Reb MacRath's Blog, page 34
May 16, 2013
Reb MacRath, Action Manifester! Chapter One
The one subject that's sure to set eyes rolling and hopes soaring in almost equal numbers has been called by many names: The Secret, The Law of Attraction, Manifestation, Creative Visualization, Positive Thinking...to cite just a few. Some call it Absolute Hooey. Some call it Pure Hokum. Some call it much worse.
The philosophy, though, has been around a long while. The Secret traces it back to the ancient Babylonians. But we needn't go back quite that far, since no Babylonian books have survived. We can follow the thread quite easily in our own country: from Ralph Waldo Emerson's and Prentice Mulford's shared doctrine 'Thoughts are Things'...to James Allen's 'As a Man Thinketh'...to Napoleon Hill's 'Think and Grow Rich'...and on down the line to Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and the gang.
Whatever their lingo, whatever their slant, the basic tenet that all share was best expressed by Joseph Murphy: 'Life is an out-picturing of your inner pictures.' Whether you believe devoutly, scoff in complete disgust, or are sitting on the fence, know this: a poor and miserable boy born as Archibald Alexander Leach transformed himself into his image of the ultimate elegant actor...renamed Cary Grant. An Austrian weakling with bad teeth and an unpronounceable last name hit the gym, seeing his arms as giant oaks--until they became just that. Arnold then saw himself as an actor, despite the 'impossible' odds and his accent. He then saw himself as Governor...Many fighters include visualization when they're training for upcoming fights...And, back to good ole Cary Grant, he succeeded in quitting smoking through a form of self-hypnosis, picturing his success.
Relax: Reb MacRath, Action Manifester will arrive in just a minute. But before he takes the stage, know this: I'd studied the subject for over twenty years with wildly mixed results.
On the plus side: I'd seen myself, finally, breaking into print and winning the Stoker Award...I'd seen myself traveling to New York, landing a copywriting position, marrying the girl of my dreams..
On the dark side: I'd seen my marriage crumble, seen myself enter a decade-long crash, seen my writing career go up in flames, seen myself enter The Desert for years...
Getting back onto the plus side: I'd seen myself getting my life back on track, seen myself publish 5 ebooks, seen myself lose 25 pounds and whip myself back into shape...
How could I avoid drifting again to the dark side?
Well, bless my soul--it's Reb MacRath, Action Manifester!
Now, I don't object in the slightest to becoming a new sort of hero: a man of a certain age who got his bleep together and succeeded in out-picturing some groovy, incredible things. But I really must confess:
THE 'GONG' WAS STRUCK BY ACCIDENT!
Forget all of my efforts to will new success. Forget all of my drive to control every single detail. Here's the miracle that came about to launch the debut of Reb MacRath, Action Manifester:
Certified 100% true:
Several weeks ago. with a week to go until payday, I'd taken care of all my bills but had next to nothing to live on. You can imagine my emotions. I didn't know what to do. But I'd just read a passage by Wayne Dyer: one that involved the spirit of abundance and the need to release our obsession with controlling all the details. I set out one day dead broke, but grateful for the job I had, for the ebooks I'd managed to publish, for the weight I'd been able to lose, for the modest pleasures I've managed to find here in Charlotte.
Dead broke, but feelin' good. I got to talking with a guy. Money never entered the conversation. I was dressed nicely, my manner upbeat. But he thanked me for brightening his night and handed me $12. As he left, he turned back around and slipped me $20 more!
Read what you will into this. But I never asked for anything. And I do believe that my embracing the spirit of abundance, instead of thoughts of scarcity and need, brought this turn of luck around.
And two days ago, out of the blue, I received an EFT from Amazon, unexpected royalties.
OKAY, OKAY, ALREADY! ON WITH THE ADVENTURE!
Well, here's the way-cool news for all: a master strategy came clear to me for keeping the wind in my sails. Find a good one of your own, if you decide to sail with Reb. I bought:
A new pocket-size Moleskine notebook.
The Grand Plan: a rotating five-part arc, with two pages a day for each part. My opening 5:
1) What Don't I Want? Frank, specific answers.
E.g.: I don't want low, or no, Amazon sales.
2) What Do I Want? Transformations of these into frank, specific positives on which I'll focus instead of Don't Wants.
E.g.: I do want a top-selling catalog of well-reviewed Amazon ebooks.
3) What Are My Top Priority Clearings? Note: The last word has no connection whatsoever with Scientology. It refers to areas in which I need more work.
E.g.: Anger management. Nutritional improvement. More consistent workouts.
4) Which intentions do I most need to feel I've already achieved?
E.g.: I need to feel like Ruby Reb now, not when I'm a millionaire.
5) Where do I most need to start letting go?
E.g.: My need to control specific outcomes. Or to let go of the hold of past painful memories,
Finally, to keep up my interest: I write one daily Perception, or new thought on the process. I list one or two Clearings. I visualize in detail one of my intentions as accomplished. And...I list one or two of the day's actions that further my intentions.
The Almighty Trick of It
But you already see the trick: Batches of 5 offer variety, but the constant repetition could take the wind from my sales. Soooooo...
For my second batch of five, which I began today, I did a variation:
1) What are the two Don't Wants that can most impact the rest, if I correct them first?
So, Where's the Beef, El Reberoo?
I thought you'd never ask! In the first week of the adventure, I manifested the following things:
--I won a part-time job at Macy's, which enables me to move from a substandard one-bedroom apartment into a newly renovated condo in August...also to beef up my wardrobe with compound associate discounts on threads...also to start advertising my ebooks by posting the covers on World Literary Cafe in June.
--I began rising long before the alarm to implement a new, Spartan fitness regimen. This is based on a program described by fitness master Matthew McConaughey: I'd read that he reached peak physical condition one summer by doing 1000 situps and 500 pushups each day--not all at once...but through the day. I've halved his numbers to start with.
--I've incorporated meditation and constant review of the new Moleskine into my daily routine.
--I've reached the halfway mark in 'retailoring'/rewriting my first Kelley Wilde book, The Suiting, for its 25th anny edition.
--At the same time, I'm prepping mentally to start revising the first draft of the next Boss MacTavin novel.
To be continued next week...
The philosophy, though, has been around a long while. The Secret traces it back to the ancient Babylonians. But we needn't go back quite that far, since no Babylonian books have survived. We can follow the thread quite easily in our own country: from Ralph Waldo Emerson's and Prentice Mulford's shared doctrine 'Thoughts are Things'...to James Allen's 'As a Man Thinketh'...to Napoleon Hill's 'Think and Grow Rich'...and on down the line to Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and the gang.
Whatever their lingo, whatever their slant, the basic tenet that all share was best expressed by Joseph Murphy: 'Life is an out-picturing of your inner pictures.' Whether you believe devoutly, scoff in complete disgust, or are sitting on the fence, know this: a poor and miserable boy born as Archibald Alexander Leach transformed himself into his image of the ultimate elegant actor...renamed Cary Grant. An Austrian weakling with bad teeth and an unpronounceable last name hit the gym, seeing his arms as giant oaks--until they became just that. Arnold then saw himself as an actor, despite the 'impossible' odds and his accent. He then saw himself as Governor...Many fighters include visualization when they're training for upcoming fights...And, back to good ole Cary Grant, he succeeded in quitting smoking through a form of self-hypnosis, picturing his success.
Relax: Reb MacRath, Action Manifester will arrive in just a minute. But before he takes the stage, know this: I'd studied the subject for over twenty years with wildly mixed results.
On the plus side: I'd seen myself, finally, breaking into print and winning the Stoker Award...I'd seen myself traveling to New York, landing a copywriting position, marrying the girl of my dreams..
On the dark side: I'd seen my marriage crumble, seen myself enter a decade-long crash, seen my writing career go up in flames, seen myself enter The Desert for years...
Getting back onto the plus side: I'd seen myself getting my life back on track, seen myself publish 5 ebooks, seen myself lose 25 pounds and whip myself back into shape...
How could I avoid drifting again to the dark side?
Well, bless my soul--it's Reb MacRath, Action Manifester!
Now, I don't object in the slightest to becoming a new sort of hero: a man of a certain age who got his bleep together and succeeded in out-picturing some groovy, incredible things. But I really must confess:
THE 'GONG' WAS STRUCK BY ACCIDENT!
Forget all of my efforts to will new success. Forget all of my drive to control every single detail. Here's the miracle that came about to launch the debut of Reb MacRath, Action Manifester:
Certified 100% true:
Several weeks ago. with a week to go until payday, I'd taken care of all my bills but had next to nothing to live on. You can imagine my emotions. I didn't know what to do. But I'd just read a passage by Wayne Dyer: one that involved the spirit of abundance and the need to release our obsession with controlling all the details. I set out one day dead broke, but grateful for the job I had, for the ebooks I'd managed to publish, for the weight I'd been able to lose, for the modest pleasures I've managed to find here in Charlotte.
Dead broke, but feelin' good. I got to talking with a guy. Money never entered the conversation. I was dressed nicely, my manner upbeat. But he thanked me for brightening his night and handed me $12. As he left, he turned back around and slipped me $20 more!
Read what you will into this. But I never asked for anything. And I do believe that my embracing the spirit of abundance, instead of thoughts of scarcity and need, brought this turn of luck around.
And two days ago, out of the blue, I received an EFT from Amazon, unexpected royalties.
OKAY, OKAY, ALREADY! ON WITH THE ADVENTURE!
Well, here's the way-cool news for all: a master strategy came clear to me for keeping the wind in my sails. Find a good one of your own, if you decide to sail with Reb. I bought:
A new pocket-size Moleskine notebook.
The Grand Plan: a rotating five-part arc, with two pages a day for each part. My opening 5:
1) What Don't I Want? Frank, specific answers.
E.g.: I don't want low, or no, Amazon sales.
2) What Do I Want? Transformations of these into frank, specific positives on which I'll focus instead of Don't Wants.
E.g.: I do want a top-selling catalog of well-reviewed Amazon ebooks.
3) What Are My Top Priority Clearings? Note: The last word has no connection whatsoever with Scientology. It refers to areas in which I need more work.
E.g.: Anger management. Nutritional improvement. More consistent workouts.
4) Which intentions do I most need to feel I've already achieved?
E.g.: I need to feel like Ruby Reb now, not when I'm a millionaire.
5) Where do I most need to start letting go?
E.g.: My need to control specific outcomes. Or to let go of the hold of past painful memories,
Finally, to keep up my interest: I write one daily Perception, or new thought on the process. I list one or two Clearings. I visualize in detail one of my intentions as accomplished. And...I list one or two of the day's actions that further my intentions.
The Almighty Trick of It
But you already see the trick: Batches of 5 offer variety, but the constant repetition could take the wind from my sales. Soooooo...
For my second batch of five, which I began today, I did a variation:
1) What are the two Don't Wants that can most impact the rest, if I correct them first?
So, Where's the Beef, El Reberoo?
I thought you'd never ask! In the first week of the adventure, I manifested the following things:
--I won a part-time job at Macy's, which enables me to move from a substandard one-bedroom apartment into a newly renovated condo in August...also to beef up my wardrobe with compound associate discounts on threads...also to start advertising my ebooks by posting the covers on World Literary Cafe in June.
--I began rising long before the alarm to implement a new, Spartan fitness regimen. This is based on a program described by fitness master Matthew McConaughey: I'd read that he reached peak physical condition one summer by doing 1000 situps and 500 pushups each day--not all at once...but through the day. I've halved his numbers to start with.
--I've incorporated meditation and constant review of the new Moleskine into my daily routine.
--I've reached the halfway mark in 'retailoring'/rewriting my first Kelley Wilde book, The Suiting, for its 25th anny edition.
--At the same time, I'm prepping mentally to start revising the first draft of the next Boss MacTavin novel.
To be continued next week...
May 15, 2013
Stop the Presses! I've Been Paid!
I'd promised you the first in a series of posts on the subject of manifestation. I'd planned to write the first entry today. But I'll get to it tomorrow because something exciting's just happened. As a matter of fact, it relates to that topic that's been on my mind for so long...but one thing at a time, eh?
Today I received an email from Amazon's Remittance Department. And for a horrible moment I thought that, with long days until pay day, somehow I owed them money. How this could be, I couldn't say...but I began to wonder if they'd take an IOU or at least wait a couple of days. Then I calmed down and read the email carefully.
No, I didn't owe them money. They'd sent me a royalties payment via EFT. The amount was small, but the sense of vindication was both huge and thrilling. I published my first ebook in April 2012, followed by four others. My first giveaway event netted about fifty downloads. Subsequent free days resulted in more downloads every time--with no impact on sales as far as I could see. Though I never lost hope, I did begin to wonder...
Well, the snowball has begun, I hope, to gather weight and speed. But whether our first payment is $20 or $200, we taste something like blood when it happens. And, after a long drought, our great thirst feels quenched. A few readers cared enough to buy. And now, by God, our job's to keep those precious few in mind--and to keep delivering the goods over and over again. Incomparably. Indomitably.
For when hundreds of thousands of ebooks are published every year, all howling for attention, we have a huge obligation if we've attracted attention: we'd bloody well better be grateful--and show it in our work. Cheers!
Today I received an email from Amazon's Remittance Department. And for a horrible moment I thought that, with long days until pay day, somehow I owed them money. How this could be, I couldn't say...but I began to wonder if they'd take an IOU or at least wait a couple of days. Then I calmed down and read the email carefully.
No, I didn't owe them money. They'd sent me a royalties payment via EFT. The amount was small, but the sense of vindication was both huge and thrilling. I published my first ebook in April 2012, followed by four others. My first giveaway event netted about fifty downloads. Subsequent free days resulted in more downloads every time--with no impact on sales as far as I could see. Though I never lost hope, I did begin to wonder...
Well, the snowball has begun, I hope, to gather weight and speed. But whether our first payment is $20 or $200, we taste something like blood when it happens. And, after a long drought, our great thirst feels quenched. A few readers cared enough to buy. And now, by God, our job's to keep those precious few in mind--and to keep delivering the goods over and over again. Incomparably. Indomitably.
For when hundreds of thousands of ebooks are published every year, all howling for attention, we have a huge obligation if we've attracted attention: we'd bloody well better be grateful--and show it in our work. Cheers!
May 10, 2013
Coming Soon : A Brand-New Blog Adventure!
Starting one day within the next week: A once-weekly true serial adventure on the subject of manifestation. Stay tuned.
A small miracle the other night, one that connected directly to a page I'd just read on the subject, convinced me that the time had come to put what I've learned to the test. Background: I've studied the subject for thirty-odd years and portrayed it in my book, THE VANISHING MAGIC OF SNOW. Can I prove, though, that The Secret, or manifestation, does work?
Believers and nonbelievers alike should find the chronicles amusing. Nothing heavy-handed. I'll describe as lightly as I can the results of my attempts to put my thoughts into action.
Chapter One will include: description of the miracle, my immediate goals and beginning actions--or moves upon the board.
A small miracle the other night, one that connected directly to a page I'd just read on the subject, convinced me that the time had come to put what I've learned to the test. Background: I've studied the subject for thirty-odd years and portrayed it in my book, THE VANISHING MAGIC OF SNOW. Can I prove, though, that The Secret, or manifestation, does work?
Believers and nonbelievers alike should find the chronicles amusing. Nothing heavy-handed. I'll describe as lightly as I can the results of my attempts to put my thoughts into action.
Chapter One will include: description of the miracle, my immediate goals and beginning actions--or moves upon the board.
May 5, 2013
Twittering Continued: Will You Catch Your Flight or Miss the Boat?
A good short run bodes well for the long run. Whatever we're pitching on Twitter--a book, a business, a buff bod, a sparkling sense of humor--others will form their impressions on the strength of a handful of Tweets. I know, I know. This just doesn't seem fair. 140 characters? I share your pain. But the truth is: within the iron confines, clever peeps can rock.
I'll take this a step further: clever peeps not only rock, they manage to project tantalizing glimpses of personality, style and character well worth a closer look. And we're wise to look more closely. Why? Because when all of that's conveyed in 140 characters, we know a wealth of talent is at play behind the post. And we know that this writer's gone out of his/her way to treat us as real, busy people--not a great sea of faceless marks for whatever it is that s/he's selling. We can also be reasonably certain that a writer who can work within a 'budget' this tight will be a joy to be around when s/he has more room: a book or a business proposal.
We're wise to look more closely because Tweeters like this are so rare. If we scroll through an average list of Tweets we'll a lot of mostly, sorry, mental masturbation: nonstop recylings of past posts: BUY MY BOOK/ON SALE TODAY/READ MY REVIEWS/USED CARS AT OUT OF THIS WORLD PRICES/TODAY I DID MY LAUNDRY, etc.
You'd be foolish not to wonder: Hey, what's in this for me? The good news is: As you get better at asking that question, you'll grow in skill at answering how you can engage readers as real people, and capture their attention, in 140 characters.
My training: I worked as a retail copywriter years before computers or Twitter. Our space restrictions were severe and we had to count characters to make sure our copy would fit before the works went to production. Usually, we had room for one creative sentence before we moved on to fabric content, percentage of savings, dollars saved, disclaimers, etc. One sentence! And occasionally my ads were competing with those of six other writers. I had to get my shine on fast with products that weren't that exciting in and of themselves.
The two important lessons: shoppers don't buy only to save money...and they want to be romanced--but not snowed. I romanced them playfully, making them feel good about buying something, on the cheap, by a not famous designer: E.G.: Down comforters: Nights go better under down... Reversible comforters: One good turn deserves another...
Now, this wasn't Shakespeare. Nor need anyone else become a retail copywriter. But learning to maneuver within a very tight space is a cool and useful exercise. And the exercise is simpler if we think in terms of YOU, not MEMEME. If I remember that YOU are busy and bombarded by self-serving Tweeters, I'll make the time to custom tailor Tweets with YOU in mind.
I'll take this a step further: clever peeps not only rock, they manage to project tantalizing glimpses of personality, style and character well worth a closer look. And we're wise to look more closely. Why? Because when all of that's conveyed in 140 characters, we know a wealth of talent is at play behind the post. And we know that this writer's gone out of his/her way to treat us as real, busy people--not a great sea of faceless marks for whatever it is that s/he's selling. We can also be reasonably certain that a writer who can work within a 'budget' this tight will be a joy to be around when s/he has more room: a book or a business proposal.
We're wise to look more closely because Tweeters like this are so rare. If we scroll through an average list of Tweets we'll a lot of mostly, sorry, mental masturbation: nonstop recylings of past posts: BUY MY BOOK/ON SALE TODAY/READ MY REVIEWS/USED CARS AT OUT OF THIS WORLD PRICES/TODAY I DID MY LAUNDRY, etc.
You'd be foolish not to wonder: Hey, what's in this for me? The good news is: As you get better at asking that question, you'll grow in skill at answering how you can engage readers as real people, and capture their attention, in 140 characters.
My training: I worked as a retail copywriter years before computers or Twitter. Our space restrictions were severe and we had to count characters to make sure our copy would fit before the works went to production. Usually, we had room for one creative sentence before we moved on to fabric content, percentage of savings, dollars saved, disclaimers, etc. One sentence! And occasionally my ads were competing with those of six other writers. I had to get my shine on fast with products that weren't that exciting in and of themselves.
The two important lessons: shoppers don't buy only to save money...and they want to be romanced--but not snowed. I romanced them playfully, making them feel good about buying something, on the cheap, by a not famous designer: E.G.: Down comforters: Nights go better under down... Reversible comforters: One good turn deserves another...
Now, this wasn't Shakespeare. Nor need anyone else become a retail copywriter. But learning to maneuver within a very tight space is a cool and useful exercise. And the exercise is simpler if we think in terms of YOU, not MEMEME. If I remember that YOU are busy and bombarded by self-serving Tweeters, I'll make the time to custom tailor Tweets with YOU in mind.
May 2, 2013
Too Few Dare to Be Used on Twitter
Everybody has a plan for getting rich through Twitter. The plans pretty much come to the same selfish thing: gather a half-million followers...Tweet a hundred times a day, pitching the same books...achieve a 'conversion' rate to sales of even 10 percent. Result: 50,000 sales at 70% of 2.99/copy. Yeah, $100,000--hopefully, each month--ain't exactly chump change. And some may succeed through doing this.
But, I suspect, not many. For the most part, we grow blind and deaf to nothing but pitches from strangers. BUY MY BOOK! FREE TODAY! ONLY .99! 5-STAR REVIEWS! We ignore these for good reason: they have nothing to do with us. No attempt has been made to engage us. We're not even treated as readers. We're like sexual partners with bags on our heads.
These writers conclude from their sales figures that Twitter doesn't work. It does--for those who not only use Twitter but who consent to be used. Used in the positive sense of the word. The more we do for our followers, the more devoted and loyal they're likely to be.
I adhere to the following three basic rules:
1) Maintain a healthy balance between my shout-outs and my reach-outs. If I tout my books once or twice a day, I try to produce at least two or three interesting, funny Tweets that reveal something about me and my writing style while they entertain.
2) Remember that my followers have their own dreams and ambitions. Some of them are following me because of the strength of my follower base: about 15,000 and growing. I'm happy to RT for them and to be of use.
3) Share, now and then, lessons I've learned about writing and the publishing business through occasional links to my blog. With nine published books to my credit, it's time to open up and share.
We're far more likely to see the upside of Twitter if we show it due respect. Let me close with three examples:
1) Last year a Twitter contact conducted my first interview. This year three more Twitter contacts have led to three more interviews.
2) A playful Tweet about my most popular ebook, Nobility, led one follower to write that she'd downloaded the book on the strength of that Tweet, which she'd enjoyed immensely.
3) Some fine reviews have come my way from those who discovered me first through my Tweets.
In closing: don't be too quick to write off Twitter because it's not selling your product or books. You'll see different results if you approach Twitter in a different spirit. Try!
But, I suspect, not many. For the most part, we grow blind and deaf to nothing but pitches from strangers. BUY MY BOOK! FREE TODAY! ONLY .99! 5-STAR REVIEWS! We ignore these for good reason: they have nothing to do with us. No attempt has been made to engage us. We're not even treated as readers. We're like sexual partners with bags on our heads.
These writers conclude from their sales figures that Twitter doesn't work. It does--for those who not only use Twitter but who consent to be used. Used in the positive sense of the word. The more we do for our followers, the more devoted and loyal they're likely to be.
I adhere to the following three basic rules:
1) Maintain a healthy balance between my shout-outs and my reach-outs. If I tout my books once or twice a day, I try to produce at least two or three interesting, funny Tweets that reveal something about me and my writing style while they entertain.
2) Remember that my followers have their own dreams and ambitions. Some of them are following me because of the strength of my follower base: about 15,000 and growing. I'm happy to RT for them and to be of use.
3) Share, now and then, lessons I've learned about writing and the publishing business through occasional links to my blog. With nine published books to my credit, it's time to open up and share.
We're far more likely to see the upside of Twitter if we show it due respect. Let me close with three examples:
1) Last year a Twitter contact conducted my first interview. This year three more Twitter contacts have led to three more interviews.
2) A playful Tweet about my most popular ebook, Nobility, led one follower to write that she'd downloaded the book on the strength of that Tweet, which she'd enjoyed immensely.
3) Some fine reviews have come my way from those who discovered me first through my Tweets.
In closing: don't be too quick to write off Twitter because it's not selling your product or books. You'll see different results if you approach Twitter in a different spirit. Try!
May 1, 2013
The Third Reberview
My third interview's just gone live on Troy Jackson's blog:
http://tinyurl.com/bovq6l8
The part about drafting and editing timelines should be of special interest to writers.
Check it out!
April 27, 2013
Editing: An Overdue Hug For My Dirty Old Man
The worst son of a bitch I ever worked for was an old rascal named X: a chainsmoking elderly richnik who dreamed of becoming a media baron in Toronto, Canada.
I hit the jackpot--so I thought--when a Hapkido classmate got me a writing position on X's special new project: a magazine called Odyssey. Salary: the then outrageous amount of $500 a week. After years of failure I lived the good life, I'll tell you. But at the same time I spent money like a drunken sailor I saw the writing on the wall a bit more clearly every day: X shot down every idea I proposed. Worse, he shot down stories on ideas that he'd proposed: "Jesus, kid you're brilliant--an article about a new gas tank that will reduce auto gas consumption...when some of our lead advertisers are involved in gas and oil. Moron!"
And so it went, for two hellish months, while I collected my heavenly checks, wondering why he'd hired me and exactly what he did want. At the end of month two I was fired without notice. The Hapkido classmate who'd got me the job told me that I was the third writer hired and fired in the last six months. And off the record we agreed on two things: the magazine appeared to be either a tax write-off or a vanity project. And: only a failed writer could enjoy trashing young writers that much.
Stop there: if we dare to start off with back story, we'd best have something worth the wait. So let's cut to the present and get to the point: Over the years X has evolved from a hateful memory into a useful interior ally as my Senior Editor. Oh, he's nowhere in sight when I start, that's for sure. It's party time, at the beginning, for the Muse and me. We make mud pies, we horse around, not a thought in our heads about making mistakes--or the extra time we'll have to spend to remove the kitchen sink that we keep throwing in. We ignore all thoughts of angry shouts that we're not cost effective. Party time, party time!
However, at the second draft, it's time for the Dirty Old Man. Let the brutal bastard 'fire' words, phrases, even entire pages if they're slacking on the job or if they can't carry their weight. Unlike the younger self who ate doody for $500 a week, I'll engage in knockdown fights with the current DOM about lovely descriptions or wonderful quips that he insists on cutting. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. But I've come to find a balance between my calls and his.
And, with a sigh, I have to say I dig the brutal bastard. Still, I won't let him within a country of me during the first draft. Brutal bastards have their place--but they don't belong at a party.
I hit the jackpot--so I thought--when a Hapkido classmate got me a writing position on X's special new project: a magazine called Odyssey. Salary: the then outrageous amount of $500 a week. After years of failure I lived the good life, I'll tell you. But at the same time I spent money like a drunken sailor I saw the writing on the wall a bit more clearly every day: X shot down every idea I proposed. Worse, he shot down stories on ideas that he'd proposed: "Jesus, kid you're brilliant--an article about a new gas tank that will reduce auto gas consumption...when some of our lead advertisers are involved in gas and oil. Moron!"
And so it went, for two hellish months, while I collected my heavenly checks, wondering why he'd hired me and exactly what he did want. At the end of month two I was fired without notice. The Hapkido classmate who'd got me the job told me that I was the third writer hired and fired in the last six months. And off the record we agreed on two things: the magazine appeared to be either a tax write-off or a vanity project. And: only a failed writer could enjoy trashing young writers that much.
Stop there: if we dare to start off with back story, we'd best have something worth the wait. So let's cut to the present and get to the point: Over the years X has evolved from a hateful memory into a useful interior ally as my Senior Editor. Oh, he's nowhere in sight when I start, that's for sure. It's party time, at the beginning, for the Muse and me. We make mud pies, we horse around, not a thought in our heads about making mistakes--or the extra time we'll have to spend to remove the kitchen sink that we keep throwing in. We ignore all thoughts of angry shouts that we're not cost effective. Party time, party time!
However, at the second draft, it's time for the Dirty Old Man. Let the brutal bastard 'fire' words, phrases, even entire pages if they're slacking on the job or if they can't carry their weight. Unlike the younger self who ate doody for $500 a week, I'll engage in knockdown fights with the current DOM about lovely descriptions or wonderful quips that he insists on cutting. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. But I've come to find a balance between my calls and his.
And, with a sigh, I have to say I dig the brutal bastard. Still, I won't let him within a country of me during the first draft. Brutal bastards have their place--but they don't belong at a party.
April 22, 2013
On a 25-year Reunion with My First Published Book
August will mark the 25th anniversary of my first novel, The Suiting. Published in hardback by Tor, under the name Kelley Wilde, it went on to win a Stoker Award for Best First Novel and was soon after optioned for film. For some I'd been thinking of a special ebook edition...but had been stumped by how exactly I would make it special. A short story at the end? An interview? An essay on the transition from Kelley Wilde to MacRath?
Still unclear, I approached the book with some trepidation. After all, it had been my biggest trad-pubbing success. And I'd gone through hell in The Desert after my fourth book. My only plan when I began to was to 'tweak' the novel as I proceeded to retype it. (No computer way back then.)
But within two pages, I had my work cut out for me. For over the course of those twenty-five years, I'd learned to write more clearly...developed a good sense of rhythm...come to better balance short and longer sentences, etc. I thought of calling this: The Perfector's Cut. But I make no claim to perfection. Instead, I've set out to transform a better than average first novel into a much smoother read. One true in every way to the original story--but rewritten, using skills that I didn't have at the time.
Talk's cheap. Example:
Original text: p. 31:
A rare Saturday in April. The last traces of the previous night's snow had vanished from the walks an hour ago. The air was cool and dry; it caught at the top of your throat, each breath a tiny reminder that until tomorrow there were no complaints.
Revised:
A rare Saturday morning in April. The last traces of the evening’s snow had already melted. The cool, dry air caught at the top of your throat, each breath a rest from old complaints.
Because this is precision work, I expect to spend the next two months doing far more than retyping. I think you'll like the version I'll tag '25 years Young'.
Still unclear, I approached the book with some trepidation. After all, it had been my biggest trad-pubbing success. And I'd gone through hell in The Desert after my fourth book. My only plan when I began to was to 'tweak' the novel as I proceeded to retype it. (No computer way back then.)
But within two pages, I had my work cut out for me. For over the course of those twenty-five years, I'd learned to write more clearly...developed a good sense of rhythm...come to better balance short and longer sentences, etc. I thought of calling this: The Perfector's Cut. But I make no claim to perfection. Instead, I've set out to transform a better than average first novel into a much smoother read. One true in every way to the original story--but rewritten, using skills that I didn't have at the time.
Talk's cheap. Example:
Original text: p. 31:
A rare Saturday in April. The last traces of the previous night's snow had vanished from the walks an hour ago. The air was cool and dry; it caught at the top of your throat, each breath a tiny reminder that until tomorrow there were no complaints.
Revised:
A rare Saturday morning in April. The last traces of the evening’s snow had already melted. The cool, dry air caught at the top of your throat, each breath a rest from old complaints.
Because this is precision work, I expect to spend the next two months doing far more than retyping. I think you'll like the version I'll tag '25 years Young'.
April 17, 2013
What the devil do I call him now?
The name game's a tough call in writing: deciding and re-deciding as we go along what to call a character.
I've read books by some very fine writers and watched them wrestle with the same conundrum. On one page--or in one paragraph--they may call a character by his full name, his first name and his surname. I understand the drive to do this. The inner ear is at work and sending out a signal that the repetition of names is too much and variety is required. Or, possibly, the author is sending out a very subtle signal that this character is shadowy or fluid.
Similarly, if one character--let's say a very tough one--has been called by his last name throughout...then in a vulnerable moment is referred to by his first name, the new sense of intimacy can take us by surprise. And it's generally a wise idea to get the character's full name out upfront.
That said, I found myself doing a three-name as I typed the first draft of my new fall thriller. Boss, the hero, calls the villain Robert Johnston...then RJ...then Johnston. Sometimes he refers to him by his position: majordomo. I could chalk this up as boredom with name repetition. But something else may be at play: either Boss or I have failed to form a solid take on RJ...or Robert...or Johnston...or the domo.
We'll see. The most likely solution, at this point, may be: Introduce him as the don's majordomo, Robert Johnston...have him tell Boss, please, just call me RJ...have Boss think/write of him as Johnston or the domo...then, at a critical moment, address him as "Robert".
Somehow I'll contrive a way to wed my instincts and my inner ear. Cheers!
I've read books by some very fine writers and watched them wrestle with the same conundrum. On one page--or in one paragraph--they may call a character by his full name, his first name and his surname. I understand the drive to do this. The inner ear is at work and sending out a signal that the repetition of names is too much and variety is required. Or, possibly, the author is sending out a very subtle signal that this character is shadowy or fluid.
Similarly, if one character--let's say a very tough one--has been called by his last name throughout...then in a vulnerable moment is referred to by his first name, the new sense of intimacy can take us by surprise. And it's generally a wise idea to get the character's full name out upfront.
That said, I found myself doing a three-name as I typed the first draft of my new fall thriller. Boss, the hero, calls the villain Robert Johnston...then RJ...then Johnston. Sometimes he refers to him by his position: majordomo. I could chalk this up as boredom with name repetition. But something else may be at play: either Boss or I have failed to form a solid take on RJ...or Robert...or Johnston...or the domo.
We'll see. The most likely solution, at this point, may be: Introduce him as the don's majordomo, Robert Johnston...have him tell Boss, please, just call me RJ...have Boss think/write of him as Johnston or the domo...then, at a critical moment, address him as "Robert".
Somehow I'll contrive a way to wed my instincts and my inner ear. Cheers!
April 12, 2013
My second interview
I'd done one interview, with Becky Scarberry. And I'm proud of the job that we did. But recently a complete stranger asked to interview me and I said yes. I'm glad I did! 'Jason Bourne', his Twitter handle, put me on the hot seat and then kept probing till he'd gotten exactly what he wanted: Reb MacRath Unchained. You should have a look at this. Me, I plan to rest a while before I do another. http://tinyurl.com/cpt2w65
