Bonus points to those who caught the movie reference in the title.
Over the last couple of years I have found myself amused at the similarities between the reader and the writer. We both want a good story. We cheer the good guy, jeer the bad guy. Sometimes we even find ourselves wanting to find some nugget of good in the bad. And the similarities carry on and on.
I often tell people I write what the people in my head tell me to write. Other writers understand the premise, my wife and many readers fear I am mildly insane. Yes, I am. My characters have to have some semblance of "real" to them in order for them to come across as believable in the readers eyes.
So, as I write, though I have the rough story in mind, the characters guide the story. They do things as they would do them, not as I would want them to do. Many times their reactions surprise me and toss the storyline from its straight line. In essence, the story unfolds for myself, as a writer, in much the same manner that it unfolds for you, the reader.
When it comes to the end of the book, I feel much the same anticipation as you do. How will this end? What happens next? It always seems the last few chapters of a good book holds my attention the most asss I read them, and it does much the same as I write. I experienced this when I wrapped up the rough draft of Blood of Two and I am experiencing the same feeling as I roll to the finish with the follow-up.
It's not just the excitement of completing this phase of the project, but it is the story. I have an idea of how this book ends, much like I do when I read Stephen King or John Grisham. I may have an idea, but I want to know. What will these characters do when they are faced with these events? You would think I know, but I do not. This is one of the reasons I find writing so exhilarating. I get to experience those same emotions I have as a reader, and I am writing the darn story!
I only hope that one day my skills reach the level that I can spend my time living these stories without the intrusion of a real job.
Quick update on the progress of Drums of Rallinwar - Book Two:
A stormy spring interrupted what I had going. It wasn't just the cleanup alone, but my mind was on more important things. The tornadoes had a devastating impact on friends and family. If I wasn't helping with the cleanup, I was thinking about it. Honestly, the book had fallen down the list of priorities.
Things are still not as they should be, and likely will never be. Even as I type this I yearn for things to return to some sort of normal. However, the last week I have been able to set aside a substantial amount of time for the project, and my mind has been on the task. The progress has been amazing. My wife has been amazing for allowing me to lock myself away for hours at a time.
I anticipate the completion of the brain purge within the next few days. With that said, there is still a long road of editing ahead. I have told you before, I will not release a substandard product to meet a deadline. I will put every effort into making Book Two better than the first.
Look for the new title in November. I will keep you updated. And most of all, thank you for your understanding.
Showing posts with label prose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prose. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
In the Beginning
I suppose my latest theme on this blog has been opinions on writing. Sometimes I feel a bit pretentious offering up these opinions, and someday I may find myself disagreeing with what I write today, but keep in mind these are just the mere opinions of an old man still perfecting his craft.
I was a part of an interesting discussion this week and it involved where to begin when writing a story. In the writing world, we call this the Point of Attack. In a world filled with expectations of instant gratification, Point of Attack is extremely important. I guess it goes without saying (yet I'll say it anyway), it hasn't always been this way.
One of the traps that we fall into, as writers, is trying to emulate successful stories of the past, but when you do so with tunnel vision you may be setting yourself up for failure. Would Moby Dick even make it to print in today's environment? Would The Hobbit take so long to get off the ground? In my opinion, no.
We are programmed to believe Moby Dick and The Hobbit are wonderful tales that must be read, so we suffer through what we would now consider shortcomings in an effort to find that wonderful tale. If either tale was published, as they are, next week, they would fall off into obscurity. Not because they are bad stories, but because they aren't written to match up with today's expectations.
So, as writers, we can't pick up a book written before our parents were born, copy the formula, and expect the same results. No matter how good our tale may be.
Which brings me back to the Point of Attack.
Some people say you must engage the reader within the first five pages, others say the first five sentences, and they may both be right, so it behooves me, as a writer, to start the story off in an engaging manner. We want to share with the readers every aspect of our characters. We want them to see where they came from and why they are who they are today. But, if we begin a story with the birth of our character, we may lose the reader in those first five pages and never get to share the growth of the character with them.
You can share all there is to share and still engage the reader. Begin your story with some conflict, and sprinkle in the past along the way. Probably not in flashbacks, as they are often overused, but a couple of sentences can say a lot.
"Ole Joe knows hospitals better than anyone in this room. What with that cancer he had as a child."
You don't even know Joe, but your imagination just painted a picture of his childhood.
When I say to begin a story with conflict, don't take that to mean you must begin with an epic fantasy battle or the like. A simple conflict will do. Think about an opening chapter where Joe is panicking because he forgot to pay the water bill and it's cutoff day. Zipping through traffic to get to the utilities office before noon. Worried about his wife's reaction. Hoping the check doesn't bounce. This is real world situation that could very well connect with your reader. They find themselves wanting to know if he gets the bill paid on time. How much more mundane can you get? But, this is conflict in the writing world. And, as an added bonus, it is something the reader can connect with.
So when someone tells you to start the story at the beginning, keep in mind the beginning of the story may not be the beginning of your character's story. If we did that, The Hobbit would have began "There once was a hobbit born in the Shire."
I was a part of an interesting discussion this week and it involved where to begin when writing a story. In the writing world, we call this the Point of Attack. In a world filled with expectations of instant gratification, Point of Attack is extremely important. I guess it goes without saying (yet I'll say it anyway), it hasn't always been this way.
One of the traps that we fall into, as writers, is trying to emulate successful stories of the past, but when you do so with tunnel vision you may be setting yourself up for failure. Would Moby Dick even make it to print in today's environment? Would The Hobbit take so long to get off the ground? In my opinion, no.
We are programmed to believe Moby Dick and The Hobbit are wonderful tales that must be read, so we suffer through what we would now consider shortcomings in an effort to find that wonderful tale. If either tale was published, as they are, next week, they would fall off into obscurity. Not because they are bad stories, but because they aren't written to match up with today's expectations.
So, as writers, we can't pick up a book written before our parents were born, copy the formula, and expect the same results. No matter how good our tale may be.
Which brings me back to the Point of Attack.
Some people say you must engage the reader within the first five pages, others say the first five sentences, and they may both be right, so it behooves me, as a writer, to start the story off in an engaging manner. We want to share with the readers every aspect of our characters. We want them to see where they came from and why they are who they are today. But, if we begin a story with the birth of our character, we may lose the reader in those first five pages and never get to share the growth of the character with them.
You can share all there is to share and still engage the reader. Begin your story with some conflict, and sprinkle in the past along the way. Probably not in flashbacks, as they are often overused, but a couple of sentences can say a lot.
"Ole Joe knows hospitals better than anyone in this room. What with that cancer he had as a child."
You don't even know Joe, but your imagination just painted a picture of his childhood.
When I say to begin a story with conflict, don't take that to mean you must begin with an epic fantasy battle or the like. A simple conflict will do. Think about an opening chapter where Joe is panicking because he forgot to pay the water bill and it's cutoff day. Zipping through traffic to get to the utilities office before noon. Worried about his wife's reaction. Hoping the check doesn't bounce. This is real world situation that could very well connect with your reader. They find themselves wanting to know if he gets the bill paid on time. How much more mundane can you get? But, this is conflict in the writing world. And, as an added bonus, it is something the reader can connect with.
So when someone tells you to start the story at the beginning, keep in mind the beginning of the story may not be the beginning of your character's story. If we did that, The Hobbit would have began "There once was a hobbit born in the Shire."
Monday, June 10, 2013
Imagery
It has been a typical Oklahoma spring around here. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and the chaos that surrounds them has been ongoing for a few weeks. As with most Oklahomans, I have spent my days dealing with the aftermath of Mother Nature's fury, and my evenings staring at the television screen and hoping the next twister finds empty fields.
Somewhere along the way, Summer sneaked in through the back door.
I know, officially it is not Summer, but Mother Nature isn't much for schedules. I stepped outside yesterday morning to take care of some yard work and broke into a sweat before the mower hummed to life. So, now we shift gears into a typical Oklahoma summer; hot, humid, and windy till the sun goes down, and then the wind will sometimes calm where you're left with just plain old hot and humid.
While I'm sitting in front of the television with the AC blowing full bore and a tall glass of lemonade in my hand, an Oklahoma Tourism commercial comes across the screen. The scenes are inviting and made me yearn to load up the camper and find some of those beautiful corners of the state. Then it hit me; those images on the screen felt inviting, by design, but they lacked an element of truth. They were all missing the people gathered beneath a shade tree with drinks that used to have ice in them, holding them to their foreheads while fanning themselves with the other hand. They also missed the constant drone of cicada's in the background.
This brought to mind imagery in my writing. Most author's know that part of bringing the reader into the story is utilizing the senses. Most of the time we rely on sight, but there is more to story-telling than painting a picture, though we can use that image to project other impacts on our senses.
The ceiling fan creaked with every rotation and once again Jonus wrote down oil on his mental list of things to do. It would have to wait. He leaned back in the chair and wiped the moisture from his brow with an already damp kitchen towel. The smell of coconut oil told him Thea was escaping to the pool before he saw her prance across the room in her new two-piece she had paid far too much for. He unbuttoned his shirt and felt the breeze on his soaked skin.
Feeling warm? Passages like that help bring the reader into the story, and take note that the word heat was never used. There is something about sound of a creaking ceiling fan, or the smell of coconut oil that brings summer to mind.
To me, Steinbeck was a master of imagery. Pick up any of his stories and you'll have an urge to sit in front of a fan, or snuggle up to the fireplace. One day, I hope to be that good.
So unless you are selling vacations in a hot and humid state, don't forget imagery. Utilizing senses other than sight alone will help bring readers into your world.
Somewhere along the way, Summer sneaked in through the back door.
I know, officially it is not Summer, but Mother Nature isn't much for schedules. I stepped outside yesterday morning to take care of some yard work and broke into a sweat before the mower hummed to life. So, now we shift gears into a typical Oklahoma summer; hot, humid, and windy till the sun goes down, and then the wind will sometimes calm where you're left with just plain old hot and humid.
While I'm sitting in front of the television with the AC blowing full bore and a tall glass of lemonade in my hand, an Oklahoma Tourism commercial comes across the screen. The scenes are inviting and made me yearn to load up the camper and find some of those beautiful corners of the state. Then it hit me; those images on the screen felt inviting, by design, but they lacked an element of truth. They were all missing the people gathered beneath a shade tree with drinks that used to have ice in them, holding them to their foreheads while fanning themselves with the other hand. They also missed the constant drone of cicada's in the background.
This brought to mind imagery in my writing. Most author's know that part of bringing the reader into the story is utilizing the senses. Most of the time we rely on sight, but there is more to story-telling than painting a picture, though we can use that image to project other impacts on our senses.
The ceiling fan creaked with every rotation and once again Jonus wrote down oil on his mental list of things to do. It would have to wait. He leaned back in the chair and wiped the moisture from his brow with an already damp kitchen towel. The smell of coconut oil told him Thea was escaping to the pool before he saw her prance across the room in her new two-piece she had paid far too much for. He unbuttoned his shirt and felt the breeze on his soaked skin.
Feeling warm? Passages like that help bring the reader into the story, and take note that the word heat was never used. There is something about sound of a creaking ceiling fan, or the smell of coconut oil that brings summer to mind.
To me, Steinbeck was a master of imagery. Pick up any of his stories and you'll have an urge to sit in front of a fan, or snuggle up to the fireplace. One day, I hope to be that good.
So unless you are selling vacations in a hot and humid state, don't forget imagery. Utilizing senses other than sight alone will help bring readers into your world.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Fear of Technology
It seems that most of my discussions lately have revolved around writing. Go figure. That's what I have been spending most of my time doing; writing.
Computers are all around us. If you are reading this, you are doing so via some incarnation of a computer. Chances are, your car operates because of a computer. Modern flat screen televisions utilize computers. Your cell phone is a computer. When you withdraw money from your bank account, you most likely do so through the use of a computer (ATM). Cash registers have evolved into computers that make that nostalgic cha-ching noise.
So why so scared?
I work around a bunch of scared little people. They have to interact with computers on a daily basis in order to complete their jobs, yet they want nothing to do with them.
Myself? I embrace technology and wonder how I can make it work for me. I constantly write programs to make my life, and others, easier. That is just one of the many things I get paid to do. So it only makes sense that I would seek help from a computer to improve my writing. Right?
Wow, don't bring that up in the writing workshop forum that I was formerly a member of.
The computer is only as intelligent as the programmer. As a programmer, I teach the computer to do what I need done so the task can be performed reliably and efficiently.
In the writing world, what needs to be done reliably and efficiently?
Editing.
I just felt several people from that workshop cringe. Get over it.
Editing software does what I do (and will continue to do) reliably and efficiently. I promise you, it will catch "now", when I meant "know" more often than I will. Or how about "through" and "threw"? I can edit a piece of work, much like my editing of Diplomat Elanya this last weekend, and still miss things. When I dump it off to my editors, they will catch things and make notes, but they too will still miss things. It is the way humans work; we are glorious imperfect beings. We can scan a document and look specifically for "teh" and miss it a hundred times, a computer will catch it every time.
Editing software is just another editor. I had three editors, now I have four. Guess what? I can ignore number four just as easily as I ignore numbers one, two, and three.
By no means am I saying that every writer needs to use editing software. I am saying that it is another tool available that has the potential to help you grow. Just as Frank from Edits R Us can be another editor to use in your process, so can the computer. It doesn't replace the human factor, it can't.
But, don't let your fear of technology hold you back.
And don't name your editing software Frank. I already named mine that.
Shameless plug:
My short story The Leaf Pendant is available for free at most e-book sellers (except Amazon). My book Blood of Two is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Smashwords, and a multitude of other e-book retailers. You can also pick up the paperback (though it is a bit pricey) at Amazon. Read it, rate it, review it, and most of all, enjoy it.
Computers are all around us. If you are reading this, you are doing so via some incarnation of a computer. Chances are, your car operates because of a computer. Modern flat screen televisions utilize computers. Your cell phone is a computer. When you withdraw money from your bank account, you most likely do so through the use of a computer (ATM). Cash registers have evolved into computers that make that nostalgic cha-ching noise.
So why so scared?
I work around a bunch of scared little people. They have to interact with computers on a daily basis in order to complete their jobs, yet they want nothing to do with them.
Myself? I embrace technology and wonder how I can make it work for me. I constantly write programs to make my life, and others, easier. That is just one of the many things I get paid to do. So it only makes sense that I would seek help from a computer to improve my writing. Right?
Wow, don't bring that up in the writing workshop forum that I was formerly a member of.
The computer is only as intelligent as the programmer. As a programmer, I teach the computer to do what I need done so the task can be performed reliably and efficiently.
In the writing world, what needs to be done reliably and efficiently?
Editing.
I just felt several people from that workshop cringe. Get over it.
Editing software does what I do (and will continue to do) reliably and efficiently. I promise you, it will catch "now", when I meant "know" more often than I will. Or how about "through" and "threw"? I can edit a piece of work, much like my editing of Diplomat Elanya this last weekend, and still miss things. When I dump it off to my editors, they will catch things and make notes, but they too will still miss things. It is the way humans work; we are glorious imperfect beings. We can scan a document and look specifically for "teh" and miss it a hundred times, a computer will catch it every time.
Editing software is just another editor. I had three editors, now I have four. Guess what? I can ignore number four just as easily as I ignore numbers one, two, and three.
I don't want everyone's prose to be the same...Seriously? This is an actual line from a concerned writer. Really? This isn't the Jetsons where Elroy feeds an essay into a computer and the computer spits out an edited sterile dissertation. Editing software offers suggestions (like a human editor) based upon data and algorithms created by a human. You can accept the suggestions and make corrections, like you would with a human editor, or you can ignore the suggestions, like you would with a human editor. The choice still remains with the writer.
By no means am I saying that every writer needs to use editing software. I am saying that it is another tool available that has the potential to help you grow. Just as Frank from Edits R Us can be another editor to use in your process, so can the computer. It doesn't replace the human factor, it can't.
But, don't let your fear of technology hold you back.
And don't name your editing software Frank. I already named mine that.
Shameless plug:
My short story The Leaf Pendant is available for free at most e-book sellers (except Amazon). My book Blood of Two is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Smashwords, and a multitude of other e-book retailers. You can also pick up the paperback (though it is a bit pricey) at Amazon. Read it, rate it, review it, and most of all, enjoy it.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Sometimes it just works
Since the release of Blood of Two in August, I have had conversations with readers (some friends/family, some not). To my pleasant surprise, some elements of my story worked how I wanted them to.
When I created Tarimot, he was to be the comic relief, but he didn't agree. He became more of the advisor to the group and not so much funny, though he does have his moments. But, one of the things that I used to round him out was his speech pattern. I actually have a file called Tarimots cadence that I revisit from time to time just to make sure I write his dialog correctly. In my mind, this wasn't really a big thing, but many of the readers picked up on this and were complementary of it. I was told by one reader that he felt like I could write a paragraph of Tarimot's dialog, and it would be apparent that he was the speaker without the use of a speaker attribute. If I could pull this off with all of my characters, I would be ecstatic.
Blood of Two had its share of unexpected events, at least I hoped it did when I was writing them. Again, I was happy to find out that they worked as I wanted. One character was expected to go off the deep end, but most of the readers didn't expect the degree of the dive. There were a couple of deaths in the book, and one in particular that made a reader or two really ticked at the author (mission accomplished). I wanted to create characters that got the reader hooked, and for the most part I succeeded.
One death scene received the greatest complement I could hear. The reader told me that the emotion and reactions of the characters around this one death was so spot on that he assumed that I had suffered the same loss. I was so taken aback that I failed to tell him that I hadn't.
And finally, there was the end of the book. I agonized over it for months. It still bothers me from time to time. It came across as so damned altruistic, but the readers liked it. That's what counts in this business of sharing the imagination.
The point of this post? I once read, in one of my many writing books, that if you are particularly proud of a scene, or phrase, get rid of it. Balderdash. If after a few edits, you are still proud of it, then it must be good. I have several readers that will back me up on this one.
Sometimes, it just works.
Shameless plug:
Blood of Two (Drums of Rallinwar: Book One) is available at most e-book outlets. Check it out at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Diesel, Smashwords, and other electronic retailers. Buy it, rate it, review it.
When I created Tarimot, he was to be the comic relief, but he didn't agree. He became more of the advisor to the group and not so much funny, though he does have his moments. But, one of the things that I used to round him out was his speech pattern. I actually have a file called Tarimots cadence that I revisit from time to time just to make sure I write his dialog correctly. In my mind, this wasn't really a big thing, but many of the readers picked up on this and were complementary of it. I was told by one reader that he felt like I could write a paragraph of Tarimot's dialog, and it would be apparent that he was the speaker without the use of a speaker attribute. If I could pull this off with all of my characters, I would be ecstatic.
Blood of Two had its share of unexpected events, at least I hoped it did when I was writing them. Again, I was happy to find out that they worked as I wanted. One character was expected to go off the deep end, but most of the readers didn't expect the degree of the dive. There were a couple of deaths in the book, and one in particular that made a reader or two really ticked at the author (mission accomplished). I wanted to create characters that got the reader hooked, and for the most part I succeeded.
One death scene received the greatest complement I could hear. The reader told me that the emotion and reactions of the characters around this one death was so spot on that he assumed that I had suffered the same loss. I was so taken aback that I failed to tell him that I hadn't.
And finally, there was the end of the book. I agonized over it for months. It still bothers me from time to time. It came across as so damned altruistic, but the readers liked it. That's what counts in this business of sharing the imagination.
The point of this post? I once read, in one of my many writing books, that if you are particularly proud of a scene, or phrase, get rid of it. Balderdash. If after a few edits, you are still proud of it, then it must be good. I have several readers that will back me up on this one.
Sometimes, it just works.
Shameless plug:
Blood of Two (Drums of Rallinwar: Book One) is available at most e-book outlets. Check it out at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Diesel, Smashwords, and other electronic retailers. Buy it, rate it, review it.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Characters do the Darndest Things
I get asked a couple of standard questions by those who have read Blood of Two.
What will happen to (insert character name here)in the second book?
How many books will encompass Drums of Rallinwar?
Both of these questions can only be answered by the characters. Sorry, I have little to no input here. I know it sounds a bit looney, but it is true.
When I sit down to write, I have an idea of what scenes I will be writing that day. This usually goes hand in hand with a (loose) outline of the book. That is as far as I can plan, because more often than not, the characters have their own ideas of what needs to happen.
Each character has their own personality. While I may want Aeldon to sit back and take insolence from one of the Keeper's; he has other ideas. You can guess where he will take a scene, and it will usually end with a sore hand. I can't force a character to do something that is a departure from their personality. That is not to say that they never surprise me.
The first scene in the second book with Qa'Veck took me off guard. It was a simple scene meant to show us his new duties. His reaction to the changes in Dalthanalle was not what I expected, yet it fit with his character. Unfortunately, his reaction doesn't fit with a future scene I had schemed for him.
So, you see, I know what I want to happen in book two, but the mystery remains as to what the characters will allow to happen. The destination is clear, but they are the navigators for this journey, and some of the paths they choose make driving difficult. Maybe difficult is a poor choice of words. Exciting, interesting. Definately different than I had planned.
C. Hollis Gunter
p.s. I sign this post only to populate search engines...
p.s.s But who is going to google my name...
p.s.s.s Maybe I should also include: author of Blood of Two...
p.s.s.s.s Now who would google that?
What will happen to (insert character name here)
How many books will encompass Drums of Rallinwar?
Both of these questions can only be answered by the characters. Sorry, I have little to no input here. I know it sounds a bit looney, but it is true.
When I sit down to write, I have an idea of what scenes I will be writing that day. This usually goes hand in hand with a (loose) outline of the book. That is as far as I can plan, because more often than not, the characters have their own ideas of what needs to happen.
Each character has their own personality. While I may want Aeldon to sit back and take insolence from one of the Keeper's; he has other ideas. You can guess where he will take a scene, and it will usually end with a sore hand. I can't force a character to do something that is a departure from their personality. That is not to say that they never surprise me.
The first scene in the second book with Qa'Veck took me off guard. It was a simple scene meant to show us his new duties. His reaction to the changes in Dalthanalle was not what I expected, yet it fit with his character. Unfortunately, his reaction doesn't fit with a future scene I had schemed for him.
So, you see, I know what I want to happen in book two, but the mystery remains as to what the characters will allow to happen. The destination is clear, but they are the navigators for this journey, and some of the paths they choose make driving difficult. Maybe difficult is a poor choice of words. Exciting, interesting. Definately different than I had planned.
C. Hollis Gunter
p.s. I sign this post only to populate search engines...
p.s.s But who is going to google my name...
p.s.s.s Maybe I should also include: author of Blood of Two...
p.s.s.s.s Now who would google that?
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Book Next
I actually started the next novel. Like others, this one has been rolling around in my noggin for some time. I believe that I picked a good point of attack. The main character is lying in the field, trapped beneath the body of a fallen comrade, with a broken body and a bruised psyche.
I wanted the opening to leave the reader as lost as the character, yet keep the reader engaged. I believe I pulled this off. I noticed at some point that there was a rhythm to the prose. Not really a poetic type of rhythm, but there was an obvious soundtrack lingering behind the sentences.
I like.
I would post a sample of it, but I am probably overly protective of my work. If it ever makes it in the glued bindings and tossed on a retail shelf, you can see it then.
Of course, I need to complete the first round of edits for the other novel...
I wanted the opening to leave the reader as lost as the character, yet keep the reader engaged. I believe I pulled this off. I noticed at some point that there was a rhythm to the prose. Not really a poetic type of rhythm, but there was an obvious soundtrack lingering behind the sentences.
I like.
I would post a sample of it, but I am probably overly protective of my work. If it ever makes it in the glued bindings and tossed on a retail shelf, you can see it then.
Of course, I need to complete the first round of edits for the other novel...
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