Vaughn R. Demont's Blog, page 19
March 8, 2011
From Twitter 03-08-2011
10:19:05: Today's challenge: Do 1000 words on Lightning Rod before Dragon Age 2 shows up so I can play without guilt.
19:55:53: @reech_me Well, I finished the chapter, does that count? Still hoping the PC in DA2 can be gay like in DA:O.
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March 7, 2011
From Twitter 03-07-2011
10:58:06: Yes, you can get that on a coffee mug. http://j.mp/g9jlU3
16:19:37: Just to clear it up, I don't really expect anyone to buy those mugs, but hey, if you want it, it's there. #justfors&g #shilltastic
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Yes, you can get that on a coffee mug.
Go For The Vice: http://www.zazzle.com/go_for_the_vice_mug-168049224476127904
Love/Hate with Money: http://www.zazzle.com/love_hate_money_mug-168316093532506797
What the Hell, I'll shill. :)
Confused? Read: http://j.mp/h4LRUi
Love/Hate with Money: http://www.zazzle.com/love_hate_money_mug-168316093532506797
What the Hell, I'll shill. :)
Confused? Read: http://j.mp/h4LRUi
March 6, 2011
From Twitter 03-06-2011
13:23:12: Question of the Day: What's my guilty pleasure? A king size Twix PB while watching old eps of Roseanne. I'm boring RL, I know. :)
14:05:58: So You Want To Be A Writer... http://j.mp/h4LRUi
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So You Want To Be A Writer...
Today's reader mail consists of a question every writer will be asked at some point:
"I'm thinking about becoming a writer. Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?"
I always wonder how to answer this question, honestly. Part of me wants to give the happy sunny answer: Well, you need to work hard, make the commitment to write every day to get some words down, develop a thick skin, and always be open to criticism. After that, it's just a matter of getting exposure, doing your research on presses and agents, and hoping for the best when you send your stuff out. Good luck! :)
...
And then I remember I'm a Scorpio.
So here's my advice, along with a complimentary bag of salt to take it with.
Develop a love/hate relationship with money. You're always going to need it, and it's never going to be there.
Find a bad habit. Cigarettes and alcohol are the time-honored cornerstones of the writing community, but any addictive behavior will do in a pinch when you need to run off crying from your manuscript because one of your author friends did five thousand words yesterday (the bitch), compared to your paltry fifteen hundred. A loved one will probably tell you it's not a race, a mentor will tell you it's more important to write a good scene. You don't have time for rational and cogent suggestions. Go for the vice.
Develop a love/hate relationship with your readers. Publicly love them because they talk up your books and send you fan letters and generally make you feel like you're not wasting the potential your third grade teacher told your parents you had. Secretly hate them because you suspect they're all lying and just using your book to prop up their shrine to Stephanie Meyer. Secretly realize you're being ridiculous and publicly apologize for your opinions. Receive confused fan mail. Go for the vice.
Find beta readers.
Then find beta readers you can trust.
Then find beta readers you can trust that you don't believe are probably insane.
Find a publisher.
Realize it's not as simple as just picking one and submitting.
Find an agent.
Realize it's not as simple as just picking one and submitting.
Begin to suspect that the publishing world runs entirely on nepotism and kismet. Then sell your work and realize it's actually a lot more fair than you initially suspected. Look through your earlier work and realize why you were rejected from so many many many places. Seriously, they let you out of grad school with that manuscript?
Read your work aloud. Immediately revise your dialogue because having heard it aloud it becomes apparent that nobody actually talks like that.
Read. But don't just read, because your readers don't just read. Watch TV, movies, read comics and graphic novels and learn how the structure is changing so you can keep up.
Give a damn. Self-explanatory.
Consider self-publishing. Then ask yourself if you want to sell something you put eleven months of your life into for ninety-nine cents. Also, remember that you suck as an editor.
Find an editor. Make her the first person you thank in your acknowledgements, because the difference between the final edits and your original draft will be staggering. Thank her because she will make you look so very good.
Realize that being a writer is tough, so take every opportunity you get to celebrate. Realize your debt to your friends and family, who put up with your delays and cancellations because you finally cracked through a mini-block and need to keep momentum. Realize your debt to your fellow writers and betas, because they push you to work that potential that maybe you aren't wasting after all. Realize your debt to your readers, because despite that you literally are making it up as you go, they keep coming back and chipping in to find out what happens next.
Realize that every work is a labor of love, because if you don't love the labor, there's no point in doing it.
"I'm thinking about becoming a writer. Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?"
I always wonder how to answer this question, honestly. Part of me wants to give the happy sunny answer: Well, you need to work hard, make the commitment to write every day to get some words down, develop a thick skin, and always be open to criticism. After that, it's just a matter of getting exposure, doing your research on presses and agents, and hoping for the best when you send your stuff out. Good luck! :)
...
And then I remember I'm a Scorpio.
So here's my advice, along with a complimentary bag of salt to take it with.
Develop a love/hate relationship with money. You're always going to need it, and it's never going to be there.
Find a bad habit. Cigarettes and alcohol are the time-honored cornerstones of the writing community, but any addictive behavior will do in a pinch when you need to run off crying from your manuscript because one of your author friends did five thousand words yesterday (the bitch), compared to your paltry fifteen hundred. A loved one will probably tell you it's not a race, a mentor will tell you it's more important to write a good scene. You don't have time for rational and cogent suggestions. Go for the vice.
Develop a love/hate relationship with your readers. Publicly love them because they talk up your books and send you fan letters and generally make you feel like you're not wasting the potential your third grade teacher told your parents you had. Secretly hate them because you suspect they're all lying and just using your book to prop up their shrine to Stephanie Meyer. Secretly realize you're being ridiculous and publicly apologize for your opinions. Receive confused fan mail. Go for the vice.
Find beta readers.
Then find beta readers you can trust.
Then find beta readers you can trust that you don't believe are probably insane.
Find a publisher.
Realize it's not as simple as just picking one and submitting.
Find an agent.
Realize it's not as simple as just picking one and submitting.
Begin to suspect that the publishing world runs entirely on nepotism and kismet. Then sell your work and realize it's actually a lot more fair than you initially suspected. Look through your earlier work and realize why you were rejected from so many many many places. Seriously, they let you out of grad school with that manuscript?
Read your work aloud. Immediately revise your dialogue because having heard it aloud it becomes apparent that nobody actually talks like that.
Read. But don't just read, because your readers don't just read. Watch TV, movies, read comics and graphic novels and learn how the structure is changing so you can keep up.
Give a damn. Self-explanatory.
Consider self-publishing. Then ask yourself if you want to sell something you put eleven months of your life into for ninety-nine cents. Also, remember that you suck as an editor.
Find an editor. Make her the first person you thank in your acknowledgements, because the difference between the final edits and your original draft will be staggering. Thank her because she will make you look so very good.
Realize that being a writer is tough, so take every opportunity you get to celebrate. Realize your debt to your friends and family, who put up with your delays and cancellations because you finally cracked through a mini-block and need to keep momentum. Realize your debt to your fellow writers and betas, because they push you to work that potential that maybe you aren't wasting after all. Realize your debt to your readers, because despite that you literally are making it up as you go, they keep coming back and chipping in to find out what happens next.
Realize that every work is a labor of love, because if you don't love the labor, there's no point in doing it.
March 4, 2011
From Twitter 03-04-2011
09:16:00: Going to see if I can get chapter 10 started. Today's writing goal? Why everyone in the setting thinks sorcerers are mean. #lightningrod
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March 3, 2011
From Twitter 03-03-2011
09:46:15: My inner-Goth isn't talking to me after a James line I just wrote. Granted, he's never talked to me much. I'm not cool enough. #lightningrod
12:24:06: Chp. 9 is done, and we're over 32k. Chp. 10 is going to need some action though. Also, I finally know what Kotov Syndrome is. #lightningrod
13:20:47: Do I fantasize about celebrities reading my books? I do. Mostly @feliciaday reading Coyote's Creed and saying, "Huh. That didn't suck."
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March 2, 2011
From Twitter 03-02-2011
00:39:50: The Lightning Rod rewrite project has broken 100 pages, and 30,000 words after about 4 weeks. Go me. :)
10:28:22: @mythicfox No, it just means that you, like me and a LOT of other writers nowadays are influenced by Joss Whedon. :)
10:32:12: RT @editorannescott: I do think authors need to be respectful of reader space on Goodreads http://editorannescott.wordpress.com/2011/03/ ...
10:36:43: Happy 10th B-day to E.B., who at such a young age has already made the crucial decision of supporting the Horde. ;)
12:13:11: When caffeine doesn't even help, it's probably going to be a 1000 word day. #lightningrod
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March 1, 2011
From Twitter 03-01-2011
09:46:50: Chapter 8 is done, broke 28k. Going to see if I can get Chapter 9 started. #lightningrod
21:28:14: This is why Chuck Lorre is one of my writing heroes. P.S. It has nothing to do with Charlie Sheen. http://tinyurl.com/6kghbug #myinfluences
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February 28, 2011
From Twitter 02-28-2011
11:40:24: Brand new week. Back to work. Need to add a little something to chap. 7, then it's back to work on chap. 8. #lightningrod
18:26:08: Okay, just for a goof, let's see how long I can go without playing WoW before I, y'know, care. #soverybored
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