Nikko Lee's Blog, page 25

Writing Worry #6: All you need is a good story to get published

Sometimes it amazes me that some novels get published. I know this is probably a measure of hubris on my part, but I often reason that if 'this book' or 'that book' gets published surely something I wrote could be as well.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have put down a book mid-way through or even finished it and thought I could do better. Plot holes, poor writing, badly developed or predictable characters etc. certainly don't stop a book from being published. I can think of a few books that if I was an editor I probably would have sent back to the author for another re-write or would have even declined altogether - like all the agents and publishers before the author got that big break.

And I would have been so wrong. Despite numerous flaws, these books find their audience. The authors of these books have found something that appealed to an agent, publisher, and editor enough for them to put their time into making a published work. Some books that I have cringed while reading have gone on to huge success and movie deals.

Taken the Twilight series. I had first seen the movie than a friend offered to lend me the series to read. It wasn't something I was interested in enough to purchase, but who can resist a free book read? Plus I wanted to see if the movie has simply missed what made the books so successful. To me the movie was a lot of toothless teenage drama. But the love triangle and the attraction to what could kill you intrigued me enough to look beyond the bland performances of the two lead actors.

The first 50 pages of Twilight were a real slog. The writing was mediocre at best and involved a lot of teenage introspection and moodiness. If I hadn't been so determined to find out what made this series such a success, I would have stopped reading before hitting page 100.

I pressed on and was rewarded with wishy-washy characters, a slim at best plot, a passive heroine, a stalker hero, and no actual threat. I continued reading the series determined to see if it got any better.

The central premise of the book is what hooked me. The forbidden love that could kill the lovers is a core romantic plot. The twelve year old girl in me was relishing in all the angst, while the adult in me could barely tolerate it. The worst part was the lack of on screen action. Every time something violent was about to happen, Meyers would remove her characters from it.

In all, the series is not one I'd read again. And yet, I've seen most of the movies and will am still curious about the graphic novel. The Twilight series strikes a cord with me even though I don't love the writing or the plot. I can understand why writers use it as a basis for their fanfiction. The love triangle strikes all the fundamentals, the danger of a lover who could kill you is like catnip to angst lovers like me, and the back story of the vampires and werewolves is interesting even if the main characters often feel one dimensional.

A novel doesn't have to be perfect - really, there's no such thing as perfection. All it has to do is have some grain that appeals to the very nature of being human. Be it vampires, BDSM, Amish romance or any number of genre, a good story isn't held back by its flaws.It just needs a chance to find its readers and shine.

First hike of the season: Flying Mnt ANP

Mud season isn't quite over even though the mosquito have started to hatch and the dandelions are flowering. Unfortunately, the snow-less winter meant little to no skiing of snowshoeing. On the flip side, it's also meant that the trails have dried quickly. Last Wednesday was the inaugeral hike of the season for the Jax hiking club.

Seeing as this was the first hike, we decided to tackle the relatively short and sweet Flying Mountain trail. The peaks rises to a max of 284 feet and the trail looping around by the fire road and checking out several scenic outlooks took a leisurely 1.5 hours for 1.7 miles.

The first rise definitely work up sleepy muscles and lungs. However, within minutes we reached the summit and enjoyed the view of Northeast Harbor.

The rest of the way down and around was quite enjoyable and relaxing other than a few slippery rocks.

The views are plentiful from the top of the mountain to the small cove before the fire loop road takes you back to the parking lot. This is a great starter hike for the beginning of the season.

For more photos check out the Jax Hiking Club facebook page.

I could Have Died: Red Flags

I was fortunate enough to be invited to write a guest blog post over at Oh Get A Grip for the  theme 'I Could Have Died.' For the post, I wrote a fairly candide short piece about realizing that an emotionally abusive relationship could have killed me. It's called Red Flags.

Writing Worry #5: Lots of ideas, few finished manuscripts

Many people suggest that authors keep a notebook on them at all times to write down ideas and observations as they occur to them. The reasons for this written thought process is probably because ideas are fleeting and that they numerous.
Just about anything can spark a writing idea in my brain. It might be a news story on the radio. Maybe it's something my co-worker said in a passing conversations. Sometimes it's as simple as imaging living in the shoes of someone I see. The point is ideas are everywhere. I know authors often talk about writer's block and it might seem like a lack of ideas. When it happens to me, writer's block is more about not having the confidence to try something that might not work.
Great you say. With all those numerous ideas, I must have numerous stories to write. I do. The problem is that the road from idea to completed manuscript is a long one. An idea must be fleshed out and filled in. Usually I spend several days, weeks or years, daydreaming about an idea. It gets molded and shaped. It gets made into one story then torn apart to make another story. There's a lot of thinking and sometimes even planning that has to happen before an idea is ready to be made into a story.
Most ideas are just fragments. A character. A setting quirk. A plot twist. Sometimes that's enough to spark writing. Most of the time the ideas get pushed to the back of my mind or, if I am lucky, onto a random piece of paper. Eventually the idea will bug me enough that I have to start writing.
I'm somewhere between a discovery writer (pantser) and an outliner (plotter). I've actually got two novels fully outlined. Only one is at the top of my must write list. Most of my writing involves a spurt of typing until I can no longer see where the story is going or I realize I am missing something about the back story. Then I turn to outlining. I pick up a stack of paper and a pen. Most of my best outlining happens when I am supposed to concentrating on something else, such as at a meeting, presentation or a busy cafe. I outline until I feel I have enough to take me through the next section of the story.
OK, now I'm on a roll and typing. The grueling slog of writing and outlining continues until the story is done (hopefully). I've gotten sidetracked by competing ideas and waylaid by the real world. To date, I've complete first drafts of around 8 novels (from 50-100K words), 2 novella (20-40K words), and a handful of short stories and flashers. However, the first draft is really only the beginning.
On to the next stage, re-writing. I'm currently re-writing one of my novellas to incorporate a second point of view. It may actually bump the word count up to the novel range. I finished the first draft last fall and have been working on the re-writing since. It's a slow process.
When I'm confident that my story is worth sharing, I have to find beta readers. They are invaluable in finding fatal character and plot flaws. Writing groups, including online critique groups, can help with this. Of course, any criticisms must be taken with a grain of salt. I decided to re-write Spar after a reader pointed out several times how one-sided the story was.
Re-write. Edit. Repeat.
Finally, a finished manuscript. I've only been in this position four times (two novels and two short story). Of these, one novel and two short stories were published. Dark Heritage has yet to find a home, but some suggestions by a beta reader has given me inspiration about how to re-write it. Hopefully that will lead to a sale.
Ideas = uncountable
Sold manuscripts = 3
Unfortunately, I am not a person who can work on multiple stories at the same time. It tends to fracture my attention. So while I re-write Spar, my brain tumbles over the re-write possibilities for Dark Heritage and I try to resist the ideas that keep nagging me to be written.
There's the Alpha/Omega homosexual paranormal romance, the polyangry werewolf romantic erotica, the alternate history steampunk romantic adventure...
Ideas are plenty, but it takes discipline, creativity, skill and a lot of hard work to bring even the most brilliant ideas into fruition. And don't most ideas seem brilliant at the time?

Writing Worry #4: I have nothing to say

When I told one of co-workers that I wanted to be published, the first thing she asked me was if I had something to say. The question took me aback. I had always viewed my writing as brain candy. It was something to be enjoyed not getting across an agenda.

My chosen profession is in the sciences and has always been very fact based. My writing has always offered me an escape from the grounded reality of science. It's probably why I've preferred to read and write horror, fantasy and romance. None of those genres are too firmly grounded in the restrictions of reality. Of course, they need to have familiar elements that are also apart of our world. However, the fun part for me has always been the unexpected and how people handle it.

I've never had any one particular message that I wanted people to know. Sometimes I think I should write based on my life my experiences. Sometimes I think I should have a cause. Most of the time, I want my writing to be an escape from the everyday, a suspension of believe, a roller coaster ride, an emotional journey. My goal in writing has always been to create a setting and characters so real that my readers will go along with them on their fantasic adventures feeling their pains and pleasures.

This weekend I scowered the picked-over shelves of a local bookstore that is going out of business. My picks were a medical/horror mystery and a book about fairies. I love medical fiction that verges into the realm of horror.

However, just because a book is read for entertainment doesn't mean that it can't have a message. That's the beauty of fiction. It allows readers and authors to explore situations and tackle heavy issues. Many authors like Jodi Picoult address weightier issues in her novels that are largely based in reality.

Just because a novel leaves the realm of our reality doesn't mean that it leaves behind the problems that plague us as people and as members of a society. In the Coldfire trilogy, C.S. Friedman explores the conflict between monotheism and polytheism, the relativity of evil and the impact of sacrifice. Karen Miller made an interesting case for the relativism of monothism in the Godspeaker trilogy. In 'I am Not a Seiral Killer', Dan Wells explores a character who must break his own rules to destroy a greater evil without become just as bad.

Isaac Asimov, Philip K Dick, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien and so many more past and present fantasy and sci-fi authors have used their fiction to explore the basic questions of mankind from the level of the individual to the level of country and planets while still being entertaining and enveloping stories.

My aspirations are no where near as lofty. I may not have any specific message to say, but my own life experiences influence my writing. My goal is to make realistic characters who, no matter how fantastic their settings and situations are, must face the very real challenges that happen in reality.

Writing Worry #3: I don't read enough

My favorite writing advise comes from Stephen King.

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." ― Stephen King

I've already lamented about the difficulties in finding time to write. So what about reading? I spend most of my days reading and decipher scientific publications. Great examples (and not so great ones too) if I want to write scientific publications, not so helpful for learning how to write fiction.

Like many authors, I tend to write what I like to read. When I have spare time I gravitate to horror, romance, fantasy, sci-fi and erotica. So it's no surprise that my writings lean along those genre lines.

That being said, I am painfully aware of how woefully under-read I am. Today I had some time before the climbing gym opened up so I perused the shelves of a local Books A Million (BAM). I'm just starting to recognize some of the authors I've heard interviewed on my favorite podcasts.

I recognize many of the popular authors by name, but I've never actually read a Philip K Dick story and couldn't get through the last Asimov novel I tried to read back in high school. My list of authors I want to read includes: Brandon Sanderson, Tee Morris, Phillipa Ballentine, Michele Lang, Moses Siregar, Mary Robinette Kowal, Naomi Novik, Jared Diamond, Paolo Bacigalupi, Robert J. Sawyer, George R.R. Martin etc.

Goodreads and Amazon wishlists are invaluable for keeping track of books and authors I want to read. Otherwise I would certainly forget them. Not because they didn't make an impact, but because it takes repetition for anything to sink into my brain. Every time I hear a review of a book that sounds interesting or an interview with an interesting author, I try to add their book to my lists.

It is mind-blowing how many books are published. Libraries and bookstores have always been my mental candy shop. Buying a new book was always akin to purchasing a new toy. When I was a lowly grad student borrowing my reading material from the libraries, I dreamed of having a good job that allowed me to buy a new book every month.

Now the challenge isn't affording the next book I want to read but finding the time to read it.
Since the beginning of the year, I've tired to dedicate the half hour before going to be to reading. It's actually made a big difference in the amount of reading I do. Beyond the entertainment I get from reading, I also get a change to see how different authors handle plot, characters, writing styles, etc. When I'm done with a book I try to write a review of it (see the Picky Reader Review section).

I find thinking critically about a book and organizing those thoughts into a written review challenging. It's not that I have any great insights to share, mostly I just talk about what I like and don't like. I know how hard it is for any author, even a great one, to get the kind of readership that will have their publishers clamoring for the next thing they write. So any time I come across a story I like, I figure it's my responsibility to get the word out and increase their exposure in whatever limited way I can.

Half an hour a night isn't much. I might get through a book a month, unless one completely captivates me. Then I'm reading it every chance I get and might finish it within 2 weeks. The other interesting thing I noticed is that anthologies take a lot longer to read than novels. It's so easy to forget the story if I stop mid-stream.

Currently, I am reading The Living Dead, a zombie anthology. I've read a story or two in The Big Book of Bizarro. And I've got a pile of books on my book shelf to read - not counting my lists of books and authors I want to read. Then there is the new JR Ward novel, Lover Reborn, that I've pre-ordered. It should arrive by the end of next week. Her books are like a drug. I've taken entire weekends just to read one of her novel from cover to cover.

With all the great books out there and talented authors creating new ones, there is no way I'd ever come close to reading everything I want and should read. My only hope is that I can learn a little from the ones I do get through and enjoy some great stories.

Writing Worry #2: I don't have time to write

Between sleep, work, commuting, the dog, volunteer activities, exercising, and spending time with my boyfriend, I've probably got about 1-3 hours a night to do all my errands, cook dinner and do whatever else needs to get done. So when do I write? And read, because that's just about as important.

The most common complaint voiced among amateur authors and wannabe writers is that they don't have time to write. I can't even remember how many times Mur Lafferty has been asked for advice on making time to write on her podcast 'I Should Be Writing.' The sad truth is that there isn't enough time until you make it.

Many authors forgo sleep to write. Others take whole months off of their daily duties to accomplish their works. Some write in 10 to 15 minute chunks whenever they find them. Some people only write on weekends. Some people get up hours before their family to sneak in some writing time. Me?

Even as I am starting this blogging section about my writing worries, it's been almost a week since the last time I worked on my fiction. I've thought about it. I've tried to keep up with some reading. Most night I've gotten in 10-30 minutes reading. Even this blog section is a way to get me motivated to get down to keyboard and write. There just hasn't been even time this week.

Correction. I haven't made the time. The sad truth is that there is never enough time in a day to get done everything you want to get done. So we all make sacrifices. Sometimes that means writing gets bumped. Sometimes it means the dishes don't get done. Just like the dishes, if I don't make the effort to get to my writing it will never get done.

I've tried setting aside an hour a day, but that has not worked. Now I try not to stress about it, but I am always conscious of the characters I've left hanging and the stories that need writing. Tonight I won't be able to make time to write. I take responsibility for that. Tomorrow...

Modeling Autism and Fragile X behavior in rodents

This week Dr. Richard Paylor of Baylor College of Medicine spoke at the Jackson Laboratory about his research on mouse and rat models for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD spans a range of disorders in which the patient displays at minimum defects in reciprocal social interaction, impaired communication and  repetitive behaviors.

With the growing prevalence of ASD (1 in 110), research has focused on identifying its underlying genetic factors. Monozygotic twin studies have shown a 60%-90% occurrence indicating a genetic influence. However, no single causative gene has been identified.

In addition to ASD, several syndromes include ASD-like behavior. 30% to 50% of patients with Fragile X syndrome display autistic behaviors. This syndrome is caused by a triplet nucleotide repeat expansion in the gene FMR1. The symptoms and severity of this syndrome are highly variable.

A mouse model for Fragile X syndrome was created in which the Fmr1 gene was knocked-out. These mice exhibit reduced social dominance, altered social interaction dependent on context and subject familiarity, and altered repetitive behaviors. Dr. Paylor found that the autistic behaviors observed in these mice were highly dependent on strain background. On some backgrounds, Fmir1 knock-out mice exhibit increased marble burying (a measure of repetitive behavior) while on others they do not. While Fmr1 mutations may contribute to ASD, the extent will depend on the other genes being expressed.

Zinc finger endonucleases (ZFNs) are becoming a popular means for generating gene knock-outs in organisms, like the rat, in which standard knock-out technology are not efficient. Rats also offer some advantages over mice in that their physiology more closely resembles that of humans and their behaviors are easier to model than mice.

Dr. Paylor and his colleagues have generated several rat knock-out models using ZFNs targeting genes thought to be involved in ASD and Fragile-X and are studying them to compare their results to those obtained in mice.

While some rodent models in mice and rats exhibit ASD and Frigile-X behaviors observed in people, background variability and the contribution of unknown factors makes the study of these disorders as complicated in rodents as in people. These rodent models may prove vital in identifying the factors that contribute the variability of symptoms observed in people.

Cycling Route 1: Ellsworth to Hancock

This was the first weekend that really felt like spring. Temperatures reached into the upper 50's and the sun was in full force. It's only a taste of what's to come. I'm sure that by next week there will be yet another passing winter storm to bring snow/sleet/rain.

This weekend was also my first bike ride on my new bike. After years of making due with a Walmart special, I finally bought a bike. It's a beauty and rides so much better than my old junker. I'd held on to the old bike because it was ideal for bikejoring - I didn't care if I trashed it. With my dog's bikejoring days behind him, I was prepared for an upgrade. I got a Trek 7100 hybrid. Nothing beats buying a new bike, except riding it.

The original plan was to do part of the Sunrise trail, but it's closed to use until May 15 because of the soft trail conditions. Instead we headed out of the Walmart parking lot down route 1 towards Hancock. We made it all the way to the bridge across Frenchman's Bay before heading back. Distance was 18 miles round trip in about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

You couldn't ask for better road conditions than on route 1 heading downeast. The paved shoulder is about 3-4 feet wide for most of the road. Gentle rolling hills off some challenge but not so much that I was tempted to get off my bike and push. The car traffic was polite with only one derogatory honk. However, it's no where near tourist season.

I'm looking forward to getting on the Sunrise trail, but route 1 is a good alterative.

Writing Worry #1: My work is *insert explative*

A brilliant idea strikes you. A plot and/or character consumes you until you must write. You slave over every word and punctuation for weeks, months or even years. Writing may be a solitary endeavor, but eventually you will have to show someone what you've written. You will have to expose all your brilliance and short-comings to the criticism and judgement of family, friends, beta-readers, reviewers and/or a myriad of complete strangers who have no concept of how much you have struggled to bring that brilliant idea into reality.

It is a rare/confident/delusional person who has no qualms about sharing their writing with others. Yet it takes a certain degree of belief in those words to share them with anyone. Perhaps it is no surprise then that one of the worries that can paralyze me as a writer is that my writing is crap.

The sad truth is that, at this stage, it probably is. I have no illusions that my stories are perfect, far from it. Yet there is a perverse chain of cause and effect in writing. I write to share my stories. My stories have to reach a certain level of quality before I can share them with anyone. If I don't share my work with anyone then what is the point of writing?

Of course, I get a lot of pleasure out of creating a story, exploring characters and vicariously living their adventures. All this could be easily done inside my mind without ever putting fingers to a keyboard. Let's face it, writing is hard work. The ultimate reinforcement that I am doing something worthwhile often comes from that one reader who is as in love with my story as I am. The feeling of accomplishment in successfully telling a good story that moves a reader is what gets me through the long and arduous process of writing.

Yet that reinforcement is extremely rare. On a good day, I can write with my internal editor locked away in a dark closet. On a bad day, the worry that my writing is not worth anyone's time to read brings my writing to a stand-still.

Maybe my writing is crap. Maybe it is a diamond that needs polish to shine. One thing is certain. If I don't keep writing, my writing will never get any better.