#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!