Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 244
November 7, 2010
Calling All Blogs !
Notes from An Alien blog is new and we're looking for other blogs to link with. No recieprocal linking necessary :-)Can't promise a link but will try to include as many as possible.....
Point of View - The Camera of Your Mind
In the prologue of my forthcoming book, Sena, the alien, exposes her first person point of view and alerts the reader that the bulk of the story will be third person omniscient--"all-seeing". She then promises that her "voice" will return when the story reaches the point of her birth.
But, to say that most of the book is third person is a crass generalization...
What point of view does this paragraph have?
"He was ready to go but delayed slipping the bonds for a moment as he bid farewell in his mind to the daughter he'd never met. He knew his work for the Angan Corporation was critical—leader of the first expedition to another World; but, Velu, his unknown daughter, would probably not know he'd done it."
Well, the "He" says third person but the "He knew" begins to personalize the point of view. In fact, most of this paragraph is the character's very personal thinking. Rather first person, eh?
Writing is a slippery craft. The magic of our minds, arranging symbols on a page that trigger thoughts and feelings in other people, is the ultimate slippery occupation :-)
My book won't be published until March and I'm still gathering feedback. The copy editor is busily checking the "clean-draft". And, I'm offering to send folks a copy of that draft. If you make even one tiny comment, you can opt to have your name (or, an alias) placed in a special listing in the book. If you share a significant amount of feedback, I'll add a 2-line Bio and Web link to your listing :-)
But, to say that most of the book is third person is a crass generalization...
What point of view does this paragraph have?
"He was ready to go but delayed slipping the bonds for a moment as he bid farewell in his mind to the daughter he'd never met. He knew his work for the Angan Corporation was critical—leader of the first expedition to another World; but, Velu, his unknown daughter, would probably not know he'd done it."
Well, the "He" says third person but the "He knew" begins to personalize the point of view. In fact, most of this paragraph is the character's very personal thinking. Rather first person, eh?
Writing is a slippery craft. The magic of our minds, arranging symbols on a page that trigger thoughts and feelings in other people, is the ultimate slippery occupation :-)
My book won't be published until March and I'm still gathering feedback. The copy editor is busily checking the "clean-draft". And, I'm offering to send folks a copy of that draft. If you make even one tiny comment, you can opt to have your name (or, an alias) placed in a special listing in the book. If you share a significant amount of feedback, I'll add a 2-line Bio and Web link to your listing :-)
November 6, 2010
Writing Sites...
Some folks swear by Web sites that cater to writers; some never go near them. I'm kind of in the middle. There's a forum I visit called BestsellerBound. And, a site that's new to me but has been around for ten years--Writing.com.
The forum is a great place to talk to other folks who spend their time working to make words do acts of magic. And, so is Writing .com but it's bigger, more dense with spaces to visit, more populated with other writers, more daunting and yet, because of that challenge, more worthy to be explored and utilized.
I've only been a member of Writing.com for a week but I've put three chapters from my book in my portfolio there, gotten an extremely useful review on one of those chapters, and given three reviews to other writers. I've also spent some time having fun in one of the chat rooms.
Then, last night, I came out of chat and noticed I had an email within the site. I opened it and sat here in mild shock--smiling and grateful shock.
Someone on the site had anonymously paid for three months of upgraded use--gave me more tools to use, made me feel quite giddy...
Guess who's gonna be spending more time on Writing.com :-)
The forum is a great place to talk to other folks who spend their time working to make words do acts of magic. And, so is Writing .com but it's bigger, more dense with spaces to visit, more populated with other writers, more daunting and yet, because of that challenge, more worthy to be explored and utilized.
I've only been a member of Writing.com for a week but I've put three chapters from my book in my portfolio there, gotten an extremely useful review on one of those chapters, and given three reviews to other writers. I've also spent some time having fun in one of the chat rooms.
Then, last night, I came out of chat and noticed I had an email within the site. I opened it and sat here in mild shock--smiling and grateful shock.
Someone on the site had anonymously paid for three months of upgraded use--gave me more tools to use, made me feel quite giddy...
Guess who's gonna be spending more time on Writing.com :-)
November 5, 2010
Communing With Communication
So...
Now we have a Forum, a Chat Room, and this Blog on the Notes from An Alien site...
The Forum is for extended discussions.
The Chat Room is for "water-cooler" conversations.
This Blog is for reaching out--offering ideas that can be commented on here but, hopefully, will spawn conversations in the Chat Room and discussions in the Forum...
I'll start the process of Reaching Out with this idea:
Sena has written a book that tells the story of her People's climb from Dark War to the Light of Peace.
How can Earth do the same?
BTW, you can get a free pre-publication copy of her book .
Make a couple brief comments about it and you can have your name (or, alias) placed in a special listing in the book. Make more than a few brief comments and you can add a 2-line Bio and a Web link to the listing. :-)
Now we have a Forum, a Chat Room, and this Blog on the Notes from An Alien site...
The Forum is for extended discussions.
The Chat Room is for "water-cooler" conversations.
This Blog is for reaching out--offering ideas that can be commented on here but, hopefully, will spawn conversations in the Chat Room and discussions in the Forum...
I'll start the process of Reaching Out with this idea:
Sena has written a book that tells the story of her People's climb from Dark War to the Light of Peace.
How can Earth do the same?
BTW, you can get a free pre-publication copy of her book .
Make a couple brief comments about it and you can have your name (or, alias) placed in a special listing in the book. Make more than a few brief comments and you can add a 2-line Bio and a Web link to the listing. :-)
Hello To Many Worlds :-)
Time to start blogging. Getting close to publication of Notes from An Alien and need to establish a place to chronicle the continuing Life of the book :-)I'll probably post most every day...
