Today's Earworm:
Today's Date: February 13, 2017
Yes, I know, I'm doing quite a bit of the Let's Talk Series, right? Well, the reason why is because I'm rewriting the Settling Down to Write Series and I want to get most of them done before moving on to something else.
But why am I here to talk about information dumping and just what the hell is it?
Well, it's what it sounds like. It's when you dump a lot of information into a short space of time. Or in a piece of writing, when you put all of your information into only 2 to 10 paragraphs. When you write a story, you want to tell the story, but that includes building up the setting, the characters, the plot, and kick starting it all.
But you want to spread the information out. You don't want to just go "here, have all this information about the main character and the setting that you're going to forget because there is just to much".
Look, we retain information a lot better when it's introduced slowly and it's woven in around the story itself, which we're enjoying.
So when a sudden flood of information happens, it throws off a reader and makes it hard to remember those details. Which doesn't exactly make a reader want to read the book after that.
Which is a bad thing since as writers, we want them to read the book. And then, hopefully, tell their friends to buy and read the book so that we can make more money to continue to write amazing books that will have them coming back for more.
But how do you stop just dumping the information out?
It's actually very easy to dump the info so you might not notice it...until you go back to reread it. So, as to stopping it while writing it, you need to keep a note on what you've introduced during that chapter and what you need to yet introduce. And then keep an eye out just chunks of text filled with thoughts and ideas.
It's all about keeping introductory points down in each chapter. For me, as a rule of thumb, I tend to keep it to one to two interconnected introductory points.
What do I mean by that?
Well, in the prologue of Bad Dog, I introduce my Idiot Villain and what he is doing. Pretty much I have him sitting in his 'home' and going over a list of herbs and ritual items that he needs. That's an interconnected introductory point. It's introducing my character and introducing what he is doing at the moment.
Another chapter has him burying a body and meeting a werewolf after he has done so. Again, these are interconnected introductory points. Even if they don't look like it at first glance, they are.
Unfortunately, I have something like 10 introductory points that all branch off of one point in the first official chapter. I need to figure out what points I want to go over in that first chapter and go through the other points later on in the story, spread out.
Dialogue is your friend for a lot of things, but you also need to weave in the details that make up the world into the story itself.
It's kind of annoying trying to remember to weave instead of just going "here, have at it". As easy as it may be to just give a reader all of the details, again, it turns them off. So, remember to edit. Spread out your points. And keep an eye out for an information dump.
I'm still fixing my own dump. A week after I found it.
Showing posts with label let's talk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label let's talk. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2017
Monday, January 30, 2017
Let's Talk...Image and your Writing
Today's EarWorm:
Today's Date: January 30, 2017
First and foremost I must apologize for language but there isn't really many ways of saying some of what I have to say guys. There isn't enough OOMPH in them.
My my, has it come to the end of the month? Yes, yes it has. While you're reading this, I am most likely at my doctors, talking to her and doing my thing. That is, as long as you're reading this the day that it goes up.
To move away from my doctors appointment, let's talk about the image that a writer projects and how they can differentiate from what a reader may think they are.
Okay, say you find a writer who writes the creepiest, spookiest, mind bending horror that you've ever seen. Your first thought, most likely, will be of a person who is Gothic. They must wear all black, forsake the sun, and live in a world of darkness and horror. They're sarcastic and have the driest, darkest humor in the world and hate everyone who doesn't share their thoughts and opinions.
Right?
Wrong.
They don't?
Not to toot my own horn, but no. Okay, yes, I'm Gothic, but I can't really do the whole Gothic look since my skin hates daily makeup. But I try whenever I can really. I am actually a very nice person. Yes, I can have biting humor but that comes more from the way that I was raised and the fact that I have a bunch of male cousins who hated the fact that I could insult them in all sorts of ways without them realizing that I was.
I have so many cousins. Like...2 first cousins are girls okay? I had to learn how to smack down egos after all. But my family is also full of sarcastic, and you'll have to excuse my language here, assholes, so it's also a kind of learned behavior.
But outside of family and close friends, I'm really rather nice. Or I can fake nice if I don't like them for whatever reason. It's called "Social Politeness" and "Manners".
See what I mean about me having a sarcastic streak running through me?
But truthfully, thinking something of a writer is kind of a stereotyping.
Another example: a fantasy writer. Your first thought is D and D, Magic the Gathering, and a house filled with fairies, dragons, and wizards in books, statues, and clothes.
A mystery writer tends to be someone who is forever reading case files and talking to cops about how their jobs work.
A sci-fi writer must be a massive geek writing in their basement rooms while their mom's make them dinner, right?!
Nope. All of that is wrong. On so many levels.
I actually don't just write either blood filled horror stories, or mind-fucks that can leave you shuddering for days (and I have done that before), but I also write Dystopia Post- and Pre-Apocaylptic, Erotica, Paranormal Romance, and, for shits and giggles, mystery with a splash of romance.
I'm not a one-trick pony and most writers aren't. Not fully. Yes, they stick mostly to their chosen genre, but other genre's slink into their stories or occasionally
So how do writers work against stereotyping?
We network. We socialize. We utilize all of the possible platforms available to us. At least when we have time and we're not slaving away for your enjoyment.
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Snapchat, Youtube...the list goes on and on and on! We have so many options of interacting with our fans in a fast way outside of e-mails, blogs and websites.
But we also go to writing conventions, various other kinds of conventions where our writings would be welcomed (genre conventions like YaoiCon for those who write homosexual based stories, Sci-fi and horror conventions, and others). It's a matter of what we write and what we do.
What we, as writers, do have to project is an image of professionalism. Our writing, our novels, our works are our business after all. We have to be professional. We have to have a certain attitude that we show to the rest of the world, especially if we're just starting out and don't have many readers.
After all, honey draws more than vinegar. And I'm not talking bees.
But if a writer has a shit attitude, then it's going to come out in a variety of ways. A tweet that shouldn't have been tweeted. A facebook rant that is just the wrong idea to put up. A bad timed social hissy fit.
In this day and age? This follows a person around and for a writer, who needs to be able to interact with their readers on, at the very least, a polite level, it hurts their business, new or old.
Cause really? No one wants to deal with a writer who is an asshole of the highest caliber okay?
I know I certainly don't, and I have dropped writers like a fresh out of the oven and still in the aluminum foil hot potato for their bad attitudes. There are somethings that I can forgive. Liking a bad candidate for the current political season, liking a horrible book, having a bad opinion, that's all fine.
The moment you treat a fellow human being like shit? Or you do some mud-slinging? We have issues. And I'm less likely to read you.
Doing anything that's just wrong? And I ditch you without saying goodbye. Your books are gone from all of my platforms. Your twitter/facebook/whathaveyou are unfollowed/unliked and blocked. Your name becomes a fuzzy memory for the rest of my life: It's there, but only enough to remember that no, I don't want to spend my good money on your stuff.
And that's the same thing with a lot of readers.
So a writer needs to project a face of being polite and, if at all possible, and of being well educated. Especially in this day and age.
Because it's the writers who see the way things are and we're the ones to offer an escape to those who need it by offering worlds in their chosen genres.
So, writers, Image is everything to your readers. And remember that your opinions are just that: yours. Don't fall into the "my opinion is right and you should all agree with me" kind of image. That will just be screwing yourself after all.
Readers, you can disagree with a writers opinions. That's fine. And if you don't agree with them but you still enjoy their reading, feel free to stop following them on social media but keep up with their writers facebook pages (which are usually free of anything but writing related things, or at least I hope so) and their websites.
Just remember: Image. Is. Everything. To both the writer and to the reader.
Today's Date: January 30, 2017
First and foremost I must apologize for language but there isn't really many ways of saying some of what I have to say guys. There isn't enough OOMPH in them.
My my, has it come to the end of the month? Yes, yes it has. While you're reading this, I am most likely at my doctors, talking to her and doing my thing. That is, as long as you're reading this the day that it goes up.
To move away from my doctors appointment, let's talk about the image that a writer projects and how they can differentiate from what a reader may think they are.
Okay, say you find a writer who writes the creepiest, spookiest, mind bending horror that you've ever seen. Your first thought, most likely, will be of a person who is Gothic. They must wear all black, forsake the sun, and live in a world of darkness and horror. They're sarcastic and have the driest, darkest humor in the world and hate everyone who doesn't share their thoughts and opinions.
Right?
Wrong.
They don't?
Not to toot my own horn, but no. Okay, yes, I'm Gothic, but I can't really do the whole Gothic look since my skin hates daily makeup. But I try whenever I can really. I am actually a very nice person. Yes, I can have biting humor but that comes more from the way that I was raised and the fact that I have a bunch of male cousins who hated the fact that I could insult them in all sorts of ways without them realizing that I was.
I have so many cousins. Like...2 first cousins are girls okay? I had to learn how to smack down egos after all. But my family is also full of sarcastic, and you'll have to excuse my language here, assholes, so it's also a kind of learned behavior.
But outside of family and close friends, I'm really rather nice. Or I can fake nice if I don't like them for whatever reason. It's called "Social Politeness" and "Manners".
See what I mean about me having a sarcastic streak running through me?
But truthfully, thinking something of a writer is kind of a stereotyping.
Another example: a fantasy writer. Your first thought is D and D, Magic the Gathering, and a house filled with fairies, dragons, and wizards in books, statues, and clothes.
A mystery writer tends to be someone who is forever reading case files and talking to cops about how their jobs work.
A sci-fi writer must be a massive geek writing in their basement rooms while their mom's make them dinner, right?!
Nope. All of that is wrong. On so many levels.
I actually don't just write either blood filled horror stories, or mind-fucks that can leave you shuddering for days (and I have done that before), but I also write Dystopia Post- and Pre-Apocaylptic, Erotica, Paranormal Romance, and, for shits and giggles, mystery with a splash of romance.
I'm not a one-trick pony and most writers aren't. Not fully. Yes, they stick mostly to their chosen genre, but other genre's slink into their stories or occasionally
So how do writers work against stereotyping?
We network. We socialize. We utilize all of the possible platforms available to us. At least when we have time and we're not slaving away for your enjoyment.
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Snapchat, Youtube...the list goes on and on and on! We have so many options of interacting with our fans in a fast way outside of e-mails, blogs and websites.
But we also go to writing conventions, various other kinds of conventions where our writings would be welcomed (genre conventions like YaoiCon for those who write homosexual based stories, Sci-fi and horror conventions, and others). It's a matter of what we write and what we do.
What we, as writers, do have to project is an image of professionalism. Our writing, our novels, our works are our business after all. We have to be professional. We have to have a certain attitude that we show to the rest of the world, especially if we're just starting out and don't have many readers.
After all, honey draws more than vinegar. And I'm not talking bees.
But if a writer has a shit attitude, then it's going to come out in a variety of ways. A tweet that shouldn't have been tweeted. A facebook rant that is just the wrong idea to put up. A bad timed social hissy fit.
In this day and age? This follows a person around and for a writer, who needs to be able to interact with their readers on, at the very least, a polite level, it hurts their business, new or old.
Cause really? No one wants to deal with a writer who is an asshole of the highest caliber okay?
I know I certainly don't, and I have dropped writers like a fresh out of the oven and still in the aluminum foil hot potato for their bad attitudes. There are somethings that I can forgive. Liking a bad candidate for the current political season, liking a horrible book, having a bad opinion, that's all fine.
The moment you treat a fellow human being like shit? Or you do some mud-slinging? We have issues. And I'm less likely to read you.
Doing anything that's just wrong? And I ditch you without saying goodbye. Your books are gone from all of my platforms. Your twitter/facebook/whathaveyou are unfollowed/unliked and blocked. Your name becomes a fuzzy memory for the rest of my life: It's there, but only enough to remember that no, I don't want to spend my good money on your stuff.
And that's the same thing with a lot of readers.
So a writer needs to project a face of being polite and, if at all possible, and of being well educated. Especially in this day and age.
Because it's the writers who see the way things are and we're the ones to offer an escape to those who need it by offering worlds in their chosen genres.
So, writers, Image is everything to your readers. And remember that your opinions are just that: yours. Don't fall into the "my opinion is right and you should all agree with me" kind of image. That will just be screwing yourself after all.
Readers, you can disagree with a writers opinions. That's fine. And if you don't agree with them but you still enjoy their reading, feel free to stop following them on social media but keep up with their writers facebook pages (which are usually free of anything but writing related things, or at least I hope so) and their websites.
Just remember: Image. Is. Everything. To both the writer and to the reader.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Let's Talk...Free Writing
Today's Earworm: Picture Me Rollin' by 2Pac
Today's Date: January 23, 2017
So today, we're gonna talk about free writing. And I'm not talking about what writers do when they have no idea what they want to write, and just open a new file and let the words go.
No, I'm talking about all the little goodies that you get randomly from some authors on their blogs, or on their sites.
I'm talking about flash stories, drabbles, and bits that you get for free to entice you into buying their books from them.
For that matter, I have some free writing that I'm working on creating for all of you, but it's taking me a bit of time. Mostly because I lost my little booklet with the drabble ideas in it for a while there. I have it again, and I'm back at writing the darn things. And editing them to death.
To move on, why do writers have free writing on their blogs or sites?
Well, now days, sites like Amazon have a nice little feature where you can get a sample of a book. But really? That's not a firm way of knowing the writer's style and ability. That's a good way of seeing if the book interests you and is what you want, but does the style of the writer make you want to come back for more? Who knows.
So most writers have started to create free bits on their sites and blogs, allowing the reader, you, to check things out. To read and see if their style is something that you would be interested in.
Most free writings that I've seen usually range from just under a thousand words (for a flash fiction) up to nearly 2 thousand (for shorter pieces). And they may even be a part of an interconnected story line which can show you just how they can weave a tale.
We do this to draw in new readers in the hope that they'll buy our books. That they'll tell their friend about this great new writer that they just found and want to share! That our blogs and sites will be shared all over the place and introduced to new people. We put things out there like that to help grow our small corner of the community.
It's a way to show off our skills. It's like we're saying "Hey! Look! I can write really good! Check out this story that I wrote and tell me what you think". Even these short pieces of fiction take time. Not as much as novels or novelettes or novella's take. Or even a short piece for an anthology. Because yes, those take time to write and edit and the such.
The free writings, we're usually writing, editing, letting sit, editing again and posting within a week's time since most of us do post such things weekly. It doesn't truly take much time for most of us to have a nice polished short bit. Longer pieces, yes, it takes time. A lot of time. But not so much the shorter pieces.
And again, we do this to show off our writing skills, as a way of thanking those who have taken the time to buy our stories, our books, and to draw in new readers.
Free writing is another way for us to draw attention to ourselves. Simple as that.
Today's Date: January 23, 2017
So today, we're gonna talk about free writing. And I'm not talking about what writers do when they have no idea what they want to write, and just open a new file and let the words go.
No, I'm talking about all the little goodies that you get randomly from some authors on their blogs, or on their sites.
I'm talking about flash stories, drabbles, and bits that you get for free to entice you into buying their books from them.
For that matter, I have some free writing that I'm working on creating for all of you, but it's taking me a bit of time. Mostly because I lost my little booklet with the drabble ideas in it for a while there. I have it again, and I'm back at writing the darn things. And editing them to death.
To move on, why do writers have free writing on their blogs or sites?
Well, now days, sites like Amazon have a nice little feature where you can get a sample of a book. But really? That's not a firm way of knowing the writer's style and ability. That's a good way of seeing if the book interests you and is what you want, but does the style of the writer make you want to come back for more? Who knows.
So most writers have started to create free bits on their sites and blogs, allowing the reader, you, to check things out. To read and see if their style is something that you would be interested in.
Most free writings that I've seen usually range from just under a thousand words (for a flash fiction) up to nearly 2 thousand (for shorter pieces). And they may even be a part of an interconnected story line which can show you just how they can weave a tale.
We do this to draw in new readers in the hope that they'll buy our books. That they'll tell their friend about this great new writer that they just found and want to share! That our blogs and sites will be shared all over the place and introduced to new people. We put things out there like that to help grow our small corner of the community.
It's a way to show off our skills. It's like we're saying "Hey! Look! I can write really good! Check out this story that I wrote and tell me what you think". Even these short pieces of fiction take time. Not as much as novels or novelettes or novella's take. Or even a short piece for an anthology. Because yes, those take time to write and edit and the such.
The free writings, we're usually writing, editing, letting sit, editing again and posting within a week's time since most of us do post such things weekly. It doesn't truly take much time for most of us to have a nice polished short bit. Longer pieces, yes, it takes time. A lot of time. But not so much the shorter pieces.
And again, we do this to show off our writing skills, as a way of thanking those who have taken the time to buy our stories, our books, and to draw in new readers.
Free writing is another way for us to draw attention to ourselves. Simple as that.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Let's Talk...Hate Sex!
Today's Earworm: I Cry by Flo Rida
Today's Date: January 16, 2017
I bet you're sitting there and going "Hate sex? The fuck?". Yeah, because I haven't touched on sex in books yet, in any form.
Okay, look, this came about from a DM (direct message) on Twitter about the fact that I was thinking about writing a scene where the two characters are having hate sex.
Right. So what did the DM say?
It called hate sex "rape".
It's not?
No. For f's sake...
To all those who don't know what hate sex is, it is not rape. Yes, it can come across as rapey depending on how it is written, but it's not that hard to move away from that.
But we'll get to that in a moment.
What is hate sex though?
Ah, it's a bit of an interesting thing to define really.
Let's talk about what it's not real fast first.
It is not rape. Rape is defined by Merriam-Webster (for this purpose) as:
I don't like rape but I do use it in various stories for various reasons, and I'm always respectful to the victims and survivors of rape.
So hate sex is not rape.
Hate sex is also not makeup sex, or even sex that one has within a loving relationship. Rough sex happens in a loving relationship, but not hate sex.
Okay, so hate sex isn't rape, makeup sex or just even rough sex. What is it?
Well, hate sex is just that.
Sex that happens between two people who hate or intensely dislike each other. For them, the heat of their hate takes a turn into lust and they have sex. It's not about a relationship, love, or even respect.
Let me state something: When hate sex happens, the two (or more) involved have given consent in some form or another. As long as they are not drunk (I've written characters with alcohol in their system having hate sex but not drunk enough to not know what they're doing, let's be clear on this), they can consent.
Consent is key.
Hell consent is key in any sex scene, be it for fanfiction or original stories. Especially in this day and age.
For example: In the story that I was planning on writing, the two characters hate each other. Absolutely despise each other.
That doesn't mean that they don't want to screw each other silly. For them, there is a fine line between absolute hatred and lust, but it's a very interesting line that is defined by the state of their relationship.
To break it down:
Today's Date: January 16, 2017
I bet you're sitting there and going "Hate sex? The fuck?". Yeah, because I haven't touched on sex in books yet, in any form.
Okay, look, this came about from a DM (direct message) on Twitter about the fact that I was thinking about writing a scene where the two characters are having hate sex.
Right. So what did the DM say?
It called hate sex "rape".
It's not?
No. For f's sake...
To all those who don't know what hate sex is, it is not rape. Yes, it can come across as rapey depending on how it is written, but it's not that hard to move away from that.
But we'll get to that in a moment.
What is hate sex though?
Ah, it's a bit of an interesting thing to define really.
Let's talk about what it's not real fast first.
It is not rape. Rape is defined by Merriam-Webster (for this purpose) as:
unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent.And:
archaic : to seize and take away by force.What does this mean? It means that it's about power on one persons part. There is no consent wanted, nor needed for it to happen.
I don't like rape but I do use it in various stories for various reasons, and I'm always respectful to the victims and survivors of rape.
So hate sex is not rape.
Hate sex is also not makeup sex, or even sex that one has within a loving relationship. Rough sex happens in a loving relationship, but not hate sex.
Okay, so hate sex isn't rape, makeup sex or just even rough sex. What is it?
Well, hate sex is just that.
Sex that happens between two people who hate or intensely dislike each other. For them, the heat of their hate takes a turn into lust and they have sex. It's not about a relationship, love, or even respect.
Let me state something: When hate sex happens, the two (or more) involved have given consent in some form or another. As long as they are not drunk (I've written characters with alcohol in their system having hate sex but not drunk enough to not know what they're doing, let's be clear on this), they can consent.
Consent is key.
Hell consent is key in any sex scene, be it for fanfiction or original stories. Especially in this day and age.
For example: In the story that I was planning on writing, the two characters hate each other. Absolutely despise each other.
That doesn't mean that they don't want to screw each other silly. For them, there is a fine line between absolute hatred and lust, but it's a very interesting line that is defined by the state of their relationship.
To break it down:
- Person A hates Person B for a specific reason.
- Person B hates Person A just because of circumstances.
- Person A and Person B have a mutual hate on for each other.
- There is no real way for them to act on that hate because they share a life and Person C would kick both of their asses.
- Then one day are snarling and the anger is growing and growing and growing.
- In a fit of trying to get rid of the anger, they somehow find themselves pulling at clothes, pouring all of it into kissing and pushing and shoving.
- They screw and find it's a great way to let loose and relax before the next time.
That's their relationship. They play nice in public, and to each other, they screw when it's just to much, and then they move on.
That is hate sex. It's a release for these two characters. For other it's just sex with an ex that they hate, a rival, or someone that they hate.
Okay, so hate sex is just sex between two people who hate each other, right?
Bingo.
Then how does one stop it from coming across as rapey?
Ah, now that's a bit of a hard one isn't it?
Remember when I said that consent is key? Yeah, it's key in real life and in a story. Consent is sexy, even in hate sex.
If they participate and the know just what is going on and what is to happen, and they don't stop it from happening, that's consent. They may hate what they did, but it still happened and some walk away from hate sex with a sore body and content with what happened.
You need to, somehow, work that consent in without disrupting the flow of the scene. It's not that hard to if you're good enough, and if your not...
That's what editing is for after all. And editors. And readers. Seriously. You don't need to do a whole lot.
Me? I'm planning on having Person A go "wait...do I want this?" and decide that yes, yes he does. For his own reasons and he has no doubt that the other is interested in doing it to since Person B was the one who jumped him.
So, let's go over the points.
1) Hate sex is not rape.
2) Consent is sexy, even when it's between two enemies.
3) Consent is even more sexy when it's done right.
4) You need that consent to not come off rapey with a story or chapter.
5) Editing will be your friend. If it seems off, it's off. Edit it again. Let it sit. Re-read a month later.
I think that's all I have to say.
If you have questions or comments or suggestions on what I should talk about next, leave me a comment.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Let's Talk...Sequels
Today's Date: September, 19, 2016
Today's Earworm: "Gansta" by Kehlani
I watched...or rather tried to watch Sinister 2. It's been about a week so far since I tired, and during that time I had to figure out why it didn't appeal to me while Sinister was so damn good.
Then I watched The Conjuring 2 and figured it out.
I didn't like Sinister 2 because when I was going in, I was expecting it to be like Sinister. I'm not talking plot. I know that the mythology in the story was set in stone and most likely they were going to continue on with the demon Bughuul. But I was expecting something more from the film.
Such as the same kind of pacing and seeing things happening at certain times. And a bit more happening with the mother and the kids.
Instead it felt off.
So this got me to thinking about my own sequels that I'm planning on writing. As most of this blog readers know most of my books have at least one sequel planned, and there are a few series that are in the works.
It got me thinking about keeping the pacing and style of the sequel(s) of the first book. Why?
Well, if you think about a series as a building, the first book is a cornerstone. It's what you build the future series off of later.
It sets the characters, the tone of the story, and the main plot points that are to carry into the next book and all following books of that series.
And you kind of have to follow that line through because if you don't it doesn't read right. It doesn't sound right. And it sure as hell looks odd if suddenly you're going off in another direction for the series.
Okay, look, I'm not saying that all series have to be about one character and one build up throughout. I'm talking it has to sound and look as if it's from the same world.
I personally have a couple of series that is more world series then character series.
Wait...what's a world series and what's a character series?
I heard that one coming from a mile away.
A world series is more of a story that is built in the same world but uses various characters as the main focal point of the story. Most often than not, the plot point of that story is different than the last book or the book that follows after it, but it's still tied into the world that was built in the first book.
And, again, most often than not, it is still tied into the recurring plot point that was built upon in the first book.
A character series is a series built upon the characters and uses those same characters throughout the series. The plot for each book can be a single point plot, where it's solved in just one book. Or it can build on a plot point and mix it with a longer point that will be covered in the full series with a single plot point.
It all depends on the writer and the stories.
I myself have a few mixes of both types. I also have world series and character series.
My Honey Drops series is, mostly, a world built series. Yes, I have the characters working towards a single goal for book 7 (I think, I don't have my list in front of me. It might be bk 6), but their own stories are different. They have different plots that they have to get through.
But the style of the story, the pacing and the world will be the same.
For my series Don't Look, again, it's a world built series but again, has an end point that I have no idea where it is. I don't know how many characters are going to end up in this series.
But for my new Comedy-Horror Ex-Retail Worker series, it's a character built series. Meaning that I have my main characters and they're going to be in all of the books to come. There are two plot points. One plot point is for the duration of the story but it ties into the plot point that will end up finishing in the last book.
It's what ties the rest of the books together.
But again, the pacing, the world and the style of the story will stay the same.
Because that's what builds the series. It's what makes the series good and cohesive.
At least that's what I've found in my writing career.
What are your thoughts on series? What makes a good series to you?
Today's Earworm: "Gansta" by Kehlani
I watched...or rather tried to watch Sinister 2. It's been about a week so far since I tired, and during that time I had to figure out why it didn't appeal to me while Sinister was so damn good.
Then I watched The Conjuring 2 and figured it out.
I didn't like Sinister 2 because when I was going in, I was expecting it to be like Sinister. I'm not talking plot. I know that the mythology in the story was set in stone and most likely they were going to continue on with the demon Bughuul. But I was expecting something more from the film.
Such as the same kind of pacing and seeing things happening at certain times. And a bit more happening with the mother and the kids.
Instead it felt off.
So this got me to thinking about my own sequels that I'm planning on writing. As most of this blog readers know most of my books have at least one sequel planned, and there are a few series that are in the works.
It got me thinking about keeping the pacing and style of the sequel(s) of the first book. Why?
Well, if you think about a series as a building, the first book is a cornerstone. It's what you build the future series off of later.
It sets the characters, the tone of the story, and the main plot points that are to carry into the next book and all following books of that series.
And you kind of have to follow that line through because if you don't it doesn't read right. It doesn't sound right. And it sure as hell looks odd if suddenly you're going off in another direction for the series.
Okay, look, I'm not saying that all series have to be about one character and one build up throughout. I'm talking it has to sound and look as if it's from the same world.
I personally have a couple of series that is more world series then character series.
Wait...what's a world series and what's a character series?
I heard that one coming from a mile away.
A world series is more of a story that is built in the same world but uses various characters as the main focal point of the story. Most often than not, the plot point of that story is different than the last book or the book that follows after it, but it's still tied into the world that was built in the first book.
And, again, most often than not, it is still tied into the recurring plot point that was built upon in the first book.
A character series is a series built upon the characters and uses those same characters throughout the series. The plot for each book can be a single point plot, where it's solved in just one book. Or it can build on a plot point and mix it with a longer point that will be covered in the full series with a single plot point.
It all depends on the writer and the stories.
I myself have a few mixes of both types. I also have world series and character series.
My Honey Drops series is, mostly, a world built series. Yes, I have the characters working towards a single goal for book 7 (I think, I don't have my list in front of me. It might be bk 6), but their own stories are different. They have different plots that they have to get through.
But the style of the story, the pacing and the world will be the same.
For my series Don't Look, again, it's a world built series but again, has an end point that I have no idea where it is. I don't know how many characters are going to end up in this series.
But for my new Comedy-Horror Ex-Retail Worker series, it's a character built series. Meaning that I have my main characters and they're going to be in all of the books to come. There are two plot points. One plot point is for the duration of the story but it ties into the plot point that will end up finishing in the last book.
It's what ties the rest of the books together.
But again, the pacing, the world and the style of the story will stay the same.
Because that's what builds the series. It's what makes the series good and cohesive.
At least that's what I've found in my writing career.
What are your thoughts on series? What makes a good series to you?
Monday, September 12, 2016
Brainstorming...With NO Idea of Plot But Maybe a Character
Today's Earworm: "Sur ma route" by Black M
Today's Date: September 12, 2016
Oh no! The horror! The Terror!
You need a story for an anthology submission, or a new book! Or you want to just write...
But you don't have any kind plots in the back burner. What do you do?
Well, you brainstorm. Okay, hold up, hear me out before you freak out about that suggestion.
This is how a plot comes to be. You brainstorm. You think about what you want to do and create a basic plotline and some characters. From there, you think of how things get from point A to point B in your story.
That's brainstorming.
But what if you don't have a plot point or anything but a character?
Well, that's where brainstorming comes from. Just randomly sitting down and typing a word. Any word and then building it up from there. Most times the character is going to give you jack all that can be used for a story, but you can still find a plot for them from there.
Let's see.
I can take a character and write out something for that character and turn it into a future plot. That's what I'm doing with my drabble series.
Yes, I'm working on them. I've just been scary busy lately so sorry you guys.
Anyways, you take a character.
Do you have an idea of them in some way? Looks? Personality? A line that they say? Their jobs or careers? Something?
Well, there's a good start. You have a character and something about them.
Let me give you an example. For Black Veiled Saviour, my murder-mystery, I didn't have a plot.
I had a character named Alexx, another character named Bo, and a pretty not quite pastel goth named Lollipop in my head. Her name has been since changed to something else mind you.
That's all I had.
So I sat there and went, "What does Alexx do? What does Bo do? And how does Lollipop bring these two boys together?"
Well, Alexx was easy. He was and always has been a bartender in my head. So I went "Alright, what is Bo?" Well, I didn't know so I started to read one of my many crime mysteries and one of them had a private investigator.
It clicked. That's what Bo was! He was a private investigator and poor Lollipop was a dead girl who the cops had no urge to discover why she had been killed.
So how to make them meet then?
Well, Lollipop was like any gothy girl who was of legal age. She went to a club. And since Alexx is a bartender, why not have him working at one of her favorite clubs? And Bo goes there on a lead and bam! We have our two main characters meet.
Now...don't think that this took me less then a few hours to come up with.
No. Oh no no no. It took me nearly two weeks of messing with this one idea while working on things that I actually had a plan for.
And then writing that first chapter took me four days to write because I kept stopping to make notes about what was going on. I actually ended up scrapping that first chapter after writing it because it didn't read right but I kept some parts of it for chapters 2 and 3.
See what I did though? I had characters so I built from there.
Sometimes you don't have characters either. Don't worry. If anything, find a random prompt generator and write drabbles, flash stories, or short pieces around that prompt.
That's actually how a few of my older stories came to be.
Or go on Twitter and ask for prompts. See what strikes and what duds on you.
Brainstorming is all about finding that spark that you can build into a roaring plot. Remember, fires aren't just magically created. You have to build with bits of this and that before you can get a proper fire going.
Writing is just the same as that.
Today's Date: September 12, 2016
Oh no! The horror! The Terror!
You need a story for an anthology submission, or a new book! Or you want to just write...
But you don't have any kind plots in the back burner. What do you do?
Well, you brainstorm. Okay, hold up, hear me out before you freak out about that suggestion.
This is how a plot comes to be. You brainstorm. You think about what you want to do and create a basic plotline and some characters. From there, you think of how things get from point A to point B in your story.
That's brainstorming.
But what if you don't have a plot point or anything but a character?
Well, that's where brainstorming comes from. Just randomly sitting down and typing a word. Any word and then building it up from there. Most times the character is going to give you jack all that can be used for a story, but you can still find a plot for them from there.
Let's see.
I can take a character and write out something for that character and turn it into a future plot. That's what I'm doing with my drabble series.
Yes, I'm working on them. I've just been scary busy lately so sorry you guys.
Anyways, you take a character.
Do you have an idea of them in some way? Looks? Personality? A line that they say? Their jobs or careers? Something?
Well, there's a good start. You have a character and something about them.
Let me give you an example. For Black Veiled Saviour, my murder-mystery, I didn't have a plot.
I had a character named Alexx, another character named Bo, and a pretty not quite pastel goth named Lollipop in my head. Her name has been since changed to something else mind you.
That's all I had.
So I sat there and went, "What does Alexx do? What does Bo do? And how does Lollipop bring these two boys together?"
Well, Alexx was easy. He was and always has been a bartender in my head. So I went "Alright, what is Bo?" Well, I didn't know so I started to read one of my many crime mysteries and one of them had a private investigator.
It clicked. That's what Bo was! He was a private investigator and poor Lollipop was a dead girl who the cops had no urge to discover why she had been killed.
So how to make them meet then?
Well, Lollipop was like any gothy girl who was of legal age. She went to a club. And since Alexx is a bartender, why not have him working at one of her favorite clubs? And Bo goes there on a lead and bam! We have our two main characters meet.
Now...don't think that this took me less then a few hours to come up with.
No. Oh no no no. It took me nearly two weeks of messing with this one idea while working on things that I actually had a plan for.
And then writing that first chapter took me four days to write because I kept stopping to make notes about what was going on. I actually ended up scrapping that first chapter after writing it because it didn't read right but I kept some parts of it for chapters 2 and 3.
See what I did though? I had characters so I built from there.
Sometimes you don't have characters either. Don't worry. If anything, find a random prompt generator and write drabbles, flash stories, or short pieces around that prompt.
That's actually how a few of my older stories came to be.
Or go on Twitter and ask for prompts. See what strikes and what duds on you.
Brainstorming is all about finding that spark that you can build into a roaring plot. Remember, fires aren't just magically created. You have to build with bits of this and that before you can get a proper fire going.
Writing is just the same as that.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Writing on the Move
Today's EarWorm
Today's Date: September 5, 2016
So I have to join(ed) my friend (who I love to bits and pieces, she is my sister without blood between us okay?) on trips. The first one was on the first. The second one is upcoming on the 12th. Fun times right?
Yeah, especially since I do have, you guessed it, writing to do while I do these.
I actually have a few solutions that work well for me so I thought I would talk about it here.
If you find that something works for you, tell me. I would love to hear that they worked. Or if you do something not on this list, tell me still! I would love to hear everything you have to say.
I don't bite, I promise.
Anyways, let's go over what I do when I'm out and about with no wifi.
Today's Date: September 5, 2016
So I have to join(ed) my friend (who I love to bits and pieces, she is my sister without blood between us okay?) on trips. The first one was on the first. The second one is upcoming on the 12th. Fun times right?
Yeah, especially since I do have, you guessed it, writing to do while I do these.
I actually have a few solutions that work well for me so I thought I would talk about it here.
If you find that something works for you, tell me. I would love to hear that they worked. Or if you do something not on this list, tell me still! I would love to hear everything you have to say.
I don't bite, I promise.
Anyways, let's go over what I do when I'm out and about with no wifi.
Tablet/Phone
I actually have both but the smartphone I have is more of a glorified mini-tablet since I don't have a data plan attached to it. Which is fine. It works for me.
Really it does.
Before my friend gave me the phone, I used a tablet with a keyboard. The keyboard, unfortunately, died a horrific death with half the keys not wanting to work. But now with the phone, I can just as easily type on that.
I have GDocs downloaded on it and I do have wifi capabilities, so that's not a problem. As long as I have power and the ability to get some wifi sometime, I can type on any of my files that I have set up for offline work. And I put that to good use.
I open the file I want and I start to write on it. I've done it in car's, on buses before, at the doctor's office, anywhere that the urge to write has taken over me. I pull it out and start tapping it out. Took me a while to get the hang of writing on the damn phone but I can even do it when I'm stuck in bed. Which sucks majorly but it can be done.
Paper and Pen
Ohhh yes, I write the old fashioned way to. Yes, I kind of have to. I have a small hoard of pens and I'm forever finding more to add to that collection. I go through a pen in a month if I'm not doing a lot of hand writing.
I've learned how best to write in a moving vehicle okay? I've learned how best to hold my pen and how to decipher my already messy writing when it came time to type up the words.
I never go out of the house without a backpack with a notebook or a binder full of paper, at least three pens, some chapstick, lactose pills (yay for lactose intolerance! Makes eating icecream a fun time), my phone, car charger and charging line, carpal tunnel glove, a clipboard (for a solid surface), a couple of my travel sized notebooks (for ideas), hair clip, hair ties, and a body spray.
Or two.
As me and my friend say "We don't carry purses for very good reasons. We have a lot of stuff that helps keep us sane". And this is true.
My writing keeps me sane while we wait for our ride to get to us when we have them leave us to shop while they do their thing.
Oh and lately I carry around a travel sized bottle of suntan lotion and a small thing of baby powder.
Look, it's not that hard to find a way to carry things around for your use. I use a sling shoulder backpack so I have options on how I want to carry the darn thing around. It has two pockets (one main one on the front and one small side one that usually carries my IPod mini, phone and headphones) and the big area that carries all that I need.
Cause I do also have to carry a wallet and a set of keys around with me. It's cute and it's durable, and mostly waterproof as proven by being caught in a sudden rain storm.
It's not that hard to carry around supplies. You carry one such supply on you. And if you can text, you can write on a phone with a GDoc app.
But how do you write when you're on the move?
Monday, August 22, 2016
Let's Talk Pantsing VS Outlining
Today's EarWorm:
Today's Date: August 22, 2016
So let's talk writing and Pantsing VS Outlining said story.
Why am I going over this thought process? Because I have my ex-retail worker turned supernatural hunter story that is giving me bits and pieces of story and no real outline as to what is going on and when it needs to happen.
No, instead it's giving me bits and pieces for the damn thing.
Yeah. Joy. Fun. Really...
Not.
BUT! It did give me an idea for this weeks blog. Pantsing VS Outlining.
First, what is Pantsing? And what is Outlining?
Well, pantsing is a writing term that is defined as "writing by the seat of your pants". Pretty much you're writing whatever comes to your head without any kind of plan.
Outlining is the writing term for planning out your story from start to finish in a linear fashion. Pretty much you have something like the following examples. (Note: This is actually how most of my outlines end up looking like, either or.)
Example 1:
Today's Date: August 22, 2016
So let's talk writing and Pantsing VS Outlining said story.
Why am I going over this thought process? Because I have my ex-retail worker turned supernatural hunter story that is giving me bits and pieces of story and no real outline as to what is going on and when it needs to happen.
No, instead it's giving me bits and pieces for the damn thing.
Yeah. Joy. Fun. Really...
Not.
BUT! It did give me an idea for this weeks blog. Pantsing VS Outlining.
First, what is Pantsing? And what is Outlining?
Well, pantsing is a writing term that is defined as "writing by the seat of your pants". Pretty much you're writing whatever comes to your head without any kind of plan.
Outlining is the writing term for planning out your story from start to finish in a linear fashion. Pretty much you have something like the following examples. (Note: This is actually how most of my outlines end up looking like, either or.)
Example 1:
- Character's Name
- Plot point
- SubPlot Point
- Plot point
- SubPlot Point
- Plot Point
- SubPlot Point
- Character's Name...
Example 2:
- Characters Name/Scene Name
- Plot point that's more a short summary of what is to be written on during the chapter. This allows you to just write an idea down but still leave it with some flexibility to go in and change things as you write.
- Characters Name/Scene name...
Okay, so we know what outlining and pantsing is. Which one is better?
Actually...neither is better.
Say what now?
Don't get your panties in a bunch. It all depends on one factor: The Writer. I know some people who can't outline for their life. It either kills their muse or they just can't figure it out if they try. I know other writers who can't write without one. The story doesn't work for them.
For me? I tend to go with whatever the story calls for. For my ex-retail worker story it's kind of a mix of pantsing and outlining it. I have 2 chapters written already and know what I'm going to do in about six chapters, but I don't know what I'm doing in those six chapters, so I'm pantsing them (somewhat) while I write it.
I know that the story itself is going to be shortish, around 20 to 50K in length and leads into two more books.
And I'm still mostly pantsing the damn thing.
But...I thought you outlined?
I do. But not all of my stories come with a handy outline and even then I tend to outline about 10 chapters and write notes down for future plot points along with where they land in the future of the outline.
This story is just mostly pantsing it. But I tend to outline.
In fact, I tend to outline in my files depending on where I'm writing the story. Since I write mostly in google docs (mostly for the fact that I can haul the sucker around with me on a mobile device to write when I don't have my computer), I can do that.
With that way, I tend to go with the Character name/Scene with a summary paragraph/sentence. It works for me.
But I have to say this (and if you follow me on Twitter at @SLStrailo) you'll know that I don't consider either way superior to the other. I've done both exclusively and found that I work best if I'm fluid in how I plan out a story. Depending on the story, the length, and the amount of information I have for the plot will state on how I go about doing my planning for the story.
So, for example, take When My Eyes Close. I am outlining about 5 chapters past the chapter that I'm writing, which is normal for my outlining. I have my notes for future plot points to.
But for the ex-retail worker story (yes, I still have NO name for it), I'm kind of writing as I go. The same goes with the next part of the current series of short pieces that I'm working on called Murder and Lust. I don't really know what I'm going to do with it, but I know that I'm going to continue this series and work out what I want to do with the book series.
Again: I don't consider either Pantsing or Outlining to be superior either or. There is no right or wrong way to plan and write your story.
This is just me putting forth what they are and how I use them for my own writing. I mix. Others pants. Others outline. Yet others used to outline but now pants, while others used to pants but they now outline their stories.
Guys, it's all about you and how you feel when you go to start a story. It's what works for you and for your stories. Don't try to shoehorn yourself into one or the other. Find what works.
And if flying by the pants while you write is your thing, embrace it.
Or if you need to plot out every single little detail of your story, work it! You plan to your hearts content.
Just get those words out. Write that novel that is lurking in your head and your heart and your soul. Do it. Go for it.
Now I'm going back to cursing at this story. I have some rewriting to do.
If you want to, don't forget to follow me at Twitter, on my Facebook Page, or my Tumblr Account! I don't bite and I love to talk with my readers and followers.
Enjoy yourselves you guys! Write. Read. Live!
Monday, May 30, 2016
Let's Talk...Abandoning a Story and Updates
Today's Earworm: The Way of Your World by Destrophy
Today's Date: May 30, 2016
Okay, so sit back and close your eyes. Imagine you're reading a story (on Fictionpress.net, or WattPad, or any service like that and you come to the last two chapters.
But wait! They're not chapters! They're an Author's Note that is telling you they're ditching the story or stories for whatever reason. Usually it's something stupid like "I don't get enough reviews/likes/kudos/whatever to post more on this so fuck all of my readers who really enjoy this story".
Or they're not even an Author's Note, they're actual chapters but the story hasn't been updated in years, so you go to the profile page of the person. And they state that they aren't doing their stories any more for a bad reason*.
*Bad reasons are those reasons that you have to stare at and go "What? What kind of bull is this?" This does NOT include reasons that include mental problems, emotional problems, computer problems, or reasonable real life excuses.
Now this really pushes my buttons (and the fact that I had to edit this several times to make it less ranty and more actually informative is telling you something I hope) and I seem to keep running across it.
Both in the world of fanfiction and site based originals. In regards to site based originals, I am talking about such sites like WattPad, Adult-Fanfiction, Archive of Our Own, and Fictionpress.net. Yes, AFF.org and AO3 both do have original sections but you have to kind of dig around for the better things.
I can and do understand life getting in the way. I've had stuff make it so that I wasn't posting, much less writing, for months at a time. So thank you to those who have updated us about their lives and where things are going for you , and I hope life balances out and doesn't kill the muse on you completely.
But I can't understand people not trying to find a balance in their life with their writing.
Okay, look. This is kind of an interesting subject because I had to work on finding a balance with my own writing and life when I was younger.
I have to say this again though: I can and do understand that life can get in the way or your writing and this is directed to those whose life is kind of not writing allowable currently. This is directed to those who say that they want to write, but don't do anything to figure out a schedule or work ethic.
I keep finding those who go "I want to be published/publish" but for some reason ditch a story (even if it is just fanfiction or an original on a site) because they're not getting any reviews/kudos/what have you.
I'm going to impart a bit of truth: Unless you are an established writer who has a good sized fanbase who feels they can trust you in getting your stories out and written and looking good, you won't be getting many reviews. Or pimping. Or anything like that.
Allow me to break it down into simple terms. For those who self-publish, they work their asses off to get any kind of reviews for their books, much less any "You should read this book!" reviews. Most traditionally published writers work just as hard depending on their popularity at the time and the company that is publishing them. They tend to still talk about their own stuff on their own blogs, web sites, and social media accounts.
If you have problems with the fact that most readers on a free to read site doesn't review or kudo, then you're going to have many more problems with the fact that your books won't have that many reviews. At least not until you start creating a fan base that trusts you in putting out a good book.
And in this world, holding a book hostage for reviews is career suicide. It's career suicide to hold a chapter to an online story as it is anyways. People are getting kind of tired of that and tend to pick up and move on.
Yes, I do have some stories that aren't done, but that's because I have decided that I need to sit down and tear them into bitty pieces to rewrite them, if not just turn into some new books.
No, I am not abandoning them.
Yes, they will be done.
No, I do not know when the stories will be done.
No, I do not know if I will replace the posted chapters on my sites with the new stories.
I'm not that far along in this process after all. But that doesn't mean that I've abandoned my stories, okay? I'm working on them, and I won't abandon them. The same goes with my fanfiction. I have to much fun with it to give it up ever.
And I don't know if I want to turn my Butterfly Series into something publishable.
Now, onto something a bit happier, as a general update on things, I am preparing for National Novel Writing Month (November 2016) and the next Camp National Novel Writing Month (July 2016), so we're going to see where I'm at when it comes time.
I'm hoping to finish Bk 1 of Through the Ages series, which is my hero series. That will allow me time to set it aside for a couple of months before I start the massive rewriting overhaul of the story itself. I'm also going to work on a couple of other fictions that I need to get done and start a couple of others, including my submission to Forward Motions 2016 Anthology.
I need to rethink my plot for that as it is. I have a few ideas but I need to rethink it.
So I'm busy as always, melting from the heat, and editing videos for my vlog and for the youtube channel that I am a part of with my friend. Need to get the intro video done though if it keeps giving me trouble I'm going to say screw it and rerecord it when I can.
As for the NaNo story that I'm going to do this year, I'm working on a fanfiction idea that is driving me up a wall so I'm going to write it. I have around 11 chapters planned out already. Here's hoping I have the rest ready to go.
Anyways, I have a lot to do today and very little time to do it.
So for now, I shall leave you with this and go about trying to find a story that is complete, long, and not abandoned. Wish me luck!
Today's Date: May 30, 2016
Okay, so sit back and close your eyes. Imagine you're reading a story (on Fictionpress.net, or WattPad, or any service like that and you come to the last two chapters.
But wait! They're not chapters! They're an Author's Note that is telling you they're ditching the story or stories for whatever reason. Usually it's something stupid like "I don't get enough reviews/likes/kudos/whatever to post more on this so fuck all of my readers who really enjoy this story".
Or they're not even an Author's Note, they're actual chapters but the story hasn't been updated in years, so you go to the profile page of the person. And they state that they aren't doing their stories any more for a bad reason*.
*Bad reasons are those reasons that you have to stare at and go "What? What kind of bull is this?" This does NOT include reasons that include mental problems, emotional problems, computer problems, or reasonable real life excuses.
Now this really pushes my buttons (and the fact that I had to edit this several times to make it less ranty and more actually informative is telling you something I hope) and I seem to keep running across it.
Both in the world of fanfiction and site based originals. In regards to site based originals, I am talking about such sites like WattPad, Adult-Fanfiction, Archive of Our Own, and Fictionpress.net. Yes, AFF.org and AO3 both do have original sections but you have to kind of dig around for the better things.
I can and do understand life getting in the way. I've had stuff make it so that I wasn't posting, much less writing, for months at a time. So thank you to those who have updated us about their lives and where things are going for you , and I hope life balances out and doesn't kill the muse on you completely.
But I can't understand people not trying to find a balance in their life with their writing.
Okay, look. This is kind of an interesting subject because I had to work on finding a balance with my own writing and life when I was younger.
I have to say this again though: I can and do understand that life can get in the way or your writing and this is directed to those whose life is kind of not writing allowable currently. This is directed to those who say that they want to write, but don't do anything to figure out a schedule or work ethic.
I keep finding those who go "I want to be published/publish" but for some reason ditch a story (even if it is just fanfiction or an original on a site) because they're not getting any reviews/kudos/what have you.
I'm going to impart a bit of truth: Unless you are an established writer who has a good sized fanbase who feels they can trust you in getting your stories out and written and looking good, you won't be getting many reviews. Or pimping. Or anything like that.
Allow me to break it down into simple terms. For those who self-publish, they work their asses off to get any kind of reviews for their books, much less any "You should read this book!" reviews. Most traditionally published writers work just as hard depending on their popularity at the time and the company that is publishing them. They tend to still talk about their own stuff on their own blogs, web sites, and social media accounts.
If you have problems with the fact that most readers on a free to read site doesn't review or kudo, then you're going to have many more problems with the fact that your books won't have that many reviews. At least not until you start creating a fan base that trusts you in putting out a good book.
And in this world, holding a book hostage for reviews is career suicide. It's career suicide to hold a chapter to an online story as it is anyways. People are getting kind of tired of that and tend to pick up and move on.
Yes, I do have some stories that aren't done, but that's because I have decided that I need to sit down and tear them into bitty pieces to rewrite them, if not just turn into some new books.
No, I am not abandoning them.
Yes, they will be done.
No, I do not know when the stories will be done.
No, I do not know if I will replace the posted chapters on my sites with the new stories.
I'm not that far along in this process after all. But that doesn't mean that I've abandoned my stories, okay? I'm working on them, and I won't abandon them. The same goes with my fanfiction. I have to much fun with it to give it up ever.
And I don't know if I want to turn my Butterfly Series into something publishable.
Now, onto something a bit happier, as a general update on things, I am preparing for National Novel Writing Month (November 2016) and the next Camp National Novel Writing Month (July 2016), so we're going to see where I'm at when it comes time.
I'm hoping to finish Bk 1 of Through the Ages series, which is my hero series. That will allow me time to set it aside for a couple of months before I start the massive rewriting overhaul of the story itself. I'm also going to work on a couple of other fictions that I need to get done and start a couple of others, including my submission to Forward Motions 2016 Anthology.
I need to rethink my plot for that as it is. I have a few ideas but I need to rethink it.
So I'm busy as always, melting from the heat, and editing videos for my vlog and for the youtube channel that I am a part of with my friend. Need to get the intro video done though if it keeps giving me trouble I'm going to say screw it and rerecord it when I can.
As for the NaNo story that I'm going to do this year, I'm working on a fanfiction idea that is driving me up a wall so I'm going to write it. I have around 11 chapters planned out already. Here's hoping I have the rest ready to go.
Anyways, I have a lot to do today and very little time to do it.
So for now, I shall leave you with this and go about trying to find a story that is complete, long, and not abandoned. Wish me luck!
Monday, February 29, 2016
Let's Talk...The Truth of Being a Writer and Author
Today's Earworm: Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz
Today's Date: February 2, 2016
Please note that this is geared towards Independent Publishing Writers, or indie pub writers.
A couple of weeks ago, a writer friend named Connie Cockrell wrote a guest post for a blog called Coolerbs Writes where she talks about being a writer.
And it got me to thinking.
What is a writer? Well, each writer and published author has several hats which they have to don at times.
We have to be Editor. We have to edit and rewrite and edit again before sending it to another person to go over. Then we have to edit and rewrite and edit again before it can be sent to yet another person. Maybe put through a serious like ProWritingAid, which is a great way to find inconsistency, repeating phrases, and other such things in a timely fashion.
We have to be Publicist. We have to tell people that we're putting out another book. We have to put out ad's and information on where you can find it, and when you can buy it. We have to do it all without someone shopping our book around for us.
We have to be Agent. We have to make our connections and use them ourselves, getting our name out there and around.We're the ones who have to read the contracts and work out the deals and know all sorts of laws.
We have to be Publishing Company. We're the ones who are publishing our things. We have to set up the files and make sure all the code is ready and will transfer properly. We have to make sure that each book is up and selling properly. That it transferred properly. That it looks good.
We have to be a One Man Company. That means that we have to do all the work that a traditional publishing company does, and then some. We have to not only push our books and get noticed and all that, we have to keep track of our incoming and outgoing money, our taxes, and all sorts of laws that would make our lives that much more complicated.
And we all have to do this without other people to do much more than to tell us where we should look and what things should be looked into.
We're not just sitting there and pounding out a novel in a couple of months, doing some quick editing, some quick coding, and putting it out there pull in the money. It's not that though. Guys, we work so hard to get these books written and polished up good enough to be put out there, and allowed to get things done.
And it's not just all that we have to worry about. We have to worry about money that is coming in and money that is going out, taxes, and laws, and so much more.
Every.
Single.
Day.
It's about long days and balancing our lives outside of writing with our lives of writing. It's all about learning and continuing with living and learning some more.
A writers life isn't all that glamorous, but if it's meant for you, you find happiness in your life.
But that's for a publishing writer's life.
And that's your choice if you want to do it all.
Hugs and kisses all!
Now! Before I end this, and technically this post is done with, I have a question, and I know someone is reading my stuff, so I need some answers if you guys wouldn't mind.
Would you want to see some Flash Fiction from me? I'm talking short bits around 200 to 500 words in length, self contained mini stories pretty much.
I don't know if they would become a weekly think or if they would just be something to enjoy every so often on Monday's posts.
But I want to know!
So tell me below, or tell me on my tumblr, twitter, or facebook, all of which can be followed via the links. Thank you for your time!
Today's Date: February 2, 2016
Please note that this is geared towards Independent Publishing Writers, or indie pub writers.
A couple of weeks ago, a writer friend named Connie Cockrell wrote a guest post for a blog called Coolerbs Writes where she talks about being a writer.
And it got me to thinking.
What is a writer? Well, each writer and published author has several hats which they have to don at times.
We have to be Editor. We have to edit and rewrite and edit again before sending it to another person to go over. Then we have to edit and rewrite and edit again before it can be sent to yet another person. Maybe put through a serious like ProWritingAid, which is a great way to find inconsistency, repeating phrases, and other such things in a timely fashion.
We have to be Publicist. We have to tell people that we're putting out another book. We have to put out ad's and information on where you can find it, and when you can buy it. We have to do it all without someone shopping our book around for us.
We have to be Agent. We have to make our connections and use them ourselves, getting our name out there and around.We're the ones who have to read the contracts and work out the deals and know all sorts of laws.
We have to be Publishing Company. We're the ones who are publishing our things. We have to set up the files and make sure all the code is ready and will transfer properly. We have to make sure that each book is up and selling properly. That it transferred properly. That it looks good.
We have to be a One Man Company. That means that we have to do all the work that a traditional publishing company does, and then some. We have to not only push our books and get noticed and all that, we have to keep track of our incoming and outgoing money, our taxes, and all sorts of laws that would make our lives that much more complicated.
And we all have to do this without other people to do much more than to tell us where we should look and what things should be looked into.
We're not just sitting there and pounding out a novel in a couple of months, doing some quick editing, some quick coding, and putting it out there pull in the money. It's not that though. Guys, we work so hard to get these books written and polished up good enough to be put out there, and allowed to get things done.
And it's not just all that we have to worry about. We have to worry about money that is coming in and money that is going out, taxes, and laws, and so much more.
Every.
Single.
Day.
It's about long days and balancing our lives outside of writing with our lives of writing. It's all about learning and continuing with living and learning some more.
A writers life isn't all that glamorous, but if it's meant for you, you find happiness in your life.
But that's for a publishing writer's life.
And that's your choice if you want to do it all.
Hugs and kisses all!
Now! Before I end this, and technically this post is done with, I have a question, and I know someone is reading my stuff, so I need some answers if you guys wouldn't mind.
Would you want to see some Flash Fiction from me? I'm talking short bits around 200 to 500 words in length, self contained mini stories pretty much.
I don't know if they would become a weekly think or if they would just be something to enjoy every so often on Monday's posts.
But I want to know!
So tell me below, or tell me on my tumblr, twitter, or facebook, all of which can be followed via the links. Thank you for your time!
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