Chris Baty's Blog, page 66

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 25

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman

Here’s day 25, and what a wild day it is!

Tide

Cover design by Victor Davila, based on a novel by Young Writers Program participant Megan Perkins:

It is 3062. Earth’s land and sea are divided and at war. When Saylor’s family disappears, she, thinking that they were captured by the forces of the sea (pirate ships) sets out to find her family. She meets a boy who is from the sea and learns that he was on his way to the land to find his family that he had thought had been taken by the land.

They both realize that neither side had been taking people and that there is a bigger force behind the war. They have to convince everyone that they have to band together to defeat this force before humanity destroys itself. 

Cover Design by Victor Davila

Victor Davila is an illustrator and designer from the Orlando, FL area, as well as an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida’s School of Visual Arts and Design teaching illustration and design. He has worked on everything from character designs and storyboards for animation, to editorial illustrations, interactive games, and childrens’ books.

Victor is also the founder of the central Florida illustrator collective Giant Illustrators, the President of AIGA Orlando, and on the organizing committee of Creative Mornings Orlando.

For more of Victor’s work, check out his website, and follow him on Instagram!

Join us on the forums for wacky fun and the sharing of opinions!

Cover Photo by Will Turner on Unsplash.

BRAVE THE PAGE Excerpt: Writer’s Block

Brave the Page, our brand new NaNoWriMo handbook for young writers, is available to order! Partly a how-to guide on the nitty-gritty of writing, partly a collection of inspiration to set (and meet) ambitious goals, this is our go-to resource for middle-grade writers. Check out this Brave the Page excerpt on how to beat writer’s block:

Your story is in front of you, you’re ready to write, but your mind is blank. You call out to your imagination, “Help! I need you!” but there’s no response. You stare. And stare. And stare. But no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to get a single word down. You try going for a walk. You try talking to a friend. You try screaming into a pillow. But still, the words won’t come. 

If this scenario sounds familiar, you, dear Writer, have a case of Writer’s Block. 

The good news is this diagnosis isn’t fatal. Your story will survive! Just take one or more of these over-the-counter remedies to get your ideas flowing again: 

Grab your Writer’s Block and give it a great, big hug. Don’t try to fight or hide it because that will make it worse—instead, accept that you’re stuck. And then acknowledge that all writers (including the most famous ones) have also faced this challenge. Next, tell yourself that there’s a way to unclog your ideas. You might not have found it yet, but it’s out there. Learning to honor and accept these creative impediments will help you see them for what they are: a part of the beautiful and sometimes angst-ridden creative process. Write through your block. Write nonsense. Write what you had for breakfast. Write about how you hate not knowing what to write. Your words might not make sense. They might not relate to your story. They might feel like a waste of time. But, eventually, the very act of writing will shake your imagination out of its deep slumber and you’ll find that you’ve landed back in your story.   
Talk it out with another person. Call a friend or corner a family member and tell them you can’t think of what to write next. Give them a rundown of your plot or a brief summary of the last scene. Talking about your story with another person can help generate new ideas and enthusiasm.
Talk it out with your Inner Therapist. That’s right, next to your Inner Editor’s office is your Inner Therapist, a licensed practitioner who loves to listen and help solve complex problems. Here’s how it works: you ask questions, and then write down your Inner Therapist’s responses. Take a look at this example:

ME: Why can’t I think of anything to write? 

INNER THERAPIST: That’s a great question. I wonder if you could try to answer it yourself. Why can’t you think of anything to write? 

ME: Let’s see. My protagonist is stuck in jail, so there’s not a lot she can do. I feel like I backed my story into a wall. Or into a cell. Now nothing can happen. 

INNER THERAPIST: Interesting dilemma! I wonder why nothing can happen in jail? What does she think of the food? Do prisoners ever get food poisoning? Is your protagonist going to try to escape? Or does she meet any other prisoners? What if there’s a prisoner who looks just like her? Or like her mom? Or grandmother? 

ME: Those are good questions. I like the idea of her seeing someone who looks like her. Thanks! 

Meet with your mentor. Remember that mentor of yours, the one who’s available 24/7 and totally free of cost? That’s right, we’re talking about your favorite book. Take some time to flip through it. Re-read your favorite parts. Or read a random page or two. How does the author push the story forward? What are the subplots in the book? Are there any plot twists? Remember, you should never copy another person’s work, but you can definitely take ideas and make them your own. For example, let’s say the protagonist in your favorite book loves to spy on strangers, you could have your protagonist spy on a friend or family member. Or let’s say there’s a chapter in your favorite book that’s told entirely in verse (poetry), you could try writing a chapter of your story in verse.  

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 24

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with  designer and author Debbie Millman

Day 24!

God on Earth

Cover design by Rachel Gogel, based on a novel by Young Writers Program participant RRW:

On Earth, a group of women raise girls from birth to be future gods. They each vow to never fall in love, but one girl will risk everything for the love of her life, who happens to be a mortal woman. Together, they embark on a journey of queer self-discovery and the fight for love and freedom.

Cover Design by Rachel Gogel

Born and raised in Paris, France, Rachel Gogel has worked at the intersection of brand, product, advertising, and editorial for over a decade. She is currently a creative director at the design and strategy firm Godfrey Dadich Partners, based in San Francisco. Rachel was named by Forbes as one of 2015’s 30 under 30 in media, and has led major initiatives at Facebook, The New York Times, and GQ. Rachel believes in the importance of empowering other creatives, building inclusive teams, and supporting women-led causes.

Visit her website, and follow her on Instagram and Twitter!

And stop by the forums to join the discussion!

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 23

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman

Here’s day 23:

Mora

Cover designed by Courtney Glancy based on a novel by NaNoWriMo participant C. Schroeder

Three of the greatest writers of all time share a family name and origin story, but while their blood binds them together, their personal battles threaten to tear them apart.

Anne, the most outgoing of the three reserved Brontë sisters, wishes to correct the shame her father’s addiction has brought them but first must put down the bottle and overcome her alcoholism. Emily is a hopeless romantic but too shy to connect with her lover outside of paper. Charlotte, fascinated by the wild and untouchable, is months away from reaching her goals: She has the bones of her most iconic work, but is unable to see the forest or trees of the project.

The sisters’ greatest stumbling block proves not to be their lack of a governess, drunk father, or womanhood, but their internal battles with varied forms of mental illness. The three Brontë sisters discover love, loss, and a shared passion while spending countless hours together on their family’s moor. With great genius comes great responsibility. With three Brontës comes great instability. 

Cover Design by Courtney Glancy

Courtney is an art director at idfive, a mission-based marketing agency based in Baltimore. She works in all facets of design and strategy, from brand to digital to design thinking. An industry veteran, there are few challenges she hasn’t tackled. She’s continually looking for new ways to redefine design as it applies to business and marketing—and beyond. Courtney also served as programming director for the Baltimore chapter of AIGA for three years. Aside from design, if you mention travel, food, or cats, she’ll talk your ear off.

Follow her on Instagram!

Also, join us on the forums for discussion!

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 22

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman .

When Blood is Nipp’d and Ways be Foul

Cover Design by Victoria Pickett, based on a novel by NaNoWriMo participant J.B. Smith:

When Kyra Blackwell took a shortcut through an abandoned alleyway, she had no idea of the horrors that awaited her. After witnessing a brutal murder, she became the sole survivor of the infamous Shakespeare Killer. A deadly serial killer with a morbid fascination with William Shakespeare. Soon after Kyra received a letter from S.K., thrusting her into a lethal game of cat and mouse. Against insurmountable odds, Kyra was able to stop S.K.’s devious plot and save innocent lives.

6 Months have passed since then, and S.K.’s whereabouts are still unknown. Now an up and coming private investigator, Kyra has made it her life’s goal to find and stop S.K.

Her findings have led her to the sleepy town of Kalenda Grove. Soon after she arrives, rumors of a figure all in black donning a silver plague doctor’s mask start to spread. Will Kyra be able to stop S.K.’s deadly wrath and finally sever the bloody bond that binds them?

Cover Design by Victoria Pickett

Victoria Pickett recently joined the Department of Visual Arts at Coastal Carolina University as an assistant professor of Graphic Design. She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and received her MFA in Visual Communication Design from Kent State University and completed her bachelor’s degree at Cleveland State. She recently made the move to South Carolina from Flagstaff, Arizona where she taught at Northern Arizona University for four years. She is an active member of AIGA (the professional association for graphic design).

Come to the forums, where everybody is talking about book covers. You don’t want to miss out on that do you?!

Introducing Friends to NaNoWriMo

Writing is fun, creative, and enriches our lives in ways we never see coming. But you know what is even more fun, and more creative, and more enriching in ways that we never see coming? Writing with friends! In this post, NaNoWriMo participant Chelsea Brickner encourages people to join the NaNoWriMo community.

If you want to convince your friends to join you in our little corner of the wacky writing world, send this their way:

Hello WriMos! 

Are you ready to take the plunge but have some acquaintances who are still on the fence? I think the best way to convince them is to let them know that we are all connected in this literary abandon. Writing is known to be a mostly solo venture, but one of the greatest things about NaNoWriMo is the community! I want our network to keep growing and maybe one day writers will take over the world. It doesn’t hurt that there are several published authors who started their novels during November. 

Despite our phenomenal community, I feel that so many people are daunted by the challenge of taking on 50,000 words alone. Rightly so, I might add. It’s no picnic to get inside your own head for a month straight. Let’s help those who are still deciding by showing them all the support we get during the month of November. 

Headquarters for NaNo is an amazing source of inspiration, advice, and much laughter. From encouraging writing sprints, to books on writing, to video tips, they are such an awesome fountain of resources. They are all writers themselves and they make a point to connect with us every day! To me, no other network has an easier flow of communication. I cannot stress enough how helpful they are because they want you to succeed!

On the NaNo website you can join a Region based on where you live to meet fellow WriMos! This is such a huge bonus because you can arrange to meet in awesome coffee shops to confer and chat and just be writing nerds together. These are typically organized by MLs (Municipal Liaisons) who are outstanding people and sometimes award you with stickers and other goodies. Who doesn’t like more stickers? This is perhaps the best way to understand that all of us are facing this struggle. You. Are. Not. Alone.

Seeing these other writers in action can spark your own motivation, can show you new writing techniques, can put you at ease that your own word count is fantastic no matter the number! My last tidbit is to connect with writing buddies online so that you can keep each other accountable while you tackle the word monster. They can be friends you already know or someone across the country! The beauty of the internet!

Perhaps the best motivator is you. Encourage your sister, friend, neighbor, postman to try NaNoWriMo for themselves and for all the people they can meet along the way. Let’s start writing together.

This is the third year that Chelsea Brickner has participated in NaNoWriMo. She’s an avid reader, movie watcher, and has been writing since she was about 12. She enjoys writing fantasy but is trying to branch out more as she get older. She is the mother of 2 cats. Find her on Instagram @off.the.pages.90!

Top image licensed under creative commons from Alisdare Hickson on Flickr.

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 21

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman.

Day 21 is a day to celebrate, because check it out! Another cover!

Shadow World

Cover design by Sean Childers-Gray, based on a novel by NaNoWriMo Participant T. Wander Prue.

LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction about two adopted siblings, a trans man and a nonbinary teen, with Shadow abilities learning about their powers and doing their best to protect San Francisco in secret from the tunnel of Darkness that has collected beneath it.

Shadow creatures are crossing into our world more frequently and in higher numbers than ever before, making it more vital than ever to protect the tear in San Francisco’s underground. It’s up to two shadow-powered apprentices, their shadow-master, and one unpowered human to stop these forces, defend our world, and repair the tear between universes before it’s too late and Earth is over-run, falling into the Shadow Realm, never to return. 

Cover design by Sean Childers-Gray (he/him)

Educator, Husband, Father, Advocate, Trans Man - Sean hangs his hat in Utah, where he’s spent almost two decades working in the field of graphic design. Sean earned his MFA in Media Design from Full Sail University and is an Associate Dean in the School of Graphic Arts at Independence University.  Sean is the Marketing Director for Ogden Pride creating festival materials, branding, environmental graphics and more. Sean is obsessed with Star Wars and collects just about anything to do with the franchise.

Be sure to check out his Behance Portfolio, read his MFA journal on Tumblr and follow him on twitter @15to1montgomery.

The forums await!

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 20

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman .

Dread it… run from it… Day 20 still arrives.

From Rust

Cover Design by Freddy Cleveland, based on a novel by NaNoWriMo participant Daniel James Clark:

Cadet mech pilots are thrust into war when a coordinated nationwide terrorist attack leaves them without guidance. Taking their training mechs, they set off on the heels of the enemy forces, who have commandeered a fleet of advanced mechs.

Cover Design by Freddy Cleveland

Freddy Cleveland took a computer graphic arts class in high school, and then embarked on a long career of Photoshopping himself into scenes from Star Wars. He’s currently the Editorial Intern at NaNoWriMo, but if you want to hire him for graphic design work, DM him on Instagram.

Come on over to the forums, where Freddy will be hanging out, taking any and all criticism very personally.

Pro Tips From a NaNo Coach: Slaying the Beast That Keeps Us From Writing

NaNoWriMo can seem like a daunting task sometimes, for NaNo newbies and veterans alike. Fortunately, our NaNo Coaches are here to help guide you through November! Today, author Angela J. Ford is here to share her advice on how to keep writing even when the way ahead seems blocked:

Do you ever hear the voices in your head telling you that your story isn’t good enough? Or you don’t have the time or talent to write? It’s tough when you’re feeling down and imposter syndrome rears its ugly head. You say things to yourself like:

It’s too late.

I’ll never finish my book.

There are too many plot holes.

I’ll never be a best seller.

[insert name of familiar writer] never struggled like I did.

My characters are too shallow.

Is this even a believable plot?

I don’t have the time.

I went through a rough period one year. I’d finally been able to make full time income as a writer and had already sold thousands of books. Then it happened. I got slammed with some brutal reviews that absolutely gutted me. As a result, I froze. I couldn’t write and I didn’t know what to do. I’d finally reached the elusive success all writers dream of only to feel completely rotten. That’s when the lies started dancing in my head:

You’ll never be good enough.

Your work is trash.

When I tried to write the lies buzzed around my head faster. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to complete another novel and maybe my career in writing was coming to an abrupt end. So, I did what anyone would do. I took a break from writing. But I didn’t stop there, I came back stronger than before. I took a metaphorical ax and chopped those lies up, fired up my creativity, and started churning out stories faster and better than before. 

Here’s what I learned and what I sincerely hope it will help you get through the rough patch in your story:

1. Write for yourself. 

Pretend that no one will read your words except you. Be bold and write whatever comes to mind without editing yourself. This is your story, write what makes your blood boil, write what makes your heart sing, write your worries and fears. Get it all down on paper. When you write the story you want to read, it changes things and your passion will leap off the page.

2. Remember why you started.

There’s a reason why you decided to write your book; go back to your why when the going gets hard. If you don’t know why, write it out and put it on the wall as your manifesto. 

3. Finish that first draft no matter what.

The reason most writers fail is because they don’t finish their first draft. I encourage you to finish your book, even if it’s an early ending that you’ll need to re-write. Finishing your first draft is half the battle. 

4. Seek accountability.

The #1 thing that helped me complete my first book was accountability. I had people cheering me on and waiting for the novel to be completed. Reach out either locally or virtually for an accountability partner who will cheer you on to the finish line. 

5. Don’t compare yourself.

If you’re a reader, you know there are some jaw-dropping storylines out there. The novels you wish you had written, or that make you wonder if you will ever be good enough. Stop, drop the book and walk away. Comparison will only make you feel inferior. There’s a reason why we are all different. The world needs your unique spin on your story, whether you write 100 words a day or 10,000 words a day. It’s okay to shut off access to the things that make you feel inferior. 

6. Slow and steady wins the race.

Take your writing one day at a time, or one hour at a time if you need to. Consistency pays off, even if you’re showing up for 10 minutes a day, you’ll get a lot further than if you don’t do anything at all.

7. It’s never too late.

It is never too late to start your book, or keep going. Just because November is halfway over doesn’t mean it’s too late to start. Head over to your computer and start writing now, if you keep waiting it might be another month, another year, another decade before you start your novel. Stop waiting. Start writing. 

8. You can improve everything about your book in the next draft.

I’ve written several bad drafts which went through extensive polishing and creating an amazing book! Keep that in mind when your first draft makes you cry. Everything can be figured out; everything can be revised. Finishing your first draft is the first step, so do that first and revise afterward.

9. Read, read, read.

When you feel blocked with your creativity, don’t be afraid to take a break. Pick up a book and read it, watch a TV show, go outside. Make a change to get the creative juices flowing again. If you don’t know enough about the craft of writing, read books about it. If you feel like your characters are flat, read up on character development and adding emotions into your story. The world is at your fingertips, read, explore, take action and write your best story. 

10. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Ask. If you need feedback on your storyline, reaching out to beta readers, writers in the same genre, and successful professionals. No matter where you are in your story you can reach out for help, and chances are it will help you get over the hump.

You are not a failure. Your story is beautiful and there are specific people who need to hear it. Even if only one person loves your story, you will have succeeded. 

Go forth and write. Don’t let the monster stand in the way of your flow. Find those precious moments and don’t get hung up on the blank page. Pick up pen and paper, whatever you need to do to make it happen, do it. You’ve got this!

Angela J. Ford is an award-winning blogger and author of the international bestselling epic fantasy series,THE FOUR WORLDS. Her books have sold over 25,000 copies world-wide and have been ranked bestsellers in multiple categories.  Aside from writing, she enjoys the challenge of working with marketing technology and builds websites for authors. If you happen to be in Nashville, you’ll most likely find her at a local coffee shop, enjoying a white chocolate mocha and furiously working on her next book.

30 Covers 30 Days: Day 19

Every November, during National Novel Writing Month, thirty professional designers volunteer to create book cover art inspired by novels being written by aspiring authors from around the globe. Why? To encourage new, diverse voices, and help build a more creative world.  

30 Covers, 30 Days is presented in partnership with designer and author Debbie Millman.

Just look at this cover for day 19! Wowee!

Groundbreaking

Cover design by April Greiman based on a novel by NaNoWriMo participant Harley Ross:

A young woman, aged 17, joins a high school club, their main interest; Paranormal Activity. She meets all odds and ends to help them find ghosts, until the day she’s electrically shocked by a piece of hardware that her group had. When she wakes up the next day, and goes to the group, she can see ghosts in plain sight, and she can talk to them.

Cover design by April Greiman

April Greiman, designer, artist, recognized for revolutionary digital imaging work, instrumental in acceptance & use of advanced technology in creative processes since 1980s.  2014 featured in Apple’s documentary, ‘Mac @ 30’ recognizing 30 creative individuals unique contributions.  Educator, former Director, Visual Communications Program, California Institute of the Arts; former faculty, Southern California Institute of Architecture; Woodbury University School of Architecture, currently Professor, USC Roski School of Art and Design.  Published extensively, including 4 monographs, lectured, exhibited worldwide, works in Pompidou Center, SF MoMA, LACMA and MOMA, NYC.  She has 4 honorary doctorates, a big garden and loves spaghetti and martinis.  Check out more of her work on her website , and follow her on Instagram @aprilgreiman .  Learn more about her exhibition Drive-by Shooting here !

As always, come join us on the forums to discuss the cover and story!