This past Saturday, at my local Sisters in Crime meeting, we engaged in a POV writing exercise. As I scribbled furiously, letting the words flow - this was timed, after all - I suddenly realized an idea for a romantic suspense was forming. True, it was a rough sketch about two dancers, hardly the stuff of suspense at that point, but it didn't matter.
So, ideas. Where do they come from? The great cliched question. And I'll admit it depends on the particular story. For example, many of my stories start out as "What if?" questions. I remember sitting in gridlock during a particularly hot, humid July. No air conditioning and traffic moving at the proverbial snail's pace. As I sat there, I wondered what would happen if girl fell out of the sky, hit my car, then vanished. Another "what if" story came while driving down Hwy 44, through verdant forests and twisting curves. What if a young girl moved to a cursed, isolated village? That story became "White Pine Village," a YA and my first work of fiction in over a decade. (No, I've never submitted it. It still sits in my drawer.)
Although I don't do this as much, I sometimes clip articles from a newspaper as possible ideas. Pictures are also influences. A portrait of a woman holding an umbrella over her face inspired "Family Tradition," my latest dark fiction suspense short story.
Whenever an idea comes to me, I write it down and keep it on a file. Even if it's no more than a title, I note it. Many of these ideas won't become stories but this doesn't mean they're not valuable. Sometimes an idea may not work for one story but might work for another.
Mystery, paranormal, suspense, romance, genre doesn't matter. Only the story does.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
WIP Woes
When I first started writing, I used to scribble in the back of school exercise books, in pencil. Towards the end of the 1980s I got my first computer - an Amstrad PCW. It was one of the machines with green fonts on a black background. It didn't have a hard drive, so files had to be saved on floppy disks.
I tell this story because the influence that machine had on my writing is still with me today. Because the floppy disks didn't have much memory, files had to be small. I used to save each chapter as a separate file, because it would take several disks to hold an entire novel. I still use this system of saving each chapter as a separate document. Only when the manuscript is nearing completion do I compile it all into a single document - and only then do I really know how many pages I've got.
Currently, I'm working on draft 2 of the horror WIP. Up to now this has largely been minor amendments to each of the early chapters, though as I go through it I start thinking about any major changes that might need to be made. Things were going quite well until I got to chapter 12. And then I realised chapter 12 was missing from my 'Draft 1' folder.
An extensive search failed to unearth the missing chapter, but because I keep meticulous logs of when I write each chapter, I have worked out what has happened. The early chapters of the first draft of this WIP were written from October to December last year. At that point, I was still on my clunky old laptop, and my old NetBook. My writing routine has always been fairly rigid. If I was writing the chapters in Starbucks during my early-morning writing session, they were written on my NetBook. When I got home I would boot up both machines and copy the files from one machine to the other, so that there was a back-up. If I was writing at home, then I would transfer them the other way.
However, the old laptop was very slow, and sometimes waiting for it to boot up to transfer files was a frustrating process. What clearly happened is that when I was copying over my new chapters from the NetBook to the laptop, I somehow overlooked chapter 12 and didn't copy it.
I got my new laptop for Christmas, and copied the files from my old laptop to the new one. Then the hard drive on my NetBook died - suddenly, and without warning. All files were lost. That was OK, I thought, I had everything backed up. Or mostly everything. Only now have I realised I had failed to back up chapter 12, and the only copy of that chapter is now lost forever on the dead hard drive.
What I am left with is a log of how many words were in that chapter (1,330) and a summary of what it contained. But the file is gone. I have to rewrite it. And that realisation was a depressing thought.
So the next day, I got up early for a writing session, took the NetBook into London and sat in Starbucks staring at chapters 11 and 13 or quite a long time. I did not get hit with any inspiration to re-write chapter 12. What did occur to me, though, is that there are a lot of problems with this section of the novel, and there's a lot of rewriting that needs to be done. Maybe that's why I couldn't write chapter 12 again. There are a lot of 'talking heads' - people talking about things instead of doing things. Too much 'telling', not enough 'showing', as the writing group would probably say.
What I am attempting to demonstrate in this section of the novel is the changing personality of a character who is being possessed by a demonic creature, in the way he interacts with his friends, and how he's becoming more violent to his girlfriend. At present, the girlfriend tearfully relays to her friends how her boyfriend raped her. I haven't actually got a scene showing the rape. But I think I'm going to have to write it. The action will have a lot more impact than the telling.
I haven't been able to face writing this scene in this week's writing sessions. It's going to be a very difficult and harrowing scene, and writing such scenes can be emotionally draining. But it needs to be done. Sometimes your WIP takes you to places you really don't want to go to. But you have to go there anyway, in order to grow as a writer.
The ironic thing is, if chapter 12 had not disappeared, I would not have scrutinised that section of the novel quite so hard. Some times these things happen for a reason...
I tell this story because the influence that machine had on my writing is still with me today. Because the floppy disks didn't have much memory, files had to be small. I used to save each chapter as a separate file, because it would take several disks to hold an entire novel. I still use this system of saving each chapter as a separate document. Only when the manuscript is nearing completion do I compile it all into a single document - and only then do I really know how many pages I've got.
Currently, I'm working on draft 2 of the horror WIP. Up to now this has largely been minor amendments to each of the early chapters, though as I go through it I start thinking about any major changes that might need to be made. Things were going quite well until I got to chapter 12. And then I realised chapter 12 was missing from my 'Draft 1' folder.
An extensive search failed to unearth the missing chapter, but because I keep meticulous logs of when I write each chapter, I have worked out what has happened. The early chapters of the first draft of this WIP were written from October to December last year. At that point, I was still on my clunky old laptop, and my old NetBook. My writing routine has always been fairly rigid. If I was writing the chapters in Starbucks during my early-morning writing session, they were written on my NetBook. When I got home I would boot up both machines and copy the files from one machine to the other, so that there was a back-up. If I was writing at home, then I would transfer them the other way.
However, the old laptop was very slow, and sometimes waiting for it to boot up to transfer files was a frustrating process. What clearly happened is that when I was copying over my new chapters from the NetBook to the laptop, I somehow overlooked chapter 12 and didn't copy it.
I got my new laptop for Christmas, and copied the files from my old laptop to the new one. Then the hard drive on my NetBook died - suddenly, and without warning. All files were lost. That was OK, I thought, I had everything backed up. Or mostly everything. Only now have I realised I had failed to back up chapter 12, and the only copy of that chapter is now lost forever on the dead hard drive.
What I am left with is a log of how many words were in that chapter (1,330) and a summary of what it contained. But the file is gone. I have to rewrite it. And that realisation was a depressing thought.
So the next day, I got up early for a writing session, took the NetBook into London and sat in Starbucks staring at chapters 11 and 13 or quite a long time. I did not get hit with any inspiration to re-write chapter 12. What did occur to me, though, is that there are a lot of problems with this section of the novel, and there's a lot of rewriting that needs to be done. Maybe that's why I couldn't write chapter 12 again. There are a lot of 'talking heads' - people talking about things instead of doing things. Too much 'telling', not enough 'showing', as the writing group would probably say.
What I am attempting to demonstrate in this section of the novel is the changing personality of a character who is being possessed by a demonic creature, in the way he interacts with his friends, and how he's becoming more violent to his girlfriend. At present, the girlfriend tearfully relays to her friends how her boyfriend raped her. I haven't actually got a scene showing the rape. But I think I'm going to have to write it. The action will have a lot more impact than the telling.
I haven't been able to face writing this scene in this week's writing sessions. It's going to be a very difficult and harrowing scene, and writing such scenes can be emotionally draining. But it needs to be done. Sometimes your WIP takes you to places you really don't want to go to. But you have to go there anyway, in order to grow as a writer.
The ironic thing is, if chapter 12 had not disappeared, I would not have scrutinised that section of the novel quite so hard. Some times these things happen for a reason...
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Bad Books - Good for Authors?
This post is about a certain type of book. I'm not naming any names, but I've come across a few in this category, and I'm sure you have too.
It's a type of book published by a major publishing house. It starts to sell. Suddenly it's selling very well. Then it's selling extremely well. Word spreads, and sales go supernova. The reviews are mixed. There are as many people who hate this book as love it. Eventually you decide you better see what all the fuss is about, and you read the book. You consider it a book with flaws. You start to wonder why so many people are raving about this book. "I know plenty of unpublished writers who can do much better than this," you think. You probably think even you can do better than this. The only difference is, this author is in print and is making loads of money, and you are not.
There are two sides to this argument. First up is the view that publishing rubbish books is bad for new authors. Publishers only have a finite number of slots in which to publish new books every year. Every time they publish a book on the name - perhaps written by a well known celebrity who's decided to try their hand at writing novels - they're wasting a slot that could be used for an unknown but talented new author. But that book will make money, and a publishing company is a business aiming to make a profit. The criteria for book sales does not necessarily take into account how well written it is. You, the unknown author, may have a masterpiece on your PC. But if the publisher doesn't think this masterpiece has mass market appeal, they are not going to take it.
Then we come to the alternative argument. If a publisher takes on a less-than-great book that proves to be a runaway best seller, they are suddenly raking in loads of money. With this sure-fire money maker flying off the shelves, said publisher might be more inclined to take a risk with some unknown author. After all, gambling on said unknown author might pay off, and their book might sell well. Even if it doesn't, they've still got the runaway best seller raking it in, so they can afford to take the chance.
There is also the point that liking a book that is very subjective. Although you and all the authors you know collectively grumble about this famous best-selling book and meticulously list its flaws, the fact that it's selling so well proves that there's more than a few people out there who would probably disagree with you.
So is the publication of these less-than-great but best selling books good or bad for the emerging author? What's your take?
It's a type of book published by a major publishing house. It starts to sell. Suddenly it's selling very well. Then it's selling extremely well. Word spreads, and sales go supernova. The reviews are mixed. There are as many people who hate this book as love it. Eventually you decide you better see what all the fuss is about, and you read the book. You consider it a book with flaws. You start to wonder why so many people are raving about this book. "I know plenty of unpublished writers who can do much better than this," you think. You probably think even you can do better than this. The only difference is, this author is in print and is making loads of money, and you are not.
There are two sides to this argument. First up is the view that publishing rubbish books is bad for new authors. Publishers only have a finite number of slots in which to publish new books every year. Every time they publish a book on the name - perhaps written by a well known celebrity who's decided to try their hand at writing novels - they're wasting a slot that could be used for an unknown but talented new author. But that book will make money, and a publishing company is a business aiming to make a profit. The criteria for book sales does not necessarily take into account how well written it is. You, the unknown author, may have a masterpiece on your PC. But if the publisher doesn't think this masterpiece has mass market appeal, they are not going to take it.
Then we come to the alternative argument. If a publisher takes on a less-than-great book that proves to be a runaway best seller, they are suddenly raking in loads of money. With this sure-fire money maker flying off the shelves, said publisher might be more inclined to take a risk with some unknown author. After all, gambling on said unknown author might pay off, and their book might sell well. Even if it doesn't, they've still got the runaway best seller raking it in, so they can afford to take the chance.
There is also the point that liking a book that is very subjective. Although you and all the authors you know collectively grumble about this famous best-selling book and meticulously list its flaws, the fact that it's selling so well proves that there's more than a few people out there who would probably disagree with you.
So is the publication of these less-than-great but best selling books good or bad for the emerging author? What's your take?
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Digging Beneath the Blood-Stained Cement
I wasn't going to talk about editing today, but I received my notes for "Family Tradition" from my content editor, so it seemed apropos.
Now some writers are surprised when they get pages of comments from an editor after their story has been accepted for publication. "But my beta readers and critique partners gave me feedback," they argue. "I polished the story until I could see my reflection. Why does my manuscript look like it's bleeding?"
The answer is because a good content editor knows what to look for that even the most judicious CP may not be able to find. For example, they dig through the dirt (your story) and unearth plot and character inconsistencies. Then they hit cement. Being unable to go any further, they move on to other stories. But a content editor knows there's more work to be done beneath the cement. S/he breaks out the jackhammer and gets to work pulverizing the concrete to get to the story beneath.
Content edits can seem overwhelming at first. It takes me a day or two before I become accustomed to the red "comments" bleeding across the pages. Usually, I start with the easiest task, something like accepting and/or deleting punctuation and minor grammatical errors. Then I work on those edits that are the easiest to change, moving on to the more complicated ones. Finished, I turn them over to my CE.
And wait for another round...
Now some writers are surprised when they get pages of comments from an editor after their story has been accepted for publication. "But my beta readers and critique partners gave me feedback," they argue. "I polished the story until I could see my reflection. Why does my manuscript look like it's bleeding?"
The answer is because a good content editor knows what to look for that even the most judicious CP may not be able to find. For example, they dig through the dirt (your story) and unearth plot and character inconsistencies. Then they hit cement. Being unable to go any further, they move on to other stories. But a content editor knows there's more work to be done beneath the cement. S/he breaks out the jackhammer and gets to work pulverizing the concrete to get to the story beneath.
Content edits can seem overwhelming at first. It takes me a day or two before I become accustomed to the red "comments" bleeding across the pages. Usually, I start with the easiest task, something like accepting and/or deleting punctuation and minor grammatical errors. Then I work on those edits that are the easiest to change, moving on to the more complicated ones. Finished, I turn them over to my CE.
And wait for another round...
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Get Ready for Fandom Fest!
(Cross-posted from Darkling Delights)
 | |
| What? Of course I'm excited for you. Now feed me. |
Warning:
Shameless BSP ahead. :-)
Early
last year, I attended my first local Sisters in Crime meeting. The members were
not only friendly and encouraging, but when they learned I’d published a short
paranormal/urban fantasy novel, two writers suggested I talk to Stephen Zimmer
about becoming part of Fandom Fest.
I’d
never heard of Fandom Fest, but a convention that celebrated speculative
fiction made my little ears perk up.
Not only
was Stephen kind enough to let me participate in an author reading, he even
gave me my first chance at a panel (urban fantasy).
Fast
forward to 2012. When Stephen put out the call, I asked if I could play in the sandbox
again. Happily, he said yes, and I will be participating on three panels plus an author
reading.
My
current schedule:
Friday,
June 29, 4PM: Horror Genre Perspectives from Female Writers (Morrow Room)
Friday, June 29, 5:30PM: Screenplay Primer (Basic Elements of a Screenplay) (Dogwood Room)
Friday, June 29, 5:30PM: Screenplay Primer (Basic Elements of a Screenplay) (Dogwood Room)
Saturday,
June 30, 10AM: Exploring Genres: Paranormal Thrillers
Saturday,
June 30, 11:30 AM: Author Reading with Marian Allen and T. Lee Harris (Holly
Room)
Sunday,
July 1, 2:30PM: The Perfect Kill (McCreary Room)
Okay, enough
about me. What makes Fandom Fest so awesome is the best-selling authors who
will also be there, including Julie Kagawa, Angie Fox, Richard Kadrey, and
others. Serious fan girl time here, folks. LOL
 |
And the
panels? Somebody clone me because there are so many to choose from – writing,
publishing, marketing, etc. I’m still trying to choose.
Fandom
Fest is June 29-July 1 at the Galt House in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Want to learn
more?
Btw,
regarding that experience with Sisters in Crime? I’m now a member of both the
national and the local group.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Launch - A Report
There are many writing-related things on my "things to do before I die" list, and most of them have been on there a very long time. Some I have been fortunate enough to achieve. The first time I got a story published I was able to cross that one off. Getting the first novel contract was another. The final file of my first published e-book arriving in my 'in' box was a momentous event. The proof of the first print copy of SOUL SCREAMS was a thrill that surpassed even that.And being able to have a 'proper' launch, with books I could sell and sign, was another big moment. This I achieved this past weekend, when SOUL SCREAMS launched at the BFS social event.
All this preamble is to give you an inkling of how big a deal this event was to me. I'd been anticipating it for weeks. I had the books. I'd been stockpiling change. I'd got promotional post cards and posters printed. I'd been pimping the event all over the Internet. I'd thought about what to wear.
And so the day arrived. I'd decided on my new antique rose hankerchief hem dress from Joe Brown's. I put it on and went to ask Hubby's opinion on what footwear would go with it. I will qualify here that for a straight man, Hubby has an unusually keen sense of women's fashion. His mother is a talented dressmaker, and I think some of this flair has been inherited. When the stylist came to give me a wardrobe detox a few years ago, everything he'd picked out for me I got to keep. All the clothes I'd picked out myself went in the discard pile. So when he gives style advice I do tend to take heed. He scrutinised the outfit and said, "I like the dress but I think you should wear something more formal."
So I went running back to my wardrobe. Within minutes every dress I owned was laid out on the bed. Eventually, with his help, we decided on the versatile purple wraparound number that I've always been very fond of. With outfit decided, I went to finish packing my bag. It already had all the books in it. And it was very heavy. As I'd elected to take a backpack, I picked it up and realised that if I hefted this through London I was likely to get backache at best - at worst, it would keep pulling me over backwards. So I thought about the small wheeled suitcase that we take as hand baggage on trips. That could be pulled along and was probably a better bet. Unfortunately retrieving it meant a trip into the attic. In hindsight, it would have been better to think about this before putting on the dress and tights.
Fortunately, the bag was retrieved without damage to the outfit, and once my books had been transferred to the new case, I was ready to set off for the train station, happily trundling my case of books behind me. Luck was on my side that day - no delays, engineering works or cancellations to hinder my journey, and I arrived at the Mug House ahead of schedule, about 3pm.
Also launching that day were ALT-ZOMBIE, the latest book from Hersham Press, and a new collection of MR James stories, published by Jo Fletcher books and edited by Steve Jones. With these luminaries of the British genre publishing industry present, I couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated. I put up my posters, scattered the promotional postcards over all the tables, unpacked my books and set up shop next to Peter Mark May, publisher of Hersham Press. And for a while, the two of us watched everyone flock to buy the M.R. James (which was lovely, I have to say). But Steve and Jo, who were the headline act, so to speak, did make a point of telling the enraptured audience that the BFS had always supported emerging writers and new publishers, and so they should go buy our books, too.
By and by people did come to see me, and they came to buy copies of SOUL SCREAMS. Some of them were friends, not members of the BFS, who were there specifically to show moral support. That was nice. Others were BFS members who'd heard about my launch, and might have come to the event anyway, but wanted to buy my book as well. But there were also a couple of people I didn't know - BFS members who'd come to the event, picked up the postcard, and come over to investigate. I also sold a copy to Michael Marshall Smith. That was, I admit, a bit of a fan girl moment.
Then there were the lovely members of the T Party Writers' Group. There was a meeting going on that day - one I'd given apologies to, since I was at the launch instead. After the meeting finished, they came to the pub en mass and most of them bought a copy of the book.
In the end, I sold all the copies I'd brought with me, and I left a very happy bunny indeed. It's nice to know SOUL SCREAMS has begun its publishing life with such a flourish. And with the launch over with, that's one more thing to cross off the 'bucket list'.
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