I apologize, in a sort of formal, noncommittal way, about not posting here recently. May has been very busy for me in a variety of ways. I started my summer firefighting job again, about three weeks earlier than expected, and it's been keeping me pretty busy. In addition, I've also been finishing up some beta-reading projects for a couple of fellow writers. It was a process that was educational and useful for me, and I hope it was for them, as well.
As I mentioned in the previous post, Kricket's Song got some modifications, mostly in the form of a couple of scene additions that further develop the relationship between Jonah and Mouse as best friends, as well as some things that I hope help clarify why Jonah is risking his life trying to find Katerina--when, in all honesty, she's not presented as the perfect fiancee to begin with.
I also got a much needed new perspective on my query letter efforts. As I've lamented on here before, 8 different drafts of query letters (maybe more) have met with form rejections or no responses. I haven't sent that many queries, numerically speaking. But I HAVE done considerable research on the agents, and the book itself has gone through significant polishing and editing, and had been vetted for any major flaws. So I feel like if I had a good query letter, I would've gotten at least a personalized rejection or two. That leads me to believe my query letter itself probably isn't up to par. Hence, following the much needed new perspective, I've written a 9th query letter draft. I've submitted it to Query Letter Hell on Absolute Write, and I guess we'll see what sort of response I get. I'm hoping it's at least apparent the new draft isn't a first attempt at a query letter. I'm also hoping more than one person can agree on what's wrong with it. Last time I tried QLH, I had ten different people saying ten different things, and some of those contradicted each other.
In the meantime, this summer is looking to be a very busy one. I will continue doing my best to write, on Kricket's Song as needed, as well as getting some forward momentum going with Kricket's Key once again (the first draft). I'm also brainstorming a couple other projects for down the road.
As for what will happen after summer, well, that's anyone's guess. I might find a new job, or I might end up unemployed with nothing but time. And I just might go on a little epic quest of my own. Here's hoping.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Updates and Inspirations
Being unemployed has one benefit: it allows me to spend more time on writing-related stuff, and still slack off an awful lot. But as much slacking as I've been doing (too much), I have been doing a lot of writing-related work. One of the most obvious bits of progress, of course, is this blog. As you can see, I've changed the colors somewhat, hopefully making it easier for folks to read. That white on black scheme I had going looked snazzy, but it was hard even for me to read.
I know the masses aren't exactly craving updates on my works in progress, since I'm not famous or anything, but I'll share anyway. I really feel like Kricket's Song is finally going from "good" to "great." My latest attempts to recruit beta readers were actually successful, and they've provided some very helpful feedback. Miraculously, they pointed out the same flaw in the book. For those of you who've been through this process, you're probably aware that this is a good thing, because it doesn't always work like that. You get five beta readers and get five different opinions. Awesome. Which one do you go with? But when you get different people saying the same thing, now you know what to work on!
So, I'm doing a lot of revising and editing. Thankfully, the changes don't require major rewrites, just an extra short scene here and there, a little bit better description of the main character's thoughts and emotions, and improving how he interacts and relates to the other characters. The revisions have yet to go back to the betas, as I'm still working on them, but I feel like they make Kricket's Song a lot better. Hopefully good enough to at least get a nibble from some agents the next time I try querying.
I've also been doing beta reading for three other writers. It's a lot of work, but they're helping me, so I enjoy helping them, and it's getting me to read more. I'm also learning from the experience, and that's always a good thing.
I really jumped the gun with trying to query before finding good beta readers. Don't make the same mistake I did! Shop around until you find some. It will save you a lot of time and grief. And no, your family and friends don't count.
Finally, I want to just briefly mention some of the things that inspire me while writing. As with everything else I've mentioned regarding the writing process, inspiration varies greatly from person to person.
For me, it's usually music. I like to listen to it while I write, at a volume that I can hear, but not so loud as to distract me or make concentration difficult. The kind of music I listen to usually depends on the genre I'm writing at the time.
Fantasy:
Epic Score (Gabriel Shadid and Tobias Marberger)
Abney Park - For steampunk/fantasy
Future World Music
Two Steps From Hell
Jo Blankenburg
Science Fiction:
Front Line Assembly - For military sci-fi, dark, post apocalyptic
Video Game Soundtracks - Such as Halo, Deus Ex
Bjorn Lynne - Colony
Before I start writing a manuscript, pictures can also inspire me. I like to find pictures of people that look similar to major characters. I also look for pictures that inspire certain settings or scenes within the book itself. I save these in folders with the files for the WIP itself, for easy reference. It adds a little color to all the black and white notes. I also often get ideas for completely unrelated projects, which I keep for future reference.
Every writer should find something that inspires them and keeps them motivated, not just for the initial idea, but through the project as a whole. We've all experienced that initial flash of excitement, and then the motivation drains away after we start. For me, moving music helps me to keep forward progress going. Well defined characters and an interested world help me keep from getting stuck, or running into "writer's block."
I hope, if nothing else, this will inspire you to figure out what keeps you motivated for the long haul.
I know the masses aren't exactly craving updates on my works in progress, since I'm not famous or anything, but I'll share anyway. I really feel like Kricket's Song is finally going from "good" to "great." My latest attempts to recruit beta readers were actually successful, and they've provided some very helpful feedback. Miraculously, they pointed out the same flaw in the book. For those of you who've been through this process, you're probably aware that this is a good thing, because it doesn't always work like that. You get five beta readers and get five different opinions. Awesome. Which one do you go with? But when you get different people saying the same thing, now you know what to work on!
So, I'm doing a lot of revising and editing. Thankfully, the changes don't require major rewrites, just an extra short scene here and there, a little bit better description of the main character's thoughts and emotions, and improving how he interacts and relates to the other characters. The revisions have yet to go back to the betas, as I'm still working on them, but I feel like they make Kricket's Song a lot better. Hopefully good enough to at least get a nibble from some agents the next time I try querying.
I've also been doing beta reading for three other writers. It's a lot of work, but they're helping me, so I enjoy helping them, and it's getting me to read more. I'm also learning from the experience, and that's always a good thing.
I really jumped the gun with trying to query before finding good beta readers. Don't make the same mistake I did! Shop around until you find some. It will save you a lot of time and grief. And no, your family and friends don't count.
Finally, I want to just briefly mention some of the things that inspire me while writing. As with everything else I've mentioned regarding the writing process, inspiration varies greatly from person to person.
For me, it's usually music. I like to listen to it while I write, at a volume that I can hear, but not so loud as to distract me or make concentration difficult. The kind of music I listen to usually depends on the genre I'm writing at the time.
Fantasy:
Epic Score (Gabriel Shadid and Tobias Marberger)
Abney Park - For steampunk/fantasy
Future World Music
Two Steps From Hell
Jo Blankenburg
Science Fiction:
Front Line Assembly - For military sci-fi, dark, post apocalyptic
Video Game Soundtracks - Such as Halo, Deus Ex
Bjorn Lynne - Colony
Before I start writing a manuscript, pictures can also inspire me. I like to find pictures of people that look similar to major characters. I also look for pictures that inspire certain settings or scenes within the book itself. I save these in folders with the files for the WIP itself, for easy reference. It adds a little color to all the black and white notes. I also often get ideas for completely unrelated projects, which I keep for future reference.
Every writer should find something that inspires them and keeps them motivated, not just for the initial idea, but through the project as a whole. We've all experienced that initial flash of excitement, and then the motivation drains away after we start. For me, moving music helps me to keep forward progress going. Well defined characters and an interested world help me keep from getting stuck, or running into "writer's block."
I hope, if nothing else, this will inspire you to figure out what keeps you motivated for the long haul.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Writing Environment
As with so many things when it comes to writing, the sort of writing environment that will work for you will vary for each person. So it's important to keep in mind that when I talk about "what works," I'm speaking from my own experience, and maybe the comments of a few fellow writers here and there. It's by no means universal advice or a set of rules that you must follow.
I'm a guy who's fairly easily distracted. I wouldn't have it any other way. Four years in the Navy, four years as a wildland firefighter, and nine months as a defensive handgun instructor have taught me situational awareness at all times. The slightest noise or flash of movement catches my attention. I may not be 100% focused on it, but I'll know it's there and I'll be keeping an eye on it--whether I want to or not. This habit keeps me safe and aware. It also distracts the heck out of me when I'm trying to write.
Everyone is different when it comes to their attention span and their ability to focus on a particular task. Writing is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, but when it comes to your writing environment, I believe you sort of have to approach it as if it were homework. Determine what kind of person you are when it comes to attention span and focus. Are you easily distracted? Can you effectively multitask or does doing multiple things decrease the quality of your work? Can you focus 100% on one thing and one thing only, even if bombs are going off in the street?
We all want to write the best we can; that's why I believe it's important to ask yourself these kinds of questions. For many of us, writing may be just a hobby. We've got "real" jobs, and maybe a family to take care of and spend time with. But if we're serious about our writing and we want to make the best end product possible, we can't approach our commitment to that quality lightly. We have to take it seriously. We have to determine what sort of environment works best for us when we're writing.
For me, that means a relatively isolated environment. It means I'm in my room with my door closed. It means I don't have the TV on and I'm not hanging out with friends on a chat channel somewhere. I'm not watching videos on YouTube. I'm not checking Facebook. The only things open on my computer are the files pertaining to the particular piece I'm working on. I probably have music playing, but it's most likely music that inspires me for the piece (we'll get into things that inspire me in another post). This sort of environment is admittedly somewhat boring. But that's the point. It allows me to shift my focus to my writing, which gives me to opportunity to put forth my best effort. And trust me, I can definitely see the difference in my writing between the times I was focused, and the times I was not.
I encourage all my fellow writers to take a moment and look at the environments they're in when they're writing. Figure out what works best for you. Do everything you can to set yourself up for success. Sometimes people claim they just don't know what to write, or they've got writer's block. In my experience, an environment that's not conducive to writing can sometimes be the culprit.
See you next time!
I'm a guy who's fairly easily distracted. I wouldn't have it any other way. Four years in the Navy, four years as a wildland firefighter, and nine months as a defensive handgun instructor have taught me situational awareness at all times. The slightest noise or flash of movement catches my attention. I may not be 100% focused on it, but I'll know it's there and I'll be keeping an eye on it--whether I want to or not. This habit keeps me safe and aware. It also distracts the heck out of me when I'm trying to write.
Everyone is different when it comes to their attention span and their ability to focus on a particular task. Writing is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, but when it comes to your writing environment, I believe you sort of have to approach it as if it were homework. Determine what kind of person you are when it comes to attention span and focus. Are you easily distracted? Can you effectively multitask or does doing multiple things decrease the quality of your work? Can you focus 100% on one thing and one thing only, even if bombs are going off in the street?
We all want to write the best we can; that's why I believe it's important to ask yourself these kinds of questions. For many of us, writing may be just a hobby. We've got "real" jobs, and maybe a family to take care of and spend time with. But if we're serious about our writing and we want to make the best end product possible, we can't approach our commitment to that quality lightly. We have to take it seriously. We have to determine what sort of environment works best for us when we're writing.
For me, that means a relatively isolated environment. It means I'm in my room with my door closed. It means I don't have the TV on and I'm not hanging out with friends on a chat channel somewhere. I'm not watching videos on YouTube. I'm not checking Facebook. The only things open on my computer are the files pertaining to the particular piece I'm working on. I probably have music playing, but it's most likely music that inspires me for the piece (we'll get into things that inspire me in another post). This sort of environment is admittedly somewhat boring. But that's the point. It allows me to shift my focus to my writing, which gives me to opportunity to put forth my best effort. And trust me, I can definitely see the difference in my writing between the times I was focused, and the times I was not.
I encourage all my fellow writers to take a moment and look at the environments they're in when they're writing. Figure out what works best for you. Do everything you can to set yourself up for success. Sometimes people claim they just don't know what to write, or they've got writer's block. In my experience, an environment that's not conducive to writing can sometimes be the culprit.
See you next time!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Writing Productivity Tips
I frequently browse the Absolute Write Water Cooler for a variety of reasons, mostly selfish ones (i.e. I want to learn something new that will help me in my attempt to establish a writing career). But every now and then, I find someone who's been in a situation similar to mine, and I get to offer my two cents' worth of advice.
Please note, I'm not claiming to be an expert here. I'm still VERY much learning how to be a good writer, and I don't really have much in the way of publishing credentials under my belt. That said, I've been writing seriously (working toward the goal of professional publication) for several years now, which is longer than many people.
So, in keeping with the theme I've been trying to establish over the past few posts, here are a few tips I offered someone the other day, when they asked how they could measure their productivity and continue to make forward progress with their work. This is by no means "expert advice," but it's worked for me over the years.
"Each person will measure "productivity" in different ways. As each one of us are different people, so each one of us will be different writers. Our level of "productivity" will vary.
For now, don't worry about "getting published." For every writer who's just starting out (and yes, having just finished your first novel, you're still just starting out), that's a long ways down the road. Realizing that can be discouraging. So don't focus on that. Some tips:
1.) You don't have to write every single day. In fact, I would advise NOT writing every single day. Your brain/mind/imagination needs a break every now and then. Holding yourself to unrealistic expectations will burn you out in short order.
2.) With the above in mind, you SHOULD try to formulate some sort of writing schedule. It doesn't have to be super ambitious to start with. Figure out what time of the day works best for you, and allot yourself a certain amount of time to write. Or, you can establish a word count goal. You may not achieve this goal every single time. That's okay. The main thing is, you got SOMETHING done.
3.) Stick to your schedule, as closely as you can with normal, everyday life. If you've already done your writing for the day, don't feel pressured to go back and write MORE. On the flip side, if you haven't done your writing for the day, you really should sit down and hack out at least a couple hundred words. You may not feel like it at the time (I frequently don't), but after you do it, you'll feel better for having done it. Also, you'll likely be more motivated to do it the next day.
Some people disagree with me on this point. "If I don't feel like writing, I can't force it. Whatever I write will be junk." Hey, let's face it, everything we write on a first draft is going to need revision ANYWAY, whether we forced it or we were the most inspired we've ever been. At least now you have it ON PAPER and that gives you something to work with.
4.) Find what motivates you to keep your schedule. For me, I keep track of how long I worked on my WIP each day, how many words I wrote, and how close I am to my final word count goal. Why? I'm motivated by charting my progress. I can SEE that I'm making ground, even when it may feel like I'm spinning my wheels. "Yesterday I was 53% of the way there. Today I'm 55% of the way there." May not seem like much. But don't worry. Tomorrow it'll be 56% or more!
I hope these tips help. They've worked for me. I've finished two novels and am working on a third, not to mention numerous attempts at query letters and synopsis writing. I've also finished a couple shorts. People are reading my stuff, so even though I'm not yet "professionally" published, it's progress!"
That's it for this time. Thanks for reading!
Please note, I'm not claiming to be an expert here. I'm still VERY much learning how to be a good writer, and I don't really have much in the way of publishing credentials under my belt. That said, I've been writing seriously (working toward the goal of professional publication) for several years now, which is longer than many people.
So, in keeping with the theme I've been trying to establish over the past few posts, here are a few tips I offered someone the other day, when they asked how they could measure their productivity and continue to make forward progress with their work. This is by no means "expert advice," but it's worked for me over the years.
"Each person will measure "productivity" in different ways. As each one of us are different people, so each one of us will be different writers. Our level of "productivity" will vary.
For now, don't worry about "getting published." For every writer who's just starting out (and yes, having just finished your first novel, you're still just starting out), that's a long ways down the road. Realizing that can be discouraging. So don't focus on that. Some tips:
1.) You don't have to write every single day. In fact, I would advise NOT writing every single day. Your brain/mind/imagination needs a break every now and then. Holding yourself to unrealistic expectations will burn you out in short order.
2.) With the above in mind, you SHOULD try to formulate some sort of writing schedule. It doesn't have to be super ambitious to start with. Figure out what time of the day works best for you, and allot yourself a certain amount of time to write. Or, you can establish a word count goal. You may not achieve this goal every single time. That's okay. The main thing is, you got SOMETHING done.
3.) Stick to your schedule, as closely as you can with normal, everyday life. If you've already done your writing for the day, don't feel pressured to go back and write MORE. On the flip side, if you haven't done your writing for the day, you really should sit down and hack out at least a couple hundred words. You may not feel like it at the time (I frequently don't), but after you do it, you'll feel better for having done it. Also, you'll likely be more motivated to do it the next day.
Some people disagree with me on this point. "If I don't feel like writing, I can't force it. Whatever I write will be junk." Hey, let's face it, everything we write on a first draft is going to need revision ANYWAY, whether we forced it or we were the most inspired we've ever been. At least now you have it ON PAPER and that gives you something to work with.
4.) Find what motivates you to keep your schedule. For me, I keep track of how long I worked on my WIP each day, how many words I wrote, and how close I am to my final word count goal. Why? I'm motivated by charting my progress. I can SEE that I'm making ground, even when it may feel like I'm spinning my wheels. "Yesterday I was 53% of the way there. Today I'm 55% of the way there." May not seem like much. But don't worry. Tomorrow it'll be 56% or more!
I hope these tips help. They've worked for me. I've finished two novels and am working on a third, not to mention numerous attempts at query letters and synopsis writing. I've also finished a couple shorts. People are reading my stuff, so even though I'm not yet "professionally" published, it's progress!"
That's it for this time. Thanks for reading!
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