I just read this great article by Dean Wesley Smith which challenged my paradigm of how to make money as a writer. Find it here: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=13083 In an oversimplified nutshell he suggests focusing on writing many books, expecting each of them to sell very modestly, instead of striving endlessly to produce that one 'New York Times Best Seller'. It is a very interesting model, and while it lacks the excitement of pursuing fame and fortune, it seems far more realistic if you simply love writing and want to pursue a career in it. What are your thoughts?
Today’s post is a transcript from a recent conversation with author Ms. Crysta, founder of ‘Dancing with Fireflies’. Ms. Crysta is a prolific blogger, champion of authors and the writing craft, and acquaintance of mine through our common interests in writing and blogging. J. Aurel: Hello Ms. Crysta, thank you for coming. Would you care for some Tea?Crysta: I would love some. I have actually been a tea drinker for many years. In fact it is one of my many writing rituals, to make a cup of tea and sit for a few minutes watching the steam rise. J. Aurel: You are very welcome. Let’s see now, I have Earl Grey, Green, and Raspberry Zinger, which would you prefer? I am so glad you were able to make time in your busy schedule. Tell me, what is ‘Dancing with Fireflies’ all about? Crysta: I love Earl Grey with cream and sugar. So, Dancing with Fireflies started off like so many blogs as a personal space for my own creative writing. But through the years it has started to morph into an imaginative networking place for people who have the same love of writing as I do. Writers tend to be introverts, unless forced out into the public due to some grand luck of fame. So this gives people a chance to share their art from the comforts of their own sacred spaces. J. Aurel: Please help yourself to a biscuit. And tell me Ms. Crysta, how is it that you find yourself in the world of Blogging? Crysta: Well for me, I have always been a journal keeper since I was old enough to pick up a crayon. I found that through my writings, both fiction and non-fiction, I could express not just my feelings but create my own worlds when I felt like this one was just overwhelming. Blogging evolved from LiveJournal and moved into what it is now. J. Aurel: What are your aspirations both for yourself and for Dancing with Fireflies? Crysta: Dancing with Fireflies has been an amazing experience for me both as a writer and as someone who wasn’t sure what to do next, after Motherhood started to become less of a full-time job. I knew I wanted to be a writer, I spent some time with local press and always submitted freelance pieces. But I would like to take the steps to publish and take my own writing to a new level. Dancing with Fireflies is also moving forward in the direction of becoming more about creative exploration with others and opening up to bringing people in to share their talents. We learn from each other and grow as writers and as humans in the light of brilliance and talent. J. Aurel: Can you tell us about some of the things that inspire you? Crysta: I am always inspired by colors and especially those found in nature. I have the hardest time in barren rooms that lack the flavor of color. My studio where I write is a bit chaotic for some because of my need for different colors and stimulus. Flowers, artwork, and even spools of thread from myembroidery business feed my imagination. J. Aurel: Do you have any words of wisdom for the burgeoning bloggers and authors reading this interview? Crysta: I do, and it is something that is important not only for bloggers but everyone who wants to pursue writing. Do it every… single.. day. Not everything has to get published, not everything is worth reading. But make it as much of a part of your day as brushing your teeth and tea-time. Anything worth doing takes practice, patience, and repetition. Sometimes you look at what you just wrote and shake your head, other times you might just surprise yourself. With Dancing with Fireflies, I set a weekly schedule so I didn’t have to come up with something new. This gave me much more free-time to write about what I wanted to. Blogging requires that you give your readers fresh content or else they will forget all about you. So reading other blogs and staying on top of what is trending helps you come up with new things to write about each day as well. J. Aurel: Well put. Here then, help yourself to some shaved ice, while you tell us what is next for you. Crysta: Thanks! Well, I am actually relocating to a new part of the country in a few weeks. So I feel like a fresh start is on the horizon. We are leaving the bitter cold of the East coast and digging our toes into the fresh soil of the northern West Coast. So once we have settled in, I have a few pieces in the works, including a co-written fantasy piece, a steampunk short story, and much more. J. Aurel: Naturally, naturally. Last question: if you had the choice between Atlantean Aqua Polo, Thanator racing, or a one-on-one Quidditch match, which would you choose? Crysta: Without question is would have to be Atlantean Aqua Polo! Thanator racing is much too fast paced for me, and does anyone place Quidditch anymore? Thanks so much for having me. This was a delight and I can’t wait to see your next literary adventures as well. Now, can I help with these dishes? Find out more about Dancing with Fireflies, find support in your writing, and connect with Ms. Crysta here: Email Pinterest Facebook Twitter
Thanks bluebird for this: A professional script reader read 300 screenplays for five different studios, all the while tracking the many recurring problems. The infographic he made with the collected data offers a glimpse at where screenwriting goes wrong.
Today’s post is a transcript from a recent conversation with author Mr. Ben Ireland, which occurred during his visit to my little corner of the etherverse. Ireland is an up and coming novelist and acquaintance of mine through Xchyler Publishing. You may be interested to know that as a thank you to his fans, Ben Ireland is giving away a set of his books loaded on a Kindle Fire 7″ HD Tablet – LIKE Ben Ireland on Facebook and be entered to win. Enjoy 3 great books on the best e-reader available! One winner will be randomly chosen in March, June, September and December of 2014. Increase your chances and LIKE Ben Ireland today! Enjoy the discussion: J. Aurel: Hello Mr. Ireland, It was so good of you to accept my invitation for an afternoon drink at the ‘Grog-and Dart’. Pull up a stool. Ireland: Thanks for having me, I love this place. It has good feng shui. J. Aurel: I understand that you have a new work of fiction. Can you tell us a little about your story? Ireland: Kingdom City ~ Resurrection is the first in the Kingdom City trilogy. It’s a science fantasy novel set in the near future in the peaceful, totally normal metropolis, Kingdom City. Six months prior to the opening of the novel a terrorist attack rocked the city by killing a quarter of it’s police force. Things start to fall apart when they don’t stay dead. No, not a zombie book. It’s about love, fighting for what’s important, and the consequences of technological progress without moral constraint. J. Aurel: Wait, wait, I lost you as zombie. They’re not zombies, or it’s not about the zombies? Ireland: Both. No zombies in Kingdom City. Sorry. J. Aurel: Oh, my. Now I really have to read it to sort this out. In the meantime, what moved you to become an author? Ireland: I’ve always felt the need to express myself creatively. When I finally accepted that I was a mediocre musician, I tried my hand at writing. Kingdom City started life ten years ago as a screenplay. When that was done, I asked my wife ‘what on earth do I do with this?’ She replied ‘turn it into a novel.’ The rest, as they say, is history. J. Aurel: It is a wise man that listens to his better half. So, how is it that you came to be published by Xchyler Publishing? Ireland: I’m acquainted with one of the staff, and am friends with them on Facebook. I mentioned in one post that I was writing a novel. They messaged me and told me to submit. I was reluctant at first –I’d never published anything before- so I dithered. While investigating Xchyler, I saw that they had anonymous anthology contests. An anonymous contest seemed like the safest way to have my dream crushed. I submitted Kissed a Snake (one scene of which I wrote eons ago in college) to the thriller anthology contest, Dash of Madness, and was accepted. So I figured, why not try to send them my novel. J. Aurel: Very clever, I read ‘Kissed a Snake’ not long ago and was thoroughly entranced by the raw and twisting plot. What else have you been working on writing wise? Ireland: Thank you, I appreciate that. I had not seriously pursued a writing career until recently. I piddled around with Kingdom City for nine years, learning how to actually write most of that time. So I’ve only been published in two Xchyler short story contests, Dash of Madness and Moments in Millenia. I hope to expand my resume as time permits. J. Aurel: Marvelous, I’ve got a copy of Moments in Millenia on my shelf waiting to be read. Which story is yours? Ireland: Fairykin. It’s about a tribe of fairies struggling to survive in a world where nature has been eradicated. J. Aurel: Well, there’s another one added to my list then. Can you tell us about some of your most favorite authors? Ireland: Jim Butcher. Period. Go get his Dresden Files series, starring the only practicing wizard-detective in Chicago, Harry Dresden. Jim’s characters are colorful, lovable, and deep. You can pretty much learn everything you need to learn about writing from that man. J. Aurel: You seem to be quite the fan of urban fantasy and fiction. What is it that inspires your writing? Ireland:I’m mostly attracted to people who are smart enough and strong enough to solve the problems they face, it doesn’t have to be urban fantasy. It just so happens that the best books on the planet are. Primarily my inspiration comes from sharing stories that make people feel. I loved the thrill when Atreyu was soaring with Falkor, or the adrenalin when Ripley was kicking alien ass (ok, yeah, I was probably too young to have watched that when I did…) So, if I can cry or laugh or thrill with you as you read my stories, then I can feel satisfied that I’ve done my job. J. Aurel: Well put my friend. Do you have any words of wisdom for the burgeoning authors reading this interview? Ireland: As I’m a burgeoning author myself, I’d have to say, GET OUT OF MY WAY. Ha ha ha. But seriously, don’t cross me. But seriously, seriously, my advice is to not give up. Sharing stories is a joy, and hearing the different perspective of each reader is a marvelous experience. It’s worth the pain. If you’re having trouble landing your story with the big guys, submit to an indie publisher. Xychler has some wonderfully talented people that I am a better person for having worked with. Don’t give up, and never think you know enough. J. Aurel: Splendid advice, and I’ll myself will stay out of your way in hopes of catching your tail wind to success. Now, what is next for you? Ireland: For now, it’s back to the daily grind of network administering. In my free time I’ll be hashing out Kingdom City part 2 and 3. Kingdom City ~ Retaliation (working title) should be out some time in 2015. I have another fantasy series I’m working on that I hope to have ready for publishers soon. I’ll keep you posted on that. J. Aurel: This has been marvelous Mr. Ireland, simply marvelous. Now at this point I usually ask my guests to compete in a friendly game, however seeing as we nearing dinner, lets simply order a dish. The Grog and Dart pub serves a surprisingly decent selection of foods including Leonopteryx Omelets, Spice Melange Noodles (there’s only just a touch of the stuff in there really), and my favorite Poutine. Take your pick, this one is on me. Ireland:*stares blankly* Oh, um. I’ll have the chicken. ——————————————————————————— Ben Ireland can be found on: Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Goodreads His upcoming Novel Kingdom City ~ Resurrection will be released on Febuary 28th 2014 Be sure to watch for it on Amazon and other online retailers, and check the Kindom City ~ Resurrection page onXchylerpublishing.com for updates!
You may yet get to hear the rest of Marcus Wells' story. . . I find it extremely ironic, and borderline providential that this contract was drafted and mailed the same day I defended my PhD Thesis. And yes, I'm signing it. Thank you Hamilton Springs Press! (Xchyler Publishing)!
Which Novel shall I write? My goal for 2014 is to get published in another anthology, and to get a novel written for submission in 2015. But I need your help, on the latter part. I’ve got a lot of ideas, and some already started stories. But I’m not sure which one to pursue! I won’t be able to start any serious novel writing for a month or two, but I need get the pot stewing on the plot and character development now so that I am ready when I have time. Take a look at the ideas below and help me by throwing down your votes! Click link to vote on my wordpress Blog. Overtone – Two scientists are given the ability to see beyond the natural world and into the substructures that control it. What they find sets them on different, and opposing, paths that will change the fate of the world. Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy set in the future, strong spiritual themes. Heart of Star – Andy thought she had lost Ben on that planetoid. But something wasn’t right with him when she found him alive many cycles later. Will Andy be able to help him recover his memory, and stop the relentless alien Specters that have chased them ever since his return? Somewhere between Hard Science Fiction and Space Opera, themes of identity, growth and choices. Worlds Apart – Palendel is a world of magic and great powers. It is also a world out of balance. Now, five unlikely friends are on a journey to find and restore their soul-bound animals that hold the secret of magic in Palendel. Fantasy with analogies of spiritual/personal growth and overcoming. The Death of Marcus Wells – Something strange is occurring in the hill country of Great Britain. Rumors of monsters and beasts, once thought to be mere wives-tales, are spreading across the land. Can Marcus Wells, stop the spread of dangerous creatures and reverse his own horrible transformation? Victorian era Fantasy/Science Fiction, themes of self acceptance, sacrifice, and commitment. Amaleia’s Choice – When Amaleia’s father went missing off world she inherited the family estate, and a life changing secret. Will Amaleia be able to continue her father’s work and save the Archyliods from extinction at the hands of their enemies? Space Opera with themes of responsibility, choice, and defining oneself. Eternity Undone - Souboror, wants to become a mighty mage more than anything. When confronted with his myterious past and even more mysterious future, will he listen to the stranger that pushes him onward and continue his quest to harness the power of the time portals, or heed the warnings of his closest friends? Fantasy, with themes of friendship, priority, the consequences of choices.
Originally posted on Xchyler publishing's blog as: Featured Friday: Plots, Voices, and Short Stories, Oh My! BY AUTHOR J. AUREL GUAY The American Dream Like 80% of Americans I’ve dreamed of publishing a novel, and like most of that 80%, I don’t have a background in literature or English. But, if we are honest with ourselves, degrees (or lack of them) aren’t really what stop most of us. Why is it that so many of us wannabe authors never get our ‘novel’ ideas published? To quote Bill Murray, “Baby Steps... Baby Steps... Baby Steps...” I’m not a professional writer. However, I’ve spent the last several years on writing forums and in writing groups reading every level of writing, from novice preteen rants, to sure-to-be-published works of art (though more of the former). There are three major issues I’ve learned from my time in the aspiring author trenches that I believe keep many would-be authors from completing their goals. They can be summed up in the following: 1) you need a solid plot, 2) you need a relatable narrative voice, and 3) you need to practice 1 and 2 a lot. It seems like a no brainer, but these basic writing musts are more difficult than you might expect. That is why I think that writing short stories is invaluable practice for any aspiring author. Short stories hone your skills in a way that novel writing can’t. But, before getting into that, let’s talk just a little about plot and voice. So, what's the story? We all know what a plot is. It consists of an introduction, a conflict, a climax, and a resolution. You would be surprised how many people leave out one or more of those critical components from their story. I’m serious. Go check your writing project right now to make sure you’ve got them all, and in the right order. If you can’t readily identify them, then you have a problem. Notice that I didn’t say you need an ‘original’ plot. There is no such thing. If you don’t believe me, google ‘The 7 Basic Plots’. Most of us have a top secret plot, or idea, that we are sure is going to jettison us to the big leagues (I don’t listen to my own advice much and still have several). But, let me tell you, plots are a dime a dozen, and they are not enough on their own. Don’t be afraid to let go of your secret plot ideas, condense them into short stories and share them with friends or, even better, a writing group. The practice will be well worth it, and if you share it online and therefore can’t publish it, don’t worry. I promise you will come up with another great idea (probably an even better one). The plot keeps readers coming back to the book and begging for the next installment (what makes us all want to write a series anyway?). A strong and slowly developed plot tantalizes the reader and keeps their mind dwelling on the story, even while they are not reading. It is the key to great writing, but not the only key. While a good plot keeps the reader coming back to your book, it is the author’s voice that keeps the them on the page. Say what? What do I mean by ‘voice’? It is the style you write in. More than ‘third person limited’, it is how you string your words together in a way that engages the reader and keeps their mind active and moving from sentence to sentence. Read a few paragraphs of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events for an example of a narrative voice that leaps off the page. Without a well-developed voice, your reader will get bored quickly and you may not even have the chance to pull them into your amazing plot. The problem is, developing a voice is one of the hardest challenges in writing, at least in my experience. The key is to write, and write, and write some more. Experience is the best teacher out there. But, while you slave away at the ink and quill, take time to think about a few things that should influence your narrative voice. The most important factor, especially in short stories, is the point-of-view (POV) character. Whether first-person or third, most readers need a character’s perspective to anchor them in the story, to give them something to which they can relate. I find that writing from deep inside my POV character’s head, even in third person, helps me avoid many other issues including info-dumps, static pacing, and blatant plot exposition. So, even when indulging in a little ‘info-dump’ on your sci-fi technology, be sure to filter it through the limits of what your POV character knows and cares about. If done well you can have your readers getting to know and empathizing with your main character through your prose instead of just their words and actions. Related to this is keeping your voice within the story’s setting. If you are describing something in terms of its size, don’t automatically go with feet and inches. Think about the world in which your POV character exists and frame it accordingly. Perhaps meters, cubits, or hands are a better fit for your tale. If you don’t quite know what metric to use, you can always make a creative comparison; ‘nearly a head taller than his peers’. Likewise, be careful of modern colloquialisms, and phrases that are not consistent with the world you are building and with the character that lives in that world. They sneak in when you least expect it, and since they are so much a part of the way you think, they can be hard to spot. A good writing voice helps develops your world without you having to say anything about it. Baby Steps Now, on to my real point: short stories are underrated. If you want to perfect the two necessities described above, short stories are THE tool. I’m sure you could pontificate for pages upon pages with flowery prose, but if you don’t have an engaging narrative voice to draw your reader into the character and the world, your book will be forgotten the first time it hits the nightstand. Similarly, anyone can make a point in 80,000 words, but without skill in careful plot development, no one will read past the third chapter. Short stories are the baby steps to perfecting your novel writing skills. Short stories are great for a lot of reasons. Most importantly they are, well, short. The upside of short is that you get a marvelous sense of completion when you put that last line into the resolution of your story, and an even greater endorphin rush when your friends and family tell you they actually read the entire work! This is good for more than just your ego. The excitement you get from completing a story and getting feedback drives you to write MORE. It pushes you right back to that most excellent teacher named Experience, and starts the upward cycle that will make you a better writer. More importantly, short stories force you to perfect the skills of plot exposition, and writing voice. One reason I believe many would-be authors never finish their novels is because their plot becomes overly complex and leads them down so many rabbit trails that they get lost in a sea of subplots. Fitting all the requirements of a plot into 1,000 or even 10,000 words is tough! It forces you to think seriously about what is important to your story, and what is a distraction. This is critical in writing a large novel because there are exponentially more opportunities to distract yourself and your reader from where the story is going. A limited word count also allows you to see the whole picture of your story more easily, and this helps to find the appropriate voice for the tale. Who is the POV character, and how does he/she see things? Is he quirky? Then your prose should be quirky. Is he calculating and stoic? Then your prose should be detail-oriented with unemotional. Do you ‘head-hop’ (i.e. switch POV character)? Is it appropriate to do so? (it’s probably not.) Is your voice consistent with your setting? A short story, of necessity, has a smaller cast and a more limited setting than a novel. This affords fewer distractions in refining the voice for the story, and a smaller scope in which to ensure consistency. Remember, it is the narrative voice that keeps the reader in the moment, glued to the page, empathizing with your characters. Meanwhile, an engaging and carefully developed story-line keeps the reader’s mind in your book, even after they’ve set it down. Voice and plot work together to keep your audience reading. These two aspects are much more difficult in short stories, but they are more easily identified and fixed when wrong. That is why short stories are such invaluable practice to us as aspiring novelists. Don’t forsake the short story. Take your precious secret project and see if you can write it in 10,000 words or less. If you are really stuck in your writing, up the ante and write it in 5,000 words. Then go share it with another writer, or two, or an Internet full. You may learn something about your project that you didn’t realize, and I guarantee you will improve your writing. Who knows? You may write a short story that gets accepted by an indie publisher and included in their quarterly anthology.
Guest Post: Ponderings on Collaboration – By Will Flora THE FOLLOWING IS A GUEST POST BY ASPIRING AUTHOR AND FRIEND, AND BETA-READER OF MINE, WILL FORA OF SILLY ROBOTS. PLEASE ENJOY! Recently I spent the better part of an afternoon holding my sleeping son with one hand, and sending messages through Facebook back and forth with my other hand. Not just any messages mind you, I was brainstorming an idea for a graphic novel with one of my best friends, a fellow writer, and loving every minute of it. Most writers tend to lean towards the introverted end of the spectrum, and quite a few of them are loners. If you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality spectrum, that means most of us have a personality type that starts with a big capital I. For reference, my type happens to be INTP if you would like to familiarize yourself with a broad generalization of my daily struggles and triumphs. And we introverts take that ‘I’ and run with it. “I have to do this,” “I need to get this out,” “This is my project,” Ok so ‘my’ isn’t ‘I’ but you get the point. Most of us are loners. I can’t tell you how much I love leaving real life, grabbing a fishing rod, a rifle, or a bow, and setting off into the wilderness. Or holing up in some remote corner of a building to work on my latest manuscript or song or whatever it is I’m writing. But the joy and elation I felt collaborating with my buddy were on a whole new level. At one point we were discussing the villain of our story, and he said exactly what I was thinking before I could get it typed out. My response was a little less than masculine; a resounding: “You so get me.” He agreed and we continued, both of us steaming towards the ending of our magnificent story that will most likely never be published. But it was fun. I often find myself stuck, and talking to a fellow writer, or nerd even, can help me through a tough spot. The problem with ‘I’ is that it is a singular perspective; a laser beam shot through the vast reaches and wonders of space, only touching what is directly in front of it. Others perspective tend to be like a wash of light, pointing out flaws and opening up new directions and pathways. Don’t be Scared We’re all afraid of rejection. That’s why we never asked out the girl we thought would say no, or tried out for something we didn’t think we were good enough for. But that’s high school garbage. The real world is full of rejection and turmoil; suck it up and go for it. Letting other people into your writing world will most assuredly help more than it hurts. And yeah some of your ideas are going to get trashed. here’s a secret: They were probably already trash, stinking up the good stuff. Garbage Gets Taken Out I can’t tell you how many times I thought an idea was the coolest thing ever, only to be shot down by everyone I told. And it was because the idea stunk! It wasn’t good! The people working with me were simply weeding out something that didn’t need to be there. Don’t cherish all of your ideas like they’re the One Ring. They simply aren’t. Co-written is NOT a bad word One of the most original novels I have ever read was co-written. It’s called The Mote in God’s Eye. It isn’t the absolute best novel ever written, but it has some things that no one person could have come up with on their own. The aliens are weird, and their society is weirder, and it took two heads to come up with all of that stuff. If you’re stuck on a project, bring in a trusted writer friend. If they add and subtract a substantial amount of work, share the line with them. I would rather co-write something good than write something terrible by myself. If you don’t believe me, email me and I’ll send you a copy of my terrible novel written solely by me, myself, and I. And some Gundam cartoons. But I digress… This is something I have been pondering in the past few weeks, and some doors have opened to allow collaboration opportunities for me. I’m going to be off the cuff and embrace it, against the ‘I’ attached to me. Writing is supposed to be fun right? What better way to make it fun than sharing the process with your friends?
2013 has been an amazing year. I can’t help but summarize all the amazing ups and downs, if only for my own reflection. Take a stroll with me won’t you?...
I’ve been looking for an excuse to vent my pet peeve against this phrase. This picture from the Nat Geo ‘Found’ Tumbler provided it. I’m not sure why it strikes me so wrong, but it really grates against my nerves. Maybe its my linguistinc personification acting up, but ‘Maw’ just sounds unfinished and dirty to me. It is rarely ever unaccompanied by ‘Gaping’, which makes it seem weak and dependent . . . It could also be that I saw it so frequently when critiquing submissions from novice writers at writingforums.org (which I love to do). It seems like every time there is a monster or a dark opening no one can think of any adjective-phrase other than ‘gaping maw’. Get creative people! Why not ‘fanged abyss’, ‘consuming void’ or ‘open gate to a voluminous eternal black’? There’s nothing in particular wrong with the phrase, I guess. It just seems over-used, and gets under my skin. Of course there are exceptions. The picture below is definitely of a gaping maw, and there’s no two ways about it. GAPING MAW
TODAY I’M BUSY WRITING MY THESIS. RATHER THAN BORE YOU WITH THE DETAILS OF KIDNEY DISEASE IN MICE, MY NEW FRIEND SCIENCE FICTION WRITER, AND BLOGGER JEX COLLYER WILL ENTERTAIN AND INFORM YOU ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. ENJOY! What Would Batman Do? Making Your Characters Human By J. S. Collyer I think everyone loves stories, or needs them, in some shape or form, whether they be TV series, movies, books, or articles on which celebrity fell into what ditch over the weekend and what they were (or weren’t) wearing at the time. Stories, no matter the sort, are powerful because they take us out of ourselves and give us another reality, another possibility, a window into another world. Those among us who lean towards genre fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal or anything even slightly out of kilter with reality, arguably take it a step further than most: not only do we like being shown another possibility but we like being taken to a completely away from reality. We love to roll around in the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘not heres’. Delicious and sometimes extreme escapism, pure and simple. And that’s not necessarily indicative of your personal situation or psychology. It just means you like itout there. I know I do. I love the Rebeccas, the To Kill a Mockingbirds, the Gone with the Winds of this world, but I love even more theFarseer Troilogies, the Ender’s Games and the Lord of the Rings. Other Worlds, Other Possibilities, Other Planets. The imagination is limitless. Why not choose to send it to the furthest reaches of the universe and beyond? But there’s a snag. Maybe I’m picky, but there can’t just be a great story, great setting, great language. Don’t get me wrong, these are worthy boxes to tick, some might argue vital, but even if you’ve ticked these boxes with a permanent marker… if your characters aren’t human, there’s no way a reader can explore what you’ve created. They need a wardrobe to climb through, eyes to see through, a human vessel through which they can see from their world into yours. I don’t mean the term ‘human’ in its literal sense, by the way. If you want to write a story with ten-foot, blue-skinned aliens that live in glorious UV-reactive forests, fill your boots (though be careful with that one, I think it may have been done) but unless there is an element to them, or to your protagonist that interacts with them, of humanity, it will be just that: alien. Inaccessible. Impenetrable. Your characters, your protagonist in particular, is the window into your world. Part of being human is being flawed, so where the reader may not agree with the protagonist’s assessment of situations or other characters, they still have to understand them. They have to appreciate why they’ve done what they’ve done, they have to have a feel for what drives them or what holds them back. It’s part of the escapism: it’s how the reader can sink into your world and engage with it. This is why the latest incarnation of Batman on the big screen is my favorite ‘superhero’. I’m not a comic book expert but I’ve watched a lot of TV series and movie adaptations in my time and the one that really got under my skin was Christopher Nolan’s Batman. In Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne is pained, conflicted, tormented by the past and brought down again and again by his limits, even more so, I would argue, than in his previous incarnations. He soldiers on, perseveres and, though I’m sure the Wayne millions are a great help to his mission too, it’s his humanity that makes him so engaging. His struggle matters to me. And the way he reacts to his world helps me to understand it. Think on this when writing your protagonist and central characters. Think about how you want to pull the reader in to live your story and feel for your characters. Put yourselves in your characters’ shoes. See what they see, feel what they feel–darn it, even smell what they smell. Your characters are not always going to be like you, in fact rarely will they be, but you are human. You can daub in their human shades with your own experience and reaction. Sure, it’s unlikely you have ever had to face down an entire alien fleet with one laser gun to your name, or had to climb a volcano to fling a bit of jewelry into the chasm and save the world, but you’re a writer: this means you have imagination. Imagine what it must be like. Make it real. Even if your characters are superheroes, superhuman or extraordinary in some way, make them flawed. Make them accessible. Unless there’s an iron-clad narrative reason for them not to be (Robot? Zombie? Ghost?). But even if this is the case, it needs to be acknowledged by the other characters that interact with them. Imagine what it would be like to come against someone or something devoid of humanity. Powerful storytelling stuff there, but only when seen through a human mirror. This is as simple enough idea, and an effective one, even if the execution of it isn’t always straightforward. You need to know your characters inside and out. It may sound cliché but you really do need to know their motivation. Why are they doing what they are doing, think what they are thinking, saying what they’re saying? You need to know, even if the reader doesn’t (there’s nothing that kills engagement quicker than clunky exposition of over-explaining) but if you understand where your characters are coming from and why, their reactions will be realistic and the reader will lap it up. The next thing to do is to get beta-readers. This is vital. Feedback is not gospel: people are giving you their take on what they would have written or would have liked to see happen. Not all of what they say will be useful, it’s your story after all, but at the end of it all, you are writing to be read by someone other than yourself. And a reader can pick out in less than a sentence when something isn’t right. You are too close to it, trust me: you won’t always notice. Listen to the beta-readers. If they say ‘why the chuff did she do this?’ or ‘where the in the name of blue blazes did this come from?’ strongly consider revisiting something. (Hopefully, your readers will be more polite and give more extensive/constructive feedback than that, but if this is the gist do not put it aside lightly). Before you know it, you will have the reader eating out of your hand and desperate to know what happens to your characters and your world. So next time you sit down to work on your epic high-fantasy arc about the quest of a high-born elf prince or the tragic journey through eternity of a love-starved vampire… just get into their heads and make sure you ground them in reality. Give them something human. Give them some flaws, some weakness or some hope. Compare the Batman with the rubber nipples with the Batman who gets woken at three in the afternoon, covered in bruises with dark circles under his eyes, knowing he will have to carry on fighting but not sure if it’s any use. I know which story spoke to me more and which experience I would hope one day to recreate for my own readers. | | | J. S. Collyer is an aspiring author of Science Fiction and Fantasy from Lancaster, England. She was published this fall in the anthology collection ‘Tuned to a Dead Channel’, and has other short stories in online publications. Find out more about J. S. Collyer on her blog ,’The Path‘, and on her twitter feed @JexShinigami
The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau is a delightful young adult read. The main appeal of the Duprau’s tale is the sense of mystery that pervades everything about her cleverly constructed world. In the tale, carefree and impetuous Lina Mayfleet, and her classmate, the more convicted and determined Doon Harrow, find themselves caught up in a centuries old mystery. In the process they become entangled in blackmarket dealings, political malfeasance, and the selfishness of humanity as their aged city begins to fail. As a parent I really appreciated the value of truth and virtue presented by Duprau in the story. Through the book Duprau touches on the unbecoming responses of humans to an ominous future, covering the gambit from deluded activists, self-serving opportunists, and resigned gluttons. Interestingly, throughout all the plights and struggles against the baser human nature, there is a thread of hope and promise that is closely tied to virtue, and compassion. Traits that are clearly praised in the book are dedication, passion, thoughtfulness, and family ties. If I were to over-analyze the book for its theological grounds I would say that it takes a rather hopeful agnostic approach to the existence of God and things of eternity. As a Christian I was a little worried that the ‘believers’ presented in the world would be used to disparage the undeniably similar Christian faith as some other authors like to do. As it turned out, the believers, while mistaken and perhaps self deceived into apathy toward their plight, were not ridiculed nor did were they presented as the worst of human nature in the face of slow impending doom. Despite seeming to quietly dismiss the self willed false-hope of the believers, Duprau consistently points to a hope beyond human invention, something tied to the creation, growth, and the progression of life. I would heartily recommend this tale to any young reader as it is full of mystery, adventure, and virtue. ### But, as a writer, I cannot help but to also critique the story. Please note the difference between critique and criticism. There are flaws and missteps in every novel. I like this story and it is in most ways a better work than I could produce. When I look for flaws, I’m not trying to disparage the author, but trying to better my own writing and nothing more. The following is my critical analysis of what Duprau, perhaps, could have done better and where the flaws in the book lie. SPOILER ALERT! My biggest concern with ‘The City of Ember’ is that Duprau seems to have written herself out of her intended trilogy. The entire appeal of her story is in the world which she so thoughtfully developed. Her characters are decent, but not the most vivid I have read, and her narrative voice, while clean and uncluttered, is not a strength that would bring me back to a sequel in and of itself. To me the appeal of Ember is the mystery of the world; how it works, why it was made, who made it, and how it will survive. But by the end of the tale Duprau packages all of that up (rather satisfyingly) and puts it away. Where is there to go from here? I’m not sure, but the hints I got from the end of the book, and the sneak peak of the sequel don’t give me much hope for another world that could possible be as engaging as the City of Ember. It’s hard to complain too much about a book written for young adults, but I will note that the occasional dues ex machina is employed to circumvent problems or move the plot along. Some that come to mind are, convenient black-outs, learning how to strike a match, learning of the word ‘Egress’ (which I can’t imagine anyone ever actually using as was done by the Builders), and Doon’s discovery of the E on the rock. Oh, and I almost forgot finding the cliff in the cave above ember from which they could drop their note . . . I liked the happy ending, and the imagery to the scene, but it was ridiculously lucky of the characters. Likewise, I like a little more symmetry and mirroring in my fiction and there were a few loose/dead ends that could have been better employed. I liked Lina’s bean sprout, and Doon’s moth, but the were ultimately very diffuse in their allegory and didn’t connect much with the plot. The whole red herring with the secret store room in the pipeworks would have been more satisfying if it had been employed somehow as a mechanism for Doon and Lina’s escape once the truth was discovered. Another device not terribly well used was the death of Lina’s grandmother. In the immediate sense it was used to help break Lina’s ties to Ember, and both show Doon’s sensitive character and build the bond between him and Lina, but after that, it is nearly forgotten, which is odd for such a life changing event as the death of a caretaker and guardian. There were a few places, where the action picked up, that I thought the author did some ‘head-hopping’, but over all the writing was very solid even if it lacked flare. While the characters were well developed the narrative voice felt reserved and the images of the characters in my mind were seldom as vivid as the feel of the city itself. For a first novel ‘The City of Ember’ is very good. Like I said, I think Duprau’s strengths are in her world building and sense of mystery. Second to that comes plot, followed by character development, and finally narrative voice. If I were to advise Duprau on her next novel (for which it is already too late) I would suggest making the most of her strength in world building and working up a sense of mystery as the key hook to the story, and then to really focus on improving her narrative voice to give it more character and make it more engaging to the reader in and of itself. Overall the City of Ember is a great read, and an excellent first novel from Jeanne Duprau. See more reviews and comments on .
To Whom it may concern, In addition to writing, I do have a ‘real’ job. Well, a sort of real job, if you count being paid just enough to survive so that you can pipette chemicals and dissect mice a ‘real job’. Digressions regarding the inequity of graduate student compensation in the sciences aside, the next few months should be very busy for me. I will be carrying out the experiments required to appease the reviewers of my research paper, finishing my Thesis, defending my Thesis, and finding a new and some-what-more-real J.O.B. As such, I am inviting you to help fill in any of the blanks that may occur on my author blog, 'the J. Aurel Guay Archive' in the form of author guest posts and interviews. You don't even need to be a published author, you just need to have something worth sharing . You can see my previous interviews with authors HERE. Contact me by comment, tweet, or FB if you have something literary or clever to share, or have an interest in being subjected to an intense full contact chess match/author interview. Sincerely, ~J. Aurel Guay
I posted this in my WF blog yesterday, but I thought it fit well here too. An author friend shared a link to this very interesting report on www.digitalbookworld.com by sociologist Dana Beth Weinberg. <Graph 1 Income by publishing method> Based on a 2013 survey, where authors responded to a variety of questions, Weinburg analyzed some really important and interesting facets related to the self vs traditional publishing debate. Three types of authors were identified, ‘Self Published’, ‘Traditionally Published’, and ‘Hybrid’ (which means a combination of both other types). In looking at the graphs, the bottom line to me, is that self publishing is a risky game that, while personally rewarding, won’t bring in any real profit on its own. However, at the same time the most driven and focused authors, as inferred by profit and number of manuscripts produced, do not limit themselves from any outlet, but make up the majority of the ‘Hybrid’ category. <Number of manuscripts by publishing method> Maybe these ‘Hybrid authors’ start out self publishing, and then move up to traditional publishing. Maybe traditionally published authors break away and make a go of it on their own once their name is established. I imagine that it isn’t as simple as that. Only one thing is really clear, the authors who earn more are those who produce more manuscripts, are more focused on their goals, and don’t limit themselves to any one publishing format. <Priorities by publishing method> So what are you doing reading this? Get writing already!!
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