Konn Lavery's Blog: Posts from konnlavery.com, page 6

World-building: A Superverse

World-building is something every author needs to do for their books. Whether it’s a thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, horror or literature. All of them have some world that the characters fall into.

You can also take this one step beyond world-building and turn it into a superverse. If it’s in modern times, you take advantage of things we are familiar with. If it’s beyond, there’s more groundwork to be done. If it’s historical, you must research the culture and technology where the characters find themselves.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

I’ve been world-building in a superverse since I was a kid when I got the nick to write. The idea of having books interconnected throughout various genres was such a fantastic idea to me. Initially, this was done through Easter Eggs, hinting at the different stories sharing the same space.

These subtle injections functioned as a seed, sprouting into re-occurring characters and tight areas, ultimately creating what I have today with the Macrocosm. World-building takes time, and sometimes writing needs to be in the slow cooker, taking years before it becomes something tangible.

A lot happens behind the scenes before a single word is even typed in the manuscript. World-building is a big part of that. So what goes into world-building?

World-building: A Superverse

World-building and creating a superverse are one and the same. You’re essentially writing the laws the universe follows and the timeline of important events. For a superverse, the world rules expand for multiple books.

With the Macrocosm, I have many stories in various genres divided into past, present, and future. Short stories are an excellent form to explore where a superverse can go while building lore.

Why Build a Superverse for Your Books?

This is a fair question and something we should cover before diving into some organizing methods. Building a superverse creates a rich and engaging universe for your books. It also functions as a marketing tactic to encourage readers to explore your previous work, converting them into lifelong fans.

Rereading Your Old Work

Building a universe for all your novels is a lot of work. If your plan the superverse from the get-go, there are methods to keep yourself organized and ensure future stories avoid plot holes and continuity issues. If you decide to connect stories later, you do have to backtrack. This requires reading through your own work. Understanding the timelines, the law, and the universe’s rules is mandatory. Track and note every detail you can because fans will do the same thing.

Stay Organised

There are a few different ways to stay organized:

A Wiki

Wikis come in various forms. There’s the Wikipedia content management system or plugins for WordPress. Whatever method you use, a wiki makes auto-links for entries. It is a lifesaver. Continuity becomes far easier being able to surf through your own entries and see which books they appeared in. If it wasn’t for having a wiki, I wouldn’t be able to keep the world-building in line.

There are many different methods of creating a wiki. Some authors use the existing Wikipedia platform and have it exist offline or on a private website. As mentioned, WordPress also has many plugins that are helpful to act like a wiki.

Scrivener

I’ve known authors that have a world-building Scrivener project where they keep all the notes on the universe. This is a suitable method because it keeps the copy offline, you can edit it without pressure, and it’s relatively simple because it’s an environment many authors understand.

Make Notes on Everything

This is a no-brainer for people who like to plot their novels. This is not familiar territory for pansters or those right into the dark. Try to note your characters, plot, and other details.

These notes are helpful down the road when writing future books. A stylesheet effectively ensures unity in the character’s details.

The Macrocosm

The Macrocosm is my superverse. I’ve been working on this universe from the beginning. It’s been a slow burn, and this is the big year! My writing builds the Macrocosm as a superverse, containing all of my work. Its first announcement was in the short story collection Into the Macrocosm. A lot of this I have elaborated on in the newsletter introduction series.

The short stories on Patreon and the collections link characters, locations, and eras within the Macrocosm. They were vague and inconsistent. Finally, I’ve written a book that works as the flagship for this universe, and it will be released this spring.

The newsletter, and on Patreon, I’ve been sharing news about the new Ash Born series. This is a supernatural thriller that blends various genres into one story. It’s part of the new series that functions as the flagship for my work. Beta readers are just wrapping up their feedback on it, then it goes to the editor, and finally, a launch is likely in June.

I have more to share on the series in the coming months. For now, I will be vague about it. I will say that I am excited about bringing the Macrocosm to life with this series. Many of you have been involved in the process for a long time, watching it grow from the initial release of Reality back in 2012.

Get ready for an exciting new direction for this universe.

Beer Note: Steamworks Kolsch

As I write this, I am at my neighbourhood pub drinking the Steamworks Kolsch. It’s a light beer good on a cool or warm day. It’s clear, not loaded with hops, low in alcohol, and a great way to finish a Sunday.

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Canvas Rebel Interview

I was interviewed on Canvas Rebel to talk about my writing and graphic design business.

Find the full interview here: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-konn-lavery/

We cover

Who I amThe process of seeing a project through from beginning to endWhat drives a creative journeyHow I grew my design business and clientele

The post Canvas Rebel Interview appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Flute Master

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Click Here to Join Konn's Patreon Today

Konn's Popular Membership:
Monthly Short Stories + eBook for $5/mo CAD
$0.16 a day.



Three eBooks to dive into The Macrocosm
Monthly Short Stories in Written and Audiobook Format
Access to drafts, works-in-progress, and writing updates
High Rez Short Story Artwork for Phone Backgrounds
Your name in the thank you section of the next Macrocosm short story collection
Access to The Macrocosm Wiki

You're basically buying me a drink every month, fueling me to craft more stories!

Let's not forget you will get a copy of the Into the Macrocosm eBook to jump-start you into this strange world of fantasy, horror, thrillers, scifi, and bizarre.To view this content, you must be a member of Konn's Patreon at $5 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source

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Who Is the Captain Of The Ship?

At some point in everyone’s life, we should ask ourselves what is important. Who is the captain of the ship? Is it you or the tides of life? I have just finished my two-week yearly time off from my graphic design and web development business. I always title it “wandering mind” in the calendar because I use it to catch up on writing, reflect, and see where I’d like the New Year to take me. Let’s talk about some of the exciting writing coming this year. We’ll also dive into this philosophical ship concept for you to reflect upon.

Welcome To Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

Looking at your life is essential. It doesn’t matter when you do it. It might be as clich��d as mine ��� at the beginning of the year ��� or in the middle of a summer night. What matters is spending that time and being honest with yourself to decide if your current state is what you want.

For myself, the two weeks off is a requirement to better me as a creative professional. This applies to both my writing and my graphic design business. Of course, the two weeks were also used to pick up the fallen pieces after my girlfriend and I crash-landed in Vancouver in September.

As per usual, with the fall onwards, I can barely keep the wheel in hand. The crew takes over the ship, the tides of life are violent, and the captain is deemed worthless. My time is used up, it’s unbillable, I get sick, and the list goes on. Everyone has excuses.

I’ve been doing this cycle since the birth of my design business in 2014. Maybe 2023 will be different.

Exciting Writing Coming This Year

I finished my new dark urban fantasy novel with the working title of Ash Born. Currently, it is in beta readers’ hands, then off to the editor with a spring launch (fingers crossed). Keep an eye out for more news on that.

I’ve also been accepted into the 14th edition of The Horror Collection, The Lost Edition, with my short story He. That should be coming out in March.

I am also expanding upon a short story that was accepted into an anthology. However, the project folded. This new horror story will become a novella or novel. I plan to write the first draft throughout February while beta readers dig their teeth into Ash Born.

It’s been a busy two weeks of writing. I also used the time to see where 2023 will go. I asked myself some of these questions:

Who Is the Captain of the Ship? Is It you, Or the Crew?

This is important because what happened to me at the end of 2022 can happen to you. It can also happen to people on a much grander scale, taking you decades into some strange direction or career. This is why you should ask yourself what you want out of life.

It Is Okay to Say No, Or Yes

Usually, when people lose control of the ship to the crew and tides of life, it is due to not knowing when to say yes or no. Some people are shy and introverted. They have a difficult time saying yes to things. Extroverts have issues saying no and take on too many things. You can also commit to the wrong things by saying yes or no when it doesn’t align with your goals.

Take A Hard Look at Yourself and Ask Yourself, Where’s The Ship Going?

You might not know the end destination, but some clich��s hold true. It is in the destination accounts, but the journey. We have all heard this one before, and it is true. If you know the destination too well, planning the path backwards, you may miss essential opportunities along the way. Discover the journey and stay true to yourself.

Adapt and Steer the Ship

Sometimes what you think you want isn’t always right. Accept being wrong and steer the ship accordingly. You don’t know if something is for you until you try it. This includes big life decisions.

Regaining Control of The Ship

My two weeks off always lets me clean up the mess from September to December. I have gained control of the ship ��� for now ��� and steering in a new direction after a solid eight years of my graphic design and web development business. My old mentor and good friend helped me figure out how to slowly pivot myself professionally. That starts by building a new portfolio separate from my Reveal Design site.

It’s why I moved to Vancouver. I want to work in industries more related to entertainment, further from corporate energy, and closer to writing. So, with all the exciting writing coming out, I’m also re-pivoting my design business. Perhaps I can marry the two skills.

Beer Note: Main Street Brewing Kingpin Pale Ale

For this month, I will highlight another Main Street Brewing beer. I’m at this brewery quite frequently and previously featured the Pilsner. This month we are showcasing the Kingpin Pale Ale. I had fun with Pilsners and am looking for a beer with hops. Not too hoppy like modern IPAs. The Kingpin Pale Ale is a good mix of keeping the hop flavours while maintaining traditional beer flavour. I’m not an overly big fan of hazy beers. I don’t mind this one because it’s not over the top. Overall the Kingpin Pale Ale reminds me of IPAs from a good decade ago.

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Lurking For Legends 098 with Konn Lavery

I was back on the live Lurking for Legends show to discuss my work, the Macrocosm, and do a live reading with authors Richard H. Stephens, David M. Kelly, and Christie Stratos.

We read a sample of Mortal, found within the dark fantasy series Mental Damnation. Props, costumes, and character voices are used during the scene. It was a lot of fun playing out the action-filled chapter. Watch the whole episode below:

The post Lurking For Legends 098 with Konn Lavery appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Red Gate

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Click Here to Join Konn's Patreon Today

Konn's Popular Membership:
Monthly Short Stories + eBook for $5/mo CAD
$0.16 a day.



Three eBooks to dive into The Macrocosm
Monthly Short Stories in Written and Audiobook Format
Access to drafts, works-in-progress, and writing updates
High Rez Short Story Artwork for Phone Backgrounds
Your name in the thank you section of the next Macrocosm short story collection
Access to The Macrocosm Wiki

You're basically buying me a drink every month, fueling me to craft more stories!

Let's not forget you will get a copy of the Into the Macrocosm eBook to jump-start you into this strange world of fantasy, horror, thrillers, scifi, and bizarre.To view this content, you must be a member of Konn's Patreon at $5 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source

The post Red Gate appeared first on Konn Lavery.

2022 in Review

We���re almost done with another trip around the sun! 2022 was a life-changing ride, and I���m glad to move on. For this Unprocessed Thoughts, we���ll give the year are good summary and look at what���s coming in 2023. This is . . . 2022 in Review.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

I���ve done a lot of writing this year, despite only publishing one choose your own path book. That���s okay because next year I will catch the white whale. In addition, most of this year was dedicated to things I���ve always wanted personally. You only live once and might as well take a chance at doing something you love.

2022 in Review

Philosophical talk aside, let���s do a bullet list summary, shall we? They���re easier to scan:

I moved to Vancouver in British Columbia from Edmonton, Alberta. This was a significant time vampire. The deed is done. Onwards and upwards.I published one book. Beyond the Macrocosm: Interactive Short Stories of Dread and Wonder further explores the Macrocosm with plenty of dark fantasy, horror, and sci-fi thrills. Unfortunately, this book isn���t only intended for fans of the Macrocosm. Thus, it was only a soft release. I didn���t submit it to any award programs because it doesn���t wedge into a genre.I finished writing the white whale of my life. I���ve been working on the Ash Born series for a long time. It���s entirely written, nearly done with revisions, and it is coming out next year.I accidentally wrote the first fifth of a new horror novel. It was intended for a short story collection. The project ultimately folded. After reviewing the short, it���s clear it will make a fun novel.I reworked the entire newsletter and learned online marketing. This is in preparation for the Ash Born series next year.Rave and Into the Macrocosm had some award recognitions.Into the Macrocosm hit Amazon best seller in Horror Short Stories.

There we go. That���s the short and sweet summary of what I did this year. I did a lot of extra bits, such as continually growing my graphic design business. I have had new clients and learned new industry tools and tricks. None of that is related to writing, though.

2023: Onwards and Upwards

I���m excited about what the future holds in 2023. With Ash Born destined to come out, working on a new horror novel, and some short story submissions, I hope to enter the New Year with a bang.

Thank you all for the support this year as I sort out my life and continue to write. Expect more releases next year as we continue to explore the Macrocosm.

Beer Note: Steam Works Pale Ale

I���m pretty sure I���ve talked about this in previous Unprocessed Thoughts. It���s the only beer I have because I keep drinking it. That speaks volumes about its good taste and repeatability.

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Red Haven

Want to read this?

Click Here to Join Konn's Patreon Today

Konn's Popular Membership:
Monthly Short Stories + eBook for $5/mo CAD
$0.16 a day.



Three eBooks to dive into The Macrocosm
Monthly Short Stories in Written and Audiobook Format
Access to drafts, works-in-progress, and writing updates
High Rez Short Story Artwork for Phone Backgrounds
Your name in the thank you section of the next Macrocosm short story collection
Access to The Macrocosm Wiki

You're basically buying me a drink every month, fueling me to craft more stories!

Let's not forget you will get a copy of the Into the Macrocosm eBook to jump-start you into this strange world of fantasy, horror, thrillers, scifi, and bizarre.To view this content, you must be a member of Konn's Patreon at $5 or more - Click "Read more" to unlock this content at the source

The post Red Haven appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Attack of the Static Flood

November is one helluva busy month. We have NaNoWriMo, Movember, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, American Thanksgiving, and Canadian Remembrance Day. Before that, there is Inktober, Halloween, and Canadian Thanksgiving. A month before is September’s back-to-school rush and the end of the summer holidays. I’m sure I’m missing a ton of special days and events. Then . . . there’s the looming December where Mariah Carey haunts the halls of retail stores, ravaging the ears of poor workers.

Christmas follows, then Boxing Day, and finally New Year’s, where people make false promises to themselves. In between all the special days, marketing campaigns are rampant in every industry. Advertising buzzes wide on all broadcasting mediums. Accountants wish to square off their budgeting books for the end of their fiscal year and dump money into massive projects. Small, medium, and large corporations try to sell you on their things.

In between the chaos is the individual. People are bombarded with a great white noise. It washes over their lively senses, seeping into their well-being and sapping all energy from their soul. The physical senses are numbed from the continual bombardment.

This is the seasonal attack of the static flood.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

Dramaticism is such fun. The fall, leading up to the winter, is busy for all walks of life. It’s the ramp-up to the year when the big boys come out and play, stomping the entire market. This is both a positive and negative thing, depending on where your life is.

For me, it is a wonderful time for my graphic design and web development business. Everyone spontaneously grows money off trees and has projects for me to work on. I get to eat dinner!

On the flip side, as a writer, I’m a tiny, microscopic organism in the vast sea of the book industry. At the end of the year, it is nearly impossible to gain new readers. The static flood is relentless, washing away the attention span of many and bringing in new types of predators with big budgets that consume all media. The fangs and deep pocketbooks are too powerful for those with limited resources.

Evolve or DIE

The attack of the static flood is nothing new. It happened every year, far before the rise of the Internet. This is Western culture. Many of us are a drop in the ocean. It’s up to us to decide how we wish to evolve. Or don’t, and let the tides of others dictate your life.

I noticed the static flood way back when I worked retail at . . . get ready . . . Walmart. It was also prominent when I first started pursuing writing professionally in 2012. The convention seasons were usually spring and summer, trickling off in the fall. After that, the flood washed everyone’s attention spans away.

Specifically, in entertainment, blockbuster movies and big-time novels do make their spotlight known in the second half of the year. I’ll admit, sometimes those things catch my eye too. There���s great work out there.

For years, I trimmed down marketing books in October, November, and December. The return on investment basically plummets to one-fourth or lower. These months I focus on writing, tidying up the Macrocosm, and planning for the following year.

Beyond the Horizon of the Static Flood

Thankfully, all things pass with time. The continual re-occurring static flood always washes away. There is a horizon beyond the noise, and the sun will shine again. That’s because spring is coming due to the Earth���s orbit moving closer to the sun. Literalness aside, the time and energy aren’t worth pushing through the holiday season.

Yes, this contradicts what marketing experts and gurus will tell you. Perhaps you will succeed more, and this ramble is bogus to you. For me, the energy is far better spent prepping the next book and having a polished release for the following year’s spring. My dollar goes a lot further when buying media space as well.

Keep on Writing

November is a wonderful time for writers to celebrate. All levels of writers get together and share their updates about what they are working on. NaNoWriMo has always been a wonderful time for me and I am glad to participate this year. I hit the 50,000 words in 12 days, which I believe is a new record ��� woo hoo! Whatever you do, keep writing.

Beyond that, you don’t have to write only in November. Writing is a healthy habit that most of us do daily through emails and texts without much thought. Writing something for you is not a big jump. You���d be amazed at what it can do for your psyche, especially during the attack of the static flood. Nurture your soul.

Beer Note: Steamworks Brewing Pilsner

Once again, I fail to take photos. There are so many breweries in Vancouver. They have tasty ones too. I’ve decided to highlight Steamworks Brewing Company, specifically their Pilsner. Steamworks Brewing is a well-recognized brand in the city; you can practically find them on tap anywhere.

I’ve highlighted the Pilsner because it is on tap at my local pub, where I tend to do writing weekly. Light, crisp, and delicious. It’s precisely what you’d be looking for in a Pilsner.

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Invasion of the Remake Episode 367

I’m pleased to have talked to Invasion of the Remake during the Calgary Horror Con 2022. We chat about writing, my work, horror, and the convention! Check it out on Spotify or on their website.

Listen on their Website

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