, November 26, 2007
Update and Thoughts for New Writers
Back from the Thanksgiving slide fatter and a bit sick. Ah, well, so be it. I stil managed to break 61k today on RD.
Knocked out the next page of T-Saurs yesterday to Kevin via Gmail.
I reworked an old short recently called Incursion. I'm happier with it now, but the original story and the revised story are actually two different narratives. I've done this before with ROGUE 8812, so it's not surprising. Original was about 3.8k. Revised version is 6.5. Go me! I completely blew by my 5k self-imposed target.
Just shoot me now. Then again, it didn't stretch to 10k, so I think I'll be grateful instead. Woot! Beer and pretzels time.
And let me say that writing first-person present-tense is tiring. Definitely not my favorite thing to mess with. I can do it, but I'm not pretentiously wit-waw-wawy enough to make it my life's work.
Okay, I said hints for new writers, didn't I?
Let's see:
1) No, if I don't want to use your new idea for a story, I really doubt a "Name" author will either. It's your idea, either you write it or it dies. If you work at it, it might even be a unique spin on an old idea.
2) Yes, it's been done before. Everything at some level has been done before. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it again, because this time IT'S YOURS. (Not mine. See item 1)
3) When all the wonderful writing advice is said and done and you're scared of putting words on a page, you've got to shut off your internal editor and write in your spoken voice. You're putting YOU on the page as a storyteller. Your "sound" and your impressions are what make the words unique. Editing can happen later. Write first.
4) One comment is a point. Two is a trend. Three is concensus. That having been said, if you can get three people to read your work and comment, you've already won at some level. Have a party.
5) To break in, you have to stand out. You stand out by having a clean, technically smooth manuscript that still has a "voice". In fact, "voice" alone can sell stories, so don't freak when you find boo-boos after you dropped the MS in the mailbox or e-mail outbox. If the piece has a soul, it'll find a market.
6) Guess what? Unfinished manuscripts don't sell, whether for shorts or novels. Some people have the Blarney blessing enough to sell novels on proposal. Unless you've been able to sell bridges on speculation, though, I can't recommend it. If you're gonna look for work in the field, prove your ability to produce.
7) Yes, once you have a name you can break SOME rules. No, you don't have one yet so quit asking and go send off some stories until you do.
8) Yeah, the market sucks. Unfortunately, it's the market you've got. So you either play or you spectate. Them's the rules, make your choice.
I'll type more later if the mood strikes and I'm not lynched.
Knocked out the next page of T-Saurs yesterday to Kevin via Gmail.
I reworked an old short recently called Incursion. I'm happier with it now, but the original story and the revised story are actually two different narratives. I've done this before with ROGUE 8812, so it's not surprising. Original was about 3.8k. Revised version is 6.5. Go me! I completely blew by my 5k self-imposed target.
Just shoot me now. Then again, it didn't stretch to 10k, so I think I'll be grateful instead. Woot! Beer and pretzels time.
And let me say that writing first-person present-tense is tiring. Definitely not my favorite thing to mess with. I can do it, but I'm not pretentiously wit-waw-wawy enough to make it my life's work.
Okay, I said hints for new writers, didn't I?
Let's see:
1) No, if I don't want to use your new idea for a story, I really doubt a "Name" author will either. It's your idea, either you write it or it dies. If you work at it, it might even be a unique spin on an old idea.
2) Yes, it's been done before. Everything at some level has been done before. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it again, because this time IT'S YOURS. (Not mine. See item 1)
3) When all the wonderful writing advice is said and done and you're scared of putting words on a page, you've got to shut off your internal editor and write in your spoken voice. You're putting YOU on the page as a storyteller. Your "sound" and your impressions are what make the words unique. Editing can happen later. Write first.
4) One comment is a point. Two is a trend. Three is concensus. That having been said, if you can get three people to read your work and comment, you've already won at some level. Have a party.
5) To break in, you have to stand out. You stand out by having a clean, technically smooth manuscript that still has a "voice". In fact, "voice" alone can sell stories, so don't freak when you find boo-boos after you dropped the MS in the mailbox or e-mail outbox. If the piece has a soul, it'll find a market.
6) Guess what? Unfinished manuscripts don't sell, whether for shorts or novels. Some people have the Blarney blessing enough to sell novels on proposal. Unless you've been able to sell bridges on speculation, though, I can't recommend it. If you're gonna look for work in the field, prove your ability to produce.
7) Yes, once you have a name you can break SOME rules. No, you don't have one yet so quit asking and go send off some stories until you do.
8) Yeah, the market sucks. Unfortunately, it's the market you've got. So you either play or you spectate. Them's the rules, make your choice.
I'll type more later if the mood strikes and I'm not lynched.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Halfway
Cleared 60k on Rogue Destiny this afternoon. This is the theoretical "half-way" point in a 120k target length. How long the work will actually be depends a lot on what it takes to wrap things up and then subsequent editing. However, it's a kind of standard milestone for novel work.
It's also the most I've written on any one project. So, happy dance! I'm on the road to actually having a completed novel.
It's also the most I've written on any one project. So, happy dance! I'm on the road to actually having a completed novel.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Writing update, 14NOV07
Okay, so what have I been up to lately?
Rogue Destiny's word count is now up to 58k. The elusive "theoretical" half-way point beckons.
I've updated my web site. Check it out at http://www.sff.net/people/dagarrison
I rewrote an old first-person present tense experiment called Incursion and submitted it to an on-line webzine.
Kyle's currently having editorial growing pains in his attempts to rewrite Revundane. I'm wrapping his head around things like cardboard characters, the effects of massive trauma and bloodloss, and building believable societal systems.
Rogue Destiny's word count is now up to 58k. The elusive "theoretical" half-way point beckons.
I've updated my web site. Check it out at http://www.sff.net/people/dagarrison
I rewrote an old first-person present tense experiment called Incursion and submitted it to an on-line webzine.
Kyle's currently having editorial growing pains in his attempts to rewrite Revundane. I'm wrapping his head around things like cardboard characters, the effects of massive trauma and bloodloss, and building believable societal systems.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Outlining and Other Sins
There's an apocryphal tale out there in the orbit of Baen Books that tells of how a now-famous writer learned to complete his novel ideas from an older, wiser hand. I won't name names because I heard the story third hand, but the lesson is clear for those of us working our way up from the slush piles. The gist of the fable goes like this:
Rising Writer (hereafter referred to as RW): "I have a hard time finishing novels that I start. I keep jumping from idea to idea."
Old Hand (to be known henceforth at OH): "How many starts do you have on your hard drive."
RW: "Around fifty."
OH: "How many complete outlines do you have?"
RW: "Outlines? Oh, I don't use those. I write organically. The story flows from the character interactions."
OH, heavy sigh: "If you want to finish anything you start, do the damned outline."
Since the RW was co-authoring with the OH at the time, he had little choice in the matter and ended up doing his outlines. The rest, shall we say, is more or less history since he actually did start finishing stories and became an OH in his own right.
There's a lot of truth in this. Every writer writes differently, of course, but the longer and more complex the story, the more important it is that you have a suitable roadmap in front of you.
My personal process involves "sketching" out scenes and putting together ideas and characters first and then I go back and write a kind of overview outline that tells me where I'm going and how I intend to get there. To that I add character sheets, societal notes, and geography information in an electronic binder that allows me to keep my descriptions straight as I go along.
If you have an outline, you reduce the likelihood of getting stuck or losing your way. Not that things can't change as characters develop, but if you don't know where you're going, how in the hell are you going to get there? Character interaction alone won't do it because people by their very nature are chaos incarnate.
So, even for a character-driven kind of writer like myself, having some kind of outline counts as a "Really Good Idea".
Rising Writer (hereafter referred to as RW): "I have a hard time finishing novels that I start. I keep jumping from idea to idea."
Old Hand (to be known henceforth at OH): "How many starts do you have on your hard drive."
RW: "Around fifty."
OH: "How many complete outlines do you have?"
RW: "Outlines? Oh, I don't use those. I write organically. The story flows from the character interactions."
OH, heavy sigh: "If you want to finish anything you start, do the damned outline."
Since the RW was co-authoring with the OH at the time, he had little choice in the matter and ended up doing his outlines. The rest, shall we say, is more or less history since he actually did start finishing stories and became an OH in his own right.
There's a lot of truth in this. Every writer writes differently, of course, but the longer and more complex the story, the more important it is that you have a suitable roadmap in front of you.
My personal process involves "sketching" out scenes and putting together ideas and characters first and then I go back and write a kind of overview outline that tells me where I'm going and how I intend to get there. To that I add character sheets, societal notes, and geography information in an electronic binder that allows me to keep my descriptions straight as I go along.
If you have an outline, you reduce the likelihood of getting stuck or losing your way. Not that things can't change as characters develop, but if you don't know where you're going, how in the hell are you going to get there? Character interaction alone won't do it because people by their very nature are chaos incarnate.
So, even for a character-driven kind of writer like myself, having some kind of outline counts as a "Really Good Idea".
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Just Sit Down and Write
I am now 22k into my novel, Rogue Destiny. I posted the obligatory 20k snippet to Julie Czerneda's SFF group and I've posted chapters 1 through 3 in Baen's Bar on the Doc Monkey and Sarah's Diner forums.
And I'm still capable of continuing. Will wonders never cease?
Writers are generally capable of a great deal of mental flagellation. We can flip-flop back and forth almost instantaneously between story ideas, concepts, snacking binges, cat hysterics, child-induced panic attacks, or what have you. However, if you don't just sit down and write, nothing happens.
Why is it such a challenge? I know that simply letting go of all the mundane madness of everyday life and entering words onto the page is my biggest challenge. Worries about grammar or style or cliches or market potential or even the next car payment easily pop up and sidetrack me.
Yet, my progress with Rogue Destiny is more than just getting 20k in and stopping. I've finally achieved the point in my head where I can make myself write, whether I want to or not. I'm told that this is something of an achievement for authors. How this switch got thrown in my head, I'm not entirely sure. The root cause could very well be Kyle's continued success with drivng his own works to completion.
My goal for Rogue Destiny is to have it done in time for World Fantasy Con in November. I might just make it.
And I'm still capable of continuing. Will wonders never cease?
Writers are generally capable of a great deal of mental flagellation. We can flip-flop back and forth almost instantaneously between story ideas, concepts, snacking binges, cat hysterics, child-induced panic attacks, or what have you. However, if you don't just sit down and write, nothing happens.
Why is it such a challenge? I know that simply letting go of all the mundane madness of everyday life and entering words onto the page is my biggest challenge. Worries about grammar or style or cliches or market potential or even the next car payment easily pop up and sidetrack me.
Yet, my progress with Rogue Destiny is more than just getting 20k in and stopping. I've finally achieved the point in my head where I can make myself write, whether I want to or not. I'm told that this is something of an achievement for authors. How this switch got thrown in my head, I'm not entirely sure. The root cause could very well be Kyle's continued success with drivng his own works to completion.
My goal for Rogue Destiny is to have it done in time for World Fantasy Con in November. I might just make it.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Oh, how the mighty are brought low
From the "Every good deed is its own punishment" file:
My son, Kyle, is an aspiring author. This is very cool, because we can talk authorly things together. My daughter, Erin, will probably be joinging us in a bit, but that may take a while.
Kyle has an innate storytelling ability plus he generates compelling characters and plot. He has technical issues that need to be addressed plus the occasional lapse of perspective peculiar to the young, but that is all addressable.
He has also written the same novel in two different flavors now.
I have yet to complete my first novel.
I suspect his career is going to travel under much more favorable stars than my own. I wouldn't have it any other way.
My son, Kyle, is an aspiring author. This is very cool, because we can talk authorly things together. My daughter, Erin, will probably be joinging us in a bit, but that may take a while.
Kyle has an innate storytelling ability plus he generates compelling characters and plot. He has technical issues that need to be addressed plus the occasional lapse of perspective peculiar to the young, but that is all addressable.
He has also written the same novel in two different flavors now.
I have yet to complete my first novel.
I suspect his career is going to travel under much more favorable stars than my own. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Friday, July 06, 2007
At last!
Finally got a name for my novel based on my first short story "sale" (which was Hell Forge). The title is "Rogue Destiny" and tells the story of Aimelyn and Sammat fighting together to oppose the curse that afflicts both them and Marsh' descendents.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
InConJunction
As mentioned previously, I will be attending InConjunction in Indianapolis this weekend (July 6 through 8). I actually get to host a panel on whether or not all possible themes for vampire and zombie stories have been explored. Not really sure about the other panels, but I'll make do as required.
It will suck that I won't be able to get home this weekend, though. Being gone from Tam and the kids for longer than a four day stretch bugs me.
In writing news, I've been infected with an urge to work on a novel concept born of my first published story, Hell Forge. It still needs a name, but the imagery just won't stop coming. So, I'm going to go for it!
Don't worry, I'll get Recall going, too.
It will suck that I won't be able to get home this weekend, though. Being gone from Tam and the kids for longer than a four day stretch bugs me.
In writing news, I've been infected with an urge to work on a novel concept born of my first published story, Hell Forge. It still needs a name, but the imagery just won't stop coming. So, I'm going to go for it!
Don't worry, I'll get Recall going, too.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Cogent and Thoughtful
Basically, that's what I'd like to come across as, but that's going to be a bit of a challenge.
Not for any one particular reason, mind you. Rather, I have a variety of things buzzing around in my head that could or could not be interesting to anyone who might browse through.
For example, first time writers scared to death that someone is going to steal their precious short story. So, they put copyright symbols in the title or all over the manuscript. That's almost always a brilliant red-flag for a piece that's going to suck rocks.
So, like I mentioned yesterday, I finished two shorts that are now homeless since neither one met the needs of an anthology I was aiming for. At times like this, you get a "And now what?" sort of pause. Do I go right back to the novel I was working on? Do I edit the shorts and send them somewhere in the vain hope of selling them to an ever-shrinking short story market? Do I just delete the files from my jump drive and let them disappear into the ether?
Oh, decisions, decisions.
Add to that the pending disaster that will be my real-life housing relocation and my attendance of two cons this month and you can see that focus will be a running issue for a while.
So, if my posts aren't exactly cogent and thoughtful, please be patient.
Not for any one particular reason, mind you. Rather, I have a variety of things buzzing around in my head that could or could not be interesting to anyone who might browse through.
For example, first time writers scared to death that someone is going to steal their precious short story. So, they put copyright symbols in the title or all over the manuscript. That's almost always a brilliant red-flag for a piece that's going to suck rocks.
So, like I mentioned yesterday, I finished two shorts that are now homeless since neither one met the needs of an anthology I was aiming for. At times like this, you get a "And now what?" sort of pause. Do I go right back to the novel I was working on? Do I edit the shorts and send them somewhere in the vain hope of selling them to an ever-shrinking short story market? Do I just delete the files from my jump drive and let them disappear into the ether?
Oh, decisions, decisions.
Add to that the pending disaster that will be my real-life housing relocation and my attendance of two cons this month and you can see that focus will be a running issue for a while.
So, if my posts aren't exactly cogent and thoughtful, please be patient.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Tada!
I'm back!
Yes, yes. I've been quite remiss in my blogging duties but, honestly, it's not like anyone missed me. Ergo, no blood, no foul.
Updates. I love updates.
Current bibliography:
Short Stories:
Firebird and Shadow in Something Magic This Way Comes, Tekno/DAW anthology, March 2008
My Girlfriend Fate in Fate Fantastic, Tekno/DAW anthology, November 2007, available for pre-order on Amazon and other places.
Kyri's Gauntlet in Under Cover of Darkness, Tekno/DAW anthology, currently available.
Hell Forge in Illuminated Manuscript, Double Dragon E-book anthology, currently available.
I am also currently writing the script for Technosaurs, a web comic originally created by Kevin Wasden. At Kevin's art page, you'll find samples of the art he created for my stories My Girlfriend Fate and Kyri's Gauntlet. The name of the Kyri's Gauntlet piece is "Isolation", btw. The MGF art has been turned into promo material available from Cafe Press.
I will be attending two conventions as a panelist in July of 2007: InConjunction in Indianapolis, Indiana and LibertyCon (which is kind of like the de facto Baen con) in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
As for writing, I just finished a pair of stories trying to get into Dan Hoyt's "Better Off Undead" anthology, but they both came out too long and off topic from what he wanted. Que Cera. Now I'll be shifting my focus back onto my novel Recall and trying to drive that forward. At least until I get invited to another anthology (not holding my breath, obviously).
Reading-wise, finished Scalzi's Last Colony. I more or less like Scalzi's style and this last effort obviously got more attention copyediting-wise, so it was easier to enjoy. He's also not overtly moonbatty, which is a plus for this field in my opinion. You can tell that he's no Heinlein views-wise, but he's not such a leftist nimrod that he has to climb on his box and scream it at you throughout his screed like a bunch of other - much lesser - writers I could name. So, it made for an enjoyable pseudo-mil SF read.
The way Scalzi's trendy "the establishment is evil" views were presented reminded me of Butcher slipping in his "aw, pagans aren't so bad. They're just oppressed by fat white male Christian fundamentalists" sermon in his last book, White Knight. Yeah, I saw it, but it was only mildly irritating instead of being a full-on creepy flake-out like I've seen by some folks.
Compared to the hate-filled far-right paranoic opening of Kratman's A State of Disobedience, both books are paragons of temperance, for which I am duly grateful. I read (and write) speculative fiction for entertainment, not to be preached at by the religions of either the Right or the Left.
Now I'm just biding my time waiting for Elizabeth Moon to finish up her Vatta series and for more Dave Freer to hit the shelves. I'm sure something else will present itself either on the shelves or via Baen's release schedule in the meantime. It always does.
Yes, yes. I've been quite remiss in my blogging duties but, honestly, it's not like anyone missed me. Ergo, no blood, no foul.
Updates. I love updates.
Current bibliography:
Short Stories:
Firebird and Shadow in Something Magic This Way Comes, Tekno/DAW anthology, March 2008
My Girlfriend Fate in Fate Fantastic, Tekno/DAW anthology, November 2007, available for pre-order on Amazon and other places.
Kyri's Gauntlet in Under Cover of Darkness, Tekno/DAW anthology, currently available.
Hell Forge in Illuminated Manuscript, Double Dragon E-book anthology, currently available.
I am also currently writing the script for Technosaurs, a web comic originally created by Kevin Wasden. At Kevin's art page, you'll find samples of the art he created for my stories My Girlfriend Fate and Kyri's Gauntlet. The name of the Kyri's Gauntlet piece is "Isolation", btw. The MGF art has been turned into promo material available from Cafe Press.
I will be attending two conventions as a panelist in July of 2007: InConjunction in Indianapolis, Indiana and LibertyCon (which is kind of like the de facto Baen con) in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
As for writing, I just finished a pair of stories trying to get into Dan Hoyt's "Better Off Undead" anthology, but they both came out too long and off topic from what he wanted. Que Cera. Now I'll be shifting my focus back onto my novel Recall and trying to drive that forward. At least until I get invited to another anthology (not holding my breath, obviously).
Reading-wise, finished Scalzi's Last Colony. I more or less like Scalzi's style and this last effort obviously got more attention copyediting-wise, so it was easier to enjoy. He's also not overtly moonbatty, which is a plus for this field in my opinion. You can tell that he's no Heinlein views-wise, but he's not such a leftist nimrod that he has to climb on his box and scream it at you throughout his screed like a bunch of other - much lesser - writers I could name. So, it made for an enjoyable pseudo-mil SF read.
The way Scalzi's trendy "the establishment is evil" views were presented reminded me of Butcher slipping in his "aw, pagans aren't so bad. They're just oppressed by fat white male Christian fundamentalists" sermon in his last book, White Knight. Yeah, I saw it, but it was only mildly irritating instead of being a full-on creepy flake-out like I've seen by some folks.
Compared to the hate-filled far-right paranoic opening of Kratman's A State of Disobedience, both books are paragons of temperance, for which I am duly grateful. I read (and write) speculative fiction for entertainment, not to be preached at by the religions of either the Right or the Left.
Now I'm just biding my time waiting for Elizabeth Moon to finish up her Vatta series and for more Dave Freer to hit the shelves. I'm sure something else will present itself either on the shelves or via Baen's release schedule in the meantime. It always does.
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