Book Review: Rosehead By Ksenia Anske

Book:  Rosehead
Author:  Ksenia Anske

This is a difficult novel for me to review because it doesn't fit into a genre I read often.  Rosehead hits the younger end of the Young Adult spectrum.  That is to say it's for readers aged 10-16.   A whimsical story with quirky characters and a strong villain.  I like Lilith and Panther, and I wanted to follow them on their adventure through the Bloom Family garden.  I think younger readers will do the same.  The writing style mimics the quirkiness of the story's characters and does a good job to engage the reader's imagination.

Final word: This book is definitely for the young, imaginative reader.

#205 Record Player Fail

My younger brother visits me every week, and we listen to old records while working on our latest writing projects.  Before Christmas he enthusiastically explained to me how much he wanted a record player.  My brother doesn't make a whole lot of money, and records have become an expensive hobby.  My family has told him (and rightly so) that he shouldn't get a record player and shouldn't start collecting records.  I completely agree.  However, telling him no only fuels his desire to get a record player.  So I decided to explore a different tact.  I decided to show him how expensive record players are so that he could make his own informed decision.

My brother came over last night and I showed him my set up.  I explained that a home entertainment system like mine required a record player, an amp, a receiver, speakers and enough speaker wire to suspend Batman from the Empire State Building (my brother loves comics).  He traced his finger through the dust that collected on top of each component and said, "Man, that's a lot of stuff.  Maybe I shouldn't get one just yet."  A satisfied smile spread across my face.  I was making progress.

Today I took him to half-priced books.  We scoured the clearance section for Stephen King books and fantasy novels written by Piers Anthony.  The entire time I explained to my brother that he shouldn't buy a book for more than $3.  I said it over and over.  I stressed value.  I said, "Books are entertainment.  Why buy a book for $12.99 when you could find one for $2.99?"

My brother found a couple of gems and made his way proudly to the front of the store.  He found 2 books, each on sale for $1.  Progress continued.  My brother was learning.

Near the checkout counter stood a behemoth display of record players stacked on top of each other.  The sign claimed each record player to be a portable device with built in speakers that needed nothing more than a power outlet and a record to start a party.  The record player was on sale for $50 + 20% off.  My brother's eyes lit up.  "Look," he said.  "I can get a record player for less than $50!"

"Hold on," I said, eyeing the display skeptically.  "We need to hear what this thing sounds like before we consider buying one."

A record player sat in the center of the display begging customers to "try me."  I grabbed a Van Halen vinyl and placed it on the turntable.  I powered the machine and dropped the needle into the appropriate groove.  The record began to crackle through a small, round speaker built into the side of the player.  

I turned the volume knob to max and my brother nodded along to the music.  Though he could barely hear David Lee Roth's vocals, he said, "This sounds pretty good."

"Does it?" I asked.  "Does it sound better than your mp3 player in your apartment?"

"Well, no," he answered.  "But it sounds better than nothing."

"But you don't have 'nothing,'" I said.  "You have an mp3 player that sounds better than this.  And you have tons of songs on your iPod.  Wouldn't you rather listen to your mp3 player than this rickety record player that you can barely hear?  You need to wait on getting a record player until you can afford all the pieces that make it sound good.  Okay?"

"Yeah, maybe you're right.  This one doesn't sound too good."  His tone reflected his dejection.  But I was happy to see him once again come to the proper conclusion.

My brother grabbed his two books and headed for the checkout line.  He rounded the corner of the record player display and his eyes lit up again.  He pointed to a pile of 311 albums positioned enticingly on the end cap.  "Look," he said.  "311 on vinyl!"

"You already have that album on your iPod.  You don't need it on vinyl."

"Yeah, but I want to listen to it on a record."

"But it' sounds better on your mp3 player."

"But still," he interjected.  "I want to get a good record player."

I pushed him past the 311 display and directed him toward the check out counter.  "No," I said.  "You CAN'T get a record player.  And that's final."

#204 Sick Days

Growing up, I rarely got sick.  I missed so little of school that my mom would let me take one sick day per semester to use how I pleased.  I dedicated these days to horror movies, macaroni and cheese and 4 hour-long games of Risk, when my friends were able to join me.

As an adult, things haven't changed much.  In 12 years at various advertising agencies, I would take 2-3 sick days a year (out of 10 that were given), though I was rarely sick enough to warrant using an entire day to get better.  If I was unfortunate enough to get sick, I would throw my hands up in the air, send a mass email, and set up a cozy pallet on the couch so that I could watch a day's worth of movies.  I'd order pizza, toss thousands of snot rags in the general vicinity of the nearest trashcan, and nap whenever I felt like it.  I didn't feel great, but I didn't let that spoil the good time.  Being sick was like taking a pit stop.  The race was still going on around me, but I was allowed to take a break.

Now that I write full-time, illness has become something different.  It has become a gigantic hurdle, a real pain in the ass.  My head doesn't feel right, my nose won't stop running, and I have too much writing to be done to simply sit on the couch and watch a movie.  I can't concentrate well, but I can't ignore the story either.  The resulting emotion is pure frustration.  I want to work but can't.  It's the exact opposite of when I was in advertising.  Back then, I was glad to take a break, even if it meant I was a little under the weather.  Now, I truly hate it.  I don't have time to be sick.  I have stories to write!

My passion for writing has turned sickness into... well, sickness.  I no longer shrug my shoulders and jump on the couch.  Instead, I frantically take medicine so that I can get better.  That's how I know I'm going in the right direction in life.  So I'll take more medicine, try and clear my head, and write a couple of pages today.  And I hope that all of you out there view sickness as sickness.  Cause if you do, it means you like what you do, and you don't want sickness to take you away from what you like.

#203 My First Year As A Writer

In November of last year, I began writing full-time.  I woke up on a Monday morning, and instead of going to work, I started writing.  There is such a difference between sneaking pages in between work and family on a project over the course of years and waking up every morning with the sole purpose of publishing novels.  Following is a list of what I've learned and experienced during my first year as an Indie Writer.

• Trouble with identity.  I've struggled all year when talking with people about this adventure.  It wasn't easy for me to call myself a writer.  If you want to be a writer, you must call yourself a writer.  You must feel like a writer.  Without embracing the adventure in full, you're only holding yourself back.
• Writing everyday.  A writer must produce pages every day.  I've met several aspiring writers this year who write when they can.  I know it isn't easy to write when you have another career.  But when you devote yourself to this life, you must write every day.  Without exception.  It really helps when you develop a schedule and stick to it.  
• Finish what you start.  If you quit a day job to write, you must produce finished products.  This isn't easy, as it takes months, even years, to complete a project.  But you must have stories for people to read.  You cannot get bogged down and simply move on.  A writer must power through the difficult days.  And trust me, there will be plenty of difficult days.
• Must get physical exercise.  I work out and run.  It's good for the mind, and it helps with focus.
• Animals can be super annoying.  I cannot afford an office.  So I write at home.  I have two cats and a dog, and they do everything they can to interrupt my flow.  You must figure out how to deal with this.  I have two places in my home where I can write without my animals getting in the way.
• I've written roughly 311,000 words (not including blog posts), which translates to about 865 pages.  This equals 2 published novels and 2 novels that will be published soon.  But I've sold fewer than 200 copies.  This is not enough to sustain a living.  I have a lot of work to do to get my novels in front of readers. 
• Continue to improve your craft.  It's not enough to just write.  It is important to strive for better writing.  There are dozens of books on writing.  It's important to read these, find the ones that make sense to you as a writer, and follow the advice.  Implement what you learn and continue to get better.
• Finally, remember this is a marathon.  Don't get discouraged.  You will find little day-to-day support.  You will encounter self-doubt.  You will worry about money, and you will wonder if your writing is good enough.  Push through the doubt and keep working.  Remember to enjoy the process.  If you cannot enjoy the process, then you should consider another career.

The last year's been challenging and fun.  I've made real progress with my writing and with my life as a writer.  But I still have a long way to go.  Year one has come to an end.  Year two begins now.  As always, I will document my progress as I journey toward making a living with my writing.

#202 The Idea Factory

A friend asked me how I came up with story ideas.  What was my process?  She said, "Do you have a secret notebook somewhere full of great ideas?"  No.  I don't have a notebook.  I have a password protected word document.  And yes, it's full of dozens of future award-winning ideas!

So how do I fill that word document?  Where do my ideas come from?  As generic as it sounds, most of my ideas come from random moments in everyday life.  I'm usually minding my own business, thinking of nothing in particular, when I notice something strange and then I try to figure out the story surrounding what I just saw.  For example, the other day I saw a car stop in the middle of the intersection and a young man jumped out.  He sprinted into the middle of the intersection, waving his arms madly about so that cars wouldn't run him over.  "What the hell are you doing?" I said to myself.  Well, turns out he saw an old pair of shoes in the middle of the street and he wanted them.

I spent the rest of my morning wondering why those shoes were so important.  Were they an old gift from a past girlfriend?  Had a new girlfriend thrown them out the car window because she discovered a secret text on his phone?  Or had those shoes once belonged to Mickey Mantle?  He'd found them in his attic along with other sports paraphernalia, and those shoes were to be sold to the Baseball Hall of Fame for $25,000 so that his daughter could receive proper treatment for her asthma.

I play around with the idea in this manner for hours.  Sometimes days.  These mental exercises entertain me while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store or stuck in traffic.  Or when my brother makes me watch the latest Ironman movie.  Occasionally I'll stumble upon an idea that is truly unique and interesting.  A spark ignites.  At this point I write it into my word document so that it's waiting for me when I'm ready to transform the interesting premise into a vision.

Every writer has an idea factory.  Unfortunately, I've not spoken to anyone else about their own factory.  I would love to know how other writers do it.  The one thing I know about my own process is that it should not be forced.  If I MUST come up with an idea on a deadline, then usually it feels forced.  If I'm having fun and spouting off nonsense, I'll accidentally find something I like.  I know real life is not one big playground, and writers don't have all the time in the world.  But, for idea generation, I find that fun is more productive.  Try and have fun with this part of the process. And understand that not all ideas are meant to be explored until completion.  It's okay to scrap an idea and move on.  You never know when today's bad idea will fit in perfectly with tomorrow's good one.

#201 Dachshund Paintings

Which dachshund painting is better?  Which one is worth more?  If you liked dachshunds, how much would you pay to hang either of these in your home?

One of the biggest complaints I read concerning indie writers v traditionally published writers is the degradation of literature and the accompanying loss of culture.  People worry that if anyone can publish a book, the entire medium suffers.  I can make many parallels to other art forms.  Youtube allows anyone to post videos of any length.  Have the millions of videos uploaded to the internet affected the quality of films coming out of Hollywood or TV sitcoms airing on the major networks?  How about the thousands of bands who upload their music to bandmix or bandcamp?  Have they affected the music coming out each year?

Publishers argue that they are necessary to the industry because they weed out the books that are not fit to be published.  These would be the books that have no place in our culture and society.  They feel it is an important service that should be embraced by readers and writers alike.  Without publishers, the market would be so flooded with trashy writing, that our culture would suffer.  Readers wouldn't know how to discern good writing from the bad.  The worthy stories from the filth.

I completely disagree with this notion.  I've read several traditionally published works that were poorly written.  Likewise, I've read indie published works that were well written and worth my time as a reader.  The idea that there are people in the publishing industry with superior knowledge about culture and value of the written word is flawed.  Readers are qualified to decide what they like and what they would be willing to spend money on.  The market is strong enough and wise enough to police content without the assistance of an all-knowing gate keeper.

Does this mean that I think publishers should go away?  No.  Right now, there is room in the industry for publishers.  But I also believe there is room for the indie writer.  Art is art.  Some of it appeals to the masses.  Some of it appeals only to a small percentage of people.  Some of it doesn't appeal to anyone.  All artists struggle to find an audience.  All artists struggle to make a living.  Dismissing a viable avenue to get work out is a mistake.  Dismissing indie writers because they aren't backed by a traditional publishing house only limits the industry, and as a result, stifles creativity and culture.  If someone tells you a youtube video is worth your time, you watch it.  If someone shows you a good song recorded by a no-name band, you listen to it.  If someone reads an indie published book and tells you it's good, then read it.  

And if you like dachshund art, don't limit yourself to only artists you've heard of.  If the art works, if it looks good, if it enhances a room, then hang it up proudly no matter whose name appears on the bottom.  BTW, the second work is a dachshund painting I did myself.  And I promise, I'm no Picasso.  But my dining room looks pretty damn awesome!

 

#200 From Interesting Premise To Vision

In my last post I mention aspiring writers beginning with an interesting premise and then bogging down in the writing process, potentially due to a lack in an overall vision.  What's the difference between an interesting premise and a vision?  That's a good question.  My definitions are as follows:

Interesting Premise:  An idea.  A spark.  An example might be, "Let's write a movie about a plant that eats people.

Vision:  The idea grows and takes shape that includes developed characters, key plot points, established conflict and resolution.  A complete fire.  An example might be, "Let's write a musical that follows a lonely plant store employee who discovers a mysterious plant from outer space.  He discovers, to his horror, that the plant drinks blood.  He begins feeding it his own blood, but eventually commits murder to keep his plant alive.  As the plant grows, its need for blood increases until it grows too large for the plant store guy to control.  There will be a love story, a wicked boyfriend, the best Bill Murray cameo in history, and many catchy songs that people will love.  At the end of the movie, the plant spawns baby blood suckers and it is up to the plant store guy to destroy them all.  Or planet Earth is doomed.

So how can an aspiring writer get from an Interesting Premise to a Vision?  What are the magical steps needed to take a spark of an idea and make it flourish into a well developed fire?  Following are things that I do to help flesh out my ideas.

• Understand Your Genre
• What are the basic conventions of the genre?
• How does your story conform to the conventions?  How does it break convention?
• Does your story cross genres?
• How does your story differ from other stories in the genre?
• Understand Your Characters
• I use sticky notes and brainstorm how each character would react in mundane/unrelated situations.  Like, 
• What would she do if she showed up to work late to avoid trouble?
• What's the last thing she does before going to bed?
• Where would she eat lunch on her birthday?
• And many more...
• Think about the relationships between your characters.  Do you see similar relationships in real life?
• Print pics of your characters.  Can use advertisements or your FB friends.  Be careful using FB friends.
• Understand primary character arc- how does she grow/change?
• Understand Primary and Secondary Conflicts
• Without conflict, your readers will tire of reading.
• Think of conflict in terms of origin and resolution.
• Trace the overall vision in terms of conflict.  The story should move forward and make sense.
• Find Your Climax
• What is the story building to?  You must know this so that you know where you are leading the reader.  This will allow you to make decisions on how best to develop the story throughout.
• How will you get to the climax from the beginning?  What key elements are necessary along the way?

If you have any thoughts to add, by all means, leave them in the comments.  Any information is good when helping a writer turn an interesting premise into a fleshed out vision.

#199 Painting The Picture

This last weekend my brother drove with me to Tyler, TX to help me paint the inside of a house I lived in several years ago and now rent out.  We removed old nails, taped the base boards, cleaned the walls, and laid down paper and canvas to protect the cheap laminate that covers the bedroom floors.  Then the painting began.

This was my brother's first time to paint.  He stood at the wall with a dripping roll brush and said, "Is that good?"  I looked at the cream-colored streak of paint slashed across the wall.  I compared it to the smooth and organized strokes on my side that covered 1/4 of the wall.  I said, "We're trying to paint the whole wall evenly.  So take a look at your streak, and make it look even and clean."  He scratched his head and eyed his brush.  He rolled over the messy streak a second time and said, "How about now?  Is that good?"

My brother recently finished college and is interested in becoming a working writer.  We talk every week about our stories, and our conversations inspire many of my posts on writing.  He wants to write comic books, movies, and short stories.  This last weekend, while we drove lonely 2-lane highways through East Texas, he asked me, "What's a novella."  After hearing my basic and underwhelming definition (amounting pretty much to "it's like a novel...only shorter") he said, "I want to write one of those!"

But my brother has one problem.  He rarely finishes what he starts.  He has dozens of half-written comic books, a handful of short stories and he is working on a novella.  But none of them are finished.  None of them are ready to be released into the world.

I used to think this was a problem of persistence.  I envisioned fleeting moments of inspiration that led him to his computer for an hour or so, where he would pound out a page here or some thoughts on a new comic book there.  I thought he lacked the conviction to finish his projects because one flash of inspiration could only take him so far.

I'm not sure that's true anymore.  When he stood at the unpainted wall, he had no idea what the finished product was to look like.  He hadn't thought it through.  He was not invested.  For him, he was helping his brother paint a house.  So he put paint on the wall and asked me if it was good.  I think this is what's happening with his stories.  He wants to write them.  He doesn't mind the work.  But I don't think he has a clear idea of what he wants his finished product to look like.  Without a clear ending goal, his project bogs down and he starts something else.

I wonder how many other writers bog down.  Do they lack persistence?  Or do they lack a clear vision?  This is a good thing to think about before embarking on a large project.  An interesting premise and a bottle of wine may not be enough to carry you through to a finished product.  It's important to know what you want the wall to look like before start painting it.

#198 A Day In The Life...Revisited

I re-read yesterday's post and found it to be a beating.  Utterly brutal.  So I'd like to revise to make my point easier to digest.

How can a writer find time?  What do 9-5ers do to get a story written when they spend so much time at work.  How do other authors do it?

These are big questions, and they impede many writers from doing what they love.  I don't have all the answers.  All I have is perspective that comes from my own experience as a writer.  So in the interest of helping others, I will share my perspective:

• Every writer is different.  There is no one correct formula.  Find what works for you, then be consistent.
• I write better in small blocks of time.  If you sit me down in front of a computer for 8 hours and ask me to write a short story, I'll have a more difficult time than if you give me 4 2-hour blocks separated by snippets of time spent doing something else.
• One specific time of day does not work better or worse for me.  I can write early in the morning or late at night.  If I'm in the middle of a project, I can sit down and write.  Not everyone is like that.  If there's a time of day that works better for you, then schedule your writing time around that.  
• Some people measure progress by pages.  Others, who are slightly more precise, use word count.  It doesn't matter which you use.  Write 5 pages per day.  Or 30 pages per week.  Or 1500 words per day.  Measurement is a good tool to help keep a writer accountable.  It's easy not to keep track at all.  Write when you can and don't worry about how many pages you get down.  But I've found its a mentality thing.  The writer who does not keep track is less likely to finish a particular project within a reasonable period of time.  The writer who does, gets more done.  And whichever tracking tool you use, whichever guidelines you set for yourself, be consistent.  It is the consistency that gets the novel finished.
• It's okay to cheat.  Sometimes in the evening I will sneak a few sentences onto a notepad while my wife is on the phone and the TV is paused.  Or before bed I will write instead of read.  The next morning I wake up and have a paragraph or page waiting for me to transcribe.  I know this is not really cheating, but I always feel like it is.  I have written almost 500 words sitting in my bed while my wife brushed her teeth, put on lotion, checked FB one last time and the next day I had my 1500 words before lunch.  Then I tell myself that whatever I write in the afternoon can be applied to the next day's tally.  It's a mental game of working ahead so that if there is an afternoon where I just do not want to write, I don't.  And at the end of the week I've still reached my pages.
• Writers with full time jobs have a different struggle.  But the same principles apply.  You need to be consistent.  But instead of trying for 1500 words per day, shoot for 500.  When I worked in advertising, I tried to write 2 pages a day while at work (in the morning when I arrived before everyone else and over lunch hour), 2 pages a day after work, and then 5 pages over the weekend.  That would amount to roughly 25 pages per week.  It wasn't easy and I oftentimes didn't make my quota, especially if I was busy at work.  But writing in this manner allowed me to chip away at projects.  When you work full-time and want to write a book, chipping away is the only thing you can really do.  It isn't ideal, but writers persevere.  

#197 A Day In The Life Of Alexander Mori

I frequently get asked about my writing schedule.  Do I write from 9-5 every day or do I stay up for two weeks straight until the novel is finished like they do in the movies.  The truth is not as simple as either of those.  So I've decided to include one day in the life of Alexander Mori to demonstrate a typical writing day.  I call it:  A Day In The Life Of Alexander Mori.

8:00a: Alarm goes off.  I snooze.
8:09a: Alarm goes off again.  I snooze again.
8:18a: Alarm goes off again.  I debate snoozing again.  Then I snooze again, just one more time.
8:27a: Alarm goes off and I get out of bed.  Morning routine begins.
8:45a-9:15a: Coffee's brewing and I'm sitting at the breakfast table jotting notes that kept me up the night before so I don't forget anything important.  I make a smoothie for breakfast and drink it while I reread that last few pages written the day before.  Check Twitter.
9:16a-10:20a: First solid block of writing.  I sit at my computer and write.  My goal is to get at least 500 words down.
10:20a-10:30a: Wander around the kitchen wondering if I want a glass of milk or juice.  I contemplate moving the operation into the living room where I can sit on the couch, though I'd have to deal with the animals.
10:31a-11:30a: I return to my first block of writing.  Still gunning for my first 500 words of the day.
11:31a-noon: I make a sandwich and salad for lunch and eat while watching an episode of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. Check Twitter.
Noon-12:15p: Gather laundry that needs to be washed.  Or unload the dishwasher.  Or wash wine and beer glasses from the night before.
12:16p-12:45p: Begin second block of writing.  A new 500 word count goal. I move the operation to the couch, where the dog and one cat fight for prime lap real estate, ultimately ending with both animals lying snugly in my lap. Check Twitter.
12:45p-1:05p: Move laundry from washer to dryer.  Start a new load.  Look for more dishes to wash.  Eat a piece of chocolate for dessert.
1:06p-2:15p: Continue second block.  Usually one of the stronger writing blocks throughout my day.
2:16p-2:30p:  More laundry.  And if there isn't any laundry, I hover outside the laundry room wondering if there is anything else in the house I can wash.  Check Twitter.
2:31p-3:30p: I watch something on TV.  Usually a DVRed sporting event from the night before.  Sometimes half of a movie.  This period of time seems lazy and unproductive, but it is essential.  It gives my brain much needed rest.  And if I watch the right movie, I get inspired to make my third push of the day.  One day per week this block of time is reserved for going to the store and getting lunch/dinner supplies for the week.
3:30p-5:00p: Begin third writing block of the day.  A new 500 word goal.  Usually on the couch with the annoying animals.  Check Twitter.
5:01p-6:00p:  I work out on the treadmill while watching DVRed sports event.  If there are no sports, I go for a nice, long run.  By long I mean a mile and a half.  Sometimes I do both.  This block is also reserved for mowing the yard once a week.
6:01p-8:30p: If I learn that the wife is coming home on time, I use this time to make dinner and decant wine.  If she'll be working late, which happens frequently, I sit down for an impromptu writing session.  These sessions often account for my especially prolific days.  For some reason, if it is not a scheduled block of writing time, I approach the session with a looseness that allows me to write more than usual.  Sometimes I make a drink and put on a record.  Sometimes I return to the kitchen table and write in complete silence.
8:30p-11:30p: Relax time.  Sit on the couch watching shows.  Dog in my lap.  In the evenings, she doesn't let the cat on the couch.  Sorta strange.
11:31p: Get ready for bed.  Read.  Think about what I want to do in the morning. Toil over the writing I got done.  Toil over the writing yet to be done.

I don't know how other writers do it.  A writer's schedule is as interesting and diverse as the human race.  I venture a guess that no two writers are the same.  But each must deal with the all-consuming void that is a blank page.

#196 Cutting Your Losses

A million years ago I tried out for the Spring Branch Junior High basketball team.  Though I was one of the shortest kids in our class, I thought I had a legitimate chance of making the team.  For a week, a hundred or so gangly youths performed dribble drills, shooting drills, 3 on 2 drills, cones, and whatever else our junior high coaches could think of to test our young basketball skills.

On the first day, a close friend of mine dribbled the ball from the base line to a cone positioned at the free-throw line.  He rounded the cone and let loose one of the worst jumpers of the day.  The ball soared over the backboard and bounced into the grass behind the outdoor basketball court.  Every boy in the yard laughed and heckled my friend.  He shagged the ball, threw it to the next boy in line and saluted the coaches, thanking them for their time and the opportunity.  Less than an hour after tryouts began, my friend left the yard.  His basketball career came to an abrupt end.

I stayed.  I executed drill after drill.  I demonstrated my quickness and my superior perimeter defending.  I played hard and showed the coaches that no matter what, I would NEVER give up.  And at the end of the week I was sad to learn that I had not made the first cut.  I was devastated.  It was the first time in any sport that I didn't make the team.  I went to the coaches office after practice and told them I would try harder.  I asked them for another chance.  My coaches were sympathetic but unyielding.  "We're sorry," they said.  "It's just not meant to be."

Writing can be like this.  A writer can pour his or her heart and soul into a story -- can spend weeks, or even months, on a project, vowing that it would become a wonderfully finished novel.  But not all projects are meant to be.  It doesn't matter how much work or passion goes in.  The novel is doomed from the beginning, much like my basketball career.  The question is this: at what point in the process do you realize a project isn't meant to be?  Near the beginning?  Or do you fight through all the challenges until the bitter end?

Writers must develop the skill to look at their own work with a discerning eye.  Writers must be able to recognize when their story is too short or their dribbling is too sloppy.  Writers must be able to see when their shots consistently miss the backboard, only to bounce in the grass far outside of the boundaries of the court they are playing on.

But no matter how long it takes, no matter how much passion is put into a project, writers must be able cut their losses and move on to the next project.  They will save time and heartache, and those are two things writers must always look to save.

#195 A Brave New World

We headed to the south of Dallas for Cody's first critique meeting with the Dallas Area Writer's Group.  Critique meetings are the favorites of most DAWG members.  It gives writers a chance to share their stories with other people.  In the life of a writer, stories remain pent-up for so long that they can cause discomfort, oftentimes pain, if they aren't released.  Critique night allows for the pleasant release of inspiration in the loving company of fellow writers who are polite and understanding.

We left an hour and a half early so we could account for traffic -- get there in plenty of time to get Cody's name on the list.  To be honest, this was a bit excessive, but Cody had been stressed all week because he missed his previous attempt to read his story because we showed up 5 minutes before the meeting instead of 30 minutes before.  The list had already been filled.

We made good time until we hit the intersection of 75 and 35.  All progress stopped.  Road construction caused the convergence of several freeways to transform into one massive, confusing cluster.  The traffic was so bad that several bums littered the freeway, begging from people who were parked on the highway instead of driving home to their families.  Seemed to me to be the worst time and place to beg. Angry people stuck in traffic wouldn't be as generous.  But I could be wrong about that.

Cody crossed his arms and groaned.  "We're probably gonna be late," he said.  

I tried to remain positive, but I worried he might be right and I'm not a rose-colored glasses type of person.  I assured him we would do our best.

For 54 minutes we crept along the interchange to 35, which was especially annoying when driving a standard.  But we finally made it beyond the construction and had 36 minutes to travel 30 minutes of road between us and critique night.  I tried to cheer Cody up with talk of music and movies.  But he wasn't having it.  In his mind, he'd already missed his chance to read his story.  In a sarcastic, yet not-so-sarcastic tone, he said, "Next time we're leaving at 2p."  That would have gotten us there approximately 4 and half hours early.

Anyway, to make a long story short, we made it on time to get him on the list.  He was the last reader they accepted.  He read his story, took his criticism and for the first time in his life he felt like a real writer.  That's an important feeling.  Like being able to pinpoint the moment when you become an adult.  Everything changes after that moment.  It did for me.  And I hope it does for Cody.  Because after a writer realizes he or she is a writer, then the world opens up and becomes a new place altogether.  A better place.

#194 The Memoir

I believe in the power of connection.  Like Christopher McCandles wrote in his journal, "Happiness only real when shared."  You can connect with someone over anything.  I connect with friends over sports, beer, music, food, films and almost anything else you can think of.  I connect with my brother over comic book villains, my friend's wife over gardening, the stranger at the grocery store over fancy cheese I'm buying to make my daily sandwiches taste a little better.  Life is a series of connections, unexpected moments that brighten your day because you think about someone else.  I remember my friend's mom when I make margaritas.  When I stumble upon a scrunchie, I think of my cat because in the early 2000s I used to toss them in the air and she would scurry about the house trying to catch them in her mouth.

Memoirs allow for the novel equivalent of making a connection with another person.  I've read memoirs written by artists, poor Irish immigrants, writers, chefs, teachers, pilots, preacher's sons, a man who became blind and a college athlete stricken suddenly by a brain tumor, and I connected with each of these people because they had an interesting story to tell.  Memoirs are especially important because it gives writers a chance to share themselves, to shed light on their personal eccentricities.  Every person is unique, which makes every memoir a unique experience.

I have not written a memoir and would in no way advertise myself as a master of the form.  However, I do believe my blog is a form of memoir and I'd like to share my thoughts for aspiring writers who wish to give writing their story a go.  And I've read many interesting notes from Zinsser, who knows quite a bit on the subject.

• Your thoughts matter.  We are all passengers traveling on the same vessel we call life.  Each and every one of us is unique.  Each and every one of us brings a fresh perspective to the conversation.  Don't discount your own thoughts because you don't feel worthy.  You have every right to share your opinion and tell your story as anyone else.  And you'd be surprised how many others are willing to listen. 
• Be Real.  Memoirs uncover the drama, pain, humor and unexpectedness of life because they are real.  There is a mystique that arises simply due to the fact that the stories were plucked from real life rather than invented in someone's imagination.  Don't betray that mystique by falsifying information.  Once you lose trust, the memoir becomes pointless and you'll discourage future readers who can no longer trust you.  Stay true to yourself and the events you write about.  The truth is interesting enough.
• A memoir is NOT an autobiography.  You don't have to feature everything in a memoir.  I like to think of a memoir as a snapshot in time.  A photograph.  A photograph only focuses on what is important.  You see the person, the place, the event.  You don't see the entire world or the entire life in one picture.  So it goes with a memoir.  Stay narrow.  Stay focused.
• Answer the why question.  Memoirs have the benefit of eternal insight into the mind of its subject.  That adds a dimension to a story.  You can tell what happened.  And then you can answer why it happened.  For instance, I am quirky in that I cannot let dishes stand in the sink. I must scrub them and place them immediately in a dishwasher.  Even when I am at someone's house, I cannot finish a meal and politely place the dishes on the kitchen counter.  I just can't do it.  That tidbit is interesting enough to help build my character.  But since it happens to be true and I know the progression of thought that led to me being this way, I can share the history and the mindset that exists in a person who is particular about dirty dishes.
• Think about detail.  Because a memoir is a snapshot and it must be real, the details matter.  In my memoir I can discuss my time in elementary school.  But it isn't enough to just say I was in school.  What sets my school experience apart from the millions of others who went to school? When writing about the mundane, one must include specific details, otherwise the story may feel boring.  So if I share my experience in school, one might be bored.  Been there, done that.  But if I discuss my experience in school as the shortest kid in my grade and filter every experience through that detail, I've added a dimension to the story that readers may not have considered.  I've shared something about myself that may enlighten a reader to a different aspect of a familiar situation.  (BTW, I wasn't the shortest kid in my grade.  I was the third shortest.)

#193 Steps For The Indie Writer

There's more to being a successful indie writer than just writing.  Following is a list of things an indie must do to make a living.  All of these aspects are important.  A writer can't pick and choose where to devote his or her time.  A writer MUST do it all.

• Writing - This is obvious.  Simply writing the novel is difficult enough.  It requires an idea, self discipline, talent and consistency.  A writer must pay attention to voice, characterization, plot, pacing, description, conflict and resolution.  The process can take several months or several years to complete.  
• Revising - After the first draft is done, a writer must re-read and re-write much of it, paying careful attention to the components listed above.  This is a difficult process that many writers rush.  I suggest taking a break once the first draft is completed.  Return to the project with a fresh perspective.  And TAKE YOUR TIME.  Revising is when the true writing process begins.  You have the shell of the story down, now it's time to be critical so that you can improve the story before sharing it with an editor.  When in doubt, cut.  A story can be cut drastically from draft 1 to draft 2.  The more you cut, the better the project becomes.  This part of the process can take weeks or months.  
• Editing - Every writer has a different editor and a different editing process.  Please do not confuse revising with editing.  Revising looks at how the story is told.  Editing looks at how the story is written.  Finding an editor that you trust is very important.  An editor needs to understand you as a writer and as a person.  An editor must understand what you are trying to do and must understand aspects of good writing.  Editing can cost a fair amount of money, but it is an essential part of the process.  Don't skimp here, because once a reader sees that they are reading a poorly edited book, he or she will remember and will most likely avoid future work you publish.  This part of the process can take weeks or months, depending on the editor and how many editors you choose to include.  Right now I use 3.  Can't have too many editors!
• Cover Design - Finding a graphic designer is similar to finding an editor.  You need someone who understands the novel, and more importantly understands the genre.  A cover must connect with the right audience and must align with the story.  Find someone you can talk to.  This should be a collaborative effort, one that is ever-changing until you find the right cover that readers respond to.  This part of the process can take weeks or months, depending on who you work with and how much they charge.
• Writing a blurb - A good blurb is essential for the indie writer.  You must entice a potential reader with nothing more than a paragraph.  Writing a novel is hard.  Writing a blurb can be harder.  There is no proven formula for a blurb.  I suggest reading many blurbs of successful novels.  Then write several blurbs.  Have friends and family members read your blurbs.  Listen to their feedback and then rewrite the blurbs again.  There are discussion forums at kboards.com where you can ask for blurb advice.  Other indie writers are generous with help.  I suggest you get as much help as possible.  This part of the process can take a week or more.  Sometimes longer.  But be willing to change the blurb until you see a suitable spike in sales.
• Formatting - An indie writer must format the digital file to be published online.  Poorly formatted work doesn't translate well to ereaders.  A poorly formatted book looks unprofessional and turns readers off.  There are several online resources available for the various publishing sites.  Read these carefully and follow the instructions.  Right now I publish direct to amazon.com and smashwords.com (makes books available to barnesandnoble and ibooks).  This process takes a few days the first time you go through it.  After a couple of times it shouldn't take longer than a day.

After this, your book will be available for people to buy.  And then you can begin working on the next project.  

An Old Poem - The Fountain

Looking through a box of writing and stumbled upon this old thing.  Interesting to know that I wrote this more than 10 years ago:

The Fountain

Patience and sobriety are keys to successful art.
And intelligence.
0 for 3.
What do successful artists know of appreciation or respect?
With ambition and desire comes longing.
With longing comes disappointment.
With the best bottle of wine still comes a hangover.
And I don't know why I wish to create something.
My professional life is one I hope affords me time to create something for the future.

But the truth is my career is a pleasant distraction
from my desire and ultimate inability to create something meaningful.

If only Hemingway sold advertising, then he'd still be alive.

#192 Outline v. Free Flow

Been reading articles from established writers who discuss outlining a project before writing it.  The simplified points of view are as follows:

Outlining:  Gives a writer a full sense of the story.  Forces the writer to think things through so that he or she doesn't stall in the middle of the first draft.  This is all about organization.  Mapping out in broad strokes where a story begins and ultimately where it will end.  There is comfort in the organization.  A writer can sit down each day and check off the mile markers that will lead to a desired destination.  The main negative I read is this:  outlining has the potential to confine a writer's imagination and can cause problems when characters reveal they would not do what has already been preplanned by the outline.


Free Flow: A writer begins with a good character and a concept, but allows the story to unfold organically as it is being written.  Characters are given the freedom to act as they should, which gives an air of unpredictability to the project, even for the writer.  At the end of the story, things fall into place because the characters stay true to themselves instead of being forced to confine to an outline.  An issue with Free Flow surfaces when a writer spends months writing in one direction only to discover the story has bogged down or become less interesting.  Free flow can sometimes end in a project being abandoned because it has written itself into a dilemma the writer no longer wishes to address.

I have written three novels with the outlining approach and three with the free flow approach.  I conclude that one is not universally superior to the other.  Good writing and good storytelling result from a writer's confidence.  Different people gain confidence in different ways.  A writer must understand how he or she works.  What makes him or her confident.  Writing a novel takes time, energy, and patience.  The goal is to chip away every day at a project that could take months or years to complete.  The confidence to do this cannot be achieved by a formula that works for everyone.  A writer must understand what it takes to sit and write everyday.  Some people work better with a map.  Some work better getting on the road and figuring it out as they go.  Neither is right or wrong, as both processes have the ability to get someone to his or her ultimate destination.

For me, I have honed in on a process that uses attributes from both approaches.  I like having a general idea of where the story is going, but I allow my characters to dictate how the story develops.  Sometimes the story ends how I originally intended.  Oftentimes it goes in a completely different and unforeseen direction.  The key is having enough confidence in what you are doing to sit each day in front of blank pages, slowly filling them up one sentence at a time, while also having the confidence to allow a story to change if it needs to.  The only way to figure out what works best for you is to write.  Write everyday and pay attention to what works and what doesn't.  

#191 Chore Of Solitude

Every spring the wife and I plant a vegetable garden filled with peppers, tomatoes, squash, and herbs. We spend several hours a week monitoring sun exposure, watering, and pruning.  It's a joint effort that's fun and rewarding.  And when our first harvest comes, we are ecstatic to be eating food from our own garden.

Every year, without fail, one of us gets too busy and the responsibility of the garden falls on just one of us.  This year, it fell on me.  Most evenings, when the temperature drops to a manageable degree, I step outside and water those plants that look dry.  I pick random tomatoes and peppers, and I'll remove pesky caterpillars seeking to destroy our crops.  But without the wife, this process ceases to be fun.  It's become a chore.  As a result, the garden suffers.

Writing can be very much like this.  The writing process is a solitary one.  Some days I write fabulous pages and I tell the wife, "I can't wait for you to read what I did today.  In five months when I am actually finished with this project, you're gonna be so impressed!"

Writing is a patient endeavor.  The reward comes with the process itself.  Or it comes only when the project is done and you're passing your story around to people who must devote several hours to the work you've been toiling over for months.  This is not an easy way to live.  You must be happy with yourself.  You can't rely on the day-to-day praise one might experience in other industries.

I write this post for myself and other writers who have felt the chore of solitude.  A writer must understand this is part of the deal.  It's part of the lifestyle.  If you require constant positive reinforcement, you'll be disappointed as a writer.  But if you can remain diligent, even when your spouse gets too busy to help, you'll end up with a beautiful garden.  Or you'll end up with a few random tomatoes and peppers, and the knowledge that you are doing something you love...which will be enough and will make you happy.

#190 Story Ideas

My brother's been writing short stories -- fantasy pieces that take place in a Steam Punk environment with characters from Grimm's Fairy Tales fighting a vicious villain and a mysterious fog called The Rauck.  He shares his stories with only a handful of people.  These people, who are unfamiliar with Steam Punk and fairy tales, don't share his excitement for this genre, which has caused my brother to doubt himself and the stories he wants to tell.  He told me he wanted to write stories in the "real world," so that his friends and family might want to read them.

I am in favor of writers occasionally writing outside their chosen genre.  Writers can learn from the change of perspective and style they encounter when forced outside their comfort zone.  I encouraged my brother to write a "real world" story because I thought it would do him some good.  And I was tired of reading Steam Punk, which makes little to no sense to me.

He sat at his computer in my living room, quietly staring at his computer screen.  He typed a few words, then vigorously pounded the delete key.  He groaned.  He sat back in his chair and stared toward the ceiling.  He groaned again.  "How do you come up with stories?" he finally asked me.

Without looking up from my own screen I said, "From life."

This idea seems pretty obvious.  But it doesn't occur to all writers that they can pluck stories from their day to day as a farmer might pluck an apple from a tree.  I thought of my brother a few moments ago while writing at Half Price Books, and I'd like to share.

I walked into the Half Price Books bathroom at 1:05 pm on a Monday afternoon.  An older gentleman wearing all black stood at the mirror.  He leaned over the sink with his large eyes glaring critically at his own reflection.  He removed a black, wide-toothed comb from his back pocket  and ran it meticulously through his grey hair, which was parted neatly down the middle.  

I used the bathroom, washed my hands, and stood at the electric dryer feeling the hot breath of a public bathroom blow across my palms, all the while this man stood at the mirror making himself look as presentable as possible.  I left the bathroom and lingered between the History and Weapons sections just outside.  I wanted to see where this man went.  I wanted to see for whom he paid so much careful attention.

After 30 seconds I felt like I lingered too long.  I was being creepy.  So I returned to a desk near the clearance section so that I could write a few more pages on my current project.  

I could not get the man out of my mind.  I wanted to know what he was doing.  I imagined him sitting alone near the cafe, conspicuously watching the women who visited HPB every Monday for their weekly game of pinnacle.  One woman especially intrigued him.  He battled with himself every week to muster enough courage to buy her a pastry.  A nice little dessert just to say that he would like to know her name.  

Or perhaps he was meeting his daughter and grand child for the first time.  He'd made an unforgivable mistake sometime in his past and had been estranged from her ever since.  What was that mistake?  For what did he need his daughter's forgiveness?

I stopped writing on my novel and played the possibilities over and over in my mind until finally I jotted some notes on my legal pad to be discovered at a later time when I would need a new story to write.

The moral of this little story is to remind writers to pay attention.  Keep your eyes open.  You never know when you'll stumble upon Willy Wonka, Hermione Granger, Darth Vader, or Lisbeth Salander living their life, their story ripe for any willing writer to pick.

#189 Small Victories

I became a full-time writer in late October of 2013.  I began with a couple of ideas, my wife's laptop, and no clue how this adventure would play out.  I had no process.  No benchmarks.  No short-term goals to keep the train rolling day to day, week to week.  I knew I wanted to write a series consisting of at least 3 novels, and I wanted to complete it by the end of 2014.  Combined with this monumental task, an Indie Writer must also develop a website, engage in the social media trifecta (FB, Instagram, Twitter), write a blog, develop relationships with graphic designers and editors, and read more books than ever before.

That's a lot to take on.  And a writer must do it with little help.

I'm ten months in and can't tell you how many times I've been overwhelmed by it all.  I've had to keep my frustration in check.  I've had to battle the intimidation with small victories, taking small steps -- marking off assignments from my to do list one at a time.  No step is too small to celebrate, as long as it gets you closer to your final goal.

Following is a list of small victories that, when added up, equal the great accomplishments in the life of a writer: novels.

• Finishing a chapter.  Breaking up a novel into chapters gives you natural milestones to strive for.  Understand that finishing a chapter is a good thing.  It's a great thing!  Feel proud that you are one step closer to finishing that project.
• Weekly word counts.  I set manageable weekly word counts instead of daily word counts.  If you have a particularly difficult writing day, you can make up words on a different day.  Likewise, if you have an aggressive Monday and Tuesday, then taking a Friday off every now and then is not such a bad thing.  Of course, I've found that when I have aggressive days early in the week I tend to have great days later in the week as well.  In this profession, success breeds more success.  I write 10,000 words per week.  If you have another job and you scramble to write on the side, look to get 5000 words per week.
• 5 blog posts per month.  Keeping up with a blog is a great way to engage readers, practice writing and develop content (outside of the novel) that will help connect you to readers.  Blogs can be fun.  Let your personality shine through.  Explore your passions and connect with readers who like the same things you do.  But you must keep up with it.  You must be consistent.  If readers like what you have to say, they will stay with you.  If they find you quiet for extended periods of time, they will find something else to read.
• Finishing the first draft.  This is a big one for me.  I celebrate this more than I celebrate the novel actually being published.  Not sure why that is.  The novel is far from finished.  There are many remaining steps that must be taken after the first draft.  But there is nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of a new novel, no matter how imperfect it is at that point.
• 5-7 tweets per day.  I'm still new to twitter and have not mastered engaging prospective readers through social media.  All I know is from what I experience.  When people over tweet, it can get on my nerves.  When people do not tweet enough, I'll miss them in my news feed.  There is a balance in here somewhere.  I'm still searching for that balance.  Until I learn definitively what that number is, I generally tweet 5-7 times per day.  Check out my post on tweeting for more info on what to tweet about.
• Read 2 books per month.  Ideally you should read more than this.  Reading is essential to becoming a better writer.  It's part of a writer's life that can easily be overlooked.  Many writers read for fun, and NO writer should be having fun when there's a novel to be completed. Not true!  An inspired writer having fun puts out a higher volume of better work.  Reading other writers helps develop your own style, and it inspires.  Don't get so bogged down in your own work that you ignore the work of others.

#188 Connections

A few months ago I traveled 25 miles north to Frisco, TX to visit a good friend of mine and his two kids.  I call them the goofball brothers because they are both goofballs and they are both brothers.  A. is 10 years old.  C. is 7 years old.  10 and 7 are wonderful ages.  The boys are confident and aware.  They have developed senses of humor.  They love to play and they still ask plenty of questions.  I look forward to visiting these two because it gives me a chance to talk to the boys about my favorite sport.  Soccer.

A. did not take to soccer.  He prefers baseball and basketball.  C., however, loves soccer.  He recently got new cleats and a soccer ball, and he wants nothing more than to punt the ball as far as he can.  Each time the ball launches into the air, he lets out a giggle that is equal parts ecstasy and villainy.

When I arrived I promised one boy we'd play basketball and the other we'd play soccer.  I told them to round up some boys and we'd organize some games.  The boys led me to one yard on the street, the neighborhood sports field, and I taught them the basics of passing and trapping.  Any chance they got, they lifted the ball with their hands and punted the thing down the street.  I would shake my head and make them retrieve the ball.  They laughed the entire way.

I enjoy playing neighborhood sports on a field full of young boys and girls.  I like the balance of chaos and organization.  I like teaching.  I really like watching the children succeed.  But my favorite part happened several weeks later when, unbeknownst to me, C. played in his first ever "real" soccer game for a team he just joined.  He scored a goal and got an assist.  On his way home from the game he called me two times back to back because I didn't answer the first time.  He had to talk to me.  He had to tell me about his first game.

We go about our lives doing what we need to survive.  Occasionally we have time to do the things we love, and sometimes that allows us to connect with another person who shares a similar passion.  That connection is so important.  It's what makes life worthwhile.

#187 Tweetness

Been working hard recently to understand and utilize Twitter to help increase awareness for my 2 novels.  I think it will help me with my writing, and I think it will ultimately help me find readers.  Twitter is an interesting tool.  It makes complete sense for people trying to break stories in real time.  It also seems like a natural way to share pop culture information like: movies, music, gossip, etc.

The big question is how do newbie writers use twitter effectively?  I am new to Twitter, but have noticed a few things that I'd like to comment on.

• Many writers Tweet self-promotion.  This includes reminders to buy novels, announcing deals, promoting other authors doing the same, excerpts from works.  Many of these tweeters have massive amounts of followers so it seems like a natural way to get your message across.  However, I find myself skipping over tweets from people who promote too much or exclusively.
• Other writers Tweet inspiration.  These fill cyberspace with encouragement meant to help writers during wanderbreaks throughout the day.  As a writer whose mind wanders to Twitter almost every time I reach a new paragraph, I find these inspirational quotes helpful, though sometimes I think they are overdone or too well crafted as if they came from a book of inspirational quotes.  Genuine encouragement is always the best, in my opinion.
• Next I find writers who Tweet other's articles, blogposts, words of encouragement.  These writers stumble upon something they found useful and wish to share with their followers.  I like these as well, as I often find myself reading articles because they are right there for me, instead of me having to spend time searching for them myself.  Not all articles are worthwhile, but it only takes a moment to decide if a read is worth the time or not.  And at the end of the day, I am educating as well as entertaining myself.
• I also see humorous/cute tweets.  These include funny/cute pictures or witty comments meant to break up the feed and bring a smile to anyone's face.  I like these, as I am always ready to smile.  Not all of these are funny, but I do not fault anyone trying to be funny or thoughtful.
• Finally, there are many tweets that I simply do not understand.  Perhaps I am not smart enough.  Perhaps I am too old.  But I do not understand what they are saying or the cryptic code in which they are written.

So, in my initial analysis, I believe that a newbie writer looking to break into Twitter should execute a  well balanced attack that includes, but is not limited to, self-promotion, inspiration, articles, humor, and cuteness to help entertain as well as educate.  That way, people do not follow then mute you.  They may be inclined to retweet you and ultimately they may one day visit your website where they will buy and read your wonderful books.  

#186 Tinkering

Sales have dropped drastically for my first novel Exchange Day.  I've read time and time again that there are three major factors (that combine with luck) to the success of an indie published novel.  Those are: the quality of the novel, the cover, the blurb.  What will it take for a new reader to take a chance on a writer he or she has never heard of?  What will it take for a new reader to spend his or her hard-earned money on an unknown novel?

As an indie published writer I MUST be willing and able to tinker with all the variables that could potentially lead a reader to my work.  So, as I publish my second novel Hand In The Dark this week, I have decided to tinker with my first novel.  I have changed the blurb to focus on one main character instead of trying to cram the premise into two short paragraphs.  I have also dropped the price from $2.99 to 99¢.  And finally, I have a graphic designer working on a new cover.  I am tinkering.  I am changing the things I can to see what is going to make a difference.

I know there are other writers out there facing the same problems.  I encourage all of them to remain positive and to focus on the variables.  Be willing to tinker.  And with a little luck readers will find your novels.

#185 Professional Proof Reader

My first novel came out in May of 2014, and no matter how I tried to read and re-read, grammar issues still arose.  Took me back to my junior high days when I swore my papers were perfect but I would still receive a grade of 83.

So I decided to hire a proof reader for my second novel.  It's an added step in the process and an added cost, but it should help eliminate those pesky grammatical errors that could label me as an amateur writer instead of the professional that I aspire to be.

I can't report yet on how successful this decision proved to be.  Once my second book is out, we'll see how many emails I get.  But I must say professionalism is extremely important when self-publishing novels.  One criticism I read over and over again is that traditionally published writers put out a superior product.  When someone catches a mistake in a print book they say, "Oh, the editors must have missed one."  When an indie published writer makes a mistake the same person would likely say, "Well, it's just a self-published book.  What did you expect?"

For that reason, indie writers must be especially careful when publishing their own work.  And for that reason, I am happy I hired someone to proof read my second novel.

#184 Craft (Post 1)

I have decided to devote time and energy to improving my craft.  Sounds like a no brainer for any writer.  I've been writing for awhile now, but my focus was always on the story.  I assumed my craft would develop over time.  If I could tell an intriguing story, then I could keep readers interested.  Now that I have been a full time writer for almost a year, I've noticed that I NEED to improve.  I NEED the writing to get better!

The first step was realizing the need.  The second was figuring out how to dedicate my efforts.  I decided to read a book titled "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser.  I am 40 pages in.  This is only the beginning to a long and difficult journey.  But as Confucius say, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  At least, I think he said that.

Here are keys to improvement Zinsser outlines early on in the book:

• Write what you are passionate about.  This allows your energy and enthusiasm to shine through the writing, which is enough to carry readers from one page to the next.
• Eliminate the clutter.  Avoid unneeded words and phrases.  This speaks to being genuine.  Don't try and be something you are not.  Write your message in the simplest possible way.  Keep your writing strong and succinct.  Style will follow.  But when you TRY to write with style, your readers will recognize that you are trying instead of succeeding.
• Write for an audience of one.  Don't worry about what others will think of your writing.  Only YOU matter.  Impress, engage, entertain yourself, and others will be impressed, engaged and entertained.  

#183 Robin Williams

I've been struggling with Robin Williams' death this week just like many others across the world.  For me, the struggle stems back to my childhood in the early to middle 80's.  At that time in my life, my dad and I did not live in the same city.  I only saw him one month out of the year, and he did not know what to do with me.  He hoped to use our limited time to instill in me a sense of discipline and respect.  He was a Captain in the US army, and it pained him to see me growing up a spoiled child accustomed to getting anything I wanted.

Obviously this caused friction between us.  I was 8, 9 and 10 years old, and I wanted nothing to do with discipline.  I wanted to play Super Mario Bros.  And Kung Fu.  And RBI baseball.  He wanted me to learn chores.  At night he wanted to watch old WWII movies.  I wanted to watch anything with Arnold in it.

We found our common ground with stand up comedy.  Stand up comedy emerged in the 80s with stars like George Carlin, Steven Wright, Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams.  I didn't understand half of the things these guys said, but every time my dad erupted with laughter, I would erupt with laughter.   We laughed at all the HBO specials, the young comics like Bill Maher, Pete Townsend, Bob Nelson trying to make names for themselves.  I recorded several bits so that I could reenact them for family at night after dinner.

And the highlight of every year was Comic Relief hosted by Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg.  This was my favorite time of year.  My dad and I never missed it.  We had so much fun together during this time in our lives that he retired from the army so that he could move to Houston to be closer to me.

So when Robin Williams passed away, we lost an artist, a performer and an enthusiastically unique personality.  But we also lost someone who meant more to others than he could possibly understand.  He will truly be missed.

#182 Selling Yourself

One aspect to my writing adventure that I still struggle with is the art of selling myself.  I attend parties, lunches, or talk with friendly people in waiting rooms, and I have trouble selling myself as a writer.  I know this stems from confidence, but it also stems from my desire NOT to be pushy on people.  But, how do I expect to spread the word about my awesome books if I don't tell anyone?  So, I've decided to work on this aspect of my career.

This weekend I went to a birthday party.  In attendance were several intelligent people who I learned LOVE to read.  Perfect opportunity, right?  Well, I took advantage.  When the inevitable question came up, "What do you do?",  I answered triumphantly, "I'm a writer!"

We discussed my book, my writing process, publishing, genres, great writers of the past and present, and ultimately had a grand ole time.  At the end of the night I made a point to direct everyone to my website.  This is the easiest and best place to find information on my writing and myself in general.  And it is easy to remember.  www.alexandermori.com.  But you already knew that!

When we got home I began undressing and realized the silliest thing in the world.  There is only one picture of me on my website.  I did this by design.  It is the same picture on my twitter and kboards account.  As I removed my blue, button down shirt I realized that was the exact same outfit I wore when my one photo was taken.  Everyone at the party (who ventured to the website), thinks I LOVE that outfit!

Here's the moral of the story: when you take your one photo for the website, burn the outfit you wore so that you don't look like a fool.  Either that, or buy six more of that same outfit and just wear it every day of your life.

#181 Iconic Films From My Youth

Growing up in the late 80s/early 90s there were some bad ass iconic films that helped shape a generation of artists.  Me included.  I'm not sure if this is what all old guys do, but I look back fondly at some of these films, remembering how important it was to see them in the theater as soon as possible because all the other kids would be talking about it at school on Monday.  Following is a list of the big name movies that came out when I was younger.  For some, this will line up nicely.  Let me know what movies made your list of Iconic Films From Your Youth!

• Batman - The original one with Michael Keaton.  Before this, Batman was seriously lame!
• Jurassic Park - This movie truly changed visual effects forever.  I saw it twice in the theater, and still get the chills when the T-Rex is introduced for the first time.  The effects in this movie, though 20 years old, still stand up.
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure - Holds up surprisingly well.  But I think that is because Rufus is cool and Bill's mom is so hot.
• The Ghostbusters - No explanation needed.  Roller skating rinks were never the same afterward.
• Back To The Future - This movie blew my mind.  I think this movie and its sequels is actually responsible for Stephen Hawking's understand of space and time.
• Total Recall - Think this is the best action movie of all time.  If not, the only rivals I can think of are T2 and Die Hard.  
• T2 and Die Hard - May be the best action movies of all time.  If not, it's probably Total Recall.
• Basic Instinct - This movie was SO scandalous that I remember my parents (who do not care about movies) needing to see it.  They would not let us watch it.  So we bought tickets to some other movie and then snuck in and watched it anyway.  The interrogation room scene still haunts and intrigues me to this day.
• Return of the Jedi - Third installment to the most important trilogy ever.  So good!  So important!  And I saw it so many times in the theater.
• The Karate Kid - For a school talent show me and a friend devised a karate routine to "You're The Best Around" song.  It was super cool.  All my elementary school pajamas were karate outfits.

Others that just barely did not make the list.  There are great films, but I do not remember NEEDING to see them in the theater like the others:

Waterworld, Robocop, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Aliens, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, The Lost Boys

#180 Editing

I started writing full time nearly nine months ago.  I'm in the third trimester and have learned a lot about writing and myself.  With my first novel, the most difficult part of the process was revision and editing.  I'm not detail oriented in general, and combing through line after line of text I just wrote proved to be more difficult than I imagined.

I am nearly done with my second novel.  THANKFULLY, editing for the second novel has been MUCH easier.  I don't know the exact cause, but I feel it is probably due to a combination of factors.  I am getting slightly better at writing, so there are fewer areas of the novel that need complete overhauls.  I think I am getting better at reading my work critically.  The improved attitude allows me to comb through the text with less frustration.  And I think it's possible that I simply like this book better.

If you are like me and have trouble with editing and revision, then you will be happy to know that it DOES get easier.  Keep pushing on and don't let this essential part of the writing process be the reason you do not finish projects.

#179 Spinning Wheels? Change Direction

My brother has been with me as I've embarked on my journey to become a self-sustaining writer.  My struggle has inspired him to pursue a similar dream.  He wishes to write comics, graphic novels and movies.  He LOVES superheroes and revamped comic book stories from Grimms Fairy Tales to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Recently he told me he wants to write a new Power Rangers movie.

For the past several months he has focused on this genre.  He has produced a rough draft to a novella, a handful of comics and a couple of short stories.  I have read most of his work and believe in my heart the work is not quite ready to be sold.  I want him to improve his craft on two major levels 1) Grammar 2) Composition.  The first level is self explanatory.  Words, punctuation, grammar are tools the writer must understand in order to build a story from the ground up.  My brother works well with some tools.  Others he has little to no experience.  Composition is a different animal. Composition includes character development, pacing, description, dialogue and the overarching strategy used to reveal and advance key aspects to plot, conflict, climax and resolution.  There are no rules for composition.  Its all fair game.  A writer can do whatever he or she wishes, which makes this extremely difficult to teach, learn, cultivate, improve and judge.  This is the area of writing my brother has the most opportunity for improvement.

To become a better writer, one must read and write.  Seems obvious, doesn't it?  I've encouraged my brother to keep writing, hoping that practice, practice and more practice would be his path to improvement.  However, after 8 months of writing, I have seen little improvement in his grammar or composition.

So recently, I decided to explore a different strategy.  I am trying to get him to write outside of his preferred genre.  He's been stuck in the same conventions that make up superhero stories so long now that his writing has not advanced.  He is spinning his wheels.  Staying in the same place.  I have him doing two things:  1) Writing beer reviews.  2) Creative writing exercises you might see in a high school classroom.  He has been at it for a few days and I can already see how his approach to writing has shifted.  We are still early in this process and have not seen immediate improvements in his writing, but I believe we have taken a good first step.

The moral of my story is this:  If you find yourself stuck, your wheels spinning needlessly in place, try writing something completely different for a change.  Break out of your chosen genre just to see what comes out.  You may be surprised to discover that you are not as good of a comic book writer as you thought.  You might just discover that you are an excellent beer reviewer!

Updated Sales Rank

Updated Sales Rank leaves A LOT of room for improvement.  #485204!  Can only go up from here.  So the question is:  HOW do I go up from here?  From the extensive reading I've done from dozens of indie published authors, I learned a handful of things.  I learned:

• Don't get discouraged.  Many, if not most, indie published authors do not experience success within the first year.  Keep writing and keep tinkering.  The book HAS an audience.  The trick is connecting the book with that audience.
• Look critically at the cover.  Is it possible that the cover does not attract the right kind of audience?  Can the cover be done better?
• Look critically at the blurb.  How well does the blurb describe the book?  Does it attract the right audience?  Does it turn anyone off of the book?
• Are formatting and editing mistakes being discovered?  Are they being fixed?
• Keep up with social media.  You never know exactly how or when you might be able to connect your book with one reader who could make an impact on sales with just one retweet or FB post.  Remain out there in the world, push the work, provide content and remain positive.

This is the part in the process that will ultimately show what I am made of.  I have dropped to the worst that I have ever been.  So what am I going to do?  Get upset?  Give up?

If you thought the answer was yes, then you don't know me very well.  If indie publishing was easy, then anyone could do it.  So I will look at the things I can change and make adjustments.  I will keep writing.  And I will continue to catalog my progress so that others can learn from my experiences, both positive and negative.

#178 Inevitable Change

The world of publishing is changing before our very eyes.  I am new to this world.  I entered less than 8 months ago when I devoted my full time to writing.  I published my first novel on May 25th.  All the while, Amazon and Hachette have undergone a stalemate in negotiations which could very likely set the tone for the immediate future of publishing.

Many writers have addressed this issue.  I follow two who share similar world views as I do and who are much more informed, researched and smarter than I am.  If you would like to spend time educating yourself, I suggest start with them.  They are: JA Konrath and Hugh Howey.

For those who want the dumbed down version:

Amazon - Largest retailer of books in the world.  Pioneered the sale and distribution of ebooks seamlessly to kindles of all shapes and sizes.  Has developed a platform for any writer to publish a work direct to consumers.  Writers meeting directly with readers, without the middleman.  The writer is responsible for when the novel is released, content, price, marketing, everything.

Hachette - A top 5 publishing firm that represents several big name writers, along with many mid-list writers.  For more than a century the top 5 publishers have been the only viable option for aspiring writers.  They possess superior knowledge and skill in printing, distributing and minimizing risk in an industry that can be awfully dangerous for those companies who consistently back less than worthy novels.  They've followed a successful business model that has dominated US and worldwide print culture.

Amazon put out in a statement this week that they desire to keep ebook prices low while offering more royalties for authors.  Readers get books cheaper and writers make more money.  It's a win-win.  Well, except for the publisher who would make less money with this new set up.  However, in the ebook world, publishers deserve to make less money.  They perform less work!  They no longer need to worry about printing, warehousing, shipping, reshipping, re-warehousing and they do not need to worry about a book potentially flopping, leaving them with thousands of unwanted books.  Less work.  Less risk.  It's only fair they receive less of the royalty rate.

Of course, the big 5 do not see it this way and have been fighting Amazon for awhile now.  Their tactics include using big name writers (like James Patterson) to condemn the retailer for their proposed desire to corner the market and take control of the industry, control the big 5 have enjoyed for more than a century.  If Amazon wishes to take control in order to get books to readers cheaper and pay authors more, then I am rooting for Amazon.

But I'm an indie writer.  I admit my bias.  If you are a writer or a reader, you should be rooting for Amazon.  You should be rooting for the inevitable change that connects readers directly to writers, the only two people who should be participating in this lovely dance we call reading!

#177 eBook Revolution

As an indie published writer, it is important to me that people buy and use ereaders like the Kindle or the Nook.  When I talk at social engagements about my writing and my upcoming novels, I often ask if the people I am speaking to have ereaders.  Most of the time I get “Yes!”  Sometimes I get “No.”

I got “No” this weekend when I went home to visit my family.  My dad does not have an ereader and still doesn’t understand how come he cannot read my book.  He almost didn’t believe that I actually published my first novel.  So I went to the store and bought him the Kindle Paperwhite (which is the best ereader in my opinion).

I took it home, charged it, synced it with his Amazon account and bought his first digital book.  Of course it was Exchange Day!  He was so excited to see my book on his new Kindle that he started reading it right there in front of me.  After a few minutes he said, “You know, it is actually easier to read on this thing than holding an actual book!”

Another convert.  Another member of the eBook Revolution.  I am happy to support the cause one person at a time.  So to wrap this up, if you do not have an ereader, go to the internets and buy one!  ASAP!  And then buy Exchange Day.  It is REALLY good! 

#176 Wurtzburg To Dresden

A flat tire left us stranded on the autobahn.  The rental car had no spare.  We used a gas station phone to call the rental car company.  It was a game of charades and bad English.  To our shame, there was no bad German.  Spirits remained high despite the fact our day's itinerary had been ruined.  We waited for the tow truck.  It was a flatbed behemoth driven by a man who was sweet on my wife.  In his defense, she did wear her hair in braids, and German men have no defense against a braided wench.

We rode down the autobahn in the back of the tow truck.  We rolled the windows down because there was no air conditioning.  Some slept.  Some watched the beautiful German landscape go by in luscious shades of yellows and greens.  Every few minutes we passed a small town nestled in the German valleys.  Each town had one church steeple rising among the quaint wooden rooftops.

The flat tire caused us to miss out on Nuremburg.  And we had to cut our Dresden visit short.  However, our adventure was something we could never have planned and has proven to be a funny story from our trip.  One of the more memorable stories.

Writing can be like this for me.  I go into a project with one thing in mind.  One plan.  And then a flat tire takes the story in a different and unexpected direction.  Instead of getting frustrated, it is important to embrace these obstacles because you just might be making your story more memorable!