Scott Appleton's Blog, page 7

Writing updates!

The rewrite of my first novel is 50% completed with edits! This is a much more meaty book than the original. It has jumped from the original 85,000 words, to now a staggering 130,000 words.

Specter figures more prominently in this than he did the original book, and Ilfedo is introduced far earlier. You will get a glimpse of his relationship with his father.

In preparation for publishing Swords of the Six (expanded edition) I have been preparing an Encyclopedia (of sorts) for The Sword Of The Dragon series. Everyone wants a pronunciation guide but I want one that is more flexible for expansion as I write more of these books, adding new characters and places.

You will now find two new pages on my website. The first is for The Sword of the Dragon series enyclopedia with pronunciation guide, and the second is for Maps. Maps were the second most requested item from my fans.

Some of the content on these pages will inevitably be incomplete, but I believe this will be a lot of fun for people to look through.

I hope you enjoy this idea, and if you have suggestions feel free to comment!

When stories understand their audience

Expectations. We are people of expectations whether we want to admit it or not. When we go to read a book or watch a movie we have an expectation of the story that must be made if we are going to positively reinforce it to people that we know.

When I started off my writing career I did my best to craft a story that would resonate with a broader audience. But truth be told I didn’t understand how to do that, and now I understand that you should not do that. The story doesn’t necessarily need to be divisive but it should be thought-provoking and challenging to folks of a different world view.

Someone who picks up a harlequin romance is going to have a different expectation than one who is looking for a Christian Amish romance. On the one hand a conservative reader might appreciate the lack of physical description and sexuality in an Amish romance. But on the other hand another reader might have an expectation of realism. To them the Amish romance is rediculously tame, to the point that they find it unrealistic and cannot enjoy the story.

Reader expectation is everything.

For those of you who have watched the first Maze Runner movie, you will appreciate what I’m about to say. If you thought that it was a dystopian along the lines of the Hunger Games, as I did, then when movie two came out you were severely disappointed when it turned into a zombie apocalypse. Your expectations were let down and you felt deceived.

Amidst the muck of politically-charged media-driven fiction, a few stories highlight what’s beautiful.

When I say muck, I am referring to that moment when I was watching a show with my kids, in this particular case it was the show Voltron, when the last episode introduced a gay couple wedding. I am referring to the Netflix original series the dragon prince, which had a great story going for it but in the second season decided to introduce a prominent lesbian couple. In the absence of strong traditional male-female romantic interests these pointedly emphasized relationships reek of political correctness. Thankfully there have also been some examples recently of stories that do themselves service by understanding their audience and delivering a story that their audience loves because it resonates with their values.

As a parent, I find it increasingly frustrating when I cannot simply enjoy the show without worrying that a politically charged message is going to be thrown in my kids’ faces.

This post is not a rant. It is not even a disparagement to those types of stories that I find offensive to my kids. Although I will note that my kids were the first to find it confusing and offensive because it went against their very nature. It is interesting that in the simple thinking of children is often found the greatest truth.

As a writer I have often struggled to understand my own audience. Even now as I am re-writing my first novel I have struggled with some elements of the story that could’ve been crafted in a mature fashion, but instead I wrote in a simplistic way so as not to offend certain readers. I have experimented with re-writing some of those sections of the story in a more adult manner, and in some respects the story is far better for it. But I will let the readers be the judge. My job is to make people think without breaking down their sense of morality. If my stories are successful than they encourage my readers in the ideals that they strive to live out.

I think that the recent Toy Story 4 was a fantastic example of a creative team who understood their audience. I saw an interview on the BBC where someone was complaining about the “lack of diversity” in the characters. Her complaint was laughable really, because it centers around a bunch of toys! But I found it interesting that she complained about one toy that didn’t seem as strong to the feminist perspective. In my opinion that element of the story was what made the film as great as it was. And you know what? My kids absolutely loved it.

When a creative team understands the audience that they are appealing to, then the story resonates and impacts the audience’s soul. If, instead, the creative team seeks to placate a critic, then the story loses its punch.

I am fascinated by this. The closer we get to strongly-set morals, and the closer we get to a familiarity in the story that challenges us and makes us stronger or encourages us, the more impact that story has on us.

For some people that set of morals is going to look entirely different than it does for another audience. But that’s okay. Not all stories are made for all people. Neither should they be.

Controversy generates hype. Similarities create relationships. Relationships are built on trust, and relationships only grow deeper the longer they last.

Q: What expectations have you recently enjoyed or found disappointing?

Insider glimpse: Burn those cards!

This is going to be a very short post! But it will amuse me to give you an insider view of what happened. Remember those business cards I promised?

Yeah, not happening! I ordered them and they came in looking the worst of any business card I have ever ordered. Why? Too little real estate crowded with too much text and graphics! They just will not do. You can only read them with a magnifying glass, so I am going to re-design them and order a fresh printing.

That’s it. A short and laughable glimpse into the struggles of a writer/publisher. Have a great day!

Brightburn: crafting an evil generation

A disclaimer is in order before I proceed with this article. No, I have not watched Brightburn. But I have watched the cultural shift over the last decade or so from hero-centric to villain-centric fiction and this review of Brightburn confirmed my concerns: Plugged In Online Brightburn review As creatives in media, whether that be film or books or audio, it is our responsibility to realize the impact our work has on future generations. Are we creating the culture that we want to live in? Or are we drowning our children in such a negative outlook of humanity that they have lost all faith in it?

Are we looking to the good or to the evil? We know that the answer is not in the evil and yet this is what an increasing percentage of our media does explore. What if we looked to the evil?

I have long said that the books that made the greatest impact on me were those which gave me a hero to look up to who was more than I am.  Exploring the evil for the sake of shock value is it hindrance to the growth of any future leader. Historically those who were fascinated by evil became evil themselves.

There is a very simple truth here: we become what we eat, we become what we read, we become what we watch, and we become what we listen to. We become the sum of those that we associate with, and we become the balance of those that we study and look up to.

When you read Harry Potter do you want to be Harry, or are you drawn to the vileness of Lord Voldemort? When you watch Star Wars do you find yourself rooting for Luke Skywalker, or are you drowning in the darkness of the emperor and Darth Vader?

Great writers know that we do not follow trends. We create them. We are writing the culture of the future into existence. We are writing to the generations of the future. Our work is immortal, to a degree, and the responsibility weighs heavily upon us.

I hope that it weighs heavily upon us all.

Thankfully there is still a lot of original content being produced that lays out a bright future. A better look at humanity. A future full of hope and not of fear. As for me, my novels are an exploration of the greatest that we can be. The greatest that we were created for.

We need awareness raised as to how creative content impacts younger minds. And, even, the effect it has on mature ones that are fairly steeped in evil content. It affects us all whether or not we want to admit it. Everything should be done in moderation. Everything should be considered with wisdom.

Q: What kind of world will today’s Brightburn-like content create?

Death in life: a writer’s perspective

This year I have seen three elderly family members pass on. Two of my great aunts and also my grandfather on my mother’s side. Last year it was my grandmother . . . I realize that in the midst of life, there is a constant flow of death, but I think the focus is typically on life in death. As in, life after death. Stopping to consider the value of death itself puts an interesting perspective on life.

When someone we know and love dies, the world around them is either greatly impacted through their absence, or not. Personally, I find this to be the primary concern where death is considered.

When we die, what sort of hole will we leave behind? Will it be a poisonous well, or a spring of blessings to our families and our society?

I suppose you can add a third alternative, which of course is to leave behind nothing. To not be missed. To have made no lasting impact. To be really and utterly forgotten. A sad condition. Not only for the departed soul but for those who are left behind.

Legacy is everything. Our children will die. Their children will die. Unless you are an Alexander the Great, a Leonardo DaVinci, a Joan of Arc, or a master of Psalms like David, or a renowned man of wisdom like Solomon, the following generations will not remember you.

While it is true that legacy is also passed through our children (I consider my children to be such) it is also less about me and more about my values. The values pass generation to generation with proper teaching and strong love.

But, profoundly, we cannot speak with our loved ones when we have died. Death is the impenetrable barrier. It is only after one is dead that we miss being able to converse with them. Fascinating isn’t it?

There is one blessed group of people for whom this is not true. While the rest of the world dies and is heard from no more, the artists continue to speak. Their paintings stir up conversations and their writings speak for them long after they are dead.

This is what writing is for me. My words to the generations that will follow. My perceptions to make them consider, my convictions to challenge them, and my love to strengthen them. When I die I will have a legacy that I cannot put a price tag on.

This is the value of Death in Life. We live and we see death, and death reminds us to make a lasting impact on those who will follow us.

Q: What are your thoughts on death? Does it motivate you to leave a legacy?

I need your input for Swords of the Six special edition

As the details come together for the special edition release of Swords of the Six I would highly value some feedback at some options I am looking over! I thought of doing this as a poll, but for some reason I can’t find that function at this time. Yep, my technical know-how just went brain dead. So instead you can just comment with your preferences on these options:

Hardcover or Paperback?
6 x 9-inches, or 5.5 x 8.5-inches?
Author introduction, or not?
Should I include a glossary of names and places with a pronunciation guide?
Chapter titles, or simple numbering?
Should I incorporate my map drawings (same look and style as in Neverqueen)?
Audiobook: dramatized reading, or read by the author?
Any additional ideas? I’d love to hear them!

Promo materials for Special Editions!

I am excited to share with you a glimpse at the promo materials being created for the release of the Special Editions of The Sword of the Dragon series! Easy handouts are invaluable, thus a new business card is in order. Simply a showcasing of what is to come… and “to come” is coming quickly.

Business card face:

Card reverse:

The “boring” verbs?

I am writing this article from my iPhone. Isn’t technology amazing? Only a decade ago I never would’ve dreamed of using one of these devices to accomplish my writing needs. You might think that I am off topic, if I am talking about verbs, but give me a second and I will get back around to the point.

One of my favorite Star Wars novels is titled Traitor and it was written by Mathew Stover. It was a fantastic read and I remember going back to it again and again to study the writing technique. Both the story and the dialogue felt exceedingly natural. Smooth as butter to read. Something that every writer strives to achieve, but does not always succeed in doing, when creating a novel.

I have seen interviews with some authors who no longer type out their stories, rather they will take a walk or a hike and dictate their books. Personally I find this fascinating. We can talk so much faster than we can type, but my fear is that going back and editing all of those pages of dictation will require too much work. But sitting here now, dictating to my iPhone for this article I am honestly astounded at where technology has come.

There is a learning curve to everything and I wonder where the next phase of writing will take us.

Most recently I have been finishing the rework of my first novel. It is turning out so well, and it is very satisfying to feel this way about it. But an odd thing has happened in the editing process. Odd to me anyway!

Over a decade ago when I first entered the book publishing world, I was instructed by several editors and a couple of respected writers to eliminate a lot of simple verbs in my stories. Verbs such as was, were, did, had, etc. The result was that I chose many substitutes for the simple verbs, opting for active verbs instead. Looking back now I am not so sure that was the right choice.

In the past few months I have read novels like Ender’s Game by Orson Scott card, and Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Their use of verbs is far more similar to my first instincts on writing. I find this fascinating! And so in the reworking of Swords of the Six I have rewritten large portions, bringing it back to the more literary style that I have enjoyed in books I’ve read.

The truest form of storytelling is verbal narrative, And I feel that the best written stories read as if someone is telling you the story. Perhaps we have reached a point where the rules of writing are destroying the art of writing. And perhaps the technology that we now possess is capable of liberating us from the tyranny of what is acceptable to the gatekeepers. In part, at least, this is true.

 

An ultra portable writing device

Having the right tools makes any job a lot easier and more enjoyable. I was reminded of this over the past couple of weeks because I got a new writing machine. It is the ultraportable Microsoft Surface Go and it goes (pun intended) everywhere with me.

Up until now I have lugged my gaming laptop, a Toshiba Qosmio, whenever I want to write away from home. Although it is a fantastic machine, being so heavy and large I cannot easily pull it out and put it away again for short writing sessions. It has suffered more than a few drops as a result of getting left on my bed or being carted around.

Two years’ worth of researching various devices narrowed my choices to the iPad with keyboard, a cheap 11-inch laptop, or the Surface Go with typepad. I settled on the Surface Go because of its premium build and full Windows capability. Full Windows capability is essential because I already own MS Word and I don’t want to pay subscription for Office 365. Also, I prefer working offline.

I’m a bit of a minimalist. I don’t like a complicated setup for writing. The fewer distractions on the device the better.

The impact on my writing of having this portability has been greater than I’d anticipated. In every spare moment that inspiration strikes I am able to set the device up and type immediately. It adjusts easily on my lap, a table, or even in bed. Fantastic! Also, the battery is sufficiently efficient allowing a full day’s use (for my limited purposes) without worrying about looking for a power outlet.

I have been stuck in my writing for a couple of years. Time, I thought, was my great enemy. Truth is, distractions were my greatest obstacle. Legitimate and good distractions. I have never mastered maximizing small bits of time to accomplish large projects, but with this device I have.

Swords of the Six is taking new shape, expanding and becoming a much better novel than I first wrote a decade ago. We learn a lot when we study our craft for years, and I am loving the process of improving the original.

If you are stuck in your creative process, consider what tools you need. I wish I had acquired a Surface Go a couple of years ago.

Wishing all of you a merry Christmas season!

A happy Christmas, everyone! These past couple of months have been a whirlwind of many hours at my day job, family commitments, a couple of short family trips, and of course writing work. At this time my writing efforts are narrowed to a very specific project: editing, revising, and expanding Swords of the Six in preparation for publishing the special edition.

I apologize for not posting here more frequently but it is more important that I use the time I have to hammer out the books. I cannot tell you how many times fans have asked when they will be able to read the next book In Search of Dragons. But I cannot finish that book until I re-publish the original three books that AMG Publishers handed back to me this year.

This time of year is a looking forward to the New Year ahead. A time to reflect on what was accomplished and what we are determined to accomplish next year. For my writing I have quite a list, including producing the first audiobook in 2019. For now, here is a list of all of my books currently available:

Swords of the Six

Offspring

Key of Living Fire

The Phantom’s Blade

Neverqueen

Neverqueen 2: The Suffering Chalice

By Sword By Right

Coming next are:

In Search of Dragons

Neverqueen 3: The Queens Two