It feels like procrastinating but it's more of a dragging my feet. I'm not working the projects that I want to be working. I have to wait on one, because it's a month theme challenge in July for zombies, and the other one... I want a good sit down with the edits of book one before I dive into book two. Plus there's the fact that I don't know where my plot is going just yet. Fun times.
Getting back into what I'm supposed to be doing... I don't know. It's not hitting a wall, it's more that I'm not sure if I'm writing what I should be writing. I like the plots of both stories but maybe it's a rut. Maybe I should get off my butt and work out the mystery novel. Maybe I'm spending too much time in fantasy that I'm bored with it. I doubt that, as I like living and breathing fantasy, so maybe it's that I'm being too cliche-y.
Note on cliches - they're there because they work. If they didn't, then they wouldn't be cliches. However, this is not getting into how cliches are actually a wonderful thing for novels because that's a separate post. Maybe Friday.
Anyways, I did get some work done on Daughter of the Scribe (fantasy with thieves woo) and I did start Devil's Daughter. I sense a theme going on here too but that's where my mind is at the moment. Even though they both have daughter in the title, they're vastly different. Daughter of the Scribe deals with the main female character being forced into an arranged marriage and running off to join a band of thieves. She didn't plan on that, but I did, and there's fantasy-ish elements in it. Mostly dragons.
Maybe it's that I'm having a meh on dragons. I might have to scratch the dragons part and come up with something else. Now that? That would be a good idea. Rambling has it's uses, even though you all are probably rolling your eyes at me.
As for Devil's Daughter... why yes, it's a literal title. It's also a three part stand alone that I don't have the plot for the last act on, aside from knowing they save the world. Or maybe they don't. I haven't decided yet, but if they don't save the world, it might not be a stand alone anymore. Also, what's the point of the book if they don't? Other than it being dark and I don't like writing dark things for dark sake. There needs to be a better reason for not doing something other than apathy. Even if that was the theme of my month.
So, those were my two May projects of the month. I didn't do any editing, even though I've got loads of editing to do in other projects. I didn't do any plotting, save for a bit of plot rambling and basic stats, and I kind of miss it. I'm going to attempt to have a more structured month in June with goals and all. We'll see if it comes to pass. I mean, I have two freaking planners. I should be able to give my life structure and then follow it. Maybe.
Anywho, dear readers, how did your May go productivity wise? Were you keeping up with your projects and getting words down? Or were you like me, a snail, slowly inching towards the end? Either way, congrats on getting something done this month - even if it was just a chapter. A chapter is a big thing in the life of a writer, even if it comes with having to edit it once the novel is completely done.
Until next time - Happy Tuesday!
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Let's Talk About Plot Twists
Plot twists are usually a good thing when you're reading a book or series. They show that something exciting can happen and change the characters. It gives growth and makes sure that you're still engaged in the book or series. When done well, the reaction can range from "oh my God, yes, that's brilliant!" to "...what the hell but why I don't get it". I've gone through both and everything in between when it comes to things that I read and watch.
That said, plot twists can go past the bad reaction I posted above into "what the fuck just happened?" and turn off your reader or viewer. Such is the case here, with Marvel completely changing Captain America (spoilers for the comic, not the movie), and I think that this is one of the times where the plot twist is not being used correctly. Is there a case for them doing this twist, going back as far as the interview suggests? Probably. There's also the case that this is an iconic character and you've just completely retconned him into something he isn't. I wonder where the editor is on this, as I doubt this would fly unless you're a really big author like George RR Martin, but it did.
Maybe they did need something fresh. Captain America has been who he is for a very long time. They did twist that the serum broke down and he became old so Falcon became the new Captain. That brought something new into it and they could have kept on going that way. Explore the idea of mortality and how nothing lasts forever. Plot twists, of course, can be taken anyway but this crossed the line into unforgivable. I hope that the MCU, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, doesn't pick up on this idea and turns it into Captain America 4.
What do you think, dear readers? What are some horrible plot twists? Please be aware that there might be spoilers for current shows in the comments, as there was a big Game of Thrones twist on Sunday that is still being talked about (I vote good twist on that one), so tread carefully.
Until next time, have a good Wednesday.
That said, plot twists can go past the bad reaction I posted above into "what the fuck just happened?" and turn off your reader or viewer. Such is the case here, with Marvel completely changing Captain America (spoilers for the comic, not the movie), and I think that this is one of the times where the plot twist is not being used correctly. Is there a case for them doing this twist, going back as far as the interview suggests? Probably. There's also the case that this is an iconic character and you've just completely retconned him into something he isn't. I wonder where the editor is on this, as I doubt this would fly unless you're a really big author like George RR Martin, but it did.
Maybe they did need something fresh. Captain America has been who he is for a very long time. They did twist that the serum broke down and he became old so Falcon became the new Captain. That brought something new into it and they could have kept on going that way. Explore the idea of mortality and how nothing lasts forever. Plot twists, of course, can be taken anyway but this crossed the line into unforgivable. I hope that the MCU, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, doesn't pick up on this idea and turns it into Captain America 4.
What do you think, dear readers? What are some horrible plot twists? Please be aware that there might be spoilers for current shows in the comments, as there was a big Game of Thrones twist on Sunday that is still being talked about (I vote good twist on that one), so tread carefully.
Until next time, have a good Wednesday.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Writing, Cycling
It's the old saying - well, mantra - that if you're going to be a writer, then you should write everyday. You put the butt in the chair, put in the words and the hours, and you'll come away with a book. A book that needs to be edited and reworked, but a book nonetheless. A lot of people say that it's hard. Some say that it's easy and you really just need to put your butt in the chair. With me, I'm in the middle.
I say butt in the chair is half the work. The other half is looking at the blank page with the cursor blinking at you. You'll think about starting, because you had that awesome idea in the shower. You kept the awesome idea towards the front of your mind, possibly writing down slivers of the idea on random scraps of paper as you wait for breakfast to be done cooking and coffee to be done brewing. But yet, with butt in chair and ready to write, nothing comes.
Metaphor time: You're at the top of the steep hill on your bike and you stare down into the distance. Someone waves, trying to encourage you that it's safe to travel, but you sit still. You sit still in your fear of what comes next.
Okay, maybe a bit too heavy on the metaphor, but you get the idea. We stare at the blank screen because we're afraid of taking the next step. It's not a conscious fear. Hell, it's sometimes not even a subconscious fear. It's just a fear that lives in our minds that happens from time to time. It's why, when someone asks if I write everyday and I say no, that I explain that I cycle in my writing. There are days where I can write 10,000 words - that's about three chapters for me - and then there are days like today.
Today, when I stare at the cursor and it seems to stare back as it blinks. Teasing me. Waving. Reminding that it's okay to cycle down the hill. The worst thing you're going to do is crash. The worst thing that's going to happen, at the end of your writing journey, is someone saying no. And even then, that's not the end, thanks to self publishing. Just like crashing isn't the end at the bottom of the hill. There's sailing on, there's your helmet saving your brains, and, most importantly, there's the courage you build up to try again tomorrow.
For tomorrow just might be the day where you write every word in your head. And wouldn't that be glorious?
I say butt in the chair is half the work. The other half is looking at the blank page with the cursor blinking at you. You'll think about starting, because you had that awesome idea in the shower. You kept the awesome idea towards the front of your mind, possibly writing down slivers of the idea on random scraps of paper as you wait for breakfast to be done cooking and coffee to be done brewing. But yet, with butt in chair and ready to write, nothing comes.
Metaphor time: You're at the top of the steep hill on your bike and you stare down into the distance. Someone waves, trying to encourage you that it's safe to travel, but you sit still. You sit still in your fear of what comes next.
Okay, maybe a bit too heavy on the metaphor, but you get the idea. We stare at the blank screen because we're afraid of taking the next step. It's not a conscious fear. Hell, it's sometimes not even a subconscious fear. It's just a fear that lives in our minds that happens from time to time. It's why, when someone asks if I write everyday and I say no, that I explain that I cycle in my writing. There are days where I can write 10,000 words - that's about three chapters for me - and then there are days like today.
Today, when I stare at the cursor and it seems to stare back as it blinks. Teasing me. Waving. Reminding that it's okay to cycle down the hill. The worst thing you're going to do is crash. The worst thing that's going to happen, at the end of your writing journey, is someone saying no. And even then, that's not the end, thanks to self publishing. Just like crashing isn't the end at the bottom of the hill. There's sailing on, there's your helmet saving your brains, and, most importantly, there's the courage you build up to try again tomorrow.
For tomorrow just might be the day where you write every word in your head. And wouldn't that be glorious?
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
How I Spent Last Saturday: 2016 Writing Workshop of Chicago
If you're a writer, then one of the things that you do is find workshops and go to them. You might be going to network or to find out new things about the craft or even to pitch to an agent or get pages critiqued. I did two out of the four on Saturday, as I like knowing all I can about what the profession for the rest of my life is going to be, and I came away knowing more than when I went in. I did come away with more than that, including the fact that I need to get over myself when it comes to my work and getting feedback, but we'll do highlights.
By the by, the Writing Day Workshop has seven more states and one stop in Canada before they're done in November. I highly recommend finding one near you, especially if you're looking for an agent to pitch to or a critique of your work, as you will learn a lot in one day. I think that their model of workshop, which is five blocks about a hour in length each, is perfect to give focus on how to get published. This is less a writing workshop, where you would write and work with fellow writers, and more of a how to workshop. Both have their merits and I've now been to both, but this is great if you're breaking into a new genre or simply need to learn how to get published.
Let's get into how the day is scheduled. Like I said, it's five blocks about a hour each. There's three topics that you can go to and you're not locked into the schedule. If you find that one talk isn't hitting the right notes for you, you can quietly leave and go to a different one. Or go to your agent or critique meeting without needing to make a fuss. Also, there's fiction and nonfiction topics, so it doesn't feel like it's just catering to one sort of writer.
All of the talks I went to - Your Publishing Options Today; 14 Tips for Writing Mysteries, Thrillers, and Crime; Talking Fantasy and Science Fiction; and Author Social Media and Blogging - were my favorites. It was part of the reason that I picked them in the first place, as they were topics I needed to hear more on, but I learned valuable information. I learned that one should try traditional publishing before going to self publishing instead of the other way around. I learned that delayed gratification is a really good idea in a mystery novel, especially with asking a question and then withholding the answer from your reader until the last possible moment. That, sadly, we're coming to the end of the cycle where vampires are things that readers and agents want to read for about seven years. I'm sad about that one, considering I have an entire dhampir series that I'm working on but, you know, there's always ebooks and self publishing.
The best thing I learned, thanks to Amy Sue Nation, in the last block of the day on social media and blogging, is if you don't like it, don't do it. She was talking about blogging and Facebook, but I took it to mean more than that. If you're not liking writing, then why are you doing it? I know I have struggles with my writing and realize that it's just not fun to be writing the novel I'm working on at the moment. Yet it took hearing it from someone else and applying it to life outside of the bubble.
That's the best thing about workshops. They bring you out of your bubble into the real world. The real world here being the real world where writers exist and we have to make the best with knowledge at our fingertips.
So, that was my Saturday, dear readers. I'm more than happy to go into more detail if you want so feel free to comment below or hit me up via email at eszubert@gmail.com. Have you gone to a workshop and come out the other end feeling better than how you went in? Ever gone to a workshop and wished you hadn't? I want to hear about it, so feel free to comment below.
Until next time - happy writing.
By the by, the Writing Day Workshop has seven more states and one stop in Canada before they're done in November. I highly recommend finding one near you, especially if you're looking for an agent to pitch to or a critique of your work, as you will learn a lot in one day. I think that their model of workshop, which is five blocks about a hour in length each, is perfect to give focus on how to get published. This is less a writing workshop, where you would write and work with fellow writers, and more of a how to workshop. Both have their merits and I've now been to both, but this is great if you're breaking into a new genre or simply need to learn how to get published.
Let's get into how the day is scheduled. Like I said, it's five blocks about a hour each. There's three topics that you can go to and you're not locked into the schedule. If you find that one talk isn't hitting the right notes for you, you can quietly leave and go to a different one. Or go to your agent or critique meeting without needing to make a fuss. Also, there's fiction and nonfiction topics, so it doesn't feel like it's just catering to one sort of writer.
All of the talks I went to - Your Publishing Options Today; 14 Tips for Writing Mysteries, Thrillers, and Crime; Talking Fantasy and Science Fiction; and Author Social Media and Blogging - were my favorites. It was part of the reason that I picked them in the first place, as they were topics I needed to hear more on, but I learned valuable information. I learned that one should try traditional publishing before going to self publishing instead of the other way around. I learned that delayed gratification is a really good idea in a mystery novel, especially with asking a question and then withholding the answer from your reader until the last possible moment. That, sadly, we're coming to the end of the cycle where vampires are things that readers and agents want to read for about seven years. I'm sad about that one, considering I have an entire dhampir series that I'm working on but, you know, there's always ebooks and self publishing.
The best thing I learned, thanks to Amy Sue Nation, in the last block of the day on social media and blogging, is if you don't like it, don't do it. She was talking about blogging and Facebook, but I took it to mean more than that. If you're not liking writing, then why are you doing it? I know I have struggles with my writing and realize that it's just not fun to be writing the novel I'm working on at the moment. Yet it took hearing it from someone else and applying it to life outside of the bubble.
That's the best thing about workshops. They bring you out of your bubble into the real world. The real world here being the real world where writers exist and we have to make the best with knowledge at our fingertips.
So, that was my Saturday, dear readers. I'm more than happy to go into more detail if you want so feel free to comment below or hit me up via email at eszubert@gmail.com. Have you gone to a workshop and come out the other end feeling better than how you went in? Ever gone to a workshop and wished you hadn't? I want to hear about it, so feel free to comment below.
Until next time - happy writing.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Research, Take 1
If you can't tell by the title, we're going to be talking about research today. For the purpose of this post, we're going to be talking about research that is not in person. The reason is that I am at the moment in my mystery novel or the comfort level in my life where I want to go and interview someone about what they do. I have to figure out plot and characters and a ton of other stuff first. It's also why this is take 1 because I will get to the point of in-person interviews. We'll talk about how that goes when I get there but I'm not putting a timeline on it. This research post is more to talk about how it is sometimes a problem and how sometimes it gives you things you didn't think of before.
Case in point. Today, I went to the library, which is awesome for research and you should always go there first, to possibly find a book or three on life as a Catholic priest. I ended up in the religion section, which did work for some things, but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. The priest character is going to be a major character in the mystery novel I'm working on, being the main character's brother, and I need to get a good background on him. Since I couldn't find any sort of book on life as a priest (dear readers, if you have suggestions, please leave a comment below!), I went to Google. This is the one and only time that Google won over the library. If only because I could find websites immediately about what a priest does during the day. So that was very nice and now I can figure out more about this major character.
Non person research can be like this. You might want the one specific thing and will not be happy until you get it in black and white. Or you might randomly go to a section of the library, find a book on a completely different subject, and decide to go in a different direction for your character or plot. I know, for me, if I was open to changing my Catholic priest character into a Buddhist monk, there were a ton of books in the section I was in. Or if I wanted to change it from priest to nun. It's also what makes research fun. Or it could make it frustrating. Today is a day where I was frustrated. On a different day, I would have been going "or I could do this!" and be happy.
So, the best thing to do, when doing research is to try and have an open mind. You'll probably be less frustrated and maybe find what you want easier. If all else fails, remember that Google never judges and sometimes knows more of what you want than you do. Technology is scary that way sometimes.
Until next time, dear readers, love and support your local library. And research on!
Case in point. Today, I went to the library, which is awesome for research and you should always go there first, to possibly find a book or three on life as a Catholic priest. I ended up in the religion section, which did work for some things, but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. The priest character is going to be a major character in the mystery novel I'm working on, being the main character's brother, and I need to get a good background on him. Since I couldn't find any sort of book on life as a priest (dear readers, if you have suggestions, please leave a comment below!), I went to Google. This is the one and only time that Google won over the library. If only because I could find websites immediately about what a priest does during the day. So that was very nice and now I can figure out more about this major character.
Non person research can be like this. You might want the one specific thing and will not be happy until you get it in black and white. Or you might randomly go to a section of the library, find a book on a completely different subject, and decide to go in a different direction for your character or plot. I know, for me, if I was open to changing my Catholic priest character into a Buddhist monk, there were a ton of books in the section I was in. Or if I wanted to change it from priest to nun. It's also what makes research fun. Or it could make it frustrating. Today is a day where I was frustrated. On a different day, I would have been going "or I could do this!" and be happy.
So, the best thing to do, when doing research is to try and have an open mind. You'll probably be less frustrated and maybe find what you want easier. If all else fails, remember that Google never judges and sometimes knows more of what you want than you do. Technology is scary that way sometimes.
Until next time, dear readers, love and support your local library. And research on!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
The Art of Chaos
Let's admit it. We all live in some type of chaos. I'm not talking about out right mess, but we will get to that in a moment, but I'm talking more about the chaos of everyday life. The traffic jam that you get stuck in on your way to work that makes it so you barely clock in on time. The fight that you have with your family member / significant other / best friend that is about nothing yet there's something clearly wrong that neither of you can put your finger on. The good chaos is there too. The getting a project done at the last moment that you think is rubbish but your boss or teacher praises to the high heavens. The making a wrong turn and finding a new way home that takes five minutes less than the route you were taking. There's good, bad, and neutral chaos, just like there's a load of other things. What we really need to do is figure out a type of balance to it.
When I think about chaos, I think about messes, so let's go to that example to flesh out what I'm talking about. I admit that my room is an outright mess. I have things here and there. Some are in piles and some things are on a shelf. Some are on the floor, because there's no other place to put them, and some are just in boxes throughout the room. However, I know where things are because, to me, it is organized chaos. I know that the pile to the right side of my desk has planner stickers that I use in a pinch when I'm done with the current stack of them. I know the second pile, more in the middle of the desk, is a mix of a chapter I printed to edit and a bunch of journals. The pile that's on my three drawer file cabinet has two books that are for research and a pouch that's filled with important mail that I need to file. I can go on, but I think you get the idea. Some people just see and think about the mess versus the fact that, if I clean up the mess, I have no idea where anything is. I'll put everything away just to get it all out again when I need it. So the chaos stays so I don't go insane trying to figure out where the hell I put the chapter I'm editing or the planner stickers I need.
You're probably wondering what this has to do with writing. Well, to me, it has less to do with writing and more to do with how you plan to write. Some people use software, such as Scrivener, and everything's in a proper file. Everything has a place and you can just open it and go exactly to where you want. I'm glad that works for some people but I have a hard time with it. For me, it is easier to open up Google Documents and work there to outline my novel. I have different starter documents - ones that could probably easily transfer over to Scrivener, and in different file folders once I create them that go to what project they're for. Yet, there are times when I'll create a basic stats document for my novel - title, genre, summery, basic characters - and then I don't organize it. But I can find it, just as easily as I find the journal that's buried under several different papers in my room, because it is organized to what I need.
That's the art of chaos. When you bend it to your rules and make it your own. That's when you can own your chaos and make it work with you to whatever you want to do. If that's plotting a novel, then you can do that. If it's making sure that you get from point A to point B quicker, you can do that too. The point I'm trying to make, if you've gotten this far dear reader, is that chaos is not as random as we think. Chaos is organized and organized is chaos if you know how to work both. If you find that, then you have balance.
The question I leave you with is how do you live your life? Does it seem like chaos to an outsider but completely organized to you? Or is it just chaos and you need to be organized to get anything done? I know I fall under the first question but I can't wait to hear what you think, dear readers.
Until next time, have a wonderful day.
When I think about chaos, I think about messes, so let's go to that example to flesh out what I'm talking about. I admit that my room is an outright mess. I have things here and there. Some are in piles and some things are on a shelf. Some are on the floor, because there's no other place to put them, and some are just in boxes throughout the room. However, I know where things are because, to me, it is organized chaos. I know that the pile to the right side of my desk has planner stickers that I use in a pinch when I'm done with the current stack of them. I know the second pile, more in the middle of the desk, is a mix of a chapter I printed to edit and a bunch of journals. The pile that's on my three drawer file cabinet has two books that are for research and a pouch that's filled with important mail that I need to file. I can go on, but I think you get the idea. Some people just see and think about the mess versus the fact that, if I clean up the mess, I have no idea where anything is. I'll put everything away just to get it all out again when I need it. So the chaos stays so I don't go insane trying to figure out where the hell I put the chapter I'm editing or the planner stickers I need.
You're probably wondering what this has to do with writing. Well, to me, it has less to do with writing and more to do with how you plan to write. Some people use software, such as Scrivener, and everything's in a proper file. Everything has a place and you can just open it and go exactly to where you want. I'm glad that works for some people but I have a hard time with it. For me, it is easier to open up Google Documents and work there to outline my novel. I have different starter documents - ones that could probably easily transfer over to Scrivener, and in different file folders once I create them that go to what project they're for. Yet, there are times when I'll create a basic stats document for my novel - title, genre, summery, basic characters - and then I don't organize it. But I can find it, just as easily as I find the journal that's buried under several different papers in my room, because it is organized to what I need.
That's the art of chaos. When you bend it to your rules and make it your own. That's when you can own your chaos and make it work with you to whatever you want to do. If that's plotting a novel, then you can do that. If it's making sure that you get from point A to point B quicker, you can do that too. The point I'm trying to make, if you've gotten this far dear reader, is that chaos is not as random as we think. Chaos is organized and organized is chaos if you know how to work both. If you find that, then you have balance.
The question I leave you with is how do you live your life? Does it seem like chaos to an outsider but completely organized to you? Or is it just chaos and you need to be organized to get anything done? I know I fall under the first question but I can't wait to hear what you think, dear readers.
Until next time, have a wonderful day.
Friday, May 6, 2016
The Other Part of Me
I had to think long and hard about writing this post. It's not because it's too personal but I don't really talk about this. I answer questions when people ask about it, because I don't mind when outright asked, but I don't offer up this information about me often. It's because, even though I've lived with this all my life, I don't like it. It is not a part of me that I'm proud of but more of one I tolerate.
I consider this the secondary part of me, and how it works with being a writer. I've talked about my writer journey and there's a bit on my About Me page, but I think a proper post is in order. You know the first part - Elizabeth Szubert, the writer. The poet. The person who started with writing fanfiction because she needed time to create her own worlds.
Here's the other part of me - legally blind person. I have retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease, that is slowly destroying my vision. I am night blind at night, which is exactly as it sounds, and I have days where it hurts to sit at my computer and write. It's known as a glare problem. However, what makes me legally blind is the fact that I only have about 12 degrees of my field vision left which is known as tunnel vision.
Yeah. To get an idea of how that is, cup your hand around your eye. It's a lot less than what I have, but that's what it is like. Since I use a red tipped cane, as a blind person does, that's the first thing you're going to know about me before I even introduce myself. Truthfully? I hate it, because I am more than this one thing about me. However, you will not believe how it parts crowds like the Moses vs the Red Sea sometimes. Welcome to my mild morbid humor, pull up a chair. It's only here on good days but that's for another post about writing and mental stability.
However, it makes life as a writer harder. I don't know what it's like to drive a car or do maintenance on one. Thank everything for Google because it is the one thing that doesn't care what you ask. I know that some of my writing is stunted because I don't know what it's like to act as someone with good vision. It is one of the reasons that I edit as much as I do and ask others for editing help. I do have other problems with my writing, as all writers do, but the one I'm always worried about if I am portraying someone with normal vision correctly. I know that someone's going to read this and go "why?" but... it's a quirk of mine. Everyone has something that they worry about while writing and this is one of mine.
So that's the other part of me. Maybe I'll open up about it more in the future. For right now, it's just there. I hate that sometimes I struggle with writing because of it, but it is what it is. If I don't laugh, I'll cry.
Readers, what is your struggle? What seems to define you before you can even say "I'm a writer/author"? Feel free to comment and, from me to you, a big giant hug. We're more than the assumptions that people make, all of us, and hearing or writing that makes it more real.
I consider this the secondary part of me, and how it works with being a writer. I've talked about my writer journey and there's a bit on my About Me page, but I think a proper post is in order. You know the first part - Elizabeth Szubert, the writer. The poet. The person who started with writing fanfiction because she needed time to create her own worlds.
Here's the other part of me - legally blind person. I have retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease, that is slowly destroying my vision. I am night blind at night, which is exactly as it sounds, and I have days where it hurts to sit at my computer and write. It's known as a glare problem. However, what makes me legally blind is the fact that I only have about 12 degrees of my field vision left which is known as tunnel vision.
Yeah. To get an idea of how that is, cup your hand around your eye. It's a lot less than what I have, but that's what it is like. Since I use a red tipped cane, as a blind person does, that's the first thing you're going to know about me before I even introduce myself. Truthfully? I hate it, because I am more than this one thing about me. However, you will not believe how it parts crowds like the Moses vs the Red Sea sometimes. Welcome to my mild morbid humor, pull up a chair. It's only here on good days but that's for another post about writing and mental stability.
However, it makes life as a writer harder. I don't know what it's like to drive a car or do maintenance on one. Thank everything for Google because it is the one thing that doesn't care what you ask. I know that some of my writing is stunted because I don't know what it's like to act as someone with good vision. It is one of the reasons that I edit as much as I do and ask others for editing help. I do have other problems with my writing, as all writers do, but the one I'm always worried about if I am portraying someone with normal vision correctly. I know that someone's going to read this and go "why?" but... it's a quirk of mine. Everyone has something that they worry about while writing and this is one of mine.
So that's the other part of me. Maybe I'll open up about it more in the future. For right now, it's just there. I hate that sometimes I struggle with writing because of it, but it is what it is. If I don't laugh, I'll cry.
Readers, what is your struggle? What seems to define you before you can even say "I'm a writer/author"? Feel free to comment and, from me to you, a big giant hug. We're more than the assumptions that people make, all of us, and hearing or writing that makes it more real.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
WriYe Blogging Circle: Genre
I'm going to make an assumption, dear reader, and assume that you know what genre is. Considering that our entire lives seem to be run by it via the books we read and what we watch, it's very easy to know which genre you're a fan of. I can, generally, tell what kind of genre you'll be more likely to read due to what you watch on television. Say you like Real Housewives, no matter the city, I'd say that slice of life with the twist of chick lit would be best for you. Are you the biggest Law and Order fan in existence? You're going to want either good detective stories, if you like the law side, or good courtroom thrillers if you're a fan of the order side. If you like both, there are a good many series of groups of detectives and lawyers working together.
You get the idea. I can continue on, but that's the basic gist of genre. According to the right people you Google on the Internet, there's a lot of support that everyone who is publishing is writing in some sort of genre. I disagree. I would argue that there are fewer writers of straight up fiction versus the many writers who are publishing in a genre. Also, it doesn't help that one of the biggest fiction writers in my opinion, John Irving, only puts out a new book about every seven years. That's his decision and he's entitled to it, but when you put it up against James Patterson, who is putting out at least 3 books a year if not more, it's hard to measure up.
So that's the mini background of genre. I highly suggest Googling and reading about genre before you try your hand at it. I also recommend looking at what you're watching or reading at the moment to see which genre you like. I know, from first hand experience of attempting to write a romance story, that if you do not like the genre you're attempting to write, you're going to fail at getting your novel done. I suggest sticking to what you like. We'll get more into what I like to write in a moment, but the best suggestion I've got about writing is what I just said. There's also write what you know, but there's Google and the Internet with the reason of why nobody is allowed to look at my search history.
Okay, questions.
What is your main genre?
It's going to surprise everyone, considering what I mostly talk about is this dhampir series I'm working on, but I'm a fantasy writer. I feel most at home writing about elves and dragons and living in another world. I would say that my secondary genre is urban supernatural, where I'm writing about supernatural creatures like vampires in a city environment, but it's slowly becoming my main in different ways. However, if I had to pick only one to write for the rest of my life, it would be fantasy, hands down.
Why do you write in the genre?
You know that tip that I gave at the beginning of writing what you like? Well, I followed that tip when I first started writing. I love J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, and a lot of other writers who are in the fantasy genre. That, along with Elfquest, gave me the basis of what genre I would feel most at home in. As I write more and more in it, it is more like home and that comfortable chair where you snuggle in for a long reading or watching binge. It's just the right fit.
Do you have a tip to share for someone wanting to break into that genre?
Dream. Dream big and then come down to size. World build, but don't get too caught up in it, and make your own rules. In the end, write characters that appeal to you. Lot of tips, but you need them in the fantasy genre. Also, read! I gave three that I read/re-read on a regular basis but there are so much more.
What genre would you like to break into?
Mystery/detective novel. I'm reading the Bosch series by Michael Connelly at the moment and I love his style of writing. I love how his main character, Bosch, feels real with real world problems. Based on that, I'm looking into how to structure a detective novel and what I need to do for background. I've got a few months before I have to knuckle down and prep for NaNo, but I will be writing a detective story this year for it.
Bonus: What is your favorite book written in your genre?
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Hands down, it is my favorite book of his and it doesn't feel like fantasy at first. I highly recommend it.
Okay, readers, what do you think about the genre you write in? Or perhaps you want help figuring out which genre you should write in? Share your thoughts below.
You get the idea. I can continue on, but that's the basic gist of genre. According to the right people you Google on the Internet, there's a lot of support that everyone who is publishing is writing in some sort of genre. I disagree. I would argue that there are fewer writers of straight up fiction versus the many writers who are publishing in a genre. Also, it doesn't help that one of the biggest fiction writers in my opinion, John Irving, only puts out a new book about every seven years. That's his decision and he's entitled to it, but when you put it up against James Patterson, who is putting out at least 3 books a year if not more, it's hard to measure up.
So that's the mini background of genre. I highly suggest Googling and reading about genre before you try your hand at it. I also recommend looking at what you're watching or reading at the moment to see which genre you like. I know, from first hand experience of attempting to write a romance story, that if you do not like the genre you're attempting to write, you're going to fail at getting your novel done. I suggest sticking to what you like. We'll get more into what I like to write in a moment, but the best suggestion I've got about writing is what I just said. There's also write what you know, but there's Google and the Internet with the reason of why nobody is allowed to look at my search history.
Okay, questions.
What is your main genre?
It's going to surprise everyone, considering what I mostly talk about is this dhampir series I'm working on, but I'm a fantasy writer. I feel most at home writing about elves and dragons and living in another world. I would say that my secondary genre is urban supernatural, where I'm writing about supernatural creatures like vampires in a city environment, but it's slowly becoming my main in different ways. However, if I had to pick only one to write for the rest of my life, it would be fantasy, hands down.
Why do you write in the genre?
You know that tip that I gave at the beginning of writing what you like? Well, I followed that tip when I first started writing. I love J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, and a lot of other writers who are in the fantasy genre. That, along with Elfquest, gave me the basis of what genre I would feel most at home in. As I write more and more in it, it is more like home and that comfortable chair where you snuggle in for a long reading or watching binge. It's just the right fit.
Do you have a tip to share for someone wanting to break into that genre?
Dream. Dream big and then come down to size. World build, but don't get too caught up in it, and make your own rules. In the end, write characters that appeal to you. Lot of tips, but you need them in the fantasy genre. Also, read! I gave three that I read/re-read on a regular basis but there are so much more.
What genre would you like to break into?
Mystery/detective novel. I'm reading the Bosch series by Michael Connelly at the moment and I love his style of writing. I love how his main character, Bosch, feels real with real world problems. Based on that, I'm looking into how to structure a detective novel and what I need to do for background. I've got a few months before I have to knuckle down and prep for NaNo, but I will be writing a detective story this year for it.
Bonus: What is your favorite book written in your genre?
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Hands down, it is my favorite book of his and it doesn't feel like fantasy at first. I highly recommend it.
Okay, readers, what do you think about the genre you write in? Or perhaps you want help figuring out which genre you should write in? Share your thoughts below.
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