It's only a month into 2013 but I think it's important to regularly review writing goals set after the new year. I had a huge goal this year to write three novels, the first due by March 31st. Well, so far I've written 24,600 words of this first novel. That's a little under a third of my 80,000 word goal. What does this mean? It means I'm on track to hit my goal by the end of March. It also means that I've got to stretch and get 30,000 words written during February. Can I do it? Sure hope so!
As to the rest of my three novel goal this year, I've already started pre-planning novel number two. It will be another YA fantasy, set in the same world as this first one, a generation later. I have dreams of several series taking place in this same world. You might call that cheating--to repurpose world building--but I call it being economical with my time! Book three is a vague idea in the back of my brain, so there's still some thinking to do for that one, but that won't even be started until Septemberish.
How are your goals going so far this year? I hope you're reaching and surpassing them!
Showing posts with label writing life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing life. Show all posts
Friday, February 1, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
What the crap is Sword and Sorcery?
It's time for another what the crap post! All right! This time I'll be telling you about the bastard brother of epic fantasy--sword and sorcery. It is a sub-genre that is on the rise, my friends, and so it is a good idea to know what it is, read examples of it, and see if it's the type of stuff you're interested in writing. So here we go.
There are a few things that separate sword and sorcery from epic fantasy. First, a lot of people refer to s&s and low fantasy, whereas epic is high fantasy. What does this mean? Well, high fantasy concerns itself with big issues, like the world is going to end, or the fight between ultimate good and evil, or the movement of kingdoms and great men. High fantasy is your Lord of the Rings, or The Wheel of Time. Big problems, big solutions, big characters, big. Any bets as to what low fantasy is, then? You got it. Low fantasy is about small issues, like a town in danger, a church infested with demons, a fight between kind of evil and kind of more evil. Low fantasy is where you can have gray characters--protagonists that aren't exactly walking the straight line along the moral high ground. Low fantasy is dirty, it deals with every day things (in a fantasy world, anyway). It is often times crass, blunt, and unafraid of rutting around in the mud. Low fantasy is, well... low.
Some other differences between sword and sorcery and epic are magic systems and uses. Epic fantasy usually relies a lot on the use of magic. In Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series the point-of-view characters are powerful magic users. They use magic in their every-day lives. In sword and sorcery magic can be (but doesn't have to be) less prevalent. Magic in these types of stories is usually mysterious and unknown to most people. Your protagonist will likely not be a magic user in s&s, but that isn't always the case. An example of modern sword and sorcery is Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes. In this book there is a tiny, tiny glimpse of magic. The rest of the story is about a battle between two nations--neither of which are particularly noble. It is bloody, it is filthy, and it is honest about the horrors of war.
So why do writers want to tell sword and sorcery stories? Aren't they a bit insignificant? This all depends on what you as a reader are looking for, of course, but I actually find sword and sorcery to be the style I lean toward in my own writing and reading tastes. I think it is because low fantasy feels more real to me. I can understand smaller issues--relate to them somewhat better. Also, I think characters are usually developed better in s&s... usually because the author has to make readers like their bastard characters, and it takes digging deeper into a character's head to do this.
The grandfather of sword and sorcery is considered to be Robert E. Howard. (J.R.R. Tolkien is considered the grandfather of epic fantasy.) If you're wondering who Howard is, ever heard of a barbarian named Conan? Michael Moorcock, Fritz Leiber, and David Gemmell are some of the genre's best-known writers. Sword and sorcery was huge in the 80's, and it has been back in vogue these past five years or so.
Today fantasy seems to be blending high and low. Writers like George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, and Scott Lynch--to name a few--are doing it brilliantly. I suggest starting with them to get a taste of sword and sorcery, and then work you way backward through some of the greats.
That's all!
P.S. sword and sorcery is where we get chicks in chain mail bikinis. Gotta love it!
There are a few things that separate sword and sorcery from epic fantasy. First, a lot of people refer to s&s and low fantasy, whereas epic is high fantasy. What does this mean? Well, high fantasy concerns itself with big issues, like the world is going to end, or the fight between ultimate good and evil, or the movement of kingdoms and great men. High fantasy is your Lord of the Rings, or The Wheel of Time. Big problems, big solutions, big characters, big. Any bets as to what low fantasy is, then? You got it. Low fantasy is about small issues, like a town in danger, a church infested with demons, a fight between kind of evil and kind of more evil. Low fantasy is where you can have gray characters--protagonists that aren't exactly walking the straight line along the moral high ground. Low fantasy is dirty, it deals with every day things (in a fantasy world, anyway). It is often times crass, blunt, and unafraid of rutting around in the mud. Low fantasy is, well... low.
Some other differences between sword and sorcery and epic are magic systems and uses. Epic fantasy usually relies a lot on the use of magic. In Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series the point-of-view characters are powerful magic users. They use magic in their every-day lives. In sword and sorcery magic can be (but doesn't have to be) less prevalent. Magic in these types of stories is usually mysterious and unknown to most people. Your protagonist will likely not be a magic user in s&s, but that isn't always the case. An example of modern sword and sorcery is Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes. In this book there is a tiny, tiny glimpse of magic. The rest of the story is about a battle between two nations--neither of which are particularly noble. It is bloody, it is filthy, and it is honest about the horrors of war.
So why do writers want to tell sword and sorcery stories? Aren't they a bit insignificant? This all depends on what you as a reader are looking for, of course, but I actually find sword and sorcery to be the style I lean toward in my own writing and reading tastes. I think it is because low fantasy feels more real to me. I can understand smaller issues--relate to them somewhat better. Also, I think characters are usually developed better in s&s... usually because the author has to make readers like their bastard characters, and it takes digging deeper into a character's head to do this.
The grandfather of sword and sorcery is considered to be Robert E. Howard. (J.R.R. Tolkien is considered the grandfather of epic fantasy.) If you're wondering who Howard is, ever heard of a barbarian named Conan? Michael Moorcock, Fritz Leiber, and David Gemmell are some of the genre's best-known writers. Sword and sorcery was huge in the 80's, and it has been back in vogue these past five years or so.
Today fantasy seems to be blending high and low. Writers like George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, and Scott Lynch--to name a few--are doing it brilliantly. I suggest starting with them to get a taste of sword and sorcery, and then work you way backward through some of the greats.
That's all!
P.S. sword and sorcery is where we get chicks in chain mail bikinis. Gotta love it!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Make writing your only choice in the new year
2013.
Holy crap.
How did you sneak up on me so fast?
The years seem to be going by faster and faster, the days streaming past like blurred fence posts along a highway, and I'm left looking back on what I've accomplished. I hate looking back... because I haven't come anywhere near where I want to be as a writer. True, I became a parent for the first time this past year, and I'm scrambling to prepare for baby number two in a few months, (didn't plan the second one, let me tell you!) but these are only parts of life any aspiring professional has to deal with. Why have I been dragging my feet so much for so long? *crickets chirping*
I don't have an acceptable answer.
As I get older and my family grows, I'm left with some serious choices to make. Mainly, how I'm going to support us in the years to come. I have a job that pays the bills, but it isn't the job I want to spend the rest of my life doing. My time there is limited--I've always known this. Problem is I haven't put enough effort into writing or anything else that will get me better employment. 2013 is the year to change this. I've come up with some goals to help me accomplish this. First, though, I'd like to point out a few things I've learned from professional authors this year.
Make writing your only option. This is what Bestselling author Dave Wolverton/Farland advises. This advice has been on my mind quite a bit lately. I've been wondering if it's time to hang up the writing hat for a while and go back to school. I'll never give up on writing, but a 4 or 5 year break would be necessary if I finished a degree. I don't have time to work full time, go to school, and write. Honestly, though, this sounds like a very bad option for me. I'm sure most of you creative types can relate. It's practically impossible to give up thinking about writing, so to stop writing for so long would only be tortuous. Dave says that you shouldn't have any other plans besides writing. According to him I ought to focus %100 on improving my craft. Make writing my area of study. I like this advice very much.
I went to a week-long writing camp with Dave a couple years back. I had some one-on-one time with him during lunch one day, and I told him how I was struggling with finishing school or not. He then informed me that he had dropped out of college to pursue writing. It can happen, people. All that matters is how much time, sweat, tears, and sacrifice you put into becoming a published author.
Another bit of wisdom I've garnered in the past little while comes from Michael J Sullivan, author of the popular Riyria Chronicles. It took him twenty years to become published. Twenty freakin years! When I read that about him my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Think of the dedication and perseverance it would take to keep trying for so long. His experience is quite inspirational. It tells me that success is out there for those willing to grasp for it.
So this is my goal for this year: write three completed novels, the first due by March 31st. This is going to be a difficult goal for me, considering I've never completed a single novel before. I'm approaching things differently this time, though, and so feel like I can do this. I'm going to write YA fantasy for the time being. I've started a few in the past and they are the ones I feel I need to pursue right now. The word count in a YA novel is significantly less than adult ones... somewhere around 80,000 words. The adult fantasies I've been working on are all above 130,000. I've made it to 80,000 several times, so I know what writing that many words feels like. I just need to shorten my story arcs so that I have a complete story with the lower word count.
Anyway, that's about it. I'm going to try and write each book in 90 day chunks. I gave myself a 1200 word count goal for each day. That means 66.5 days within the 90 day goal that I need to write to reach 80,000 words. I already know I'm not an every day writer, so this gives me a little breathing room. I'll take a break after the first book is done by March 31st. My son is due April 12th, so I'm expecting at least 4 weeks of 0 productivity. After we recover from the birth I'll set another 90 goal for the second book of the year.
Here's hoping 2013 is a great year.
Holy crap.
How did you sneak up on me so fast?
The years seem to be going by faster and faster, the days streaming past like blurred fence posts along a highway, and I'm left looking back on what I've accomplished. I hate looking back... because I haven't come anywhere near where I want to be as a writer. True, I became a parent for the first time this past year, and I'm scrambling to prepare for baby number two in a few months, (didn't plan the second one, let me tell you!) but these are only parts of life any aspiring professional has to deal with. Why have I been dragging my feet so much for so long? *crickets chirping*
I don't have an acceptable answer.
As I get older and my family grows, I'm left with some serious choices to make. Mainly, how I'm going to support us in the years to come. I have a job that pays the bills, but it isn't the job I want to spend the rest of my life doing. My time there is limited--I've always known this. Problem is I haven't put enough effort into writing or anything else that will get me better employment. 2013 is the year to change this. I've come up with some goals to help me accomplish this. First, though, I'd like to point out a few things I've learned from professional authors this year.
Make writing your only option. This is what Bestselling author Dave Wolverton/Farland advises. This advice has been on my mind quite a bit lately. I've been wondering if it's time to hang up the writing hat for a while and go back to school. I'll never give up on writing, but a 4 or 5 year break would be necessary if I finished a degree. I don't have time to work full time, go to school, and write. Honestly, though, this sounds like a very bad option for me. I'm sure most of you creative types can relate. It's practically impossible to give up thinking about writing, so to stop writing for so long would only be tortuous. Dave says that you shouldn't have any other plans besides writing. According to him I ought to focus %100 on improving my craft. Make writing my area of study. I like this advice very much.
I went to a week-long writing camp with Dave a couple years back. I had some one-on-one time with him during lunch one day, and I told him how I was struggling with finishing school or not. He then informed me that he had dropped out of college to pursue writing. It can happen, people. All that matters is how much time, sweat, tears, and sacrifice you put into becoming a published author.
Another bit of wisdom I've garnered in the past little while comes from Michael J Sullivan, author of the popular Riyria Chronicles. It took him twenty years to become published. Twenty freakin years! When I read that about him my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Think of the dedication and perseverance it would take to keep trying for so long. His experience is quite inspirational. It tells me that success is out there for those willing to grasp for it.
So this is my goal for this year: write three completed novels, the first due by March 31st. This is going to be a difficult goal for me, considering I've never completed a single novel before. I'm approaching things differently this time, though, and so feel like I can do this. I'm going to write YA fantasy for the time being. I've started a few in the past and they are the ones I feel I need to pursue right now. The word count in a YA novel is significantly less than adult ones... somewhere around 80,000 words. The adult fantasies I've been working on are all above 130,000. I've made it to 80,000 several times, so I know what writing that many words feels like. I just need to shorten my story arcs so that I have a complete story with the lower word count.
Anyway, that's about it. I'm going to try and write each book in 90 day chunks. I gave myself a 1200 word count goal for each day. That means 66.5 days within the 90 day goal that I need to write to reach 80,000 words. I already know I'm not an every day writer, so this gives me a little breathing room. I'll take a break after the first book is done by March 31st. My son is due April 12th, so I'm expecting at least 4 weeks of 0 productivity. After we recover from the birth I'll set another 90 goal for the second book of the year.
Here's hoping 2013 is a great year.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
What the crap is Epic Fantasy?
My post about space opera seemed to have been a bit of a hit, so I thought I'd take the time to spell-out other sub-genres of fantasy and science fiction for those of you unfamiliar with all of the minor and sometimes major differences. I figured I'd get to my favorite now, and plan on doing more in the future. So here we are, ready to learn about epic fantasy.
What the crap is epic fantasy? Epic fantasy, sometimes referred to as high fantasy, is fantasy that takes place in a secondary world, such as Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings, and is almost always (pretty much used to be always, until recently) about an entire world in danger. It is about big, sweeping stories that can span continents. More often than not stories in this genre have huge casts of characters, making plot and story complex and extremely detailed. This isn't your little brother's fantasy, folks. It is... well... epic.
I hate calling it that (despite it being called that) because the word has become quite trendy these days, and you can no longer be sure what someone means by it. If someone likes something they almost always call it epic. It's the hip word of choice. What happened to the good old days when everyone just said cool? Oh well. I'm getting off topic. Here are a few things you can count on finding in your epic fantasy:
-A well-defined magic system, or magic not so rule-based but that is used heavily throughout the story--also known as hard and soft magic. It is important to include both hard and soft magic as being allowed in the genre, despite most epic fantasies these days leaning toward hard. I don't think I ought to get in to defining hard and soft magic this time, but I'll do a post on it in the future so that this makes more sense. The basic thing you need to know is that magic is important to epic fantasy. Stories in this genre can exist without magic (George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is pretty light on magic) but ninety percent of the time is full of it.
-A hero's journey archetype. This is where one character--usually a young boy or girl on the verge of adulthood--begins the story powerless, and ends the story all-powerful. Usually this means saving the world from destruction, and defeating evil.
-Political intrigue. Epic fantasy moves at a slower pace than other genres. It isn't all about the action. Epic fantasy takes time to delve into national politics and court machinations. It explores conflicts from multiple angles. This is almost always my favorite part of these types of stories.
-Milieu. Because epic fantasy takes place in a world not our own, pages and pages are spent on world building. This is one of the biggest reasons epic fantasies are so darn thick. Most readers read this genre because of the interesting worlds authors create. Middle Earth is a place readers want to spend time in because it is so full of wonder. If you're reading a fantasy taking place in familiar New York City, you, my friend, are not reading epic fantasy.
Most epic fantasy takes place in a pseudo-European medieval world, though it is increasingly popular to set these stories in Renaissance-esque settings, or other culture-influenced worlds (Silk Road settings are a new favorite). Also, fantastical races, such as elves, dwarves, or goblins, are common. (These days authors come up with their own races, rather than relying on those already familiar to readers.)
There you have it. I hope you know a bit more about epic fantasy than you did before reading. Here are some books to check out if you are wanting to give this sub-genre some time:
The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan
The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson
A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie
The Runelords, by David Farland
Furies of Calderon, by Jim Butcher
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien (considered the grandfather of modern fantasy)
I hate calling it that (despite it being called that) because the word has become quite trendy these days, and you can no longer be sure what someone means by it. If someone likes something they almost always call it epic. It's the hip word of choice. What happened to the good old days when everyone just said cool? Oh well. I'm getting off topic. Here are a few things you can count on finding in your epic fantasy:
-A well-defined magic system, or magic not so rule-based but that is used heavily throughout the story--also known as hard and soft magic. It is important to include both hard and soft magic as being allowed in the genre, despite most epic fantasies these days leaning toward hard. I don't think I ought to get in to defining hard and soft magic this time, but I'll do a post on it in the future so that this makes more sense. The basic thing you need to know is that magic is important to epic fantasy. Stories in this genre can exist without magic (George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is pretty light on magic) but ninety percent of the time is full of it.
-A hero's journey archetype. This is where one character--usually a young boy or girl on the verge of adulthood--begins the story powerless, and ends the story all-powerful. Usually this means saving the world from destruction, and defeating evil.
-Political intrigue. Epic fantasy moves at a slower pace than other genres. It isn't all about the action. Epic fantasy takes time to delve into national politics and court machinations. It explores conflicts from multiple angles. This is almost always my favorite part of these types of stories.
-Milieu. Because epic fantasy takes place in a world not our own, pages and pages are spent on world building. This is one of the biggest reasons epic fantasies are so darn thick. Most readers read this genre because of the interesting worlds authors create. Middle Earth is a place readers want to spend time in because it is so full of wonder. If you're reading a fantasy taking place in familiar New York City, you, my friend, are not reading epic fantasy.
Most epic fantasy takes place in a pseudo-European medieval world, though it is increasingly popular to set these stories in Renaissance-esque settings, or other culture-influenced worlds (Silk Road settings are a new favorite). Also, fantastical races, such as elves, dwarves, or goblins, are common. (These days authors come up with their own races, rather than relying on those already familiar to readers.)
There you have it. I hope you know a bit more about epic fantasy than you did before reading. Here are some books to check out if you are wanting to give this sub-genre some time:
The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan
The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson
A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie
The Runelords, by David Farland
Furies of Calderon, by Jim Butcher
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien (considered the grandfather of modern fantasy)
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The 4 Books that Influenced Me Most
I have read a lot of books over the years. Most aspiring authors ought to be able to claim the same. I have lots of favorites, written in many genres and styles. Some stories have stuck with me since I was a kid, while others have faded into the forgotten corners of time. I thought it would be fun to reflect on the 4 that have influenced me the most--specifically as a writer. These are the stories that I not only consider some of the greatest out there, but are also the ones I look up to and hope to emulate in my own writing. In no particular order, they are as follows:
The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan. This book played a huge role in my life because it got me hooked on fantasy. Besides a handful of child books I can't even remember titles for, I'd only read one fantasy author before opening the pages on Jordan's masterpiece. I'd seen kids in school reading The Wheel of Time series--I was the one poking fun at them for reading something so geeky (back then I figured fantasy was for the real losers--science fiction was the cool genre). It wasn't until after high school that I swallowed my pride and picked Eye up. I read the entire series in six months. (There were ten books at the time.) That was nearly eleven years ago. I've been primarily a fantasy reader--and, incidentally, a fantasy writer--ever since. I owe a lot to Robert Jordan and his epic story.
Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, was the first science fiction I can remember reading. My aunt recommended it to me after we watched Starship Troopers. (I was in sixth or seventh grade--it was so cool that she rented an R rated movie for me to watch!) Card was my gateway-drug into speculative fiction, and Ender's Game remains one of my favorites to this day. Card created the perfect world for a twelve year old boy to get lost in. This is a book everyone should read. If I owe my love for fantasy to Robert Jordan, I owe my love of reading to Orson Scott Card.
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. Hollywood did poor service to this classic a few years back. If you're reading this and agree with me that Cristo is brilliant, but have failed to actually read the book--basing your opinion off of that crapy movie--I weep for you. Seriously, read this novel. It isn't just a great story. It's essential reading for anyone desiring an education in literature. The tale of Edmond Dantes is relevant, heart-breaking, and beautiful. It is, in my humble opinion, as close to perfect as any work of art can be. And it taught me that tragedy in fiction is powerful. I think this is where my love of dark stories began, for Dantes's journey is as dark as they come. It also has hope at the end of the tunnel--something that I believe all the best fiction offers.
Frank Herbert is the J.R.R. Tolkien of science fiction. At least I and many others consider him so. He didn't invent the wheel, but he turned the farmer's cart into a freaking Rolls Royce. I was already a fan of science fiction when I first picked up Dune in jr. high, but I've never read an author since who has topped him for sheer mastery of the genre. Dune showed me that a good story is more than just one thing. It is character, plot, setting, delivery, and ideas. Dune showed me that fiction can be big--that it can do more than simply entertain. It has taught me to not give up (Frank Herbert was rejected many, many times before Dune was finally published), and that thought should go into my writing. If I can write anywhere near the level of Herbert... Okay, scratch that. It's fun to dream, though, right?
That's it. It was going to be five books, but I had a hard time deciding on the last. (I was leaning toward Shogun, but I was afraid I'd leave some other book out that had a bigger impact on me.) I have to add that I was influenced to write this post by Justin, over at Staffer's book review. Thanks, Justin!
What books have influenced you?
Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, was the first science fiction I can remember reading. My aunt recommended it to me after we watched Starship Troopers. (I was in sixth or seventh grade--it was so cool that she rented an R rated movie for me to watch!) Card was my gateway-drug into speculative fiction, and Ender's Game remains one of my favorites to this day. Card created the perfect world for a twelve year old boy to get lost in. This is a book everyone should read. If I owe my love for fantasy to Robert Jordan, I owe my love of reading to Orson Scott Card.
What books have influenced you?
Thursday, September 6, 2012
What the crap is Space Opera?
Science Fiction and Fantasy have some funny insider terms that people unfamiliar with the genres tend to look at sideways. Case in point: I posted my review of Caliban's War last week, and my dear sister (who actually reads my blog--very surprising) asked me what the crap Space Opera is. I responded that it was exactly what it sounds--opera in space. Who doesn't enjoy good opera? Definition done. She believed me for a minute, and then I couldn't help grinning at her. No, Space Opera isn't opera in space. In fact, music has nothing to do with it. Space, on the other hand, is a very important part of this Science Fiction sub-genre. So, let's break down Space Opera so those of you unfamiliar with the genre can understand it. I think it's the easiest Sci-Fi genre for readers to get into, although that seems to have changed over the past couple of years as the dystopian has taken over. (Yes, those of you loving Hunger Games are in fact reading Science Fiction... mmmwwahaha! The nerds will get you one way or another!)
First and foremost, Space Opera is fun. It's adventurous, it's romantic (not in the boy-meets-girl sense, but there can be that, too), it's large-scale, and it takes place primarily in space, or on an alien world. This is the epic form of Sci-Fi. Movies that fit into this sub-genre are Star Wars, Star Trek (especially the newer version), and John Carter (which nobody gave a proper chance, but it's a great movie). Space Opera is more concerned with a great story than science. If there is some kind of technology that is cool, but totally unfeasible under the laws of physics, it is likely found in a Space Opera, rather than Hard Sci-Fi. If there is some sort of magic in a Sci-Fi story, like the Force in Star Wars, it is Space Opera. Like I said, this sub-genre is fun.
The Fifth Element is a campy, fun film that pokes fun at its own genre. For those of you who have seen it, remember the blue alien chick singing opera on the spaceship? Funny stuff. Luc Besson was purposefully making a joke about Space Opera.
Some would define Space Opera as being about galaxy-spanding empires, epic wars in space, and greater-than life characters. This is true about some Space Opera stories, but not all. Dune, for example, is an excellent story along these lines. Leviathan Wakes, however, is a story that takes place in our own solar system, before humans have expanded out into the stars. Both fall under the sub-genre for reasons I've already listed, but each are very distinct in style and characters. (And both kick butt. Read them!)
Here are some of my favorite Space Opera books. I highly recommend them, and have reviewed several on this blog at one time or another.
-Dune, by Frank Herbert
-Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
-Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card
-The Warrior's Apprentice, by Lois McMaster Bujold
-Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey
-The Prefect, by Alastair Reynolds
-Hunter's Run, by George R.R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham
-Pandora's Star, by Peter F. Hamilton
-Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
I admit that I read more recent Space Opera than classic, but there are tons of other authors out there with great stories in the genre. Find them. Read them. Love the form as much as I do. And here's to hoping that you'll be able to read my YA Space Opera one day when I publish and take over the world with it.
That's all.
The Fifth Element is a campy, fun film that pokes fun at its own genre. For those of you who have seen it, remember the blue alien chick singing opera on the spaceship? Funny stuff. Luc Besson was purposefully making a joke about Space Opera.
Some would define Space Opera as being about galaxy-spanding empires, epic wars in space, and greater-than life characters. This is true about some Space Opera stories, but not all. Dune, for example, is an excellent story along these lines. Leviathan Wakes, however, is a story that takes place in our own solar system, before humans have expanded out into the stars. Both fall under the sub-genre for reasons I've already listed, but each are very distinct in style and characters. (And both kick butt. Read them!)
Here are some of my favorite Space Opera books. I highly recommend them, and have reviewed several on this blog at one time or another.
-Dune, by Frank Herbert
-Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
-Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card
-The Warrior's Apprentice, by Lois McMaster Bujold
-Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey
-The Prefect, by Alastair Reynolds
-Hunter's Run, by George R.R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham
-Pandora's Star, by Peter F. Hamilton
-Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
I admit that I read more recent Space Opera than classic, but there are tons of other authors out there with great stories in the genre. Find them. Read them. Love the form as much as I do. And here's to hoping that you'll be able to read my YA Space Opera one day when I publish and take over the world with it.
That's all.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Captivating Readers
I recently stated on a blog that I preferred to be captivated by a story rather than surprised. I love surprises and all, but I think that twists in stories are given too much credit sometimes. There have been loads of books I've loved that haven't surprised me in the least. I think it's fairly easy to write a twist that your audience doesn't see coming, and what happens after they've gotten past all the surprising parts in your book? Will they want to read it again after they know how everything turns out?
I would much rather read a book that sucks me in because of its rich setting or engaging characters--because it presents a world I would like to visit. This is my goal as a writer. I want to create stories that enchant readers, just as the books I read growing up did to me.
So, what captivates you as a reader? Are you drawn to a story because of its alien worlds? Interesting characters? Clever prose? Do you want a story to take you somewhere familiar? How do you think you can captivate an audience? What tools as writers do you use to keep your readers stuck in your stories?
That's all. Something to think about.
So, what captivates you as a reader? Are you drawn to a story because of its alien worlds? Interesting characters? Clever prose? Do you want a story to take you somewhere familiar? How do you think you can captivate an audience? What tools as writers do you use to keep your readers stuck in your stories?
That's all. Something to think about.
Monday, July 9, 2012
I write like...
Came across this fun tool to analyze your writing style on this blog. Click here to see which famous author you are most like. If I used text from my western fantasy, it said I am most like Lewis Carrol. If I entered text from my dark, viking-esque fantasy I am more like Ursula K. Le Guin. And when I used part of my YA space opera it said I was like Shakespeare. Don't know that I believe any of it, but it's fun anyway!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Digging through the trash
When I was sick in bed with a 103 degree fever a few weeks back, I had a lot of time to think. As it turns out, I thought mostly about writing. Go figure. Anyway, I thought a lot about the projects I am currently working on (a total of 7 different books), and tried working through some of the problems I've been running in to. The last book I was thinking of--the one I wrote 126,000 words on before quitting--turned out to be the one I pondered most.
I've never liked that I gave up on something I'd spent so much time on. It took me nearly two years to get to its current word count, taking it through five drafts which were each rewritten from scratch. (The curse of the discovery writer.) In total, I probably wrote 210,000 words on this. That's a huge, huge book for you non writers out there. So to my point: I've started to do some triage on this untitled book, and what I'll come away with will, I think, turn out to be a 70,000-80,000 novel about a fifteen-year-old squire caught up in a religious war. I've decided to lose all view points other than Pierre's, and to fix the story so that it is YA sword and sorcery, rather than adult high fantasy.
This book isn't top priority, but after cutting all of Pierre's story out from the main plot line, I have 48,000 words to work with. It will all have to be heavily rewritten, since I've come a long way in the last two years. It 's a solid 3/4 draft, though, and will be fun to flesh out when I'm at a creative impasse on my works in progress.
Just goes to show that a writer should never throw out old material. You never know when something is going to fall into place... or when you're going to have a ridiculous amount of time on your butt in bed with a fever.
I've never liked that I gave up on something I'd spent so much time on. It took me nearly two years to get to its current word count, taking it through five drafts which were each rewritten from scratch. (The curse of the discovery writer.) In total, I probably wrote 210,000 words on this. That's a huge, huge book for you non writers out there. So to my point: I've started to do some triage on this untitled book, and what I'll come away with will, I think, turn out to be a 70,000-80,000 novel about a fifteen-year-old squire caught up in a religious war. I've decided to lose all view points other than Pierre's, and to fix the story so that it is YA sword and sorcery, rather than adult high fantasy.
This book isn't top priority, but after cutting all of Pierre's story out from the main plot line, I have 48,000 words to work with. It will all have to be heavily rewritten, since I've come a long way in the last two years. It 's a solid 3/4 draft, though, and will be fun to flesh out when I'm at a creative impasse on my works in progress.
Just goes to show that a writer should never throw out old material. You never know when something is going to fall into place... or when you're going to have a ridiculous amount of time on your butt in bed with a fever.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Why we read
Dave Wolverton/Farland is an amazing writing instructor. I've been lucky enough to spend a bit of time with him as I've attended his workshops and presentations at local conventions and seminars over the years. Every time I hear him speak about writing I gain new insight. Another thing I was reminded of by him at this latest workshop is why people like to spend time with their noses in stories. It has helped me understand my own love of fiction, but also how I as a writer can best craft a tale that will capture the imagination of readers.
The main reason Dave gives for readers reading is stress relief. Not a huge revelation really. I think a lot of people would mention this as a reason for spending time in stories. It isn't enough to simply know this as a writer, however. You have to analyze what types of stress people are feeling in order to create something that will truly help your audience escape real life problems.
First, in order to relieve stress you have to build it up. Yep, that's right. Your readers have come to you to give them an escape, and you're going to make things a whole lot more tense and frustrating. Think of Frodo (because classic examples are best) in The Lord of the Rings. When you first meet Frodo, life is pleasant and happy. The Shire is quiet and quaint, the hobbits cute, hairy-footed people. Tolkien painted a picture for his readers to dive into. He gave them a desirable setting they could lose themselves in. What if the only thing that happened in the book was Frodo throwing Bilbo a party? Would anyone have bothered reading if he never left the Shire? Possibly... because there are always those weirdos out there... but the story wouldn't have struck such a chord with readers if Frodo just chilled at home in his hobbit hole. Tolkien had to throw the Nazgul at his happy setting, had to send Frodo in a deathly race away from his home. Frodo had to find out that the neat little heirloom Bilbo had left for him was in fact the item of power the world's dark lord most desired. Frodo's life became extremely stressful, folks. And that is what makes his story worth reading. Things are so difficult for Frodo that readers can say, "Wow, the stress in my life ain't half as bad," thus being relieved.
As a writer you have to take your readers' emotions on a roller coaster ride. The way to do this is by putting your lovable characters through hell. When your character comes off successful at the end of the story (yes happy endings are a must), your readers will feel a very real sense of relief. You as the author will hopefully put them through so much with your characters that when they leave your book and return to real life, they'll feel lighter because their own world is a cake-walk compared to the one you made up. Not every story does this, but all of the greats do.
So writers, go forth and ratchet up the stress for your readers! Try and make them weep and scream. Make them laugh and ponder the deeper issues we as human beings face, like faith and honor, hope and love. Don't let up on their emotions until the last page, so that when they put your book down they'll be ready to tell all their friends about it. And then you can write another story better than the first.
The main reason Dave gives for readers reading is stress relief. Not a huge revelation really. I think a lot of people would mention this as a reason for spending time in stories. It isn't enough to simply know this as a writer, however. You have to analyze what types of stress people are feeling in order to create something that will truly help your audience escape real life problems.
First, in order to relieve stress you have to build it up. Yep, that's right. Your readers have come to you to give them an escape, and you're going to make things a whole lot more tense and frustrating. Think of Frodo (because classic examples are best) in The Lord of the Rings. When you first meet Frodo, life is pleasant and happy. The Shire is quiet and quaint, the hobbits cute, hairy-footed people. Tolkien painted a picture for his readers to dive into. He gave them a desirable setting they could lose themselves in. What if the only thing that happened in the book was Frodo throwing Bilbo a party? Would anyone have bothered reading if he never left the Shire? Possibly... because there are always those weirdos out there... but the story wouldn't have struck such a chord with readers if Frodo just chilled at home in his hobbit hole. Tolkien had to throw the Nazgul at his happy setting, had to send Frodo in a deathly race away from his home. Frodo had to find out that the neat little heirloom Bilbo had left for him was in fact the item of power the world's dark lord most desired. Frodo's life became extremely stressful, folks. And that is what makes his story worth reading. Things are so difficult for Frodo that readers can say, "Wow, the stress in my life ain't half as bad," thus being relieved.
As a writer you have to take your readers' emotions on a roller coaster ride. The way to do this is by putting your lovable characters through hell. When your character comes off successful at the end of the story (yes happy endings are a must), your readers will feel a very real sense of relief. You as the author will hopefully put them through so much with your characters that when they leave your book and return to real life, they'll feel lighter because their own world is a cake-walk compared to the one you made up. Not every story does this, but all of the greats do.
So writers, go forth and ratchet up the stress for your readers! Try and make them weep and scream. Make them laugh and ponder the deeper issues we as human beings face, like faith and honor, hope and love. Don't let up on their emotions until the last page, so that when they put your book down they'll be ready to tell all their friends about it. And then you can write another story better than the first.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Know your audience
Who are you writing for when you start telling a tale? This is something every author needs to consider before starting a new book. "Myself," you might think, but if you're only writing for yourself you'll likely never publish professionally. Another bit of advice I was reminded of while at Dave's workshop is audience analysis.
I've started more books than I care to admit. It's a bit embarrassing to tell someone I've started X number of novels, but finished 0 of them. (Clue to aspiring writers: finish your damn stories!) Part of the problem I run into is missing my audience. I got 15,000 words into a fantasy YA recently--was having a fun time creating it--when my writing group unequivocally told me it wasn't YA. I was very upset with this. I was doing everything right. My protagonist was fifteen, all the adults around him were powerless while he was the one acting. There was an explosion of action by the end of chapter one. I had a (I felt) strong voice for my character. The story was very much YA. "No, no," they said. "Your protagonist thinks like an adult. No modern teenager will connect with this guy." Blah, Blah, Blah.
I still feel their reaction was a little off, since none of them read the type of fantasy I read. However, after fuming for two weeks I realized that a lot of what they said had merit. I wouldn't change the story at all to fit their taste, being confidant in my own style and story creation, but this character and story probably aren't fitted well for YA. I was writing for an older audience.
So make sure you know who you're writing for. The big western fantasy I've been working on for a year and a half isn't going to appeal to most younger readers. It's absolutely meant for adult fantasy readers. This means I can include themes and content suitable for my audience. It means I can tell the story I want to tell. YA is still an area I'd like to write for, but I need to educate myself better on those types of books.
That's all!
I've started more books than I care to admit. It's a bit embarrassing to tell someone I've started X number of novels, but finished 0 of them. (Clue to aspiring writers: finish your damn stories!) Part of the problem I run into is missing my audience. I got 15,000 words into a fantasy YA recently--was having a fun time creating it--when my writing group unequivocally told me it wasn't YA. I was very upset with this. I was doing everything right. My protagonist was fifteen, all the adults around him were powerless while he was the one acting. There was an explosion of action by the end of chapter one. I had a (I felt) strong voice for my character. The story was very much YA. "No, no," they said. "Your protagonist thinks like an adult. No modern teenager will connect with this guy." Blah, Blah, Blah.
I still feel their reaction was a little off, since none of them read the type of fantasy I read. However, after fuming for two weeks I realized that a lot of what they said had merit. I wouldn't change the story at all to fit their taste, being confidant in my own style and story creation, but this character and story probably aren't fitted well for YA. I was writing for an older audience.
So make sure you know who you're writing for. The big western fantasy I've been working on for a year and a half isn't going to appeal to most younger readers. It's absolutely meant for adult fantasy readers. This means I can include themes and content suitable for my audience. It means I can tell the story I want to tell. YA is still an area I'd like to write for, but I need to educate myself better on those types of books.
That's all!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Resonance in your writing
I attended a two day workshop with Dave Wolverton/Farland over the weekend, and was reminded of several tools I ought to be using in my writing. He spoke at length about resonance, and how it's used in stories... how writers use what has come before--in their genres and beyond--in their crafting of a tale to emotionally connect with their audience. There's a few ways to do this, which I thought worth mentioning.
First, a writer resonates with the real world in their fictional one. For example, in Frank Herbert's Dune, Herbert spends a lot of time describing Arrakis when his characters first arrive on the planet. Arrakis--a desert planet--resembles the Sahara Desert, which most readers are probably at least semi familiar with. The Sahara is covered in sand dunes, so is Arrakis. The air is dry, the winds are harsh, the sun is very hot. You get the point. Herbert grounds his fictional planet in familiarity. This is resonance. Then, after you can picture Arrakis in your mind, Herbert springs these giant, sand-dwelling worms on you, and you know you're in a fantastical place.
Second, writers resonate with previous stories. The Lord of the Rings had to resonate with myths and legends. (World War I as well, so it resonated on several levels.) Modern fantasy novels (high fantasy, anyway) resonate with Lord of the Rings. LotR had a rural protagonist, so the Wheel of Time starts with a rural protagonist. LotR has a wizard guide, WoT has a wizard guide. Books that I've read that resonate heavily with LotR, that I can list off the top of my head, are: The Wheel of Time, Mistborn, The Warded Man, Harry Potter, The Blade Itself, and so many more. These books that have come after LotR not only resonate with it, but with each other. The authors of these stories are obviously aware of the genre they write in.
It's easy to confuse resonating with stealing. When does a story idea become plagiarism? This is the interesting thing about story telling. In my opinion, Avatar is one of the worst offenders. There isn't a single original idea in the film. However, Avatar happens to be the highest-selling movie of all time. Why is this? Well... a healthy dose of advertising probably didn't hurt it. More importantly, though, is the likelihood of it being the first version of tried-and-true tropes many viewers have seen. I still think James Cameron was a bit heavy-handed with his "borrowing," and a lot of people are surprised when I tell them I hated the film, but he only did what every storyteller does while creating a widely-consumable piece of entertainment. He resonated with what came before.
So I have been reminded that my stories need resonance. How conscious should I be of this while writing? Not so aware of it in my work that I make it as obvious as Avatar, but I can tell you that all the western movies I watch, and all the fantasy stories I've read, definitely influence Gunlord. I'll just have to pretend I meant to do everything in it when it's published, when people tell me what stories it reminded them of. Smile and nod, people. Smile and nod.
An interesting tid-bit: David Farland thinks that George R.R. Martin is the best at resonance in the speculative field. Food for thought.
An interesting tid-bit: David Farland thinks that George R.R. Martin is the best at resonance in the speculative field. Food for thought.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
When the Muse Strikes
This post is not to be confused with Muse the band. They suck. Period. What it is about is my writing this past week. I've struck a vein of gold in my brain, and am spewing forth story like a fire hose set on flood.(Wouldn't it be cool if fire hoses actually had settings, like shower heads, or hand-held massage contraptions? "Take that, fire! See how you like it on soft drip.")
I started a YA fantasy, set in a secondary world. I've never sat down to write a YA, but I have sketched out some ideas on a few and written a couple of chapters. This time it's for real, however. I am writing YA, and I'm having a blast doing it. There are a couple of reasons for my switch in audience age groups. I think that I will be writing YA for the foreseeable future.
The reasons are completely rational, I swear. I've decided YA is a good fit for me right now because I can write a much shorter novel if it's YA. I can really focus on adventure, and humor, and uplifting ideas. I was finding it hard to do those things in my adult fantasy. Also, it goes along with my last post--about Game of Thrones. I very much enjoy reading darker stories, but truth is, I'm lousy at writing them. I refuse to include extreme content, and so feel that my books were suffering because of it. I want to be honest to my stories, and I feel that I can better accomplish this in YA.
Another reason is that I tend to focus on huge plots, spanning multiple view-points in my adult fiction. Again, I read the type of stories that do this. The problem is, I hate outlining. For me, outlining is the death of creativity. (That's not to say I don't spend time planning what I'll write. I do, but mostly cognitively, rather than mapping out an entire novel on paper.) I'm finding, though, that as I'm writing these huge books (roughly 120,000-150,000 words, so not technically huge. To give you some perspective, The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson, and The Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss--both extremely popular writers in adult fantasy--are around 400,000 words. That is huge. More like holy-shit insane.) I'm losing my way. Yeah, I know how they'll end. But the middle is bogging me down. It's literally crippling my writing to try and work through these stories right now. I just don't have the time. I made it to 125,000 on my first untitled book. Gunlord only made it to 80,000. I intend to finish Gunlord in the future, but it needs to sit a while and simmer. I'm not ready to write it the way I want to.
All the pros say it's better for a new writer to finish what they are writing before working on something else. I really tried to take this advice to heart these last four months. I just couldn't finish. Every time I went to write Gunlord my fingers hovered above the keyboard. I rewrote the beginning from a new perspective; I played with doing it in first-person. Nothing was working. I love the characters, my writing group seems to love the characters, but it isn't good to be a writer and not be writing. For me, moving on to something new--that I'm very excited about--has made my life so much happier. I kept telling my wife I was down, that I didn't know how to crawl out of the slump I was in. I found my out. It's in YA fantasy, and I'm going to run with it for as long as I can.
So, I'm shooting for 75,000 words for this new book. Want to know the title? Course you do. Just know that I'll kill you if you try and steal it. It's titled: Merchant God Conspiracy, or The Merchant God Conspiracy. Haven't decided which one flows off the tongue better. I have one view-point character. I have a very exciting, fast-paced plot. There are gods, flint-lock pistols, and zombies (sort of). I'm loving it. I've written 8,000 words on it in four days. That's twice my normal speed.
Anyway, I had to share my excitement. So there you go.
I started a YA fantasy, set in a secondary world. I've never sat down to write a YA, but I have sketched out some ideas on a few and written a couple of chapters. This time it's for real, however. I am writing YA, and I'm having a blast doing it. There are a couple of reasons for my switch in audience age groups. I think that I will be writing YA for the foreseeable future.
The reasons are completely rational, I swear. I've decided YA is a good fit for me right now because I can write a much shorter novel if it's YA. I can really focus on adventure, and humor, and uplifting ideas. I was finding it hard to do those things in my adult fantasy. Also, it goes along with my last post--about Game of Thrones. I very much enjoy reading darker stories, but truth is, I'm lousy at writing them. I refuse to include extreme content, and so feel that my books were suffering because of it. I want to be honest to my stories, and I feel that I can better accomplish this in YA.
Another reason is that I tend to focus on huge plots, spanning multiple view-points in my adult fiction. Again, I read the type of stories that do this. The problem is, I hate outlining. For me, outlining is the death of creativity. (That's not to say I don't spend time planning what I'll write. I do, but mostly cognitively, rather than mapping out an entire novel on paper.) I'm finding, though, that as I'm writing these huge books (roughly 120,000-150,000 words, so not technically huge. To give you some perspective, The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson, and The Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss--both extremely popular writers in adult fantasy--are around 400,000 words. That is huge. More like holy-shit insane.) I'm losing my way. Yeah, I know how they'll end. But the middle is bogging me down. It's literally crippling my writing to try and work through these stories right now. I just don't have the time. I made it to 125,000 on my first untitled book. Gunlord only made it to 80,000. I intend to finish Gunlord in the future, but it needs to sit a while and simmer. I'm not ready to write it the way I want to.
All the pros say it's better for a new writer to finish what they are writing before working on something else. I really tried to take this advice to heart these last four months. I just couldn't finish. Every time I went to write Gunlord my fingers hovered above the keyboard. I rewrote the beginning from a new perspective; I played with doing it in first-person. Nothing was working. I love the characters, my writing group seems to love the characters, but it isn't good to be a writer and not be writing. For me, moving on to something new--that I'm very excited about--has made my life so much happier. I kept telling my wife I was down, that I didn't know how to crawl out of the slump I was in. I found my out. It's in YA fantasy, and I'm going to run with it for as long as I can.
So, I'm shooting for 75,000 words for this new book. Want to know the title? Course you do. Just know that I'll kill you if you try and steal it. It's titled: Merchant God Conspiracy, or The Merchant God Conspiracy. Haven't decided which one flows off the tongue better. I have one view-point character. I have a very exciting, fast-paced plot. There are gods, flint-lock pistols, and zombies (sort of). I'm loving it. I've written 8,000 words on it in four days. That's twice my normal speed.
Anyway, I had to share my excitement. So there you go.
Monday, January 16, 2012
New Year
Why do people always feel like the beginning of a new year is the time to start doing something they've always wanted to do? Isn't it kind of stupid to recommit to things only once a year? Personally, I make and break goals about a thousand times a week--I don't save them all for January 1. So if you have some New Year's resolutions, congratulations. Hope you keep to whatever it is you're aiming at.
One year ago I started writing on a new project. It was one that I'd been thinking of for a couple of years. It is the only project I had a title for before I began. This might not seem like a big deal, but the title of the novel gave me the focus I needed for the story. Fast forward a year, and the damn book still isn't completed. I've written nearly 80,000 words. Should be close to the end, right? It ain't.
I have something called Canevergetothendingitis. It's a very serious disease that some discovery writers suffer from. Of course, those planners--those perfect little happy outliners--suffer from another serious disease I've heard referred to as Writingisboringcuzijustconnectdadotsosis. Which of these diseases is more debilitating you might be wondering. I'm not the one to ask. I've only experienced the one.
Where is this post going? If you're expecting this to be the part where I confess to really having New Year's resolutions, you're crackin. I already said they're dumb. No, I'm committing myself to something quite different. I have decided to make an Old Year Declaration.
An Old Year Declaration could be described as thus:
1. When one makes a choice to stick to the choices one has already made.
2. Working towards a goal you have already failed, but very much want to accomplish.
3. Realize that, hey, you're just being lazy, and it's time to stop whining about how hard it is to actually finish something, put your butt in your chair, and get to work!
My Old Year Declaration is as follows:
I, Jordan, master of many things that are too complicated to explain on a blog that nobody reads, do make this Old Year Declaration, on 16 January, 2012, 10is p.m., GMT, to finish what I have started at the beginning of the previous year. I will not spend time thinking up a gazillion other story ideas... well, okay, I will think about other ideas, but won't spend any large amount of time (the writing of more than 6,000 words) on newer projects until the completion of draft 1 for Gunlord is in the can. I will outline said draft so that I can finish the bloody thing before the end of another year finds me with a dumbfounded look plastered across my face. I will make Gunlord the best, kick-ass fantasy/western I can possibly create. I will send it to many publishing houses of fine repute. I will not focus on any other projects until my brain is exploding from an extreme case of awesome overload. This I do declare.
Shouldn't be too difficult to get done. Either my little girl is getting easier to take care of, or Rhonda and I are finally becoming adjusted to life as parents. I am in no way saying life is a cake walk, but I've decided that I am ready to function again as a writer. My writing schedule will have to change a bit, but that's okay. Rhonda will have to help me help myself, but that's okay. I'm going to finish what I've started. And you know what? I'm finally excited about Gunlord again.
That's all.
One year ago I started writing on a new project. It was one that I'd been thinking of for a couple of years. It is the only project I had a title for before I began. This might not seem like a big deal, but the title of the novel gave me the focus I needed for the story. Fast forward a year, and the damn book still isn't completed. I've written nearly 80,000 words. Should be close to the end, right? It ain't.
I have something called Canevergetothendingitis. It's a very serious disease that some discovery writers suffer from. Of course, those planners--those perfect little happy outliners--suffer from another serious disease I've heard referred to as Writingisboringcuzijustconnectdadotsosis. Which of these diseases is more debilitating you might be wondering. I'm not the one to ask. I've only experienced the one.
Where is this post going? If you're expecting this to be the part where I confess to really having New Year's resolutions, you're crackin. I already said they're dumb. No, I'm committing myself to something quite different. I have decided to make an Old Year Declaration.
An Old Year Declaration could be described as thus:
1. When one makes a choice to stick to the choices one has already made.
2. Working towards a goal you have already failed, but very much want to accomplish.
3. Realize that, hey, you're just being lazy, and it's time to stop whining about how hard it is to actually finish something, put your butt in your chair, and get to work!
My Old Year Declaration is as follows:
I, Jordan, master of many things that are too complicated to explain on a blog that nobody reads, do make this Old Year Declaration, on 16 January, 2012, 10is p.m., GMT, to finish what I have started at the beginning of the previous year. I will not spend time thinking up a gazillion other story ideas... well, okay, I will think about other ideas, but won't spend any large amount of time (the writing of more than 6,000 words) on newer projects until the completion of draft 1 for Gunlord is in the can. I will outline said draft so that I can finish the bloody thing before the end of another year finds me with a dumbfounded look plastered across my face. I will make Gunlord the best, kick-ass fantasy/western I can possibly create. I will send it to many publishing houses of fine repute. I will not focus on any other projects until my brain is exploding from an extreme case of awesome overload. This I do declare.
Shouldn't be too difficult to get done. Either my little girl is getting easier to take care of, or Rhonda and I are finally becoming adjusted to life as parents. I am in no way saying life is a cake walk, but I've decided that I am ready to function again as a writer. My writing schedule will have to change a bit, but that's okay. Rhonda will have to help me help myself, but that's okay. I'm going to finish what I've started. And you know what? I'm finally excited about Gunlord again.
That's all.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
NaNoWriMoNO
This concludes your NaNoWriMo session. Please try again next year.
I didn't make my goal. But guess what. I'm a dad now. Pretty good reason to miss writing for a couple of weeks.
Not going to post any pics of my baby here, sorry. But--just so you know--she's beautiful. And healthy. And the best thing that has ever happened to me.
That's all.
I didn't make my goal. But guess what. I'm a dad now. Pretty good reason to miss writing for a couple of weeks.
Not going to post any pics of my baby here, sorry. But--just so you know--she's beautiful. And healthy. And the best thing that has ever happened to me.
That's all.
Monday, October 31, 2011
NaNoWriMo
November is here... tomorrow, anyway. For those aspiring authors out there, it's national novel writing month. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a stupid gimmick to get writers to write 50,000 words in 30 days, or a novel. I don't know of any novels other than mid-grade books that are complete at 50,000 words, but spitting out 90,000+ is a bit ridiculous. Anyway, I haven't ever participated. I'm going to this year.
I have 5 weeks before my baby girl is born... If the wife doesn't pop her out early. (fingers crossed). That means 5 weeks or less of the concept of free time in my life having any meaning, other than a whispered myth. Gunlord is not even near being finished.
I have 70,000 words written. Thought I was almost done with book one. However, now I am making the novel a standalone, and have roughly 80,000-100,000 words to go. NaNoWriMo gives me a reason, although lame and gimmicky, to get a hell of a lot of work done. So November is going to be my "write your ass off because your writing time is going to be drastically reduced in the near future month." Wish me luck.
My normal speed is about 20,000 words a month, so I've got a bit of a challenge ahead of me. Sorry XBox, for the neglect I'm about to force upon you. :(
I have 5 weeks before my baby girl is born... If the wife doesn't pop her out early. (fingers crossed). That means 5 weeks or less of the concept of free time in my life having any meaning, other than a whispered myth. Gunlord is not even near being finished.
I have 70,000 words written. Thought I was almost done with book one. However, now I am making the novel a standalone, and have roughly 80,000-100,000 words to go. NaNoWriMo gives me a reason, although lame and gimmicky, to get a hell of a lot of work done. So November is going to be my "write your ass off because your writing time is going to be drastically reduced in the near future month." Wish me luck.
My normal speed is about 20,000 words a month, so I've got a bit of a challenge ahead of me. Sorry XBox, for the neglect I'm about to force upon you. :(
Friday, September 30, 2011
Word Count
So I rearranged my work schedule a while back so that I'd have Fridays off. The plan was to focus all of Friday on writing. Before I did this, I was writing almost every morning before I went to work, getting up at 5:30-6:00 and writing until 8:30. I found that writing every morning, with a word count goal of 1,000 words, I was getting a lot done. I felt I was fairly productive, working a full-time job and all. Flash forward to now, when I have an entire day to devote to writing, and you get what I've turned into: lazy.
I'm lucky if I reach a thousand words each Friday. This is bad. REALLY bad. Since the beginning of August, I've probably only written 6,000 new words in Gunlord (including the 2,000 or so that went into my lost chapter) and another 2,000 on a different project. I used to be able to claim 8,000 or more words every two weeks. I'm quite upset with myself over the whole thing. Problem is, I really like having Fridays off work, so I can't go back to my old schedule. And I'm really not a morning person, although I forced myself to be one for a year or so. So what the crap am I going to do?
I originally planned Gunlord as a trilogy. In my head. There was none of that outlining garbage going on. So I was shooting for 100,000 words per book. Pretty easy goal. Plus, I liked the idea of an epic fantasy with each book only being around 300-350 pages, instead of the normal 700 pages. 100,000 words meant a couple of months of steady work--about 4.5 since I've never written every single day. I was on my way to hit that goal as of the end of July, having 70,000 words already in the bag. And then I hit a wall in the story. And then I shifted my work schedule. And then I didn't get much writing done. And then Gears of War 3 came out.
I've been on a steady, downward trend for too damn long. (But it is so bloody fun to blow people apart in video games).
I've made some promising steps this past week. I actually wrote a few days before work, despite hating my brain for waking me up early. And I've been at the library today for more hours than any other week, plugging away at chapter eighteen. (My brain needs a rest so I thought I had time for a bit of bloggorama). And the best part is that I've unstuck myself in the story. Gunlord's beginning was just getting finished at 70,000, which is way too late in a 100,000 word novel. But there wasn't much that could be cut out to shorten it up. Well, I've changed focus from a trilogy to a standalone now. So instead of a series, there's gonna be one, badass, gunsling'n-epic and it'll be done. I'm leaving the door open on final word count, but it will for sure fall between 160,000-190,000 words. (The joys of gardening). I'd really like to have it finished by the time my baby girl is here in December. No way in hell that's going to happen.
C'est la vie.
That's all.
I'm lucky if I reach a thousand words each Friday. This is bad. REALLY bad. Since the beginning of August, I've probably only written 6,000 new words in Gunlord (including the 2,000 or so that went into my lost chapter) and another 2,000 on a different project. I used to be able to claim 8,000 or more words every two weeks. I'm quite upset with myself over the whole thing. Problem is, I really like having Fridays off work, so I can't go back to my old schedule. And I'm really not a morning person, although I forced myself to be one for a year or so. So what the crap am I going to do?
I originally planned Gunlord as a trilogy. In my head. There was none of that outlining garbage going on. So I was shooting for 100,000 words per book. Pretty easy goal. Plus, I liked the idea of an epic fantasy with each book only being around 300-350 pages, instead of the normal 700 pages. 100,000 words meant a couple of months of steady work--about 4.5 since I've never written every single day. I was on my way to hit that goal as of the end of July, having 70,000 words already in the bag. And then I hit a wall in the story. And then I shifted my work schedule. And then I didn't get much writing done. And then Gears of War 3 came out.
I've been on a steady, downward trend for too damn long. (But it is so bloody fun to blow people apart in video games).
I've made some promising steps this past week. I actually wrote a few days before work, despite hating my brain for waking me up early. And I've been at the library today for more hours than any other week, plugging away at chapter eighteen. (My brain needs a rest so I thought I had time for a bit of bloggorama). And the best part is that I've unstuck myself in the story. Gunlord's beginning was just getting finished at 70,000, which is way too late in a 100,000 word novel. But there wasn't much that could be cut out to shorten it up. Well, I've changed focus from a trilogy to a standalone now. So instead of a series, there's gonna be one, badass, gunsling'n-epic and it'll be done. I'm leaving the door open on final word count, but it will for sure fall between 160,000-190,000 words. (The joys of gardening). I'd really like to have it finished by the time my baby girl is here in December. No way in hell that's going to happen.
C'est la vie.
That's all.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Well hell, that just ruins the day
Have you ever done something so stupid you just want to throw yourself out of a second-story Provo library window? I have. Just did, in fact. And the pavement below ain't looking so bad.
I've been stuck on a certain chapter for a month now. This is what happens when you don't outline. What can I say? Outlining for me is like curb-stomping my own teeth (don't know how I'd accomplish that... shutup, I get to choose the similes around here). I abhor outlining; that's just how it is. There's a problem with this, though. When I'm an idiot and save over something I didn't mean to, I lose whatever I saved over. It's gone, bye, bye.
I managed to unstick myself in this chapter. It took a week and two Fridays of writing, but I did it. I was finally able to move on. (I can't write the next chapter until the one I'm on is finished... probably another downside to not outlining). So I pulled out my flash drive to back up the day's work... I have two windows open--my flash drive, and the folder on my computer with my chapters in it--and I start dragging files over. It wasn't until five minutes later that I realized I did my dragging in the wrong direction. I pulled the file off of my flash drive and replaced the one on my computer.
"Ah, shit," I said to myself (cussing in the Provo library).
"Oh well. Sucks, but I'll just rewrite what I wrote today." It's still fresh in my mind so I'll cruise through it and be done.
I opened up the file to start rewriting...
"Ah, double shit! Shit! I didn't back up the changes I made last week! Now two days of writing are gone!" (This is where I started looking out the window). "Son of a bitch!"
And now I lost an entire chapter. I could get most of what I wrote today down, but last week... that was so long ago. I can't remember the crap I came up with last week! So it's gone. And I'm really pissed. The lost chapter was nearly 4,000 words, and I typically write 1,000 words an hour. So that's four bloody hours to rewrite chapter seventeen. Might as well give up now, and jump out of the damn window.
I was so excited (an hour ago) that Gunlord was back on track. I've got to hurry and finish, after all... since I told a few editors at Worldcon last month that the book was completed...
I think I'll start on my next project now. Goodbye, Gunlord. The last 9 months sure have been fun.
*cries like a baby, kicks out windowpane, dives head-first to meet the sidewalk*
I've been stuck on a certain chapter for a month now. This is what happens when you don't outline. What can I say? Outlining for me is like curb-stomping my own teeth (don't know how I'd accomplish that... shutup, I get to choose the similes around here). I abhor outlining; that's just how it is. There's a problem with this, though. When I'm an idiot and save over something I didn't mean to, I lose whatever I saved over. It's gone, bye, bye.
I managed to unstick myself in this chapter. It took a week and two Fridays of writing, but I did it. I was finally able to move on. (I can't write the next chapter until the one I'm on is finished... probably another downside to not outlining). So I pulled out my flash drive to back up the day's work... I have two windows open--my flash drive, and the folder on my computer with my chapters in it--and I start dragging files over. It wasn't until five minutes later that I realized I did my dragging in the wrong direction. I pulled the file off of my flash drive and replaced the one on my computer.
"Ah, shit," I said to myself (cussing in the Provo library).
"Oh well. Sucks, but I'll just rewrite what I wrote today." It's still fresh in my mind so I'll cruise through it and be done.
I opened up the file to start rewriting...
"Ah, double shit! Shit! I didn't back up the changes I made last week! Now two days of writing are gone!" (This is where I started looking out the window). "Son of a bitch!"
And now I lost an entire chapter. I could get most of what I wrote today down, but last week... that was so long ago. I can't remember the crap I came up with last week! So it's gone. And I'm really pissed. The lost chapter was nearly 4,000 words, and I typically write 1,000 words an hour. So that's four bloody hours to rewrite chapter seventeen. Might as well give up now, and jump out of the damn window.
I was so excited (an hour ago) that Gunlord was back on track. I've got to hurry and finish, after all... since I told a few editors at Worldcon last month that the book was completed...
I think I'll start on my next project now. Goodbye, Gunlord. The last 9 months sure have been fun.
*cries like a baby, kicks out windowpane, dives head-first to meet the sidewalk*
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Why I love movies
I watched a movie yesterday. I do that sometimes. Okay, I do it a lot. But guess what? It totally got my creative juices going. The movie was The Expendables, and holy crap, I've got to find more time to write!
Quick review of the flick: The Expendables is about a mercenary group called, of course, the Expendables, headed by a freakin ripped Sylvester Stallone. (Also including Jet Li, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, and a bunch of wrestler dudes I don't know). They get this job offer to take out a small army trafficking drugs in the Caribbean, and the boss (Stallone) goes to scout out the island where the drug op is. To make a long story short (spoiler warning) They chose not to take the job. However, there is a girl that serves as their contact on the island, and they decided they need the rescue her. That's it. About the simplest plot they could have come up with.
So I thought the movie was okay. Probably won't ever watch it again. But that isn't the good part. The good part is how I thought of a gazillion ways to make the story better--like adding magic, among other things. Also, it got me thinking a lot about mercenary tales, and how it is really hard to have a merc with morals. I mean, these dudes spend their time killing people for money... what kind of soul does a person like that have?
This was one thing that bugged me about the film, though they did have a nice little scene with Mickey Rourke, where he is remembering a time where he could have saved a life and chose not to. He regretted it, felt that he damned his soul by letting a woman commit suicide. Anyway, it was a nice scene, and I believed he felt remorse, but I wasn't buying Stallone's character for a second. I just don't think someone like him (at least not from the glimpse of him we see in the movie) would feel anything at the loss of life. Course, I don't really know, having never shot at people for cash. And I don't have bulging muscles like him, so maybe I'm too disconnected from his way of life to judge. Hmm...
My point: despite The Expendables' light plot, the movie really got me thinking. This is why I can justify watching a movie (sometimes) rather than writing. Now I have a story in mind of mercenaries using magic. Not original, but I can make it my own with great characters and plot. My one problem is that I honestly believe a merc is a bad dude. So I'll have to go the anti-hero route and have a group of guys that are bad, but still fun to be around. (Funny mercs have already been done with Schlock, so can't do that). And I'll have to write it under a pen name so as not to offend anyone I know!
And that is why I love movies.
So I thought the movie was okay. Probably won't ever watch it again. But that isn't the good part. The good part is how I thought of a gazillion ways to make the story better--like adding magic, among other things. Also, it got me thinking a lot about mercenary tales, and how it is really hard to have a merc with morals. I mean, these dudes spend their time killing people for money... what kind of soul does a person like that have?
This was one thing that bugged me about the film, though they did have a nice little scene with Mickey Rourke, where he is remembering a time where he could have saved a life and chose not to. He regretted it, felt that he damned his soul by letting a woman commit suicide. Anyway, it was a nice scene, and I believed he felt remorse, but I wasn't buying Stallone's character for a second. I just don't think someone like him (at least not from the glimpse of him we see in the movie) would feel anything at the loss of life. Course, I don't really know, having never shot at people for cash. And I don't have bulging muscles like him, so maybe I'm too disconnected from his way of life to judge. Hmm...
My point: despite The Expendables' light plot, the movie really got me thinking. This is why I can justify watching a movie (sometimes) rather than writing. Now I have a story in mind of mercenaries using magic. Not original, but I can make it my own with great characters and plot. My one problem is that I honestly believe a merc is a bad dude. So I'll have to go the anti-hero route and have a group of guys that are bad, but still fun to be around. (Funny mercs have already been done with Schlock, so can't do that). And I'll have to write it under a pen name so as not to offend anyone I know!
And that is why I love movies.
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