Monica Valentinelli's Blog: booksofm.com, page 81

Constructing Redwing's Gambit: Structure and Plot – Part 3 of 5

After I had an approved story and treatment, I went to work writing the first and second draft. My inclination was not to offer one perspective, but to offer several. A mystery just did not work from an observer's point-of-view because I had a lot of characters and they're all not physically located in the same place on the ship. The logistics of having Dan sneak around like a ninja were not only boring — but creepy and Clueish. So, I added in other perspectives straight off the bat. I knew multiple viewpoints (there are three) was outside of how I normally write, but I felt it was necessary for a good story.

Now, having said that, multiple viewpoints requires something else: your ability as a reader to like the characters. There's a reason why Dan Daget didn't survive the final cut. *Yawn.* Since this was the first novella I wrote with a three narrator structure, I didn't go into the story guns a-blazin' and write it based on a solid frame. The structure was reorganized during the revisions process. At first, what I needed to do, was simply focus on the story and the viewpoints. The other niggly bits, like consistency, physics, and the like, came much later.

The three perspectives you'll read are: Fang, a psychotic teddy bear who's technically not supposed to be on board, Xax (a.k.a. Edna Keene) a young recruit who gets kidnapped, and Maarl, the last character I added. Maarl replaced Dan as Chief of Security; he's a former slave and his alien race resembles lions. Maarl came last. The first drafts had Dan Daget at the helm, but he wound up being such a jerk.

Now, telling part of the story from Xax's perspective really worked out well because you got to experience what happened to her. If I say anymore, I'm going to include spoilers and that I don't want to do. Instead, I'm going shift gears and address how the plot evolved.

Writing a mystery enabled me to hone in on the differences between the characters and introduce new fictional elements to Bulldogs! that weren't in the corebook. I built some layers into the plot and the characters because, in my mind, readers are smart. You're going to figure out the whodunnit part faster than I could write it, but that doesn't mean I couldn't have fun leading you through the story and the world.

Since this is very much a whodunnit type of a tale, I knew straight off the bat I did not want to wind up with a Scooby Doo moment where GO TEAM SCOOBY catches up with the evil villain and has a long dialogue that explains away everything. I call this technique "the tell" and I despise it. It's natural to gravitate toward this, too, and I did my utmost best not to have a Scooby (or a Scooby snack) moment. While there was a reveal, primarily because it had to happen due to multiple viewpoints and with the way things went down, I didn't put enough explanation in my first draft and had to tweak it some for the final.

First things first. I decided who the villain of said sordid tale was before I wrote a single scene. Had to. If I don't know what's going on, then certainly you won't! Only… In Redwing's Gambit there's a certain amount of expectations you might have based on the alien races involved. In the game, the Ken Reeg are the McSlime-balls. Anyone who knows Bulldogs! understands not only this, but a little something about the other alien races, too. Did this factor into how the plot was structured? *whistles innocently*

To add in layers to the plot, I focused on character backstory and motivation. I really wanted (I'm sure you're getting this deep-seated desire by now…) to help you get to know these characters to care about them. Sure, it's a science fiction story, but I also wanted to create characters that could go onto other things; there's a possibility there may be other adventures, game material, or stories with this crew.

On the ship, everybody's got something they don't want the other character to know about. Everybody's got some secret they either want to risk, are blackmailed into giving, or feel obligated to confess.

Still, it all goes back to the main plot. Otherwise, I'd be telling you non-stop how cool this particular character was, and what's the fun in that?

Other Parts to this Series

Constructing Redwing's Gambit: Easter Eggs – Part 5 of 5 will be published on April 23, 2012.
Constructing Redwing's Gambit: Revisions and Cut Text – Part 4 of 5 will be published on April 16, 2012.
Constructing Redwing's Gambit: Structure and Plot – Part 3 of 5 will be published on April 9, 2012.
You are reading Constructing Redwing's Gambit: Characters and Treatment – Part 2 of 5
Constructing Redwing's Gambit: Research and Background Part 1 of 5

About Redwing's Gambit: Redwing's Gambit, the first novella for the Bulldogs! RPG, debuted on Monday, March 26th in digital. This story was written by Monica Valentinelli and will be published by Galileo Games, creator of the Bulldogs! RPG. This RPG was originally published with a d20 system in 2005. It has since been updated and released in a new edition which employs the Fate mechanic in 2011.

Why Matt Forbeck is Absolutely Right

Tonight, I head down to my first Alliterates meeting with Matt Forbeck and others in attendance. The group was founded by novelist J Robert King. There's something he's always said to me, that's as true now as it ever has been. And that is, being a professional regardless of what industry you're in, is really about making friends and not looking at people as potential opportunities for your career.

I know a lot of you who follow my blog are new to the entertainment industry, but this is really important to grasp. If you seek out friendships simply because of what someone can do for you, you'll might find yourself alienated and alone or worse — distrusted. Yes, there are people who do this, and it works for them. That's their choice, not mine.

Personally, I believe that giving credit where credit is due is one of the most important things I can do, but ethics aren't enough to feel satisfied. That's where the friendships come into play and I thank Jason L Blair for that reminder.

Basing relationships on being a good friend means that you're not always trying to be the star or to validate yourself. You're supporting your friends whether they're up or down, because that's what friends do. And if someone is treating you like crap? Or they've forgotten about you because they're thinking somebody else someone else is more important? Well, then you have a choice. You can either choose to deal with them like you would a friend that's lost their way or you wait until they grow out of it. Remember, just because you're nice, doesn't mean you have to be a pushover.

Regardless, just like there isn't one way to write, one way to promote yourself or your books, and one type of story to tell – there isn't one way to be. It is absolutely possible to build a career on being friendly and paying it forward. Matt Forbeck is one of those people, and this is why we're friends. He's never talked down to me, never treated me like I wasn't important enough, never made me feel like I wasn't one of the "cool" kids. He's not only supported my work, he's been trying to convince me to do a Kickstarter of my own, and he's always got a story to tell.

And because of that, combined with his talent, I will gladly support him regardless of where I am in my career. If treating people well doesn't engender loyalty, then I don't know what will.

Mood: I've left the building.

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Trying to cut back. Not working.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Housework. A lot of it. NEVER ENDS.

Yesterday's Projects: Editing

In My Ears: Da Birds.

Game Last Played: Battle Nations! Give me all your gold.

Movie Last Viewed: Ella Enchanted

Book Last Read: Leonardo Da Vinci's Notebooks

Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch

Latest Release: Redwing's Gambit for Bulldogs! the RPG

For the Hugo Nominees

In the midst of all the excitement yesterday, found out I might be attending the Hugo banquet with Apex Publications. Haven't been to prom, but might be attending the Hugos. I find this hilarious.

Woke up this morning mad at my friend Maurice Broaddus who goaded me into singing this to honor the nominees. *shakes fist* (Even in my dreams, he's incorrigible.) Re-posting the lyrics here.

We Are The Authors

(To the tune of We Are The Champions)

You've paid your SFWA dues /

Time after time /

You've induced internet rage /

But committed no crime /

And bad reviews /

You've had a few /

You've been ignored and bashed on Amazon /

But you've come through

We are great authors, my friends /

And we'll keep on writing, till the end /

We are the authors /

We are the authors /

No time for haters /

'Cause we are the authors /

Of many worlds

Tonight, you'll take your bows /

And your curtain calls /

We brought you fame and fortune and everything that goes with it /

You'll thank us all

But there's been no fairy godmother /

No galactic cruise /

You consider this a challenge before the depths of space /

And you ain't gonna lose /

(And the Hugos go on and on and on and ON)

We are the authors, my friends /

And we'll keep on writing, till the end /

We are the authors /

We are the authors /

No time for haters /

'Cause we are the authors /

Of many worlds.

Mood: Bubbly with a side of chocolate bunny.

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Coffee is finally hitting me in 3… 2… 1…

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Housework

Yesterday's Projects:

In My Ears: I am my own soundtrack.

Game Last Played: Battle Nations! I slaughtered some raiders.

Movie Last Viewed: Ella Enchanted

Book Last Read: Leonardo Da Vinci's Notebooks

Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch

Latest Release: Redwing's Gambit for Bulldogs! the RPG

Attending WorldCon

Just wanted to offer a short update that yes, I will be attending WorldCon 2012 this year in Chicago. No, I don't have a plan or itinerary yet and probably won't for a month or two.

There's still quite a few details that need to be worked out and I'm also waiting on other news. I will be there for the full duration of the show. Initially, the idea was to simply go and hang out, but the stars may have rearranged themselves on that front…

Congratulations, Apex and Jason!

Found out fantastic news today. Editor Lynne M. Thomas, editor and author Catherynne Valente, and publisher/editor/author Jason Sizemore are all 2012 Hugo Award nominees. A mighty, mighty congrats!

Apex Publications, the parent company for Apex Magazine, has a special place in my heart and my career's past, present, and future. What's also pretty cool about this nomination, is that I published a non-fiction piece for Apex Magazine during the period of eligibility.

To get back to task, this congratulatory post isn't about my work or the quality of the magazine and other editors. This post is about Jason, who owns Apex.

There are people in this industry who have supported me through bad-and-good times both visibly and invisibly, and Jason has been a good friend, regardless of where I am in my career or who I've worked for. He's not the type of person who will aggressively promote himself, which is probably why we get along so well. But, he is someone who will stand by the people he works with and defend them to the ends of the earth.

Anyway, I have a pretty good guess of how much this nomination means to him, because he's always said nothing but good things to me about the quality of the other authors, editors, and publishers within the science fiction community. To finally be recognized like this, is pretty darn awesome, regardless of who wins.

Mood: Cheering from the bleachers

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: *twitches*

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Housework and a walk

Yesterday's Projects: Editing self

In My Ears: Tron Soundtrack because it RAWKS

Game Last Played: Battle Nations! I made glue.

Movie Last Viewed: Ella Enchanted

Book Last Read: Leonardo Da Vinci's Notebooks

Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch

Latest Release: Redwing's Gambit for Bulldogs! the RPG

Don't Be Fooled, Don't Be Bait. The Invisible Man Technique.

Every second of every minute of every day, someone some where is getting fooled into reading something they either don't want to read or having an emotional reaction they didn't count on. Why? Because inducing rage to encourage web activity is an intentional tactic.

Let me word this another way, because it's very, very important.

On the web, people will continue to be bullies because they are rewarded for being a jerk.

It's not the quality of the comments many website owners care about, it's the volume. This has nothing to do with having an honest opinion, this is a marketing tactic loosely inspired by one to boost visibility.

Having said that, I continue to see well-known people, friends, associates, etc. get suckered into this every. darn. day. It's a site that is geared toward college students. It's a jealous person-of-note making their opinion known. It's a fan who doesn't like this other thing over here. It's commentary on someone else's work, genre, or hobby. It's a politician, or a pundit, or whomever…

And it frightens me, because what we're doing, is allowing a culture of bullies to flourish and they're also taking that enhanced behavior offline. We're saying this sort of thing is okay, because we're focusing on what they're saying and not why they're doing it. It's not just about the words, anymore. It's gone well beyond that. It's about supporting the unrealistic mantra that: "Hey, guess the only way I can get what I want is to either work my ass off or be an asshole. Since it's easier to be a jerk than to provide something of value, I guess I'll do that." And it works, because people are getting more and more desperate to stand out and be somebody. Ever wonder why you get smacked with the Curse of Well, ACTUALLY? Same sort of thing. People want and need validation and, in a world where money is a real reward for crappy behavior, this is one very real way to get it.

This is, what I call, the Invisible Man Technique because the internet is often thought of as a buffer to real life consequences because you can't see the person on the other end of the line. (That isn't always the case, however.) Some people participate online by doing this intentionally. Lately, though, I'm seeing others who normally aren't mean, take up the Invisible Man technique because they're also finding that it works.

No wonder this type of behavior is bringing out the darker side of human society. Did racism already exist? Yes. Sexism? Yes. Gender bias? Yes. We're being bullied into allowing outdated paradigms to surge because there is a financial reward for doing it. Sometimes, we become the bullies ourselves, by having ridiculous and negative commentary about the bullies, or by fabricating a conspiracy when there isn't one, just to get attention.

Will this marketing tactic last forever?

Yes and no. The internet will split into multiple internets some day. The law is starting to catch up, too. Eventually, communities will be fractured even further and return to their little silos. The faster we communicate with one another, the more "white noise" we see and hear, which is akin to having no communication. New technology will eventually isolate us from one another, even moreso than it is now, because there's too much communication to parse out in our fields of vision.

As a marketer and analyst, I know what the tricks and business concerns are, believe me. But, this is my choice: I will not, and cannot, actively induce negativity for the sake of my future success. This will make it harder on myself I know, but I just can't knowingly be a bully or be bothered to comment on them. If that means that I have to work twice, thrice, or four times as hard as everyone else — then so be it. Luckily, I work with other people who feel the exact same way I do.

Mood: Eyebrow is raised!

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Um… *looks away*

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Housework and a walk

Yesterday's Projects: The Day JobTM

In My Ears: Llove by Kaskade – Fire and Ice

Game Last Played: Battle Nations (I HAZ A BATTLE RAPTOR ZOMG!)

Movie Last Viewed: Ella Enchanted

Book Last Read: Leonardo Da Vinci's Notebooks

Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch

Latest Release: Redwing's Gambit for Bulldogs! the RPG

The Journey, Not the XP

There are many different types of journeys in a game, but probably the most recognizable is the type of path that allows the group to go forth and do. Either they must piece together a mystery and go after the bad guy or they are on a collective quest to find the magic MacGuffin. It's the actions that transform their character through experience points as opposed to internal conflict. They simply "level up."

Leveling occurs along the journey and opponents become tougher and magical items more powerful. The cleric becomes more cleric-y, the wizard, wiser in the ways of magic, the rogue more stealthy, etc. Often, characters begin with the aptitudes for whatever role they want to play. But what of the supernatural creatures? The werewolf before he was bitten. The vampire when she was a mortal. The zombie prior to its inevitable search for braaaaaiiiinnnnsssss?

An article I read recently talks about this phenomena and, in my humble opinion, the title is fantastic. Do it Live! discusses ways to play through that transformative process and points to Scenes of the Embrace. My work was not the first product to be released for Vampire: the Requiem in this format. Scenes of Frenzy by Will Hindmarch was the first!

I really liked the fact that the writer talked about multiple types of characters, including superheroes, too. I feel the concept is a strong one and one that is definitely powerful because the quest is character-centric. The only challenge, as the writer aptly points out, is making sure that the other players have something to do in the story. After all, that puts the emphasis on "a" character at the table if not handled correctly. Still, why not play through tragic fall of an innocent mortal-turned-supervillain or a non-believer-turned-cultist?

One such experience I've had with this phenomenon is through the game All Flesh Must Be Eaten. In it, you can craft or play in any world you like, but you usually start out as a mortal fighting zombies! The game doesn't end when you get bit, however, for you'll find yourself on the other side of the fence. You get to play as a zombie. In that scenario, the process isn't as extended as it might be from mild-mannered librarian turned SOOPER EBIL, but it's still there and makes the game more powerful. You don't die, after all, you become UNDEAD.

This topic of conversation reminds me of some games we playtested with the extraordinary Jason L Blair. His ideas on roles at the table are some of the best I've seen and experienced in a game. I can only hope to see more form him on that, because that concept is so strong it would make these explorations a lot of fun.

Mood: UN-sinkable

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Um… *looks away*

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Housework and a walk

Yesterday's Projects: The Day JobTM

In My Ears: Dance for Life by Drew Seeley and Adam Hicks

Game Last Played: Battle Nations (I HAZ A BATTLE RAPTOR ZOMG!)

Movie Last Viewed: Ella Enchanted

Book Last Read: Leonardo Da Vinci's Notebooks

Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch

Latest Release: Redwing's Gambit for Bulldogs! the RPG

Support a Science Fiction Anthology for Bulldogs!

Just wanted to make sure that all of you are aware that Galileo Games has a Kickstarter for the first anthology based on the Bulldogs! RPG. This is a momentous occasion! On the heels of the Redwing's Gambit debut, Brennan Taylor has gathered together several fine authors to pen spacetastic tales for this fun setting.

The Kickstarter for Have Blaster, Will Travel will end on Sunday, April 29th.

I hope you will consider supporting science fiction (and many authors) that kick ass!

OddCon 12 Reading and Panels

I will be a panelist at a convention later this month titled "Odyssey Con." Run by a local group of dedicated fans of the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, this convention has allowed me to spend time with infamous authors such as George R.R. Martin, Emma Bull, and many more.

This year, guests-of-honor are the outstanding Larry Niven and Kenneth Hite. In addition to my participation at the convention, I'll also be dropping off a charity bundle sponsored by Steve Jackson Games for the auction. Proceeds will be donated to Second Harvest, a local food bank.

Odyssey Con 12 Convention Schedule

Here are the panels I will be on. I'd appreciate it if you'd drop by for my first reading of Redwing's Gambit for the Bulldogs RPG! I *may* have copies on hand, too!

Friday, April 20

1:00 p.m., Oakbrook I and II, L15 The Price is Right, or is it?

A. Black, F. Schepartz, K. Gonzalez (M), L. Devoti, M. Valentinelli

4:00 p.m., Odana A, M04 I'll Buy That …

A. Bledsoe, M. Valentinelli, S. McCook (M)

Saturday, April 21

11:30 a.m., Mooshenko's, R3 Reading

F. Schepartz, M. Valentinelli (Redwing's Gambit)

2:30 p.m., Oakbrook III, O1 Build a World

L. Schneider, M. Valentinelli (M), N. Beeson, L. Niven, P. Tomlinson

10:00 p.m., Odana A, G05 Gaming the Mythos

B. Curley (M), K, Hite, M. Valentinelli, B. Bodden

When the Work is Not Enough

I'm wrapping the tail end up of a very dark period for my work. The subject matter – death – combined with news all around me and some really stupid b.s. forced me to question what I was doing. Was it work-related? Absolutely not. John, Phil, Steve (Jackson) and Company have treated me like gold. No, it was writing-related in that everyone around me started freaking out about "the lists." Where did their book place? How many reviews did they get? Who's selling better than they are? How many visits do they get? Who follows them back? Can they get a blurb from so-and-so?

I know this mood began in October because that's when I mentally put myself in a deep place for a story I enjoyed writing, but didn't want to write. It was painfully honest in a way that is so, so, so hard for me in my work. I normally leave the philosophy to the Kurt Vonneguts of the world, but down that rabbit hole I went for the sake of a story that made me cry.

It didn't end there, however, because to get into this character's head I had to think about my own mortality and what it meant. Add additional stories with death as a theme on top of that, and it nearly dampened my defiant spirit. As an artist, it simply means, I want my work to live on, to be enjoyed by others. But will it? Ah, that's where my own lists came into play. Am I popular enough? Have I written enough? Am I accepted by my peers? And so on, and so forth, etc. Remember, I've been in marketing for many years, so I see past the b.s. I don't call people on it, because to each his (or her) own, but running around worrying about all these things you can't control is not only incredibly counterproductive, it's damaging to one's psyche.

This damage is what leads me to write this post today.

The publishing industry is in flux. It has always been ever-changing, unpredictable, and based on personal preference with a fair amount of relationship-building. There are cliques, yes, but there are also groups fans generate to support authors all by themselves. This is not the work portion of the publishing industry, this is the people segment. This is where these lists come from, because it's no longer about writing a wonderful tale, it's about what happens after-the-fact. The "list" is an author's way of validating his or her work. It's extrinsic rewards versus intrinsic and, to be brutal and blunt, this happens to every author because there will always be one more item on "the list" to measure ourselves by.

With me so far?

Hrmm… So what can we cross off our proverbial lists? We can nurture career opportunities and allow them to flourish, provided we err on the side of opportunistic and not ostrich, but you have to be on the lookout and know how to work with other people and not be an antagonistic jerk. (Although, I'm pretty sure the trolls I've come across probably wouldn't remember me, because they've somehow taken it upon themselves to validate their work by putting other people down. Yes, there is a subset of jerks out there. And they can kiss my *ss. It's hard enough being an author; there is no excuse for being a bully.)

Can you guess what happens when the extrinsic rewards we seek do not meet or beat the intrinsic love and value we place on what we do? That, right there, is when the work is not enough. It happens to EVERYBODY.

Regardless of opportunity, though, there still needs to be a "Yes, I believe in your work." on the other end of the line. Please, take the spirit of these points and don't min-max the specific words used. There is ALWAYS an exception to every rule, but my point still stands. We can set the groundwork for success, but there are no guarantees.

With that very long-winded caveat, here are many things that are not within an author's control.

What most (not all) online and offline retailers like Amazon do to sell your books.
The internet. SERIOUSLY.
How many reviews you get.
How much PR you'll have.
How many readers show up to your readings/signings.
What the reviews state.
How others are influenced by reviews.
How well your book will sell.
Finding an agent (or a good one) that wants to represent you.
Getting paid what you're worth.
If you'll get optioned or not.
If, when your story has been optioned for a TV show/movie, that it ever gets made.
What other authors think of you (or your stories).
Getting paid on time. (Or at all.)
Piracy.
Your competition. (If that even exists.)
How many books you have to write before you can earn a living.
What the next big "hit" will be.

So what is an author to do?

Take charge of the only thing we can control as creatives: the work itself. Leave the effing lists behind and let someone else worry about that. The more time we waste fretting about what someone will (or won't) do, the less time we have to create.

Mood: fiery

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Not done yet.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: a walk

Yesterday's Projects: Game, Editing, Fiction

In My Ears: Challenging the Empire from Final Fantasy VII

Game Last Played: Battle Nations (I HAZ A BATTLE RAPTOR ZOMG!)

Movie Last Viewed: Thor

Book Last Read: Leonardo Da Vinci's Notebooks

Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch

Latest Release: Redwing's Gambit for Bulldogs! the RPG