Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 205

Being Prepared—as a Writer

Sunday I was feeling less than prepared.

I'd been super-prepared all week—meeting every challenge that came my way…anticipating challenges in advance. But boy, I was sure dropping the ball all day Sunday.

Sunday afternoon, my son volunteered with other middle school kids at a car wash to raise money for camps for inner city children. Great cause! I brought him there, dropped him off, and took off home.

He ended up soaking wet in a chilly wind. I came back and brought him towels and a change of clothes. Left again and returned later to pick him up.

Took my daughter to another event Sunday afternoon. This one I actually thought a little bit about. "Sweetie," I said, "it says 'gross games and gross food' on the invitation. You're wearing really pretty clothes. Are you sure you don't want to change?"

She didn't. And I thought about bringing a change of clothes for her in the car (just in case), but we were running behind (and I'm never late), so we jumped in the car.

When we got there and she saw there were games involving spaghetti, shaving cream, and slime, she asked me for old clothes. I drove home, got the clothes, and came back again. Then left and came back again to pick her up.

When it was all said and done, I made 10 total trips up and down the same road on Sunday. It should only have been 6. Lots of wasted time because I didn't think ahead.

It's good to be prepared as a writer, too. It can keep us from getting too discouraged and quit something that we could end up being successful at. It can also keep us from wasting time on tangents.

Some areas to be prepared for:

Be prepared that new ideas that seem wonderful will strike right when you're mucking through difficult terrain on your current manuscript. Jotting them down in a Word file for future reference can keep you from getting sidelined.

Be prepared that the siren song of the internet or the omnipresent smart phones will lure you away from your book. Closing all windows or writing on paper when you're feeling especially susceptible can help.

Be prepared that there will be spots in your WIP when you're not sure how you'll move the story forward or make the character come alive. Brainstorming solutions or making lists of as many possibilities as you can dream up is a good way to handle it.

Be prepared for doubt because all writers have it (or they should have it). We all wonder variations on this theme: is this story any good? Will anyone want to read it? Will someone want to publish it or am I wasting my time? Is all this trouble worth it? During these times, it's good to spend time with other writers…either online or in person…for support.

Be prepared for bits of dead time with paper and pencil.

Be prepared for the research and time that goes into querying—and the seemingly endless rejections. On the upside, there is tons of information out there on which agents are looking for what type of material, how to construct a query, and what to include in one.

Be prepared to have an online presence or platform if you're planning on being either traditionally published or self-published.

Be prepared to promote and to think up new ways to reach your readers. Publishers put most of this responsibility on the writers. If you don't enjoy appearances, you can opt for social media promo, instead.

Be prepared for good and bad reviews.

Be prepared to feel conflicted about different writing strategies, promo strategies, and publishing options.

What things have you discovered about writing that it's good to be prepared for?

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Rejection is Murder—by Douglas Corleone

My path to publication was fairly typical, which is to say that it was littered with near-misses and heart-wrenching rejections. So how does a writer fight through it all? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. But I can tell you what's worked for me.

One. Toss the rejections the moment you receive them. Note them in your submissions log, then rip them to shreds. They serve no useful purpose.

Two. Each time you receive a rejection, make another submission. Tweak your query letter, revise your manuscript, whatever you think it takes. But get your story out there again.

Three. Keep writing. Never sit around, waiting for a "yes." Always be working on your next project. Because chances are, your next project is going to be better than your last.

Four. Treat writing as a business. The simple fact of the matter is that you have a product to sell. Whether it was made in Taiwan or created with your own blood, sweat, and tears, it's still simply a product. If your product's not selling, improve it or manufacture another product.

Five. Never take rejections personally. They're going to feel personal, at least initially. But you need to develop a thick skin, especially if you do plan on being published. Because that's when the reviews start trickling in.

Six. Never set time limits. It's fine to have goals, but you cannot control the speed of the publishing industry, and the fact is, the publishing industry moves at glacial speed. By giving yourself two or three years to get published, you'll be doing yourself a disservice.

Seven. Be career-oriented. Always see the big picture. Your goal shouldn't be to publish one book but to build a career. After all, that's what agents and publishers are looking for. With this in mind, rejection becomes somewhat useful. You don't want to debut with anything but your best work, because bad reviews and low sales figures can kill an author's career. And you don't want to have to start the entire process all over again, under a different name.

Eight. Never take yourself too seriously. This advice goes for both aspiring writers as well as established writers.

Nine. Patience, persistence, resilience. These may sound trite, but they really are the keys to getting published.

Ten. Improve your writing. You should never stop learning, never quit honing your craft, whether you're a debut novelist published by a small, independent press, or a New York Times Bestseller. Don't be embarrassed to pick up books on writing – none of us know everything. And as for what we do know, we can always use a refresher.

If none of the above work, grab a drink and kick back with a good mystery. Might I recommend my debut novel ONE MAN'S PARADISE, or my latest release NIGHT ON FIRE. Until next time, happy writing.

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Thanks so much for posting today, Douglas! Douglas writes the Kevin Corvelli mysteries for St. Martin's Minotaur. His 2nd novel in the series, Night on Fire, released April 26. He's on Twitter: @douglascorleone.

A trailer for NIGHT ON FIRE can be found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs9K1tlPFGw

When to End a Series (When It's Up to You)

I've mentioned before that I have a tough time keeping my teenage son in books. He reads quickly, he's always reading, and he's a picky reader. It's tough.

One of his favorite series is the Ranger's Apprentice series. He reads all the books in John Flanagan's series over and over again.

Finally, on April 19th, there was a new release in the series. I'd preordered the book and got it as soon as it was available. Unfortunately, as I was ordering it, I saw that the book (book 10 in the series) marked the end of the series. The author was embarking on a new series, which is to launch in the fall.

Apparently, I shouldn't have told my son that he was reading the final book in the series. He kept saying, "Mom, all I keep thinking about is that this is the last book! Why would he do that? Aren't the books selling?" (He's pretty aware of the importance of sales, with a mom in the biz.)

The series is a New York Times bestselling series…poor sales isn't the reason. I'm sure that Penguin/Philomel would probably be delighted to publish as many books in the series as John Flanagan wanted to write.

I tried to find an online interview with Flanagan to find his reason for ending the series, but couldn't find one. I decided to placate my son by telling him the reasons that I could imagine that an author would want to end a popular series (most times the publisher wants to end a series, not the writer). To my son, it was like he'd lost his fictional friends.

I don't know why John Flanagan ended his series, but I can imagine reasons that authors decide to call it quits:

The characters have all been completely explored and there's not much more room for growth.

The author wants to finish the series while it's still popular.

Possible storylines during brainstorming sessions don't seem as sound or interesting as previous ones (quality control).

Lack of inspiration or new direction.

Wanting a new challenge, new setting, and new characters to explore (boredom…or just an exciting new idea that won't let go.)

What are your thoughts on when series should end? If you're writing a series, what would make you end a series and start a different project?
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Twitterific

Below are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the last week.

The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable—try it for searches on POV, writing description, making smooth transitions, and more.

[image error]Anyone signing up for the Writer's Knowledge Base newsletter this month (and current subscribers) will be automatically entered in a June drawing to receive K.M. Weiland's CD (or MP3) Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration CD

The WKB newsletter always includes top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

Don't Call Me Ishmael—Name that Character: http://bit.ly/ikabm7

How to Edit with Efficiency: http://bit.ly/ihieo6

Need tips for plotting? http://bit.ly/fiTDIR

Putting Your Schedule on a Diet: http://bit.ly/kIFeRe

How to Become a More Self-Disciplined Writer: http://bit.ly/lMDfY7

6 Ways to Add Vibrant Partnerships to your Author Platform: http://bit.ly/lSDINw

The 5 Stages of Writing a Book: http://bit.ly/kOX51u

How to speak publisher - B is for Book: http://bit.ly/j4W6xa

The Truth About Blogging: http://bit.ly/lccK95

The Rejection Numbers of 14 Famous Writers: http://bit.ly/iuqOCk @LauraMarcella

A writer reflects on her ebook experiment & why it wasn't as successful as she'd hoped: http://bit.ly/jAzcf1 @camillelaguire

Bruce Coville's Eight Tips for Fantasy Writers: http://bit.ly/lhmNbp

The "Villain" Spectrum: Creating a Layered Antagonist: http://bit.ly/jQ3FrC

Published more than one book? Expectations your readers may have: http://bit.ly/jzSRju

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: An easy breezy brunch for any weather! http://bit.ly/mwJoGB @CleoCoyle

Getting to Know You: http://bit.ly/lFFv9H

The Ever-Popular I Suck Playlist: http://bit.ly/lfygQ9

Facebook groups for screenwriters: http://bit.ly/ioRcsK @galleycat

3 Tips to a Successful Audio Interview: http://bit.ly/lTuOzZ

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 4/29/11: http://bit.ly/jHunaq

3 Tips for Capturing the Teen Voice: http://bit.ly/l0y1ma

How to make your story unputdownable: http://bit.ly/kxC97x

Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best writing links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Visual Tools for Writers: http://bit.ly/m7Nj1z

Best Articles This Week for Writers 4/29/11: http://bit.ly/jB1lSF @4kidlit

Keep your query short: http://bit.ly/jh4MYU

Every scene needs at least 3 reasons for being there: http://bit.ly/kPVMuo

Character Development 101 for crime fiction writers: http://bit.ly/kZKme3

Write Fast: http://bit.ly/mC6sxG

Too distracted to write? The internet isn't to blame--you are (PW): http://bit.ly/ljMMId

7 Formats for Winning Blog Posts: http://bit.ly/lZY98U

Real Life Diagnostic: Am I Showing or Telling? http://bit.ly/l8rWx8

Using Your To-Do List as a 2nd Brain: http://bit.ly/k5PCbi

Avoid 10 Common Screenwriting Mistakes: http://bit.ly/kQbgwt @galleycat

One Never Knows, Does One? http://bit.ly/jf8C3y

Poems for a wedding (Guardian): http://bit.ly/eKIh5f

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Step Away from the Microwave! http://bit.ly/je9ZfD @CleoCoyle

Do You Have a Muse? http://bit.ly/jphalA

Writing When You Don't Have Time: http://bit.ly/l7luqx

Beware the Adjective Trap: http://bit.ly/lOKYct

6 Common Slip-Ups that Make Your Blog Look Bad: http://bit.ly/lCWFDX

5 Ways to Tell if It's The ONE: http://bit.ly/iv8LDU

5 Articles on the Differences Between Middle Grade and Young Adult: http://bit.ly/k07Kj6

Everyone Wants to "Help" Writers. But Whose Help Do You Really Need? http://bit.ly/jWBFyW

Query: Things you can leave out of your first paragraph: http://bit.ly/iBPk7T

The EASY Way to Do Facebook In 15 Minutes a Day: http://bit.ly/iW1KCg

Strengthening Dialogue: http://bit.ly/l8sRYq

How to Write Thousands of Words Every Single Week: http://bit.ly/iKsZFq

Pros and cons and dos and don'ts for the BEA: http://bit.ly/m9Ljdv

Cousin Its: http://bit.ly/k3UrzI

A writing thesaurus (new entries for weather): http://bit.ly/kYqv9y

The Interminable Agency Clause: http://bit.ly/iBv3Fo

How do you know if you should write a sequel? http://bit.ly/lzuepD

How Deadlines Can Help Your Writing: http://bit.ly/iP0CJ6

Magical Words, Windows, and Doors: http://bit.ly/j7zPc2

Do You Need Two Spaces After a Period? http://bit.ly/jW1jNt

Truth in Blurbing: http://bit.ly/iTt9x8 @mkinberg

Pacing tips: http://bit.ly/fsnZDM

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: SAY CHEESE, AGAIN...in one week http://bit.ly/jgcJjv @CleoCoyle

Build a platform by being a blogger booster: http://bit.ly/kX7MBj

20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting: http://bit.ly/ib6QWt

A writer I am: http://bit.ly/eR14S3

Time Period Settings: http://bit.ly/kQF0PA

Keyboard Shortcuts and Other Amazing Productivity Tips: http://bit.ly/l75dGS @jhansenwrites

Editorial chat on revision: http://bit.ly/iJR5Si

A New Way to Find Critique Partners: http://bit.ly/lb3uiO

Unless it moves the heart: http://bit.ly/lO0754 @lauradroege

8 Things To Keep In Mind When Naming Characters: http://bit.ly/lV6Mhf

Want this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

How to Book a Reading: http://bit.ly/jPMPUs

5 Common Writing Problems and How to Fix Them: http://bit.ly/gsNYRy @thecreativepenn

6 keys to making your reader believe in everything you say: http://bit.ly/k4oB2v @nicolamorgan

How to Regain Control of Your Schedule: http://bit.ly/dN6kZn

3 Rude Thoughts For Aspiring Writers Of Speculative Fiction: http://bit.ly/hS00IS

5 Book Interior Page Layout Mistakes to Avoid: http://bit.ly/gqz6R4

Art for art's sake? http://bit.ly/jVqwhA @agent139

The ellipsis: http://bit.ly/gEq7rA

Flirtation, mean jokes, and some observations on humor: http://bit.ly/eHwB8L

One, Two Three, Notice Me: The Rule of Three: http://bit.ly/gseJUd

What were this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Marketing 101: Loving & Taking Care of Our Readers: http://bit.ly/heATre

Spring cleaning from page 1: http://bit.ly/eNj3HH

Fiction vs. Nonfiction E-Book Pricing in the Kindle Store: http://bit.ly/gC1PDV

Move through the creative gap: http://bit.ly/hmcmNM

Choosing Our Path–Genre Matters: http://bit.ly/eQGlph

I'm Not an Expert, But I Play One On the Internet: http://bit.ly/hPp8BT

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Got Leftover Ham? Ham Casserole! http://bit.ly/i9oeXK @CleoCoyle

How Twitter Can Make You A Better Copywriter: http://bit.ly/hFYzoo

"To Be," or Not "To Be" Verbs? http://bit.ly/e2kszP

Coping with False Starts: http://bit.ly/ikhPKx

Suspense. Where does it start? http://bit.ly/fOAfqo

Cut words? Or add words? http://bit.ly/hwS0I2

The Department of Redundancy Department: http://tinyurl.com/6fftjza via @DWDavisRSL

Softening a main character: http://bit.ly/fvBvNp

On Agency Agreements: http://bit.ly/hBtJfx

Avoid The Obvious In a Query: http://bit.ly/ecan5h

Back to Basics: Submitting Our Work: http://bit.ly/ess67t

The query quandary: http://bit.ly/fl61Ze

Is your book's setting ho-hum? http://bit.ly/gByyLa

Put Your Flabby Writing On A Diet: http://bit.ly/ha4QVf

The 3 Basic Aspects of Showing-Not-Telling: http://bit.ly/hqjUgv @victoriamixon

Why You Got Rejected: http://bit.ly/euHGf0

Writing from Your Character's Point of View: 5 Guidelines: http://bit.ly/fVESvI

Publishing myths that both writers and publishers cling to: http://bit.ly/e2lup2 @agent139

Use Archetypes to Create Literary Characters: http://bit.ly/dJLZdJ

Design Characters using Mind Maps: http://bit.ly/dNNGHG

"10 Reasons I Can't Write Right Now:" http://bit.ly/eD1Rki @elspethwrites

Author Blogs – Use Categories to Organize Your Posts: http://bit.ly/fVg5TD

On apostrophes: http://bit.ly/eT08is

Strategies for Adapting Your Novel to a Screenplay: http://bit.ly/f4blzj

Writers do more than write: http://bit.ly/dGVItH

On women, writing, and time: http://bit.ly/dT2dt8

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Easter Egg Salad and More Tasty Ideas for Your Holiday Leftovers from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/dJ2rvS @CleoCoyle

Don't let this happen to you! 1)Procrastination, 2) writing binge, 3) axe murder: http://bit.ly/efraVM

5 Ways to Publish a Book for iPad, iPhone, and iPod: http://bit.ly/dXpv0A

Why writers must embrace social media, no matter their genre (Guardian-Edinburgh) http://bit.ly/hYPR7U

Marketing for Writers: 8 Weeks to Social Marketing Domination: http://bit.ly/e1frFL

The craft essay on why you shouldn't trust craft essays: http://bit.ly/i9Vqkf

Head-hopping headaches: http://bit.ly/el50pK

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 4/22/11): http://bit.ly/fDaqJ3

What Bloggers Need to Know About Trademark Law: http://bit.ly/gtAb1y

Writer's Block—Real or Imaginary? http://bit.ly/eqyOf9

Why Joanna @thecreativepenn supports the 99 cent price point for e-books: http://bit.ly/hhjn0B

How to make your most ordinary scene interesting: http://bit.ly/gUGV0j

Researching for Your Novel: http://bit.ly/gakpy4

Search my tweets-- http://dld.bz/KPgS

"I'm a Poet. Yes, That's a Real Job." (Wall St. Journal): http://on.wsj.com/heDzVt

5 Crippling Beliefs That Keep Writers Penniless and Mired in Mediocrity: http://bit.ly/etZljn

Key Story Elements - Inciting Incident: http://bit.ly/gyWOE9

Reasons for writers to carry business cards (especially at conferences): http://bit.ly/gl8QXw

What Is a 50-Page Edit… and Why Will It Rock Your Story? http://bit.ly/hfrZjg

How to be a good editor: http://bit.ly/gwTKpR

Spring cleaning (and organization) for your social networks: http://bit.ly/g3EFXl

The Tricky Territory of Publishing Blogs: http://bit.ly/hCUoRf

Resources for writers--Literary Marketplace: http://bit.ly/efGhHJ @spunkonastick

How hard is it to sell a short spec script? http://bit.ly/fWNnyW

Time management tips: http://bit.ly/h46anr @authorterryo

3 Reasons Why Failure is the Key to Success: http://bit.ly/gzV35d

6 Signs You're Not Ready To Make A Living As A Professional Writer: http://bit.ly/i8BIhL

10 Parody Novels That Get the Last Laugh: http://bit.ly/gzoucg

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Gambas al Ajillo with Pasta http://bit.ly/f4OOG7 @CleoCoyle

9 Reasons Successful Freelancers Abroad Get a Real Job First: http://bit.ly/gpDG3L

Building believable relationships in romantic fiction: http://bit.ly/dYhgTv @gone_writing

How Your RSS Feed Can Save Your Blog: http://bit.ly/gRGW9n

3 Ways to Market Your Book to iPhone Users: http://bit.ly/exXqBi

Revising a Series: http://bit.ly/eHs8Yc

Can Twitter Really Help You Sell Books? http://bit.ly/h7sMeR

How to format your comic book script: http://bit.ly/eji9UP

Time Management for Writers–Getting More Done in Less Time: http://bit.ly/eJNVqy

The varying degrees of theme: http://bit.ly/dJM1v4

51 Reasons Why You Are A Creative: http://bit.ly/i4lPRL

10 Ways Authors Sabotage Themselves: http://bit.ly/dUYdWO

Top 20 Facebook Apps for Book Lovers: http://bit.ly/gueH9Z

Top 10 Ways to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing: http://lifehac.kr/f0XyZF

Writers--in your contract, you promise you're not lying or plagiarizing: http://bit.ly/gQ7PqK #amrwiting @literaticat

What were this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Seeking Representation through Roundabout Routes: http://bit.ly/g5aAGQ

The Comfort of Bad Reviews (That Aren't Yours): http://bit.ly/hz4twi

Research -- Looking at Other Art Forms: http://bit.ly/dJbSg5

A well-rounded manuscript--characters and plot: http://bit.ly/g3hEmM

Why writing is like baseball: http://bit.ly/hqIDNu

5 fundamental practices that keep you from writer's block while you're writing a book: http://bit.ly/hujMLL

5 Essentials For a Story Starter: http://bit.ly/eU1JcV

Living in deep head space: http://bit.ly/ifgDqr

6 Tips to Writing a Killer Author Bio: http://bit.ly/g6wCSD

3 Ways to Add Meaningful Structure to Your Writing Life: http://bit.ly/h0Dg4j

How brevity can crush your copy: http://bit.ly/fNtpWq

Best Articles This Week for Writers 4/22/11: http://bit.ly/hR7gF6 @4kidlit

Why Ask Why? Because Your Readers Will: http://bit.ly/eZPnKt

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 4/22/11: http://bit.ly/fsWkOO @on_creativity

5 things 1 writer has learned from recent writing conferences: http://bit.ly/i6KhHK

Making Progress on Our Manuscripts (and Other Things)

There are times when I get a sense from writers of huge progress being made on manuscripts. NaNoWriMo (in November) is one of those times.

Then there are times when I hear writers are struggling (holidays, summer travel time.)

Honestly, there's just never a good time to write a book. Life is busy, writing involves quiet reflection…it can be hard to fit that time in.

But since there is no good time to write a book, you might as well write yours now. :)

Jane Friedman had a great post last week on Writer Unboxed on adding structure to your writing life.

I especially like Jane's advice about making a weekly and daily goal. She has a link for a free download for a goal sheet. One thing I like about the goal sheet is that it acknowledges that there are impediments to reaching that goal and makes you list them so you recognize them in advance.

I also completely agree with Jane's advice on naming specific tasks to accomplish. For me, the more specific I can be, the quicker I can make my goal. Instead of listing "finish next scene," I'll say: "have sleuth question witness, write setting description for the local park, make sure motivation for sleuth's actions is clear," etc.

The only thing that I might change a little is that instead of 30-60 weekly, dedicated minutes (which admittedly might work for many), I'd say 5-10 minutes a day, whenever they can be snagged, for those who just can't find that 30-60 free minutes in their weeks currently. To write only 5 minutes a day, you do need to be slightly more organized and know what you're planning on knocking out that day (don't spend your five minutes rereading what you wrote the day before.) At least you're making daily progress.

How do you stay on task during busy times?

Using Google Calendar to Stay Organized

Right now I'm using two tools to keep my calendar organized. I really had to do something new because I suddenly had a ton of stuff going on—book club meetings, a library talk, guests on my blog, my guest posts on others' blogs…plus the usual dental appointments, the children's events, family/friend birthdays, etc. I was waking up at night worrying that something was going to fall through the cracks.

What's really working for me right now is using 2 different methods—the old-fashioned wall calendar method plus Google Calendar.

The reason Google Calendar is working so well for me is because I have a smart phone that syncs to that calendar. So I have the calendar with me at all times. I have to admit that it's really nice. When someone asks me if I'm free to do something on a particular day, I don't have to say, "Can I check my calendar and call you back?" It's just so nice to open the calendar on my phone and check the date and save myself a phone call (I'm no fan of talking on the phone anyway.)

Another really, really nice thing about using Google Calendar (particularly if you can sync it to your phone) is that I can copy/paste from different emails right into the calendar.

For example, say I've got an email for an event of some kind (writing-related or personal). The email might list things that to bring with me to the event, might give directions to the venue, might have the time the event starts and stops. I just select all, copy, and paste it to the corresponding date on the Google Calendar. Then I've got it right there, easily accessible on both my laptop and my phone.

Or it might be an interview request. Lately I had a couple of different blog interviews. The questions were in the body of the email. I pasted the email into the date on my calendar that I needed to turn it in…and set reminders for earlier. Several times when I was out and I had dead time waiting for something, I took out my phone, read the questions, and jotted down answers to email later on my always-handy notebook.

You can also share your calendar out with someone else. Not that that other person might read the calendar like intended. :) But it is nice to know that, if somehow I went missing (I'm a murder mystery writer, so these thoughts are always in the back of my head), that my calendar could be accessed to see where I was supposed to be.

My wall calendar is really needed, too—it's best for spotting potential conflicts on the calendar. Sometimes I just have to see it all laid out on paper. My wall calendar is posted on my garage door where I have to see it when I go in and out of the house.

What are you using to stay organized? Do you use Google Calendar or something else?

Publishing Myths

Publishing is a changing world and it stands to reason that writers and publishers who are adaptable have a much better shot at survival than those who aren't.

But how should writers and publishers adapt? One way, I think, is by realizing there are industry myths that might cause them to make poor choices.

Hope you'll pop by James Curcio's blog, Modern Mythology, for my look at publishing-related myths.

Interview With Author James Curcio

Today I'm interviewing writer James Curcio. I know James through Twitter, which also led me to his always thought-provoking blog, Modern Mythology. When James recently proposed that he and I exchange guest posts, I was delighted by the idea and knew his interview would represent a unique viewpoint and way of looking at art and writing than I usually take.

EC:I know you've got a variety of different interests and have worked on projects that deal in various media...
James Curcio: Yeah. Really the only "multi-media" bridge I haven't crossed yet is feature film, and that's not for lack of trying. Soon?

EC: What do you think the outlook is for multimedia art and writing in the future?
I've written several articles about this on modernmythology.net. I'd point people's attention to this one for starters.

But let me also pick up where I conclude that piece, that I think the future of media is actually moving away from the idea that the medium defines the message. Yes, some things work better in one format than another, and you have to figure out what works best in which medium. There are different ways to tell different stories across different platforms. That should be self apparent, right? But the thing that attracts us to all of them is the same.

EC: So, did the common thread, myth, jump out at you as you were looking to see what connected your work, or did you set out to explore this particular area/theme from the beginning?
JC: You predicted where I was going with that. When I took a hard look at the core of what attracts us to stories - and I don't just mean the stories that we entertain ourselves with, or the stories we learn from, or the stories we tell each other, or tell our children as a warning - but all of these things, the binding glue was myth. They are all myths.

But something funny happened to the word "myth." It came to mean something that is untrue, though the origin of the word, mythos, doesn't necessarily imply that. So, while I don't bog down my other creative work with a philosophical analysis of myth, I wanted to take the time to really get into this and share some of the gristle with other creative people. That's how The Immanence of Myth came about.

I think it's really unfortunate that so often in school, we may be taught how to use the tools, or how to critique, but no one asks questions like "why are we doing this in the first place?" And I'm not talking about money. Speaking of: I'm happy to say that we've already got two college level classes that I know about with the book as part of their core curriculum for next year. I hope to see more of that.

I'm looking to create a perspective on the production of media that isn't nearly so compartmentalized. That's why I began focusing my efforts several years back on myth as the common thread, rather than talking about writing, or about music, or about comics... Even though I've worked on projects in all of those mediums.

It's not about the medium, it's about the message. I guess it's a question of the format that you thinks is best to talk about that, and maybe give some examples. You know, the humor of it is probably lost on some, but I'm especially fond of a "gonzomentary" web series we've been working on that deals with a lot of the issues facing the modern artist in a very farcical or satirical way.

EC: Ah, the medium is the message. Or the 'massage' - read that book by McLuhan in college in a Media and Society course. Interesting stuff!

You approach literature or art from a different angle than I do, and one that I think would be interesting to my readers. I've needed to take more of a commercial approach. But I'm very interested in other angles and have always loved the 'art for art's sake' mentality, even if it won't put any food on my table.

JC: And here I thought I was being original! Well, no. I've never been very concerned with originality, thank God. I'm more concerned with being genuine, though it is hard to say what that is.

Actually, I want to be clear about this. I don't at all believe in "art for arts sake." I go into this far more in depth in The Immanence of Myth - probably more in-depth than people with short attention spans would like.

I think art, and education for that matter, have done themselves a disservice by saying "we're other than the world of business," which of course brands itself as being pragmatic. Through posturing in that way, it's almost like "the ivory tower" legitimizes the stance that business is practical and art is bullshit. I think we all know it is quite often anything but.

Can we get past this myth that those that are rich have all earned it through hard work, and the poor are all lazy and deserve what they get? The "financial meltdown" showed that to a lot of people who I guess were hoodwinked before. I was never taken in by that myth. It is cruel spirited and awful on so many levels.

Let me provide a little snippet from The Immanence of Myth on this subject:

There is a misconception within the myths perpetuated by capitalistic culture, which claims that art and philosophy are useless endeavors — at best, a mental exercise, at worst, an activity for criminals and dilettantes. Even arts organizations that demand the arts behave well in business terms are tacitly buying into this myth, such as NEA chairman Rocco Landesman, when he said "Look … you can either increase demand or decrease supply. Demand is not going to increase. So it is time to think about decreasing supply." (Peter Marks, Washington Post, February 13, 2011).

Though inarguable within the context of business, this view forgets that all of the great periods in human history, leaps of progress in terms of science, mathematics, and other disciplines that produce more tangible results, have occurred side-by-side with paradigm shifts in the arts and philosophy. It is impossible, and irrelevant, to definitively argue which came first. How can that be quantified? Art and philosophy, without trade, commerce, and application, is sterile and masturbatory. Similarly, trade and commerce is brutish and myopic when it isn't applied with the sensibility that comes from in-depth philosophical and artistic debate. Both are crucial to cultural evolution, but only when applied together, and the cultural value of art cannot be comprehended from within the valuation system of commerce.

This misconception is one of the dangers of prevalent capitalistic myths. It is possible that it has actually further divorced these two currents, modern art rendering itself a theoretical, navel-gazing reflection upon its place as separate from the profane world of markets and commodity. This, in part, came about through the hands of the art world as a reaction to its position within a world defined by corporate and capitalistic myths, an "art world" arises which in many cases consists of happenings where nothing happens, of canvases painted white, and music performances where nothing is performed.

This is not to say that there has been no value produced, for instance, by John Cage's 4'33", but there can be little argument that this movement in art has unintentionally furthered the capitalist myth that art is purely masturbatory. Conceptual art seems in a sense to merely be a revolt against the capitalistic or at least industrial idea that every thing, every action must have a purpose. Where does this revolt lead?

EC: So you believe that the artistic world may be cutting potential audiences by marketing itself as anti-commercial Culture with a capital c. I do feel that free or inexpensive art or literature is a good way to reach potential customers (readers, listeners, whatever.) What are your thoughts on e-book pricing?

JC: I play several instruments, and have produced or co-produced quite a few albums over the years. I mention this because I've discovered, as many musicians have, that offering your music for free is, for better or worse, one of the best ways you can market your music. The fact is that there's such a glut of content out there that it's a real competition just to get people's attention in the first place. Charge an entrance fee on top of it, before they are dead sure they want to pay the price of admission, and you may as well shoot yourself in the foot, if not the face.

However, this does seem to work a little differently with books. I offered up a free eBook version of an earlier version of a book, and managed to track over 50,000 downloads. Hot damn! I thought. What if I made that book just a $1? Surely at least 10% of those people would pay a dollar for something similar?
Sadly, I discovered this was not at all the case. Not even 1%. So clearly, though I was taken in by Cory Doctorow's stance that offering your book for free online is good advertising, there's something else at work here. You would have to be totally insane to write because you want to get rich. But if we can't find a way to "monetize" our passion, or our addiction, then we're going to die like hobos on the street.

I don't have the answer, but for now, I'm giving away free chapters of my books as eBooks, and trying to keep eBook prices low... around $3 for short novels and $5-8 for books like the Immanence of Myth, which is 250,000 words. That is of course when I have any say in it. Publishers and sometimes distributors set prices.

EC: I had to smile at your "short attention span" comment. My attention span is decent, but life gets in my way. I had to read your snippet three times because my teenage son and I (it's spring break) were having a discussion on his texting bill and he kept derailing my train of thought. And the cat keeps walking across my keyboard.

JC: Yeah. It is true that life constantly "interferes" with the creative process or even our attention span. Here's my thing: you said that despite a more pragmatic focus, it's still a supplemental income.

I wrote a piece on Modern Mythology a little bit about writers block, basically saying the idea is b.s. If you're blocked, why write? Do something "useful" for a change!

I'm half kidding but what I'm getting at is that our motive isn't financial - we hope to "buy" our time to be able to not be entirely distracted, so as to have the "right" to write or record music or perform or whatever our passion is.

I've been giving a lot of thought lately trying to figure this out, to look more at the "message" I'm trying to convey in the media - you know, why am I doing this, why have I committed to it even to the point of accepting that it might be the death of me? That's a big deal because I'm not being entirely hyperbolic. I mean it better be a worthwhile message to be worth that, right?

I think... I'm not sure but I think that the basic message is for people to allow themselves the right to be more themselves. And to really be genuine in that message I can't just say it. I have to live it. Let me tell you, sometimes it is very hard, but I've done my damndest. People need to not hide, downplay, gloss over, or outright lie about what speaks to them and who they are. Don't hide for your boss, your mom, your lover, your friends. Sure, we frame things different for different people. But we have to embrace our life and "love it violently" as crazypants Sheen said.
"But it'll get me fired!" "But they won't love me!" Then, forget those people. I'm serious. And by this I don't mean don't be professional, or just pee all over your computer at work because, you know, screw it. I just mean: be yourself. It amazes me how terrified so many people are of that simple thing.

This is no huge revelation, like no one has said this before, but there seems to be an incredible lack of this kind of genuineness in life. I think it comes out most from a sense of play. Creativity demands we refuse to allow a certain part of ourselves to "grow up." I think we have to hold on to that with our dear lives, because it is our life. Interestingly enough, there's a lot of research being done that we learn best through play. Obviously animals play to learn how to hunt and so on. Yet we sit around in these stolid classrooms and soul crushing factories. I just don't get it.

Some people get the sense - like it seems you did - that I'm about "art for arts sake" or that I need to grow up or get more hard-minded about business. The truth is, I've written plenty of proposals and business plans in my day, I've been involved in quite a few media businesses, and profit is a worthwhile means to certain ends. But those ends are an increased sense of play and creative exploration - and struggle - rather than more profit. Drucker's maxim holds true: "profit is a means, not a motive." Many people in this world have lost sight of that and it's plain disastrous. I don't mean figuratively. I mean it's destroying the planet, or at least, our place in it.

EC: I did get that impression about you. That's because you're a serious artist and I was making an assumption - the writers I tend to meet who consider themselves Artists (usually writing in the lit fic vein) give genre writers flack about commercial fiction. That's merely an observation, since it doesn't bother me...to me, writing is about serving readers and literary fiction and genre fiction both serve an important purpose.

JC: That's a fair assumption to make, about literary fiction and genre fiction. And you were probably reacting to a rant I put out about genres - but my gripe isn't so much the usual resentment I think some "literary" authors feel because genre fiction often outsells them and it's "crap" - it's with the idea that genres and the categories that we apply to things actually have any kind of reality.

Don't get me wrong, genres and categories serve a purpose. They can serve an absolutely necessary purpose. But they're still invented. It's the same thing you get where a discipline will take an issue and consider it "off limits," as if it somehow doesn't apply to them because "that's a matter for anthropology, not psychology!"

I've been wrestling with the genre issue a little with my most recent novel, Fallen Nation: Party At The World's End, which I'm now looking to shop to agents and publishers. It falls somewhere between "dystopian near future sci fi" and "urban fantasy." I wonder at what point these labels just become so absurd that we can let up with it already.

I know when I start talking like that some people think it must be because I'm unfamiliar with marketing or business, but quite the contrary, I've spent altogether too much time reading marketing reports and niggling about demographics. I think it is a potentially dangerous thing because as you said it's about serving readers, and there's a point at which publishers may think they know what people want more than they actually do when they're overlapping these genre ideas over what is actually motivating people.

At the same time, I know not to write any of this as the lede in my query letter. And if past experience is any indicator, it won't ultimately be a query letter that gets me talking to the right person at the right time. It'll be a random conversation at a party or even an interview. I've never had much luck painting by the numbers, though for some odd reason I find myself trying from time to time when things get rough, as if that approach is suddenly going to yield new results.

Let me give an example, to really reply to what you said. I agree that one of the primary purposes of writing is about serving readers. But you can't undervalue the value of writing itself, in terms of self discovery, in terms of its therapeutic benefits. What's interesting to me is that many authors say that if you're just writing for yourself, that's fine, but don't publish.

However, the times where I've tried to write for an audience and focus on that, a lot of people tell me that it doesn't ring as true to them as some of my other stuff, which I may have produced with no intent of making it public at all. It's a very odd thing, to me. In fact, I try to keep up with agent and publisher and writer blogs as much as possible but I'm finding that I really can't intentionally follow any of their advice, or if I do, I do so at great peril to my own work. Because people can tell. It sounds cliche, but it shows. Yet again the most important thing ultimately is to be true to yourself, whatever the hell that means.

Yet, at the same time, audiences want something that's familiar enough that they don't feel like they're being taken too far out of their comfort zone all at once. It's a very odd dance, and I will say that if I'm going to err on one side or the other I'd much prefer to err on the side that leaves them feeling uncomfortable rather than bored.

EC: I was thinking about what you said about how we buy our time as writers. If I weren't making any money with my writing, I think I would feel guilty about spending this much time wrapped up in it. But I'd still do it, even if I weren't making money. I'd just feel guilty.

I think you feel that you're hearing from some quarters that you're an idealist and aren't being realistic. I don't think idealism is counterproductive. The only problem is that you're opening yourself up to getting hurt in the process.
JC: Well, there can be no doubt. Cynicism and idealism go hand in hand and I am inarguably both. But I also think that you have to stick to your ideals - I mean the ones that really matter - because without that, what do you have? I'm no William Wallace. But I'd rather be William Wallace than Babbitt.

I think Hunter S Thompson was very much about this kind of idealism, about showing "the lie" to people. There was to my mind no greater idealist than him, and no greater patriot. Yet many of the things that he stood for in the mainstream mind seem very un-American, because people have lost sight I think of the responsibility that comes along with freedom. He kind of got stuck as this caricature of himself, and that was partially his fault I guess. I don't fashion myself to be like Hunter S Thompson. I'm my own person with my own experiences and my own voice. But I do have a lot of respect for what I see as his goal, in this respect.

So yeah, I have that kind of idealism and it does screw me over sometimes. It'd be a lot easier to "get with the program" in any number of ways. But I don't think I could live with myself if I did.

EC: Changing gears back to your work...You've characterized it as future dystopian with some urban fantasy influence. What's your inspiration for your latest book?
JC: See? I'm trapped in a web of my own words! But, no. I do think those genres are accurate enough.

This book was in many ways returning to some of the oldest themes for me. I wanted a way to allow people an entrance into some of more scholarly ideas in the Immanence of Myth that's much more exciting, and at the same time to provide some cultural commentary, about the pathologization of mental illness, about our moral and cultural hypocrisy, and so on.

The story is about a group of young adults that get locked away for a prank that goes too far... they get off with an insanity plea, so the story begins with them in the mental asylum. They all go by the names of different deities... Dionysus, Loki, Jesus, that kind of thing. And at first they are just kind of their call signs, but one at a time they start taking it seriously and believing, to one extent or another, that they are the present incarnation of that God.

Whether they are or not is of course never answered. Being housed in flesh, they are demigods, and can die like anyone else, so there's no real litmus test of whether they're actually demigods or just batshit insane. Or is there a difference?

When Loki springs them from the asylum, they form a band, and just happen to be in the right place right time kind of thing. It becomes a tipping point for a country already sliding down the hill. So I suppose you could say revolution is a theme of the story too, but that is all happening more in the background. That's not what the story is about. The story is about the characters, and their exploration of what it means to be... well, to be them. Demigods or not.

As I said, I'm looking to partner with an agent or publisher that understands where I'm looking to go with this project. But in the meantime you can pick it up through Lulu as a PDF eBook or paperback. And of course The Immanence of Myth has already been picked up by Weaponized, and will be on Amazon in July.

Thanks for the interview, James!

Have you got any questions for James? Thoughts on profit being a means and not a motive for art and writing? How about staying true to your writing instead of trying to write for a market (and find a publisher/agent?) Thoughts on myths as the appealing, connecting core of all stories?

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James Curcio creates dystopian propaganda for a generation of disenfranchised hedonists, intellectuals, and drug addicts. Rumors of being a key member of a harem of feral lesbians are slightly exaggerated, however. This propaganda is fed by a fascination with the overlap of narrative, psychology, philosophy, systems theory, and of course mythology, which seems to be an almost pathological fixation of his. Previous brain-washing agents have taken the form of novels, essays, scripts for comic and films, musical albums, soundtracks, podcasts, live performances, and installations. They were distributed to the eyes and ears of an unwitting public through the internet, print, and social media subversion. Now, in a move that may telegraph some kind of psychotic break, he's acting in the world's first Gonzomentary. He's also worked as art and content director, web designer, SEO assassin, sex ninja robot assassin, and once made an egg stand on its end with the force of will alone.

Softening a Main Character Just a Smidgeon

I'm drawn, as a reader and a writer, to protagonists who aren't all sweetness and light. They might just have a mischievous streak, or it could be something darker.

Occasionally, though, I've had to soften up a character when I've thought their bad traits pushed them over the line a little bit into unlikeable territory.

Softening a character's rough edges is easy to do. In fact, you can do it with your antagonist, too—they're probably not all bad, and making them multi-faceted can keep readers guessing and make these characters more realistic.

I was on a shopping expedition Saturday afternoon for plastic Easter eggs (I was definitely running a little behind on this errand.) All the stores were sold out by this time.

When I finally drove to Walmart, I was already in a stinky mood from going to three stores. The scanner at the self-checkout didn't read the bar code (naturally.) I ended up in a long line for a surly cashier who didn't even greet the customers ahead of me. What's more, I suddenly noticed that the eggs were $3 for fewer than a dozen. #%$#%#!!

"You could get twice as many eggs for half as much money," the cashier abruptly said when I finally got the front of the line. "They're right there on the wall…just there. I'll wait for you."

I pretended there weren't twenty people muttering darkly in the line behind me and dashed over to get the cheap eggs. And I'll tell you, I was just like the Grinch in the cartoon—my heart grew three sizes that day. I wasn't exactly the nicest Walmart shopper Saturday, but when I thanked the cashier and smiled, I think she softened toward her crabby customer, too. And probably felt pleased with herself for being helpful.

I know when I'm reading a book and I've already pegged a character as unlikeable, having them do something unexpectedly nice can give them a layer of dimension. We're not all bad and not all good (well, most of us, anyway.)

I really like the little glimpses of kindness instead of huge shifts in behavior. If it's too big of a change for the character (and the change isn't explained by a brush with death or something equally major), then it seems more that the character is just acting out of character (less of a good thing.)

Have you ever had to soften a character? Ever read one that should have been softened?

The Craft Essay on Why You Shouldn't Trust Craft Essays—by Man Martin

Today I'm welcoming Man Martin to the blog. Man is a writer, teacher, and founding member of the Perambulators living in Atlanta, Georgia. His debut novel, Days of the Endless Corvette, won him Georgia Author of the Year in 2008. His upcoming release, Paradise Dogs, launches in June from Thomas Dunne Books.

I was speaking to a fellow author at some gathering of writers or other and was moaning about the difficulty in plotting my new novel.

"What you need to do," she told me earnestly, "is write a series of 'set pieces' the scenes you know you need to have, and then you just need to do the transitions to fill in."

I smiled and nodded and thanked her for her advice. I'm always grateful for advice from more successful authors than I am, and just about all authors are more successful than I am. But I had no intention of doing what she said. The truth is, I wasn't really complaining about the difficulty I was having, I was bragging. I wanted her to know I was working on a project that defied boilerplate approaches, that transcended them.

No doubt my friend had learned about writing "set pieces" from one of those "So You Want to Be a Writer" craft books. Craft books and craft essays are chock full of such helpful nuggets. For example, one book on creating characters says each character should have a tag (a word or phrase that defines her, such as an unusual name) a mannerism (a typical behavior or twitch such as pushing the glasses up the bridge of her nose or saying "My stars!") and a relationship with someone or something, such as a cat whom she anthropomorphizes horribly.

I'm not spurning such advice, following it leads to perfectly serviceable narrative such as:

"My stars!" Eugenia Periwinkle exclaimed, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "Mr. Dowdle, you naughty, naughty pussycat, what have we said about using your litter box?"

The problem is, if you go about it that way, you're going to end up with troops of characters busily pushing glasses up the bridges of their noses, clearing their throats peremptorily, cracking their knuckles, or whatever mannerism you've decided to foist off on them. No doubt Emma Bovary had her mannerisms, but I don't recall them. It seems to me she merely acted as Emma Bovary would act in each given situation, and Flaubert was wise enough to let her get away with it. Does Humbert Humbert have a mannerism? He certainly has a tag – what do you do with a name like Humbert Humbert – and there's no mistaking he has a relationship. But a mannerism? I don't think so. Nevertheless, he's absolutely as real and convincing a character as I've ever come across. I wept when I read the death of D'Artagnan. (I'm an easy weeper.) But I don't recall his having a specific mannerism. He got into a lot of sword fights. Maybe that's a mannerism.

I could go on about advice from other craft books, and again, I'm not entirely discounting the advice. Every serious writer I know is also a serious student of craft and has a personal list of rules, some learned by hard experience and some gleaned from essays on craft. When I feel my story is sagging somewhere, I have a hard look at it under the magnifying glass of craft. I have a hard look at it anyways.

But at the end of the day, you're not a writer because you've read craft books, you're a writer because you've read books. Writing comes out of overflow, we fill ourselves to the brim with words and living until we just have to write. Basing your writing on what you've learned in craft essays is a bit (I know this is an overstatement) like learning to paint by buying a "Starry Night" paint-by-numbers kit. If you follow the directions, you will end up with something quite pleasant to look at, but it ain't gonna be Van Gogh and it ain't exactly gonna be yours either.

You want to be a writer? Read, read, read. Write, write, write. Let your characters be what they want to be once in a while without pasting a tag or a mannerism on their foreheads. Let situations lead where they want to lead without aiming for the next set piece. When you get stuck, instead of digging out a craft book, reread Richard III, and ask yourself, "What would Shakespeare do?" Then go back and write some more. Then read some more. Then write.

***********

Look for Paradise Dogs, June 2011 from Thomas Dunne Books
Booklist: Paradise Dogs is "simply brilliant."
Visit http://manmartin.blogspot.com
and manmartin.net