Jeffrey L. Kohanek's Blog, page 7

The Science of Magic

Raising her hands in the air, lightning blasts from a sorceress's hands. With the wave of his wand, a wizard freezes an enemy in a block of ice. How is this possible? It doesn’t matter; you are just supposed to believe. Magic needs to be mysterious, right?

It shouldn’t be.

Having read a plethora of fantasy novels, I’ve come to appreciate authors who take a practical approach to magic. Having a well-defined logic behind how magic functions is when it truly has the power to captivate my imagination. If I don't understand magic and the rules behind it, how can I picture myself using it? I believe that the best magic is just a science that we haven’t yet discovered.

Logic defines the magic that exists within the world of Issalia. While readers won’t know anything about the two sides of magic when they begin The Buried Symbol, they will feel like apprentice-level magic users by the end.

Magic is a powerful tool that can be used for good or ill intent. When abused, magic can create problems and be destructive. However, it can also make the world a better place by improving society and saving lives. Brock, the protagonist in my story, is a planner and problem solver. After he discovers a new magic by acting on instinct, he learns to hone his skills and begins to use magic as a tool to solve problems. The practical use of fantastic powers helps readers to really consider the possibilities that these new abilities present and how our world might be impacted if this magic became a reality.

After all, magic is just a science that we haven’t yet discovered. Once you understand this new science, it all makes sense.

Let me know what you think on this subject.

The Cast of Characters

At the age of seventeen, the protagonist in The Buried Symbol teeters on the edge of adulthood. A tragic event causes Brock to reconsider his role as the Empire has defined it, choosing to break free from society’s bonds in pursuit of a better life.

His mother's influence during early childhood, followed by a difficult upbringing after her untimely death, imprint him with a deep sense of compassion. Possessing an insatiable curiosity and a Sherlock Holmes-like sense of logic, he has a tendency to identify a secret from a minuet clue and then pursue the truth at any cost. These traits, along with his God-given abilities, lead him to discover a magic that has been buried for centuries.

His friends have their own dark pasts, leaving them emotionally damaged and feeling incomplete. They gravitate toward Brock, drawn by his likeable personality and strong belief in right and wrong. The relationships that Brock establishes within the story say as much about him as his action do. 

Brock’s companions include: his loyal childhood friend, who is homeless and lives on the streets of his home town; his quiet, yet massive roommate who is destined to be a great warrior; a quirky brainiac who creates amazing inventions; a jolly giant; a brooding aristocrat; and his strong-willed girlfriend, who is hiding secrets of her own.

From his beginnings at the coastal city of Kantar, throughout his journey to Fallbrandt, and within the walls of the Academy itself, Brock meets a vast array of interesting characters. Among them is a powerful rival, intent on seeing Brock destroyed in any way possible. The actions of this rival are among many obstacles that Brock must overcome in pursuit of his dream of becoming an Academy Master.

I invite you to follow Brock on his journey. Expect to fall in love with him and other personalities found within the pages of The Buried Symbol. When you finish reading the story, let me know how you feel about his rival. Do you despise him or do you feel sorry for him?

So, What's Your Book About?

It’s a question that I hear often, yet struggle to find a suitable response. Any reply does an injustice to the depth of the story. However, I realize that question will not go away, so I need to pinpoint the ideal answer.

Many elements exist within the novel, including action, adventure, mystery, magic, romance, fantasy, suspense, comedy, drama, and others. While these terms are descriptive, none properly portray the feeling that I wish the reader to experience.

When I began the creative process, I made a conscious decision to write a story I would have cherished when I was seventeen, since that is when my love for books first reached its peak. Accordingly, I focused on the elements that were common in the reading experiences that I have most enjoyed.

First, I needed to create a rich world with a dramatic history. I made it similar enough to our own that it was easy to understand on a basic level, but included complex undercurrents that are exposed as the story progresses. Since I was inventing my own world, it could operate according to the rules that I define. Those rules, including how magic functions, would be the basis of my tale.

Second, my story needed characters with depth. Character investment is the key to triggering emotion within the reader. I wanted the characters to be easy to identify with, yet complex and flawed. Whether its love, hatred, laughter, sadness, fear, or any other number of emotions that I wanted to draw from the story, the reader must feel some sense of emotion for the character first. 

The third element that I decided to target was a sense of discovery. My favorite moments in reading come when a secret is revealed. It feels as if I, as the reader, just uncovered a treasure chest in the form of a new piece of knowledge. Accordingly, I decided to construct my tale so that the reader is continually discovering something new or is tantalized by a secret soon to be exposed. Not only is The Buried Symbol written to present a constant sense of discovery, I have outlined the whole trilogy with that precept in mind. This is why the tagline for my first book is Discover a Magic, Buried and Forgotten…

There is my short answer to the question above: My book is about the Spirit of Discovery. Discover the secrets hidden within the pages, you might find a little magic for yourself.

Words, Words, Words

When I began writing my first book, I planned to weave an epic saga, entrenched in a world with a storied history. I assumed that many thousands of words were required for such a reading experience. A lot of words in a novel would be a good thing, right? I had a lot to learn.

When I completed my first draft, The Buried Symbol had over 132K words. I was sure that I had the makings of a novel that everyone would love. In September of 2015, I began submitting query letters with sample chapters to literary agents. Soon after, rejections began landing in my lap. Not to be discouraged, I sent out more letters, usually having about fifteen submissions in play at a time. Rejections would bounce back anywhere from two days to four months later. Some agents never responded at all.

After receiving about a dozen rejections, one kind agent noted that my book was a bit heavy on words, suggesting that I trim back my novel to make it more efficient. Yes, famous authors like Stephen King release books with FAR more words than I had, but I’m not Stephen King. I’m not a well-known novelist who has fans waiting for my next tale to appear at Barnes and Noble. This agent recommended that I try to get close to 100k words to make my book more marketable and to appear more approachable.

I then put my book on a word loss diet. If you don’t know that that is, look it up. After a series of edits, I had it trimmed it down to 110K words. Feeling good, I pushed out more queries, not just to agents, but also began to approach indie publishers. Of course, I continued to receive rejections, but they came with comments and SOME level of interest. I was onto something.

Deciding I wasn’t done, I began pouring through the book with more edits, resulting in a word count below 105k words. Again, I submitted to agents and publishers. After more than thirty rejections over a five-month period, I finally received a contract offer. I soon signed the contract and was on my way to becoming a published author.

Of course, my work on The Buried Symbol wasn’t finished. I hired an editor and made additional changes. My publisher offered further suggestions, and the edits continued. My novel is now far tighter, landing at about 102K words. Somehow, I had shaved over 30,000 words without changing the story, reducing character depth, or affecting the vibrancy of the world that I had created.

As a creative art, storytelling was the part of writing that I felt strong about when I began. However, writing is more than just storytelling. The art of writing fiction lies not in just the story you tell or how you tell it, but also lies in making it compelling while using the fewest words possible. 

The Reality of Fantasy

As book genres go, Fantasy has been stereotyped and misunderstood more than most. Some readers dismiss it as pointless dribble, with little to offer to them or to the literary community at large. Many hear the term Fantasy and assume that the work is filled with fire-breathing dragons and wizards with pointed hats.

So what defines the Fantasy genre? Here is a generic definition:

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element, theme, or setting.

If the story revolves around elements that are deemed supernatural by the reality that we know, it's considered Fantasy. If you think that you’d never be interested in something like that, you should stop watching The Walking Dead. Until you can prove to me that zombies exist, you’re hooked on a Fantasy TV series.

This begins to show the breadth that the genre now encompasses. Yes, you will still find Tolkienesque books that are filled with dragons, wizards, elves, and other elements that fit the stereotype. However, you also can find Contemporary Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and others. The most classic sub-genre is High Fantasy, which takes the reader into another world, often one of incredible depth and complexities. Taking it a step further, the author can add Epic Fantasy plot-lines, which place the protagonists in the midst of a struggle that has world-changing repercussions. The Lord of the Rings is the best-known example of a High Fantasy tale with Epic scope.

While my books veer in the direction of High Fantasy, I strive to ground them with a sense of familiarity in hopes of making the story approachable and the world believable. However, the background behind this approach will have to wait for a future blog post.

Fantasy has emerged from the dark corner your local bookstore, moving into mainstream thanks to the geek expansion into pop culture. The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Divergent, The Lord of the Rings, and just about every Marvel movie that exists are on-screen representations of the genre and attract fans by the millions. If you’ve enjoyed watching any of those titles, or anything similar, perhaps it’s time for you to set your mystery or thriller novels aside and consider dipping your toe into a new pool. All I ask is that you investigate some popular titles in the genre, check out some reviews, and consider each book by the context of the story, not by the genre that defines it.

How It All Began

I have a confession to make. I’m not a writer…at least, not in the traditional sense. I’m not blessed with the poetic prose of an English major, nor am I distinguished with a degree in Journalism. Sure, I took creative and technical writing courses in college, but that was long ago and my degree is in Engineering.

A desire to create was one of the factors that led me toward Engineering as my major, but after a few years in the workplace, I found that my ability to create in that role was far too stifled. I then took some Marketing and Business courses and made a job change to Product Management.

If you aren’t sure what Product Managers do, you’re not alone. In essence, their job is to analyze a market, determine unmet needs, and define a product that meets those needs. They then work with other organizations to develop those products and bring them to market. The Product Manager owns all aspects of the product. That includes the creation of the tools required to promote and sell the product, making it the position a hybrid of technical and marketing expertise. I’ve been in this type of role for fifteen years, which has satisfied my creative side in some ways but still lack in others.

After years of consideration, I became serious about writing a novel in the summer of 2014. By August, I had begun to record ideas, forming an outline for not just a single book, but for an epic trilogy. Over the next twelve months, I wrote and wrote. When August 2015 came around, I had completed my first book and found that I was addicted, not to just writing, but to the world and characters I had created. I was so hooked that I continued to write, completing a draft of the second book three months later, while I was still seeking a publisher for my first book.

What began as a simple desire to create has now become my passion. Writing is what I really want to do for the next few decades. Much like with my children, who will soon leave the nest, I feel an overwhelming need to shape and cultivate my books, characters, and the world they live in. I have a desire to share my creations with others, watching them blossom into what I’ve been dreaming they can be. My hope is that the stories I weave will entertain and inspire people across the world, well after I am gone.

Editing and Editors

I've discovered that I vastly underestimated the number of edits that a novel requires. After over twenty rounds of self-edits, some of which was based on feedback from beta readers, I was still hit by a ton of changes from my editor. Thanks, Sheryl!

The experience made me realize how important it is to have an editor go through your work. Beyond punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word use, and other details, your editor will see things you've missed and and will identify gaps that need to be filled.

While beta readers are great, they aren't editors. They might catch a typo here or there, but in the end, they're reading for enjoyment. Your editor will come at the book with a critical eye, pointing out possible reader interpretations that may not have been your intent.

Yes, editing is the dreary part of writing. However, if you want your work to be polished and still make you proud years later, it's a very necessary process.

Thankfully, I'm done editing book one and have provided final submission to my publisher. However, book two is soon entering the editing process while I simultaneously work on book three and promote the sale of book one. My juggling act commences...

Website Launch

I am excited to launch my own author website!  

Stay tuned for insights on my path to getting published as well as background and updates on my first novel, THE BURIED SYMBOL, launching in May of 2016!