Okay, Hurricane Ike wasn't exactly the Apocalypse, but I'm finding it hard to write about any of my usual post-apocalyptic themes and characters in the immediate aftermath of my own mini-apocalypse. When your life starts mirroring fiction, fiction itself takes a back seat.
Last night was the first time I could write any fiction at all, and I had to force myself to do it. I ended up writing a couple pages of a light, completely non-disaster novel I'm toying with. It felt good to get some writing done, even if it wasn't up to par.
Perhaps the most interesting outcome of this crisis has been the way my writing helped my real life in tangible ways. In researching my novels I've learned a lot about food storage and living without electricity. After the debacle that was Katrina, I moved my personal hurricane preparations into high gear, and it was a real sanity-saver to have a plan and be able to put that plan into action with no insurmountable missteps.
I've done a lot of writing this week, but it's mostly been of the factual variety. I've been journaling and working on detailed Lessons Learned reports to share later on my other blog for people who need ideas for their own disaster prep. Since I still don't have internet at home, getting such things posted will happen as time permits.
So I haven't been writing much fiction lately. My life has been edging uncomfortably close to my fictional scenarios, and reality has been as much as I can deal with. Last night was a start, though. I never wanted to live the lives of my characters, but more than ever before, the fiction can stay on the page, as far as I'm concerned.
Showing posts with label fiction writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction writing. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Dropping In
I apologize for the recent lapses in posting. Transitioning out of my old job, getting ready for vacation, dealing with a sick pet, and trying to finish my novel before I leave town have taken their toll on what little "free" time I have.
I'm at 95K on my word count and will probably finish the draft very close to 100K. Where it will end up after editing is hard to say.
I've started a blog for this project and friend Thomma's recent blog template escapades made me realize I'm not the only writer who can easily get sucked into making banners and mucking around with HTML and CSS codes. Right now I have a background image that is refusing to obey the no-repeat command. Nice. But I'll keep looking for a way to fix it because I'm stubborn that way and because one of my friends at work runs the university's web tech group. I have contacts. Insider knowledge and expertise. So why is it so much more fun to muddle with it myself? I get plenty of opportunities to cuss in real life. I don't need blogger for that.
Anyway, since I'm almost done with my first draft, I'll be taking a break soon to write some website content for the new blog. I'll have info about the story premise, the characters, etc, as well as photographs and other cool things. I'm leaning heavily toward publishing the whole story online once I've been through a couple good edits and a beta read or two. So look for more info about this project soon!
I'm at 95K on my word count and will probably finish the draft very close to 100K. Where it will end up after editing is hard to say.
I've started a blog for this project and friend Thomma's recent blog template escapades made me realize I'm not the only writer who can easily get sucked into making banners and mucking around with HTML and CSS codes. Right now I have a background image that is refusing to obey the no-repeat command. Nice. But I'll keep looking for a way to fix it because I'm stubborn that way and because one of my friends at work runs the university's web tech group. I have contacts. Insider knowledge and expertise. So why is it so much more fun to muddle with it myself? I get plenty of opportunities to cuss in real life. I don't need blogger for that.
Anyway, since I'm almost done with my first draft, I'll be taking a break soon to write some website content for the new blog. I'll have info about the story premise, the characters, etc, as well as photographs and other cool things. I'm leaning heavily toward publishing the whole story online once I've been through a couple good edits and a beta read or two. So look for more info about this project soon!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
WIP Update!
I broke 60K here in the wee hours of Sunday morning, and I finally got my MC and her man in bed. Sheesh. I'd been trying to make that happen all week but between their chaotic lives and my limited time for writing during the week, I only just now got to that scene.
Well, it was worth it, both for plot purposes and because what's the point of having characters if you don't torture them a little by making them wait and throwing a few needless (to them, not to the plot) deaths between them and their desires?
A lot of interesting things are happening with this story-- themes I hadn't planned are emerging and characters are developing in unanticipated ways. I'm a little concerned that I may have too many characters and sub-plots, but that's a matter for the editing phase. For now I'm just enjoying being in the zone with these characters, and I hope they keep talking to me and get me to the end with a minimum of difficulties. Ideally, I'd like to be done with the draft before I go on vacation next month. At my current rate of progress, it just might happen!
Well, it was worth it, both for plot purposes and because what's the point of having characters if you don't torture them a little by making them wait and throwing a few needless (to them, not to the plot) deaths between them and their desires?
A lot of interesting things are happening with this story-- themes I hadn't planned are emerging and characters are developing in unanticipated ways. I'm a little concerned that I may have too many characters and sub-plots, but that's a matter for the editing phase. For now I'm just enjoying being in the zone with these characters, and I hope they keep talking to me and get me to the end with a minimum of difficulties. Ideally, I'd like to be done with the draft before I go on vacation next month. At my current rate of progress, it just might happen!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!
Lots of fun stories for the occasion at the Valentine's Day Flash Fiction Carnival!
Check it out and have a great day!
Check it out and have a great day!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Squee!!!
I sold a story!!! My first real publishing cred! Go, me!
More later, after I get all the details!
UPDATE: Got my contract, everything looks good. I need to make a few small changes to my story and then sign and return the contract. Once all the ink is dry, I'll be good to go and my story "Masquerade at Well Country Camp" will be appearing in Flash Fiction Online's February issue.
I expect it to be officially official no later than Tuesday!
More later, after I get all the details!
UPDATE: Got my contract, everything looks good. I need to make a few small changes to my story and then sign and return the contract. Once all the ink is dry, I'll be good to go and my story "Masquerade at Well Country Camp" will be appearing in Flash Fiction Online's February issue.
I expect it to be officially official no later than Tuesday!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Announcements!
Now that I'm submitting stories to contests and paying markets, it's about time I had a more serious website. It's here, and I'd appreciate tips and suggestions.
I've also prettified my Lulu Storefront and would appreciate thoughts on my new banner. You'll see I've got my newly-compiled "Will and Diana Adventures" ready for purchase (it's also available in Kindle format at Amazon). It has two stories that have not been posted here, and lots of nifty pictures, like in "My New-Found Land."
And speaking of "My New-Found Land," Thomma has a very nice review of it on her site. Thanks, Thomma! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
And finally, I know it's the holidays, folks, and I'm as guilty as anyone of comment laziness, but a lot of people contributed some very fine stories to the Holiday Flash Fiction Carnival, so please take a minute to read and comment. The person looking for comment love tomorrow might be you, yanno.
I've also prettified my Lulu Storefront and would appreciate thoughts on my new banner. You'll see I've got my newly-compiled "Will and Diana Adventures" ready for purchase (it's also available in Kindle format at Amazon). It has two stories that have not been posted here, and lots of nifty pictures, like in "My New-Found Land."
And speaking of "My New-Found Land," Thomma has a very nice review of it on her site. Thanks, Thomma! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
And finally, I know it's the holidays, folks, and I'm as guilty as anyone of comment laziness, but a lot of people contributed some very fine stories to the Holiday Flash Fiction Carnival, so please take a minute to read and comment. The person looking for comment love tomorrow might be you, yanno.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Reading in Decline
According to a new study from the National Endowment for the Arts, not only are Americans reading fewer books, they're reading less of everything. This includes not just print media but online news sources, blogs, and presumably even the backs of cereal boxes.
The study found that in 2006, 15-to-24-year-olds spent an average of seven minutes on voluntary reading on weekdays and 10 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays, while finding time to watch two hours or more of television each day.
And if you think the older generations read more, don't get your hopes up. They're not better by much. In 2006 people ages 35 to 44 read only 12 minutes a day, and Americans 65 and older read less than an hour each weekday and just over an hour on weekends.
Even when Americans do read, apparently they don't do it very well. The proportion of 12th graders reading at or above the proficient level fell from 40% in 1992 to 35% in 2005. The percentage of proficient readers among college graduates declined by 23% and by 10% among Americans who had been to graduate school.
According to the study, employers are spending more than 3.1 billion annually on remedial training in reading and writing for their employees.
The problem isn't with writers, apparently, since according to Dana Goia, NEA chairman, "I don't think, in a country that publishes 100,000 books a year, the problem is that people can't find something they want to read." Rather, he cites America as having become "distracted as a society," caught up in multitasking and electronic media.
What does this mean for fiction writers? Well, we've been seeing it for awhile. No longer can a writer ease into the story with lush description of time and place like Dickens and Hardy used to do. Now your opening line, your "hook," is the make-or-break moment. If you can't capture an agent or reader's attention in the first few words, you're sunk. The change in public attention spans also shows up in word counts. No matter how good your novel, unless you're a well-established author, your story is unlikely to find a publisher if it goes much over 100,000 words. Quality doesn't even factor into the equation.
At the same time, competition for agents is tight, with some agencies getting over 20,000 queries per year. With reading on the decline and the number of manuscripts on the rise, is it any wonder there's so much anxiety in the literary world? Things are in a state of flux and people are scrambling for solutions: e-publishing, POD, the new Kindle e-reader, and of course the old standby, "Just write a better book. Get lucky with the market trends."
But really, if reading is on the decline in all mediums, how much does it matter whether your book is published in trade paperback or downloadable pdf? Maybe you'll get lucky and hit it big, maybe you won't. Hone your craft and hope for the big break, but don't drain your cell phone batteries waiting for the agent to call.
Instead, write for the love of it. Write because in a world where so many spend their non-working hours zoned out in front of the television, we're engaged in a challenging creative pursuit that requires us to think, grow, and stretch our boundaries. The pleasure we take in our fictional worlds and imaginary friends may be the only real profit we get out of our efforts, but in a stressful world where so little is within our span of control, this is no small thing.
"To Read or Not to Read" available from NEA Publications.
The study found that in 2006, 15-to-24-year-olds spent an average of seven minutes on voluntary reading on weekdays and 10 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays, while finding time to watch two hours or more of television each day.
And if you think the older generations read more, don't get your hopes up. They're not better by much. In 2006 people ages 35 to 44 read only 12 minutes a day, and Americans 65 and older read less than an hour each weekday and just over an hour on weekends.
Even when Americans do read, apparently they don't do it very well. The proportion of 12th graders reading at or above the proficient level fell from 40% in 1992 to 35% in 2005. The percentage of proficient readers among college graduates declined by 23% and by 10% among Americans who had been to graduate school.
According to the study, employers are spending more than 3.1 billion annually on remedial training in reading and writing for their employees.
The problem isn't with writers, apparently, since according to Dana Goia, NEA chairman, "I don't think, in a country that publishes 100,000 books a year, the problem is that people can't find something they want to read." Rather, he cites America as having become "distracted as a society," caught up in multitasking and electronic media.
What does this mean for fiction writers? Well, we've been seeing it for awhile. No longer can a writer ease into the story with lush description of time and place like Dickens and Hardy used to do. Now your opening line, your "hook," is the make-or-break moment. If you can't capture an agent or reader's attention in the first few words, you're sunk. The change in public attention spans also shows up in word counts. No matter how good your novel, unless you're a well-established author, your story is unlikely to find a publisher if it goes much over 100,000 words. Quality doesn't even factor into the equation.
At the same time, competition for agents is tight, with some agencies getting over 20,000 queries per year. With reading on the decline and the number of manuscripts on the rise, is it any wonder there's so much anxiety in the literary world? Things are in a state of flux and people are scrambling for solutions: e-publishing, POD, the new Kindle e-reader, and of course the old standby, "Just write a better book. Get lucky with the market trends."
But really, if reading is on the decline in all mediums, how much does it matter whether your book is published in trade paperback or downloadable pdf? Maybe you'll get lucky and hit it big, maybe you won't. Hone your craft and hope for the big break, but don't drain your cell phone batteries waiting for the agent to call.
Instead, write for the love of it. Write because in a world where so many spend their non-working hours zoned out in front of the television, we're engaged in a challenging creative pursuit that requires us to think, grow, and stretch our boundaries. The pleasure we take in our fictional worlds and imaginary friends may be the only real profit we get out of our efforts, but in a stressful world where so little is within our span of control, this is no small thing.
"To Read or Not to Read" available from NEA Publications.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Custom Fiction
I ran across this story in the Chronicle of Higher Education this week. It's about someone who is compiling digital information in such a way that it can be printed in POD format, but customized:
I can see how this would work for certain types of non-fiction texts, but it got me wondering if there might be fiction applications, too. Obviously in a bricks-and-mortar bookstore, there would have to be a "standard" version of a novel. But what if when you purchased online, you could choose between the happy ending and the tragic ending? The PG version or the R or even X-rated version? Abridged or unabridged? Maybe you just want the first three chapters, to see if you're going to like it.
I realize that abridged versions and changed endings aren't new to the publishing industry, but in the past, one hasn't always gotten a choice of which version to buy. Someone has to decide, for example that they'll print a certain number of copies of A Clockwork Orange with one ending, and a certain number of copies with the other ending. Someone is making decisions about what they think will sell, and if they guess wrong either they or the reader will be unhappy. But in a POD format with the reader deciding what they want, there is no risk to the publisher that they'll get stuck with a warehouse full of unwanted pulp.
I hope to keep an eye on how this customization works in actual practice. It might be fun to write a story that the reader can adapt to his or her personal tastes.
If all goes as planned, the book will be published digitally, and it will allow each reader to create a personal version of the text, based on his or her interest in reading digitized excerpts of the unpublished messages and other source material.
The librarian hopes to let people print hardbound copies of the book, each of them customized and unique. “The notion of the final fixed copy is giving way,” he says. “Texts are always in flux.”
I can see how this would work for certain types of non-fiction texts, but it got me wondering if there might be fiction applications, too. Obviously in a bricks-and-mortar bookstore, there would have to be a "standard" version of a novel. But what if when you purchased online, you could choose between the happy ending and the tragic ending? The PG version or the R or even X-rated version? Abridged or unabridged? Maybe you just want the first three chapters, to see if you're going to like it.
I realize that abridged versions and changed endings aren't new to the publishing industry, but in the past, one hasn't always gotten a choice of which version to buy. Someone has to decide, for example that they'll print a certain number of copies of A Clockwork Orange with one ending, and a certain number of copies with the other ending. Someone is making decisions about what they think will sell, and if they guess wrong either they or the reader will be unhappy. But in a POD format with the reader deciding what they want, there is no risk to the publisher that they'll get stuck with a warehouse full of unwanted pulp.
I hope to keep an eye on how this customization works in actual practice. It might be fun to write a story that the reader can adapt to his or her personal tastes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
