Everybody has an amazing idea, one that will make the greatest novel ever.
That is why the numbers of unpublished novels range in the millions. Most are at the very least a plot-able story of some sort. Some are nothing more than discombobulated nonsense. A few are genuinely original, even fewer still are compelling.
One thing however is true about all good books. They are not just one good idea, they are a plethora of great ideas thrown at you in clever, and intelligent ways.
If you can only come up with one good idea then take heart, for there are always short stories. If you are bound and determined to take your one idea to novel length be prepared, you're going to need a lot of filler material.
Overshadowed had several great ideas (in my humble opinion of course), but it started out as only one. And as my story grew and evolved suddenly the scene which was my initial idea was no longer necessary and was trimmed from the book.
Ideas come in all shapes and sizes, that is common knowledge. However something that is not common knowledge is the process of molding them together into something that draws people in, and holds their interest.
Overshadowed came to me in a dream, when I woke up I was excited and wondering how the story should end. It was similar to the feeling I get when I'm watching an awesome movie and the power goes out halfway through it.
I woke up wondering what was going to happen to the people in my dream. Most notably the young girl who was the inspiration for Angyll (my protagonist), a character you will hear a lot about in the future. So I realized it was up to me to tell their story. So I immediately blundered headfirst into a process I knew nothing about. However through it all my idea remained true. And that was a very special young woman is being chased by an army of monsters with only a small group of people to protect her. That was my seed, a simple one, basic, yet overflowing with potential.
And how did it grow from there? The first thing that compelled me was the girl in my dream. The impression I got was specific; she was of great value. She was in a vehicle, that tells me it was present day. And her companion/protector/driver of the vehicle was a young man of Asian heritage. He became the character of Lee Nguyen who is the other main protagonist of the story. Obviously there are many more characters, but those two are the centerpieces of the Overshadowed story.
The quick little snippet of a dream left me with a character, a setting, and a purpose to fulfill. More than enough for a solid foundation, upon which a novel could be built.
That dream left me with a feeling of urgency for the characters involved. I knew that if I wanted to portray some of that urgency I would need a high stakes plotline. And when it comes to high stakes, none is higher than the fate of the human race. So I decided to put that up for grabs. Next I needed a villain, and like all good villains, he needed an axe to grind. So I found him some incentive for being bad. I also invented another world, but I'll save that discussion when I talk about how I did that.
I also took an idea that has been brewing around in my head since childhood. When I was a kid I heard a story about someone discovering a giant cavern high in the mountains. He found it by stumbling across a stream of air blowing out from the ground. The man knew if air was flowing freely then it had to be coming out of a large space, or a cave at the very least, and turns out, half the mountain is this huge, grand, unexplored cavern. I doubt the story is true, but...
It made me wonder what it would be like if a cavern had been found that was large enough to house a city, and that is where the idea for HomeWorld came from. Which is basically an underground city hidden inside, well, a giant cavern.
All of those ideas (and more) came together to form a shell that I could use. From that point on, I discovered character after character, and made them face diversity after diversity, until I had a very exciting, and satisfying story.
Practical advice for today is word count.
I got pulled into a discussion one day about how many words do you type each time you write. I have heard a few different responses to this inquiry, but all varied from a few hundred, to the unbelievable number of five thousand.
My answer?
Well, I have been tested at 88 wpm (note the smug grin), sooooo in theory I should be able to put down 5280 words in an hour. Since I average about five hours per writing session, I should be able to write 26,400 words a day. Which means I should have finished Overshadowed in a long weekend (it's roughly 130,000 words).
My actual answer was "I don't know". It is a lot more truthful then the tripe I wrote in the paragraph above. My smart-ass retort about the matter was; "100 quality words will get noticed faster than 150,000 words of pure garbage. Which is what Overshadowed would have been had I written it in four days.
Any long project needs milestones to help hold interest and motivation. I just personally do not think that your milestone should be a word count.
I personally track my progress scene-by-scene. I approach my writing with a plan, starting with the outline which is usually the first thing I write for a story. Next I will focus on the area of the outline I feel compelled to write about (structured writing), and finally I will try to capture that scene in its entirety and won't stop until it is done. I am working on writing more flexibly though. Trying to be open to spontaneous inspiration and what not. More about that some other time.
Honestly though, each of you should find motivation however best serves you. And counting your words might be the thing that works for you What I find is, if I focus only on word count the first thing that will happen is me falling behind on my goal. So as I write I will find myself using filler words to help catch up to my "quota." And that will only hurt the quality of my work, and I'll just have to fix it during a later revision.
But that's just me.
'Til next time.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Chapter 4: You can write that again.
For me there have been several pivotal moments in writing Overshadowed (my book). A few of those were what I consider life-changing (and I'll tell you those when I go over milestones of writing), but the one that is sticking into my mind is what happened when I finished the first draft.
I was so happy because , first of all, I had "officially" finished a book, and secondly I just knew the New York Times Bestseller List was only weeks away.
As I started going over my masterpiece I started to notice things that seemed out-of-place, things like your instead of you're. This bugged me because I knew it wasn’t quality writing, I knew I could do better.
By the time I finished reading the first draft I had slashed roughly half the book, erased most of my characters, and made substantial plot changes. Not to mention the improvements in my punctuation, spelling and paragraph structure. From there my book became an entirely different novel, and a much better one because of it. Then I found myself thinking revision is fun, (someday I'll talk about the traps of over-revision and how I got caught in almost all of them) and instead of finishing my book, I found myself barely starting it. This was my introduction to the revision process.
"But I've written a book!" I would tell myself, "it's done." Nothing else should have been needed, that was my justification. In the end though, I just couldn't allow it to stay the way it was.
I have mentioned this story before because it is important. Honestly, next to my decision to actually start writing a book this was the most important one of them all. It was the time when writing went from a pipe-dream, to reality. The reality that writing is a long, difficult, and tedious process.
I am thankful that I decided to revise instead of believing the lie that my work was satisfactory, because if I hadn't I would definitely have quit by now. Probably more from embarrassment than anything, or possibly the understanding that my writing wouldn't be taken seriously by anyone.
It takes a big weight off of your shoulders to know that no matter what you do, your first draft is going to suck. I wish someone had told me that back when I first got started.
Now when I write my first draft I unapologetically throw every rule of penmanship to the wind in favor of capturing my story. Ironically my first drafts have never looked better. There is a time for grammatically correct writing, but never at the expense of your story.
Honestly if I had started writing Overshadowed today, with the knowledge about writing I have now, it would only have taken me roughly two years to get to this point. Not because I'm so much smarter now, but because I work so much smarter. Now I set goals and write towards them, before I just wrote. Now I understand how much work it can take to structure each scene properly. Before I would start writing with an idea in mind and forget it because it took me so long to write it down.
I know what you're thinking, that I am against creative writing and only use structured writing concepts. Well you’re wrong, but not entirely. I love creative writing but I have figured out how (at least with Overshadowed) to use creative writing in its proper structure.
I want to talk more about creative versus structure because it is a "hot" topic and both have their positives and negatives. They also both can greatly assist you in your writing processes. But for now...
Sorry for that random, off-topic, digression. Normally I would erase something like this, but I'll allow it to stay as part of this chapter because I don't feel like editing it out. Plus it helps with a tie-in for future chapters. If I gave myself a couple more drafts I would probably remove it, but I'm not going to, so enjoy.
In closing, don't over-estimate yourself when you write. Making mistakes and writing poorly is part of the process. You don't have to apologize to anyone, but be prepared for heavy revision. If something looks wrong to you, it probably is.
Oh yeah, and stay on topic.
Practical advice:
My thoughts have been drifting more and more to idea development concepts, mostly because this season of life is full of new writing ideas. I have been flooded with story ideas from every angle. The strategy I have been employing to capture all of them is pretty simple. If I have an idea that I like, and is good enough in my opinion to warrant some writing, then I immediately write it out in two different directions; Characters and plot.
This is the beginning stages of a structured writing concept. And believe me this is not some cutting edge method that I'm going to patent, or guarantee will lead to book sales if you use it. It's a tried and true concept that saves a ton of leg work. If I decide who my characters are going to be (to a certain extent), and what's going to happen to them, before I start writing, then I have a solid foundation upon which I can build a story.
I have also created a playground upon which, the creative part of my brain can run wild. If I know that I want to tell a story about a man named Simon, during which he will experience a drastic change in life brought about by an act of kindness, then suddenly I have something to run with.
Things like..
What act of kindness? What life changing events? Who does he meet along the way? Do I want this to be a piece that is driven by the progression of my protagonist, or by the events he gets caught up in? Or do I want him to get attacked by a pack of wild, machete wielding, dragons?
All are valid questions, ones that must be answered. And believe it or not, the last question is one of the most important. Why? Because being somebody who writes a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, I always have to ask myself if I want this story to take place on my world (earth, aka real-life), or do I want to construct a magical new world where dragons carry machetes?
In future chapters I'm going to write a short story, show you my process of creating a universe around the story, then wrap it all up in somewhere relatively close to 5000 words. Hopefully that will help clarify what I mean by the importance of these things, as well as give you a chance to read some of my work.
Until next time...
I was so happy because , first of all, I had "officially" finished a book, and secondly I just knew the New York Times Bestseller List was only weeks away.
As I started going over my masterpiece I started to notice things that seemed out-of-place, things like your instead of you're. This bugged me because I knew it wasn’t quality writing, I knew I could do better.
By the time I finished reading the first draft I had slashed roughly half the book, erased most of my characters, and made substantial plot changes. Not to mention the improvements in my punctuation, spelling and paragraph structure. From there my book became an entirely different novel, and a much better one because of it. Then I found myself thinking revision is fun, (someday I'll talk about the traps of over-revision and how I got caught in almost all of them) and instead of finishing my book, I found myself barely starting it. This was my introduction to the revision process.
"But I've written a book!" I would tell myself, "it's done." Nothing else should have been needed, that was my justification. In the end though, I just couldn't allow it to stay the way it was.
I have mentioned this story before because it is important. Honestly, next to my decision to actually start writing a book this was the most important one of them all. It was the time when writing went from a pipe-dream, to reality. The reality that writing is a long, difficult, and tedious process.
I am thankful that I decided to revise instead of believing the lie that my work was satisfactory, because if I hadn't I would definitely have quit by now. Probably more from embarrassment than anything, or possibly the understanding that my writing wouldn't be taken seriously by anyone.
It takes a big weight off of your shoulders to know that no matter what you do, your first draft is going to suck. I wish someone had told me that back when I first got started.
Now when I write my first draft I unapologetically throw every rule of penmanship to the wind in favor of capturing my story. Ironically my first drafts have never looked better. There is a time for grammatically correct writing, but never at the expense of your story.
Honestly if I had started writing Overshadowed today, with the knowledge about writing I have now, it would only have taken me roughly two years to get to this point. Not because I'm so much smarter now, but because I work so much smarter. Now I set goals and write towards them, before I just wrote. Now I understand how much work it can take to structure each scene properly. Before I would start writing with an idea in mind and forget it because it took me so long to write it down.
I know what you're thinking, that I am against creative writing and only use structured writing concepts. Well you’re wrong, but not entirely. I love creative writing but I have figured out how (at least with Overshadowed) to use creative writing in its proper structure.
I want to talk more about creative versus structure because it is a "hot" topic and both have their positives and negatives. They also both can greatly assist you in your writing processes. But for now...
Sorry for that random, off-topic, digression. Normally I would erase something like this, but I'll allow it to stay as part of this chapter because I don't feel like editing it out. Plus it helps with a tie-in for future chapters. If I gave myself a couple more drafts I would probably remove it, but I'm not going to, so enjoy.
In closing, don't over-estimate yourself when you write. Making mistakes and writing poorly is part of the process. You don't have to apologize to anyone, but be prepared for heavy revision. If something looks wrong to you, it probably is.
Oh yeah, and stay on topic.
Practical advice:
My thoughts have been drifting more and more to idea development concepts, mostly because this season of life is full of new writing ideas. I have been flooded with story ideas from every angle. The strategy I have been employing to capture all of them is pretty simple. If I have an idea that I like, and is good enough in my opinion to warrant some writing, then I immediately write it out in two different directions; Characters and plot.
This is the beginning stages of a structured writing concept. And believe me this is not some cutting edge method that I'm going to patent, or guarantee will lead to book sales if you use it. It's a tried and true concept that saves a ton of leg work. If I decide who my characters are going to be (to a certain extent), and what's going to happen to them, before I start writing, then I have a solid foundation upon which I can build a story.
I have also created a playground upon which, the creative part of my brain can run wild. If I know that I want to tell a story about a man named Simon, during which he will experience a drastic change in life brought about by an act of kindness, then suddenly I have something to run with.
Things like..
What act of kindness? What life changing events? Who does he meet along the way? Do I want this to be a piece that is driven by the progression of my protagonist, or by the events he gets caught up in? Or do I want him to get attacked by a pack of wild, machete wielding, dragons?
All are valid questions, ones that must be answered. And believe it or not, the last question is one of the most important. Why? Because being somebody who writes a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, I always have to ask myself if I want this story to take place on my world (earth, aka real-life), or do I want to construct a magical new world where dragons carry machetes?
In future chapters I'm going to write a short story, show you my process of creating a universe around the story, then wrap it all up in somewhere relatively close to 5000 words. Hopefully that will help clarify what I mean by the importance of these things, as well as give you a chance to read some of my work.
Until next time...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Chapter 3: facing the fear.
I have found something to be true in my time as a "writer". That is, there are a lot of people out there that fancy themselves writers. And the majority of them have a very hard time talking about it. I am guilty of this by the way, so don't think this is a 'holier than thou' type of blog post, because it isn't.
When my loving wife would bravely bring up the fact that I was writing a book in conversation, the inevitable questioning from the well-meaning participants would be met with plenty of stammering and foot shuffling. As well as enough 'ummms' and 'uhhhs' to fill at least a novella with.
The consequence of such conversations usually left me surly, and well quite frankly, embarrassed. A state I would remain in until my wife would drag me out of it usually kicking and screaming the whole way.
It wasn't until she pointed out this pattern to me that I realized there was an issue. I was embarrassed that I wanted to write. It's a silly concept really, but it for a lot of us is a common one with which we are far too familiar with than we would like to admit.
I'm coming to a place (and this blog is part of said place), where I am not afraid to sit down and discuss openly and honestly, what it takes for me to consider myself a professional author (which I am not).
Now I love discussing the ins and outs associated with Overshadowed (my book) in detail and in great length. I feel I have faced this fear and conquered it. But let's be honest with ourselves here. What are we really scared of? The fear of being labeled a stereotype, or getting laughed at for chasing a dream. Or the ever-popular and aforementioned (in a previous entry) fear of failure. For me it's the fear that what I want to do is not good enough. That I will write this huge long book and have every publishing house say "close, but no cigar". This is a tightrope walk for me because in my heart I know I have what it takes, and I know my stories are flat-out awesome (even if my punctuation isn't). And at the same time I know this might not be enough and I have invested soooooo much into this venture that I cannot afford to fail. I can't fail because I have too much to write. I am a huge fan of my stories and it will be tragic if they are aborted due to lack of time, effort, or opportunity on my part. That is why it is such a precarious journey because I have given up so much to pursue this dream. The dream that it will all pay off, and I will someday be doing what I love to do (write). I'll of course get paid for it, and I will be able to do it from the comfort of my home surrounded by the ones I love (my family). The fear I need to face is that dream not coming true. Not because my writing isn't good enough, but simply because there are so many things I can't control. When I have overcome that fear I will make a huge step towards the finish line in this race.
My practical advice is have thick skin. I actively seek out peoples opinions that I know will give my writing an honest review. I want someone who is more willing to point out the bad than the good. I've had people tell me that Overshadowed is an amazing book, and one of the best they have ever read. It’s a great compliment and an enjoyable experience, but it doesn't help me get past the plateau I'm on. It doesn't help me improve anything. It doesn't show me what I need to know. Which is how do I take my story to a place where it is so good a publisher cannot say no. And that is why I appreciate criticism, not because it feels good, but because it helps me do that. It helps me ask the hard questions. It helps me make the changes I need.
Praise is enjoyable, but at the risk of sounding shallow; getting paid is much better.
When my loving wife would bravely bring up the fact that I was writing a book in conversation, the inevitable questioning from the well-meaning participants would be met with plenty of stammering and foot shuffling. As well as enough 'ummms' and 'uhhhs' to fill at least a novella with.
The consequence of such conversations usually left me surly, and well quite frankly, embarrassed. A state I would remain in until my wife would drag me out of it usually kicking and screaming the whole way.
It wasn't until she pointed out this pattern to me that I realized there was an issue. I was embarrassed that I wanted to write. It's a silly concept really, but it for a lot of us is a common one with which we are far too familiar with than we would like to admit.
I'm coming to a place (and this blog is part of said place), where I am not afraid to sit down and discuss openly and honestly, what it takes for me to consider myself a professional author (which I am not).
Now I love discussing the ins and outs associated with Overshadowed (my book) in detail and in great length. I feel I have faced this fear and conquered it. But let's be honest with ourselves here. What are we really scared of? The fear of being labeled a stereotype, or getting laughed at for chasing a dream. Or the ever-popular and aforementioned (in a previous entry) fear of failure. For me it's the fear that what I want to do is not good enough. That I will write this huge long book and have every publishing house say "close, but no cigar". This is a tightrope walk for me because in my heart I know I have what it takes, and I know my stories are flat-out awesome (even if my punctuation isn't). And at the same time I know this might not be enough and I have invested soooooo much into this venture that I cannot afford to fail. I can't fail because I have too much to write. I am a huge fan of my stories and it will be tragic if they are aborted due to lack of time, effort, or opportunity on my part. That is why it is such a precarious journey because I have given up so much to pursue this dream. The dream that it will all pay off, and I will someday be doing what I love to do (write). I'll of course get paid for it, and I will be able to do it from the comfort of my home surrounded by the ones I love (my family). The fear I need to face is that dream not coming true. Not because my writing isn't good enough, but simply because there are so many things I can't control. When I have overcome that fear I will make a huge step towards the finish line in this race.
My practical advice is have thick skin. I actively seek out peoples opinions that I know will give my writing an honest review. I want someone who is more willing to point out the bad than the good. I've had people tell me that Overshadowed is an amazing book, and one of the best they have ever read. It’s a great compliment and an enjoyable experience, but it doesn't help me get past the plateau I'm on. It doesn't help me improve anything. It doesn't show me what I need to know. Which is how do I take my story to a place where it is so good a publisher cannot say no. And that is why I appreciate criticism, not because it feels good, but because it helps me do that. It helps me ask the hard questions. It helps me make the changes I need.
Praise is enjoyable, but at the risk of sounding shallow; getting paid is much better.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Chapter 2: The Science of Fiction
Chapter 2: the science of fiction.
So you’re probably blown away by the cool name of my blog (thanks Grace). And rightly so, it's an awesome name, lol.
Trying to become a writer is not exactly a new struggle. Complaining about not succeeding is nothing new either. I know people who have been trying for years (and complaining for just as long). And writing a blog about struggling as a writer isn't exactly a fresh idea as well. That is part of the reason I have struggled with blogging in the first place. It's hard being a cliché.
A publisher I was listening to the other day said there is an estimated twenty million books that have been written, but remain unpublished. That says to me I'm not the only one chasing a dream.
That leaves me with the nagging question. What if I put myself out there, and it all comes to nothing? At the heart of it all is the classic fear of failure. The thing that plagues so many people (not just authors). But when I take an honest look at myself, I don't honestly fear just failure. Even if I never succeed at writing I will still be okay. I love writing, if for no other reason than I get to enjoy a good story, and that is enough for me for right now.
Don't get me wrong though, I fully expect this to all pay off in the end. I mean what other option is there really? Writing is becoming more of a passion and less of a pastime. And I want to be able to do my passion for a living. In my opinion fear of failure is one thing, but fear of not finishing is another thing completely. More on that topic another day, I don't want to go there right now.
So maybe you're wondering what writing a book is all about. What makes it worth it? Especially considering your odds are one in twenty million of ever being published. If you have ever finished one then you know what that sense of pride and accomplishment really feels like. If you're part of the many that have a few dozen pages stuffed in a box, in a closet somewhere then you have realized that it isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Writing is hard, it takes a lot of work. And as my wife can also tell you it takes a lot of sacrifice. That to me is the real science behind writing. Persevering to greatness is not only the fear, but the goal.
Back in 2007 I put the finishing touches on Overshadowed, turned to my wife and said, "I'm finally done". She gave me a big hug and replied, "That took forever, great job". Of course I was both young and naive at the time and had nooooooo idea what it really takes to write a book. I set it down for a couple weeks, then read it, after I got over my embarrassment. I opened a fresh word doc and started on it again. Now I feel like I truly am on the cusp of resolving the first stage of this adventure and it's kind of sad honestly. Sad that I had no idea what I was doing when I started, and because I am five years into it and still not done.
Writing a book is more than a good idea and a computer. It's more than just a couple of drafts and a dazzling synopsis. For me it's part of my heart, it's opening myself up and in a twisted obscure way it's showing you the reader a little bit of who I really am.
That is the hard part for me. Being able to put myself into something knowing that the world may just not care enough to give me a second (or even a first glance). But at least I can say I'm ready to try. Even if it takes another five years. That's the heart of it all to me. The sacrifice that no one tells you is there when you start. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Practical advice for the day:. Scheduling...
Let's just face it, 99% of writing is going to result in a loss of time you're probably not going to get compensated for. I think of the time I use for everything I do as an investment. Whether I be at work, playing with my kids, or typing away at something, it is an investment of time. The problem with using that philosophy, is that writing for financial gain is a unsafe investment. Akin to putting your retirement into the stocks of a company that is working on say, a flying car.
Now I'm not saying this because I think it is a bad idea. I for one firmly believe anti-gravity propulsion capabilities are only about a decade away. I also firmly believe my writing time is valuable. The challenge that presents itself then is that if I write I take time away from other things.
So when do I write? Apparently I am one of the very few people who call themselves "writers" who actually write. And I have achieved this distinction by creating a schedule that works into my life.
I start writing at roughly 10 PM Friday night, and have done so for the last year and a half. I routinely write for five to seven hours (yes I finish around 3-5 AM). That has been what has worked for me. And quite frankly late at night is when creativity flows the fastest. It has been grueling but also well worth it.
Find the time that works for you and make it yours, then use it for every second it is.
So you’re probably blown away by the cool name of my blog (thanks Grace). And rightly so, it's an awesome name, lol.
Trying to become a writer is not exactly a new struggle. Complaining about not succeeding is nothing new either. I know people who have been trying for years (and complaining for just as long). And writing a blog about struggling as a writer isn't exactly a fresh idea as well. That is part of the reason I have struggled with blogging in the first place. It's hard being a cliché.
A publisher I was listening to the other day said there is an estimated twenty million books that have been written, but remain unpublished. That says to me I'm not the only one chasing a dream.
That leaves me with the nagging question. What if I put myself out there, and it all comes to nothing? At the heart of it all is the classic fear of failure. The thing that plagues so many people (not just authors). But when I take an honest look at myself, I don't honestly fear just failure. Even if I never succeed at writing I will still be okay. I love writing, if for no other reason than I get to enjoy a good story, and that is enough for me for right now.
Don't get me wrong though, I fully expect this to all pay off in the end. I mean what other option is there really? Writing is becoming more of a passion and less of a pastime. And I want to be able to do my passion for a living. In my opinion fear of failure is one thing, but fear of not finishing is another thing completely. More on that topic another day, I don't want to go there right now.
So maybe you're wondering what writing a book is all about. What makes it worth it? Especially considering your odds are one in twenty million of ever being published. If you have ever finished one then you know what that sense of pride and accomplishment really feels like. If you're part of the many that have a few dozen pages stuffed in a box, in a closet somewhere then you have realized that it isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Writing is hard, it takes a lot of work. And as my wife can also tell you it takes a lot of sacrifice. That to me is the real science behind writing. Persevering to greatness is not only the fear, but the goal.
Back in 2007 I put the finishing touches on Overshadowed, turned to my wife and said, "I'm finally done". She gave me a big hug and replied, "That took forever, great job". Of course I was both young and naive at the time and had nooooooo idea what it really takes to write a book. I set it down for a couple weeks, then read it, after I got over my embarrassment. I opened a fresh word doc and started on it again. Now I feel like I truly am on the cusp of resolving the first stage of this adventure and it's kind of sad honestly. Sad that I had no idea what I was doing when I started, and because I am five years into it and still not done.
Writing a book is more than a good idea and a computer. It's more than just a couple of drafts and a dazzling synopsis. For me it's part of my heart, it's opening myself up and in a twisted obscure way it's showing you the reader a little bit of who I really am.
That is the hard part for me. Being able to put myself into something knowing that the world may just not care enough to give me a second (or even a first glance). But at least I can say I'm ready to try. Even if it takes another five years. That's the heart of it all to me. The sacrifice that no one tells you is there when you start. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Practical advice for the day:. Scheduling...
Let's just face it, 99% of writing is going to result in a loss of time you're probably not going to get compensated for. I think of the time I use for everything I do as an investment. Whether I be at work, playing with my kids, or typing away at something, it is an investment of time. The problem with using that philosophy, is that writing for financial gain is a unsafe investment. Akin to putting your retirement into the stocks of a company that is working on say, a flying car.
Now I'm not saying this because I think it is a bad idea. I for one firmly believe anti-gravity propulsion capabilities are only about a decade away. I also firmly believe my writing time is valuable. The challenge that presents itself then is that if I write I take time away from other things.
So when do I write? Apparently I am one of the very few people who call themselves "writers" who actually write. And I have achieved this distinction by creating a schedule that works into my life.
I start writing at roughly 10 PM Friday night, and have done so for the last year and a half. I routinely write for five to seven hours (yes I finish around 3-5 AM). That has been what has worked for me. And quite frankly late at night is when creativity flows the fastest. It has been grueling but also well worth it.
Find the time that works for you and make it yours, then use it for every second it is.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Just a quick note
Hey everybody!
I just wanted to leave a quick note and tell you what you can be expecting out of my blog.
First of all, I will be posting a new chapter every Thursday from now until infinity. They will cover a broad range of topics (all writing based though). The truth is writing a book is a very time consuming process and if I can help any of you save time then it is a good thing.
In the future, I will be holding contests for the subscribers of this blog. I'll be giving away copies when the book is completed. Also, I will be showing excerpts from the book itself, as well as some of the short stories I am working on.
So thank you for coming along for the ride. Tell your friends to join the movement.
And one last little tidbit, I am working as crazily as possible to try and finish the final draft/revision by the end of the year. If all goes well you might have copies of Overshadowed nestled under the Christmas tree.
Lets hope so anyway. No promises though :-)
I just wanted to leave a quick note and tell you what you can be expecting out of my blog.
First of all, I will be posting a new chapter every Thursday from now until infinity. They will cover a broad range of topics (all writing based though). The truth is writing a book is a very time consuming process and if I can help any of you save time then it is a good thing.
In the future, I will be holding contests for the subscribers of this blog. I'll be giving away copies when the book is completed. Also, I will be showing excerpts from the book itself, as well as some of the short stories I am working on.
So thank you for coming along for the ride. Tell your friends to join the movement.
And one last little tidbit, I am working as crazily as possible to try and finish the final draft/revision by the end of the year. If all goes well you might have copies of Overshadowed nestled under the Christmas tree.
Lets hope so anyway. No promises though :-)
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Chapter 1: The Beginning
I have fought with myself a hundred different times over starting a blog. Many doubts have attached themselves to my desire, and those doubts have drug my desire from its lofty place in the sky of intentions and left it in the dirt of well insecurity. Do I really want to do a blog? Do I want to ramble along in un-edited format showing far more of myself than most will ever want to know? Do I want to gamely struggle along only to quit in frustration when the multitudes remain quite indifferent and unimpressed with my opinions?
I don't know if I want to go there, but what I do want to do is catalog a journey. If you wish to come along and share in the experience with me then I am flattered, honored, and quite frankly glad for the company. If you do not, then I wish you well. Honestly for me it is strange having anyone along for this type of ride. Authors are supposed to toil along in obscurity, hunched over a typewriter, banging out page after page. Then suddenly they step off the private jet and casually stroll to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.
When I started all of this it was just a silly thought in my head, then my wife supported my dream, now others are along side and have made themselves part of this process. The process of writing a book, and not just any book mind you, a great one. One that will undoubtedly leave an impact in the minds of all who read it. I can say that not out of ignorance and pride, but reality. I have "banged out pages on my typewriter" for five years now, but only recently have I come to the realization that I have written a good book.
Why isn't it published then?
That rhetorical question is one I ask myself everyday and the answer, as sad of an answer as it is, is the fact that it is not good enough. Will it ever be? I like to think so. In the end you'll have to decide for yourself.
In the mean time however I want to explore, no reminisce. I want to backtrack down trails I've already walked and remember battles that I've almost forgot.
I plan to include some of the pointers I've picked up along the way. Not because I know how to "write", but because they are fun to talk about. You see there is something about writing that is hard to define. A feeling that it gives you, something that is hard to put your finger on. But it is there nevertheless. It's the fullness you get from taking an idea that is nothing more than vapor and giving it substance. It's a sense of accomplishment at creating something unique, as well as enjoying something exciting.
I had no idea how long of a process it is to write a book when I started. No one understands the true length of the journey that is writing a book, except for the select few that acually have. I plan to finish the journey and become one of those people. This is the story of my quest to make myself into something new. This is the science of fiction.
P.S. Part of what I want to do with this blog is give some of the practical advice I have acquired over the years of trying to figure out this thing commonly referred to as creative writing.
The first tip I can think of is one of the few things I've gotten right in this process from the very beginning. And that is this: back up your data.
Overshadowed had been on four different computers in the last five years and has survived two hard drive crashes. Through it all the only data loss I have suffered has been minimal (a few hundred words at the most). The reason I give for my success in this area is my paranoia. And I do mean paranoia. I have a paper copy (albeit an outdated one), another copy saved on CD, files saved to a zip drive, files saved to two computer hard drives, it’s also backed up on an external hard drive, on Google docs, and lastly I have a yahoo email address that I email copies of the files to as well (it is a cheap and very secure method of backing up your data). Oh yeah and my editor has a copy as well. This way I’m pretty much covered by any contingency short of the downfall of society.
As an artist I can't begin to describe how important my data is to me. The words are part of my heart, part of my life and something that passes through my mind everyday. I have written close to 200,000 words for this book and I'm not about to have to do it again. So in closing, auto-save, if you don’t have auto-save than Ctrl + S every few minutes, and back up everything.
And most importantly, thanks for your time.
I don't know if I want to go there, but what I do want to do is catalog a journey. If you wish to come along and share in the experience with me then I am flattered, honored, and quite frankly glad for the company. If you do not, then I wish you well. Honestly for me it is strange having anyone along for this type of ride. Authors are supposed to toil along in obscurity, hunched over a typewriter, banging out page after page. Then suddenly they step off the private jet and casually stroll to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.
When I started all of this it was just a silly thought in my head, then my wife supported my dream, now others are along side and have made themselves part of this process. The process of writing a book, and not just any book mind you, a great one. One that will undoubtedly leave an impact in the minds of all who read it. I can say that not out of ignorance and pride, but reality. I have "banged out pages on my typewriter" for five years now, but only recently have I come to the realization that I have written a good book.
Why isn't it published then?
That rhetorical question is one I ask myself everyday and the answer, as sad of an answer as it is, is the fact that it is not good enough. Will it ever be? I like to think so. In the end you'll have to decide for yourself.
In the mean time however I want to explore, no reminisce. I want to backtrack down trails I've already walked and remember battles that I've almost forgot.
I plan to include some of the pointers I've picked up along the way. Not because I know how to "write", but because they are fun to talk about. You see there is something about writing that is hard to define. A feeling that it gives you, something that is hard to put your finger on. But it is there nevertheless. It's the fullness you get from taking an idea that is nothing more than vapor and giving it substance. It's a sense of accomplishment at creating something unique, as well as enjoying something exciting.
I had no idea how long of a process it is to write a book when I started. No one understands the true length of the journey that is writing a book, except for the select few that acually have. I plan to finish the journey and become one of those people. This is the story of my quest to make myself into something new. This is the science of fiction.
P.S. Part of what I want to do with this blog is give some of the practical advice I have acquired over the years of trying to figure out this thing commonly referred to as creative writing.
The first tip I can think of is one of the few things I've gotten right in this process from the very beginning. And that is this: back up your data.
Overshadowed had been on four different computers in the last five years and has survived two hard drive crashes. Through it all the only data loss I have suffered has been minimal (a few hundred words at the most). The reason I give for my success in this area is my paranoia. And I do mean paranoia. I have a paper copy (albeit an outdated one), another copy saved on CD, files saved to a zip drive, files saved to two computer hard drives, it’s also backed up on an external hard drive, on Google docs, and lastly I have a yahoo email address that I email copies of the files to as well (it is a cheap and very secure method of backing up your data). Oh yeah and my editor has a copy as well. This way I’m pretty much covered by any contingency short of the downfall of society.
As an artist I can't begin to describe how important my data is to me. The words are part of my heart, part of my life and something that passes through my mind everyday. I have written close to 200,000 words for this book and I'm not about to have to do it again. So in closing, auto-save, if you don’t have auto-save than Ctrl + S every few minutes, and back up everything.
And most importantly, thanks for your time.
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