Kyle A. Massa's Blog, page 16

I Am Your Father: Making Similarities Work in Fiction

When Darth Vader revealed he was Luke Skywalker’s father in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, people lost it. It’s widely considered one of the best plot twists in film history, and for good reason. Who would’ve guessed that the protagonist was the antagonist’s son all along? Of course, George Lucas isn’t the […]

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My Favorite Books of 2018

Well, it’s officially the last day of 2018. There’s no better time than now to recap some of our favorite parts of the year that was. In this post, I’ll share my five favorite books of the year. Maybe you’ll like them, too! (If you’d like to read 2017’s post, click here.) Without further ado, […]

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Kyle’s Time Travelin’ Tour, 2018 Edition

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Time travel is one of my favorite literary devices. Today, let’s apply it to my work in 2018.

A few rules: what happened happened. We can’t alter the flow of time. For instance, there’s no taking back my tasteless joke about A Quiet Place (check May for details). We also can’t go back any further than January 2018, and from there we must progress forward in month-by-month sequence. Lastly, laughter and link clicking are encouraged.

Okay. Time machine’s here. Hop in.

…

January

My first blog post of the year went live: “Setting Writing Resolutions for 2018.” While I did not state mine specifically, I confess I had one in mind: publishing a book. More on that one later.

Another big step in January: I launched my email mailing list. I want to keep in touch with as many readers as I could, even those who might not be on WordPress. Email seems like a great way to do it. If you’d like to join, feel free to do so here.

February

I believe my best work in February was this post: “The Question of Simplistic Morals in Epic Fantasy.” Here I compared the tone of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings with Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. The former is clear in its moral alignment: The Fellowship is good, Sauron is evil. Less so with the latter; almost every character lies somewhere between good and evil. Do these differing approaches make one series better than the other? This one was fun to write. I hope it’s fun to read.

Also in February, I began writing articles for my local hobby shop, Flipside Gaming. I did a handful of news articles, though the bulk of my work was with Magic: The Gathering content. If you’re into that kind of thing, you can find all my Flipside Articles here.

March

On March 12th, I published a post entitled, “Should You Lie to Your Fellow Writers?” This one was a little controversial. The underlying idea is this: When offering feedback on a piece, I don’t believe there’s ever a reason to tell anyone you hated their work—even if you kind of did. Here’s a snippet:

“So if a writer you know asks for feedback on a draft and you simply hate that draft, lie to them. Find something, anything you think they did right. Identify specific points where they can improve, rather than making sweeping, and ultimately unhelpful, negative statements.”

I believe it was my most commented-on post of 2018. Check it out and see what you think.

Also, I turned 26 on the 6th. My thoughts on the day:

Sometimes I wish I was Dr. Manhattan. That way, I wouldn’t have to pick an outfit every morning.

— Kyle A. Massa (@mindofkyleam) March 6, 2018

April

This month, I wrote three pieces I’m especially proud of: “The Infinity Draft: 3 Questions That Can Help End the Endless,” “Why the ‘This Meets That’ Pitch Doesn’t Work,” and “Research Tips for Writers: Lessons from Jackie Chan’s Uncle.” I think all three addressed important topics for writers in unique ways. (Also, anytime you get to reference Jackie Chan’s uncle in an article, good things happen.)

Magic fans might get a kick out of this one:

Is it socially acceptable to put a Black Lotus on a wedding registry? Leaning toward yes. #mtg

— Kyle A. Massa (@mindofkyleam) April 30, 2018

May

Did you notice the Infinity War reference from last month? I got really, really into Avengers stuff around now, as evidenced by this month’s most popular post, “Sympathy for the Titan: Thanos & How to Create a Good Bad Guy.” In this one, I broke down three reasons I think Thanos is one of the best movie villains, ever.

Also, starting in May, I began writing for another Magic site, this one called EDHREC. If you’re a planeswalker, you might dig my articles.

Oh, and here’s that tasteless Quiet Place joke I mentioned:

For the family in #AQuietPlace, everyone’s lives literally depended on not farting.

— Kyle A. Massa (@mindofkyleam) May 28, 2018

June

In honor of Father’s Day, I compiled a list of famous dads from science fiction and fantasy. My top picks: Ned Stark, Darth Vader, Thanos (the pattern continues), and Mr. Wednesday. A huge oversight: I somehow forgot to do an equivalent post for Mother’s Day. Sorry, Mom! We’ll have a 2019 edition for sure.

July

July was a quiet month for the blog. The most notable post: “Has Your Antagonist Stolen Your Story?” This one addresses the phenomenon in which a villain might overshadow the heroes of your story.

Also in July, I started writing for ProWritingAid. My first post was entitled, “Writing Fantasy? Here’s How to Build a Vivid Setting.” I’ve been writing for them (and later, working for them) ever since. Check out all my posts here.

And for some incisive commentary on writing…

All writers must ask themselves this question: “Would this character take a selfie?” #writerthoughts

— Kyle A. Massa (@mindofkyleam) July 13, 2018

August

Forget writing. My favorite event of August (and the entire year) was getting married! Here’s a photo of my beautiful wife Sara and I:

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September

This month, I wrote a post about how to ignore self-criticism. I hope it’s a help to writers, especially those who are extra hard on themselves.

Also in September, I read Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read on those two subjects (plus more). I highly recommend it!

October

In October, readers got their first look at my first novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks. This excerpt was an absolute blast to write. I hope it’s just as fun to read.

No October posting would be complete without a nod to Halloween. So, this year, I wrote “The Top 5 Horror Techniques of Hereditary” for ProWritingAid. Honestly, I’m pretty sure Hereditary is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. The post will tell you more.

November

I’ve got to thank my wife for my favorite post of November. It’s got a lengthy title, but I think it fits: “Why Don’t They Call the Cops? – Answering Your Readers’ Questions Before They Ask Them.” She was reading a book and got very annoyed that the characters took matters into their own hands rather than doing the logical (and safe thing)…call the police!

All in all, November was a pretty quiet month. That’s because I was preparing for a big event the following month…

December

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I published my first book! It’s called Gerald Barkley Rocks, and it’s available on Amazon Kindle right now. Feel free to grab yourself a copy, if you feel so inclined.

Onward

That’s the end of this year’s time travel tour. Make sure to give it a nice review on Trip Advisor. See you again next year!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

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What Makes a Story Cliche?

As always happens at my writer’s group, we had an interesting conversation. One of our members worried that her submission was cliche.

She’d seen particular elements of her story in others: an alien returning to his own world, a teenage love triangle, an oppressive, autocratic government. She wondered if that made the story as a whole cliche.

The funny thing was, the group couldn’t come to a consensus. And it made me wonder: does quality affect perceptions of cliche? Does recency factor into the discussion? And is cliche as bad as some people seem to think? Let’s talk.

Quality Excuses All

One thing I’ve noticed: Audiences forgive cliche if they deem the art “really good.”

Take Netflix’s Stranger Things, for example. It’s one of the most popular shows on TV, yet seems to retread familiar tropes. A short list: shadowy government organizations, psychic children, monsters invading small towns from alternate dimensions, heavy synth soundtracks.

When separated from the whole, we get some cliches. Yet the show’s production quality, attention to detail, and nice guy Bob Newby mask these flaws. If the successful elements weren’t so successful, we might not forgive the cliches.

Popularity and Recency Magnify Perceptions of Cliche

People are more likely to label stories as derivative if similar stories are already popular.

Take vampire stories. I can’t tell you how many online fiction markets strictly forbid vampire stories. Any of them. This is, of course, thanks to the Twilight series, which has single-handedly ruined vampires for the next decade or so. Just say the word “vampire” and wait for the groans.

This works both ways. When we haven’t seen a particular idea explored in a while, it might feel fresh, even if it really is cliche. Take La La Land, for example. A fun movie. Singing, dancing, mean J.K. Simmons. All good fun. But remove the musical elements and you’ll find cliche. Struggling artists in Los Angeles get together, break up, reconnect again after one of them gets married. Doesn’t that sound familiar?

Imagine if this came out in the thirties, when Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire made dancing cheek to cheek famous. People loved it because they hadn’t seen it in a long time.

A Little Cliche is Good

Imagine a story that you’ve never seen before. Its structure, characters, settings, and themes are all unique.

First of all, such a story does not exist. No work of art is completely original; everyone’s working off a predecessor’s template, whether they know it or not. Second, this probably wouldn’t be a very good story. Fact is, conventions and tropes exist for a reason. They give us familiar handholds to grasp. If they weren’t there, we wouldn’t get far off the ground.

So what makes a story cliche? Lots or little, depending on whom you ask. But if you ask me, I think cliche gets a bum rap. Treat it like salt: use a little, but not too much.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

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When Writing Dialogue, Don’t Forget Who’s Talking

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A burly henchman wearing an eyepatch and a prickly sneer leans against a castle parapet. He stands not three paces away from a knight in glittering armor. The latter of the pair is not happy.

“I’ll ask again,” growls the knight. “Did you or did you not witness the incident in question?”

The henchman thinks on this for a moment. He wads a ball of phlegm in his throat and spits, not far from the knight’s shiny boots.

The henchman says, “For whom do you work, sir?”

And the reader thinks, Wait a second. What?

Dialogue is one of the trickiest components of writing fiction. We authors spend years learning the numerous rules of grammar and punctuation, only to discover they should, almost always, be ignored when writing dialogue. After all, people rarely talk like they write.

Consider the above example. It’s grammatically correct for the henchman to use “whom” in this statement, since it’s a pronoun in the objective sense. Furthermore, avoiding the construction “Whom do you work for?” precludes a hanging preposition at the end of the sentence.

Yes, this line demonstrates good grammar. But it’s still bad dialogue.

That’s because when we write dialogue, we must always remember who’s talking. Dialogue is about character, authenticity, and occasionally plot—it’s almost never about adhering to syntax or grammar.

The henchman’s line feels wrong because everything else he’s done suggests he wouldn’t talk like that. He’s a henchman, he sneers, he spits near people’s nice boots. There’s no way this guy would know the difference between who and whom.

Ideally, dialogue sounds unique to the character speaking it. I find it helps to ask myself, Would this character say that? Or, Is this how this character would say it? Or, Would this character use that word, or another?

Questions like these make writing dialogue both difficult and enjoyable. It’s a challenge, and like any challenge, improvement comes with practice. There are many ways to develop the right voice for characters, but I think the best way is to just write. And write. And write.

Most importantly, let’s not forget who’s talking. It’s the number one influence on every line of dialogue.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

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Gerald Barkley Rocks is Available Now!

[image error] Cover designed by Nathan Rumsey

What’s the overlap between fame and immortality? Is rock really dead? Are cats hiding something from us? These are a few of the questions that inspired my first novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks.

Let’s start with our protagonist. Gerald Barkley is a soon-to-be retired homicide detective who’s forgotten by most people as soon as they meet him. He’s also been diagnosed with a rare blood disease. When he wonders if anyone will notice when he’s gone, Barkley always comes to the same conclusion: Seems unlikely.

We contrast his life with that of Julian Strange, lead singer and principal songwriter of seminal rock band Black Cat Waltz. Strange is dead, and it’s up to Barkley to figure out why. The question is, how did Strange die? And what does it all have to do with Barkley himself?

Gerald Barkley Rocks is one part detective story, one part rock-and-roll elegy, and one part supernatural comedy. Buy your copy for  Amazon Kindle today!

So that’s what the book is about. Why should you read it?

For one, this book will appeal to anyone who likes rock-and-roll culture. I grew up not only listening to The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Doors, but also reading the stories about them. In fact, I’d say the stories behind these groups are just as interesting as the music they made. They served as key inspirations for this novel.

You’ll see shades of Jim Morrison in Julian Strange, plus hints of Keith Moon, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Meatloaf, Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, Warren Zevon, and maybe a few other guys. Heck, I even drew inspiration from This is Spinal Tap, which remains the greatest satire of rock-and-roll ever.

One thing I’m hoping I did not do is glorify the subculture. I love classic rock music and probably always will. But if you read enough about the people who made it, you’ll find that they were by and large not very nice folks. Many musicians of that era cheated on their spouses and regularly caused untold amounts of property damage. And the casual misogyny of the music is quite obvious.

Nonetheless, their stories are good inspirations for fiction. I tried to strike a balance between celebrating the music and questioning the behavior of those who made it when appropriate. Hopefully I succeeded.

You might also enjoy Gerald Barkley Rocks if you’re a fan of detective stories. I’ll admit, my knowledge of the subgenre is more localized to film; Chinatown, Hollywoodland, and The Ghost Writer are a few that particularly influenced this novel.

Lastly, my main goal with this book is to touch on the topic of death (but not in a super morbid way). Generalizations are dangerous, but I think it’s safe to say that most people fear death. I know I do. Humans have been speculating about what follows it for forever, and though there are many guesses, nobody can know for sure.

In Gerald Barkley Rocks, I’m not trying to answer that question. Rather, I wanted to tell a story about a character who’s not sure what comes after death, either. Which, in turn, might tell us something about life.

I think Gerald Barkley Rocks is a good book (though I admit I’m a little biased). I hope you feel the same way!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. His debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, is available now on Amazon Kindle.

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Gerald Barkley Rocks Arrives This Friday!

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Cover design by Nathan Rumsey

I’m thrilled to announce that my debut novel, Gerald Barkley Rocks, will be available this Friday, December 7th on Amazon Kindle! Here’s a synopsis:

Gerald Barkley is no stranger to death. Being a longtime, no-nonsense Los Angeles homicide detective, he sees it almost every day. Yet when his own demise draws near in the form of a rare and incurable disease, he’s not quite as prepared as he thought he’d be.

Add to that Barkley’s latest case: The mysterious death of Julian Strange, frontman, founder, and principal songwriter of seminal rock band Black Cat Waltz. Strange has been found with a copy of the world’s oldest song. What could it mean? And what does it have to do with his former bandmates and Gerald Barkley himself?

A supernatural detective story with a splash of rock-and-roll and a hint of humor, Gerald Barkley Rocks examines life, death, and what might come after both.

If you’d like to learn more, read this exclusive excerpt.

And don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter below. You’ll receive an email when the book is live, plus a free short story just because you’re awesome. Enjoy!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

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Is All Art Really Quite Useless?

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In the forward to his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde famously wrote, “All art is quite useless.” No question mark at the end.

This statement puzzles me. Why would an artist say art is useless? Did he really believe that? You could interpret this statement as an introduction to the themes later explored in the novel, but I’m not sure I do.

Because when asked by a fan what this famous line meant, Wilde responded with a handwritten letter. In this letter, Wilde posited that art does not and should not inspire action in anyone. If it does, it ceases to be art and instead turns into didacticism. Therefore, if art cannot by its very nature inspire action, then it has no applicable use to anyone.

Oscar Wilde was a brilliant guy. I don’t claim to be smarter than him or a better writer than him. And I’m certainly not a better dresser (see above picture). But I’ll say this: I think art is quite useful.

Art is useful in the way that it moves us. If a work of art can stir emotion, whether it’s delight, sadness, anger, or even disgust, I’d say it’s done something quite significant. After all, if you cried when Bambi’s mom bit the dust (don’t deny it), you cried for a cartoon animal that only ever existed as a series of drawings shown in rapid succession. What else but art has the power to make us care about things that don’t even exist?

Even art that serves merely as distraction, what Wilde describes as “sterile” art, can be useful. Because sometimes we really do need a distraction from reality. When times are tough, it’s cathartic to watch a TV show or read a book—to take a break from what’s going on around us. Art won’t necessarily present us with permanent solutions, but that’s alright. Oftentimes that brief respite gives us the strength we need to face tomorrow’s challenges.

Art helps us better understand each other, which is perhaps one of its most important uses. For example, numerous studies suggest that reading improves empathy. When we step into the minds of characters, their thoughts and feelings are described to us, which bridges a gap we otherwise can’t cross (excluding telepaths). If empathy is understanding how others feel, there’s no better way to develop it than by having those feelings explained to us.

So is all art really quite useless? Well, maybe some of it (the Transformers series of films come to mind). But certainly not all of it. If a particular piece of art moves you, or helps you get through a tough time, or shows you the world from a different perspective, then that piece of art is useful. Quite useful.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

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Architect or Gardener: Which Kind of Writer Are You?

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As a writer, I’m fascinated by other writers’ writing habits. There are infinite ways to construct a story, so it’s interesting to hear how others choose to do it.

George R.R. Martin, author of A Game of Thrones and its sequels, devised an excellent metaphor for writers and their processes. He divides them up into two loose categories: architects and gardeners.

What exactly does that mean? Let’s dig in.

Architects

Here’s how Martin defines them:

“The architect, as if designing a building, lays out the entire novel at a time. He knows how many rooms there will be or what a roof will be made of or how high it will be, or where the plumbing will run and where the electrical outlets will be in its room. All that before he drives the first nail. Everything is there in the blueprint.”

In other words, architects plan everything before writing it. They might work from a detailed outline or multi-page treatment. Architects often devise character bios or event timelines. If you’ve ever covered your wall in sticky notes, you’re probably an architect (or maybe a detective?).

When I did screenwriting in school, we were obligated to be architects; that is, we were required to write an outline for every script. Makes sense. With only a semester to write, it’s a unwise to choose a destination without a map.

However, spending time as an architect revealed some inherent weaknesses with the style. For one, characters might feel a bit less natural when they’re written to an outline. Characters come alive when they make organic decisions which align with their established traits. They can feel stiff when making decisions for the sake of an outline.

Of course, being an architect also has its advantages. For instance, architectural writing tends to feel more focused, especially on first drafts. Architects spend less time searching for their path since they’ve already built. All that’s left is to expand upon it—adorn it with some yellow bricks or something.

Gardeners

I’ll let Mr. Martin take over here:

“And then there’s the gardener who digs the hole in the ground, puts in the seed and waters it with his blood and sees what comes up. The gardener knows certain things. He’s not completely ignorant. He knows whether he planted an oak tree, or corn, or a cauliflower. He has some idea of the shape but a lot of it depends on the wind and the weather and how much blood he gives it and so forth.”

Gardeners plant the seed of an idea and watch it blossom. Unlike architects, they usually don’t have a blueprint for their stories. Instead, gardeners often begin with a particular thought, character, or scene, then work from there. Where it goes is anyone’s guess.

Although being a gardener is liberating, it also requires a lot of trial and error. Gardeners might start on a promising idea and spend weeks nurturing it. But what if it doesn’t grow? What if it doesn’t go anywhere? It’s discouraging to spend time on a particular piece only to realize you have no idea how it should develop.

The advantage of being a gardener (besides the fresh vegetables) is that such writing often feels spontaneous. Unlike architects, gardeners will often find surprises within their own work. Gardener characters also might feel less rigid than architect characters. Their actions will often shape the story since there is no predetermined path for them to follow.

Which Are You?

Here are Martin’s closing remarks on the subject:

“No one is purely an architect or a gardener in terms of a writer, but many writers tend to one side or the other. I’m very much more a gardener.”

As Martin wrote, most writers fall somewhere near the middle and lean toward one side or the other. So which are you closer to: an architect or a gardener?

I’m still figuring out which side I favor. In my screenwriting days, I had to be more of an architect. After graduating, I swung far (maybe too far) towards gardening. Now I’m shifting back toward an architect.

Whichever you are, keep building and keep planting. Keep writing!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

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Why Don’t They Call the Cops? – Answering Your Readers’ Questions Before They Ask Them

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My wife is currently reading a frustrating book (I won’t tell you the title). She’s got several grievances, such as one character’s annoying name and another character’s dopey behavior. But one issue stands above the rest. My wife asks:

“Why don’t they call the cops?”

Now that’s an important question, especially for writers. When the going gets tough, why don’t your main characters call the cops?

As writers, we must constantly ask ourselves questions like these, because our readers certainly will. If we never anticipate the questions that might arise, readers will end up feeling frustrated, like my wife does now.

How can we answer our readers’ questions before they’re asked? Let’s get into it.

1. Put Yourself in Your Characters’ Shoes

Let’s say your protagonist is being stalked by someone outside the house who’s trying to break in. Why doesn’t he or she call the cops? If you can’t answer this question, you can’t proceed with your story.

So put yourself in your character’s shoes. Say to yourself, “Okay self. Let’s say that as you’re writing this, you hear someone breaking in downstairs. What do you do?” Calling the cops is probably on your shortlist. Finding a weapon to defend yourself with is another solid tactic. Shouting for help or escaping out the backdoor works, too. 

The final decision will vary depending on the character making it. However, you must at least provide plausible evidence as to why your character does or does not do something. Maybe they don’t call the cops because you’ve established that they’re distrustful of the police. Maybe they don’t arm themselves because they’re just a scared little kid.

Take a moment to show answers to logical questions. If you’ve done that, you can proceed with your story.

2. Share Your Work with Beta Readers

It’s okay if you don’t speak Greek. Beta readers are just the kind people who give you their first impressions on your works-in-progress. If they wonder why your main character didn’t call the cops, they’ll let you know.

The best beta readers tell you what questions they have as they read your work. For example, they might say, “I didn’t understand why Luna wouldn’t tell Solara about the mouse in the basement.” As the writer, you probably know the answer. Yet a beta reader might show that the answer isn’t clear enough. In this example, perhaps you go back and explicitly state Solara’s reasoning: Luna had cried wolf—or in this case, mouse—too many times already. She knew Solara would never believe her.

Beta readers need not be anyone fancy (though they can be if you like fancy people). Just pick your family, friends, or anyone you trust. Ask them if any questions arise while reading the story, and what you can do to answer them.

3. Consider the World of Your Story

If you’re writing a murder mystery set in Ancient Greece, the “Why don’t they call the cops?” question isn’t especially relevant (though Socrates calling the police on an iPhone is a hilarious image). Conversely, if you’re writing a murder mystery set in the distant future, you might need to put extra brain power into your explanation.

Why? Because as a reader, I won’t believe that in the year 3000 we’ll have phones like we do now. In fact, I’m not even sure we’ll still have phones. Would we have neural pathways connecting us all? Could you simply think, I’m in danger!, and then get instant help. You must take extra care to consider how the rules of your world affect readers’ questions.

Questions Need Answering!

Don’t be like the author of the book my wife is reading. Anticipate your readers’ questions, then answer them. And if you need a place to start, start with this one: “Why don’t they call the cops?”

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

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