Andy Free's Blog, page 2
November 19, 2016
The Eagle’s Gift
E. L. Doctorow wrote that writing is like driving a car at night: “It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” I don’t agree. For me, writing is like being an eagle flying through high clouds and errant sunbeams: Soaring out from the chill dank fog of the clouds, suddenly the eagle sees a far-away mountain valley, shining in the golden sun of evening. “That is where I must go,” he thinks, for there is something powerful there that calls to his heart. He will never forget that image, nor will he lose that incredibly clear vision of those in the high valley. He can see their faces, he can hear their voices, and he knows the secrets of their hearts. “Though the clouds close in and the storms come,” he vows, “I will find that place again. I will find a way.” This is the eagle’s gift. (See a picture at pic.twitter.com/kyHtOa8q5b).
For me, writing is intense daydreaming. I dream in vignettes, in scenes where characters interact in the defining moments of their lives. Dialogue has always come easily to me, for I have spoken the words in my heart first. I feel a sense of deep certainty when the words are right.
Over time, these vignettes are peppered all over an imaginary country, but the problem is, they are not always connected. That is when the eagle must fly higher still, where the air is thin and cold and the sun is a shining hammer of light. Now the clouds are far below and the eagle can see the shape of the lands. He sees the dynasties rise, the armies march and clash in bloody combat, and the foul treacheries that set the course of doomed generations. Not all these streams of history connect the vignettes directly, but the eagle finds the ones that do. Now he knows the route he must fly to make the story live for readers.
Of course, writing is still hard work and editing was invented as a cruel form of necessary torture for creative people – which is why I remember to soar when I can, and stay off E. L. Doctorow’s road at night. That road at night may be a paradigm for some writers – and I can see how a linear approach to story writing might actually have some advantages – but I have absolutely no interest in driving down it.
Looking at the kind of historically-based novels that Doctorow wrote, I can see that his style and writing paradigm of the road at night had a lot to do with his choice of genres, which required an immense amount of historical research. By contrast, my chosen genres of fantasy and science fiction (with elements of romance and mystery/thrillers) require some historical research but give me a lot more flexibility. It also helps to have the Internet and search engines as research tools as opposed to the more cumbersome methods that E. L. Doctorow would have had to use during most of his career.
So how much has the eagle’s gift helped me as a writer? See for yourself and let me know what you think! My second novel (first published novel) is Avalon: Companions, a science fiction thriller set in present day Arizona, but the story soon moves into the alternate world of Avalon. Avalon is a hidden world across a dimensional divide, a world that only a few with special abilities can reach. We have both friends and enemies there, but now the enemies have the upper hand. Their technology and abilities are far beyond ours, and their most cherished dream is to wipe the earth clean of humanity. Join Dan Monroe and Claudia Chantal as they race against time to save humanity from the most dangerous threat it has ever faced...
Avalon: Companions
For me, writing is intense daydreaming. I dream in vignettes, in scenes where characters interact in the defining moments of their lives. Dialogue has always come easily to me, for I have spoken the words in my heart first. I feel a sense of deep certainty when the words are right.
Over time, these vignettes are peppered all over an imaginary country, but the problem is, they are not always connected. That is when the eagle must fly higher still, where the air is thin and cold and the sun is a shining hammer of light. Now the clouds are far below and the eagle can see the shape of the lands. He sees the dynasties rise, the armies march and clash in bloody combat, and the foul treacheries that set the course of doomed generations. Not all these streams of history connect the vignettes directly, but the eagle finds the ones that do. Now he knows the route he must fly to make the story live for readers.
Of course, writing is still hard work and editing was invented as a cruel form of necessary torture for creative people – which is why I remember to soar when I can, and stay off E. L. Doctorow’s road at night. That road at night may be a paradigm for some writers – and I can see how a linear approach to story writing might actually have some advantages – but I have absolutely no interest in driving down it.
Looking at the kind of historically-based novels that Doctorow wrote, I can see that his style and writing paradigm of the road at night had a lot to do with his choice of genres, which required an immense amount of historical research. By contrast, my chosen genres of fantasy and science fiction (with elements of romance and mystery/thrillers) require some historical research but give me a lot more flexibility. It also helps to have the Internet and search engines as research tools as opposed to the more cumbersome methods that E. L. Doctorow would have had to use during most of his career.
So how much has the eagle’s gift helped me as a writer? See for yourself and let me know what you think! My second novel (first published novel) is Avalon: Companions, a science fiction thriller set in present day Arizona, but the story soon moves into the alternate world of Avalon. Avalon is a hidden world across a dimensional divide, a world that only a few with special abilities can reach. We have both friends and enemies there, but now the enemies have the upper hand. Their technology and abilities are far beyond ours, and their most cherished dream is to wipe the earth clean of humanity. Join Dan Monroe and Claudia Chantal as they race against time to save humanity from the most dangerous threat it has ever faced...
Avalon: Companions
August 12, 2016
Being Thrifty is Good - But Is Saving Money Holding You Back?
Is "stupid thrift" holding you back in your creative endeavors? I'm writing about a certain type of thriftiness that I have learned to mock in myself, because it is so damaging in its effects.
What is "Stupid Thrift?"
Everywhere I turn, I see people expending large amounts of money – or time, which is far more precious and irreplaceable – in order to save small amounts of money. I do this too – we all do illogical things relating to money and time. For example:
• Getting a hybrid or electric vehicle that is so much more expensive than a regular car that, with depreciation considered, you’d have to drive around the planet every month to break even.
• Clipping coupons and driving all over town (in your brand new hybrid or electric vehicle) to comparison shop and get the best deals.
• Buying a $5.00 cappuccino at Starbucks at the mall (because you’re now tired from all the driving around).
• Coming home exhausted, after the caffeine and sugar high is gone, and therefore not _____ (fill in the blank: doing the hobby you love, spending quality time with friends and family, etc.)
The last example is the highest cost of any of the examples, because it is the opportunity cost – the opportunity you missed out on because of the other choice you made.
My background
I work as a project manager on large technology projects. I’d like to think I do a pretty good job at that. By training I am a Finance major (summa cum laude at a good school) and have an MBA. I also have a music and writing business on the side that is coming along well. But I had to laugh at myself one day as I was on my third (and so far unsuccessful) attempt to build a high quality home recording studio. I thought to myself, “Boy, you really are a dope as a project manager in your own life!” Here’s why:
Back in 2000, I went to the local music store to get advice on how to set up a home studio. They said, “Get a Mac, Macs dominate the industry and have 80 – 90% market share among professional users.” Now, I’m not here to argue the benefits of one platform or the other – I use PCs and Macs and they each have their advantages and disadvantages.
What I’m trying to focus on is a quirk of behavior that many of us fall victim to. I call it "Stupid Thrift:" the strong urge to save money that overcomes the perception of or thought process about value. So, when I heard about how much the Macs cost versus PCs (about triple at the time), I was offended. “There is no way I am going to spend that kind of money,” was my reaction.
Clues to Stupid Thrift at Work
And perhaps that is clue number one: These ingrained habits of thought usually are expressed in emotional and categorical ways.
Clue # 2 - the Parental Culprit
That, in turn, leads to clue number two: If you listen carefully, you will often hear a parental overtone to that inner, highly opinionated voice. Parents, in their well-meaning way, often stress the life lessons they think are important. Enough parental repetition, and those simple ideas about saving money being a good thing become ingrained.
Why is this a Problem?
The problem is, these ingrained emotional sayings tend to short circuit real thinking about value. Now, I use those sayings (when they bubble up from whatever brain swamp they come from) as red flags. “Hmm,” I tell myself, “That sure sounds opinionated. Bet there’s something stupid and counter-productive lurking there somewhere.”
So What Are Others Experiencing?
Is stupid thrift a factor in your life? Is it holding you back from creative pursuits, or making them harder and slower than they need to be? Remember this: You are a person with irreplaceable and unique gifts. And guess what, regardless of what you may believe about the afterlife, you are not immortal in this life. Money is a means to an end, and nothing more. Using it wisely for true value can mean spending it, sometimes in significant quantities.
Avalon: Companions
What is "Stupid Thrift?"
Everywhere I turn, I see people expending large amounts of money – or time, which is far more precious and irreplaceable – in order to save small amounts of money. I do this too – we all do illogical things relating to money and time. For example:
• Getting a hybrid or electric vehicle that is so much more expensive than a regular car that, with depreciation considered, you’d have to drive around the planet every month to break even.
• Clipping coupons and driving all over town (in your brand new hybrid or electric vehicle) to comparison shop and get the best deals.
• Buying a $5.00 cappuccino at Starbucks at the mall (because you’re now tired from all the driving around).
• Coming home exhausted, after the caffeine and sugar high is gone, and therefore not _____ (fill in the blank: doing the hobby you love, spending quality time with friends and family, etc.)
The last example is the highest cost of any of the examples, because it is the opportunity cost – the opportunity you missed out on because of the other choice you made.
My background
I work as a project manager on large technology projects. I’d like to think I do a pretty good job at that. By training I am a Finance major (summa cum laude at a good school) and have an MBA. I also have a music and writing business on the side that is coming along well. But I had to laugh at myself one day as I was on my third (and so far unsuccessful) attempt to build a high quality home recording studio. I thought to myself, “Boy, you really are a dope as a project manager in your own life!” Here’s why:
Back in 2000, I went to the local music store to get advice on how to set up a home studio. They said, “Get a Mac, Macs dominate the industry and have 80 – 90% market share among professional users.” Now, I’m not here to argue the benefits of one platform or the other – I use PCs and Macs and they each have their advantages and disadvantages.
What I’m trying to focus on is a quirk of behavior that many of us fall victim to. I call it "Stupid Thrift:" the strong urge to save money that overcomes the perception of or thought process about value. So, when I heard about how much the Macs cost versus PCs (about triple at the time), I was offended. “There is no way I am going to spend that kind of money,” was my reaction.
Clues to Stupid Thrift at Work
And perhaps that is clue number one: These ingrained habits of thought usually are expressed in emotional and categorical ways.
Clue # 2 - the Parental Culprit
That, in turn, leads to clue number two: If you listen carefully, you will often hear a parental overtone to that inner, highly opinionated voice. Parents, in their well-meaning way, often stress the life lessons they think are important. Enough parental repetition, and those simple ideas about saving money being a good thing become ingrained.
Why is this a Problem?
The problem is, these ingrained emotional sayings tend to short circuit real thinking about value. Now, I use those sayings (when they bubble up from whatever brain swamp they come from) as red flags. “Hmm,” I tell myself, “That sure sounds opinionated. Bet there’s something stupid and counter-productive lurking there somewhere.”
So What Are Others Experiencing?
Is stupid thrift a factor in your life? Is it holding you back from creative pursuits, or making them harder and slower than they need to be? Remember this: You are a person with irreplaceable and unique gifts. And guess what, regardless of what you may believe about the afterlife, you are not immortal in this life. Money is a means to an end, and nothing more. Using it wisely for true value can mean spending it, sometimes in significant quantities.
Avalon: Companions
Good Enough: Overcoming Perfectionism
I was raised by perfectionistic parents that were bitter about the opportunities they had missed. They harped constantly on "doing one's best at all times," and their definition of "best" was stratospheric. Anything I did or didn't do was met with instant judgement, often harsh. This was not a good recipe for developing self-confidence and the ability to put my work out for people to criticize.
But... life happens. When I came to realize how deadly perfectionism is to creativity - for it stifles the source, hinders the practice, and blocks sharing with others - I set out to find a better way.
Principle # 1 is that there is no such thing as a perfect story written by imperfect humans. Creativity is multifaceted and unique to each person. Jettison the idea of the single best possible creation - it doesn't exist.
Principle # 2 is that you can't please all the people all of the time, so even if there were such a thing as the perfect evocation of your story idea, a lot of people won't agree and will criticize it anyway.
Principle # 3 is "it is okay to be good enough." "Good enough" is that practical and achievable sweet spot where you get things done in reasonable amounts of time, with no obsession about how people will react, and with effective but not excessive self-criticism.
So am I there yet? Not quite. I rewrote my first book at least three times. However, I learned along the way to turn off the pointless, nagging parental voices and I am getting closer to where I want to be. And hey, for now, that is more than good enough!
Avalon: Companions
But... life happens. When I came to realize how deadly perfectionism is to creativity - for it stifles the source, hinders the practice, and blocks sharing with others - I set out to find a better way.
Principle # 1 is that there is no such thing as a perfect story written by imperfect humans. Creativity is multifaceted and unique to each person. Jettison the idea of the single best possible creation - it doesn't exist.
Principle # 2 is that you can't please all the people all of the time, so even if there were such a thing as the perfect evocation of your story idea, a lot of people won't agree and will criticize it anyway.
Principle # 3 is "it is okay to be good enough." "Good enough" is that practical and achievable sweet spot where you get things done in reasonable amounts of time, with no obsession about how people will react, and with effective but not excessive self-criticism.
So am I there yet? Not quite. I rewrote my first book at least three times. However, I learned along the way to turn off the pointless, nagging parental voices and I am getting closer to where I want to be. And hey, for now, that is more than good enough!
Avalon: Companions
