Bill Conrad's Blog, page 26
January 27, 2021
Changing My First Book
Interviewing Immortality hit Amazon July 29, 2017. Since then, I have been in a large editing loop with books two through five. As a result, my skills have improved, and I thought it would interest my blog readers to examine what changes I would have made if I were to write that book all over again.
The largest complaint concerns my use of first-person. I suppose this writing format is monotonous. Some readers hate “I did this” and “I did that” in every other sentence. I understand their apprehension, but I felt the type of story demanded a first-person perspective. Essentially, many terrible events happened to one guy, and he needed to say, “This is what I went through.” To me, it seemed natural (and realistic) to make the book in first-person.
The other option would be to begin the story at a different point or tell it from a fresh perspective. “This is what my brother went through.” Another option is to limit first-person accounts. For this blog, I thought about alternative writing methods and concluded that I made the best choice.
Since then, I have honed my techniques for integrating dialogue. My alternative methods flow better and are more accepted. There is no choice, and I would have to incorporate this improved technique. I am planning a revised version that will address this shortcoming.
There are three homonym spelling mistakes. Dang! I hate making silly mistakes, and I know experienced readers also dislike them. The good news is that automated grammar checkers are much better at catching those types of errors.
One of my annoying writing ticks is stating something and then starting it again. “He walked up to the door, opened the door, and walked through the door.” Gahh! Why the heck do I do that?! Interviewing Immortality contains at least 200 sentences that need clipping.
Readers also complained about the ending because I leave them hanging. While I have written a sequel, it is not for sale. Only time is going to fix this problem.
During my editing, I removed 20% to improve the flow. I feel the result is too bland, and there needs to be more insight and descriptions. I think that would have made it a more rounded book.
What about the overall format, plot (logic), characters, and theme? I recall a quote by Michelangelo. The statue was always is in the stone. I only removed the extra bits. The same is true with me. My job was to adequately get my story down on paper. Whether it is a beautiful story is in the beholder's eye.
Overall, I am still proud of my work. I give myself an A- grade. After the revision, it will be a solid A. At least from my perspective…
The largest complaint concerns my use of first-person. I suppose this writing format is monotonous. Some readers hate “I did this” and “I did that” in every other sentence. I understand their apprehension, but I felt the type of story demanded a first-person perspective. Essentially, many terrible events happened to one guy, and he needed to say, “This is what I went through.” To me, it seemed natural (and realistic) to make the book in first-person.
The other option would be to begin the story at a different point or tell it from a fresh perspective. “This is what my brother went through.” Another option is to limit first-person accounts. For this blog, I thought about alternative writing methods and concluded that I made the best choice.
Since then, I have honed my techniques for integrating dialogue. My alternative methods flow better and are more accepted. There is no choice, and I would have to incorporate this improved technique. I am planning a revised version that will address this shortcoming.
There are three homonym spelling mistakes. Dang! I hate making silly mistakes, and I know experienced readers also dislike them. The good news is that automated grammar checkers are much better at catching those types of errors.
One of my annoying writing ticks is stating something and then starting it again. “He walked up to the door, opened the door, and walked through the door.” Gahh! Why the heck do I do that?! Interviewing Immortality contains at least 200 sentences that need clipping.
Readers also complained about the ending because I leave them hanging. While I have written a sequel, it is not for sale. Only time is going to fix this problem.
During my editing, I removed 20% to improve the flow. I feel the result is too bland, and there needs to be more insight and descriptions. I think that would have made it a more rounded book.
What about the overall format, plot (logic), characters, and theme? I recall a quote by Michelangelo. The statue was always is in the stone. I only removed the extra bits. The same is true with me. My job was to adequately get my story down on paper. Whether it is a beautiful story is in the beholder's eye.
Overall, I am still proud of my work. I give myself an A- grade. After the revision, it will be a solid A. At least from my perspective…
January 20, 2021
Improving the Book Market
I recently blogged about the present book trends:
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I concluded that the market has shifted in strange directions, and many traditional categories have downsized. To help this bleak situation, I am giving myself wishes to improve the book world.
I understand my wishes need to be realistic. Otherwise, I would wish to be a bestselling author. However, I must consider another aspect. Let’s say that I disklike mystery books. Presto-Change-O. Now, everybody dislikes mystery books, and that category disappears from bookshelves. Did I make other books better because mystery authors are free to concentrate on other areas? Did I free up more book store shelf space? What if I eliminated a more popular category such as romance? Such a wish would help nobody even if they disliked a category. Mystery authors have passion for their genre and would not apply the same passion toward other areas. Bookstores always change what books they display, and adding or removing book categories will occur no matter what categories are popular.
In my prior blog, I concluded readers are getting what they want to buy. Their choices include popular old titles and thousands of new books. Even little fish like me can get into the game. Today should be book paradise, and no wishes are required.
However, we still face challenges. For example, I want to read a book about the 747 jetliner. I searched Amazon, and 20 books popped up about that single subject. The problem is that each description is nearly identical. Let me be clear about what kind of book I desire to read. I do not want a fact-filled book because I can read Wikipedia and download colorful pictures without a book. I want to read a story about that plane. Those 20 books all mirror each other.
Years ago, I read the book “Operation Drumbeat” about WWII submarine activities. The book contains a real-life story. Let me rephrase. It is a crafted book that includes a factual tale told from a historical perspective. (As opposed to a list of facts.) The author had a passion and imparted his vision of events into their work. I consider this to be a labor of love and not a shotgun blast of historical facts.
What is stopping one of those 747 authors from creating an inspirational book? That is a tricky answer. Such an author would have to be committed to their bold project. Years ago, a publisher would say to an experienced author, “I want you to write a 747 book. Here is several thousand dollars. Interview a bunch of people and take lots of pictures. Then, spend a year writing a splendid book.” In two years, the publisher would recoup their investment by selling many books. Why? It would be a story that hooks people beyond 747 enthusiasts.
eBook authors like me cannot take two years off work and spend thousands of dollars writing a book about a subject with 20 existing books. Readers have lost that professional edge because intense books are no longer economical. The remaining big publishers only look at written books they know will sell.
Is my wish to bring back big publishers? We must face their absence. The same is true with big newspapers, and soon the large television networks. Should I wish to eliminate established authors or established books? No, I like prominent authors and outstanding books. They give me something to aspire to and are entertaining.
My wish is for Kobo, Barns & Nobel, Amazon, Goodreads, and Apple books to promote new authors. People doing a book search should see new author results right next to established authors. I would also prevent established publishing houses from re-releasing classic books as if they were new. I work to develop a new book, and it is not fair when I compete against a classic book labeled as new.
Will my wish come true? It’s not looking good.
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I concluded that the market has shifted in strange directions, and many traditional categories have downsized. To help this bleak situation, I am giving myself wishes to improve the book world.
I understand my wishes need to be realistic. Otherwise, I would wish to be a bestselling author. However, I must consider another aspect. Let’s say that I disklike mystery books. Presto-Change-O. Now, everybody dislikes mystery books, and that category disappears from bookshelves. Did I make other books better because mystery authors are free to concentrate on other areas? Did I free up more book store shelf space? What if I eliminated a more popular category such as romance? Such a wish would help nobody even if they disliked a category. Mystery authors have passion for their genre and would not apply the same passion toward other areas. Bookstores always change what books they display, and adding or removing book categories will occur no matter what categories are popular.
In my prior blog, I concluded readers are getting what they want to buy. Their choices include popular old titles and thousands of new books. Even little fish like me can get into the game. Today should be book paradise, and no wishes are required.
However, we still face challenges. For example, I want to read a book about the 747 jetliner. I searched Amazon, and 20 books popped up about that single subject. The problem is that each description is nearly identical. Let me be clear about what kind of book I desire to read. I do not want a fact-filled book because I can read Wikipedia and download colorful pictures without a book. I want to read a story about that plane. Those 20 books all mirror each other.
Years ago, I read the book “Operation Drumbeat” about WWII submarine activities. The book contains a real-life story. Let me rephrase. It is a crafted book that includes a factual tale told from a historical perspective. (As opposed to a list of facts.) The author had a passion and imparted his vision of events into their work. I consider this to be a labor of love and not a shotgun blast of historical facts.
What is stopping one of those 747 authors from creating an inspirational book? That is a tricky answer. Such an author would have to be committed to their bold project. Years ago, a publisher would say to an experienced author, “I want you to write a 747 book. Here is several thousand dollars. Interview a bunch of people and take lots of pictures. Then, spend a year writing a splendid book.” In two years, the publisher would recoup their investment by selling many books. Why? It would be a story that hooks people beyond 747 enthusiasts.
eBook authors like me cannot take two years off work and spend thousands of dollars writing a book about a subject with 20 existing books. Readers have lost that professional edge because intense books are no longer economical. The remaining big publishers only look at written books they know will sell.
Is my wish to bring back big publishers? We must face their absence. The same is true with big newspapers, and soon the large television networks. Should I wish to eliminate established authors or established books? No, I like prominent authors and outstanding books. They give me something to aspire to and are entertaining.
My wish is for Kobo, Barns & Nobel, Amazon, Goodreads, and Apple books to promote new authors. People doing a book search should see new author results right next to established authors. I would also prevent established publishing houses from re-releasing classic books as if they were new. I work to develop a new book, and it is not fair when I compete against a classic book labeled as new.
Will my wish come true? It’s not looking good.
January 13, 2021
When Plots Go Bad
Stories can be good, average, or bad. It is easy to categorize what we like or dislike. For example, a terrible story might be unbelievable, silly (when they should be serious) off-topic, or upsetting. However, some plots are bad and cannot categorize why.
Authors use many established rules to build remarkable stories—for example, the three-act story structure, the hook, or the dramatic conclusion. However, many marvelous stories do not contain classic elements, and I can dispel this mythical requirement with two words. Forrest Gump.
From a high-level view, this movie has nothing going for it. There is no classic plot, the romance is flawed, and the viewer gets hit by multiple untimely deaths. From a three-act, hook, and logical plot perspective, this movie is a complete failure. Yet, I loved that movie, and many other people would place this movie in their top five. (The book did not impress me, but that is a future topic.)
Let’s examine another movie, Avatar. It contains a three-act story with a hook and dramatic conclusion. Plus, the special effects, music, acting, and excellent premise which pushed the movie envelope. Also, the movie made lots of money, and many people loved it.
I was not too fond of the movie. Why? I could point out the underdeveloped characters, logic faults, implausibility, and blatant plot rip-off (Pocahontas.) However, that is not the core problem, and it took some time to put my anger into words.
My dislike stems from the movie demanding viewers to take on a mythical creature’s plight. To me, this felt like being forced to live with a hippie roommate. Do you know any giant blue beings who communicate through their tails? I do not either, which makes it hard for the viewer to relate to their struggle against invading humans.
How can writers prevent these issues? In a past blog, I discussed outlines:
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
It occurred to me that it is possible to identify significant plot problems at the outline stage. How would I have changed Avatar’s plot? The movie should have started without humans and established a baseline. I would then introduce humans halfway through the movie. Then, the audience would see how badly humans treated the blue creatures. This plot would have been more dramatic and relatable. Perhaps a common foe would have been helpful.
Plots can go wrong when an author cannot analyze the big picture from the consumer’s perspective. My second book contained these issues. I had a weak beginning, one arrogant main character, and another weak main character. It took a year of editing to correct these flaws. In my sixth book, the outline revealed a fundamental problem. My plot lacked focus (the story drifted away from the core premise.) It took four months of tinkering to update the outline. Had I started writing without an outline, the book would have been a disaster.
What flaws should we try to identify at the outline stage? A plot must connect with readers, keep them interested, and leave them entertained. How does an author do this? My best suggestion is to look at the outline several times and ask for opinions. The author should not get feedback like, “Hey, you have a story about a race car driver. Where are the racing scenes?” “Why does the hero lose every battle? Heroes should win battles.” “What should I like in this character? He’s a jerk.”
Why don’t author’s see the issues ahead of time? We focus on the little things and cannot spot significant problems. The most common problem is creating a great story that the author enjoys but the reader hate. Looking into the mirror can be difficult.
Authors use many established rules to build remarkable stories—for example, the three-act story structure, the hook, or the dramatic conclusion. However, many marvelous stories do not contain classic elements, and I can dispel this mythical requirement with two words. Forrest Gump.
From a high-level view, this movie has nothing going for it. There is no classic plot, the romance is flawed, and the viewer gets hit by multiple untimely deaths. From a three-act, hook, and logical plot perspective, this movie is a complete failure. Yet, I loved that movie, and many other people would place this movie in their top five. (The book did not impress me, but that is a future topic.)
Let’s examine another movie, Avatar. It contains a three-act story with a hook and dramatic conclusion. Plus, the special effects, music, acting, and excellent premise which pushed the movie envelope. Also, the movie made lots of money, and many people loved it.
I was not too fond of the movie. Why? I could point out the underdeveloped characters, logic faults, implausibility, and blatant plot rip-off (Pocahontas.) However, that is not the core problem, and it took some time to put my anger into words.
My dislike stems from the movie demanding viewers to take on a mythical creature’s plight. To me, this felt like being forced to live with a hippie roommate. Do you know any giant blue beings who communicate through their tails? I do not either, which makes it hard for the viewer to relate to their struggle against invading humans.
How can writers prevent these issues? In a past blog, I discussed outlines:
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
It occurred to me that it is possible to identify significant plot problems at the outline stage. How would I have changed Avatar’s plot? The movie should have started without humans and established a baseline. I would then introduce humans halfway through the movie. Then, the audience would see how badly humans treated the blue creatures. This plot would have been more dramatic and relatable. Perhaps a common foe would have been helpful.
Plots can go wrong when an author cannot analyze the big picture from the consumer’s perspective. My second book contained these issues. I had a weak beginning, one arrogant main character, and another weak main character. It took a year of editing to correct these flaws. In my sixth book, the outline revealed a fundamental problem. My plot lacked focus (the story drifted away from the core premise.) It took four months of tinkering to update the outline. Had I started writing without an outline, the book would have been a disaster.
What flaws should we try to identify at the outline stage? A plot must connect with readers, keep them interested, and leave them entertained. How does an author do this? My best suggestion is to look at the outline several times and ask for opinions. The author should not get feedback like, “Hey, you have a story about a race car driver. Where are the racing scenes?” “Why does the hero lose every battle? Heroes should win battles.” “What should I like in this character? He’s a jerk.”
Why don’t author’s see the issues ahead of time? We focus on the little things and cannot spot significant problems. The most common problem is creating a great story that the author enjoys but the reader hate. Looking into the mirror can be difficult.
January 6, 2021
What Makes Me Unique
While researching book generators, I came across a list of potential blog topics. The idea “What Makes Me Unique” sounded intriguing. I have a conservative personality, and this means I resist bragging or drawing attention to myself. Yet, it thought it would be an excellent personal growth exercise to push this envelope. In this effort, I will attempt to enlighten readers in a non-egotistical manner.
My four blog readers know that I consider myself an average person—a middle-aged male who lives in a large city with a wife and daughter. For fun, I mountain bike, hike, and buy junk at the swap meet. Overall, my life is not too exciting, but I enjoy it every day.
What about exciting events or circumstances that make me stand out? I have had a few notable events. I was SCUBA diving during an earthquake. However, I am sure that everybody has at least one important story, and I feel my circumstances do not make me unique.
I must confess that my Engineering skills are noteworthy. I have a genuine gift, and I appreciate my engineering mind. If being gifted unique? I suppose it would be if I were a talented painter or noted inventor that would make me stand out.
I must conclude that my writing ability does in deem make me unique. Few people dare to publish fiction. Some might create stories without showing them to anybody, make YouTube videos, or update their Facebook entries. It takes a bold person to put themselves up against established authors and take the criticism.
What makes my words unique? What is my hook? Hmm. I gave this matter a lot of thought and determined that I am a logical person who thinks a lot about life. I spend most of my time thinking about technology. The rest covers people, entertainment, business, logic, history, plots, events, and life. I channel these unique thoughts into writing.
I believe the result is truly unique. My ideas are realistic, relatable, and entertaining. On a personal level, I enjoy my creations. The few people that have read my material seem to agree.
Is there a scale for unique creations? Am I a 5 or a 10? I do not feel that we can measure creativity. However, we all recognize when something is special.
My four blog readers know that I consider myself an average person—a middle-aged male who lives in a large city with a wife and daughter. For fun, I mountain bike, hike, and buy junk at the swap meet. Overall, my life is not too exciting, but I enjoy it every day.
What about exciting events or circumstances that make me stand out? I have had a few notable events. I was SCUBA diving during an earthquake. However, I am sure that everybody has at least one important story, and I feel my circumstances do not make me unique.
I must confess that my Engineering skills are noteworthy. I have a genuine gift, and I appreciate my engineering mind. If being gifted unique? I suppose it would be if I were a talented painter or noted inventor that would make me stand out.
I must conclude that my writing ability does in deem make me unique. Few people dare to publish fiction. Some might create stories without showing them to anybody, make YouTube videos, or update their Facebook entries. It takes a bold person to put themselves up against established authors and take the criticism.
What makes my words unique? What is my hook? Hmm. I gave this matter a lot of thought and determined that I am a logical person who thinks a lot about life. I spend most of my time thinking about technology. The rest covers people, entertainment, business, logic, history, plots, events, and life. I channel these unique thoughts into writing.
I believe the result is truly unique. My ideas are realistic, relatable, and entertaining. On a personal level, I enjoy my creations. The few people that have read my material seem to agree.
Is there a scale for unique creations? Am I a 5 or a 10? I do not feel that we can measure creativity. However, we all recognize when something is special.
December 30, 2020
My Message
It has been a few years since I started writing, and I have lots of material to look back on. In a previous blog, I discussed what legacy I wish to leave:
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I did not discuss what impact I hope my work makes. I suppose the answer depends on the reader's perspective. We have a near-infinite number of books at our disposal, and a variety wrote them of authors.
Some writers desire fame, money, happiness, or change. For example, the author might write a religious book to enlighten their readers. The author of an electronics textbook would hope their readers make the world a better place through improved electrical knowledge. The science fiction writer might wish to expand the reader's imagination. Perhaps a romance author hopes their readers lead a more romantic life.
Of course, authors may have ulterior motives. One might wish their readers to vote for a specific candidate or take on their opinion. Another author might want to slander a group or expose a lie.
Not all books are serious, and I have found that authors wish to entertain rather than persuade. Many writers do not care what their readers think. An author might live in a bubble and not consider the reader to be part of the process.
What should my readers come away with? My primary goal is to entertain. A secondary goal would be to have them think about this world and themselves. Of course, it would be nice to make a few bucks and have my readers recommend my work.
Do I wish to change the world for the better? Of course, but my books will not accomplish this worthy task. What about my blogs? They are more thought-provoking and educational. For example, my last blog discussed generators, and I hope my efforts educated my four readers.
Perhaps my blogs will inspire a few readers. Or is this wishful thinking, and my blogs only provide fluff entertainment? Hmm. Something to think about. (Entertainingly, of course.) Is making something entertaining a worthy goal? I think so, and I hope that I entertained you today.
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I did not discuss what impact I hope my work makes. I suppose the answer depends on the reader's perspective. We have a near-infinite number of books at our disposal, and a variety wrote them of authors.
Some writers desire fame, money, happiness, or change. For example, the author might write a religious book to enlighten their readers. The author of an electronics textbook would hope their readers make the world a better place through improved electrical knowledge. The science fiction writer might wish to expand the reader's imagination. Perhaps a romance author hopes their readers lead a more romantic life.
Of course, authors may have ulterior motives. One might wish their readers to vote for a specific candidate or take on their opinion. Another author might want to slander a group or expose a lie.
Not all books are serious, and I have found that authors wish to entertain rather than persuade. Many writers do not care what their readers think. An author might live in a bubble and not consider the reader to be part of the process.
What should my readers come away with? My primary goal is to entertain. A secondary goal would be to have them think about this world and themselves. Of course, it would be nice to make a few bucks and have my readers recommend my work.
Do I wish to change the world for the better? Of course, but my books will not accomplish this worthy task. What about my blogs? They are more thought-provoking and educational. For example, my last blog discussed generators, and I hope my efforts educated my four readers.
Perhaps my blogs will inspire a few readers. Or is this wishful thinking, and my blogs only provide fluff entertainment? Hmm. Something to think about. (Entertainingly, of course.) Is making something entertaining a worthy goal? I think so, and I hope that I entertained you today.
December 24, 2020
Generators
I finally get to blog about my favorite topic: Generators. I have a 6.2-kilowatt, 120/240 Volt, 60 Herts portable generator. It starts like a dream and has never failed. Every day, I… Oh, wait. This blog is about writing books and stuff. Hmm. I should probably write about book generators.
A “generator” is a text list combined with a random number generator and rules. The first generator I ever came across was a National Enquirer headline generator. It used a list of popular names/events/situations and combined them into titles. Here is one such site:
http://www.rpginspiration.com/tables/...
I generated the following two headlines:
Mussolini Is Being Maintained Cryogenically for Nefarious Purposes
Incontrovertible Proof That the NSA Tried to Raise an Army of Dinosaurs
Quick and moderately funny stuff. I played with my National Enquirer headline generator on my Amiga computer for hours by adding to the database and creating new formulas.
In writing, I often use random name generators. They help me invent regular names, ethnic names, and exotic science-fiction items. How do I use this technology? Let’s say I want a new character name. I will click male or female and then get 10 names. If one pops, I use it. If not, I keep clicking until I do find one.
How does the name “pop?” Let’s say I want a mean male character. Here are 10 names I generated for this blog:
Laurence Rogers
Phil Fitzgerald
Mario Jensen
Calvin Barker
Joey Diaz
Shane Phelps
Joseph Hodges
Leon Rowe
Marcus Cobb
Russell Hoffman
Hmm. Shane Phelps sounds like a jerk. Of course, my four blog readers know that a name is just a name. The key is to have the mindset to think about that name and create a character with this mean mindset. Here is my favorite random name generator:
http://random-name-generator.info/
I use this site for ethnic and fantasy names:
https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/
A small part of my writing requires inventing some piece of technology that does not exist. In the Star Trek writing universe, they call this technobabble. Here are a few “future scientific device” generators:
http://www.ds10.org/Database/babble.html
http://enneadgames.com/generators/gen...
https://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-...
https://www.scifiideas.com/technobabb...
The Multisynaptic Hyper Infuser is broken. Priceless.
You can generate an entire planet with graphics and detailed data:
http://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/world/inde...
While researching this blog, I found out about idea generators. At present, I have far too many ideas and not enough time to write them up. However, I still generated ideas for about an hour. Here are four:
https://www.portent.com/tools/title-m...
https://app.buzzsumo.com/content/web?...
https://blog.reedsy.com/plot-generato...
https://www.scifiideas.com/story-idea...
These tools are quite impressive, and many of the generated plots had meat. It makes me wonder how long before somebody will invent a book generator. Wait a minute. I hope nobody is working on that.
A “generator” is a text list combined with a random number generator and rules. The first generator I ever came across was a National Enquirer headline generator. It used a list of popular names/events/situations and combined them into titles. Here is one such site:
http://www.rpginspiration.com/tables/...
I generated the following two headlines:
Mussolini Is Being Maintained Cryogenically for Nefarious Purposes
Incontrovertible Proof That the NSA Tried to Raise an Army of Dinosaurs
Quick and moderately funny stuff. I played with my National Enquirer headline generator on my Amiga computer for hours by adding to the database and creating new formulas.
In writing, I often use random name generators. They help me invent regular names, ethnic names, and exotic science-fiction items. How do I use this technology? Let’s say I want a new character name. I will click male or female and then get 10 names. If one pops, I use it. If not, I keep clicking until I do find one.
How does the name “pop?” Let’s say I want a mean male character. Here are 10 names I generated for this blog:
Laurence Rogers
Phil Fitzgerald
Mario Jensen
Calvin Barker
Joey Diaz
Shane Phelps
Joseph Hodges
Leon Rowe
Marcus Cobb
Russell Hoffman
Hmm. Shane Phelps sounds like a jerk. Of course, my four blog readers know that a name is just a name. The key is to have the mindset to think about that name and create a character with this mean mindset. Here is my favorite random name generator:
http://random-name-generator.info/
I use this site for ethnic and fantasy names:
https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/
A small part of my writing requires inventing some piece of technology that does not exist. In the Star Trek writing universe, they call this technobabble. Here are a few “future scientific device” generators:
http://www.ds10.org/Database/babble.html
http://enneadgames.com/generators/gen...
https://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-...
https://www.scifiideas.com/technobabb...
The Multisynaptic Hyper Infuser is broken. Priceless.
You can generate an entire planet with graphics and detailed data:
http://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/world/inde...
While researching this blog, I found out about idea generators. At present, I have far too many ideas and not enough time to write them up. However, I still generated ideas for about an hour. Here are four:
https://www.portent.com/tools/title-m...
https://app.buzzsumo.com/content/web?...
https://blog.reedsy.com/plot-generato...
https://www.scifiideas.com/story-idea...
These tools are quite impressive, and many of the generated plots had meat. It makes me wonder how long before somebody will invent a book generator. Wait a minute. I hope nobody is working on that.
December 16, 2020
Book Trends
As part of my marketing efforts, I look at the new books that come out on Amazon. This last month, I performed an informal survey of the latest releases and went through 40 pages of new books. For each book, I put it in a category and then came up with totals.
I hypothesized romance would dominate the field, but the results surprised me. Adult books were at 20%. The topics spanned the entire spectrum of erotic behavior. This ranged from the hard-core S&M to light-lust Amish romance. Overall, there was not one dominant (no pun intended) subcategory. All titles and covers were suggestive and graphic. I found several four-letter words in the titles and X-rated pictures on the covers. Amazon viewers clearly could tell what the book was about, and I am sure these new books would shock casual viewers of this category.
With the wide variety of internet adult material, I would have thought that this book genre would have died out in the ‘90s. I remember in the ‘70s when adult book stores were all over town. By the ‘80s, they had disappeared. I guess this entertainment category found a new life.
Self-help and alternative adult each occupied 15% of the new books. Most self-help books were tune-up guides for your life. Are you depressed? Make these 10 changes. Here are two example titles: “Lets Tide Up: A complete life changing guide to tiding up and get organized” “Psi Power: Shape Your Life With Psychic Power.”
However, the self-help books were not the ones I remember from the ‘80s and ‘90s. One of my favorite self-help books is “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” The book offers a detailed guide about how to be a better person. It contains great material, but the author points out the long road to success. Today's self-help books seem more like getting rich quick schemes. Something like: “10 shortcuts to trick people to liking you.”
The alternative adult books all had graphic titles and book covers. However, the content seemed to follow a basic formula. Lusty alternative lifestyle romance stories. I would have expected more variety and a deeper dive into that topic. This category has taken over traditional romance.
Fiction and cookbooks each took up 10%. The fiction works were fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Many of the books had similar covers, and most of the fiction stories were part of a long series. (Essentially, soap-operas.) However, there were only a few basic fiction titles.
I expected the cookbooks to be well… Cookbooks. You know. A book that tells you how to cook and is full of recipes. Instead, they were all niche-focused. A common topic was cooking low-calorie quinoa dishes. Here is a perfect example: “The Essential Star Trek Cocktail Book: Damn It, Jim, I'm A Doctor, Not A Drink Mixer!”
The following categories each took 5%: Mystery, religion, kids, conspiracy/government, romance, and re-release.
Of all the book categories, mystery books remained the same as when I was a kid. They still follow the same plot formula and have the same book covers. Yet, I can see this category declining.
There were many religious books, and this category is expanding, but not in how I expected. Given that we have the internet, databases, newly discovered material, satellite maps, archeological digs, big data analysis, and new ideas, this category should contain some great new material. Instead, the category seems to diverge into unusual niches. Here is a typical example: “3 Biblical Ways to Publicize Your Business.” Some books attempted to explain modern life/politics through religion. All of them seemed to have an us versus them spin. The line between conspiracy and religion is blurring. The religious books I used to see were all about being a better person. That no longer seems to be the case.
The astute blog reader will note that I described the next category as “kids” and not “young adult.” This category has radically changed since I was a kid in the ‘70s. As I was writing this blog, I concluded about what changed. Harry Potter messed this category up. Let me explain. Harry Potter books were written for children, but adults liked them. Now everybody reads “young adult” books. As a result, the young adult category has disappeared.
The kid’s category is for the eight and under crowd. However, the books have changed since was a kid. Now, they must contain a learning component, be earth-friendly, and have a positive push. Essentially, the formula has narrowed, and kid's books lost their playfulness/edge.
The next category is conspiracy/government. In the past, these were separate categories, but politics and people have changed. In the ‘80s, government books read like a textbook. Here are the facts about a government topic, and this is my conclusion. Now we see titles like: “QANON: The Most Complete Report on the Great Conspiracy Against the United States.” Conspiracy/government books now have to be focused with a powerful slant. You are for the authors side or an enemy of all that is good. It is incredible how much things have changed.
The next category is romance. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s this category dominated the written world. I remember entire romance bookstores, and every book followed the same basic formula: A relationship.
Romance books now still focus on relationships, but they fall into distinct categories. There are period romances (generally set in 1800s England on ships.) There is what I term fantasy romance. These books push the limits of plausibility like an average person falling in love with a super rock star. Another is odd combinations like a doctor falling in love with a married patient. Amish romance stories are quite popular. There are crossover romance stories like Romance/Science Fiction or Romance/Erotic.
The last category should not be a category; re-releases. This is when a publisher takes an established book and put it into a new package. This allows old books to get categorized as new. Remember reading Charles Dickens in High School? He is dead. Right? Nope. He is alive and well. He even comes out with new material every year.
I do not understand is why readers get fooled by this rotten trick. Here is an example that I pulled up today: “Agatha Christie Premium Collection.” “The Complete Works of Jane Austen (In One Volume)”
When I clicked on Amazon Kindle, “new releases in the last 30 days.” The first book was “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.” This book had a release date of three days ago. In that short time, it got 21,760 ratings. On Goodreads, it has a release date of 1963. Yeah, a new release. It appears some rules are getting bent.
My four blog readers probably caught something. What about the other popular categories? Westerns, traditional romance, engineering, science fiction, non-fiction, how to, law, educational, reference, history, crafts, business, medicine, money, art and travel. My four blog readers just pulled up their amazon page and saw those same categories.
I agree that these categories exist, but there are only a few new books in these categories. The titles are from established authors and their older books.
Let’s look at one specific category. Westerns. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, this category dominated the entertainment world. However, if you look at television and movies today, you will not find many western stories. I suspect the classics still sell, but a new author would have a tough time. Why? I guess people no longer like cowboys.
Where are books going? Books on the same path that music took in the ‘90s. Since Edison first recorded music and sold the first record, the formula has been the same. Make a record and sell it at a store. Radio, concerts, music merchandise, cassette tapes, and CDs changed the game slightly, but the basic formula remains.
In the ‘90s, MP3 and the internet came along and decimated music sales. Record companies had no idea what to do, and musicians stopped getting huge checks. Concerts for new groups went from selling ten thousand tickets to bands playing at local pubs. The music business went into a chaotic meltdown.
When the dust settled, musicians still made music, but they distribute it differently. Music categories (listening tastes) git focused on niche markets. The supergroups of the ‘80s used to sprout like weeds. Now, a wide-reaching musical hit is rare, even for a well-known artist.
Publishing followed that same formula. Write a book, print it, and sell it at a store. Movies, plays, and books on tape also slightly changed the game, but the formula remained the same until the 2000s.
Now, books get printed on-demand, downloaded, offered for free, or allow the first chapter is available online. Authors need to target specific audiences in specific categories. A few authors still go through traditional publishers, but the majority self-publish in electronic book format. This new market has a better chance of success, is easier, faster, direct, more controlled, and (potentially) more profitable. Direct eBook publishing has huge limitations, but I would argue that those limitations are rapidly going away.
What about the mega authors? There are still big names like Neil Gaiman. However, these books comprise 1% of the new books and probably get 90% of the money.
My conclusion is that readers are getting more of what they want and less of what they do not want. Now all I have to get them to do is buy my book.
I hypothesized romance would dominate the field, but the results surprised me. Adult books were at 20%. The topics spanned the entire spectrum of erotic behavior. This ranged from the hard-core S&M to light-lust Amish romance. Overall, there was not one dominant (no pun intended) subcategory. All titles and covers were suggestive and graphic. I found several four-letter words in the titles and X-rated pictures on the covers. Amazon viewers clearly could tell what the book was about, and I am sure these new books would shock casual viewers of this category.
With the wide variety of internet adult material, I would have thought that this book genre would have died out in the ‘90s. I remember in the ‘70s when adult book stores were all over town. By the ‘80s, they had disappeared. I guess this entertainment category found a new life.
Self-help and alternative adult each occupied 15% of the new books. Most self-help books were tune-up guides for your life. Are you depressed? Make these 10 changes. Here are two example titles: “Lets Tide Up: A complete life changing guide to tiding up and get organized” “Psi Power: Shape Your Life With Psychic Power.”
However, the self-help books were not the ones I remember from the ‘80s and ‘90s. One of my favorite self-help books is “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” The book offers a detailed guide about how to be a better person. It contains great material, but the author points out the long road to success. Today's self-help books seem more like getting rich quick schemes. Something like: “10 shortcuts to trick people to liking you.”
The alternative adult books all had graphic titles and book covers. However, the content seemed to follow a basic formula. Lusty alternative lifestyle romance stories. I would have expected more variety and a deeper dive into that topic. This category has taken over traditional romance.
Fiction and cookbooks each took up 10%. The fiction works were fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Many of the books had similar covers, and most of the fiction stories were part of a long series. (Essentially, soap-operas.) However, there were only a few basic fiction titles.
I expected the cookbooks to be well… Cookbooks. You know. A book that tells you how to cook and is full of recipes. Instead, they were all niche-focused. A common topic was cooking low-calorie quinoa dishes. Here is a perfect example: “The Essential Star Trek Cocktail Book: Damn It, Jim, I'm A Doctor, Not A Drink Mixer!”
The following categories each took 5%: Mystery, religion, kids, conspiracy/government, romance, and re-release.
Of all the book categories, mystery books remained the same as when I was a kid. They still follow the same plot formula and have the same book covers. Yet, I can see this category declining.
There were many religious books, and this category is expanding, but not in how I expected. Given that we have the internet, databases, newly discovered material, satellite maps, archeological digs, big data analysis, and new ideas, this category should contain some great new material. Instead, the category seems to diverge into unusual niches. Here is a typical example: “3 Biblical Ways to Publicize Your Business.” Some books attempted to explain modern life/politics through religion. All of them seemed to have an us versus them spin. The line between conspiracy and religion is blurring. The religious books I used to see were all about being a better person. That no longer seems to be the case.
The astute blog reader will note that I described the next category as “kids” and not “young adult.” This category has radically changed since I was a kid in the ‘70s. As I was writing this blog, I concluded about what changed. Harry Potter messed this category up. Let me explain. Harry Potter books were written for children, but adults liked them. Now everybody reads “young adult” books. As a result, the young adult category has disappeared.
The kid’s category is for the eight and under crowd. However, the books have changed since was a kid. Now, they must contain a learning component, be earth-friendly, and have a positive push. Essentially, the formula has narrowed, and kid's books lost their playfulness/edge.
The next category is conspiracy/government. In the past, these were separate categories, but politics and people have changed. In the ‘80s, government books read like a textbook. Here are the facts about a government topic, and this is my conclusion. Now we see titles like: “QANON: The Most Complete Report on the Great Conspiracy Against the United States.” Conspiracy/government books now have to be focused with a powerful slant. You are for the authors side or an enemy of all that is good. It is incredible how much things have changed.
The next category is romance. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s this category dominated the written world. I remember entire romance bookstores, and every book followed the same basic formula: A relationship.
Romance books now still focus on relationships, but they fall into distinct categories. There are period romances (generally set in 1800s England on ships.) There is what I term fantasy romance. These books push the limits of plausibility like an average person falling in love with a super rock star. Another is odd combinations like a doctor falling in love with a married patient. Amish romance stories are quite popular. There are crossover romance stories like Romance/Science Fiction or Romance/Erotic.
The last category should not be a category; re-releases. This is when a publisher takes an established book and put it into a new package. This allows old books to get categorized as new. Remember reading Charles Dickens in High School? He is dead. Right? Nope. He is alive and well. He even comes out with new material every year.
I do not understand is why readers get fooled by this rotten trick. Here is an example that I pulled up today: “Agatha Christie Premium Collection.” “The Complete Works of Jane Austen (In One Volume)”
When I clicked on Amazon Kindle, “new releases in the last 30 days.” The first book was “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.” This book had a release date of three days ago. In that short time, it got 21,760 ratings. On Goodreads, it has a release date of 1963. Yeah, a new release. It appears some rules are getting bent.
My four blog readers probably caught something. What about the other popular categories? Westerns, traditional romance, engineering, science fiction, non-fiction, how to, law, educational, reference, history, crafts, business, medicine, money, art and travel. My four blog readers just pulled up their amazon page and saw those same categories.
I agree that these categories exist, but there are only a few new books in these categories. The titles are from established authors and their older books.
Let’s look at one specific category. Westerns. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, this category dominated the entertainment world. However, if you look at television and movies today, you will not find many western stories. I suspect the classics still sell, but a new author would have a tough time. Why? I guess people no longer like cowboys.
Where are books going? Books on the same path that music took in the ‘90s. Since Edison first recorded music and sold the first record, the formula has been the same. Make a record and sell it at a store. Radio, concerts, music merchandise, cassette tapes, and CDs changed the game slightly, but the basic formula remains.
In the ‘90s, MP3 and the internet came along and decimated music sales. Record companies had no idea what to do, and musicians stopped getting huge checks. Concerts for new groups went from selling ten thousand tickets to bands playing at local pubs. The music business went into a chaotic meltdown.
When the dust settled, musicians still made music, but they distribute it differently. Music categories (listening tastes) git focused on niche markets. The supergroups of the ‘80s used to sprout like weeds. Now, a wide-reaching musical hit is rare, even for a well-known artist.
Publishing followed that same formula. Write a book, print it, and sell it at a store. Movies, plays, and books on tape also slightly changed the game, but the formula remained the same until the 2000s.
Now, books get printed on-demand, downloaded, offered for free, or allow the first chapter is available online. Authors need to target specific audiences in specific categories. A few authors still go through traditional publishers, but the majority self-publish in electronic book format. This new market has a better chance of success, is easier, faster, direct, more controlled, and (potentially) more profitable. Direct eBook publishing has huge limitations, but I would argue that those limitations are rapidly going away.
What about the mega authors? There are still big names like Neil Gaiman. However, these books comprise 1% of the new books and probably get 90% of the money.
My conclusion is that readers are getting more of what they want and less of what they do not want. Now all I have to get them to do is buy my book.
December 9, 2020
A Blog Not Far Enough
I recently discussed which blogs were my favorites and which ones I regretted. It occurred to me that one blog needs a special mention. This particular one stands out as a topic I think about often.
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
In this blog, I discuss how my personal ethics hinder the kinds of stories I allow myself to write. Let’s take a second look at this topic. Some real-life people are racist, sexist, closed-minded, or overtly offensive. Most of the time, we ignore these people, but sometimes we confront or even celebrate them. For example, the obnoxious talk show host Howard Stern has a large following.
Am I afraid of offending my four blog readers with offensive material? Yes, and no. My four blog readers have stuck with me this long, and I am sure they would accept one offensive statement. However, that is not the issue. I cannot stand the idea of intentionally offending somebody, especially somebody I have never met. To me, that is the mark of a poorly raised individual.
Let’s examine my mental block logically. I write funny offensive statement X. From my perspective, there are four likely outcomes. A percentage of my readers will like X. A portion will not care, and a portion will dislike X. Lastly, a portion will take great offense. Given equal people, that means I could lose two of my four readers.
However, this is not the central issue because there is an additional argument. In real life, people are offensive. There is a perception that if we pretend this class of people does not exist, they will multiply in the shadows. As a good person, we take on confront offensive material and adequately react to it.
This is not my core issue, but we are close. I do not permit myself to write offensive material. Let me explain. Let’s invent the character Sally. As a writer, I can write Sally into every situation and make her any type of person. Of course, I avoid lots of territory because of my ethics. For example, Sally’s dialog will never contain racial slurs. Granted, I might write, “Sally made a racially insensitive comment about Steve.” That statement completely covers the topic, and the reader understands exactly what is going on. In my mind, Sally can be a racist character, but I do not need to offend my readers with offensive statements.
We are now closer to the core issue. In the actual world, offensive actions have happened, are happening, and will happen. The argument is that unless we explore offensive material, it will continue its hold on society. If I write an offensive scene, my actions will help people understand and confront offensive people.
There is another part of this issue. Sally can be offensive, understand her problems, apologize, and grow. Also, Steve can confront Sally and put her on the right path, or he can learn to ignore Sally. This kind of writing should be acceptable.
And there is my dilemma. I disagree with the concept that presenting offensive material is honorable or morally needed. Yet, as I have seen in actual life, offensive actions can lead to positive outcomes.
Here is the heart of my issue. Does not violating my ethics make me part of the problem? I want to scream, “NO! I am a good person and want to improve this world.” Yet, if we think about this logically, a tiny part of myself contributes to the pain associated with real world offenses.
I have explored this moral dilemma ever since I wrote that blog. Of course, I will not be writing offensive material. So, the point is moot. However, a small part of me thinks about being part of the problem, and a different small part of me wants to explore offensive material in my writing.
A larger part of me has reacted to the criticism my work has already generated and never wants to offend another reader. Yet, I know people will occasionally get offended no matter what I do. I also know that offensive work has a large niche in the entertainment world and has been responsible for significant positive change.
My mental argument is not going away. Yet, I like that I understand and confront my own beliefs. This is how people grow.
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
In this blog, I discuss how my personal ethics hinder the kinds of stories I allow myself to write. Let’s take a second look at this topic. Some real-life people are racist, sexist, closed-minded, or overtly offensive. Most of the time, we ignore these people, but sometimes we confront or even celebrate them. For example, the obnoxious talk show host Howard Stern has a large following.
Am I afraid of offending my four blog readers with offensive material? Yes, and no. My four blog readers have stuck with me this long, and I am sure they would accept one offensive statement. However, that is not the issue. I cannot stand the idea of intentionally offending somebody, especially somebody I have never met. To me, that is the mark of a poorly raised individual.
Let’s examine my mental block logically. I write funny offensive statement X. From my perspective, there are four likely outcomes. A percentage of my readers will like X. A portion will not care, and a portion will dislike X. Lastly, a portion will take great offense. Given equal people, that means I could lose two of my four readers.
However, this is not the central issue because there is an additional argument. In real life, people are offensive. There is a perception that if we pretend this class of people does not exist, they will multiply in the shadows. As a good person, we take on confront offensive material and adequately react to it.
This is not my core issue, but we are close. I do not permit myself to write offensive material. Let me explain. Let’s invent the character Sally. As a writer, I can write Sally into every situation and make her any type of person. Of course, I avoid lots of territory because of my ethics. For example, Sally’s dialog will never contain racial slurs. Granted, I might write, “Sally made a racially insensitive comment about Steve.” That statement completely covers the topic, and the reader understands exactly what is going on. In my mind, Sally can be a racist character, but I do not need to offend my readers with offensive statements.
We are now closer to the core issue. In the actual world, offensive actions have happened, are happening, and will happen. The argument is that unless we explore offensive material, it will continue its hold on society. If I write an offensive scene, my actions will help people understand and confront offensive people.
There is another part of this issue. Sally can be offensive, understand her problems, apologize, and grow. Also, Steve can confront Sally and put her on the right path, or he can learn to ignore Sally. This kind of writing should be acceptable.
And there is my dilemma. I disagree with the concept that presenting offensive material is honorable or morally needed. Yet, as I have seen in actual life, offensive actions can lead to positive outcomes.
Here is the heart of my issue. Does not violating my ethics make me part of the problem? I want to scream, “NO! I am a good person and want to improve this world.” Yet, if we think about this logically, a tiny part of myself contributes to the pain associated with real world offenses.
I have explored this moral dilemma ever since I wrote that blog. Of course, I will not be writing offensive material. So, the point is moot. However, a small part of me thinks about being part of the problem, and a different small part of me wants to explore offensive material in my writing.
A larger part of me has reacted to the criticism my work has already generated and never wants to offend another reader. Yet, I know people will occasionally get offended no matter what I do. I also know that offensive work has a large niche in the entertainment world and has been responsible for significant positive change.
My mental argument is not going away. Yet, I like that I understand and confront my own beliefs. This is how people grow.
December 2, 2020
My Best and Worst Blogs
I recently analyzed all my blogs to determine the time to write them. In doing so, I read a few. My travel down memory lane inspired me to go back and take a deeper dive into my blogging past.
I have a distinctive writing pattern, and my past works had some writing issues. Of course, that is expected. It also should come as no surprise that I liked some blogs more than others. I thought it would interest my four blog readers to explore my best and worst.
My favorite: When Your Best Isn’t Good Enough
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I liked this blog because I took an honest look into my shortcomings. It’s essential to understand and face one’s limitations. This blog is strong and still reads well, and I am proud of my creation.
My least favorite: Great Protagonists
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I missed the mark on this blog. While the writing is not too bad, it came off reading like a Wikipedia article. Should I have skipped this topic? Hmm. I wish I put more initial effort into how I wanted to discuss the topic. However, from a high-level view, this blog is not too bad.
Fan favorite: If Aliens Arrive, Science Fiction Will Change
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
This blog asks a simple question. Would science fiction change if aliens arrived? I have not seen anybody ask this fundamental question before. Several people read this blog, and I got many great comments.
Most read: Writing an Intimate Scene
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I wrote about creating the sex scenes for my second book. Sex sells and blogs are no different. This blog got the highest number of people who read it. No comments, though. Hmm.
I have recommended my “how to write a book” blog several times and received many positives responses. I suppose this makes these three blogs the most popular. A lot has changed since I wrote those blogs, but the basic principles still apply. If I were to update it, I would have stressed the importance of developing a full plan before beginning the writing process.
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
Since I began blogging, I rejected many topics. Some topics I felt would not be entertaining, and others were too short. Another problem is that I have to keep remembering that not everybody has read my book. So, I cannot take a thorough analysis of what happened in chapter three.
In future blogs, I want to explore motivation and the essence of the story. I also want to provide more information about my book’s content, so I might entice potential blog readers to click “buy it now.”
On that same note, you can do that right now.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074F3RF8H
I have a distinctive writing pattern, and my past works had some writing issues. Of course, that is expected. It also should come as no surprise that I liked some blogs more than others. I thought it would interest my four blog readers to explore my best and worst.
My favorite: When Your Best Isn’t Good Enough
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I liked this blog because I took an honest look into my shortcomings. It’s essential to understand and face one’s limitations. This blog is strong and still reads well, and I am proud of my creation.
My least favorite: Great Protagonists
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I missed the mark on this blog. While the writing is not too bad, it came off reading like a Wikipedia article. Should I have skipped this topic? Hmm. I wish I put more initial effort into how I wanted to discuss the topic. However, from a high-level view, this blog is not too bad.
Fan favorite: If Aliens Arrive, Science Fiction Will Change
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
This blog asks a simple question. Would science fiction change if aliens arrived? I have not seen anybody ask this fundamental question before. Several people read this blog, and I got many great comments.
Most read: Writing an Intimate Scene
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
I wrote about creating the sex scenes for my second book. Sex sells and blogs are no different. This blog got the highest number of people who read it. No comments, though. Hmm.
I have recommended my “how to write a book” blog several times and received many positives responses. I suppose this makes these three blogs the most popular. A lot has changed since I wrote those blogs, but the basic principles still apply. If I were to update it, I would have stressed the importance of developing a full plan before beginning the writing process.
http://interviewingimmortality.com/bl...
Since I began blogging, I rejected many topics. Some topics I felt would not be entertaining, and others were too short. Another problem is that I have to keep remembering that not everybody has read my book. So, I cannot take a thorough analysis of what happened in chapter three.
In future blogs, I want to explore motivation and the essence of the story. I also want to provide more information about my book’s content, so I might entice potential blog readers to click “buy it now.”
On that same note, you can do that right now.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074F3RF8H
November 25, 2020
My Comfort Zone
It is natural to stay within our comfort zone because it provided us with this built-in safety feature. However, I am sure my four blog readers know people who regularly go outside their comfort zone. Skydivers, for example. It’s no secret that I am a conservative person and have a small comfort zone. Granted, I have been skydiving once, ride 4-wheelers every two years, drive a little faster than I should, and occasionally SCUBA dive.
Would I like to be less conservative? Hmm. Tricky answer. Yes, but I do not want to put too much effort into this area. That is the conservative part of my mind fighting with the fun center.
What is the most significant area I want to explore? I want to start my own business. Why is this activity so difficult to approach? It would involve spending lots of money, hiring people, and potential large-scale failure.
My comfort zone has shrunk since I had a daughter. I can no longer risk my life for silly thrills. No tree climbing for me. While I miss the freedom, I still want to push the envelope. For example, I would like to drive a race car. On a closed track with full safety gear, of course.
One extensive area that I shattered my comfort zone is writing. Before exploring that topic, let me discuss what writing comfort zones I have already breached. Before writing a book, I made only one significant attempt to publicize my writing. I submitted two jokes to the newsgroup rec.humor.funny
The Bradley Bridge Exchange
http://www.tytempleton.com/rhf/jokes/...
Top Ten Rejected X Files Scripts
https://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/95...
In searching for these jokes, I found it amusing many people claimed my joke as their own. Clearly, these were minor publicity attempts. That all changed when I published my first book. Since that time, I wrote 138 blog entries, interacted on Facebook, and developed a web page. Quite an enormous leap into unknown territory.
It has not all been positive. There have been adverse reactions and low sales. Yikes, Bill is on the loose. However, for every negative experience, I have gotten at least ten positive responses. I have to keep reminding myself of that fact.
Clearly, I will not stop this runaway train. The question is: How to switch tracks into more dangerous territory? What writing comfort zone will I breach next?
At present, I am editing four books with plans for six more in the same series. I also have a collection of short stories that I might turn into a book.
What new writing adventure would open me up? I want to write a traditional romance novel and a script. Yikes, Bill is playing with fire!
When is that going to happen? Umm… Let’s start a business first.
Would I like to be less conservative? Hmm. Tricky answer. Yes, but I do not want to put too much effort into this area. That is the conservative part of my mind fighting with the fun center.
What is the most significant area I want to explore? I want to start my own business. Why is this activity so difficult to approach? It would involve spending lots of money, hiring people, and potential large-scale failure.
My comfort zone has shrunk since I had a daughter. I can no longer risk my life for silly thrills. No tree climbing for me. While I miss the freedom, I still want to push the envelope. For example, I would like to drive a race car. On a closed track with full safety gear, of course.
One extensive area that I shattered my comfort zone is writing. Before exploring that topic, let me discuss what writing comfort zones I have already breached. Before writing a book, I made only one significant attempt to publicize my writing. I submitted two jokes to the newsgroup rec.humor.funny
The Bradley Bridge Exchange
http://www.tytempleton.com/rhf/jokes/...
Top Ten Rejected X Files Scripts
https://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/95...
In searching for these jokes, I found it amusing many people claimed my joke as their own. Clearly, these were minor publicity attempts. That all changed when I published my first book. Since that time, I wrote 138 blog entries, interacted on Facebook, and developed a web page. Quite an enormous leap into unknown territory.
It has not all been positive. There have been adverse reactions and low sales. Yikes, Bill is on the loose. However, for every negative experience, I have gotten at least ten positive responses. I have to keep reminding myself of that fact.
Clearly, I will not stop this runaway train. The question is: How to switch tracks into more dangerous territory? What writing comfort zone will I breach next?
At present, I am editing four books with plans for six more in the same series. I also have a collection of short stories that I might turn into a book.
What new writing adventure would open me up? I want to write a traditional romance novel and a script. Yikes, Bill is playing with fire!
When is that going to happen? Umm… Let’s start a business first.
