2019: Scribbling Forward

Editing and polishing, and then more editing, are the best words to describe my hopes for 2019. I have no goals for writing any new material this year. Stacks of short stories, multiple fantasy novel manuscripts, and blog posts, are screaming for my attention. Oh, the writing is done, but I’m left with the refining. Besides editing, there’s the search for beta readers, addressing any of their valid concerns, and then the slow process of reading out loud.

I’m toying with the idea of a new FaceBook page for finding betas and starting an online critique group. The live chat program known as Discord (popular with gaming guilds) seems to be the perfect venue for such a group. Imagine attending a critique group while nestled comfortably in your PJ’s (I’m sure some of you have a pair with attached fluffy bunny feet), cat on your lap, and a soothing hot beverage. What a perfect way to receive some feedback for your #NaNoWriMo writings from 2018.

Tell me about your work-in-progress. What’s on the back burner? Or a project that’s about to begin?

Every Time You Reply…Little Frankie Doesn’t Cry

Indie Authoring: Art or Business?

I’ve heard a few indie authors over the years claim they are artists. Be careful, because when an author makes a statement like that, the word “artist” may denote a few veiled meanings. For example:

I am an artist and therefore

 …I may break conventional rules.

Sometimes indie authors think poor editing and grammar make them an artist working outside of the box, thumbing their noses at the bleakness of conformity. Wrong! A lack of editing and grammar means that as a communicator, you’re only contributing to the dreaded “Indie Author Stigma” and nothing else.

Photo by Megan used under CC License

The craftsmanship of the product that bears your name must be as good (if not better) than what the traditional publishing industry can produce. It’s a fine standard and it should be adhered to and strived for at all times.

I love it when authors excuse their lack of standards by comparing themselves to Picasso. Well, I hate to break the news, but Picasso paid attention to many standards. He used paint and applied it to a canvas. If he wanted green paint, he had to mix yellow and blue. He followed formulas concerning composition and color schemes. If I’m not mistaken, Da Vinci did all of that as well.

…I am unsullied by the pursuit of profit.

Now that’s a big fat lie! Like any other artist, we all seek an audience. And the only way to reach an audience is to sell your material. Many blogs discuss Author Branding and similar marketing concepts. Let’s face it, we’re all business competitors in this new vibrant field.

This leads to another potential problem: free downloads. An absolutely foolish thing to do that gets right under my skin. The only thing achieved by a free download is that the author has just told the whole world that the value of his creation is zero. Now there are legitimate reasons for putting free material out there – fan fiction for one, since you can’t legally profit from it. Or perhaps you want to do a promotion for a period, or put out a short story to get your name known.  But for the most part, making your work free is not the best idea.

…my work is an honest reflection of my world view and wasn’t generated by a marketing computer.

Ding! Ding! Ding! This is where the world of indie publishing and traditional publishing (thankfully) split apart. An indie author can explore themes and characterizations that traditional publishers shy away from.

The world of traditional publishing is a business. They will only invest the cogs of their machine into something based on a proven formula. They’re only hedging their bets for a payoff, and why shouldn’t they operate from that standpoint? They’re a business, making business decisions for the sole purpose of generating sales and profit.

This is the reason why most mass produced entertainment is nothing but a huge steaming pile of banal nonsense churned out for maximum appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Therefore, if you’ve got a great story about a teenage prostitute who gets addicted to drugs, and is then saved by a store front group of revivalist Christians, and from that group of Christians she finds a boyfriend, and they don’t have sex until after they’re married, you won’t be published traditionally.

However, if you make your Main Character a vampire, give her a zombie boyfriend love interest, who she met at an illegal vampire / zombie orgy, and of course set the story in a future post-apocalyptic dystopian society, you’ll have a better shot at a publishing contract.

So yes, indie writing can offer a freedom of expression and creativity that is unmatched anywhere.  However, to be successful, one must also follow the established rules of the trade.  So in my view, it’s really a mix of art and science.  What are your thoughts?

The Queen and I: Working with your Editor

According to Stephen King’s On Writing, “The editor is always right.” My editor never misses an opportunity to remind me about that quote. Therefore I’ve created a system for editing, revisions, et al that prevents arguments about the placement of a comma or about the start of a new paragraph.

Editing a Paper by Nic McPhee used under CC License

I #write out my first draft and look it over for something glaring like misspelled words. Then I save the document to a memory stick and pass it off to my wife, a.k.a the Editor and Queen (Grammar Nazi is too over-used).

She will read it over and type in notes and comments with Word’s highlight tool. For suggested omissions, she’ll change the text to blue and will use red when she wants a stronger verb. I think you’re getting the idea.

The memory stick comes back to me and I’ll make the revisions, and pass the opus back to her. The process will repeat a few times before we present it to a critique group. Of course, when she says “get over here and give me that stick,” it has caused some confusion and has ignited spontaneous romantic sessions.

After the critique, she’ll compile all of the notes and then I’ll revise again. Then the piece is sent off for beta reading and the story will take its final form. See how sa3gk459Sj03*49jkwregpioj (sorry, the cat walked across my keyboard) easy it is?

What’s interesting is that throughout the process, my wife and I don’t usually discuss the revisions face to face. It prevents the fur from flying and maintains shalom (peace) in my home. Now I just need a way to keep the cat away from my desk.

Tell me about your #writing / working environment.  Anyone else have a live-in editor?

#Writetip: An Author Needs Beta Reads

Face facts, without a group of beta readers, your editing is incomplete. You can only do a certain amount of self-editing, at least 2 or 3 passes over your writing before you need the aid of some fresh eyes.

Open Book by Honou used under CC License

The best would be fellow authors working as a small support group, or a local writer’s guild that has a critique group. You can even try to create an on-line network of fellow #indieauthors.

Here’s what I’ve discovered about beta readers. They can point out things that just passed over your head. Those types of errors are easy for a writer to make because everything is clear to the writer, and sometimes it’s hard to put yourself into the mind of a person who knows nothing about your plot and characters.

When I presented the #shortstory Little Red Revolution to my critique circle, I thought that my main character’s attitude was clear.  However, the readers understood and perceived his anger and displeasure, but then questioned why his attitude changed so rapidly. I never intended for anyone to see a change until the final paragraph of part I, but all of the readers thought that the change occurred four pages earlier. Why? Because I had failed to clearly explain that the character also expresses his anger through sarcasm.

The readers thought he had become comical too quickly, a change that I did not intend. I’ve altered it based on their feedback. A good beta read can give your work a final polish and quality that the general reading public expects from a traditional publishing house.

Have your beta readers given you some insightful commentary?

Rolling the Flash Fiction Dice

I’ve decided to be a bit more of a traditional author instead of an #indieauthor in the trenches. I’m not talking about changing the route in everything I do, but rather just one aspect, flash fiction.

Find Dice Collection for Assemblage by Costanza used under CC License

I was never a big fan of #FlashFiction until a member of my critique group introduced it (yes Stewart, I’m talking about you). He’s quite talented in the flash venue, and I admit to being somewhat intrigued with a new outlet for my musings.

So what’s a writer to do with a new format? The answer is obvious, start using it.

I’ve penned two flashes so far called “Everyone’s a Winner” and “A Generous Man”. I really do not wish to include either of them in a small collection because neither fits in with my planned releases. I also do not want to give them away because the indie market is overflowing and bloated with free give-a-ways (another subject best suited for a future blog rant).

Therefore, the logical conclusion is to read about query letters, submission guides, and get ready to play the waiting game.

Have you ever attempted a more traditional publishing route?

#Writetip: The Plausible Plot

Chapter 14 “Fork in the Road” of my upcoming #fantasy novel The First Light is now complete. However, after getting that first draft down on paper comes the point where I look it over for any glaring errors. Yep, I found one.

“Fork in the Road” by Jack. Used under Creative Commons License.

A minor nemesis skulks away from a caravan in the middle of the night, and the next day the heroes must decide where he went, and whether to follow. I can hear readers thinking, “Well why didn’t they (our heroes) follow his tracks?” or “If it was dark, why didn’t they go after him at dawn?” Also, there’s the condition of the road itself. “Is it muddy, paved, dry baked dirt, or loose powdery dirt?” And of course, “If he’s skulking away, why wouldn’t he go across country?”

The fact is I failed to address any of those issues. This wouldn’t be classified as a plot-hole, but might well leave a reader feeling that the story isn’t plausible.

Rest assured that these issues have been addressed and explained, without creating a bulk of exposition. It was interesting to work my way through them, to really think about the capabilities of horses and wagons, and the logistics of travelling alone on a dangerous road.

As for Chapter 14, there is no literal fork in the road; I used the term figuratively. The main character’s next course of action is a major decision, from which there is no going back. Another fork is the relationship between my MC and a minor character. Will their romance survive their first lovers’ quarrel? I haven’t decided yet.

So it seems like I’ve come to a fork in the road as well. Isn’t it interesting when author and character are experiencing the same things?

What kinds of issues have you faced in making your novel completely plausible and hole-free?

Martha’s Kitchen Published!

Announcing the release of my new short story, Martha’s Kitchen, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!  If you love a good dose of dark humor, this is definitely for you.

The description:  Martha and Jillian, two sisters from a dying town, cope with the hollowness of city life in a bloodcurdling way. Come explore this bizarre case of nostalgia gone horribly awry, but beware the secret recipe at Martha’s Kitchen!

This is my first published work, selling at only $0.99, so if you can, please purchase a copy and let me know what you think (and let your friends know too).  No spoilers please!

Also coming soon on Kindle and Nook is Stasis, a Libertarian-themed short story about the horrors of big government. Evil flourishes when good people stay quiet.

Thanks everyone!

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