I was pouring through internet sites and calling up banks and travel agents and visiting locksmiths in the last two weeks, researching a book I’m writing. At some point, it got too silly for my wife and she told me just to make up some of what I’m writing. After all, she said, “You’re writing fiction.”
Huh.
Filed under Uncategorized
Sometimes I discover and rediscover basic truths that anyone who writes already knows. One of them is the power of revision. The other day I finished a great chapter which I wrote in a flurry of inspiration. The next day I went back and wondered what I’d been thinking, writing that drivel. Not the content, that was fine. No, the skill with which I’d crafted it–it was horrible. Lots of “that” and and words words doubled or overused and all the things that make you roll your eyes when reading amateur writing. It’s enough to lead you to despair. Where I’m going with this is that I went back and rewrote it a little here and there and watched it shape up nicely. Still not great, nothing close to perfect–but closer. Good enough to let me move on to the next chapter, then the next and so on.
Ok, going back to the grind . . .
Filed under Writing Experience
Here’s a link to a blog post on Pub Rants that you should read. Basically, if you’re using pictures on your blog that are copyrighted you can be sued. No-brainer right? Not if you think you know what “fair use” is and you don’t.
Filed under Legal / Safety
Ok, so here I am writing at 105 miles an hour and along comes the reality police to ruin all my fun. The problem is, I’ve only been to a few countries, and my main character isn’t traveling to any of those. Now I’m going back and forth between YouTube and Google images and satellite maps and travel guides, trying to get my guy believably from point A to B and one day maybe to Z, and I hate that I had to slow down. The good news is it seems to be coming together–not too technical, not too wordy, not looking like I’m getting it all from Google and/or travel books. My strategy is to get enough in there so I don’t have to keep it up. Just enough believability so I can get to what really matters: the story.
My main enemies:
I shouldn’t complain–we’re really pampered these days with all the technology at our fingertips.
Filed under Writing Experience
I don’t get it. When I wrote my first novel (working on an agent now), it took me 2 years and every sentence was like pulling teeth, most of the time. Now I’m 60 TNR pages into my next book after about 3 weeks and every time I sit down the words just spill forth. I know exactly where I’m going and I just go there, taking various happy detours along the way and all that. I’m getting easily a thousand words a day, sometimes more, and twice that on the weekends. My wife thinks I’m avoiding her and all I do is research my book at work (it’s a caper).
Since I’m the writer, all I can do is hope it’s good 🙂
Filed under Writing Experience
This is the book referenced by Stephen King in his incredible book for writers, “On Writing.” I have the hard copy, but it’s nice to be able to go click through it online. See it here:
Filed under Grammar/Punctuation
If you’re like me, you’ve googled “word count.” You’ve also googled “preferred font.” And I know for a fact that you’ve googled the heck out of “synopsis.” My advice? Stop googling and go to the right place.
Filed under Submission Tips
Though her blog hasn’t been updated since 8/2011, I can’t stop reading through old articles.
Here’s one with 10 great mistakes writers should avoid:
http://editorialass.blogspot.com/2009/05/ten-writer-mistakes.html
And here’s a summation of all her “must read” publisher related posts:
http://editorialass.blogspot.com/2009/10/publishing-related-backlist.html
Filed under Publisher's Advice
I compiled this list a few years ago, and it’s missing a few books since then. I’ll come back and add the ones I missed later.
1) Inferno – Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle – Fantasy/religious
2) Magic Kingdom for Sale – Terry Brooks – Fantasy
3) Neverwhere – Neil Gaiman – Modern Fantasy (read this now)
4) American Gods – Neil Gaiman – Modern Fantasy
5) Fallen Angels – Larry Niven, Jerry P., Michael Flynn – SF
6) The Adept – Katherine Kurtz & Deborah Harris – Modern Fantasy
7) Homeland – R.A. Salvatore – Fantasy
8) Pawn of Prophecy – David Eddings – Fantasy !
9) Midshipman’s Hope – David Feintuch – SF
10) The Alienist – Calib Carr – Historical Mystery (superb)
11) The Exorcist – William Peter Blatty – Horror
12) Magician’s Apprentice – Raymond E. Feist – Fantasy
13) Jumper – Steven Ghould – Fantasy/Supernatural/Thriller (?)
14) Replay – Ken Grimwood – Fantasy/Supernatural/Thriller (?)
15) Dayworld – Phillip Jose Farmer – SF
16) Songs of Earth and Power – Greg Bear – Modern Fantasy
17) The Truth Machine – James Halperin – SF
18) Apropos of Nothing – Peter David – Funny Fantasy
19) The Cuckoo’s Egg – Cliff Stohl – True Crime (this was like crack for me)
20) Starhunt – David Gerrold – SF
21) Venus – Ben Bova – SF
22) Heart of the Comet – Gregory Benford – SF
23) Sorcerer’s Son – Phyllis Eisenstein – Fantasy (Anything by her, really)
Filed under Favorite Books
John L. Monk 