Stephen Penner's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
"Write what you know." New writers read and hear that everywhere. I think it's not bad advice, but it's limited in its usefulness and potentially dangerous to new writers. The basic idea makes sense: if you try to write about something you don't really know anything about, your writing will be inaccurate and unpersuasive. That makes sense. But the danger is that it suggests you should limit your writing to what you know before you start writing, and ignores the possibility you can learn about something well enough to write well about it. Plus some people might not relish spending hours and hours writing about something they already know inside out, thereby stifling a writer before the writing even begins.
I think better advice is to "write what you like." You will be more excited about writing if you like your subject matter, and when you come to those areas where you don't know enough to write well about it, your enthusiasm for the subject will enable you to do the necessary research with pleasure.
Fiction provides the reader a chance to escape what s/he already knows and experience a new world. There's no reason it can't provide that opportunity to the writer as well.
I think better advice is to "write what you like." You will be more excited about writing if you like your subject matter, and when you come to those areas where you don't know enough to write well about it, your enthusiasm for the subject will enable you to do the necessary research with pleasure.
Fiction provides the reader a chance to escape what s/he already knows and experience a new world. There's no reason it can't provide that opportunity to the writer as well.
So I was expecting to write a new blog post entitled "The Finish Line: Epilogue." I was going to tell you I had let the manuscript for Prof. Barrister's Dinosaur Mystery #4 sit for a week, gotten feedback from my coworkers' kids, made the last few edits, then finished the final illustrations, and sent the whole packet off to the publisher (Nimble Books LLC).
But a funny thing happened on the way to the submission. Well, actually a good thing. Two good things in fact.
First, before I could spend the weekend finishing off this first submittable version of book 4 (The Case of the Colorful Caudipteryx), I got back from the publisher the final copy edit for book 3 (The Case of the Enormous Eoraptor). So I will use my writing time to wrap up book 3 for good so it can get to the printer in time for release in Sept/Oct. Then I'll go back to book 4.
Second, although this doesn't impact finishing book 4, I definitely want to blog about it now and not wait until after I blog about finishing book 4. Here's the exciting news:
**I am now selling autographed copies of books 1 and 2 through my website, www.ProfessorBarrister.com**
They are only $12.50, which is 35% off list!
I added this feature late last night, Twittered and Facebooked this morning, and have already made several sales today! I'll be adding book 3 once it becomes available. So please head over and check it out:
http://www.ProfessorBarrister.com/Pur...
As always, thanks for your interest and support.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the submission. Well, actually a good thing. Two good things in fact.
First, before I could spend the weekend finishing off this first submittable version of book 4 (The Case of the Colorful Caudipteryx), I got back from the publisher the final copy edit for book 3 (The Case of the Enormous Eoraptor). So I will use my writing time to wrap up book 3 for good so it can get to the printer in time for release in Sept/Oct. Then I'll go back to book 4.
Second, although this doesn't impact finishing book 4, I definitely want to blog about it now and not wait until after I blog about finishing book 4. Here's the exciting news:
**I am now selling autographed copies of books 1 and 2 through my website, www.ProfessorBarrister.com**
They are only $12.50, which is 35% off list!
I added this feature late last night, Twittered and Facebooked this morning, and have already made several sales today! I'll be adding book 3 once it becomes available. So please head over and check it out:
http://www.ProfessorBarrister.com/Pur...
As always, thanks for your interest and support.
Hooray! I finally finished finishing! Two nights ago, in the wee hours of the morning, I completed the last tweaks and clean-ups to the illustrations (all 18 of them) and sent them along with the completed manuscript to my publisher, Nimble Books (Yay, Nimble Books! http://www.nimblebooks.com).
See, when I write a book, I do the story first. Makes sense, right? Can't know what to draw until I know what happens. Sure, I might have an idea as I write ("Ooh, definitely gonna put an illustration here") but the story comes first.
Then comes the agony of the illustrations. Okay, "agony" might be a strong word, but it's very different from writing. For one thing I can write pretty much anywhere. This blog post comes to you from my kitchen via my Android phone. And while I can SKETCH pretty much anywhere, a finished clean illustration requires me to sit at a lightbox for one stage, and at my home computer for another. And there's something to that phrase "a picture is worth 1000 words." There are a million pixels and I want every one to look right. A mistake in the middle of an illustration is like a typo, but worse, because people know a typo is a mistake, whereas with an illustration people might just think you can't draw very well.
But the worst part is that it takes a long time to sketch out, redraw, lightbox, final ink, scan, color and correct 18 illustrations. And that whole time THE STORY IS DONE! It's ready to be published, ready for the world to see, eager to be the attachment on the next email. But it just sits there while I decide what shade of purple/maroon the Ankylosaurus should be.
That just kills me.
But then I settle on the shade, and color everything in, and everything is done, and I finally send it to the publisher (Yay, Nimble Books!). And that feels REALLY GOOD.
So PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #4: THE CASE OF THE COLORFUL CAUDIPTERYX is written, drawn and off to the publisher.
PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #3: THE CASE OF THE ENORMOUS EORAPTOR is in final layout and will be available in a few short weeks.
And books #1 THE CASE OF THE TRUNCATED TROODON and #2 THE CASE OF THE ARMORED ALLOSAURUS are available now everwhere online (best price is autographed copies from my website!--> http://bit.ly/9eEaz9)
Thanks for following my progress on this. I'll be back soon. I write because I can't not. I have 5 different kids books spinning in my head right now, plus a novel. One is pretty far along already (fully outlined and half written--mostly from my phone), so I'll let you know more when there's more to know.
http://www.ProfessorBarrister.com
See, when I write a book, I do the story first. Makes sense, right? Can't know what to draw until I know what happens. Sure, I might have an idea as I write ("Ooh, definitely gonna put an illustration here") but the story comes first.
Then comes the agony of the illustrations. Okay, "agony" might be a strong word, but it's very different from writing. For one thing I can write pretty much anywhere. This blog post comes to you from my kitchen via my Android phone. And while I can SKETCH pretty much anywhere, a finished clean illustration requires me to sit at a lightbox for one stage, and at my home computer for another. And there's something to that phrase "a picture is worth 1000 words." There are a million pixels and I want every one to look right. A mistake in the middle of an illustration is like a typo, but worse, because people know a typo is a mistake, whereas with an illustration people might just think you can't draw very well.
But the worst part is that it takes a long time to sketch out, redraw, lightbox, final ink, scan, color and correct 18 illustrations. And that whole time THE STORY IS DONE! It's ready to be published, ready for the world to see, eager to be the attachment on the next email. But it just sits there while I decide what shade of purple/maroon the Ankylosaurus should be.
That just kills me.
But then I settle on the shade, and color everything in, and everything is done, and I finally send it to the publisher (Yay, Nimble Books!). And that feels REALLY GOOD.
So PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #4: THE CASE OF THE COLORFUL CAUDIPTERYX is written, drawn and off to the publisher.
PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #3: THE CASE OF THE ENORMOUS EORAPTOR is in final layout and will be available in a few short weeks.
And books #1 THE CASE OF THE TRUNCATED TROODON and #2 THE CASE OF THE ARMORED ALLOSAURUS are available now everwhere online (best price is autographed copies from my website!--> http://bit.ly/9eEaz9)
Thanks for following my progress on this. I'll be back soon. I write because I can't not. I have 5 different kids books spinning in my head right now, plus a novel. One is pretty far along already (fully outlined and half written--mostly from my phone), so I'll let you know more when there's more to know.
http://www.ProfessorBarrister.com
So I haven't blogged in a while, in part because I've been pretty busy, both writing and regular life (family, day job, etc). But it's a good busy and I'm pretty excited about my projects for the remainder of 2010.
First, I just finished a chaper-by-chapter outline for Professor Barrister #5. That means the next step is writing the actual words. Professor Barrister #4 is already written and illustrated. I'm just waiting on the edits from the publisher. When those come back it's "drop everything" time.
Second, I'm less than an hour away from finishing the edits for my other kids book work-in-progress (#wip for you Twitterers). Then it will be ready for what I've learned are now called 'beta-readers' -- people who read your manuscript and critique it. My betas will be the elementary school children of coworkers. I expect them to be brutal.
Third, I think I'm actually going to do this crazy 'National Novel Writing Month' challenge (#nanowrimo). I had an idea for an adult scifi novel but figured it would just sit and atrophy in my brain. But then I heard about NaNoWriMo and thought it would be a good excuse to try to get it down on paper. The challenge is to write 50,000 words in 30 days (November). In truth, a scifi novel needs to be more in the 80-100K range, but it's a start. I learned a while ago that I need external deadlines and exposure to motivate me (exposure=other people know my goals and deadlines) so I challenged two friends of mine who are aspiring authors to do it with me. A bit to my surprise, they accepted the challenge. So we've got a prep schedule and are meeting weekly to help each other stay on track.
Then, on top of it all, I have a huge project at work (#dayjob) that starts October 28th and will last into December. Probably the biggest thing so far in my career.
November will either be an epic fail or an epic success. When I was in college I always got better grades when I had too many classes, rather than too few, because I knew I had to buckle down and work. I'm hoping November will be like that again.
Wish me luck.
http://www.StephenPenner.com
First, I just finished a chaper-by-chapter outline for Professor Barrister #5. That means the next step is writing the actual words. Professor Barrister #4 is already written and illustrated. I'm just waiting on the edits from the publisher. When those come back it's "drop everything" time.
Second, I'm less than an hour away from finishing the edits for my other kids book work-in-progress (#wip for you Twitterers). Then it will be ready for what I've learned are now called 'beta-readers' -- people who read your manuscript and critique it. My betas will be the elementary school children of coworkers. I expect them to be brutal.
Third, I think I'm actually going to do this crazy 'National Novel Writing Month' challenge (#nanowrimo). I had an idea for an adult scifi novel but figured it would just sit and atrophy in my brain. But then I heard about NaNoWriMo and thought it would be a good excuse to try to get it down on paper. The challenge is to write 50,000 words in 30 days (November). In truth, a scifi novel needs to be more in the 80-100K range, but it's a start. I learned a while ago that I need external deadlines and exposure to motivate me (exposure=other people know my goals and deadlines) so I challenged two friends of mine who are aspiring authors to do it with me. A bit to my surprise, they accepted the challenge. So we've got a prep schedule and are meeting weekly to help each other stay on track.
Then, on top of it all, I have a huge project at work (#dayjob) that starts October 28th and will last into December. Probably the biggest thing so far in my career.
November will either be an epic fail or an epic success. When I was in college I always got better grades when I had too many classes, rather than too few, because I knew I had to buckle down and work. I'm hoping November will be like that again.
Wish me luck.
http://www.StephenPenner.com
I am pleased to report that this week I finished the first draft of Professor Barrister's Dinosaur Mysteries #5: THE CASE OF THE CRESTED CRYPTOCLIDUS!
This is very cool for at least two reasons
(1) Book #4 (THE CASE OF THE COLORFUL CAUDIPTERYX) is still in editing, so I'm working ahead, as it were; and
(2) It appears I have a lot of books in my head and I really enjoy writing them.
From what I hear, one of the keys to long term success as an author is being prolific, that is, writing a lot of books. A publisher wants an author who will continue to produce after the first book. As with a lot of things, the people who produce the most of something, or devote the most time to something, etc, tend to be those who actually enjoy doing it.
Turns out that's me! Whew. I have spent the last two months writing like crazy. In addition to Prof. Barrister #5, I "won" NaNoWriMo with over 50,000 words of a novel, and have also been editing/rewriting another work-in-progress.
I couldn't possibily do it if I didn't enjoy it. But I do. I really do.
And that's pretty cool, because it means I'll keep on writing.
http://www.StephenPenner.com
This is very cool for at least two reasons
(1) Book #4 (THE CASE OF THE COLORFUL CAUDIPTERYX) is still in editing, so I'm working ahead, as it were; and
(2) It appears I have a lot of books in my head and I really enjoy writing them.
From what I hear, one of the keys to long term success as an author is being prolific, that is, writing a lot of books. A publisher wants an author who will continue to produce after the first book. As with a lot of things, the people who produce the most of something, or devote the most time to something, etc, tend to be those who actually enjoy doing it.
Turns out that's me! Whew. I have spent the last two months writing like crazy. In addition to Prof. Barrister #5, I "won" NaNoWriMo with over 50,000 words of a novel, and have also been editing/rewriting another work-in-progress.
I couldn't possibily do it if I didn't enjoy it. But I do. I really do.
And that's pretty cool, because it means I'll keep on writing.
http://www.StephenPenner.com
So it's been a while since I blogged. Part of that was the holidays; part of it was using my writing time for writing. But it's been over a month since I posted so I figured it's a good time for an update.
I currently have too many irons in the fire. Well, not too many, but quite a few nonetheless. However, they are at different stages of forging and so I can stay busy with one while the others either heat up in the fire or cool down in the water.
PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #4: THE CASE OF THE COLORFUL CAUDIPTERYX is complete--both manuscript and FULL COLOR illustrations--and is with the publisher undergoing edits. I'm looking forward to getting it back, but there's nothing for me to do with it in the meantime.
The first draft of the manuscript for PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #5: THE CASE OF THE CRESTED CRYPTOCLIDUS is complete. It is sitting a bit to give me distance for when I go back to it for editing and polishing. Once that's done, I'll start on the illustrations. But no point in getting too far ahead until #4 is back from edits.
For more about the PROF BARRISTER books, check out http://www.ProfessorBarrister.com
I'm also working a different kids chapter book. On that one, the manuscript is done and has been sent off to various beta-readers (and, more importantly, their kids). I'm getting good and varied feedback and will be ready for the next round of edits in February. In the meantime, I've begun sketching out the illustrations.
Then there's that novel I wrote for National Novel Writing Month back in November. It finished up at a healthy 80,000 words--dead on for the genre (science fiction). It needs a LOT of work. Story structure, characterization, plotline consistency. And that's before I even get to editing for language and style. That one will be sitting in the fire a bit longer. I figure I'll be able to get to it this spring or maybe summer.
Finally, I remembed that I had a few projects in my desk drawer before I broke through with Professor Barrister and Nimble Books (shout out and thank you to Nimble Books!). Two picture book manuscripts (that I intended to illustrate with full page painted illustrations--I may NEVER have time for that!) and another chapter book style book. Those are irons over on the other side of the shop. But they're there.
So what I'm learning is a balance that works for me and which is built around a sometimes difficult concept: PATIENCE. It's going to take a while for a story to go from idea to finished book; there are a lot of steps along the way; and some of those steps include doing nothing while other people do things or time simply passes.
I used to feel like I was wasting time not doing any writing or drawing, but now I've figured out how to stagger my projects so I can work on one while the others sit and wait (heating or cooling as the case may be). This in turn helps me be patient as to any particular project, while also using my time to improve my craft.
It's slow, but I'm not in too big a hurry. I've learned that I want to take the time for the project to be good, not just done.
For more about me and my published books, check out http://www.StephenPenner.com
I currently have too many irons in the fire. Well, not too many, but quite a few nonetheless. However, they are at different stages of forging and so I can stay busy with one while the others either heat up in the fire or cool down in the water.
PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #4: THE CASE OF THE COLORFUL CAUDIPTERYX is complete--both manuscript and FULL COLOR illustrations--and is with the publisher undergoing edits. I'm looking forward to getting it back, but there's nothing for me to do with it in the meantime.
The first draft of the manuscript for PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES #5: THE CASE OF THE CRESTED CRYPTOCLIDUS is complete. It is sitting a bit to give me distance for when I go back to it for editing and polishing. Once that's done, I'll start on the illustrations. But no point in getting too far ahead until #4 is back from edits.
For more about the PROF BARRISTER books, check out http://www.ProfessorBarrister.com
I'm also working a different kids chapter book. On that one, the manuscript is done and has been sent off to various beta-readers (and, more importantly, their kids). I'm getting good and varied feedback and will be ready for the next round of edits in February. In the meantime, I've begun sketching out the illustrations.
Then there's that novel I wrote for National Novel Writing Month back in November. It finished up at a healthy 80,000 words--dead on for the genre (science fiction). It needs a LOT of work. Story structure, characterization, plotline consistency. And that's before I even get to editing for language and style. That one will be sitting in the fire a bit longer. I figure I'll be able to get to it this spring or maybe summer.
Finally, I remembed that I had a few projects in my desk drawer before I broke through with Professor Barrister and Nimble Books (shout out and thank you to Nimble Books!). Two picture book manuscripts (that I intended to illustrate with full page painted illustrations--I may NEVER have time for that!) and another chapter book style book. Those are irons over on the other side of the shop. But they're there.
So what I'm learning is a balance that works for me and which is built around a sometimes difficult concept: PATIENCE. It's going to take a while for a story to go from idea to finished book; there are a lot of steps along the way; and some of those steps include doing nothing while other people do things or time simply passes.
I used to feel like I was wasting time not doing any writing or drawing, but now I've figured out how to stagger my projects so I can work on one while the others sit and wait (heating or cooling as the case may be). This in turn helps me be patient as to any particular project, while also using my time to improve my craft.
It's slow, but I'm not in too big a hurry. I've learned that I want to take the time for the project to be good, not just done.
For more about me and my published books, check out http://www.StephenPenner.com
Most (all?) of you know me as the author and illustrator of PROFESSOR BARRISTER'S DINOSAUR MYSTERIES, a series of chapter books for K-3+. Many of you also know that, while I wait for PROF B #4 to get back from edits, I've been working on a new project. I haven't given a lot of details on it, for many different reasons, but for this post it will suffice to know: (1) the main character is a 4th grade girl, and (2) the manuscript is out with beta readers right now.
One of the beta readers is the wife of a coworker. She's an elementary school teacher in, well, a pretty rough part of a pretty tough town. A lot of her kids have a lot of disadvantages, and a big part of her job is just controlling the classroom.
One girl in the class is in 4th grade but reading at a 7th grade level. So she's pretty smart. But she also has defiance issues and so can be tricky to keep engaged.
Yesterday morning my friend's wife brought my manuscript to school and gave it to the girl first thing, to read quietly while the teacher tried to get the rest of the kids under control.
Now this is the MANUSCRIPT. No slick multicolor cover, in fact no illustrations at all (I'm still working on them). And it's not bound with nice large print either. It's courier 12 point on loose sheets of 8.5x11 copy paper.
The girl says okay and the teacher walks away. The teacher comes back a little bit later after getting the room (mostly) under control. The girl has read the first 3 chapters and is loving it. She tells the teacher that she totally got into the book, that she could see the characters and settings in her head, and she felt like she was there with them. And she wanted to keep reading so she could get back in there.
So this one little girl, with lots a disadvantages, and an uncertain future ahead of her, forgot about all of that for a few minutes while she entered a world I created.
I don't know if this book will ever be published, but I already know it was worth writing.
One of the beta readers is the wife of a coworker. She's an elementary school teacher in, well, a pretty rough part of a pretty tough town. A lot of her kids have a lot of disadvantages, and a big part of her job is just controlling the classroom.
One girl in the class is in 4th grade but reading at a 7th grade level. So she's pretty smart. But she also has defiance issues and so can be tricky to keep engaged.
Yesterday morning my friend's wife brought my manuscript to school and gave it to the girl first thing, to read quietly while the teacher tried to get the rest of the kids under control.
Now this is the MANUSCRIPT. No slick multicolor cover, in fact no illustrations at all (I'm still working on them). And it's not bound with nice large print either. It's courier 12 point on loose sheets of 8.5x11 copy paper.
The girl says okay and the teacher walks away. The teacher comes back a little bit later after getting the room (mostly) under control. The girl has read the first 3 chapters and is loving it. She tells the teacher that she totally got into the book, that she could see the characters and settings in her head, and she felt like she was there with them. And she wanted to keep reading so she could get back in there.
So this one little girl, with lots a disadvantages, and an uncertain future ahead of her, forgot about all of that for a few minutes while she entered a world I created.
I don't know if this book will ever be published, but I already know it was worth writing.
I was originally going to title this post "Long Time, No Blog" but then I thought of the subtitle "But I've Been Writing" and thought that sounded more positive. It's also true.
Now, to be sure, my lack of blogging hasn't been exclusively because I've been devoting all of my waking hours to the next great American novel. I've also had some huge stuff at the day job, and some important stuff at home to attend to. And I've also been writing, so it was hard to justify using what little writing time I had on blogging.
Which brings me to the point of this particular post. Blogging vs. Writing. There's a lot of buzz about authors' platforms, and how a blog is an important way to reach potential readers and fellow writers. I get that, but by definition it takes time away from real writing. I don't know the solution to this issue, but I think it's interesting. You're supposed to take time to blog about the writing you're not doing when you blog. At least Twitter is only 140 characters at a time.
Well, I have resolved to be better at the blogging thing. Day job has slowed down a little, home stuff is resolved, and the writing I was furiously doing in Feb and Mar is complete (mostly). We'll see if can be both a writer and a blogger. But if can't, I'm going to choose writer.
What do you think about Blogging vs. Writing? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
-Steve
http://www.StephenPenner.com
Now, to be sure, my lack of blogging hasn't been exclusively because I've been devoting all of my waking hours to the next great American novel. I've also had some huge stuff at the day job, and some important stuff at home to attend to. And I've also been writing, so it was hard to justify using what little writing time I had on blogging.
Which brings me to the point of this particular post. Blogging vs. Writing. There's a lot of buzz about authors' platforms, and how a blog is an important way to reach potential readers and fellow writers. I get that, but by definition it takes time away from real writing. I don't know the solution to this issue, but I think it's interesting. You're supposed to take time to blog about the writing you're not doing when you blog. At least Twitter is only 140 characters at a time.
Well, I have resolved to be better at the blogging thing. Day job has slowed down a little, home stuff is resolved, and the writing I was furiously doing in Feb and Mar is complete (mostly). We'll see if can be both a writer and a blogger. But if can't, I'm going to choose writer.
What do you think about Blogging vs. Writing? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
-Steve
http://www.StephenPenner.com
