I have a confession to make: I recently took a Myers-Briggs test. To be more honest, I took several; not just the official one (which you have to pay for) but several other knock-off ones. I became a little obsessive. Why? Because I wanted to find out, once and for all, why I am the way I am--which is a little scatter-brained, especially when it comes to writing.
I've written many things that I've never thought were good enough to publish. But still, I'm glad I wrote them. What I found in writing them, though, is that they were arduous battles of will. I try to outline as best I can, but despite my best efforts, my writing always gets out of hand--like an overgrown nettle bush blocking a perfectly good path--because I allow a million tangential plot lines to weave their way into my writing.
"Oooh! I wonder where this weird mobster with only one eye came from?" I'll ask myself, the character just having popped into the story out of nowhere. "And why does he only have one eye?"
I can't help myself. I have to know where my characters come from. I've tried writing up character bios, but they're always boring. I can only understand a character once they walk onstage and stare me in the eye (no pun intended).
So anyway, back to the Myers-Briggs business. I wanted to find out if writing was really for me. We've all read a million quotes from authors saying how hard writing is for them, and that's fine. But sometimes I'd find myself in the midst of writing wondering if I shouldn't be off fly fishing somewhere. Or parachuting into a canyon. Or ANYTHING other than sitting in a room staring at a computer screen.
The results of the test seemed to confirm my misgivings. As it turns out, I'm split between two personality types; that is, 40% of the time I'm one personality type, 60% of the time I'm another. The 60% personality type is a dreamer, a lover of aesthetic beauty, and a thirster-after of adventure.
But the other 40% of my personality is nerdy writer all the way. So I felt vindicated. Sort of. I could now justify to myself why I often felt so antsy while sitting at the computer, why I so looked out my window and wished I was somewhere surfing.
And I tried to stay away from writing. For a solid month I sketched pictures, watched movies, played Pac-Man: anything to destract myself from writing.
But here's the thing: I couldn't stay away. I went crazy not writing, because it's the way I process information, it's my filter for reality. Even if it is technically the minor part of my personality, it's still crucial to my well-being.
Who cares? you ask. Here's my point: just keep writing. Stop fighting it tooth and nail. Even if you think you suck at it, even if you'd rather be parasailing in Aruba or whatever--if there's a voice telling you to write, then write. Because that voice that's itching at your brain, that gnawing sense of failure, is an indication that you have wisdom to give the rest of us. So share it!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Mr. Personality
I have a confession to make: I recently took a Myers-Briggs test. To be more honest, I took several; not just the official one (which you have to pay for) but several other knock-off ones. I became a little obsessive. Why? Because I wanted to find out, once and for all, why I am the way I am--which is a little scatter-brained, especially when it comes to writing.
I've written many things that I've never thought were good enough to publish. But still, I'm glad I wrote them. What I found in writing them, though, is that they were arduous battles of will. I try to outline as best I can, but despite my best efforts, my writing always gets out of hand--like an overgrown nettle bush blocking a perfectly good path--because I allow a million tangential plot lines to weave their way into my writing.
"Oooh! I wonder where this weird mobster with only one eye came from?" I'll ask myself, the character just having popped into the story out of nowhere. "And why does he only have one eye?"
I can't help myself. I have to know where my characters come from. I've tried writing up character bios, but they're always boring. I can only understand a character once they walk onstage and stare me in the eye (no pun intended).
So anyway, back to the Myers-Briggs business. I wanted to find out if writing was really for me. We've all read a million quotes from authors saying how hard writing is for them, and that's fine. But sometimes I'd find myself in the midst of writing wondering if I shouldn't be off fly fishing somewhere. Or parachuting into a canyon. Or ANYTHING other than sitting in a room staring at a computer screen.
The results of the test seemed to confirm my misgivings. As it turns out, I'm split between two personality types; that is, 40% of the time I'm one personality type, 60% of the time I'm another. The 60% personality type is a dreamer, a lover of aesthetic beauty, and a thirster-after of adventure.
But the other 40% of my personality is nerdy writer all the way. So I felt vindicated. Sort of. I could now justify to myself why I often felt so antsy while sitting at the computer, why I so looked out my window and wished I was somewhere surfing.
And I tried to stay away from writing. For a solid month I sketched pictures, watched movies, played Pac-Man: anything to destract myself from writing.
But here's the thing: I couldn't stay away. I went crazy not writing, because it's the way I process information, it's my filter for reality. Even if it is technically the minor part of my personality, it's still crucial to my well-being.
Who cares? you ask. Here's my point: just keep writing. Stop fighting it tooth and nail. Even if you think you suck at it, even if you'd rather be parasailing in Aruba or whatever--if there's a voice telling you to write, then write. Because that voice that's itching at your brain, that gnawing sense of failure, is an indication that you have wisdom to give the rest of us. So share it!
I've written many things that I've never thought were good enough to publish. But still, I'm glad I wrote them. What I found in writing them, though, is that they were arduous battles of will. I try to outline as best I can, but despite my best efforts, my writing always gets out of hand--like an overgrown nettle bush blocking a perfectly good path--because I allow a million tangential plot lines to weave their way into my writing.
"Oooh! I wonder where this weird mobster with only one eye came from?" I'll ask myself, the character just having popped into the story out of nowhere. "And why does he only have one eye?"
I can't help myself. I have to know where my characters come from. I've tried writing up character bios, but they're always boring. I can only understand a character once they walk onstage and stare me in the eye (no pun intended).
So anyway, back to the Myers-Briggs business. I wanted to find out if writing was really for me. We've all read a million quotes from authors saying how hard writing is for them, and that's fine. But sometimes I'd find myself in the midst of writing wondering if I shouldn't be off fly fishing somewhere. Or parachuting into a canyon. Or ANYTHING other than sitting in a room staring at a computer screen.
The results of the test seemed to confirm my misgivings. As it turns out, I'm split between two personality types; that is, 40% of the time I'm one personality type, 60% of the time I'm another. The 60% personality type is a dreamer, a lover of aesthetic beauty, and a thirster-after of adventure.
But the other 40% of my personality is nerdy writer all the way. So I felt vindicated. Sort of. I could now justify to myself why I often felt so antsy while sitting at the computer, why I so looked out my window and wished I was somewhere surfing.
And I tried to stay away from writing. For a solid month I sketched pictures, watched movies, played Pac-Man: anything to destract myself from writing.
But here's the thing: I couldn't stay away. I went crazy not writing, because it's the way I process information, it's my filter for reality. Even if it is technically the minor part of my personality, it's still crucial to my well-being.
Who cares? you ask. Here's my point: just keep writing. Stop fighting it tooth and nail. Even if you think you suck at it, even if you'd rather be parasailing in Aruba or whatever--if there's a voice telling you to write, then write. Because that voice that's itching at your brain, that gnawing sense of failure, is an indication that you have wisdom to give the rest of us. So share it!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
What if Writing was Just Fun?
I'll admit it: I'm a lurker on Twitter. And on Facebook, for that matter. I don't have a ton to add to the conversation. I follow a bunch of writers mostly, and though many of them crack me up, a lot of folks complain a LOT about how hard writing is, how much legacy publishers suck, how they're disappointed at their sales numbers. Criminy, it's like they've displaced all of their anxieties and crushing hopelessness from other aspects of their lives over to their writing.
Breathe. All of you. Just breathe.
This is writing. It is not breaking stones in a gulag. It can suck as much as you want it to suck, or it can be joyful. You can write for one hour a day (as I do) or you can write for 10 hours a day every day except holidays (as Stephen King does). You can self-publish or you can go the legacy route (if you're extremely patient). You can make the experience of writing fun, or it can be a slog through waste-high pig crap.
The point is, it's a choice. I read an interesting post the other day about the top five regrets people have on their deathbeds. It was written by a former palliative care worker who has nursed countless people until their deaths, absorbing what they say as they reach the final precipice. The number 5 regret people had was that they wished they'd allowed themselves to be happier.
Yes, happiness is a choice.
I'll say it again: happiness is a choice. I know what you're thinking: Chris must be the happiest guy in the world! He's chosen to be happy! Wrong. I'm still learning how to be happy. I'm evolving. But what I've discovered is this: you can either subject yourself to a style of writing that makes you miserable--for me, if I have to do a ton of research to write a book, I will hate life--or you can choose to write in a way that makes you feel fulfilled and happy and screw what Harold Bloom thinks of your writing.
You're not gonna please everyone anyway.
I once had a writing teacher who chastized me when I said that I wasn't having fun writing a certain short story I was working on.
"Fun?" he snarled, giving me what I would come to learn was his signature withering look. "Writing shouldn't be fun. Think of it more as prostitution. No matter how you're feeling on any given day, you have to write."
Pardon me while I hurl.
Look, the cliche is true: we only have a finite number of years here on earth, so why not make them happy ones? One counter-argument to this is that we work hard and drive ourselves into oblivion now in the hopes that it'll pay off later in terms of critical love, industry respect, etc.
I say to hell with that.
Be happy. Writing will still be hard once you've discovered the kind that makes you joyful, but at least you won't be beating your head against the wall every step of the way. And that love will come through in your stories, and it'll keep readers engaged. So go forth and be happy!
Breathe. All of you. Just breathe.
This is writing. It is not breaking stones in a gulag. It can suck as much as you want it to suck, or it can be joyful. You can write for one hour a day (as I do) or you can write for 10 hours a day every day except holidays (as Stephen King does). You can self-publish or you can go the legacy route (if you're extremely patient). You can make the experience of writing fun, or it can be a slog through waste-high pig crap.
The point is, it's a choice. I read an interesting post the other day about the top five regrets people have on their deathbeds. It was written by a former palliative care worker who has nursed countless people until their deaths, absorbing what they say as they reach the final precipice. The number 5 regret people had was that they wished they'd allowed themselves to be happier.
Yes, happiness is a choice.
I'll say it again: happiness is a choice. I know what you're thinking: Chris must be the happiest guy in the world! He's chosen to be happy! Wrong. I'm still learning how to be happy. I'm evolving. But what I've discovered is this: you can either subject yourself to a style of writing that makes you miserable--for me, if I have to do a ton of research to write a book, I will hate life--or you can choose to write in a way that makes you feel fulfilled and happy and screw what Harold Bloom thinks of your writing.
You're not gonna please everyone anyway.
I once had a writing teacher who chastized me when I said that I wasn't having fun writing a certain short story I was working on.
"Fun?" he snarled, giving me what I would come to learn was his signature withering look. "Writing shouldn't be fun. Think of it more as prostitution. No matter how you're feeling on any given day, you have to write."
Pardon me while I hurl.
Look, the cliche is true: we only have a finite number of years here on earth, so why not make them happy ones? One counter-argument to this is that we work hard and drive ourselves into oblivion now in the hopes that it'll pay off later in terms of critical love, industry respect, etc.
I say to hell with that.
Be happy. Writing will still be hard once you've discovered the kind that makes you joyful, but at least you won't be beating your head against the wall every step of the way. And that love will come through in your stories, and it'll keep readers engaged. So go forth and be happy!
What if Writing was Just Fun?
I'll admit it: I'm a lurker on Twitter. And on Facebook, for that matter. I don't have a ton to add to the conversation. I follow a bunch of writers mostly, and though many of them crack me up, a lot of folks complain a LOT about how hard writing is, how much legacy publishers suck, how they're disappointed at their sales numbers. Criminy, it's like they've displaced all of their anxieties and crushing hopelessness from other aspects of their lives over to their writing.
Breathe. All of you. Just breathe.
This is writing. It is not breaking stones in a gulag. It can suck as much as you want it to suck, or it can be joyful. You can write for one hour a day (as I do) or you can write for 10 hours a day every day except holidays (as Stephen King does). You can self-publish or you can go the legacy route (if you're extremely patient). You can make the experience of writing fun, or it can be a slog through waste-high pig crap.
The point is, it's a choice. I read an interesting post the other day about the top five regrets people have on their deathbeds. It was written by a former palliative care worker who has nursed countless people until their deaths, absorbing what they say as they reach the final precipice. The number 5 regret people had was that they wished they'd allowed themselves to be happier.
Yes, happiness is a choice.
I'll say it again: happiness is a choice. I know what you're thinking: Chris must be the happiest guy in the world! He's chosen to be happy! Wrong. I'm still learning how to be happy. I'm evolving. But what I've discovered is this: you can either subject yourself to a style of writing that makes you miserable--for me, if I have to do a ton of research to write a book, I will hate life--or you can choose to write in a way that makes you feel fulfilled and happy and screw what Harold Bloom thinks of your writing.
You're not gonna please everyone anyway.
I once had a writing teacher who chastized me when I said that I wasn't having fun writing a certain short story I was working on.
"Fun?" he snarled, giving me what I would come to learn was his signature withering look. "Writing shouldn't be fun. Think of it more as prostitution. No matter how you're feeling on any given day, you have to write."
Pardon me while I hurl.
Look, the cliche is true: we only have a finite number of years here on earth, so why not make them happy ones? One counter-argument to this is that we work hard and drive ourselves into oblivion now in the hopes that it'll pay off later in terms of critical love, industry respect, etc.
I say to hell with that.
Be happy. Writing will still be hard once you've discovered the kind that makes you joyful, but at least you won't be beating your head against the wall every step of the way. And that love will come through in your stories, and it'll keep readers engaged. So go forth and be happy!
Breathe. All of you. Just breathe.
This is writing. It is not breaking stones in a gulag. It can suck as much as you want it to suck, or it can be joyful. You can write for one hour a day (as I do) or you can write for 10 hours a day every day except holidays (as Stephen King does). You can self-publish or you can go the legacy route (if you're extremely patient). You can make the experience of writing fun, or it can be a slog through waste-high pig crap.
The point is, it's a choice. I read an interesting post the other day about the top five regrets people have on their deathbeds. It was written by a former palliative care worker who has nursed countless people until their deaths, absorbing what they say as they reach the final precipice. The number 5 regret people had was that they wished they'd allowed themselves to be happier.
Yes, happiness is a choice.
I'll say it again: happiness is a choice. I know what you're thinking: Chris must be the happiest guy in the world! He's chosen to be happy! Wrong. I'm still learning how to be happy. I'm evolving. But what I've discovered is this: you can either subject yourself to a style of writing that makes you miserable--for me, if I have to do a ton of research to write a book, I will hate life--or you can choose to write in a way that makes you feel fulfilled and happy and screw what Harold Bloom thinks of your writing.
You're not gonna please everyone anyway.
I once had a writing teacher who chastized me when I said that I wasn't having fun writing a certain short story I was working on.
"Fun?" he snarled, giving me what I would come to learn was his signature withering look. "Writing shouldn't be fun. Think of it more as prostitution. No matter how you're feeling on any given day, you have to write."
Pardon me while I hurl.
Look, the cliche is true: we only have a finite number of years here on earth, so why not make them happy ones? One counter-argument to this is that we work hard and drive ourselves into oblivion now in the hopes that it'll pay off later in terms of critical love, industry respect, etc.
I say to hell with that.
Be happy. Writing will still be hard once you've discovered the kind that makes you joyful, but at least you won't be beating your head against the wall every step of the way. And that love will come through in your stories, and it'll keep readers engaged. So go forth and be happy!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Writing Fiction is Not the Same as Lying
I’ve seen a lot of variations on this theme lately: “I write fiction. I will lie to you and happily sell you my lies.” I don’t know where this sentiment comes from. Wait a minute, yes I do. At least in part, I think this comes from a fundamental insecurity many writers share. We’re told by our parents/siblings/extended family/bus driver that writing fiction is child’s play. It’s something little kids do when they’re bored. Day in and day out, writers hear that they should get a real job and stop playing make believe.
What a load of garbage. Writing fiction has never been more important in the history of the world than it is now. Arts programs are being cut in schools. The economy is not bouncing back. People are getting desperate. Religious fundamentalism is on the rise. People with absolutely no imagination seem to be taking over the world!
As I told a friend once, it's our vitally important job as writers to supply an imagination to people who don't have one. People without an imagination can too easily become sheep, and people who have messed up imaginations can become scary dictators. So we must intervene.
Writers seem to be slipping into a cynical mood of late. The confessional/confrontational meme of “Yeah, I’m a liar, so what?” is all over the Internets. Authors appear on the surface to be brutally leveling with the world about their craft, when in fact they are, ironically, lying. Let me explain.
Writing fiction is not the same as lying. Lying entails deceit. Writing fiction does not. Sure, the characters and locations are made up, the plot points are contrived. But if they don’t all converge into some recognizable truth, then that’s a badly written novel/short story/play. And anyway, readers of fiction know from the word go that they’re not reading journalism. Good fiction tries to get at truth by keeping real life at a distance. It entertains, it thrills, it sometimes breaks the heart, but first and foremost it must tell the truth.
Take the Bible or the Qur'an for instance (or any other prominent holy book). That got your attention, didn’t it?! Don’t get me wrong—I’m not a religious person. I’m way too lazy for that. And I don't think these books are infallible monoliths of pure truth. But think about it for a second: why have they lasted the test of time? Why are they still so visible?
Some would say it’s because they’re the revealed truth of God. But you know what? That’s only a handful of people, relatively, who think that without reservation. Sure there are gobs of people who describe themselves as religious, but I find it hard to believe in my heart of hearts that those billions of people are religious literalists. Call me nuts.
If just the true believers among us touted the value of these two books, the books would’ve faded from the public eye by now. An atheist or agnostic would say they’re still with us because a vocal minority won’t shut up about them. Again, I find this hard to believe. It’s easy enough to shut those people out. Just turn the channel.
No, I think these books are still with us because many of the stories they contain—whether you call them allegories or actual events that really happened—reveal eternal truths about the human condition. Not all of them, of course (indeed, some of the stories are outdated and seem just plain cruel). But others are wonderfully spun tales that educate and enlighten.
Lots of people, for instance, find the Adam and Eve story ridiculous. Talking snakes are usually relegated to cartoons. But you know what? That story reveals an eternal truth about how fallible humans can be, and to me, it doesn’t make a lick of difference whether it really happened or not. Just like I couldn’t care less if Levin from “Anna Karenina” was a flesh-and-blood person, or if Han Solo really shot those TIE fighters, helping Luke destroy the Death Star.
I don’t care.
Because these characters reveal truths that make me a smarter, more compassionate, more well-rounded person. They teach lessons without being preachy. That’s what great fiction does. Yes, I just called “Star Wars” great fiction. Sue me.
So the next time you’re tempted to say, “Bite me, I tell lies. So what?” please think before you talk. That sentiment reflects poorly on the rest of us writers who feel that this is a higher calling, that through our characters we are imparting hard-won wisdom. Not that I think I'm some wise man, that just ain't so. But all of us who have lived a few years can teach the world something valuable. Any journey has within it that potential. And that's a great thing!
Writing Fiction is Not the Same as Lying
I’ve seen a lot of variations on this theme lately: “I write fiction. I will lie to you and happily sell you my lies.” I don’t know where this sentiment comes from. Wait a minute, yes I do. At least in part, I think this comes from a fundamental insecurity many writers share. We’re told by our parents/siblings/extended family/bus driver that writing fiction is child’s play. It’s something little kids do when they’re bored. Day in and day out, writers hear that they should get a real job and stop playing make believe.
What a load of garbage. Writing fiction has never been more important in the history of the world than it is now. Arts programs are being cut in schools. The economy is not bouncing back. People are getting desperate. Religious fundamentalism is on the rise. People with absolutely no imagination seem to be taking over the world!
As I told a friend once, it's our vitally important job as writers to supply an imagination to people who don't have one. People without an imagination can too easily become sheep, and people who have messed up imaginations can become scary dictators. So we must intervene.
Writers seem to be slipping into a cynical mood of late. The confessional/confrontational meme of “Yeah, I’m a liar, so what?” is all over the Internets. Authors appear on the surface to be brutally leveling with the world about their craft, when in fact they are, ironically, lying. Let me explain.
Writing fiction is not the same as lying. Lying entails deceit. Writing fiction does not. Sure, the characters and locations are made up, the plot points are contrived. But if they don’t all converge into some recognizable truth, then that’s a badly written novel/short story/play. And anyway, readers of fiction know from the word go that they’re not reading journalism. Good fiction tries to get at truth by keeping real life at a distance. It entertains, it thrills, it sometimes breaks the heart, but first and foremost it must tell the truth.
Take the Bible or the Qur'an for instance (or any other prominent holy book). That got your attention, didn’t it?! Don’t get me wrong—I’m not a religious person. I’m way too lazy for that. And I don't think these books are infallible monoliths of pure truth. But think about it for a second: why have they lasted the test of time? Why are they still so visible?
Some would say it’s because they’re the revealed truth of God. But you know what? That’s only a handful of people, relatively, who think that without reservation. Sure there are gobs of people who describe themselves as religious, but I find it hard to believe in my heart of hearts that those billions of people are religious literalists. Call me nuts.
If just the true believers among us touted the value of these two books, the books would’ve faded from the public eye by now. An atheist or agnostic would say they’re still with us because a vocal minority won’t shut up about them. Again, I find this hard to believe. It’s easy enough to shut those people out. Just turn the channel.
No, I think these books are still with us because many of the stories they contain—whether you call them allegories or actual events that really happened—reveal eternal truths about the human condition. Not all of them, of course (indeed, some of the stories are outdated and seem just plain cruel). But others are wonderfully spun tales that educate and enlighten.
Lots of people, for instance, find the Adam and Eve story ridiculous. Talking snakes are usually relegated to cartoons. But you know what? That story reveals an eternal truth about how fallible humans can be, and to me, it doesn’t make a lick of difference whether it really happened or not. Just like I couldn’t care less if Levin from “Anna Karenina” was a flesh-and-blood person, or if Han Solo really shot those TIE fighters, helping Luke destroy the Death Star.
I don’t care.
Because these characters reveal truths that make me a smarter, more compassionate, more well-rounded person. They teach lessons without being preachy. That’s what great fiction does. Yes, I just called “Star Wars” great fiction. Sue me.
So the next time you’re tempted to say, “Bite me, I tell lies. So what?” please think before you talk. That sentiment reflects poorly on the rest of us writers who feel that this is a higher calling, that through our characters we are imparting hard-won wisdom. Not that I think I'm some wise man, that just ain't so. But all of us who have lived a few years can teach the world something valuable. Any journey has within it that potential. And that's a great thing!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Don't be an Imagination Dictator
What’s so cool about this work of non-fiction is how frigging literary it is. Some of my favorite non-fiction books—Herodotus’ “The Histories”, Reza Aslan’s “No god But God”—are well told, but they lack a certain cinematic suppleness that renders them, in the end, just not that pretty. But Carlin’s book tiptoes the line between literature and journalism so deftly that he makes you feel like you’re there seeing what happened but also, and this is the important part, he puts you in a position to feel similar feelings as those experienced by the characters. Excuse me, did I say characters? I meant actual people!
Carlin employs a light but resonant touch when describing physical locations and people’s appearances. This is a lesson that can be learned by all of us, whether we write fiction or non-fiction. Here is a good example of what I mean. The book hops back and forth between pre- and post-Apartheid South Africa. In one such flash forward, Mandela has just been release from a long jail sentence and soon after becomes president. And he moves to Houghton:
An inhabitant of Los Angeles would be struck by the similarities between Beverly Hills and Houghton. The whites had looked after themselves well during Mandela’s long absence in jail, and now he felt that he had earned a little of the good life too. He enjoyed Houghton’s quiet stateliness, the leafy airiness of his morning walks, the chats with the white neighbors, whose birthday parties and other ceremonial gatherings he would sometimes attend.
Nothing fancy, right? Very simple wording. But can’t you just see the palm trees blowing in the wind? The crisply-dressed Afrikaaners bidding him good morning from the front porches of their mansions? Notice Carlin didn’t say anything about palm trees or mansion front porches—my imagination added this.
And that’s the real lesson here. Don’t be an imagination dictator. Don’t explain everything down to the minutest detail so the reader can’t fill in some visual blanks on their own. Reading is a give-and-take between reader and author; the adept author gives just enough information to spark the reader’s imagination, and no more.
As a kid I used to love watching behind-the-scenes shows about movies. I remember once watching one where a guy who painted mattes—paintings that allowed special effects to happen in the days before CGI—talked about how, often times, he’d just paint a brushstroke or two to evoke images. He said that once he’d painted cannons in the side of a pirate ship with just two quick strokes each. When the director looked at the painting, he said the cannons looked so real that he felt he could actually look down their barrels. The painter laughed in his recounting the story, because he knew what any great artist knows: you don’t have to paint a schematic drawing of a cannon to make it look real.
Since we only see impressions of things as we go through life, sometimes it’s truer to life to only give your reader an impression of an object instead of describing the object to death. If you dissect an object or person too much, you run the fatal risk of bogging down the action of your plot, and this sucks royally. If you’re a technical writer and you’re writing an instruction booklet, then be my guest and explain away. But if you’re writing fiction or literary nonfiction, just give us an evocative impression of what the character sees and then move on.
Don't be an Imagination Dictator
What’s so cool about this work of non-fiction is how frigging literary it is. Some of my favorite non-fiction books—Herodotus’ “The Histories”, Reza Aslan’s “No god But God”—are well told, but they lack a certain cinematic suppleness that renders them, in the end, just not that pretty. But Carlin’s book tiptoes the line between literature and journalism so deftly that he makes you feel like you’re there seeing what happened but also, and this is the important part, he puts you in a position to feel similar feelings as those experienced by the characters. Excuse me, did I say characters? I meant actual people!
Carlin employs a light but resonant touch when describing physical locations and people’s appearances. This is a lesson that can be learned by all of us, whether we write fiction or non-fiction. Here is a good example of what I mean. The book hops back and forth between pre- and post-Apartheid South Africa. In one such flash forward, Mandela has just been release from a long jail sentence and soon after becomes president. And he moves to Houghton:
An inhabitant of Los Angeles would be struck by the similarities between Beverly Hills and Houghton. The whites had looked after themselves well during Mandela’s long absence in jail, and now he felt that he had earned a little of the good life too. He enjoyed Houghton’s quiet stateliness, the leafy airiness of his morning walks, the chats with the white neighbors, whose birthday parties and other ceremonial gatherings he would sometimes attend.
Nothing fancy, right? Very simple wording. But can’t you just see the palm trees blowing in the wind? The crisply-dressed Afrikaaners bidding him good morning from the front porches of their mansions? Notice Carlin didn’t say anything about palm trees or mansion front porches—my imagination added this.
And that’s the real lesson here. Don’t be an imagination dictator. Don’t explain everything down to the minutest detail so the reader can’t fill in some visual blanks on their own. Reading is a give-and-take between reader and author; the adept author gives just enough information to spark the reader’s imagination, and no more.
As a kid I used to love watching behind-the-scenes shows about movies. I remember once watching one where a guy who painted mattes—paintings that allowed special effects to happen in the days before CGI—talked about how, often times, he’d just paint a brushstroke or two to evoke images. He said that once he’d painted cannons in the side of a pirate ship with just two quick strokes each. When the director looked at the painting, he said the cannons looked so real that he felt he could actually look down their barrels. The painter laughed in his recounting the story, because he knew what any great artist knows: you don’t have to paint a schematic drawing of a cannon to make it look real.
Since we only see impressions of things as we go through life, sometimes it’s truer to life to only give your reader an impression of an object instead of describing the object to death. If you dissect an object or person too much, you run the fatal risk of bogging down the action of your plot, and this sucks royally. If you’re a technical writer and you’re writing an instruction booklet, then be my guest and explain away. But if you’re writing fiction or literary nonfiction, just give us an evocative impression of what the character sees and then move on.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
What to Do with Disappointment
Disappointment. It's a terrible word. One of my least favorite in the English language. It's bad enough when something disappoints you; it's even worse--much worse--when we disappoint someone whom we respect. This flavor of disappointment implies that they had high hopes for you that you were unable to fulfill. It feels sucky with a capital "S".
You know where this is going.
So I recently disappointed someone. This person's ability in the area in which I disappointed them (yes, I will twist myself into pretzels not revealing the exact situtation) is impressive, and I respect them for it. I try to emulate their abilities, but sometimes find myself coming up short. This person often praises my talents, but recently, she said she was disappointed at the effort I put into a specific task (don't you just love all the generalities piling up?).
Whoomp! It hit me like a blimp made out of bricks. Not what you want to hear: "Chris, I'm disappointed." I was transported back to sixth grade when my dad told me how disappointed he felt when he saw the lame job I'd done on a science fair project. I think it had something to do with pinewood derby racecars and CO2 cartridges, memory doesn't completely serve, but the tone of his voice still rings in my ears.
"Chris, I'm disappointed."
It's enough to make you puke. I'm fine with disappointing myself now and again. But I hate to disappoint others who I care about. Which brings me to three helpful steps I take to pick myself up again after a setback.
STEP 1: HIT THE IDGAS BUTTON
What's the IDGAS button, you ask? My favorite expression in the world was uttered by John Riggins, the old running back for the Washington Redskins during their glory days of the 1980's. I'm not a Redskins fan, but I love this guy. He's a regular on local sports talk TV and radio shows here in DC.
He said once that what made Joe Gibbs (legendary Redskins football coach) so great was that after days and days of preparation--much of which involved late nights spent with his coaching staff drawing up plays at RFK stadium, many times actually sleeping at the park--after all that preparation, if something awful happened that week during a game, if the wheels fell off and the whole game came tumbling down around him, Gibbs had this amazing ability to hit the "I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button.
I love that. The I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button. Or IDGAS button, for short. Sometimes things just don't work out. Try as we might, now and then we get our face slammed into the mud. And there's nothing we can do about it. This happens in writing and in life (as I demonstrated this week). But I'm hitting the IDGAS button right now. I care, but honestly, not that much.
STEP 2: MOVE ON
To extend the sports analogy a bit further, like any good athlete, once you've disappointed someone--whether it be a mentor or yourself--you must move on. Sure, go ahead and wallow in the horror of it for a few hours or whatever, I'm not telling you not to be human. But then pick yourself up off the pavement, spit on your cuts and rub it in (like mom used to do) and shake it off. You cannot please everyone. It's not possible. It's even impossible sometimes to please the people who matter most to us, even while we're actively ignoring everyone else.
STEP 3: KICK ASS
Wait. Hold on. I know what you're thinking: "Chris is telling me to go out there and kick the world's ass to show the person (people?) I disappointed how great I am! To prove them wrong and savor the spicy juices of their delicious wrongness!!"
No.
I'm just telling you to go out and try something new next time. Being motivated by revenge or by showing people how great you are is a fool's errand. Just go out there and be the best you can be by trying a new approach. Do it for yourself, not because you want to prove the world wrong. Kick ass and take names, and do it because you're so awesome that there's no other way events could unfold.
You have this latent awesomeness that you have to set free. It's kinda like how I'm an Italian citizen. Ok, I'm not officially an Italian citizen. But I could be if I got all the proper documents filled out. My ancestors came from there, and the Italian government is super flexible about claiming citizenship. But to become a citizen of that great nation is just not a priority of mine right now. I am, however, as we speak, already an Italian citizen by their metrics: I just have to prove it.
You are already awesome. You just have to prove it by unleashing the awesomeness within you. And you'll do this by not getting crushed every time someone says they're disappointed in you or your work. By not becoming heartbroken if someone says something mean to you. No. You will rise above this and try new things to prove to yourself that your kick-assedness is still intact. So pick yourself up now--we've got work to do!
You know where this is going.
So I recently disappointed someone. This person's ability in the area in which I disappointed them (yes, I will twist myself into pretzels not revealing the exact situtation) is impressive, and I respect them for it. I try to emulate their abilities, but sometimes find myself coming up short. This person often praises my talents, but recently, she said she was disappointed at the effort I put into a specific task (don't you just love all the generalities piling up?).
Whoomp! It hit me like a blimp made out of bricks. Not what you want to hear: "Chris, I'm disappointed." I was transported back to sixth grade when my dad told me how disappointed he felt when he saw the lame job I'd done on a science fair project. I think it had something to do with pinewood derby racecars and CO2 cartridges, memory doesn't completely serve, but the tone of his voice still rings in my ears.
"Chris, I'm disappointed."
It's enough to make you puke. I'm fine with disappointing myself now and again. But I hate to disappoint others who I care about. Which brings me to three helpful steps I take to pick myself up again after a setback.
STEP 1: HIT THE IDGAS BUTTON
What's the IDGAS button, you ask? My favorite expression in the world was uttered by John Riggins, the old running back for the Washington Redskins during their glory days of the 1980's. I'm not a Redskins fan, but I love this guy. He's a regular on local sports talk TV and radio shows here in DC.
He said once that what made Joe Gibbs (legendary Redskins football coach) so great was that after days and days of preparation--much of which involved late nights spent with his coaching staff drawing up plays at RFK stadium, many times actually sleeping at the park--after all that preparation, if something awful happened that week during a game, if the wheels fell off and the whole game came tumbling down around him, Gibbs had this amazing ability to hit the "I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button.
I love that. The I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button. Or IDGAS button, for short. Sometimes things just don't work out. Try as we might, now and then we get our face slammed into the mud. And there's nothing we can do about it. This happens in writing and in life (as I demonstrated this week). But I'm hitting the IDGAS button right now. I care, but honestly, not that much.
STEP 2: MOVE ON
To extend the sports analogy a bit further, like any good athlete, once you've disappointed someone--whether it be a mentor or yourself--you must move on. Sure, go ahead and wallow in the horror of it for a few hours or whatever, I'm not telling you not to be human. But then pick yourself up off the pavement, spit on your cuts and rub it in (like mom used to do) and shake it off. You cannot please everyone. It's not possible. It's even impossible sometimes to please the people who matter most to us, even while we're actively ignoring everyone else.
STEP 3: KICK ASS
Wait. Hold on. I know what you're thinking: "Chris is telling me to go out there and kick the world's ass to show the person (people?) I disappointed how great I am! To prove them wrong and savor the spicy juices of their delicious wrongness!!"
No.
I'm just telling you to go out and try something new next time. Being motivated by revenge or by showing people how great you are is a fool's errand. Just go out there and be the best you can be by trying a new approach. Do it for yourself, not because you want to prove the world wrong. Kick ass and take names, and do it because you're so awesome that there's no other way events could unfold.
You have this latent awesomeness that you have to set free. It's kinda like how I'm an Italian citizen. Ok, I'm not officially an Italian citizen. But I could be if I got all the proper documents filled out. My ancestors came from there, and the Italian government is super flexible about claiming citizenship. But to become a citizen of that great nation is just not a priority of mine right now. I am, however, as we speak, already an Italian citizen by their metrics: I just have to prove it.
You are already awesome. You just have to prove it by unleashing the awesomeness within you. And you'll do this by not getting crushed every time someone says they're disappointed in you or your work. By not becoming heartbroken if someone says something mean to you. No. You will rise above this and try new things to prove to yourself that your kick-assedness is still intact. So pick yourself up now--we've got work to do!
What to Do with Disappointment
Disappointment. It's a terrible word. One of my least favorite in the English language. It's bad enough when something disappoints you; it's even worse--much worse--when we disappoint someone whom we respect. This flavor of disappointment implies that they had high hopes for you that you were unable to fulfill. It feels sucky with a capital "S".
You know where this is going.
So I recently disappointed someone. This person's ability in the area in which I disappointed them (yes, I will twist myself into pretzels not revealing the exact situtation) is impressive, and I respect them for it. I try to emulate their abilities, but sometimes find myself coming up short. This person often praises my talents, but recently, she said she was disappointed at the effort I put into a specific task (don't you just love all the generalities piling up?).
Whoomp! It hit me like a blimp made out of bricks. Not what you want to hear: "Chris, I'm disappointed." I was transported back to sixth grade when my dad told me how disappointed he felt when he saw the lame job I'd done on a science fair project. I think it had something to do with pinewood derby racecars and CO2 cartridges, memory doesn't completely serve, but the tone of his voice still rings in my ears.
"Chris, I'm disappointed."
It's enough to make you puke. I'm fine with disappointing myself now and again. But I hate to disappoint others who I care about. Which brings me to three helpful steps I take to pick myself up again after a setback.
STEP 1: HIT THE IDGAS BUTTON
What's the IDGAS button, you ask? My favorite expression in the world was uttered by John Riggins, the old running back for the Washington Redskins during their glory days of the 1980's. I'm not a Redskins fan, but I love this guy. He's a regular on local sports talk TV and radio shows here in DC.
He said once that what made Joe Gibbs (legendary Redskins football coach) so great was that after days and days of preparation--much of which involved late nights spent with his coaching staff drawing up plays at RFK stadium, many times actually sleeping at the park--after all that preparation, if something awful happened that week during a game, if the wheels fell off and the whole game came tumbling down around him, Gibbs had this amazing ability to hit the "I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button.
I love that. The I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button. Or IDGAS button, for short. Sometimes things just don't work out. Try as we might, now and then we get our face slammed into the mud. And there's nothing we can do about it. This happens in writing and in life (as I demonstrated this week). But I'm hitting the IDGAS button right now. I care, but honestly, not that much.
STEP 2: MOVE ON
To extend the sports analogy a bit further, like any good athlete, once you've disappointed someone--whether it be a mentor or yourself--you must move on. Sure, go ahead and wallow in the horror of it for a few hours or whatever, I'm not telling you not to be human. But then pick yourself up off the pavement, spit on your cuts and rub it in (like mom used to do) and shake it off. You cannot please everyone. It's not possible. It's even impossible sometimes to please the people who matter most to us, even while we're actively ignoring everyone else.
STEP 3: KICK ASS
Wait. Hold on. I know what you're thinking: "Chris is telling me to go out there and kick the world's ass to show the person (people?) I disappointed how great I am! To prove them wrong and savor the spicy juices of their delicious wrongness!!"
No.
I'm just telling you to go out and try something new next time. Being motivated by revenge or by showing people how great you are is a fool's errand. Just go out there and be the best you can be by trying a new approach. Do it for yourself, not because you want to prove the world wrong. Kick ass and take names, and do it because you're so awesome that there's no other way events could unfold.
You have this latent awesomeness that you have to set free. It's kinda like how I'm an Italian citizen. Ok, I'm not officially an Italian citizen. But I could be if I got all the proper documents filled out. My ancestors came from there, and the Italian government is super flexible about claiming citizenship. But to become a citizen of that great nation is just not a priority of mine right now. I am, however, as we speak, already an Italian citizen by their metrics: I just have to prove it.
You are already awesome. You just have to prove it by unleashing the awesomeness within you. And you'll do this by not getting crushed every time someone says they're disappointed in you or your work. By not becoming heartbroken if someone says something mean to you. No. You will rise above this and try new things to prove to yourself that your kick-assedness is still intact. So pick yourself up now--we've got work to do!
You know where this is going.
So I recently disappointed someone. This person's ability in the area in which I disappointed them (yes, I will twist myself into pretzels not revealing the exact situtation) is impressive, and I respect them for it. I try to emulate their abilities, but sometimes find myself coming up short. This person often praises my talents, but recently, she said she was disappointed at the effort I put into a specific task (don't you just love all the generalities piling up?).
Whoomp! It hit me like a blimp made out of bricks. Not what you want to hear: "Chris, I'm disappointed." I was transported back to sixth grade when my dad told me how disappointed he felt when he saw the lame job I'd done on a science fair project. I think it had something to do with pinewood derby racecars and CO2 cartridges, memory doesn't completely serve, but the tone of his voice still rings in my ears.
"Chris, I'm disappointed."
It's enough to make you puke. I'm fine with disappointing myself now and again. But I hate to disappoint others who I care about. Which brings me to three helpful steps I take to pick myself up again after a setback.
STEP 1: HIT THE IDGAS BUTTON
What's the IDGAS button, you ask? My favorite expression in the world was uttered by John Riggins, the old running back for the Washington Redskins during their glory days of the 1980's. I'm not a Redskins fan, but I love this guy. He's a regular on local sports talk TV and radio shows here in DC.
He said once that what made Joe Gibbs (legendary Redskins football coach) so great was that after days and days of preparation--much of which involved late nights spent with his coaching staff drawing up plays at RFK stadium, many times actually sleeping at the park--after all that preparation, if something awful happened that week during a game, if the wheels fell off and the whole game came tumbling down around him, Gibbs had this amazing ability to hit the "I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button.
I love that. The I Don't Give a Sh!@##$" button. Or IDGAS button, for short. Sometimes things just don't work out. Try as we might, now and then we get our face slammed into the mud. And there's nothing we can do about it. This happens in writing and in life (as I demonstrated this week). But I'm hitting the IDGAS button right now. I care, but honestly, not that much.
STEP 2: MOVE ON
To extend the sports analogy a bit further, like any good athlete, once you've disappointed someone--whether it be a mentor or yourself--you must move on. Sure, go ahead and wallow in the horror of it for a few hours or whatever, I'm not telling you not to be human. But then pick yourself up off the pavement, spit on your cuts and rub it in (like mom used to do) and shake it off. You cannot please everyone. It's not possible. It's even impossible sometimes to please the people who matter most to us, even while we're actively ignoring everyone else.
STEP 3: KICK ASS
Wait. Hold on. I know what you're thinking: "Chris is telling me to go out there and kick the world's ass to show the person (people?) I disappointed how great I am! To prove them wrong and savor the spicy juices of their delicious wrongness!!"
No.
I'm just telling you to go out and try something new next time. Being motivated by revenge or by showing people how great you are is a fool's errand. Just go out there and be the best you can be by trying a new approach. Do it for yourself, not because you want to prove the world wrong. Kick ass and take names, and do it because you're so awesome that there's no other way events could unfold.
You have this latent awesomeness that you have to set free. It's kinda like how I'm an Italian citizen. Ok, I'm not officially an Italian citizen. But I could be if I got all the proper documents filled out. My ancestors came from there, and the Italian government is super flexible about claiming citizenship. But to become a citizen of that great nation is just not a priority of mine right now. I am, however, as we speak, already an Italian citizen by their metrics: I just have to prove it.
You are already awesome. You just have to prove it by unleashing the awesomeness within you. And you'll do this by not getting crushed every time someone says they're disappointed in you or your work. By not becoming heartbroken if someone says something mean to you. No. You will rise above this and try new things to prove to yourself that your kick-assedness is still intact. So pick yourself up now--we've got work to do!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
How to Maintain Your Kick-Assedness
Let's be honest. Lately, my kick-ass-o-meter has been running low. Chalk it up to lack of sleep, balmy weather, pollen; whatever, I've been feeling drained of late. It's easy for writers--or for anyone, really--to lose focus, moreso today than at any time in history. There are lots of distractions and lots of excuses we can make. That's why it's important, even as we write, to remember why it is that we do what we do.
See that picture up in the corner? That's La Jolla, California. La Jolla is the most beautiful place in the continental United States, if you ask me. I used to live in San Diego and I worked in La Jolla, and not a day went by that I didn't pray to the harvest gods that I could own property there. Maybe a little bungalow, maybe even just a trailer secreted off a trail somewhere near Black's Beach.
Then reality intervened and I had to move away. Back to the good old Mid-of-West. Then I moved to the South and then to the East Coast. But I've never forgotten San Diego. La Jolla has always remained with me. Except now I don't wistfully pine for it. I know absolutely that I'm going to end up there.
See that house way up in the tippy-top of the photo? The one with a light on? Yeah, that's my future house. Sitting atop a craggy cliff overlooking the ocean. It's where I'll spend the third 1/3 of my life. Just letting that salt spray waft over my face as I sit in my hammock that's tied between two palm trees, typing away on my laptop to the flickering light of candles. After I'm done for the night, I'll knock off and go sit on the bench at the very edge of the cliff, the one I carved by hand out of solid oak and painted purple, the same color as the darkening Western sky.
This is my dream. And I believe it will happen. No, that's not right: I know it will happen. Because I will make it happen. I'll will it so. I'll write so much and so well that people will read and read and read what I've written because I'll write my books with such love and care that people will love them right back. And all will be well with the world.
What's that great line from Lawrence of Arabia? When Omar Sharif tells Lawrence that he cannot, under any circumstances, cross the desert on his own with so little water by camel? "It is written that it cannot be done," he says. Lawrence looks right into Omar's eyes and says, "Nothing is written." And then what the hell does he do? He crosses the damned desert.
Nothing is written. You can do anything you want. You just have to believe you can do it, as Lawrence did. He'd never crossed a desert on a camal before! Heck, he was from England--the most he'd ever done is ride a motorcycle really fast down country roads. But he decided he was going to cross the desert, without a fall-back plan. And then he did it.
It's worthwhile to remind yourself of where you want to end up. Everyone talks about five and ten year plans, and those are important. But you should also visualize where you want to unltimately live, how you ultimately want to be perceived, what you want to look at every day when you wake up. We're writers after all, right? We envision things all the time and then make them real. So apply that same talent to your life. See what you want in your mind and then make it happen.
I don't yearn to make tons of money with my writing and then hoard it in some investment portfolio. No. I want to give to charity, I want to help people be the best they can be, and I want to live in the most beautiful place in the world. You can do all of this too. All you have to do is believe in yourself. And write write write!
How to Maintain Your Kick-Assedness
Let's be honest. Lately, my kick-ass-o-meter has been running low. Chalk it up to lack of sleep, balmy weather, pollen; whatever, I've been feeling drained of late. It's easy for writers--or for anyone, really--to lose focus, moreso today than at any time in history. There are lots of distractions and lots of excuses we can make. That's why it's important, even as we write, to remember why it is that we do what we do.
See that picture up in the corner? That's La Jolla, California. La Jolla is the most beautiful place in the continental United States, if you ask me. I used to live in San Diego and I worked in La Jolla, and not a day went by that I didn't pray to the harvest gods that I could own property there. Maybe a little bungalow, maybe even just a trailer secreted off a trail somewhere near Black's Beach.
Then reality intervened and I had to move away. Back to the good old Mid-of-West. Then I moved to the South and then to the East Coast. But I've never forgotten San Diego. La Jolla has always remained with me. Except now I don't wistfully pine for it. I know absolutely that I'm going to end up there.
See that house way up in the tippy-top of the photo? The one with a light on? Yeah, that's my future house. Sitting atop a craggy cliff overlooking the ocean. It's where I'll spend the third 1/3 of my life. Just letting that salt spray waft over my face as I sit in my hammock that's tied between two palm trees, typing away on my laptop to the flickering light of candles. After I'm done for the night, I'll knock off and go sit on the bench at the very edge of the cliff, the one I carved by hand out of solid oak and painted purple, the same color as the darkening Western sky.
This is my dream. And I believe it will happen. No, that's not right: I know it will happen. Because I will make it happen. I'll will it so. I'll write so much and so well that people will read and read and read what I've written because I'll write my books with such love and care that people will love them right back. And all will be well with the world.
What's that great line from Lawrence of Arabia? When Omar Sharif tells Lawrence that he cannot, under any circumstances, cross the desert on his own with so little water by camel? "It is written that it cannot be done," he says. Lawrence looks right into Omar's eyes and says, "Nothing is written." And then what the hell does he do? He crosses the damned desert.
Nothing is written. You can do anything you want. You just have to believe you can do it, as Lawrence did. He'd never crossed a desert on a camal before! Heck, he was from England--the most he'd ever done is ride a motorcycle really fast down country roads. But he decided he was going to cross the desert, without a fall-back plan. And then he did it.
It's worthwhile to remind yourself of where you want to end up. Everyone talks about five and ten year plans, and those are important. But you should also visualize where you want to unltimately live, how you ultimately want to be perceived, what you want to look at every day when you wake up. We're writers after all, right? We envision things all the time and then make them real. So apply that same talent to your life. See what you want in your mind and then make it happen.
I don't yearn to make tons of money with my writing and then hoard it in some investment portfolio. No. I want to give to charity, I want to help people be the best they can be, and I want to live in the most beautiful place in the world. You can do all of this too. All you have to do is believe in yourself. And write write write!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Nerd Alert--Grammar and Editing in Indie Books
The opinions expressed herein are the opinions of one grammar nerd, so please take them for what they're worth.
Hope everyone had a great weekend. I have something I'd like to get off my chest. There's a trend I've been noticing in writing lately that I want to share. A recent, very pleasant interaction with an indie editor prompted this article. I won't name names, because I'm sure they are very good at their job and their website is awesome, so even if I wanted to besmirch them--which I don't--I'd look like an idiot because they're very professional and have a kick-ass website.
What I want to discuss briefly is this: editing and grammar in indie books. Yes, you probably just clicked the back button on your browser. If you didn't, chances are you're a grammar junkie like I am, so I'm glad to have you. And if not...I hope I can convert you! Here's where I stand on this issue: just because a book is self-published or is published by an independent publisher, that does not mean that the text should read like a giant glorified email.
What I mean by this is that your writing should not be filled with "cool-sounding" sentence fragments (a few are OK; lots of well-respected authors use them VERY sparingly so their sentences don't become ossified and repetitive). Too many weird sentence contructions undercut the reader's ability to suspend their disbelief and get lost in your book. You can make as many arguments as you want about how readers care less about grammar and more about plotting these days, especially those with ebook readers, but I have to strongly disagree with you. Readers want smooth-flowing sentences. And it's not about different styles being en vogue at any given time. Sorry, that's just not so.
A few years ago, I was a beta reader for a friend of mine who runs his own independent publishing house. His books were very indie (what I mean by this is they didn't fit into any obvious genre, they were very cutting-edge and different in my opinion), and yet still, he asked us beta readers to read over the manuscripts of his books with magnifying glasses in hopes of catching any little error--sentence fragments, dangling modifiers, plural possessives missing apostrophes--anything at all that even remotely smelled of being incorrect. Why is this? Upon reflection, I think that, even though the content of his book was weird and surreal, he didn't want silly little departures from accepted grammar conventions to distract the reader.
To me, this is one of the biggest hurdles indie authors have to overcome. They (I still don't count myself as an indie author because I haven't decided if I'm going to self-publish, so I'll say they) are already perceived (wrongly!) as being writers who weren't good enough to be noticed by a mainstream publisher. The only way indies are going to overcome this unfair stereotype is by making sure their grammar and sentence structure (i.e. making sure tense is consistent, making sure that if you're talking about two people you say "they" instead of "him", etc.) are perfect.
And I'm not saying you have to adhere to any particular style guide. But we've all read enough by now to realize what a decent sentence looks like and what an incomplete one looks like. Hint: a well-written sentence should have, at minimum, a subject and a verb. I see waaaaaay too many sentences these days with just a verb and no subject. When I taught English, this was one of the top mistakes people consistently made in their writing.
Witness:
Bad sentence: "Running, skipping, and jumping all the way home."
Why is it badly written? Um, who is doing the running, skipping, and jumping? The invisible man? There is no subject in this sentence. In other words, there is no person who is running/skipping/jumping.
Good sentence: "Terry ran, skipped, and jumped all the way home."
We have a subject (Terry) who is doing the actions (ran, et al.). As an added bonus, we didn't even have to use the "to be" verb here ("was"), which is a great way to keep a sentence active. Stay away from "to be" verbs whenever possible because they make everything passive.
Anyway! I'm just one of many people who are trying to hold the line on quality in indie writing because it matters a lot to the new gatekeepers of the literary world--the readers!
Nerd Alert--Grammar and Editing in Indie Books
The opinions expressed herein are the opinions of one grammar nerd, so please take them for what they're worth.
Hope everyone had a great weekend. I have something I'd like to get off my chest. There's a trend I've been noticing in writing lately that I want to share. A recent, very pleasant interaction with an indie editor prompted this article. I won't name names, because I'm sure they are very good at their job and their website is awesome, so even if I wanted to besmirch them--which I don't--I'd look like an idiot because they're very professional and have a kick-ass website.
What I want to discuss briefly is this: editing and grammar in indie books. Yes, you probably just clicked the back button on your browser. If you didn't, chances are you're a grammar junkie like I am, so I'm glad to have you. And if not...I hope I can convert you! Here's where I stand on this issue: just because a book is self-published or is published by an independent publisher, that does not mean that the text should read like a giant glorified email.
What I mean by this is that your writing should not be filled with "cool-sounding" sentence fragments (a few are OK; lots of well-respected authors use them VERY sparingly so their sentences don't become ossified and repetitive). Too many weird sentence contructions undercut the reader's ability to suspend their disbelief and get lost in your book. You can make as many arguments as you want about how readers care less about grammar and more about plotting these days, especially those with ebook readers, but I have to strongly disagree with you. Readers want smooth-flowing sentences. And it's not about different styles being en vogue at any given time. Sorry, that's just not so.
A few years ago, I was a beta reader for a friend of mine who runs his own independent publishing house. His books were very indie (what I mean by this is they didn't fit into any obvious genre, they were very cutting-edge and different in my opinion), and yet still, he asked us beta readers to read over the manuscripts of his books with magnifying glasses in hopes of catching any little error--sentence fragments, dangling modifiers, plural possessives missing apostrophes--anything at all that even remotely smelled of being incorrect. Why is this? Upon reflection, I think that, even though the content of his book was weird and surreal, he didn't want silly little departures from accepted grammar conventions to distract the reader.
To me, this is one of the biggest hurdles indie authors have to overcome. They (I still don't count myself as an indie author because I haven't decided if I'm going to self-publish, so I'll say they) are already perceived (wrongly!) as being writers who weren't good enough to be noticed by a mainstream publisher. The only way indies are going to overcome this unfair stereotype is by making sure their grammar and sentence structure (i.e. making sure tense is consistent, making sure that if you're talking about two people you say "they" instead of "him", etc.) are perfect.
And I'm not saying you have to adhere to any particular style guide. But we've all read enough by now to realize what a decent sentence looks like and what an incomplete one looks like. Hint: a well-written sentence should have, at minimum, a subject and a verb. I see waaaaaay too many sentences these days with just a verb and no subject. When I taught English, this was one of the top mistakes people consistently made in their writing.
Witness:
Bad sentence: "Running, skipping, and jumping all the way home."
Why is it badly written? Um, who is doing the running, skipping, and jumping? The invisible man? There is no subject in this sentence. In other words, there is no person who is running/skipping/jumping.
Good sentence: "Terry ran, skipped, and jumped all the way home."
We have a subject (Terry) who is doing the actions (ran, et al.). As an added bonus, we didn't even have to use the "to be" verb here ("was"), which is a great way to keep a sentence active. Stay away from "to be" verbs whenever possible because they make everything passive.
Anyway! I'm just one of many people who are trying to hold the line on quality in indie writing because it matters a lot to the new gatekeepers of the literary world--the readers!
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Weekly Wrap
Not a ton to report this week, as I'm still figuring out my voice for this blog. But something new that I tried was cutting back my tweeting total to 5 per day, at least for now. I find that I'm a lot more concise in my tweets, only saying things that I feel really need to be said instead of spouting off with "Man, it's getting cloudy out there!" or "Guess what this guy at Caribou said!" I'm not the kind of person who wants to wallpaper twitter with my tweets in the hopes that something I say will catch fire and a million people will suddenly start following me. I don't believe in that approach, so this fits.
I've also started adding more links, which you may have noticed (or not). I also tagged all of my posts, so that when you inevitably wake up at 2 A.M. some random Tuesday night thinking, "Oh my God, I need to know if Hobson would use first or third person narration in a dystopian thriller!" you'll more easily be able to see that third person is the way to go. Just kidding. Anyway, you can find all of those tags under the "Labels", er, label at the right.
There have been some interesting goings on in bookland this week, not the least of which is J.K. Rowling's compellingly minimalist Pottermore website. What can it be? It's definitely not a new book; smart money says it's some sort of interactive website, but we'll have to wait till June 23rd to find out. Secret tip: click on the owls to be taken to Rowling's YouTube channel. Kudos to the graphics team who worked on that site.
Also, there was some encouraging news on the indie bookstore front (I love indie bookstores and any remotely good news about them is greeted by me as a windfall of goodness). It seems that Unbridled Books’ “25 for 25” e-book sale has been deemed a success. During this campaign, a collection of indie bookstores from across the country sold ebooks of 25 different titles for 25 cents each. Hometown bookstore Politics & Prose here in D.C. sold 919 of the Unbridled e-books during the sales extravaganza. According to commenters, however, it wasn't publicized widely enough. Not sure how much this kind of thing will help keep indie bookstores afloat, but it seems promising.
And in movie news, I tried to watch 127 Hours this week, but only lasted to the 36 hour mark. Suffice it to say that if I was Aaron Ralston, I'd be dead now and my skeleton would still be hanging from that rock. He's officially replaced Mike Tyson as the toughest man in the world in my book.
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend everyone!
I've also started adding more links, which you may have noticed (or not). I also tagged all of my posts, so that when you inevitably wake up at 2 A.M. some random Tuesday night thinking, "Oh my God, I need to know if Hobson would use first or third person narration in a dystopian thriller!" you'll more easily be able to see that third person is the way to go. Just kidding. Anyway, you can find all of those tags under the "Labels", er, label at the right.
There have been some interesting goings on in bookland this week, not the least of which is J.K. Rowling's compellingly minimalist Pottermore website. What can it be? It's definitely not a new book; smart money says it's some sort of interactive website, but we'll have to wait till June 23rd to find out. Secret tip: click on the owls to be taken to Rowling's YouTube channel. Kudos to the graphics team who worked on that site.
Also, there was some encouraging news on the indie bookstore front (I love indie bookstores and any remotely good news about them is greeted by me as a windfall of goodness). It seems that Unbridled Books’ “25 for 25” e-book sale has been deemed a success. During this campaign, a collection of indie bookstores from across the country sold ebooks of 25 different titles for 25 cents each. Hometown bookstore Politics & Prose here in D.C. sold 919 of the Unbridled e-books during the sales extravaganza. According to commenters, however, it wasn't publicized widely enough. Not sure how much this kind of thing will help keep indie bookstores afloat, but it seems promising.
And in movie news, I tried to watch 127 Hours this week, but only lasted to the 36 hour mark. Suffice it to say that if I was Aaron Ralston, I'd be dead now and my skeleton would still be hanging from that rock. He's officially replaced Mike Tyson as the toughest man in the world in my book.
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend everyone!
The Weekly Wrap
Not a ton to report this week, as I'm still figuring out my voice for this blog. But something new that I tried was cutting back my tweeting total to 5 per day, at least for now. I find that I'm a lot more concise in my tweets, only saying things that I feel really need to be said instead of spouting off with "Man, it's getting cloudy out there!" or "Guess what this guy at Caribou said!" I'm not the kind of person who wants to wallpaper twitter with my tweets in the hopes that something I say will catch fire and a million people will suddenly start following me. I don't believe in that approach, so this fits.
I've also started adding more links, which you may have noticed (or not). I also tagged all of my posts, so that when you inevitably wake up at 2 A.M. some random Tuesday night thinking, "Oh my God, I need to know if Hobson would use first or third person narration in a dystopian thriller!" you'll more easily be able to see that third person is the way to go. Just kidding. Anyway, you can find all of those tags under the "Labels", er, label at the right.
There have been some interesting goings on in bookland this week, not the least of which is J.K. Rowling's compellingly minimalist Pottermore website. What can it be? It's definitely not a new book; smart money says it's some sort of interactive website, but we'll have to wait till June 23rd to find out. Secret tip: click on the owls to be taken to Rowling's YouTube channel. Kudos to the graphics team who worked on that site.
Also, there was some encouraging news on the indie bookstore front (I love indie bookstores and any remotely good news about them is greeted by me as a windfall of goodness). It seems that Unbridled Books’ “25 for 25” e-book sale has been deemed a success. During this campaign, a collection of indie bookstores from across the country sold ebooks of 25 different titles for 25 cents each. Hometown bookstore Politics & Prose here in D.C. sold 919 of the Unbridled e-books during the sales extravaganza. According to commenters, however, it wasn't publicized widely enough. Not sure how much this kind of thing will help keep indie bookstores afloat, but it seems promising.
And in movie news, I tried to watch 127 Hours this week, but only lasted to the 36 hour mark. Suffice it to say that if I was Aaron Ralston, I'd be dead now and my skeleton would still be hanging from that rock. He's officially replaced Mike Tyson as the toughest man in the world in my book.
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend everyone!
I've also started adding more links, which you may have noticed (or not). I also tagged all of my posts, so that when you inevitably wake up at 2 A.M. some random Tuesday night thinking, "Oh my God, I need to know if Hobson would use first or third person narration in a dystopian thriller!" you'll more easily be able to see that third person is the way to go. Just kidding. Anyway, you can find all of those tags under the "Labels", er, label at the right.
There have been some interesting goings on in bookland this week, not the least of which is J.K. Rowling's compellingly minimalist Pottermore website. What can it be? It's definitely not a new book; smart money says it's some sort of interactive website, but we'll have to wait till June 23rd to find out. Secret tip: click on the owls to be taken to Rowling's YouTube channel. Kudos to the graphics team who worked on that site.
Also, there was some encouraging news on the indie bookstore front (I love indie bookstores and any remotely good news about them is greeted by me as a windfall of goodness). It seems that Unbridled Books’ “25 for 25” e-book sale has been deemed a success. During this campaign, a collection of indie bookstores from across the country sold ebooks of 25 different titles for 25 cents each. Hometown bookstore Politics & Prose here in D.C. sold 919 of the Unbridled e-books during the sales extravaganza. According to commenters, however, it wasn't publicized widely enough. Not sure how much this kind of thing will help keep indie bookstores afloat, but it seems promising.
And in movie news, I tried to watch 127 Hours this week, but only lasted to the 36 hour mark. Suffice it to say that if I was Aaron Ralston, I'd be dead now and my skeleton would still be hanging from that rock. He's officially replaced Mike Tyson as the toughest man in the world in my book.
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend everyone!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Too Big, Must Fail
I was perusing my daily blog roll yesterday when this article caught my eye. I doubt the author had the book publishing biz in mind when he wrote it, but it's all I could think about from start to finish.
Here's the core of the article:
I get that legacy pubs want to protect what market share they can in this kinda-turning-around-but-not-really economy. That's just business. Trouble is, this affects me directly because unless I get extraordinarily lucky (or, considering most legacy pubs' reputations for not paying authors well, unlucky), I will not be published in the standard way. So the only route left is to self-publish.
I'm guessing this is how the guys at Twitter felt when they were getting ready to release their micro-blogging site. I remember hearing about micro-blogging and going, "That sounds stupid. Who can form a complete thought in 140 characters? It'll never work. And anyway, who can come up with enough interesting stuff to fill all the dead space that would inevitably crop up?"
Everyone under the sun was loving Facebook and traditional blogging so much. Many viewed the Twitter lot as "criminals" wanting to diminish our precious attention spans even further. I was in that mob, I'm sad to say, weilding my torch at the Frankenstein monster that we hoped would go mess with some other town.
Fast forward five years: Twitter is where it's at, at least for those of us who have to market ourselves. I think indie authors are in that awkward place right now where lots of people see them (wrongly) as lazy, or just not very talented, but at the same time there's this fascination with e-readers. And also, culturally, there is a backlash against institutions, and not just here but all around the world (read: the Middle East, Greece, et al.).
So I'm going to probably self-publish my WIP. I love the technology, and can't imagine that people of all ages won't be carrying Kindles/Nooks/whatever with them wherever they go soon. What do you think? Am I wrong and the market for e-readers will plateau (especially for certain age groups, like children)? Do you think readers will start to dislike their new role as gatekeepers? Let me know!
Here's the core of the article:
Big companies often get stagnant, focusing less on innovation and more on protecting a market...And, as Andy Kessler noted in his most recent book, the innovators, who get around those things and unleash value, are often derided as thieves and criminals for undermining established business models. But what comes out of those upstart efforts is, generally, much better for the consumer.
I get that legacy pubs want to protect what market share they can in this kinda-turning-around-but-not-really economy. That's just business. Trouble is, this affects me directly because unless I get extraordinarily lucky (or, considering most legacy pubs' reputations for not paying authors well, unlucky), I will not be published in the standard way. So the only route left is to self-publish.
I'm guessing this is how the guys at Twitter felt when they were getting ready to release their micro-blogging site. I remember hearing about micro-blogging and going, "That sounds stupid. Who can form a complete thought in 140 characters? It'll never work. And anyway, who can come up with enough interesting stuff to fill all the dead space that would inevitably crop up?"
Everyone under the sun was loving Facebook and traditional blogging so much. Many viewed the Twitter lot as "criminals" wanting to diminish our precious attention spans even further. I was in that mob, I'm sad to say, weilding my torch at the Frankenstein monster that we hoped would go mess with some other town.
Fast forward five years: Twitter is where it's at, at least for those of us who have to market ourselves. I think indie authors are in that awkward place right now where lots of people see them (wrongly) as lazy, or just not very talented, but at the same time there's this fascination with e-readers. And also, culturally, there is a backlash against institutions, and not just here but all around the world (read: the Middle East, Greece, et al.).
So I'm going to probably self-publish my WIP. I love the technology, and can't imagine that people of all ages won't be carrying Kindles/Nooks/whatever with them wherever they go soon. What do you think? Am I wrong and the market for e-readers will plateau (especially for certain age groups, like children)? Do you think readers will start to dislike their new role as gatekeepers? Let me know!
Too Big, Must Fail
I was perusing my daily blog roll yesterday when this article caught my eye. I doubt the author had the book publishing biz in mind when he wrote it, but it's all I could think about from start to finish.
Here's the core of the article:
I get that legacy pubs want to protect what market share they can in this kinda-turning-around-but-not-really economy. That's just business. Trouble is, this affects me directly because unless I get extraordinarily lucky (or, considering most legacy pubs' reputations for not paying authors well, unlucky), I will not be published in the standard way. So the only route left is to self-publish.
I'm guessing this is how the guys at Twitter felt when they were getting ready to release their micro-blogging site. I remember hearing about micro-blogging and going, "That sounds stupid. Who can form a complete thought in 140 characters? It'll never work. And anyway, who can come up with enough interesting stuff to fill all the dead space that would inevitably crop up?"
Everyone under the sun was loving Facebook and traditional blogging so much. Many viewed the Twitter lot as "criminals" wanting to diminish our precious attention spans even further. I was in that mob, I'm sad to say, weilding my torch at the Frankenstein monster that we hoped would go mess with some other town.
Fast forward five years: Twitter is where it's at, at least for those of us who have to market ourselves. I think indie authors are in that awkward place right now where lots of people see them (wrongly) as lazy, or just not very talented, but at the same time there's this fascination with e-readers. And also, culturally, there is a backlash against institutions, and not just here but all around the world (read: the Middle East, Greece, et al.).
So I'm going to probably self-publish my WIP. I love the technology, and can't imagine that people of all ages won't be carrying Kindles/Nooks/whatever with them wherever they go soon. What do you think? Am I wrong and the market for e-readers will plateau (especially for certain age groups, like children)? Do you think readers will start to dislike their new role as gatekeepers? Let me know!
Here's the core of the article:
Big companies often get stagnant, focusing less on innovation and more on protecting a market...And, as Andy Kessler noted in his most recent book, the innovators, who get around those things and unleash value, are often derided as thieves and criminals for undermining established business models. But what comes out of those upstart efforts is, generally, much better for the consumer.
I get that legacy pubs want to protect what market share they can in this kinda-turning-around-but-not-really economy. That's just business. Trouble is, this affects me directly because unless I get extraordinarily lucky (or, considering most legacy pubs' reputations for not paying authors well, unlucky), I will not be published in the standard way. So the only route left is to self-publish.
I'm guessing this is how the guys at Twitter felt when they were getting ready to release their micro-blogging site. I remember hearing about micro-blogging and going, "That sounds stupid. Who can form a complete thought in 140 characters? It'll never work. And anyway, who can come up with enough interesting stuff to fill all the dead space that would inevitably crop up?"
Everyone under the sun was loving Facebook and traditional blogging so much. Many viewed the Twitter lot as "criminals" wanting to diminish our precious attention spans even further. I was in that mob, I'm sad to say, weilding my torch at the Frankenstein monster that we hoped would go mess with some other town.
Fast forward five years: Twitter is where it's at, at least for those of us who have to market ourselves. I think indie authors are in that awkward place right now where lots of people see them (wrongly) as lazy, or just not very talented, but at the same time there's this fascination with e-readers. And also, culturally, there is a backlash against institutions, and not just here but all around the world (read: the Middle East, Greece, et al.).
So I'm going to probably self-publish my WIP. I love the technology, and can't imagine that people of all ages won't be carrying Kindles/Nooks/whatever with them wherever they go soon. What do you think? Am I wrong and the market for e-readers will plateau (especially for certain age groups, like children)? Do you think readers will start to dislike their new role as gatekeepers? Let me know!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I've Had One Million Jobs
Ok, more like thirty. One night a few years ago I was hanging out with my family, and my mom and I were thinking back over all the years, and about all the jobs I've held. And most of them were service industry jobs. It was impressive--in a "Did I seriously work all of those crappy jobs? sort of way--to tick them off: bag boy, warehouse worker, front desk check-in guy at a hotel, waiter (four times over), bus boy, bar bouncer, secret shopper, steaming clothes in the back room at The Limited. Yes, you heard that right: I was the steam boy at The Limited.
I even worked at the Smithsonian for a while. First in the Tricera-shop and then in the gem and mineral shop. The toughest part of my day was stopping teenage kids from running their hands through the huge vats of polished rocks and making tons of noise. That and listening to my coworker, an older gentleman with a long beard and decomposing fingernails, regale us about fossils.
But hey! How many people can say they worked at the Smithsonian? So I've never had to do international espionage for my job, nor have I starred in my own sitcom. And yes, I used to clean vomit out of trough-shaped urinals in a bar. But overall, I've worked so many jobs that if you lined them up end to end, they'd reach the sun--and that's something.
I bring this up because it is only in looking back that we can see how kick-ass we really are. Believe me, when I was in the middle of working for Lone Star Steakhouse, and when the "Watermelon Crawl" would start blasting over the speakers and us waiters would have to line dance up and down the rows of pasty-faced diners, I did not feel kick-ass. I felt like I was getting my ass kicked. But with a little distance and with the perspective only age can bring, I look back and think, "Wow, that was a funky time in my life."
As writers, we need a huge diversity of experiences. And that doesn't mean you should chuck your life out the window and move to Uganda. What it means is that if you find yourself in less than ideal circumstances--if, for instance, you're stuck in a city you hate doing a job you can't imagine getting up to do tomorrow, if hearing your alarm clock go off in the morning makes your hives break out in cold sweats, don't worry. You will be able to write about this someday.
You will not always have to flip pizzas until 3 A.M. and then ride your Schwinn woman's bike three miles home in the dead of night (stop looking at me that way). Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but someday you will write about these things. And someone will read your story and think: Damn, that's so true!
To me, what so often seems true in stories is when a character runs up against an obstacle that, at least in the beginning, there seems no possible way for them to overcome. You sit there as a reader saying, "There is no way she's getting out of this one." But somehow, more often than not, they do climb out of that sludge pit, they do find a way over that wall, and you feel really happy for them.
So here's the question: how can our characters suffer if we never have? I'm not telling you to love your imprisonment or embrace your captor, because that would be cruel. And don't suffer on purpose to fulfill some fantasy of the starving artist. What I'm saying is this: don't lose heart. There have been plenty of mornings in the past when I felt like driving right on past my place of employment into some Thelma and Louise cross-country odyssey. But I haven't. I hung in there, and I'm glad I did.
You may never win an award, you may never be invited to some classy literary party where you get to dress up all nice and meet fancy people. But what you write will matter, because you've been there and no one else has. So pay attention, because you'll need to record all you see someday.
I even worked at the Smithsonian for a while. First in the Tricera-shop and then in the gem and mineral shop. The toughest part of my day was stopping teenage kids from running their hands through the huge vats of polished rocks and making tons of noise. That and listening to my coworker, an older gentleman with a long beard and decomposing fingernails, regale us about fossils.
But hey! How many people can say they worked at the Smithsonian? So I've never had to do international espionage for my job, nor have I starred in my own sitcom. And yes, I used to clean vomit out of trough-shaped urinals in a bar. But overall, I've worked so many jobs that if you lined them up end to end, they'd reach the sun--and that's something.
I bring this up because it is only in looking back that we can see how kick-ass we really are. Believe me, when I was in the middle of working for Lone Star Steakhouse, and when the "Watermelon Crawl" would start blasting over the speakers and us waiters would have to line dance up and down the rows of pasty-faced diners, I did not feel kick-ass. I felt like I was getting my ass kicked. But with a little distance and with the perspective only age can bring, I look back and think, "Wow, that was a funky time in my life."
As writers, we need a huge diversity of experiences. And that doesn't mean you should chuck your life out the window and move to Uganda. What it means is that if you find yourself in less than ideal circumstances--if, for instance, you're stuck in a city you hate doing a job you can't imagine getting up to do tomorrow, if hearing your alarm clock go off in the morning makes your hives break out in cold sweats, don't worry. You will be able to write about this someday.
You will not always have to flip pizzas until 3 A.M. and then ride your Schwinn woman's bike three miles home in the dead of night (stop looking at me that way). Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but someday you will write about these things. And someone will read your story and think: Damn, that's so true!
To me, what so often seems true in stories is when a character runs up against an obstacle that, at least in the beginning, there seems no possible way for them to overcome. You sit there as a reader saying, "There is no way she's getting out of this one." But somehow, more often than not, they do climb out of that sludge pit, they do find a way over that wall, and you feel really happy for them.
So here's the question: how can our characters suffer if we never have? I'm not telling you to love your imprisonment or embrace your captor, because that would be cruel. And don't suffer on purpose to fulfill some fantasy of the starving artist. What I'm saying is this: don't lose heart. There have been plenty of mornings in the past when I felt like driving right on past my place of employment into some Thelma and Louise cross-country odyssey. But I haven't. I hung in there, and I'm glad I did.
You may never win an award, you may never be invited to some classy literary party where you get to dress up all nice and meet fancy people. But what you write will matter, because you've been there and no one else has. So pay attention, because you'll need to record all you see someday.
I've Had One Million Jobs
Ok, more like thirty. One night a few years ago I was hanging out with my family, and my mom and I were thinking back over all the years, and about all the jobs I've held. And most of them were service industry jobs. It was impressive--in a "Did I seriously work all of those crappy jobs? sort of way--to tick them off: bag boy, warehouse worker, front desk check-in guy at a hotel, waiter (four times over), bus boy, bar bouncer, secret shopper, steaming clothes in the back room at The Limited. Yes, you heard that right: I was the steam boy at The Limited.
I even worked at the Smithsonian for a while. First in the Tricera-shop and then in the gem and mineral shop. The toughest part of my day was stopping teenage kids from running their hands through the huge vats of polished rocks and making tons of noise. That and listening to my coworker, an older gentleman with a long beard and decomposing fingernails, regale us about fossils.
But hey! How many people can say they worked at the Smithsonian? So I've never had to do international espionage for my job, nor have I starred in my own sitcom. And yes, I used to clean vomit out of trough-shaped urinals in a bar. But overall, I've worked so many jobs that if you lined them up end to end, they'd reach the sun--and that's something.
I bring this up because it is only in looking back that we can see how kick-ass we really are. Believe me, when I was in the middle of working for Lone Star Steakhouse, and when the "Watermelon Crawl" would start blasting over the speakers and us waiters would have to line dance up and down the rows of pasty-faced diners, I did not feel kick-ass. I felt like I was getting my ass kicked. But with a little distance and with the perspective only age can bring, I look back and think, "Wow, that was a funky time in my life."
As writers, we need a huge diversity of experiences. And that doesn't mean you should chuck your life out the window and move to Uganda. What it means is that if you find yourself in less than ideal circumstances--if, for instance, you're stuck in a city you hate doing a job you can't imagine getting up to do tomorrow, if hearing your alarm clock go off in the morning makes your hives break out in cold sweats, don't worry. You will be able to write about this someday.
You will not always have to flip pizzas until 3 A.M. and then ride your Schwinn woman's bike three miles home in the dead of night (stop looking at me that way). Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but someday you will write about these things. And someone will read your story and think: Damn, that's so true!
To me, what so often seems true in stories is when a character runs up against an obstacle that, at least in the beginning, there seems no possible way for them to overcome. You sit there as a reader saying, "There is no way she's getting out of this one." But somehow, more often than not, they do climb out of that sludge pit, they do find a way over that wall, and you feel really happy for them.
So here's the question: how can our characters suffer if we never have? I'm not telling you to love your imprisonment or embrace your captor, because that would be cruel. And don't suffer on purpose to fulfill some fantasy of the starving artist. What I'm saying is this: don't lose heart. There have been plenty of mornings in the past when I felt like driving right on past my place of employment into some Thelma and Louise cross-country odyssey. But I haven't. I hung in there, and I'm glad I did.
You may never win an award, you may never be invited to some classy literary party where you get to dress up all nice and meet fancy people. But what you write will matter, because you've been there and no one else has. So pay attention, because you'll need to record all you see someday.
I even worked at the Smithsonian for a while. First in the Tricera-shop and then in the gem and mineral shop. The toughest part of my day was stopping teenage kids from running their hands through the huge vats of polished rocks and making tons of noise. That and listening to my coworker, an older gentleman with a long beard and decomposing fingernails, regale us about fossils.
But hey! How many people can say they worked at the Smithsonian? So I've never had to do international espionage for my job, nor have I starred in my own sitcom. And yes, I used to clean vomit out of trough-shaped urinals in a bar. But overall, I've worked so many jobs that if you lined them up end to end, they'd reach the sun--and that's something.
I bring this up because it is only in looking back that we can see how kick-ass we really are. Believe me, when I was in the middle of working for Lone Star Steakhouse, and when the "Watermelon Crawl" would start blasting over the speakers and us waiters would have to line dance up and down the rows of pasty-faced diners, I did not feel kick-ass. I felt like I was getting my ass kicked. But with a little distance and with the perspective only age can bring, I look back and think, "Wow, that was a funky time in my life."
As writers, we need a huge diversity of experiences. And that doesn't mean you should chuck your life out the window and move to Uganda. What it means is that if you find yourself in less than ideal circumstances--if, for instance, you're stuck in a city you hate doing a job you can't imagine getting up to do tomorrow, if hearing your alarm clock go off in the morning makes your hives break out in cold sweats, don't worry. You will be able to write about this someday.
You will not always have to flip pizzas until 3 A.M. and then ride your Schwinn woman's bike three miles home in the dead of night (stop looking at me that way). Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but someday you will write about these things. And someone will read your story and think: Damn, that's so true!
To me, what so often seems true in stories is when a character runs up against an obstacle that, at least in the beginning, there seems no possible way for them to overcome. You sit there as a reader saying, "There is no way she's getting out of this one." But somehow, more often than not, they do climb out of that sludge pit, they do find a way over that wall, and you feel really happy for them.
So here's the question: how can our characters suffer if we never have? I'm not telling you to love your imprisonment or embrace your captor, because that would be cruel. And don't suffer on purpose to fulfill some fantasy of the starving artist. What I'm saying is this: don't lose heart. There have been plenty of mornings in the past when I felt like driving right on past my place of employment into some Thelma and Louise cross-country odyssey. But I haven't. I hung in there, and I'm glad I did.
You may never win an award, you may never be invited to some classy literary party where you get to dress up all nice and meet fancy people. But what you write will matter, because you've been there and no one else has. So pay attention, because you'll need to record all you see someday.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
My Book is YA...Or is it?
Question of the century: is my book written for a YA audience or for kids? If it's got huge pictures and about seven words on each page, it's clearly written for children. If it's got a major character named Ruffley Von Rufflefeather, then odds are it's a children's book. But what if my WIP doesn't fit into a neat box like this? That's what I want to know.
Wikipedia says that "The Young Adult Library Services (YALSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) defines a young adult as 'someone between the ages of twelve and eighteen'" and goes on to say that "theme and style are often subordinated to the more tangible basic narrative elements such as plot, setting, and character, which appeal more readily to younger readers" and "The vast majority of YA stories portray an adolescent as the protagonist, rather than an adult or a child." (OK, I promise I'll stop quoting Wikipedia now).
But what if my main character is younger than an adolescent but my book deals with dark subject matter, more appropriate for young adults than young children to read? But what if it's still got goofy character names like Brumchalk Littlewing? (Aside: that's not an actual character's name from my book; I just made it up to illustrate a point).
This is a big question because, as Nathan Bransford notes on his terrific blog, if you're a children's author (as he is), you really shouldn't be self-publishing for a range of reasons, one of which being that print still dominates in that age range (Bransford reasons that not many parents are rushing out to buy their 8-year-olds Kindles at the moment).
Which makes sense. But part of me really, really wants to self publish. I'm heartened by the fact that J.K. Rowling is considered by Wikipedia (the final authority on all matters, don't you know?) to be a YA writer, because while my WIP is really nothing like the Harry Potter books, my intention for it is to appeal to a broad age range, as the HP books do.
So should I forsake self-pubbing because my book may tread too close to the boundary line that separates children's and YA fiction? Maybe Bransford is right: maybe I'd have a better shot at selling books going the traditional, legacy route. I don't know. It would be interesting to know if anyone else out there is going through a similar marketing crisis.
Wikipedia says that "The Young Adult Library Services (YALSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) defines a young adult as 'someone between the ages of twelve and eighteen'" and goes on to say that "theme and style are often subordinated to the more tangible basic narrative elements such as plot, setting, and character, which appeal more readily to younger readers" and "The vast majority of YA stories portray an adolescent as the protagonist, rather than an adult or a child." (OK, I promise I'll stop quoting Wikipedia now).
But what if my main character is younger than an adolescent but my book deals with dark subject matter, more appropriate for young adults than young children to read? But what if it's still got goofy character names like Brumchalk Littlewing? (Aside: that's not an actual character's name from my book; I just made it up to illustrate a point).
This is a big question because, as Nathan Bransford notes on his terrific blog, if you're a children's author (as he is), you really shouldn't be self-publishing for a range of reasons, one of which being that print still dominates in that age range (Bransford reasons that not many parents are rushing out to buy their 8-year-olds Kindles at the moment).
Which makes sense. But part of me really, really wants to self publish. I'm heartened by the fact that J.K. Rowling is considered by Wikipedia (the final authority on all matters, don't you know?) to be a YA writer, because while my WIP is really nothing like the Harry Potter books, my intention for it is to appeal to a broad age range, as the HP books do.
So should I forsake self-pubbing because my book may tread too close to the boundary line that separates children's and YA fiction? Maybe Bransford is right: maybe I'd have a better shot at selling books going the traditional, legacy route. I don't know. It would be interesting to know if anyone else out there is going through a similar marketing crisis.
My Book is YA...Or is it?
Question of the century: is my book written for a YA audience or for kids? If it's got huge pictures and about seven words on each page, it's clearly written for children. If it's got a major character named Ruffley Von Rufflefeather, then odds are it's a children's book. But what if my WIP doesn't fit into a neat box like this? That's what I want to know.
Wikipedia says that "The Young Adult Library Services (YALSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) defines a young adult as 'someone between the ages of twelve and eighteen'" and goes on to say that "theme and style are often subordinated to the more tangible basic narrative elements such as plot, setting, and character, which appeal more readily to younger readers" and "The vast majority of YA stories portray an adolescent as the protagonist, rather than an adult or a child." (OK, I promise I'll stop quoting Wikipedia now).
But what if my main character is younger than an adolescent but my book deals with dark subject matter, more appropriate for young adults than young children to read? But what if it's still got goofy character names like Brumchalk Littlewing? (Aside: that's not an actual character's name from my book; I just made it up to illustrate a point).
This is a big question because, as Nathan Bransford notes on his terrific blog, if you're a children's author (as he is), you really shouldn't be self-publishing for a range of reasons, one of which being that print still dominates in that age range (Bransford reasons that not many parents are rushing out to buy their 8-year-olds Kindles at the moment).
Which makes sense. But part of me really, really wants to self publish. I'm heartened by the fact that J.K. Rowling is considered by Wikipedia (the final authority on all matters, don't you know?) to be a YA writer, because while my WIP is really nothing like the Harry Potter books, my intention for it is to appeal to a broad age range, as the HP books do.
So should I forsake self-pubbing because my book may tread too close to the boundary line that separates children's and YA fiction? Maybe Bransford is right: maybe I'd have a better shot at selling books going the traditional, legacy route. I don't know. It would be interesting to know if anyone else out there is going through a similar marketing crisis.
Wikipedia says that "The Young Adult Library Services (YALSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) defines a young adult as 'someone between the ages of twelve and eighteen'" and goes on to say that "theme and style are often subordinated to the more tangible basic narrative elements such as plot, setting, and character, which appeal more readily to younger readers" and "The vast majority of YA stories portray an adolescent as the protagonist, rather than an adult or a child." (OK, I promise I'll stop quoting Wikipedia now).
But what if my main character is younger than an adolescent but my book deals with dark subject matter, more appropriate for young adults than young children to read? But what if it's still got goofy character names like Brumchalk Littlewing? (Aside: that's not an actual character's name from my book; I just made it up to illustrate a point).
This is a big question because, as Nathan Bransford notes on his terrific blog, if you're a children's author (as he is), you really shouldn't be self-publishing for a range of reasons, one of which being that print still dominates in that age range (Bransford reasons that not many parents are rushing out to buy their 8-year-olds Kindles at the moment).
Which makes sense. But part of me really, really wants to self publish. I'm heartened by the fact that J.K. Rowling is considered by Wikipedia (the final authority on all matters, don't you know?) to be a YA writer, because while my WIP is really nothing like the Harry Potter books, my intention for it is to appeal to a broad age range, as the HP books do.
So should I forsake self-pubbing because my book may tread too close to the boundary line that separates children's and YA fiction? Maybe Bransford is right: maybe I'd have a better shot at selling books going the traditional, legacy route. I don't know. It would be interesting to know if anyone else out there is going through a similar marketing crisis.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
My Writing Playlist
Hi, all. I got the idea for this blog post from Carolyn Parkhurst's excellent website. I'm going to list a few of the artists/songs I've been listening to lately while writing. Maybe this will help you get into a good head-space while you write your WIP. I'm working on a young adult crazy fantasy novel at the moment; think: Alice in Wonderland meets The Outsiders and you'll begin to see what I'm getting at.
I don't like a lot of lyrics with my tuneage, especially when I'm trying to write a complicated scene, so I've found that these artists are great for that. If there are lyrics involved, the singers' voices are sweet and soft and don't elbow in on my thoughts.
Just click on the little icon at the end of each description to be taken to sites where you can hear samples of the music. Some of these albums are better for listening to while writing certain scenes than for others. Here goes:
1.) Milky Way by Danger Beach
This is my favorite new find in a long, long time. There's something about Danger's haunting surfer guitar licks (Danger Beach is really LA Thomas of "Assassins 88" fame -- yeah, I never heard of them either) that really puts me in the mood to write a heavy scene. Or a scene that involves lots of surreal elements. For me, his songs evoke the beach from a bygone era. I used to live on the West Coast, so his tunes are deeply resonant to me.
2.) Contra by Vampire Weekend
Going against my pre-stated disdain for lyrics in songs I listen to while writing, I love this album. The dude sings so fast, and in such a weird register that I only hear as background noise, that this is perfect writing material. It's upbeat (usually) so it's good to listen to while writing an action scene.
3.) Viscous Solid by Aeroc
I know basically nothing about this group, but I got hooked on them while listening to Pandora. Check them out, they may not be your cup of tea. I find them mind-numbingly boring when paying full-on attention to them, but for background writing music, for whatever reason, their music helps put me at ease. Ideal for writing scenes where characters are being contemplative.
4.) Leaves in the River by Sea Wolf
Again: lyrics. I love that I set up these rules for myself and then watch as they drift away like...leaves in the river. Anyway, the lyrics are not encumbering, but hypnotic and shimmery and they open the mind. It's not a big deal that all of the songs on this album sound the same. I mean, that would be a big deal if you were actually listening directly to the music, but for ambient sound, it's aces.
This is just a sample of what I've been listening to lately. Hopefully these songs help you relax and write well, as they do for me. Do you have any suggestions for good writing music? Let me know in the comments below!
I don't like a lot of lyrics with my tuneage, especially when I'm trying to write a complicated scene, so I've found that these artists are great for that. If there are lyrics involved, the singers' voices are sweet and soft and don't elbow in on my thoughts.
Just click on the little icon at the end of each description to be taken to sites where you can hear samples of the music. Some of these albums are better for listening to while writing certain scenes than for others. Here goes:
1.) Milky Way by Danger Beach
This is my favorite new find in a long, long time. There's something about Danger's haunting surfer guitar licks (Danger Beach is really LA Thomas of "Assassins 88" fame -- yeah, I never heard of them either) that really puts me in the mood to write a heavy scene. Or a scene that involves lots of surreal elements. For me, his songs evoke the beach from a bygone era. I used to live on the West Coast, so his tunes are deeply resonant to me.
2.) Contra by Vampire Weekend
Going against my pre-stated disdain for lyrics in songs I listen to while writing, I love this album. The dude sings so fast, and in such a weird register that I only hear as background noise, that this is perfect writing material. It's upbeat (usually) so it's good to listen to while writing an action scene.
3.) Viscous Solid by Aeroc
I know basically nothing about this group, but I got hooked on them while listening to Pandora. Check them out, they may not be your cup of tea. I find them mind-numbingly boring when paying full-on attention to them, but for background writing music, for whatever reason, their music helps put me at ease. Ideal for writing scenes where characters are being contemplative.
4.) Leaves in the River by Sea Wolf
Again: lyrics. I love that I set up these rules for myself and then watch as they drift away like...leaves in the river. Anyway, the lyrics are not encumbering, but hypnotic and shimmery and they open the mind. It's not a big deal that all of the songs on this album sound the same. I mean, that would be a big deal if you were actually listening directly to the music, but for ambient sound, it's aces.
This is just a sample of what I've been listening to lately. Hopefully these songs help you relax and write well, as they do for me. Do you have any suggestions for good writing music? Let me know in the comments below!
My Writing Playlist
Hi, all. I got the idea for this blog post from Carolyn Parkhurst's excellent website. I'm going to list a few of the artists/songs I've been listening to lately while writing. Maybe this will help you get into a good head-space while you write your WIP. I'm working on a young adult crazy fantasy novel at the moment; think: Alice in Wonderland meets The Outsiders and you'll begin to see what I'm getting at.
I don't like a lot of lyrics with my tuneage, especially when I'm trying to write a complicated scene, so I've found that these artists are great for that. If there are lyrics involved, the singers' voices are sweet and soft and don't elbow in on my thoughts.
Just click on the little icon at the end of each description to be taken to sites where you can hear samples of the music. Some of these albums are better for listening to while writing certain scenes than for others. Here goes:
1.) Milky Way by Danger Beach
This is my favorite new find in a long, long time. There's something about Danger's haunting surfer guitar licks (Danger Beach is really LA Thomas of "Assassins 88" fame -- yeah, I never heard of them either) that really puts me in the mood to write a heavy scene. Or a scene that involves lots of surreal elements. For me, his songs evoke the beach from a bygone era. I used to live on the West Coast, so his tunes are deeply resonant to me.
2.) Contra by Vampire Weekend
Going against my pre-stated disdain for lyrics in songs I listen to while writing, I love this album. The dude sings so fast, and in such a weird register that I only hear as background noise, that this is perfect writing material. It's upbeat (usually) so it's good to listen to while writing an action scene.
3.) Viscous Solid by Aeroc
I know basically nothing about this group, but I got hooked on them while listening to Pandora. Check them out, they may not be your cup of tea. I find them mind-numbingly boring when paying full-on attention to them, but for background writing music, for whatever reason, their music helps put me at ease. Ideal for writing scenes where characters are being contemplative.
4.) Leaves in the River by Sea Wolf
Again: lyrics. I love that I set up these rules for myself and then watch as they drift away like...leaves in the river. Anyway, the lyrics are not encumbering, but hypnotic and shimmery and they open the mind. It's not a big deal that all of the songs on this album sound the same. I mean, that would be a big deal if you were actually listening directly to the music, but for ambient sound, it's aces.
This is just a sample of what I've been listening to lately. Hopefully these songs help you relax and write well, as they do for me. Do you have any suggestions for good writing music? Let me know in the comments below!
I don't like a lot of lyrics with my tuneage, especially when I'm trying to write a complicated scene, so I've found that these artists are great for that. If there are lyrics involved, the singers' voices are sweet and soft and don't elbow in on my thoughts.
Just click on the little icon at the end of each description to be taken to sites where you can hear samples of the music. Some of these albums are better for listening to while writing certain scenes than for others. Here goes:
1.) Milky Way by Danger Beach
This is my favorite new find in a long, long time. There's something about Danger's haunting surfer guitar licks (Danger Beach is really LA Thomas of "Assassins 88" fame -- yeah, I never heard of them either) that really puts me in the mood to write a heavy scene. Or a scene that involves lots of surreal elements. For me, his songs evoke the beach from a bygone era. I used to live on the West Coast, so his tunes are deeply resonant to me.
2.) Contra by Vampire Weekend
Going against my pre-stated disdain for lyrics in songs I listen to while writing, I love this album. The dude sings so fast, and in such a weird register that I only hear as background noise, that this is perfect writing material. It's upbeat (usually) so it's good to listen to while writing an action scene.
3.) Viscous Solid by Aeroc
I know basically nothing about this group, but I got hooked on them while listening to Pandora. Check them out, they may not be your cup of tea. I find them mind-numbingly boring when paying full-on attention to them, but for background writing music, for whatever reason, their music helps put me at ease. Ideal for writing scenes where characters are being contemplative.
4.) Leaves in the River by Sea Wolf
Again: lyrics. I love that I set up these rules for myself and then watch as they drift away like...leaves in the river. Anyway, the lyrics are not encumbering, but hypnotic and shimmery and they open the mind. It's not a big deal that all of the songs on this album sound the same. I mean, that would be a big deal if you were actually listening directly to the music, but for ambient sound, it's aces.
This is just a sample of what I've been listening to lately. Hopefully these songs help you relax and write well, as they do for me. Do you have any suggestions for good writing music? Let me know in the comments below!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Dreaded No Man's Land
For now, if this blog is about anything, it is about fortitude. I'm writing my first book that I plan to publish--I passed the 200 page total not long ago--and am pushing steadily forward. Writing about writing is not generally very interesting, so I'll spare you the sentence-by-sentence experience of what I've encountered so far and say this: I have officially entered No Man's Land.
What is No Man's Land, you may ask? It's that area between your foxhole and the enemy's where rings of barbed wire and unexploded ordinance lay. Where landmines sit in the brush, waiting for a soldier to belly up to them. Where the grass has been scorched by flame throwers. Yes, it is the dreaded Middle Part of a book.
This, I was taught in school, is where good intentioned books go to die. And unlike much of what I learned in school, I've found out first hand that this old addage is actually true. How many books have I started writing and then abandoned 50-100 pages in? Several. But I'm bound and determined not to let that happen this time. And you should not let it happen either.
Going into the writing of this book, I looked myself in the (metaphorical) mirror and gave myself three solid, compelling reasons not to quit.
1.) The first reason is my family. I don't talk about them much here because I don't believe in discussing my personal life outside of writing, but I'll let the veil down a little and say that things have happened to make it a lot more important for me to produce something I'm proud of.
2.) I'm over 35. You can say all you want about writers only improving with age, but I feel that if I don't get my arse in gear, I will look back with regret at wasting my energetic years not publishing. I've written several short stories/screenplays and even a gigantic novel, but none of them have gone anywhere. Now I'm drawing a line in the sand. My current work in progress must be published, either by me or by a legacy publisher, and that's just the way it is.
3.) A friend of mine died a year ago. He was a wonderful guy--we played poker together, we went out on double dates, he even starred in a short film I wrote and directed. Do you have a friend who's up for anything anytime whenever? That was this guy. I thought I knew him reasonably well, we'd been friends for years, but as it turned out, after he died, everyone discovered he'd been going through utter turmoil that he'd only hinted at here or there, always downplaying his problems. Talk about a kick in the gut. It threw me for a loop because if any of his friends had known he was going through hell times fifty, we would've stepped in and done anything to help him.
So for a while I was very sad. And confused. But instead of letting myself stay depressed, I decided to write. I came up with a theme: no matter how much we may think we know someone, we really don't know them entirely. This spawned the book I'm now working on. I care very, very much about finishing it because I would like to dedicate it to this friend of mine who died way too young. Only in art can we live forever, so I hope to preserve my dear friend's memory in this way.
At any rate, these are my main reasons for kicking ass and making my novel the very best it can be. If you find yourself in No Man's Land (and for you, No Man's Land may have come at page 25 or at page 425; it's really just a state of mind), then I would suggest sitting down and typing out the concrete reasons why you MUST finish your book, and why it MUST be the most awesome book you can possibly write, as I've done above. You'll find that it's a great motivational tool. Good luck!
P.S. I know I broke my own rule about not giving away your secrets in this post. But hey--anything to help you out!
What is No Man's Land, you may ask? It's that area between your foxhole and the enemy's where rings of barbed wire and unexploded ordinance lay. Where landmines sit in the brush, waiting for a soldier to belly up to them. Where the grass has been scorched by flame throwers. Yes, it is the dreaded Middle Part of a book.
This, I was taught in school, is where good intentioned books go to die. And unlike much of what I learned in school, I've found out first hand that this old addage is actually true. How many books have I started writing and then abandoned 50-100 pages in? Several. But I'm bound and determined not to let that happen this time. And you should not let it happen either.
Going into the writing of this book, I looked myself in the (metaphorical) mirror and gave myself three solid, compelling reasons not to quit.
1.) The first reason is my family. I don't talk about them much here because I don't believe in discussing my personal life outside of writing, but I'll let the veil down a little and say that things have happened to make it a lot more important for me to produce something I'm proud of.
2.) I'm over 35. You can say all you want about writers only improving with age, but I feel that if I don't get my arse in gear, I will look back with regret at wasting my energetic years not publishing. I've written several short stories/screenplays and even a gigantic novel, but none of them have gone anywhere. Now I'm drawing a line in the sand. My current work in progress must be published, either by me or by a legacy publisher, and that's just the way it is.
3.) A friend of mine died a year ago. He was a wonderful guy--we played poker together, we went out on double dates, he even starred in a short film I wrote and directed. Do you have a friend who's up for anything anytime whenever? That was this guy. I thought I knew him reasonably well, we'd been friends for years, but as it turned out, after he died, everyone discovered he'd been going through utter turmoil that he'd only hinted at here or there, always downplaying his problems. Talk about a kick in the gut. It threw me for a loop because if any of his friends had known he was going through hell times fifty, we would've stepped in and done anything to help him.
So for a while I was very sad. And confused. But instead of letting myself stay depressed, I decided to write. I came up with a theme: no matter how much we may think we know someone, we really don't know them entirely. This spawned the book I'm now working on. I care very, very much about finishing it because I would like to dedicate it to this friend of mine who died way too young. Only in art can we live forever, so I hope to preserve my dear friend's memory in this way.
At any rate, these are my main reasons for kicking ass and making my novel the very best it can be. If you find yourself in No Man's Land (and for you, No Man's Land may have come at page 25 or at page 425; it's really just a state of mind), then I would suggest sitting down and typing out the concrete reasons why you MUST finish your book, and why it MUST be the most awesome book you can possibly write, as I've done above. You'll find that it's a great motivational tool. Good luck!
P.S. I know I broke my own rule about not giving away your secrets in this post. But hey--anything to help you out!
The Dreaded No Man's Land
For now, if this blog is about anything, it is about fortitude. I'm writing my first book that I plan to publish--I passed the 200 page total not long ago--and am pushing steadily forward. Writing about writing is not generally very interesting, so I'll spare you the sentence-by-sentence experience of what I've encountered so far and say this: I have officially entered No Man's Land.
What is No Man's Land, you may ask? It's that area between your foxhole and the enemy's where rings of barbed wire and unexploded ordinance lay. Where landmines sit in the brush, waiting for a soldier to belly up to them. Where the grass has been scorched by flame throwers. Yes, it is the dreaded Middle Part of a book.
This, I was taught in school, is where good intentioned books go to die. And unlike much of what I learned in school, I've found out first hand that this old addage is actually true. How many books have I started writing and then abandoned 50-100 pages in? Several. But I'm bound and determined not to let that happen this time. And you should not let it happen either.
Going into the writing of this book, I looked myself in the (metaphorical) mirror and gave myself three solid, compelling reasons not to quit.
1.) The first reason is my family. I don't talk about them much here because I don't believe in discussing my personal life outside of writing, but I'll let the veil down a little and say that things have happened to make it a lot more important for me to produce something I'm proud of.
2.) I'm over 35. You can say all you want about writers only improving with age, but I feel that if I don't get my arse in gear, I will look back with regret at wasting my energetic years not publishing. I've written several short stories/screenplays and even a gigantic novel, but none of them have gone anywhere. Now I'm drawing a line in the sand. My current work in progress must be published, either by me or by a legacy publisher, and that's just the way it is.
3.) A friend of mine died a year ago. He was a wonderful guy--we played poker together, we went out on double dates, he even starred in a short film I wrote and directed. Do you have a friend who's up for anything anytime whenever? That was this guy. I thought I knew him reasonably well, we'd been friends for years, but as it turned out, after he died, everyone discovered he'd been going through utter turmoil that he'd only hinted at here or there, always downplaying his problems. Talk about a kick in the gut. It threw me for a loop because if any of his friends had known he was going through hell times fifty, we would've stepped in and done anything to help him.
So for a while I was very sad. And confused. But instead of letting myself stay depressed, I decided to write. I came up with a theme: no matter how much we may think we know someone, we really don't know them entirely. This spawned the book I'm now working on. I care very, very much about finishing it because I would like to dedicate it to this friend of mine who died way too young. Only in art can we live forever, so I hope to preserve my dear friend's memory in this way.
At any rate, these are my main reasons for kicking ass and making my novel the very best it can be. If you find yourself in No Man's Land (and for you, No Man's Land may have come at page 25 or at page 425; it's really just a state of mind), then I would suggest sitting down and typing out the concrete reasons why you MUST finish your book, and why it MUST be the most awesome book you can possibly write, as I've done above. You'll find that it's a great motivational tool. Good luck!
P.S. I know I broke my own rule about not giving away your secrets in this post. But hey--anything to help you out!
What is No Man's Land, you may ask? It's that area between your foxhole and the enemy's where rings of barbed wire and unexploded ordinance lay. Where landmines sit in the brush, waiting for a soldier to belly up to them. Where the grass has been scorched by flame throwers. Yes, it is the dreaded Middle Part of a book.
This, I was taught in school, is where good intentioned books go to die. And unlike much of what I learned in school, I've found out first hand that this old addage is actually true. How many books have I started writing and then abandoned 50-100 pages in? Several. But I'm bound and determined not to let that happen this time. And you should not let it happen either.
Going into the writing of this book, I looked myself in the (metaphorical) mirror and gave myself three solid, compelling reasons not to quit.
1.) The first reason is my family. I don't talk about them much here because I don't believe in discussing my personal life outside of writing, but I'll let the veil down a little and say that things have happened to make it a lot more important for me to produce something I'm proud of.
2.) I'm over 35. You can say all you want about writers only improving with age, but I feel that if I don't get my arse in gear, I will look back with regret at wasting my energetic years not publishing. I've written several short stories/screenplays and even a gigantic novel, but none of them have gone anywhere. Now I'm drawing a line in the sand. My current work in progress must be published, either by me or by a legacy publisher, and that's just the way it is.
3.) A friend of mine died a year ago. He was a wonderful guy--we played poker together, we went out on double dates, he even starred in a short film I wrote and directed. Do you have a friend who's up for anything anytime whenever? That was this guy. I thought I knew him reasonably well, we'd been friends for years, but as it turned out, after he died, everyone discovered he'd been going through utter turmoil that he'd only hinted at here or there, always downplaying his problems. Talk about a kick in the gut. It threw me for a loop because if any of his friends had known he was going through hell times fifty, we would've stepped in and done anything to help him.
So for a while I was very sad. And confused. But instead of letting myself stay depressed, I decided to write. I came up with a theme: no matter how much we may think we know someone, we really don't know them entirely. This spawned the book I'm now working on. I care very, very much about finishing it because I would like to dedicate it to this friend of mine who died way too young. Only in art can we live forever, so I hope to preserve my dear friend's memory in this way.
At any rate, these are my main reasons for kicking ass and making my novel the very best it can be. If you find yourself in No Man's Land (and for you, No Man's Land may have come at page 25 or at page 425; it's really just a state of mind), then I would suggest sitting down and typing out the concrete reasons why you MUST finish your book, and why it MUST be the most awesome book you can possibly write, as I've done above. You'll find that it's a great motivational tool. Good luck!
P.S. I know I broke my own rule about not giving away your secrets in this post. But hey--anything to help you out!
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