Bill Conrad's Blog, page 19
May 18, 2022
Writing Is Supposed to Be Fun
Sometimes life gets us down, but we all have projects, hobbies, and special people to add joy back into our lives. For myself, I have a fantastic family, friends, house repairs, bike riding, hikes, and writing to make up for the bad times. But does this mean that writing is not part of my financial future? Unfortunately, it is unlikely I will ever break even.
Writing is a challenging hobby where I am privileged to express myself. This blog is a perfect example of this freedom. I could choose my topic, writing style, and content. As a result, this little gem has been an enjoyable experience.
Yet there have been negative aspects of writing. It takes time, mental energy, diligence, and patience. The worst part is warranted and unwarranted negative feedback. Yet, I still think the overall process is worth the effort. And it should be. While the physical act of writing is solitary, authors load their writing with amazing people (characters). Even the words have a positive aspect to them. What is the best way to put together a sentence? How can we spice up a description? What is the motivation?
Yet, some days I do not want to touch the keyboard. Who cares what my characters do! Editing is for the birds! The critics are right! No more blogs! Stay in bed! And then there is the feeling after writing a fantastic paragraph…
After some grumbling and long walks, the characters warm back up, and I pick up the keyboard. There is a certain familiarity with a character I created. Like we are old friends. Yes, we argue (get negative criticism) and have issues (plot holes), but in the end, we are partners on this chaotic path.
I am glad that I became an author. It is a creative outlet, and I have met many excellent writers. Plus, there are my four blog readers. Thanks for sticking with me all these years and making this effort worthwhile.
Writing is a challenging hobby where I am privileged to express myself. This blog is a perfect example of this freedom. I could choose my topic, writing style, and content. As a result, this little gem has been an enjoyable experience.
Yet there have been negative aspects of writing. It takes time, mental energy, diligence, and patience. The worst part is warranted and unwarranted negative feedback. Yet, I still think the overall process is worth the effort. And it should be. While the physical act of writing is solitary, authors load their writing with amazing people (characters). Even the words have a positive aspect to them. What is the best way to put together a sentence? How can we spice up a description? What is the motivation?
Yet, some days I do not want to touch the keyboard. Who cares what my characters do! Editing is for the birds! The critics are right! No more blogs! Stay in bed! And then there is the feeling after writing a fantastic paragraph…
After some grumbling and long walks, the characters warm back up, and I pick up the keyboard. There is a certain familiarity with a character I created. Like we are old friends. Yes, we argue (get negative criticism) and have issues (plot holes), but in the end, we are partners on this chaotic path.
I am glad that I became an author. It is a creative outlet, and I have met many excellent writers. Plus, there are my four blog readers. Thanks for sticking with me all these years and making this effort worthwhile.
May 11, 2022
My Themes (Oops!)
Last week, I started a new blog titled “My Themes,” which described my typical writing themes. All was going well until yesterday evening, and at that point, I had committed at least two hours of writing. While searching for an unrelated topic, I came across:
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
A blog about my writing themes. Two hours wasted. Mental note: Check previous blog topics before starting a new one.
This mistake got me thinking. How many times have I covered prior material? At 218 blogs, I recall a few instances. But not this bad. Plus, I like to re-discuss topics.
What were the differences between the two blogs? The original focused on character/plot types and writing formats. My recent attempt focused on broader topics, including morals, plot structures, and how I treat the character. This collimated in an overall focus on bad things happening to ordinary people.
Taking a high-level view, I have grown as an author and now think more about the bigger picture. I suppose this is evidence of growth. For example, a new car buyer might focus on flashy appearances, and an experienced car enthusiast would concentrate on technical specifications.
Making mistakes is part of life, which is how we learn and grow. As a writer, the key is fixing issues at the editing stage. The problem is that books contain thousands of words, and it only takes one to do lots of damage. Fortunately, I found this little boo-boo before my four blog readers. Stay tuned for future mistakes.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
A blog about my writing themes. Two hours wasted. Mental note: Check previous blog topics before starting a new one.
This mistake got me thinking. How many times have I covered prior material? At 218 blogs, I recall a few instances. But not this bad. Plus, I like to re-discuss topics.
What were the differences between the two blogs? The original focused on character/plot types and writing formats. My recent attempt focused on broader topics, including morals, plot structures, and how I treat the character. This collimated in an overall focus on bad things happening to ordinary people.
Taking a high-level view, I have grown as an author and now think more about the bigger picture. I suppose this is evidence of growth. For example, a new car buyer might focus on flashy appearances, and an experienced car enthusiast would concentrate on technical specifications.
Making mistakes is part of life, which is how we learn and grow. As a writer, the key is fixing issues at the editing stage. The problem is that books contain thousands of words, and it only takes one to do lots of damage. Fortunately, I found this little boo-boo before my four blog readers. Stay tuned for future mistakes.
May 4, 2022
Red Editing
Years ago, Microsoft introduced an Office feature called review. This mode allows one or many people to edit a document and preserve/review changes. Office highlighted the edits in different colors, and the first editor is always red.
This feature allows reviewers to quickly scan through changes, which is super useful when applied correctly. However, there are downsides. Turning on review mode requires more processing power and increases file size. Another is that sometimes characters in “No Markup” (the final printed form) cannot be deleted. Plus, Microsoft did not include a hotkey for switching between “Tracked Changes” (showing the edits) and “No Markup.” However, I found this gem:
https://creativepro.com/two-of-my-fav...
I wanted to blog about another aspect of this feature. When a person is using review mode, they often do so in “Tracked Changes” and not “No Markup.” Unfortunately, this editing mode causes an editor to miss obvious mistakes. Allow me to demonstrate. Because of the text-based limitations of this blog, please imagine CAPATOL LETTERS as the red tracked changes.
Original sentence with a flaw: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dogie.
Red Line: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog DOGIE.
Printed: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog .
Did you see the extra space before the period? It’s easy to miss when the red line changes are next to the original words. Clearly reviewing the document in “Tracked Change” view caused the problem. Yet, many people, including professional editors, have yet to discover this fundamental flaw. I think the problem occurs because of the disbelief that the resulting edits will be perfect. “My sentences are better than the originals.” As opposed to, “A solid result is the goal. This may include fixing my own introduced flaws.”
There is another reason for working in “No Markup” view. A mental block gets released when an editor cannot see red changes, and they have the freedom to explore, update and change anything. (As opposed to making the original author feel bad for all the corrections.)
People have strange ticks, and I find it amusing that “Tracked Changes” has led to so many screwed-up documents. Fortunately for my four blog readers, I do not use review mode for blogging. So you get the raw words out of my keyboard!
This feature allows reviewers to quickly scan through changes, which is super useful when applied correctly. However, there are downsides. Turning on review mode requires more processing power and increases file size. Another is that sometimes characters in “No Markup” (the final printed form) cannot be deleted. Plus, Microsoft did not include a hotkey for switching between “Tracked Changes” (showing the edits) and “No Markup.” However, I found this gem:
https://creativepro.com/two-of-my-fav...
I wanted to blog about another aspect of this feature. When a person is using review mode, they often do so in “Tracked Changes” and not “No Markup.” Unfortunately, this editing mode causes an editor to miss obvious mistakes. Allow me to demonstrate. Because of the text-based limitations of this blog, please imagine CAPATOL LETTERS as the red tracked changes.
Original sentence with a flaw: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dogie.
Red Line: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog DOGIE.
Printed: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog .
Did you see the extra space before the period? It’s easy to miss when the red line changes are next to the original words. Clearly reviewing the document in “Tracked Change” view caused the problem. Yet, many people, including professional editors, have yet to discover this fundamental flaw. I think the problem occurs because of the disbelief that the resulting edits will be perfect. “My sentences are better than the originals.” As opposed to, “A solid result is the goal. This may include fixing my own introduced flaws.”
There is another reason for working in “No Markup” view. A mental block gets released when an editor cannot see red changes, and they have the freedom to explore, update and change anything. (As opposed to making the original author feel bad for all the corrections.)
People have strange ticks, and I find it amusing that “Tracked Changes” has led to so many screwed-up documents. Fortunately for my four blog readers, I do not use review mode for blogging. So you get the raw words out of my keyboard!
April 27, 2022
Do I Want to Be My Character?
Do authors secretly wish to be their characters? I have touched on this topic before:
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
However, I have not specifically addressed that question. It’s natural and even essential for authors to envision themselves as their characters. This is especially true for determining motivation and dialog. I am no exception and do indeed envision myself as one of these “people” while writing.
To specifically answer the questions. Do I desire to become one of my imaginary characters? Are they a reflection of who I should be? The expected answer is, “No, of course not! However, an author will always put some part of themselves into their words.”
What a cop-out! My characters span the rainbow. They are rich, poor, adventurous, attractive, influential, healthy, intelligent, and talented. Of course, I wish I were more than I am. Who would not want to be wealthier, braver, adventurous, younger, more attractive, and super-confidant? Larger than life! And yes, I know I could do a better job of improving my own life.
To get to the core aspect, there are times I desire to be a character. However, we must take in the plot. Let’s consider Luke Skywalker. What an amazing hero. He saved the universe. Good looking too! But his parents were murdered, he killed a bunch of people/creatures, and he ended up living on a deserted island. From a high-level view, he is a pathetic murderer. Luke reminds me of a child actor who “used to be adorable” but ended up a drugged-out disaster.
My characters are no different. I threw my characters into messes that destroyed their families, morals, and peaceful existence. One turns into a serial killer! Yet, there is a certain charm in becoming something you create. I could even be a woman or an alien. How about a super-smart billionaire?
We also need to keep in mind that there is a harsh reality to this line of thinking. Pretending to be someone else is destructive. We are who we are. An author has to keep this in mind or risk losing the things and people they care about.
How close have I come to committing to being a character? I occasionally daydream about characters and plots, but I wake up as myself each morning and live in the real world.
I am not complaining about my life and have been blessed with a healthy body, family, friends, and four blog readers. What more could a person ask for?
PS, I was reading a past blog, and I need to send a shout-out to a dear friend. Mr. computer, I still have not given you a name and need to. Please accept my gratitude for continuing to work flawlessly over these last months.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
However, I have not specifically addressed that question. It’s natural and even essential for authors to envision themselves as their characters. This is especially true for determining motivation and dialog. I am no exception and do indeed envision myself as one of these “people” while writing.
To specifically answer the questions. Do I desire to become one of my imaginary characters? Are they a reflection of who I should be? The expected answer is, “No, of course not! However, an author will always put some part of themselves into their words.”
What a cop-out! My characters span the rainbow. They are rich, poor, adventurous, attractive, influential, healthy, intelligent, and talented. Of course, I wish I were more than I am. Who would not want to be wealthier, braver, adventurous, younger, more attractive, and super-confidant? Larger than life! And yes, I know I could do a better job of improving my own life.
To get to the core aspect, there are times I desire to be a character. However, we must take in the plot. Let’s consider Luke Skywalker. What an amazing hero. He saved the universe. Good looking too! But his parents were murdered, he killed a bunch of people/creatures, and he ended up living on a deserted island. From a high-level view, he is a pathetic murderer. Luke reminds me of a child actor who “used to be adorable” but ended up a drugged-out disaster.
My characters are no different. I threw my characters into messes that destroyed their families, morals, and peaceful existence. One turns into a serial killer! Yet, there is a certain charm in becoming something you create. I could even be a woman or an alien. How about a super-smart billionaire?
We also need to keep in mind that there is a harsh reality to this line of thinking. Pretending to be someone else is destructive. We are who we are. An author has to keep this in mind or risk losing the things and people they care about.
How close have I come to committing to being a character? I occasionally daydream about characters and plots, but I wake up as myself each morning and live in the real world.
I am not complaining about my life and have been blessed with a healthy body, family, friends, and four blog readers. What more could a person ask for?
PS, I was reading a past blog, and I need to send a shout-out to a dear friend. Mr. computer, I still have not given you a name and need to. Please accept my gratitude for continuing to work flawlessly over these last months.
April 20, 2022
Perspective
Approximately ten years ago, I watched a business self-improvement video. The host’s job involved traveling to businesses, evaluating their operations, and recommending improvements. This video included his favorite example, which occurred at a large firm. There, he interviewed the mailroom supervisor, who had been at the company for 25 years.
This person’s job was to distribute mail and interoffice communications. As a result, this individual became a wealth of knowledge, and what should have been a 15-minute discussion turned into a two-hour marathon of good ideas.
When the host presented their report, the business executives were flabbergasted. They eagerly discussed each improvement and appreciated the deep company understanding. At the end of the presentation, the executives warmly congratulated the host for performing an excellent job.
When asked about how so many significant improvements could be developed in such a short time, the host revealed that the ideas came from the mailroom supervisor. The mood instantly turned sour. “Oh, that person! They are a load of hot air!” Then, the executives ordered the report shredded.
What the heck? Good ideas cannot come from the mailroom supervisor? That strategic person goes everywhere, knows everybody, and sees everything. Plus, they handle inventory, documents, and presentations. This person is the backbone, eyes, and ears of the company. Yet, their quirky personality made the executives cringe.
Unfortunately, we often see or experience prejudiced behavior. Race, religion, appearance, and gender prevent good ideas from being accepted. From this example, we also know that personality plays an important role. Yet, this blog is about books. How does personality bias apply to characters?
Hmm, that’s a tricky call. It is essential to educate the reader about core character flaws when building a character. Meaning that when a character negatively interacts with another character, the negative source must be clear. “A load of hot air” character does not translate to an apparent flaw. But for fun, let’s build such a character.
Pat (a gender natural name) is 5’ 5” tall, with brown curly hair, and could stand to lose 20 pounds. This person started in shipping and worked their way up to the mailroom supervisor. Most people get along with Pat, and this individual does a fantastic job of keeping the company communicating. However, a few people do not appreciate Pat’s bubbly personality and feel this individual should focus on delivering mail and not chatting.
That’s a grand description, but readers would not understand why Pat’s ideas would attract such an adverse reaction. The executives actively dislike Pat without a logical reason. Does this mean that a character cannot have a hidden flaw or be surrounded by mean people? I am sure my four blog readers are aware of close-minded people in real life. Can we simply state that fact? “Hey, we all dislike Pat and do not know why.” Umm, no.
What is going on? Readers hate characters with weak foundations. They do not mind-read the author’s thoughts. What about a mysterious character? How about a blanket statement like, “People hate Pat because of their bubbly personality.” My advice is to tread lightly with such character types. Readers only tolerate a slight amount of confusion before putting the book down. Characters must have their issues out in the open to be explored and criticized.
Where does this leave us? I have discovered another aspect of real life that is not contained in good stories. Why are readers so timid? No idea. Yet a talented writer must understand every reader quirk or risk offending their four loyal blog enthusiasts.
This person’s job was to distribute mail and interoffice communications. As a result, this individual became a wealth of knowledge, and what should have been a 15-minute discussion turned into a two-hour marathon of good ideas.
When the host presented their report, the business executives were flabbergasted. They eagerly discussed each improvement and appreciated the deep company understanding. At the end of the presentation, the executives warmly congratulated the host for performing an excellent job.
When asked about how so many significant improvements could be developed in such a short time, the host revealed that the ideas came from the mailroom supervisor. The mood instantly turned sour. “Oh, that person! They are a load of hot air!” Then, the executives ordered the report shredded.
What the heck? Good ideas cannot come from the mailroom supervisor? That strategic person goes everywhere, knows everybody, and sees everything. Plus, they handle inventory, documents, and presentations. This person is the backbone, eyes, and ears of the company. Yet, their quirky personality made the executives cringe.
Unfortunately, we often see or experience prejudiced behavior. Race, religion, appearance, and gender prevent good ideas from being accepted. From this example, we also know that personality plays an important role. Yet, this blog is about books. How does personality bias apply to characters?
Hmm, that’s a tricky call. It is essential to educate the reader about core character flaws when building a character. Meaning that when a character negatively interacts with another character, the negative source must be clear. “A load of hot air” character does not translate to an apparent flaw. But for fun, let’s build such a character.
Pat (a gender natural name) is 5’ 5” tall, with brown curly hair, and could stand to lose 20 pounds. This person started in shipping and worked their way up to the mailroom supervisor. Most people get along with Pat, and this individual does a fantastic job of keeping the company communicating. However, a few people do not appreciate Pat’s bubbly personality and feel this individual should focus on delivering mail and not chatting.
That’s a grand description, but readers would not understand why Pat’s ideas would attract such an adverse reaction. The executives actively dislike Pat without a logical reason. Does this mean that a character cannot have a hidden flaw or be surrounded by mean people? I am sure my four blog readers are aware of close-minded people in real life. Can we simply state that fact? “Hey, we all dislike Pat and do not know why.” Umm, no.
What is going on? Readers hate characters with weak foundations. They do not mind-read the author’s thoughts. What about a mysterious character? How about a blanket statement like, “People hate Pat because of their bubbly personality.” My advice is to tread lightly with such character types. Readers only tolerate a slight amount of confusion before putting the book down. Characters must have their issues out in the open to be explored and criticized.
Where does this leave us? I have discovered another aspect of real life that is not contained in good stories. Why are readers so timid? No idea. Yet a talented writer must understand every reader quirk or risk offending their four loyal blog enthusiasts.
April 13, 2022
It’s Difficult to Be an Author
In his most famous speech, JFK said, “We do these things not because they are easy but because they are hard.” I always liked that quote, and I went into writing fully aware of the uphill battle. My biggest concern was poor grammar and spelling. Plus, negative criticism has always been brutal. Yet, I completely missed the mark and have even coined the difficulty.
“Successful authors spend 99% of their time marketing and 1% on other tasks.” Wait a moment. Publishers are supposed to take care of that trivial effort. Nope. Traditional publishing is a dying industry that only supports niche authors. And surprise! Traditional publishers cannot promote their best authors.
For myself, there was no choice but to self-publish. I knew online sites like Amazon would do their best to promote my glorious work. After all, it is in their best interest to promote. Yeah, about that…
After I put my book on Amazon, nothing happened. Even a Google search could not find my book a month later. To make matters worse, an Amazon search yielded “Interviewing for Immortality,” which is a strange self-help book.
This was a harsh reality, and I had to shift my focus to marketing. It has been a long struggle to make some inroads, including blogging, begging for reviews, a website, contacting people, Goodreads posts, my Facebook page, research, and trying new ideas.
Yet, I still have not entirely accepted my 99% goal. (It is not really a goal, but something to strive for.) Presently, I spend 60% of my time self-editing, 30% marketing, and 10% writing. Of the time I spend writing, the majority is spent blogging, a marketing activity. However, I consider this effort to be “writing practice.”
Why is marketing so difficult and time-consuming? I do not have a marketing background and cannot locate a service to help. Many services will take your money. Unfortunately, they are all glorified spam generators. The world has enough spam. Ask them to prove their “return on investment.” None of them can justify the effectiveness of their service.
My only option is to innovate and slog through my existing marketing plan. Yet, I maintain hope. With the right attitude and effort, I will be successful. So, there is a substantial upside. More blogs for my four dedicated readers!
“Successful authors spend 99% of their time marketing and 1% on other tasks.” Wait a moment. Publishers are supposed to take care of that trivial effort. Nope. Traditional publishing is a dying industry that only supports niche authors. And surprise! Traditional publishers cannot promote their best authors.
For myself, there was no choice but to self-publish. I knew online sites like Amazon would do their best to promote my glorious work. After all, it is in their best interest to promote. Yeah, about that…
After I put my book on Amazon, nothing happened. Even a Google search could not find my book a month later. To make matters worse, an Amazon search yielded “Interviewing for Immortality,” which is a strange self-help book.
This was a harsh reality, and I had to shift my focus to marketing. It has been a long struggle to make some inroads, including blogging, begging for reviews, a website, contacting people, Goodreads posts, my Facebook page, research, and trying new ideas.
Yet, I still have not entirely accepted my 99% goal. (It is not really a goal, but something to strive for.) Presently, I spend 60% of my time self-editing, 30% marketing, and 10% writing. Of the time I spend writing, the majority is spent blogging, a marketing activity. However, I consider this effort to be “writing practice.”
Why is marketing so difficult and time-consuming? I do not have a marketing background and cannot locate a service to help. Many services will take your money. Unfortunately, they are all glorified spam generators. The world has enough spam. Ask them to prove their “return on investment.” None of them can justify the effectiveness of their service.
My only option is to innovate and slog through my existing marketing plan. Yet, I maintain hope. With the right attitude and effort, I will be successful. So, there is a substantial upside. More blogs for my four dedicated readers!
April 6, 2022
Will Writing Ever Rule the World?
While searching for new blog topics, I came across a great list of popular ones. Instead of choosing the one I liked the most, I challenged myself. “Will Blank Ever Rule the World?” Since this blog is about writing and books, “Will writing ever rule the world?” My first thought about this profound question was, “Of course not! What are you thinking?!”
Umm, that was not the intent of the exercise. I was supposed to describe all the wonders of books and writing. For example, let’s pretend my blog was about horses. “Will horses ever rule the world?” Of course, horses will rule the world! People love horses, and it is natural to think these majestic creatures could become a much larger part of our society. Heck, with artificial intelligence and genetic engineering, horses could even evolve. I suspect talking and voting is in our near future. More arguments include…
That’s the proper line of thinking. Writing and books should be fundamental to a person like me. Therefore, books could become the world’s most important topic. However, I am too realistic and do not believe this could be possible. Does this mean that writing and books are not the most important part of my life? They are important, but I feel this blog exercise is silly and illogical. “I do not wish to take part.” Come on, man up, and make this blog topic happen. Hmm… Alright, I will make a better (fictional?) attempt.
There is a hypothetical future where writing and books could become extremely popular. Rock and roll, designer jeans, beanie babies, and Pokemon Go took the world by storm. Writing is a fun pastime, important to society, and rewarding. Books are educational, enjoyable, and challenging. In addition, it is now super easy to publish. Finally, books and writing used to be super popular and have always been a core part of our history. In conclusion, it is 100% possible that writing or books could once again become super popular.
However, I still do not think I covered the core point. Will writing and books ever reach superstar status? Ultra-popular rulers and pop stars have only achieved that level of fame and devotion. The closest an author or book achieves superstar status is JK Rowling and the Harry Potter books. Yet, she is a far cry from somebody like Michael Jackson, Elvis, Madonna, Lincoln, or King Tut.
Alright, let’s set up a realistic situation. Mega author (let’s call him Bill) writes a fantastic book series that takes the world by storm. His message is, “Everybody can be an author!” This universal message inspires people everywhere to write and read books. Is this set-up realistic? We are in the middle of a crazy Covid 19 epidemic. If something crazy like Covid can happen, then books can rule the world.
But wait, books sort of ruled the world. JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books, they became mega-popular, and Amazon now lets everybody publish. So, therefore, writing and books rule the world (quietly). (With an occasional movie deal and check from Amazon.)
I suppose this is a bland ending to a bland topic. But it could have been worse. Imagine how my four readers would feel if I spent this blog trying to convince you that horses would rule the world. Want something worse? Imagine if horses ruled the world? My street would stink from all the horse poop. How did the horses vote in the last election? So, I guess I am ending this blog on a high note. Writing and books do (kind of) rule the world.
Umm, that was not the intent of the exercise. I was supposed to describe all the wonders of books and writing. For example, let’s pretend my blog was about horses. “Will horses ever rule the world?” Of course, horses will rule the world! People love horses, and it is natural to think these majestic creatures could become a much larger part of our society. Heck, with artificial intelligence and genetic engineering, horses could even evolve. I suspect talking and voting is in our near future. More arguments include…
That’s the proper line of thinking. Writing and books should be fundamental to a person like me. Therefore, books could become the world’s most important topic. However, I am too realistic and do not believe this could be possible. Does this mean that writing and books are not the most important part of my life? They are important, but I feel this blog exercise is silly and illogical. “I do not wish to take part.” Come on, man up, and make this blog topic happen. Hmm… Alright, I will make a better (fictional?) attempt.
There is a hypothetical future where writing and books could become extremely popular. Rock and roll, designer jeans, beanie babies, and Pokemon Go took the world by storm. Writing is a fun pastime, important to society, and rewarding. Books are educational, enjoyable, and challenging. In addition, it is now super easy to publish. Finally, books and writing used to be super popular and have always been a core part of our history. In conclusion, it is 100% possible that writing or books could once again become super popular.
However, I still do not think I covered the core point. Will writing and books ever reach superstar status? Ultra-popular rulers and pop stars have only achieved that level of fame and devotion. The closest an author or book achieves superstar status is JK Rowling and the Harry Potter books. Yet, she is a far cry from somebody like Michael Jackson, Elvis, Madonna, Lincoln, or King Tut.
Alright, let’s set up a realistic situation. Mega author (let’s call him Bill) writes a fantastic book series that takes the world by storm. His message is, “Everybody can be an author!” This universal message inspires people everywhere to write and read books. Is this set-up realistic? We are in the middle of a crazy Covid 19 epidemic. If something crazy like Covid can happen, then books can rule the world.
But wait, books sort of ruled the world. JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books, they became mega-popular, and Amazon now lets everybody publish. So, therefore, writing and books rule the world (quietly). (With an occasional movie deal and check from Amazon.)
I suppose this is a bland ending to a bland topic. But it could have been worse. Imagine how my four readers would feel if I spent this blog trying to convince you that horses would rule the world. Want something worse? Imagine if horses ruled the world? My street would stink from all the horse poop. How did the horses vote in the last election? So, I guess I am ending this blog on a high note. Writing and books do (kind of) rule the world.
March 30, 2022
A Day to Die
Last night, I started watching the movie, A Day to Die, starring Bruce Willis. After ten minutes, I stopped. They loaded this terrible film with plot holes, character flaws, physics mistakes, improper media (public) reactions, and a lack of common sense.
The experience made me want to ask the screenwriter, “Why are you trying to tell this awful story? Aren’t there enough ‘mega cop goes rogue’ stories? Did you show the script to a friend to get their honest reaction? Have you ever spoken to a police officer to understand their job? The police do not issue missile launchers! So what the heck went through the movie executive’s minds? Films still cost money? Right?” I wished I had not wasted those ten minutes.
Yet, there is another perspective. I am a small-time author who does not have a team of advisors. Who selects my book and blog topics? Only me. How do is select a topic? I write stories and blogs of a type that I would like to read.
Therefore, it is logical that the screenwriter of A Day to Die enjoyed unrealistic police movies. However, I think there is more to it. A talented writer will step back and ask themselves, “Is this a good story? Is there some aspect to hook a reader or viewer?” My guess is that many people messed with a good script, resulting in terrible “group results.”
Have I ever made a writing mistake this big? Well… Sort of. For 30 years, I have been thinking about a story. When I started my writing adventure, I planned to make this my fourth book. Actually, I envisioned a big-time movie. However, this project never got off the ground.
The main character (modeled around a “spirited” version of myself) gets rich by exploiting the banking system. Readers would consider this character to be arrogant and selfish. To put it into simple terms, his only positive aspect was intelligence. However, for 30 years, I did not figure this out. Then, one day, I thought about writing priorities and making this story into a book. As I envisioned the entire plot, I realized readers would not like this story. What’s worse is that I would not want to read a book of this type. Bummer!
Why did I think positively about this story for so long? From my perspective, a bold character overcame all odds by making intelligent decisions. So… He uses his mind to get rich, and this mental edge allows him to act like a jerk. Fortunately, I saw the issue before wasting a lot of time.
It is a shame that so many people put effort into A Day to Die. There are so many fantastic stories that they could have worked on. What an excellent non-fiction story to make into a blockbuster movie? Six WWII German prisoners escaped from American prisons. Easy money.
It is super important to take a step back and reevaluate our path. Sometimes we have to make course corrections, firm decisions, or stay the course. Unfortunately, everybody involved in A Day to Die failed to take this critical step. Yet… I read a few positive reviews about this film. Hmm. What were the fans thinking? Perhaps the police secretly issue rocket launchers. But that is a topic for a future blog.
The experience made me want to ask the screenwriter, “Why are you trying to tell this awful story? Aren’t there enough ‘mega cop goes rogue’ stories? Did you show the script to a friend to get their honest reaction? Have you ever spoken to a police officer to understand their job? The police do not issue missile launchers! So what the heck went through the movie executive’s minds? Films still cost money? Right?” I wished I had not wasted those ten minutes.
Yet, there is another perspective. I am a small-time author who does not have a team of advisors. Who selects my book and blog topics? Only me. How do is select a topic? I write stories and blogs of a type that I would like to read.
Therefore, it is logical that the screenwriter of A Day to Die enjoyed unrealistic police movies. However, I think there is more to it. A talented writer will step back and ask themselves, “Is this a good story? Is there some aspect to hook a reader or viewer?” My guess is that many people messed with a good script, resulting in terrible “group results.”
Have I ever made a writing mistake this big? Well… Sort of. For 30 years, I have been thinking about a story. When I started my writing adventure, I planned to make this my fourth book. Actually, I envisioned a big-time movie. However, this project never got off the ground.
The main character (modeled around a “spirited” version of myself) gets rich by exploiting the banking system. Readers would consider this character to be arrogant and selfish. To put it into simple terms, his only positive aspect was intelligence. However, for 30 years, I did not figure this out. Then, one day, I thought about writing priorities and making this story into a book. As I envisioned the entire plot, I realized readers would not like this story. What’s worse is that I would not want to read a book of this type. Bummer!
Why did I think positively about this story for so long? From my perspective, a bold character overcame all odds by making intelligent decisions. So… He uses his mind to get rich, and this mental edge allows him to act like a jerk. Fortunately, I saw the issue before wasting a lot of time.
It is a shame that so many people put effort into A Day to Die. There are so many fantastic stories that they could have worked on. What an excellent non-fiction story to make into a blockbuster movie? Six WWII German prisoners escaped from American prisons. Easy money.
It is super important to take a step back and reevaluate our path. Sometimes we have to make course corrections, firm decisions, or stay the course. Unfortunately, everybody involved in A Day to Die failed to take this critical step. Yet… I read a few positive reviews about this film. Hmm. What were the fans thinking? Perhaps the police secretly issue rocket launchers. But that is a topic for a future blog.
March 23, 2022
Parker
I have no desire to become famous, and the thought of accepting a significant award or staring in a movie seems absurd. Why? Attaining fame is not part of my personality. But, of course, more than enough people desire limelight, and ordinary people are happy to pay money to see famous actors.
However, there have been a few times where I experienced a slight amount of fame, and I wanted to explore one such moment. In college, we had a weekly paper that occasionally contained good content. One column was an opinion section written by an anonymous author. The year I started college, a guy who called himself Frodo dribbled out a weekly mess. In case you do not know, Frodo was the lead character from the book Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Each week, Frodo endlessly complained about random topics. He had a poor writing style and never offered a solution.
In my second year of college, Frodo either graduated or stopped writing. A new anonymous writer called himself Parker took over this weekly column. His writing was timid (but well written), and most subjects focused on college life. Parker’s words got more traction than Frodo, but the stain of Frodo remained.
One day, my friend (I have since forgotten his name) asked if I had read the recent Parker. I answered no, and he asked why. We had a long discussion about anonymous authors, pen names, and school topics. Spoiler alert! It turns out my friend was Parker. Wow, big reveal!
Parker discussed my anonymous author opinions, pen names, and school topics in his next column. To my surprise, there were many reactions from the students. Suddenly, I became a (very) minor celebrity, and the (limited) fame surprised me. I could not believe that my thoughts were important to so many (a few) people.
What is it like to be significant enough to write about? I found the experience to be humbling. Wow, somebody I never met cares about my opinions. However, as the comments piled on, I began disliking the fame. It turns out that not everybody agreed with my views. Fame has a dark side? Who knew?
Are my blogs an attempt at fame? Yes, and no. My goal is to “get the word out about my books.” I do not desire to change the world, get famous or reap loads of cash. Breaking even would be nice. However, I would like it if my blogs encouraged discussion or educated a few readers. Yet, suddenly, having one of my blogs spike in popularity would probably make me want to hide under a large rock. I suppose Parker presented me with an exciting learning experience. “This is what fame is like.”
Should I thank Parker for introducing me to fame? “Thanks for caring about my opinion back in 1993.” And thank you, my four blog readers, for also caring!
However, there have been a few times where I experienced a slight amount of fame, and I wanted to explore one such moment. In college, we had a weekly paper that occasionally contained good content. One column was an opinion section written by an anonymous author. The year I started college, a guy who called himself Frodo dribbled out a weekly mess. In case you do not know, Frodo was the lead character from the book Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Each week, Frodo endlessly complained about random topics. He had a poor writing style and never offered a solution.
In my second year of college, Frodo either graduated or stopped writing. A new anonymous writer called himself Parker took over this weekly column. His writing was timid (but well written), and most subjects focused on college life. Parker’s words got more traction than Frodo, but the stain of Frodo remained.
One day, my friend (I have since forgotten his name) asked if I had read the recent Parker. I answered no, and he asked why. We had a long discussion about anonymous authors, pen names, and school topics. Spoiler alert! It turns out my friend was Parker. Wow, big reveal!
Parker discussed my anonymous author opinions, pen names, and school topics in his next column. To my surprise, there were many reactions from the students. Suddenly, I became a (very) minor celebrity, and the (limited) fame surprised me. I could not believe that my thoughts were important to so many (a few) people.
What is it like to be significant enough to write about? I found the experience to be humbling. Wow, somebody I never met cares about my opinions. However, as the comments piled on, I began disliking the fame. It turns out that not everybody agreed with my views. Fame has a dark side? Who knew?
Are my blogs an attempt at fame? Yes, and no. My goal is to “get the word out about my books.” I do not desire to change the world, get famous or reap loads of cash. Breaking even would be nice. However, I would like it if my blogs encouraged discussion or educated a few readers. Yet, suddenly, having one of my blogs spike in popularity would probably make me want to hide under a large rock. I suppose Parker presented me with an exciting learning experience. “This is what fame is like.”
Should I thank Parker for introducing me to fame? “Thanks for caring about my opinion back in 1993.” And thank you, my four blog readers, for also caring!
March 16, 2022
Ockham's Razor
Ocham's razor, also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony, is the problem-solving principle that "entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity." Or paraphrased as "the simplest explanation is usually the best one.” Unfortunately, this phrase gets misused or overused by people trying to impress others.
In real life, things get complex, but there are often root causes or essential viewpoints to explain an issue. For example, if a person’s car does not start, the reason can be as simple as running out of fuel. Many would consider this to be a simple case of Ockham's razor. Yet, the issue could be an esoteric programming issue in the engine computer that can only be replicated on cold days when the car is traveling down a hill. Side note: Yes, complex issues like this are possible. Here, Ockham's razor does not apply, and perusing “simple solutions” can distract the team from solving the problem.
A big problem occurs when Ocham's razor gets applied to human behavior. Why is John upset? Because he misses his daughter. This seems logical but humans are complex and have many motivations, including money, power, survival, belongingness, fear, achievement, or affection. Even a boring human has a vast number of directions. We do not sit in an empty room all year long and think about one thing.
Let’s create a situation. A famous actor passes on a role which makes the news. An average person watches the news and becomes depressed. Why such a powerful reaction? That unimportant story, combined with other issues, may have pushed the person into a dark place. Outsiders, and perhaps the affected person, might not even know about the depression source. Modern humans are subject to a vast wave of information, feeling, social interactions, challenges, news, friends, coworkers, characters in media, books, and finances. Narrowing down a single root cause is difficult, and often, multiple issues are to blame. Plus, humans need entertainment and sometimes make random important decisions without motivation or reason.
And now, the actual issue. How does Ocham's razor apply to writing? Readers enjoy easy-to-understand characters and straightforward plots but dislike undefined motivation or poor logic. However, they also need to be entertained, and simple plots or flat characters are no longer acceptable.
A good story should have a moment where it is clear what is going on and the reasons behind a character’s actions. However, readers also like mystery and suspense, so there must be a careful balance.
An author needs to place themselves in the reader's perspective and write something that a reader can distill down to an Ocham's razor moment. The result will be powerful (because it is easy to comprehend), and the story will stick within a reader’s mind. Another way of looking at this is to understand that readers and viewers cannot read an author’s mind. They only have what authors present before them to understand, which is a perfect example of what the distillation concept behind Ocham's razor should represent.
In summary, Ocham's razor is another tool for an author. Perhaps it could be considered a perspective. One could even apply Ocham's razor to this very blog. I stuck to one topic and kept my readers focused. Adding some random story at this point would have messed up the ending.
In real life, things get complex, but there are often root causes or essential viewpoints to explain an issue. For example, if a person’s car does not start, the reason can be as simple as running out of fuel. Many would consider this to be a simple case of Ockham's razor. Yet, the issue could be an esoteric programming issue in the engine computer that can only be replicated on cold days when the car is traveling down a hill. Side note: Yes, complex issues like this are possible. Here, Ockham's razor does not apply, and perusing “simple solutions” can distract the team from solving the problem.
A big problem occurs when Ocham's razor gets applied to human behavior. Why is John upset? Because he misses his daughter. This seems logical but humans are complex and have many motivations, including money, power, survival, belongingness, fear, achievement, or affection. Even a boring human has a vast number of directions. We do not sit in an empty room all year long and think about one thing.
Let’s create a situation. A famous actor passes on a role which makes the news. An average person watches the news and becomes depressed. Why such a powerful reaction? That unimportant story, combined with other issues, may have pushed the person into a dark place. Outsiders, and perhaps the affected person, might not even know about the depression source. Modern humans are subject to a vast wave of information, feeling, social interactions, challenges, news, friends, coworkers, characters in media, books, and finances. Narrowing down a single root cause is difficult, and often, multiple issues are to blame. Plus, humans need entertainment and sometimes make random important decisions without motivation or reason.
And now, the actual issue. How does Ocham's razor apply to writing? Readers enjoy easy-to-understand characters and straightforward plots but dislike undefined motivation or poor logic. However, they also need to be entertained, and simple plots or flat characters are no longer acceptable.
A good story should have a moment where it is clear what is going on and the reasons behind a character’s actions. However, readers also like mystery and suspense, so there must be a careful balance.
An author needs to place themselves in the reader's perspective and write something that a reader can distill down to an Ocham's razor moment. The result will be powerful (because it is easy to comprehend), and the story will stick within a reader’s mind. Another way of looking at this is to understand that readers and viewers cannot read an author’s mind. They only have what authors present before them to understand, which is a perfect example of what the distillation concept behind Ocham's razor should represent.
In summary, Ocham's razor is another tool for an author. Perhaps it could be considered a perspective. One could even apply Ocham's razor to this very blog. I stuck to one topic and kept my readers focused. Adding some random story at this point would have messed up the ending.
