Robin Lythgoe's Blog, page 27
April 4, 2014
Is It Possible to Self-Edit Your Book?
Welcome back to the Friday Feature of our Fantasy writers group, A Drift of Quills! We Quills get together once a month to chat up aspects of reading and writing—and this time we discuss the exciting prospect of self-editing. Grab yourself some cookies and a notepad for jotting notes!
KRISTIE KIESSLINGAuthor of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and DarkKristie's Blog
Is it possible to self-edit your book?
YES! In fact, even if you hire an editor, you MUST be able to self-edit your book or you will be wasting money. As Kristen Lamb says, there are many editors who charge by the hour. Don't waste money on edits you can do yourself! If you hire an editor, you want him or her to be looking at the guts and glory, the meat and potatoes of your story not the dinnerware--in other words, don't have an editor clearing out overused adverbs and fixing repetitive, common errors that YOU can fix.
Site after site on the internet can help you self-edit well. USE them!
Just because you may hire an editor does not mean you won't be self-editing. Every writer must do some self-editing and if you, like me, can't afford an editor in the beginning for that first novel, don't be terrified. It isn't the end of the world. If you can write a good hook, you can edit that hook.
Here are just three of some of the many rules for the success of your first self-edit:
1--Put space between yourself and your work. Finish a story and give yourself a month to step away from it before you begin editing. Don't think about it, work on it or play with it.
2--Edit hard copy. Make changes right on the paper, look for continuity, frequently repeated words or common usage errors. It's all easier to see on paper without the danger of deleting something you might want to keep.
3--Read it out loud. Dialogue that looks good on the screen or on paper can sound campy, stilted or downright ridiculous when read out loud. This tip also helps with long, detailed sections of descriptions. If you get tired of reading it aloud, your readers will get tired of it, too.
It isn't easy, but it can be done. Stick to it! Check out these websites for more helpful tips on self-editing your novel. You'll find some great stuff in these pages:
Advice for Self-Editing Your Novel, by Steven J. Carroll
How I Self-Edit My Novels: 15 Steps From First Draft to Publication, by K.M. Weiland
Six Easy Tips for Self-Editing Your Fiction, by Kristen Lamb
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOURS TRULYAuthor of As the Crow Flies and two short storiesMy website (You can use this link or you could use the menu at the top. Whatever lights your candle!)
Is it possible to self-edit your book? Yes, but…
It’s really hard to do it on your own! Kristie gives some excellent advice in her part of the panel—worth repeating, so read it again but with my voice in your head.
I recently read a best-selling novel written by an indie author who claimed to have run the manuscript several times through a couple of editors. The experience left me slack-jawed. I do not know if the editors (two of them!) were really that bad, or if the author simply didn’t implement their suggestions. Unfortunately, the former is all too possible. One can find many “editors” online, but that doesn’t mean they can actually do the work. The aforementioned one came with a website and all sorts of credentials, which leaves me wondering. A large portion of the errors could have been fixed “in house” if the author had followed Kristie’s advice, but…
This requires an author actually knowing what adverbs/adjectives are and how to use them, how to properly punctuate and spell, understanding point of view, recognizing the difference between active and passive voice, and so on. There are an astonishing number of authors who don’t, or who believe it doesn’t really matter. It does. Take the time to learn. A writer should always be learning. In addition to trade books, we get to read fiction! Lots of fiction! One of the coolest things about reading is how we start assimilating what we read: we learn how to spell and to punctuate, we pick up the rhythm of words in a tale, we learn how to weave a story.
There are several fantastic online editing aids available to you. Use those, too. Here are a few to get you started:
Grammarly ($)
Writing Dynamo ($)
ProWritingAid
Hemingway
AutoCrit Editing Wizard
Next, you need to form a good beta reader group (not less than three) to test your manuscript. Your readers should be in your target audience, forthright but tactful, not related to you, and regular readers (in your genre) that understand how a book is structured.
And finally, there are some very decent books to help you with self-editing:
Revision & Editing, by James Scott Bell
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, 2n Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print, by Renni Browne and Dave King
The Little Book of Self-Editing for Writers: 12 Ways to Take Your Book from Good to Great, by Bridget McKenna
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
PATRICIA REDINGAuthor of OathtakerPatricia's website
Is it possible to edit your own work? I think so, though it is difficult. I direct your attention to some terrific resources my fellow Quills shared with you today. They address many potential pitfalls, all of which it is wise to address and consider. The one thing those resources do not address, however, is the possibility of losing your story for the sake of pleasing someone else.
I have conversed over the past few days with an author whose work I’ve read and very much enjoyed. I explained how I am going through another round of edits and have reached the point where I am changing things one way, then changing them back. (At this rate, I will never make it to the end.) I mentioned to him that I had others reading as beta readers. While they had only gone through the first few chapters, they had addressed critical issues. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate their time and effort on my behalf. Some of their ideas I adopted readily. Others, if I were to follow, would cause the entire story to fall apart. The author I mentioned explained to me how precisely that had happened to one of his earlier works. He changed things until the story was no longer his own—and no longer one he enjoyed or would share. It sits on a shelf where it collects dust. “We cannot write by committee,” he told me.
The author of a work is the only one with the big picture—the only one who sees how each meeting, each conversation fits into the whole. While there are all sorts of grammar rules, point of view issues and so forth that need to be addressed, there is also the author’s own voice and unique story to consider.
During my editing process, I picked up a best selling work by one of my favorite authors, one I’ve read several times and will probably read again. I discovered that of its 962 pages, I could easily cut 350 without changing the story one whit. How? I would remove repeated material and unnecessary adjectives and change passive voice to active—and that’s about it. According to the “rules,” the author had done a lot “wrong.” Still, I’ve read that book over and over and have enjoyed the story every single time—as have many others. In part, I enjoyed it because of the author’s own perspective and voice, its strengths and its “weaknesses.” This process reinforced something for me: some people will like my work, some will not.
So, can you edit your own work? Yes. Use the materials available and make it the best you can—but stay true to yourself. Tell your story, not someone else’s story. Use your voice, not someone else’s. Follow your instincts—and then be prepared: some will like it, some will not.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~What is your experience with editing? Do you do your own, hire an editor, or both? Have you got any editing/editor advice you can offer independent authors?
KRISTIE KIESSLINGAuthor of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and DarkKristie's Blog Is it possible to self-edit your book?
YES! In fact, even if you hire an editor, you MUST be able to self-edit your book or you will be wasting money. As Kristen Lamb says, there are many editors who charge by the hour. Don't waste money on edits you can do yourself! If you hire an editor, you want him or her to be looking at the guts and glory, the meat and potatoes of your story not the dinnerware--in other words, don't have an editor clearing out overused adverbs and fixing repetitive, common errors that YOU can fix.
Site after site on the internet can help you self-edit well. USE them!
Just because you may hire an editor does not mean you won't be self-editing. Every writer must do some self-editing and if you, like me, can't afford an editor in the beginning for that first novel, don't be terrified. It isn't the end of the world. If you can write a good hook, you can edit that hook.
Here are just three of some of the many rules for the success of your first self-edit:
1--Put space between yourself and your work. Finish a story and give yourself a month to step away from it before you begin editing. Don't think about it, work on it or play with it.
2--Edit hard copy. Make changes right on the paper, look for continuity, frequently repeated words or common usage errors. It's all easier to see on paper without the danger of deleting something you might want to keep.
3--Read it out loud. Dialogue that looks good on the screen or on paper can sound campy, stilted or downright ridiculous when read out loud. This tip also helps with long, detailed sections of descriptions. If you get tired of reading it aloud, your readers will get tired of it, too.
It isn't easy, but it can be done. Stick to it! Check out these websites for more helpful tips on self-editing your novel. You'll find some great stuff in these pages:
Advice for Self-Editing Your Novel, by Steven J. Carroll
How I Self-Edit My Novels: 15 Steps From First Draft to Publication, by K.M. Weiland
Six Easy Tips for Self-Editing Your Fiction, by Kristen Lamb
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOURS TRULYAuthor of As the Crow Flies and two short storiesMy website (You can use this link or you could use the menu at the top. Whatever lights your candle!)Is it possible to self-edit your book? Yes, but…
It’s really hard to do it on your own! Kristie gives some excellent advice in her part of the panel—worth repeating, so read it again but with my voice in your head.
I recently read a best-selling novel written by an indie author who claimed to have run the manuscript several times through a couple of editors. The experience left me slack-jawed. I do not know if the editors (two of them!) were really that bad, or if the author simply didn’t implement their suggestions. Unfortunately, the former is all too possible. One can find many “editors” online, but that doesn’t mean they can actually do the work. The aforementioned one came with a website and all sorts of credentials, which leaves me wondering. A large portion of the errors could have been fixed “in house” if the author had followed Kristie’s advice, but…
This requires an author actually knowing what adverbs/adjectives are and how to use them, how to properly punctuate and spell, understanding point of view, recognizing the difference between active and passive voice, and so on. There are an astonishing number of authors who don’t, or who believe it doesn’t really matter. It does. Take the time to learn. A writer should always be learning. In addition to trade books, we get to read fiction! Lots of fiction! One of the coolest things about reading is how we start assimilating what we read: we learn how to spell and to punctuate, we pick up the rhythm of words in a tale, we learn how to weave a story.
There are several fantastic online editing aids available to you. Use those, too. Here are a few to get you started:
Grammarly ($)
Writing Dynamo ($)
ProWritingAid
Hemingway
AutoCrit Editing Wizard
Next, you need to form a good beta reader group (not less than three) to test your manuscript. Your readers should be in your target audience, forthright but tactful, not related to you, and regular readers (in your genre) that understand how a book is structured.
And finally, there are some very decent books to help you with self-editing:
Revision & Editing, by James Scott Bell
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, 2n Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print, by Renni Browne and Dave King
The Little Book of Self-Editing for Writers: 12 Ways to Take Your Book from Good to Great, by Bridget McKenna
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
PATRICIA REDINGAuthor of OathtakerPatricia's websiteIs it possible to edit your own work? I think so, though it is difficult. I direct your attention to some terrific resources my fellow Quills shared with you today. They address many potential pitfalls, all of which it is wise to address and consider. The one thing those resources do not address, however, is the possibility of losing your story for the sake of pleasing someone else.
I have conversed over the past few days with an author whose work I’ve read and very much enjoyed. I explained how I am going through another round of edits and have reached the point where I am changing things one way, then changing them back. (At this rate, I will never make it to the end.) I mentioned to him that I had others reading as beta readers. While they had only gone through the first few chapters, they had addressed critical issues. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate their time and effort on my behalf. Some of their ideas I adopted readily. Others, if I were to follow, would cause the entire story to fall apart. The author I mentioned explained to me how precisely that had happened to one of his earlier works. He changed things until the story was no longer his own—and no longer one he enjoyed or would share. It sits on a shelf where it collects dust. “We cannot write by committee,” he told me.
The author of a work is the only one with the big picture—the only one who sees how each meeting, each conversation fits into the whole. While there are all sorts of grammar rules, point of view issues and so forth that need to be addressed, there is also the author’s own voice and unique story to consider.
During my editing process, I picked up a best selling work by one of my favorite authors, one I’ve read several times and will probably read again. I discovered that of its 962 pages, I could easily cut 350 without changing the story one whit. How? I would remove repeated material and unnecessary adjectives and change passive voice to active—and that’s about it. According to the “rules,” the author had done a lot “wrong.” Still, I’ve read that book over and over and have enjoyed the story every single time—as have many others. In part, I enjoyed it because of the author’s own perspective and voice, its strengths and its “weaknesses.” This process reinforced something for me: some people will like my work, some will not.
So, can you edit your own work? Yes. Use the materials available and make it the best you can—but stay true to yourself. Tell your story, not someone else’s story. Use your voice, not someone else’s. Follow your instincts—and then be prepared: some will like it, some will not.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~What is your experience with editing? Do you do your own, hire an editor, or both? Have you got any editing/editor advice you can offer independent authors?
March 21, 2014
A Week of Self-Published Authors
This week I'm joining a stellar group of self-published authors over at Unicorn Bell to discuss why we chose self-publishing over traditional, marketing techniques, and to offer a little writing advice garnered from our own experiences. The article is entitled "A Week of Self-Published Authors: Robin Lythgoe." Here's an excerpt:
I write fantasy because I love it, and I think staying with a particular genre builds trust with the readers. Those big-name authors found something that worked for them and stuck with it on purpose. It worked. Authors who have several books published and a large following can more easily afford wading in other pools, and there are some that do so successfully, though they often choose to publish under a different name. Why? Because their fans expect them to stay in the already established lines. And, thanks to a surge in the popularity of fantasy stories—evident in book sales as well as movie and television production—why wouldn’t I stay with fantasy? Bottom line? Yes, staying within the fantasy genre has definitely had a hand in the progression of things.KEEP READING!
March 14, 2014
Book Review: Dark Currents
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Emperor’s Edge, and the fun continues in Dark Currents. Buroker has developed a good, solid framework of society that isn’t thrown off kilter with the inclusion of magic—a magic that is referred to in Amaranthe’s world as “science.” Her writing style is smooth and engaging, neatly balancing narrative and dialogue. The characters continue to capture the reader’s interest. What’s more, they develop even further—no cardboard cutouts here! They are each wonderfully detailed and clearly different from one another, and the fact that they are not all always comfortable and heroic makes them even more believable. When one of them goes out of his comfort zone in order to get something important accomplished, it *means* something.
The quality of writing style, grammar, punctuation, formatting, characterization, setting—all are top notch. The story is a quick read, not too long and it’s fast-paced. There are some wonderfully quirky twists and surprises, though the antagonists remained slightly distant and nebulous. If I have one complaint it’s about the gratuitous crass innuendoes. They felt like a forced afterthought and could honestly (and beneficially) have been left out altogether. Their inclusion puts this book on the borderline for recommendation on my list of Flinch Free Fantasy. Otherwise, the humor and the exchange of barbs had me laughing out loud in places. Buroker has a knack for telling a good tale.
March 7, 2014
Books We Love
Welcome back to the Friday Feature of our Fantasy writers group, A Drift of Quills! We Quills get together once a month to chat up aspects of reading and writing—and this time we're talking about books we love best. Grab your chocolate, sit back, and get comfy.
KRISTIE KIESSLINGAuthor of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and DarkKristie's Blog
When faced with the topic for this first Friday, Books We Love, I immediately considered the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but a commentary or review of any of those would take far more than my allotted space. Besides, by now, everyone knows the tale because of the movies.
Instead, let me share with you my love for author Stephen Lawhead and his revisionary telling of the story of Robin Hood in his King Raven Trilogy consisting of Hood, Tuck and Scarlet.
In Hood, we are introduced to a young man--heir to his father's lands--who takes only his own pleasure seriously. When Norman invaders arrive and wreck havoc, he tries to buy back the land, but finds himself pursued, his life in danger. He abandons his father's kingdom and people and runs to hide in the greenwood. There, Bran ap Brychan discovers the old growth forest in Wales is more than meets his wayward eye. He must come to grips with the mystery of this living, breathing entity. More than that, he must claim it in order to survive and become what he is truly meant to be: no common thief as the Nomans think, but a man with a mission ordained by forces far beyond his ken.
Lawhead writes with enviable knowledge. His research is deep and reveals fresh, relatable insights to times gone by. He draws the reader into the intricacies of politics, intrigue and life of ancient times that are not so very different from our own. His writing reflects in subtle and clever ways on our modern ideals and behaviors. I enjoy reading his books more than once--the mark of a great author. When I do, I am drawn again into a kinship with my own Welsh ancestors and Lawhead makes me yearn for that rich past.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
PATRICIA REDINGAuthor of Oathtaker Patricia's website
Recently I read a couple works I found worthy of including in my list of favorites: the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson and the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. In the Sanderson stories, characters “spin” magic via their use of different metals. In the Weeks stories, colors fuel the magic. I found only one real fault with Mistborn. While Sanderson drew a believable young female protagonist, she was not “whole” for me, perhaps because I found the relationships somewhat lacking. Having said that, the magic system is highly creative and great fun. As to the Lightbringer series, I found the characters fun and believable and the personal relationships, which are central to the story, satisfying and genuine. As a bonus I laughed out loud—fairly frequently.
As I consider these tales, I see a common denominator: each delivers a “new” world and unique magic. For Sanderson, it is the characters’ use of metals to “read” others’ emotions, bring about certain events, travel and communicate. For Weeks, it was the magic of colors to create things and the way those who wield the magic of different colors are prone to certain personality characteristics. These authors delivered something outside the standard fantasy tale (complete with a wizard and a troll and a fairy and an elf … and so on and so on). Each delivered a new kind of magic and a new category of fantasy character. Best of all, each opened a new world to me—a world in which I lost myself—if only for a time …
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOURS TRULY
Author of As the Crow Flies and two short storiesMy website (You can use this link or you could use the menu at the top. Whatever browns your bird!)
The collection of books I like is pretty large, but the Books I Love are actually few. I considered Lawhead’s Hood, but Kristie nabbed that right up. No surprise, there! (And with good reason, too.) I talk about Tad Williams’s series, Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn rather a lot, so it’s clearly time for something else. If you haven’t read the Damiano Books (I’ve also seen them in a one-volume set called Trio for a Lute) you are missing a real treat.
Damiano is set against the backdrop of the Italian Renaissance where faith-based magic is real. A wizard’s son, an innocent, a musician, Damiano is befriended and instructed by the archangel Raphael. To save his city from war, he sets out on a quest to find a powerful sorceress. Along the way he is beset by betrayal, disillusionment, and death—and still he must confront the power and darkness within himself in order to protect those he loves. Damiano wants to use his powers for good, yet he’s certain that since he’s a witch he’s automatically damned.
MacAvoy’s prose is beautifully lyrical, and her settings come alive with allusions to historical events, people, and society. The characters are real, they’re believable, and they face truly difficult issues. She has a talent for revealing how lovely, wonderful and terrible the world can be, and how difficult the struggle to know what’s right and wrong.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts on them? What are one or two of your favorite books?
KRISTIE KIESSLINGAuthor of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and DarkKristie's Blog When faced with the topic for this first Friday, Books We Love, I immediately considered the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but a commentary or review of any of those would take far more than my allotted space. Besides, by now, everyone knows the tale because of the movies.
Instead, let me share with you my love for author Stephen Lawhead and his revisionary telling of the story of Robin Hood in his King Raven Trilogy consisting of Hood, Tuck and Scarlet.
In Hood, we are introduced to a young man--heir to his father's lands--who takes only his own pleasure seriously. When Norman invaders arrive and wreck havoc, he tries to buy back the land, but finds himself pursued, his life in danger. He abandons his father's kingdom and people and runs to hide in the greenwood. There, Bran ap Brychan discovers the old growth forest in Wales is more than meets his wayward eye. He must come to grips with the mystery of this living, breathing entity. More than that, he must claim it in order to survive and become what he is truly meant to be: no common thief as the Nomans think, but a man with a mission ordained by forces far beyond his ken.
Lawhead writes with enviable knowledge. His research is deep and reveals fresh, relatable insights to times gone by. He draws the reader into the intricacies of politics, intrigue and life of ancient times that are not so very different from our own. His writing reflects in subtle and clever ways on our modern ideals and behaviors. I enjoy reading his books more than once--the mark of a great author. When I do, I am drawn again into a kinship with my own Welsh ancestors and Lawhead makes me yearn for that rich past.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
PATRICIA REDINGAuthor of Oathtaker Patricia's websiteRecently I read a couple works I found worthy of including in my list of favorites: the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson and the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. In the Sanderson stories, characters “spin” magic via their use of different metals. In the Weeks stories, colors fuel the magic. I found only one real fault with Mistborn. While Sanderson drew a believable young female protagonist, she was not “whole” for me, perhaps because I found the relationships somewhat lacking. Having said that, the magic system is highly creative and great fun. As to the Lightbringer series, I found the characters fun and believable and the personal relationships, which are central to the story, satisfying and genuine. As a bonus I laughed out loud—fairly frequently.
As I consider these tales, I see a common denominator: each delivers a “new” world and unique magic. For Sanderson, it is the characters’ use of metals to “read” others’ emotions, bring about certain events, travel and communicate. For Weeks, it was the magic of colors to create things and the way those who wield the magic of different colors are prone to certain personality characteristics. These authors delivered something outside the standard fantasy tale (complete with a wizard and a troll and a fairy and an elf … and so on and so on). Each delivered a new kind of magic and a new category of fantasy character. Best of all, each opened a new world to me—a world in which I lost myself—if only for a time …
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOURS TRULYAuthor of As the Crow Flies and two short storiesMy website (You can use this link or you could use the menu at the top. Whatever browns your bird!)
The collection of books I like is pretty large, but the Books I Love are actually few. I considered Lawhead’s Hood, but Kristie nabbed that right up. No surprise, there! (And with good reason, too.) I talk about Tad Williams’s series, Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn rather a lot, so it’s clearly time for something else. If you haven’t read the Damiano Books (I’ve also seen them in a one-volume set called Trio for a Lute) you are missing a real treat.
Damiano is set against the backdrop of the Italian Renaissance where faith-based magic is real. A wizard’s son, an innocent, a musician, Damiano is befriended and instructed by the archangel Raphael. To save his city from war, he sets out on a quest to find a powerful sorceress. Along the way he is beset by betrayal, disillusionment, and death—and still he must confront the power and darkness within himself in order to protect those he loves. Damiano wants to use his powers for good, yet he’s certain that since he’s a witch he’s automatically damned.
MacAvoy’s prose is beautifully lyrical, and her settings come alive with allusions to historical events, people, and society. The characters are real, they’re believable, and they face truly difficult issues. She has a talent for revealing how lovely, wonderful and terrible the world can be, and how difficult the struggle to know what’s right and wrong.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts on them? What are one or two of your favorite books?
February 28, 2014
Read an E-Book Week
Do you know what next week is?
It's Read an E-Book Week!! All across the globe! Isn't that awesome? For the week of March 2-8 only, thousands of authors and publishers will provide readers discounts on ebooks, with coupon code values for 25% to 75% off and FREE. This annual event was created by Rita Toews in 2004, and it has since grown to become an international event devoted to reading and digital literacy.
"Read an Ebook Week brings together ebook retailers, publishers, authors, device-makers and untold thousands of readers who join in this international literary event of ebook discovery, and yes, gluttony." (Mark Coker, "The Story Behind 'Read an eBook Week'")
It's a win/win situation!
You can find As the Crow Flies on Amazon and Smashwords.
And then... it's time to go exploring!
Smashwords Read an Ebook Week SpecialsOfficial Read an Ebook Week Facebook pageBe sure to check back and share your MOST AWESOME FINDS!
It's Read an E-Book Week!! All across the globe! Isn't that awesome? For the week of March 2-8 only, thousands of authors and publishers will provide readers discounts on ebooks, with coupon code values for 25% to 75% off and FREE. This annual event was created by Rita Toews in 2004, and it has since grown to become an international event devoted to reading and digital literacy.
"Read an Ebook Week brings together ebook retailers, publishers, authors, device-makers and untold thousands of readers who join in this international literary event of ebook discovery, and yes, gluttony." (Mark Coker, "The Story Behind 'Read an eBook Week'")
It's a win/win situation!
You can find As the Crow Flies on Amazon and Smashwords.
And then... it's time to go exploring!
Smashwords Read an Ebook Week SpecialsOfficial Read an Ebook Week Facebook pageBe sure to check back and share your MOST AWESOME FINDS!
February 21, 2014
Guest Interview: Charles David Carpenter & D.W. Jones
I am so pleased to welcome my guests today, Charles David Carpenter & D.W. Jones—and not only have they agreed to let me ask them some questions, but they're also giving us a peek into their novel, Necromancers' Pride: Quest for Elderstone, which was released just last month. I have been following along on their website since I met them on Twitter, and I can say that you, gentle readers, are in for a treat!
About Charles: Besides being a writer, I am a martial artist who was born and reared in sunny Southern California. Yes, I am the rare native who was actually born here. See, we do exist. As a martial artist, I have learned how to fight people. As an Angeleno, I have learned how to fight traffic. Traffic is tougher, by far. I attended California State University Northridge, but my love of writing was instilled in me by my father. My family has always said, "Before he could talk, he could write." Thank you, family.
As an avid lifelong reader, I have always dreamed of creating a world into which I could immerse myself and feel safe. Writing has given me an outlet that allows for expression behind the shield of different characters and places. Growing up, some of my closest friends could be found in the pages and verses of fantasy stories. I am so excited to now be able to add to that collection of friends with some of my own creation.
About D.W.: I spent my formative years in Washington, D.C. I know about cold. I was accepted into the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts in high school and several years after graduating from Northwood High, I made my way to Los Angeles, where I have lived for the past ??? years. So now, I know about sunny and warm. Um, sunny and warm is better.
Stories of daring adventures in faraway places with action and romance helped me to avoid the pitfalls of the streets, inspiring me to dream bigger and reach farther. Those stories still inspire me today.
In 2003, we joined creative forces and began collaborating on the very successful original comedy series for the internet called CAN WE DO THAT?
Like night and day, we are two uniquely different authors who came together to form what we feel is a dynamic writing team. After several screenplays, tv pilots and commercial copy we embarked on writing our first novel series.
Necromancers' Pride - Quest for Elderstone is an epic fantasy novel for teens, young adults and people of all ages. This mystical tale of adventure, magic, valor and survival awaits you. Don't forget to tell the enchanting soothsayers, warriors and wizards that we said hello.
We welcome you to visit necromancerspride.com and join us on our journey as we continue to expand the world we've created. It is a world in which we can all enter and indulge our desires to become the heroes we have always dreamed ourselves to be.
All righty, then! Tell us a little about your novel.
Charles David Carpenter: Well, first, we want to thank you for allowing us to chat with you and your readers.
D.W. Jones: Absolutely, good looking out! We really appreciate it.
CDC: At its core, Necromancers’ Pride – Quest for Elderstone is magic, swordplay, exotic locations, amazing creatures and unforgettable characters. It’s a coming of age story wherein the characters are thrust into a situation were they have to grow up quickly.
DWJ: They are young, trying to deal with the demands thrust on them to save mankind.
CDC: Their abilities give them unique coping skills and their histories give them perspective, but the problems they encounter are very real.
DWJ: Exactly. It's useless window dressing if the themes and motivations that drive the characters aren’t honest.
CDC: Well put, sir. I think I’m rubbing off on you.
DWJ: Thanks. Though, I tend not to use ‘you’ and ‘rub’ in the same sentence ... pretty much ever.
CDC: Touché. Having said that, below is a brief synopsis of the book:
That sounds intriguing, and my interest is piqued even more by the "hope" there in the last sentence in place of the usual "where they will find the answers." I think most people assume a happy ending, but don't tell us "yeah, it all works out neatly in the end." Why bother reading the book after that??
So how did the two of you start writing together, and how do you handle the writing partnership? (Who does what?)
CDC: Well, we started writing together about eleven years ago.
DWJ: We joined forces on a web series for the Internet called ‘Can We Do That?’
CDC: Right away, it was pretty clear that we made a good team. After the show wrapped, we kept writing together.
DWJ: We’ve written several feature scripts, television pilots and spec commercials. What he does well, I don’t, and vice versa.
CDC: And there is a lot that he doesn’t do well, trust me. As for how we handle the writing, well ... I do all the heavy lifting. The brilliant action sequences, poignant life observations, witty banter and unexpected plot twists, I do all that.
DWJ: Ha-ha, he wishes. We both come up with plot points and character development, and then I turn him loose on the pages. As you can see, he is never short on words.
CDC: Maybe his assessment is slightly more accurate than mine. Slightly. As for the words, why say something in six words when sixty will do?
DWJ: Whereas I believe that if it is the right six words, that is where the real magic lives.
CDC: So, we come to a happy medium. D.W. is really great at streamlining the story, striking a great balance between action and narrative. He has a great ear for keeping each character’s voice true to that individual. He also is very aware of info dumping.
DWJ: Hey, if it bores me, it will bore you. I want our readers to join us on this adventure and be hooked from the very first page. With so many distractions out there to pull people’s attention away from reading, I want to never give them reason to put the book down. Info dumping will definitely do that.
CDC: I feel free to write every image and construct I can imagine because I know I have him there to edit out that which is superfluous and stifling to the story.
DWJ: And I could have said all that in six words.
CDC: Very funny ... though true.
Now you make me wish I could be a fly on the wall while you're working ... It sounds like you both have fun working together, and I think that has to show in the work you do. What was the toughest challenge you faced when writing Necromancers' Pride: Quest for Elderstone, and how did you overcome it?
CDC: Getting him to see that I am always right is pretty challenging. The biggest challenge for me, though, was in trusting my ability to do this story justice and tell it in the fashion in which it deserves.
DWJ: Which I know is what he does well, so I never worry about that part of the process. My biggest challenge was in keeping us moving forward. At first, it was draining on both of us when we battled over using one of Charles’s thousand dollar words or simplifying the adjective, what narrative to keep or what to take out. Now understand, it wasn't an admission of who was right or wrong, we just had to use what option told a better story. What was the sexier choice?
CDC: As much as it is said writing is done in a bubble, you have to let people in to honestly critique your work. Be they beta readers, editors or friends, you need to share your world as it develops. Having D.W. there to share in the creation allowed us both to look beyond our own trepidation and have fun doing what we love, which is writing/storytelling.
I agree with you! My writing partner and I are both working on independent stories set in the same world (the characters will eventually come together), and I am always amazed and delighted at her perspective and the way it affects both the world and the story. She was an invaluable editor for my first novel, which I wrote without an outline. Are you story architects (plotters) or discovery writers (pantsers)? Tell a little about why you work that way!
DWJ: For the most part, I’d say we’re pantsers. We get together and lay a basic skeleton down, and then I let Charles work his magic and flesh it out.
CDC: I do like having a basic roadmap. However, we both believe in letting the characters dictate what happens as they are exposed to it. By keeping a loose framework, we can honor the spontaneity of the situation.
DWJ: Basically, what I just said.
CDC: So we’re a little of both, we’re plantsers.
I think that is the perfect way to approach a story. It gives the writer a direction to go without chaining him or her to a line-by-line recipe. One of the fun things about writing that way is how the story and characters can take the most surprising paths. It's like... magic!
Choose one fantasy element you used and talk about what it adds to your story.
DWJ: Well, we both feel the most important elements in any story are the characters. Without real, fully developed characters, no one will be invested enough to follow them on their adventures.
CDC: Both the protagonists and antagonists. We want all of our characters to be as human (whether they really are or aren’t) as possible. If they are multifaceted and interesting, people will laugh with them, cry with them and ultimately care for them. Good and evil is rarely black and white. We want readers to enter the world of Necromancers’ Pride and know that they will always encounter complex and interesting characters to bring the world to life.
Why do you think the fantasy genre appeals to so many readers?
DWJ: I think it connects with the child in all of us. It gives us the opportunity to willingly suspend our disbelief and be carried off into a different world. We all get to be the heroes or villains, warriors or wizards, soothsayers or bards we always imagined ourselves to be.
CDC: Fantasy connects us with our dreams. See ... I can do six words, too.
DWJ: Well put, sir.
Oh, that was a perfect answer. So now we come down to the final and most important question: Chocolate or vanilla?
CDC: Being mixed myself, I like them mixed.
DWJ: Neither, lactose intolerant. I’ll take sorbet.
CDC: Thank you once again, Robin, and your readers, for giving us some time to share with you.
DWJ: Yaay Ya!
All right, being the chocolate fanatic that I am, my mind went straight, to "Ooo, chocolate sorbet. With coconut milk!" It has been a real pleasure chatting with you both and learning more about how you work.
And now guess what! We have an EXCERPT from Necromancer's Pride: Quest for Elderstone!
“The Pride is not a feeling,” Mama Weaver stated. “It is a being. The ancient histories, those kept before the Last Age, before the apocalypse of the Mourning Night, foretold of a being that could realign the torn world. A being that could heal the injured lands. This being would come from the School of the Soul, a Necromancer. The greatest Necromancer. This being would make all the Necromantic Magi proud. This being is the Necromancers’ Pride. Only, she is more than just a Necromancer. That is what the histories have failed to include. She is equally capable of harnessing the magics of the Oracles, as well.”
“That is impossible,” Corwyn countered. “I have never heard of such a thing.”
“That you have not heard does not make it untrue. History is written by the victors, after all.” Mama Weaver stood and looked at them both. “The Pride has finally been born. The dark Magi have used many a fell craft to discover this. If the Pride falls into their hands, they can shape the world into their image, an image that is a perversion of life. The dead will be born and the living exterminated. This plane of existence will become a hellish underworld with the Necromancers in complete control.”
“What are you saying?” Corwyn asked.
“The final words that you spoke, ‘Il gardis manthea,’ do you have any idea what they mean?” Mama Weaver asked Velladriana.
Velladriana shook her head. “I have never heard them before.”
“They are from the ancient tongue. They mean ... I am the master.” She stared intently at Velladriana.
“A power within you is being awakened, a power greater than that of even the mightiest of Necromantic Magi. You, child, I fear, are the Necromancers’ Pride. And if that is the case, then you are no longer safe here. You must leave at first light. The Necromancers will be coming for you.”
“And you,” she turned toward Corwyn. “Have been appointed to keep her safe.”
“What?” he asked, stunned by what Mama Weaver was saying. Corwyn locked eyes with Velladriana, who stared back in a quiet stillness.
“Finding her was no accident, boy,” Mama Weaver declared. “In the lateness of this hour, your destinies are intertwined. Corwyn Du’Serradyn, Oslyn of the Glass Tower, in your charge lays the salvation of the world!”
The silence echoed like a precursor of fate.
In the depths of Crag Drannon, darkness stirred. Lord Cartigas stepped onto the balcony of a room in the Flaming Tower, looking eastward across the Tearfall Mountains and toward the mighty Nortgard Forest. As a sinister smile stretched across his decaying mouth, his eyeless sockets locked onto something in the distance.
“Now,” he whispered, his voice rolling like distant thunder. “The Pride has been awakened.”
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
Necromancers’ Pride – Quest for Elderstone Link InformationWebsiteFacebookAmazonCharles David Carpenter on Twitter: @charlesdavidcarD.W. Jones on Twitter: @writerdwjones
About Charles: Besides being a writer, I am a martial artist who was born and reared in sunny Southern California. Yes, I am the rare native who was actually born here. See, we do exist. As a martial artist, I have learned how to fight people. As an Angeleno, I have learned how to fight traffic. Traffic is tougher, by far. I attended California State University Northridge, but my love of writing was instilled in me by my father. My family has always said, "Before he could talk, he could write." Thank you, family.As an avid lifelong reader, I have always dreamed of creating a world into which I could immerse myself and feel safe. Writing has given me an outlet that allows for expression behind the shield of different characters and places. Growing up, some of my closest friends could be found in the pages and verses of fantasy stories. I am so excited to now be able to add to that collection of friends with some of my own creation.
About D.W.: I spent my formative years in Washington, D.C. I know about cold. I was accepted into the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts in high school and several years after graduating from Northwood High, I made my way to Los Angeles, where I have lived for the past ??? years. So now, I know about sunny and warm. Um, sunny and warm is better.Stories of daring adventures in faraway places with action and romance helped me to avoid the pitfalls of the streets, inspiring me to dream bigger and reach farther. Those stories still inspire me today.
In 2003, we joined creative forces and began collaborating on the very successful original comedy series for the internet called CAN WE DO THAT?
Like night and day, we are two uniquely different authors who came together to form what we feel is a dynamic writing team. After several screenplays, tv pilots and commercial copy we embarked on writing our first novel series.
Necromancers' Pride - Quest for Elderstone is an epic fantasy novel for teens, young adults and people of all ages. This mystical tale of adventure, magic, valor and survival awaits you. Don't forget to tell the enchanting soothsayers, warriors and wizards that we said hello.
We welcome you to visit necromancerspride.com and join us on our journey as we continue to expand the world we've created. It is a world in which we can all enter and indulge our desires to become the heroes we have always dreamed ourselves to be.
All righty, then! Tell us a little about your novel.
Charles David Carpenter: Well, first, we want to thank you for allowing us to chat with you and your readers.
D.W. Jones: Absolutely, good looking out! We really appreciate it.
CDC: At its core, Necromancers’ Pride – Quest for Elderstone is magic, swordplay, exotic locations, amazing creatures and unforgettable characters. It’s a coming of age story wherein the characters are thrust into a situation were they have to grow up quickly.
DWJ: They are young, trying to deal with the demands thrust on them to save mankind.
CDC: Their abilities give them unique coping skills and their histories give them perspective, but the problems they encounter are very real.
DWJ: Exactly. It's useless window dressing if the themes and motivations that drive the characters aren’t honest.
CDC: Well put, sir. I think I’m rubbing off on you.
DWJ: Thanks. Though, I tend not to use ‘you’ and ‘rub’ in the same sentence ... pretty much ever.
CDC: Touché. Having said that, below is a brief synopsis of the book:
Powerful, dark and sinister forces seek to rip apart the very fabric of the Known Kingdoms. With the peak of the 1000-year magical Caredon Cycle almost upon them, the Necromancers battle against time as they plot to dominate all the Strands of the Magics and conquer the world of the living.
Velladriana Ral, a young slave from the distant land of Lyndria, has no idea of the mystical powers growing inside her. Through a daring rescue by Corwyn Du’Serradyn, an Oslyn cadet from the Glass Tower, Velladriana escapes her tormentors. A strange attraction now links the two of them together, and their destinies intertwine as Corwyn finds himself unwittingly appointed to protect Velladriana, whose mystical powers can either save the future of humankind ... or destroy it.
They must first make a long and dangerous journey in search of an enchanted place called Mount Elderstone. Once there, they hope to find the answers they seek.
That sounds intriguing, and my interest is piqued even more by the "hope" there in the last sentence in place of the usual "where they will find the answers." I think most people assume a happy ending, but don't tell us "yeah, it all works out neatly in the end." Why bother reading the book after that??
So how did the two of you start writing together, and how do you handle the writing partnership? (Who does what?)
CDC: Well, we started writing together about eleven years ago.
DWJ: We joined forces on a web series for the Internet called ‘Can We Do That?’
CDC: Right away, it was pretty clear that we made a good team. After the show wrapped, we kept writing together.
DWJ: We’ve written several feature scripts, television pilots and spec commercials. What he does well, I don’t, and vice versa.
CDC: And there is a lot that he doesn’t do well, trust me. As for how we handle the writing, well ... I do all the heavy lifting. The brilliant action sequences, poignant life observations, witty banter and unexpected plot twists, I do all that.
DWJ: Ha-ha, he wishes. We both come up with plot points and character development, and then I turn him loose on the pages. As you can see, he is never short on words.
CDC: Maybe his assessment is slightly more accurate than mine. Slightly. As for the words, why say something in six words when sixty will do?
DWJ: Whereas I believe that if it is the right six words, that is where the real magic lives.
CDC: So, we come to a happy medium. D.W. is really great at streamlining the story, striking a great balance between action and narrative. He has a great ear for keeping each character’s voice true to that individual. He also is very aware of info dumping.
DWJ: Hey, if it bores me, it will bore you. I want our readers to join us on this adventure and be hooked from the very first page. With so many distractions out there to pull people’s attention away from reading, I want to never give them reason to put the book down. Info dumping will definitely do that.
CDC: I feel free to write every image and construct I can imagine because I know I have him there to edit out that which is superfluous and stifling to the story.
DWJ: And I could have said all that in six words.
CDC: Very funny ... though true.
Now you make me wish I could be a fly on the wall while you're working ... It sounds like you both have fun working together, and I think that has to show in the work you do. What was the toughest challenge you faced when writing Necromancers' Pride: Quest for Elderstone, and how did you overcome it?
CDC: Getting him to see that I am always right is pretty challenging. The biggest challenge for me, though, was in trusting my ability to do this story justice and tell it in the fashion in which it deserves.
DWJ: Which I know is what he does well, so I never worry about that part of the process. My biggest challenge was in keeping us moving forward. At first, it was draining on both of us when we battled over using one of Charles’s thousand dollar words or simplifying the adjective, what narrative to keep or what to take out. Now understand, it wasn't an admission of who was right or wrong, we just had to use what option told a better story. What was the sexier choice?
CDC: As much as it is said writing is done in a bubble, you have to let people in to honestly critique your work. Be they beta readers, editors or friends, you need to share your world as it develops. Having D.W. there to share in the creation allowed us both to look beyond our own trepidation and have fun doing what we love, which is writing/storytelling.
I agree with you! My writing partner and I are both working on independent stories set in the same world (the characters will eventually come together), and I am always amazed and delighted at her perspective and the way it affects both the world and the story. She was an invaluable editor for my first novel, which I wrote without an outline. Are you story architects (plotters) or discovery writers (pantsers)? Tell a little about why you work that way!
DWJ: For the most part, I’d say we’re pantsers. We get together and lay a basic skeleton down, and then I let Charles work his magic and flesh it out.
CDC: I do like having a basic roadmap. However, we both believe in letting the characters dictate what happens as they are exposed to it. By keeping a loose framework, we can honor the spontaneity of the situation.
DWJ: Basically, what I just said.
CDC: So we’re a little of both, we’re plantsers.
I think that is the perfect way to approach a story. It gives the writer a direction to go without chaining him or her to a line-by-line recipe. One of the fun things about writing that way is how the story and characters can take the most surprising paths. It's like... magic!
Choose one fantasy element you used and talk about what it adds to your story.
DWJ: Well, we both feel the most important elements in any story are the characters. Without real, fully developed characters, no one will be invested enough to follow them on their adventures.
CDC: Both the protagonists and antagonists. We want all of our characters to be as human (whether they really are or aren’t) as possible. If they are multifaceted and interesting, people will laugh with them, cry with them and ultimately care for them. Good and evil is rarely black and white. We want readers to enter the world of Necromancers’ Pride and know that they will always encounter complex and interesting characters to bring the world to life.
Why do you think the fantasy genre appeals to so many readers?
DWJ: I think it connects with the child in all of us. It gives us the opportunity to willingly suspend our disbelief and be carried off into a different world. We all get to be the heroes or villains, warriors or wizards, soothsayers or bards we always imagined ourselves to be.
CDC: Fantasy connects us with our dreams. See ... I can do six words, too.
DWJ: Well put, sir.
Oh, that was a perfect answer. So now we come down to the final and most important question: Chocolate or vanilla?
CDC: Being mixed myself, I like them mixed.
DWJ: Neither, lactose intolerant. I’ll take sorbet.
CDC: Thank you once again, Robin, and your readers, for giving us some time to share with you.
DWJ: Yaay Ya!
All right, being the chocolate fanatic that I am, my mind went straight, to "Ooo, chocolate sorbet. With coconut milk!" It has been a real pleasure chatting with you both and learning more about how you work.
And now guess what! We have an EXCERPT from Necromancer's Pride: Quest for Elderstone!
“The Pride is not a feeling,” Mama Weaver stated. “It is a being. The ancient histories, those kept before the Last Age, before the apocalypse of the Mourning Night, foretold of a being that could realign the torn world. A being that could heal the injured lands. This being would come from the School of the Soul, a Necromancer. The greatest Necromancer. This being would make all the Necromantic Magi proud. This being is the Necromancers’ Pride. Only, she is more than just a Necromancer. That is what the histories have failed to include. She is equally capable of harnessing the magics of the Oracles, as well.”
“That is impossible,” Corwyn countered. “I have never heard of such a thing.”
“That you have not heard does not make it untrue. History is written by the victors, after all.” Mama Weaver stood and looked at them both. “The Pride has finally been born. The dark Magi have used many a fell craft to discover this. If the Pride falls into their hands, they can shape the world into their image, an image that is a perversion of life. The dead will be born and the living exterminated. This plane of existence will become a hellish underworld with the Necromancers in complete control.”
“What are you saying?” Corwyn asked.
“The final words that you spoke, ‘Il gardis manthea,’ do you have any idea what they mean?” Mama Weaver asked Velladriana.
Velladriana shook her head. “I have never heard them before.”
“They are from the ancient tongue. They mean ... I am the master.” She stared intently at Velladriana.
“A power within you is being awakened, a power greater than that of even the mightiest of Necromantic Magi. You, child, I fear, are the Necromancers’ Pride. And if that is the case, then you are no longer safe here. You must leave at first light. The Necromancers will be coming for you.”
“And you,” she turned toward Corwyn. “Have been appointed to keep her safe.”
“What?” he asked, stunned by what Mama Weaver was saying. Corwyn locked eyes with Velladriana, who stared back in a quiet stillness.
“Finding her was no accident, boy,” Mama Weaver declared. “In the lateness of this hour, your destinies are intertwined. Corwyn Du’Serradyn, Oslyn of the Glass Tower, in your charge lays the salvation of the world!”
The silence echoed like a precursor of fate.
In the depths of Crag Drannon, darkness stirred. Lord Cartigas stepped onto the balcony of a room in the Flaming Tower, looking eastward across the Tearfall Mountains and toward the mighty Nortgard Forest. As a sinister smile stretched across his decaying mouth, his eyeless sockets locked onto something in the distance.
“Now,” he whispered, his voice rolling like distant thunder. “The Pride has been awakened.”
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
Necromancers’ Pride – Quest for Elderstone Link InformationWebsiteFacebookAmazonCharles David Carpenter on Twitter: @charlesdavidcarD.W. Jones on Twitter: @writerdwjones
February 14, 2014
Chocolate Fix: Chocolate Molten Cakes
Happy Valentine's Day! Today ranks right after National Chocolate Day on the scale of chocolate yumminess—even if my husband is jonesing for some soft sugar cookies. Being the dear that he is, he even suggested topping them with our favorite glossy, soft, messy chocolate frosting. Aside from the concoction not being straight up chocolate, what's not to like?And I have a simple, quick cure for that!
Whether you’re a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife—or even a good friend—you have plenty of time to whip up this decadent little somethin' somethin' for Valentine’s Day. Oozing chocolate with the first bite, this little number is set to impress—and so easy to make from scratch! You don't have to save it for Valentine's Day; eet mor choklit!
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
Chocolate Molten Cakes
ingredients2 servings4 servings6 servingsmargarine, melted4 Tbsp.1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp.3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp.cocoa2 Tbsp.1/4 cup1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp.powdered sugar1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp.1 cup + 2 Tbsp.1 1/2 cups + 3 Tbsp.whole eggs123egg yolks123flour3 Tbsp.6 Tbsp.1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease 6-ounce custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.
Whisk cocoa and sugar into melted butter. Add whole eggs and egg yolks. Beat until well blended. Stir in flour. Divide evenly amongst custard cups. Bake 12-14 minutes. Centers should be soft. If removing from custard cup to turn out on plate, run a knife around the sides to loosen. If desired, top with whipped cream.
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
The whole thing is done in 20 minutes, and it is sooooooo yummy!
Is chocolate a big part of your Valentine’s Day? What is your favorite, from-scratch decadent chocolate deliciousness?
February 7, 2014
The Effect of the Day Job
It's the first Friday of the month! It's Quill Time!
Most authors have other jobs besides writing—and that includes being a full-time parent (which is hard work!). Along the route we’ve picked up various sorts of education, training or experience. We thought it might be interesting to discuss how our other jobs or experiences influence our writing. Does it make it easier? Harder?
PATRICIA REDING
Author of Oathtaker
Patricia's website
Like most writers, I also have another “life.” I practice law. For the most part, my legal background is a benefit to writing. Admittedly, however, there is at least one downside to it . . . .
As an attorney, I am accustomed to looking for the holes in things. Why didn’t the character just do this obvious thing? Oh, I see. The story would be over. In that case, I need to identify why that did not happen, and I need my reader to know that I considered the option and disposed of it.
I am also continually aware of whether the pieces of something fit together cohesively and logically. Would that person really do/say that? Why not this other thing? Particularly for writing fantasy, these skills are essential. A fantasy tale may be outrageous—but it has to be “believable.” Finally, the writer may not use magic just to get out of a tough spot. He has to weave the “rules” into the story along the way.
Here is an example of a “hole” I found in my work. Dixon, one of the main characters, is a prisoner. Someone placed a band on his arm to cut off his magic. The protagonist, Mara, arrives unexpectedly. They share critical information. Mara then disappears when a visitor unexpectedly interrupts them. The problem? Well, the “rules” provided that Mara was the only person who could have removed the band (who would have done so). Why didn’t Dixon just ask her to remove it? I labored over how to solve the dilemma. If she removed the band, much of the story—including critical portions—would be moot. In the end, the “fix” was simple. Right after Mara disappears, Dixon notices the band on his arm. He cries: “Blast! I should have thought to have her remove this!” In light of what had just transpired, it was not altogether surprising that he did not think of this earlier. Thus, I “closed the hole” with a single line. Readers would have wondered about this if I had not done so. Further, the fact that Dixon forgot to tell Mara about the band became key to a later scene . . . .
As to internal consistency, I originally wrote that Basha had magic power to heal. Yet she was the only one with access to Dixon while he was held prisoner. Had she healed him, she would have helped him to escape. I had to “write out” her ability to heal so that the remainder of the story would work.
As to not using magic because it is merely convenient, I had a scene where Mara needed to have a particular magic power—the ability to move things by thought. I could not just spring the power on my readers out of the blue. So I gave Mara this power earlier in the story. In the end, I laid some groundwork that might be important in the future. . . .
In Oathtaker, the laws regarding the transition of power are opposite the normal laws of descent. My legal training was helpful here because those laws are far more sophisticated than one might think. What if one member left survivors? What if he left survivors but did not release his power to them? What if no member left survivors or did not release his power to them? It got complicated, but it was interesting to turn some old rules upside down.
As I mentioned, a legal mind can also be a downside to writing. Specifically, we attorneys like to be “oh-so-very-clear” about things so that others may not claim misunderstanding later. Thus, for example, when two different words have two somewhat different meanings, we may use them both so that it is not supposed that we meant the precise meaning of the one, but not the other. Thus, due to my legal training, my biggest editing challenges are —in cutting!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
KRISTIE KIESSLINGAuthor of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and DarkKristie's Blog
I had to consider what my definition of job was to answer this question. People ask me what I do. In the years before I had the self-confidence to call myself an author, I told them, "I'm a mother." It was a title I could reach for before I understood that it was part of who I was, not a job that I did.
The inevitable response: "So you're a stay at home mom," implying that was my "job."
My reaction to that was, "Are moms only moms when they stay at home? I'm confused..."
But the answer to that is really "No." While being a mom is hard work, it was never my "job.” Loving my family and being a mom was never a job. Perhaps that explains why so many women who work very hard making a home for their children get upset when people say they don't work. Maybe they don't have a paying "job" but baby, they work!
To my way of thinking, a day job is something people go to, suffer the drudgery of, but get paid to endure. At the end of the day they do their level best to walk away from the "job." I see it far more clearly now. It is what we do at the end of the school day to earn some cash. It's what we do during and after college *before* we get to do the "real work" that we want to do. I believe everyone has something they were born to do. Sometimes, "jobs" become work. Sometimes "jobs" introduce us to our calling and that's what I mean when I say "real work." I base this on my faith bias, my belief that the Bible, one of my favorite books, is actually God's word. In scripture, *Work* is a Creation Mandate, a gift of God before the fall of man. It is not part of the curse that comes after man's fall; it is the joy of mankind using his abilities to his fullest that God calls work. The "work" of writing has always been with me. It is every day, all the time work. Like loving my family, it does not stop when the sun goes down.
A few months ago, our financial situation had me brushing up my resume. We have three kids in college. My husband and I discussed the possibility that I may need to get a "job." I would very much rather work at something I love than have a "job" because I've been there before; going to a job to earn money to pay for food and rent. I know the ins and outs of working for someone else. Some jobs I had, I could not endure. Some, however, became work I enjoyed. Work I could do to make others successful and happy, too. Believe it or not, my "job" at a well known department/grocery store became work that delighted me and engaged me—but that was because of the people I worked with and the environment my bosses created. Even then, though, during my breaks and lunches, I was writing. Writing is my creation mandated work and I love it. This time around, I added author to my resume and I had such joy doing that! I could even list years when I worked at my writing. Talk about "job satisfaction"!
I began writing novels at sixteen. Up until that time, the government required attendance at public school. The positive side of public school: angst for writing. Oh yeah. From sixteen to eighteen, I wrote the Great American Science Fiction Novel. Unfortunately, it was fueled by my obsession with Star Trek, my desire to BE Captain Kirk and was 700 pages long. An epic tale, impossible to sell to anyone because of a little thing called "copyrights,” never mind that it was fan-fiction (a word I didn't know at the time).
After that, I wrote eight original stories in the years from then until now. Each one a novel, each one as yet unpublished because I received one quite wonderful rejection slip in the mail and was so surprised at the kindness and wording that I now believe I became baffled as to what to do next. While baffled, I had babies—three of them. Though I kept writing, for that was the natural thing for me to do, I never quite managed to send out anymore work or find an agent.
As my children grew to adults, I spent less time on novels and more in online forums. It was a fast, easy and satisfying way to work at writing. The audience reaction I garnered gave instant satisfaction, but it was a distraction more than anything. In 2004 I met she-who-would-be my writing partner and we discovered the promised land of e-book publishing. She's worked very hard at her short stories and novel. I've produced a single short story and a collection of poetry. A novel is my shiny new goal. I cannot tell you how excited I am; there are no words for it!
As a mother, I performed a host of "jobs" many mothers do: Seamstress, Chef, Chauffeur, Financial Manager, Purchasing Agent, Laundress, Sanitation Engineer, Guidance Counselor, Psychologist, Mechanic and Maintenance Authority, Painter, Carpenter, Builder and Chief Medical Officer to name a few. (Maybe I should add those to my resume?) While I've done many jobs, I like to say that I don't have "a job." What I have is work I love, a family I adore, and every aspect of what I do in one affects the other both positively and negatively at times. All, I believe, working together for the good of one who loves God and is called to a purpose by her Creator according to his plan.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
MOIAuthor of As the Crow Flies and two short storiesMy website (You can use this link or you could use the menu at the top. Whatever floats your boat!)
Hmmm, how does my day job affect my writing? At this point in my life I am fortunate to be able to claim writing as my day job. My husband and I are empty-nesters, though we still have one daughter taking up space. We see her about as much as we see her siblings who don’t live at home. It’s pretty quiet around here now!
Most of my growing up was done away from the city, so I spent a lot of time on my own, mostly with books. My mom used to take me and my younger sister to the library, and we read stacks and stacks of books. I briefly romanticized about being a poet, but my poetry pretty much stinks, and I would rather have written it than read it. Some wonderful teachers in high school encouraged my writing—and I wrote a lot, though as a shy, awkward introvert, I kept most of it to myself.
After high school I got a job in a florist shop, then trained to become a solder technician at a high-tech communications company. Such different jobs! Such different people! Then I moved to the city, got a job at a book store, married, and started a family. With four little ones to guide, teach, cuddle and clean up after, my writing mostly fell to the wayside. Not completely, though! There is a photo of me sitting at an old Apple IIe computer with a screaming baby in my lap. Needless to say, screaming and writing didn’t work well together, and the squeaky wheels get oiled. I eventually got up the nerve to send some of my shorter works out, and I have a modest stack of rejection letters. I was thrilled when Marion Zimmer Bradley took the time to personally comment about a story—except her comments suggested that she hadn’t even read the piece!
I was blessed to be a Domestic Engineer for most of the kids-at-home time. What a fantastic, hands-on way to observe human development and interaction, eh? My husband and I managed apartments for a couple of years, and that was quite an eye-opening experience for me, not just for the “labor” involved, but about people we interacted with. I didn’t much enjoy the job at the time, but now I look back and laugh at the wonderful, bizarre, wildly divergent personalities and incidents we lived through, including a kidnapping, a hilarious Mutt-and-Jeff-looking couple, a single mom who posed for life drawing at the university and tried to hit on my husband, the couple who lived upstairs who inadvertently introduced me to Vangelis via their very nice stereo, and the fellow who lived downstairs and slept through setting his apartment on fire. (Not to fear, he was rescued unharmed by the intrepid firemen!) Fuel for my writing? You betcha. A job at the toy store introduced me to “the doll lady” (which was a little creepy, but sad). A commission to sew gowns—with a broken thumb!—for the ladies in a choir acquainted me with a lovely, warm gathering of mother hens. Working on family history turned up a few corkers and some humbling, inspirational, educational life stories. Church attendance and callings have kept me aware—and appreciative—of the Master’s hand in all we are and all we do. It exposes another glimmering facet of our existence and gives depth to the struggles and achievements we each go through.
All of these events have pulled me away from my writing to some degree, but at the same time they’ve enriched it, given me a broader perspective of people, and provided ideas for events and “human interest.” Frankly, I couldn’t write what I do without them.~ ~ ~ ~ ~What sort of "other" work do you do? How has it affected your writing?As always, if you have any questions or comments for our panelists, we'd love to hear them!
(chalkboard image from decoratemylife.com)
Most authors have other jobs besides writing—and that includes being a full-time parent (which is hard work!). Along the route we’ve picked up various sorts of education, training or experience. We thought it might be interesting to discuss how our other jobs or experiences influence our writing. Does it make it easier? Harder?
PATRICIA REDINGAuthor of Oathtaker
Patricia's website
Like most writers, I also have another “life.” I practice law. For the most part, my legal background is a benefit to writing. Admittedly, however, there is at least one downside to it . . . .
As an attorney, I am accustomed to looking for the holes in things. Why didn’t the character just do this obvious thing? Oh, I see. The story would be over. In that case, I need to identify why that did not happen, and I need my reader to know that I considered the option and disposed of it.
I am also continually aware of whether the pieces of something fit together cohesively and logically. Would that person really do/say that? Why not this other thing? Particularly for writing fantasy, these skills are essential. A fantasy tale may be outrageous—but it has to be “believable.” Finally, the writer may not use magic just to get out of a tough spot. He has to weave the “rules” into the story along the way.Here is an example of a “hole” I found in my work. Dixon, one of the main characters, is a prisoner. Someone placed a band on his arm to cut off his magic. The protagonist, Mara, arrives unexpectedly. They share critical information. Mara then disappears when a visitor unexpectedly interrupts them. The problem? Well, the “rules” provided that Mara was the only person who could have removed the band (who would have done so). Why didn’t Dixon just ask her to remove it? I labored over how to solve the dilemma. If she removed the band, much of the story—including critical portions—would be moot. In the end, the “fix” was simple. Right after Mara disappears, Dixon notices the band on his arm. He cries: “Blast! I should have thought to have her remove this!” In light of what had just transpired, it was not altogether surprising that he did not think of this earlier. Thus, I “closed the hole” with a single line. Readers would have wondered about this if I had not done so. Further, the fact that Dixon forgot to tell Mara about the band became key to a later scene . . . .
As to internal consistency, I originally wrote that Basha had magic power to heal. Yet she was the only one with access to Dixon while he was held prisoner. Had she healed him, she would have helped him to escape. I had to “write out” her ability to heal so that the remainder of the story would work.
As to not using magic because it is merely convenient, I had a scene where Mara needed to have a particular magic power—the ability to move things by thought. I could not just spring the power on my readers out of the blue. So I gave Mara this power earlier in the story. In the end, I laid some groundwork that might be important in the future. . . .
In Oathtaker, the laws regarding the transition of power are opposite the normal laws of descent. My legal training was helpful here because those laws are far more sophisticated than one might think. What if one member left survivors? What if he left survivors but did not release his power to them? What if no member left survivors or did not release his power to them? It got complicated, but it was interesting to turn some old rules upside down.
As I mentioned, a legal mind can also be a downside to writing. Specifically, we attorneys like to be “oh-so-very-clear” about things so that others may not claim misunderstanding later. Thus, for example, when two different words have two somewhat different meanings, we may use them both so that it is not supposed that we meant the precise meaning of the one, but not the other. Thus, due to my legal training, my biggest editing challenges are —in cutting!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
KRISTIE KIESSLINGAuthor of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and DarkKristie's Blog
I had to consider what my definition of job was to answer this question. People ask me what I do. In the years before I had the self-confidence to call myself an author, I told them, "I'm a mother." It was a title I could reach for before I understood that it was part of who I was, not a job that I did.
The inevitable response: "So you're a stay at home mom," implying that was my "job."
My reaction to that was, "Are moms only moms when they stay at home? I'm confused..."
But the answer to that is really "No." While being a mom is hard work, it was never my "job.” Loving my family and being a mom was never a job. Perhaps that explains why so many women who work very hard making a home for their children get upset when people say they don't work. Maybe they don't have a paying "job" but baby, they work!
To my way of thinking, a day job is something people go to, suffer the drudgery of, but get paid to endure. At the end of the day they do their level best to walk away from the "job." I see it far more clearly now. It is what we do at the end of the school day to earn some cash. It's what we do during and after college *before* we get to do the "real work" that we want to do. I believe everyone has something they were born to do. Sometimes, "jobs" become work. Sometimes "jobs" introduce us to our calling and that's what I mean when I say "real work." I base this on my faith bias, my belief that the Bible, one of my favorite books, is actually God's word. In scripture, *Work* is a Creation Mandate, a gift of God before the fall of man. It is not part of the curse that comes after man's fall; it is the joy of mankind using his abilities to his fullest that God calls work. The "work" of writing has always been with me. It is every day, all the time work. Like loving my family, it does not stop when the sun goes down.
A few months ago, our financial situation had me brushing up my resume. We have three kids in college. My husband and I discussed the possibility that I may need to get a "job." I would very much rather work at something I love than have a "job" because I've been there before; going to a job to earn money to pay for food and rent. I know the ins and outs of working for someone else. Some jobs I had, I could not endure. Some, however, became work I enjoyed. Work I could do to make others successful and happy, too. Believe it or not, my "job" at a well known department/grocery store became work that delighted me and engaged me—but that was because of the people I worked with and the environment my bosses created. Even then, though, during my breaks and lunches, I was writing. Writing is my creation mandated work and I love it. This time around, I added author to my resume and I had such joy doing that! I could even list years when I worked at my writing. Talk about "job satisfaction"!
I began writing novels at sixteen. Up until that time, the government required attendance at public school. The positive side of public school: angst for writing. Oh yeah. From sixteen to eighteen, I wrote the Great American Science Fiction Novel. Unfortunately, it was fueled by my obsession with Star Trek, my desire to BE Captain Kirk and was 700 pages long. An epic tale, impossible to sell to anyone because of a little thing called "copyrights,” never mind that it was fan-fiction (a word I didn't know at the time).
After that, I wrote eight original stories in the years from then until now. Each one a novel, each one as yet unpublished because I received one quite wonderful rejection slip in the mail and was so surprised at the kindness and wording that I now believe I became baffled as to what to do next. While baffled, I had babies—three of them. Though I kept writing, for that was the natural thing for me to do, I never quite managed to send out anymore work or find an agent.
As my children grew to adults, I spent less time on novels and more in online forums. It was a fast, easy and satisfying way to work at writing. The audience reaction I garnered gave instant satisfaction, but it was a distraction more than anything. In 2004 I met she-who-would-be my writing partner and we discovered the promised land of e-book publishing. She's worked very hard at her short stories and novel. I've produced a single short story and a collection of poetry. A novel is my shiny new goal. I cannot tell you how excited I am; there are no words for it!
As a mother, I performed a host of "jobs" many mothers do: Seamstress, Chef, Chauffeur, Financial Manager, Purchasing Agent, Laundress, Sanitation Engineer, Guidance Counselor, Psychologist, Mechanic and Maintenance Authority, Painter, Carpenter, Builder and Chief Medical Officer to name a few. (Maybe I should add those to my resume?) While I've done many jobs, I like to say that I don't have "a job." What I have is work I love, a family I adore, and every aspect of what I do in one affects the other both positively and negatively at times. All, I believe, working together for the good of one who loves God and is called to a purpose by her Creator according to his plan.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
MOIAuthor of As the Crow Flies and two short storiesMy website (You can use this link or you could use the menu at the top. Whatever floats your boat!)Hmmm, how does my day job affect my writing? At this point in my life I am fortunate to be able to claim writing as my day job. My husband and I are empty-nesters, though we still have one daughter taking up space. We see her about as much as we see her siblings who don’t live at home. It’s pretty quiet around here now!
Most of my growing up was done away from the city, so I spent a lot of time on my own, mostly with books. My mom used to take me and my younger sister to the library, and we read stacks and stacks of books. I briefly romanticized about being a poet, but my poetry pretty much stinks, and I would rather have written it than read it. Some wonderful teachers in high school encouraged my writing—and I wrote a lot, though as a shy, awkward introvert, I kept most of it to myself.
After high school I got a job in a florist shop, then trained to become a solder technician at a high-tech communications company. Such different jobs! Such different people! Then I moved to the city, got a job at a book store, married, and started a family. With four little ones to guide, teach, cuddle and clean up after, my writing mostly fell to the wayside. Not completely, though! There is a photo of me sitting at an old Apple IIe computer with a screaming baby in my lap. Needless to say, screaming and writing didn’t work well together, and the squeaky wheels get oiled. I eventually got up the nerve to send some of my shorter works out, and I have a modest stack of rejection letters. I was thrilled when Marion Zimmer Bradley took the time to personally comment about a story—except her comments suggested that she hadn’t even read the piece!
I was blessed to be a Domestic Engineer for most of the kids-at-home time. What a fantastic, hands-on way to observe human development and interaction, eh? My husband and I managed apartments for a couple of years, and that was quite an eye-opening experience for me, not just for the “labor” involved, but about people we interacted with. I didn’t much enjoy the job at the time, but now I look back and laugh at the wonderful, bizarre, wildly divergent personalities and incidents we lived through, including a kidnapping, a hilarious Mutt-and-Jeff-looking couple, a single mom who posed for life drawing at the university and tried to hit on my husband, the couple who lived upstairs who inadvertently introduced me to Vangelis via their very nice stereo, and the fellow who lived downstairs and slept through setting his apartment on fire. (Not to fear, he was rescued unharmed by the intrepid firemen!) Fuel for my writing? You betcha. A job at the toy store introduced me to “the doll lady” (which was a little creepy, but sad). A commission to sew gowns—with a broken thumb!—for the ladies in a choir acquainted me with a lovely, warm gathering of mother hens. Working on family history turned up a few corkers and some humbling, inspirational, educational life stories. Church attendance and callings have kept me aware—and appreciative—of the Master’s hand in all we are and all we do. It exposes another glimmering facet of our existence and gives depth to the struggles and achievements we each go through.
All of these events have pulled me away from my writing to some degree, but at the same time they’ve enriched it, given me a broader perspective of people, and provided ideas for events and “human interest.” Frankly, I couldn’t write what I do without them.~ ~ ~ ~ ~What sort of "other" work do you do? How has it affected your writing?As always, if you have any questions or comments for our panelists, we'd love to hear them!
(chalkboard image from decoratemylife.com)
January 31, 2014
Roy Huff: Everville, the Rise of Mallory
The newest book in Roy Huff’s Young Adult "Everville" series is out—and on sale until tomorrow only!
monsters ... breathless climax!
Everville: The Rise of Mallory
Haven't read the first one yet? It's free until tomorrow!
Everville: The First Pillar
As the epic journey continues, a victorious Owen Sage stands undefeated against his enemies. His last battle in Everville gave rise to a new insidious evil, Mallory; whose determination to defeat him opens an unexplored Pandora’s box. Owen's search for truth will unveil the mystery and surprising insights surrounding himself and his friends at Easton Falls University. New creatures will be uncovered and the true value of friendship will be tested, as Owen embarks on yet another battle in Everville."Action-packed ... vivid descriptions ... alternate realities ...
monsters ... breathless climax!
Everville: The Rise of Mallory
Haven't read the first one yet? It's free until tomorrow!
Everville: The First Pillar
January 10, 2014
Care and Feeding of Authors
Traditionally, publishing houses were the ones to discover and nurture notable authors. With the shift to indie publishing, the responsibility falls upon the reader themselves. Isn't it cool? You have the power!
Authors would be nothing without you, the reader. Do you want to know what you can do to help you favorite authors? Here are a few ideas:
We authors appreciate everything you do. Please feel free to share this graphic. Sending chocolate is nice, too.
"After conducting more than 250,000 interviews about reading behavior since 2004, Codex has found that a major shift has taken place in discovery in the past two years, as digital books have become a significant part of the book world.
Two years ago, 35% of book purchases were made because readers found out about a book in bricks-and-mortar bookstores, the single-largest site of discovery. This year, that figure has dropped to 17%, a reflection both of the closing of Borders and the rise of e-readers. In the same period, personal recommendations grew the most, to 22% from 14%. Some three-quarters of personal recommendations are made in person, while the rest come by e-mail (8%), phone (7%), Facebook (4%) and other social networks (3%)."
~Peter Hildick-SmithThis on-going engagement with readers becomes more important to authors every day. And in addition to people you know recommending books, there are social cataloging sites (Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, Shelfari) and sites that recommend books according to your personal criteria (The Fussy Librarian, What Should I Read Next, Which Book, Book Hitch, Gnooks).
Lost and Found: Trends in Book Discovery (October 9, 2012)
"[COO of Enders Analysis] Douglass McCabe’s statistics show that only a piddling 10 percent of Amazon book choices are made because of its ‘bought this/also bought’ recommendation engine. Bestseller and top 100 lists influence 17 percent of book choices, with 12 percent down to promotions, deals, or low prices. Only 3 percent came through browsing categories. Planned search by author or topic, however, makes up a whopping 48 percent of all book choices."
~Suw Charman-AndersonI have my own "Best Of" list, consisting of primarily fantasy books, if you want to see what I recommend: Flinch-Free Fantasy.
Half of Amazon Book Sales are Planned Purchases
Authors would be nothing without you, the reader. Do you want to know what you can do to help you favorite authors? Here are a few ideas:
We authors appreciate everything you do. Please feel free to share this graphic. Sending chocolate is nice, too.
