Darius Jones's Blog: A Writer Begins, page 21

On Keeping the Day Job

We’ve all got to make a living somehow. Some of us have to write, too. We can’t help it. It’s a kind of compulsion. It would be great to have all day to create, to edit, to do some social media duties and never have to worry about paying the bills. But if you’re like me and weren’t born independently wealthy, you’ve got to work.

So what to do? How should you make a living? And how do you square making a living with pursuing your creative avocation? Here’s a few things I’ve learned along the w...

Works in Progress–Getting There

A quick update on where I’m at.

TMWSE—When last we heard about this work (a horror short story), it was 3,500 words and I was on Chapter 3 of 5. Now, I’m about half way through Chapter 4 (the climax), and it’s about 5,200 words. So…I have to knock off the rest of Chapter 4 and then do the wrap-up chapter 5. The good thing is that I already have both chapters mapped out in my mind and I just have to bang it out this weekend.

Hopefully, this will be the weekend it gets done. Keep your fingers c...

The Craft–Grip

[This is part of a continuing series on the art of writing fiction.]

“If it was boring to write, how can you expect it to be exciting to read?”

– C. C., esq.

That’s my friend and sometimes editor, C.C., talking. He was razzing me ever so slightly about an article I wrote. But he was doing it to make a point. Granted the article was on a technical subject, but the problem was, I just kept it there. I didn’t bring in the people and the story behind the technology that would have made it interest...

Works in Progress–New Horror Story Takes Shape

All,

An update on my writing projects…

TMWSE—First, “Ta-da!” This now has a working title and it’s acronym is TMWSE. (I will reference it this way going forward).

It’s a new, straight-up horror short story and it’s shaping up nicely. I’ve written three of five acts in it so far. I think it’s at about 3,500 words right now. So, if I add another two short chapters, I should get to about 6,000 words or so—just the right word count for a short.

Writing this was another lesson in plotting out your S...

A Bummer Week

I was going to write another post about the Craft of writing fiction, but this is not the week for it. I’ve had some bad news.

My uncle passed away yesterday. I remember growing up across the street from him and he’s the guy who taught me how to play baseball. He also taught me a thing or two about how to bowl. I have a lots of other good memories of him growing up and in times since then. He lived a full life—just recently celebrating his 80th birthday—but it still seems sad and sudden.

In ot...

Works in Progress–2 Strikes

Here’s a little update on where my writing projects are at. We start off with two recent rejections and new piece I’m working on.

Breakpoint—My science fiction short story, “Breakpoint” got its second rejection. So, what did I do? I went out with my friend David and had some good Malbec (Zuccardi, for the wine people out there) and some Brazilian churrascaria. The copious amounts of red meat and wine seemed to do the trick. As did being able to share the disappointment with David. He is a biol...

Rare B Sides: The Jealous Extremaduran

[This post is part of a series on literary works that deserve a wider audience.]

[Spoiler Alert: This post contains plot elements from Cervantes’s “The Jealous Extremaduran.”]

And I’m back, so let’s dive right into it…Here’s another work that deserves a wider audience: “The Jealous Extremaduran” by Miguel Cervantes.

I read Don Quixote a long time ago, back in high school. I found it uneven and a bit loooong. But its central idea, the characters and certain scenes were pure genius. I’d highly r...

A Writer Marries

All,

Some tremendous news of a non-literary nature:

I’m getting married this Saturday! I’m about as happy as a man can be and can’t believe I’m going to marry the woman of my dreams…

In recognition of this life-altering event, I’m going to be, alas, taking a bit of a blogging break. Look for more of my blog later this month (October).

That’s about all for now. I have to run. In fact, right now I should be heading to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. I’ll be back later with a fe...

Works in Progress–Ghul on Amazon, SciFi Story Gets 1st Rejection

Sorry, I’m a bit late with the post this week. So, to get right to it: here’s a quick update on the stories I’m working on.

The Ghul of Yazd— Strangelet Journal’s first issue with my story, “The Ghul of Yazd,” and a host of stories from other new writers, is now available on Amazon Kindle.

Breakpoint—My science fiction short story, “Breakpoint” got its first rejection last week. So, what did I do? I turned it around and resubmitted it. I’m still submitting it to the pro magazines listed on Duo...

Five Reasons Marlowe Is Better than Shakespeare

I didn’t discover Christopher Marlowe until a couple of years ago. I had heard his name vaguely related to Shakespeare and didn’t think much more of it. I guess I felt another playwright full of “thees” and “thous” wouldn’t be my thing.

But one day, I was in one of my used book store haunts and “Dr. Faustus,” one of his plays, caught my eye. The play begins with a chorus focusing on the Doctor:

And glutted now with learning’s golden gifts,
He surfeits upon cursed necromancy;
Nothing so sweet as...