David Berger's Blog, page 21
February 8, 2012
Doing the unthinkable... getting started.
So, yeah... you want to write a novel or a story or a poem or a play, but you're not sure exactly how to start.
First, you probably should ask yourself, "Why do I want to write something?" If the answer is:
"Because I want to make money...""Because I want to impress people...""Because I'm bored..."Well, that's not the best motivation. You have to write for one reason and one reason only:
You have a story to tell.
You should have this yearning to be a storyteller, whether it's sci-fi, fantasy, romance, drama, nonfiction...
There should be this SPARK of an idea that you fan and feed until it becomes a growing fire, one that slowly fuels your inspiration and urges you forward.
Some days the spark sputters and spits, verging on going out, while other days it becomes an all-consuming conflagration that reaches into your soul. It's a process. You can't control exactly how a fire burns, and you can't control everything about a story.
It should be organic, moving, growing, and allowed to move at its own pace. If you force it, you'll stifle that creative energy, but you should push yourself to write. An object in motion stays in motion, said Newton. But, an object at rest doesn't freakin' move at all.
Find your spark, and breathe life into it.
Write.
First, you probably should ask yourself, "Why do I want to write something?" If the answer is:
"Because I want to make money...""Because I want to impress people...""Because I'm bored..."Well, that's not the best motivation. You have to write for one reason and one reason only:
You have a story to tell.
You should have this yearning to be a storyteller, whether it's sci-fi, fantasy, romance, drama, nonfiction...
There should be this SPARK of an idea that you fan and feed until it becomes a growing fire, one that slowly fuels your inspiration and urges you forward.
Some days the spark sputters and spits, verging on going out, while other days it becomes an all-consuming conflagration that reaches into your soul. It's a process. You can't control exactly how a fire burns, and you can't control everything about a story.
It should be organic, moving, growing, and allowed to move at its own pace. If you force it, you'll stifle that creative energy, but you should push yourself to write. An object in motion stays in motion, said Newton. But, an object at rest doesn't freakin' move at all.
Find your spark, and breathe life into it.
Write.
Doing the unthinkable... getting started.
So, yeah... you want to write a novel or a story or a poem or a play, but you're not sure exactly how to start.
First, you probably should ask yourself, "Why do I want to write something?" If the answer is:
"Because I want to make money...""Because I want to impress people...""Because I'm bored..."Well, that's not the best motivation. You have to write for one reason and one reason only:
You have a story to tell.
You should have this yearning to be a storyteller, whether it's sci-fi, fantasy, romance, drama, nonfiction...
There should be this SPARK of an idea that you fan and feed until it becomes a growing fire, one that slowly fuels your inspiration and urges you forward.
Some days the spark sputters and spits, verging on going out, while other days it becomes an all-consuming conflagration that reaches into your soul. It's a process. You can't control exactly how a fire burns, and you can't control everything about a story.
It should be organic, moving, growing, and allowed to move at its own pace. If you force it, you'll stifle that creative energy, but you should push yourself to write. An object in motion stays in motion, said Newton. But, an object at rest doesn't freakin' move at all.
Find your spark, and breathe life into it.
Write.
First, you probably should ask yourself, "Why do I want to write something?" If the answer is:
"Because I want to make money...""Because I want to impress people...""Because I'm bored..."Well, that's not the best motivation. You have to write for one reason and one reason only:
You have a story to tell.
You should have this yearning to be a storyteller, whether it's sci-fi, fantasy, romance, drama, nonfiction...
There should be this SPARK of an idea that you fan and feed until it becomes a growing fire, one that slowly fuels your inspiration and urges you forward.
Some days the spark sputters and spits, verging on going out, while other days it becomes an all-consuming conflagration that reaches into your soul. It's a process. You can't control exactly how a fire burns, and you can't control everything about a story.
It should be organic, moving, growing, and allowed to move at its own pace. If you force it, you'll stifle that creative energy, but you should push yourself to write. An object in motion stays in motion, said Newton. But, an object at rest doesn't freakin' move at all.
Find your spark, and breathe life into it.
Write.
February 7, 2012
Don't tell me, show me...
Characters, like wild animals, need to be observed in their natural habitat: their story.
When writing a character, a writer should create a situation where the reader can SEE what's happening and decide for himself or herself what is happening.
Show, don't tell -- the mantra most writing teachers tell their students. Here's an example, albeit a simple one:
Saying "John was angry when he read the letter from his wife that ended their marriage." doesn't leave anything to the imagination of the reader, who might see any number of situations defining what "angry" is. Describe behavior instead:
"John fumbled with his key in the deadbolt, pushing the door open with one hand. Tossing his keys on the hall table, not really caring where they fell, he succumbed to an impulse and crumpled the paper he had been reading, propelling the "Dear John" letter down the hall. In the living room, he walked to the fireplace, took down the framed picture of him with his wife, lingering for a moment on her smile, and smashed the teak frame on the marble mantle."
Mind you, it's not Shakespeare, but I think we can all agree that John is definitely angry. We can picture him, holding the letter in one hand as he fumbles with his keys in the other. We can even see his eyes well up a bit as he looks at his wife's image before destroying the frame. It's visual.
Before you write a scene, close your eyes and picture how it looks in your mind. Ask yourself, "How would someone act feeling [insert emotion here]?"
Try it. You'll like it.
When writing a character, a writer should create a situation where the reader can SEE what's happening and decide for himself or herself what is happening.
Show, don't tell -- the mantra most writing teachers tell their students. Here's an example, albeit a simple one:
Saying "John was angry when he read the letter from his wife that ended their marriage." doesn't leave anything to the imagination of the reader, who might see any number of situations defining what "angry" is. Describe behavior instead:
"John fumbled with his key in the deadbolt, pushing the door open with one hand. Tossing his keys on the hall table, not really caring where they fell, he succumbed to an impulse and crumpled the paper he had been reading, propelling the "Dear John" letter down the hall. In the living room, he walked to the fireplace, took down the framed picture of him with his wife, lingering for a moment on her smile, and smashed the teak frame on the marble mantle."
Mind you, it's not Shakespeare, but I think we can all agree that John is definitely angry. We can picture him, holding the letter in one hand as he fumbles with his keys in the other. We can even see his eyes well up a bit as he looks at his wife's image before destroying the frame. It's visual.
Before you write a scene, close your eyes and picture how it looks in your mind. Ask yourself, "How would someone act feeling [insert emotion here]?"
Try it. You'll like it.
Don't tell me, show me...
Characters, like wild animals, need to be observed in their natural habitat: their story.
When writing a character, a writer should create a situation where the reader can SEE what's happening and decide for himself or herself what is happening.
Show, don't tell -- the mantra most writing teachers tell their students. Here's an example, albeit a simple one:
Saying "John was angry when he read the letter from his wife that ended their marriage." doesn't leave anything to the imagination of the reader, who might see any number of situations defining what "angry" is. Describe behavior instead:
"John fumbled with his key in the deadbolt, pushing the door open with one hand. Tossing his keys on the hall table, not really caring where they fell, he succumbed to an impulse and crumpled the paper he had been reading, propelling the "Dear John" letter down the hall. In the living room, he walked to the fireplace, took down the framed picture of him with his wife, lingering for a moment on her smile, and smashed the teak frame on the marble mantle."
Mind you, it's not Shakespeare, but I think we can all agree that John is definitely angry. We can picture him, holding the letter in one hand as he fumbles with his keys in the other. We can even see his eyes well up a bit as he looks at his wife's image before destroying the frame. It's visual.
Before you write a scene, close your eyes and picture how it looks in your mind. Ask yourself, "How would someone act feeling [insert emotion here]?"
Try it. You'll like it.
When writing a character, a writer should create a situation where the reader can SEE what's happening and decide for himself or herself what is happening.
Show, don't tell -- the mantra most writing teachers tell their students. Here's an example, albeit a simple one:
Saying "John was angry when he read the letter from his wife that ended their marriage." doesn't leave anything to the imagination of the reader, who might see any number of situations defining what "angry" is. Describe behavior instead:
"John fumbled with his key in the deadbolt, pushing the door open with one hand. Tossing his keys on the hall table, not really caring where they fell, he succumbed to an impulse and crumpled the paper he had been reading, propelling the "Dear John" letter down the hall. In the living room, he walked to the fireplace, took down the framed picture of him with his wife, lingering for a moment on her smile, and smashed the teak frame on the marble mantle."
Mind you, it's not Shakespeare, but I think we can all agree that John is definitely angry. We can picture him, holding the letter in one hand as he fumbles with his keys in the other. We can even see his eyes well up a bit as he looks at his wife's image before destroying the frame. It's visual.
Before you write a scene, close your eyes and picture how it looks in your mind. Ask yourself, "How would someone act feeling [insert emotion here]?"
Try it. You'll like it.
February 6, 2012
Writing... a novel?
A few people, namely students, have asked me: "How do you write a novel?" Well, it's not easy. First, you need to WANT to write a novel. This is the kind of story that has scope and far-reaching distance; if you want to tell a story, you should, especially if it's about something you love. My novel started as a short story in high school and evolved over time, but if I had started writing it at my age now, it would certainly have been a "novel in the works" rather than a short story. You also need to have a general outline of what you want the book to show: a character's journey, the story of a place, the emotions of someone whose insights need to be heard, etc. Have an idea. It'll grow over time, too. Nurture it. Feed it. Play with it. You may hate the first dozen things you write, but you're just clearing away the dead wood, so to speak. After a short time, what you start bringing forth has true meaning to you and, one hopes, to others. My advice? Write about what you love. What makes you smile, laugh, cry, or moves you in ways nothing else would. Just push the words out... the ideas will coalesce, the meaning will rise to the surface. Just allow yourself the luxury of writing something really crappy until the good stuff comes forth. :)
Writing... a novel?
A few people, namely students, have asked me: "How do you write a novel?" Well, it's not easy. First, you need to WANT to write a novel. This is the kind of story that has scope and far-reaching distance; if you want to tell a story, you should, especially if it's about something you love. My novel started as a short story in high school and evolved over time, but if I had started writing it at my age now, it would certainly have been a "novel in the works" rather than a short story. You also need to have a general outline of what you want the book to show: a character's journey, the story of a place, the emotions of someone whose insights need to be heard, etc. Have an idea. It'll grow over time, too. Nurture it. Feed it. Play with it. You may hate the first dozen things you write, but you're just clearing away the dead wood, so to speak. After a short time, what you start bringing forth has true meaning to you and, one hopes, to others. My advice? Write about what you love. What makes you smile, laugh, cry, or moves you in ways nothing else would. Just push the words out... the ideas will coalesce, the meaning will rise to the surface. Just allow yourself the luxury of writing something really crappy until the good stuff comes forth. :)
Marketing myself... who knew?
So, those who know me know that I'm a pretty reticent person (until they get to know me), so for me to have to promote myself and my book -- well, that takes much effort. But, it's necessary. I'm already done the following:
Written a press release and sent it to one newspaper (so far)Set up Squidoo, Goodreads, AuthorsDen, and Shelfari author sites.Use my Twitter feed (MrDBerger).Have a Facebook group.Have a presence on Gay League (which is my press release).I'm not done yet :)
If you like my book, tell others, please! If you don't, tell me.
Written a press release and sent it to one newspaper (so far)Set up Squidoo, Goodreads, AuthorsDen, and Shelfari author sites.Use my Twitter feed (MrDBerger).Have a Facebook group.Have a presence on Gay League (which is my press release).I'm not done yet :)
If you like my book, tell others, please! If you don't, tell me.
Marketing myself... who knew?
So, those who know me know that I'm a pretty reticent person (until they get to know me), so for me to have to promote myself and my book -- well, that takes much effort. But, it's necessary. I'm already done the following:
Written a press release and sent it to one newspaper (so far)Set up Squidoo, Goodreads, AuthorsDen, and Shelfari author sites.Use my Twitter feed (MrDBerger).Have a Facebook group.Have a presence on Gay League (which is my press release).I'm not done yet :)
If you like my book, tell others, please! If you don't, tell me.
Written a press release and sent it to one newspaper (so far)Set up Squidoo, Goodreads, AuthorsDen, and Shelfari author sites.Use my Twitter feed (MrDBerger).Have a Facebook group.Have a presence on Gay League (which is my press release).I'm not done yet :)
If you like my book, tell others, please! If you don't, tell me.
February 5, 2012
January 29, 2012
Measuring my success
Now that the process of getting this book ready has finally reached its end, and a new period begins, with people reading it, I find myself wondering how I measure success. Some would say, "If you're book hits the Best Seller's List, it's a success." Others might say, "If a lot of people read and like your book, that's success."
Perhaps.
Those are certainly measurements of success, but I have to think about how I feel about that. Am I looking to make enough money from selling books to retire from teaching altogether? Am I looking for a supplemental income? I think the answer here is: No.
Twenty-five years ago, give or take, when I first started "The Olympus Corps.," the original story behind Task Force: Gaea, I had envisioned a Star Trekkian adventure in outer space, with the gods being more like space aliens, inhabiting planets, rather than omnipotent beings who govern the world of Man. The hero (whose name now escapes me) and his crew traveled in a starship of sorts, encountering mythologically-inspired monsters. Well, that was 1985.
Now, in 2012, my story has taken on a more intricate appearance, weaving together a few different ideas into one tapestry, if you will. I'm proud of what I've accomplished over the years, despite my own apprehensions and misgivings long the way. The fact that I've managed to bring this whole project to fruition makes me very proud of myself. And, I should be. Not everyone who sets out to do such a task, succeeds at it. The original ideas, back when I used a more archaic computer in the 80s and 90s, blossomed into a type of flower whose scent intoxicates me.
Am I the next Tolkien, Rowling, or Riordan? Hardly. I'm a man whose dream was to write a novel, telling the kind of story I wanted to tell, with the characters, settings, vocabulary, and overall feelings I wanted to convey. And, I have done just that.
So, whether or not people buy (and like) the novel is of little consequence ultimately. If I sell 100 copies or 1,000,000 copies, if my novel perks the interest of a film or TV person, if I gain fame for this -- it truly doesn't matter. That's not why I did this. I wanted to tell a story.
And I have succeeded in doing just that. That's how I measure success.
And, that's all that matters.
Perhaps.
Those are certainly measurements of success, but I have to think about how I feel about that. Am I looking to make enough money from selling books to retire from teaching altogether? Am I looking for a supplemental income? I think the answer here is: No.
Twenty-five years ago, give or take, when I first started "The Olympus Corps.," the original story behind Task Force: Gaea, I had envisioned a Star Trekkian adventure in outer space, with the gods being more like space aliens, inhabiting planets, rather than omnipotent beings who govern the world of Man. The hero (whose name now escapes me) and his crew traveled in a starship of sorts, encountering mythologically-inspired monsters. Well, that was 1985.
Now, in 2012, my story has taken on a more intricate appearance, weaving together a few different ideas into one tapestry, if you will. I'm proud of what I've accomplished over the years, despite my own apprehensions and misgivings long the way. The fact that I've managed to bring this whole project to fruition makes me very proud of myself. And, I should be. Not everyone who sets out to do such a task, succeeds at it. The original ideas, back when I used a more archaic computer in the 80s and 90s, blossomed into a type of flower whose scent intoxicates me.
Am I the next Tolkien, Rowling, or Riordan? Hardly. I'm a man whose dream was to write a novel, telling the kind of story I wanted to tell, with the characters, settings, vocabulary, and overall feelings I wanted to convey. And, I have done just that.
So, whether or not people buy (and like) the novel is of little consequence ultimately. If I sell 100 copies or 1,000,000 copies, if my novel perks the interest of a film or TV person, if I gain fame for this -- it truly doesn't matter. That's not why I did this. I wanted to tell a story.
And I have succeeded in doing just that. That's how I measure success.
And, that's all that matters.
