Mark Boyd's Blog
September 12, 2017
Saying So Long
I just finished a fourteen year relationship with A Dragon's Tale by completing Book III - Mishmakon, The Dragon King. It was a very complicated emotional experience for me. Much akin to the feelings I had when my Lab of thirteen years died. I had been dragging my feet finishing the book and finally one of my closest friends and a downright great editor said, "You don't want to say goodbye, that's why it's not finished."
She was right on. A half a box of Kleenex and two undisturbed mornings that began at 3am each time and the book was finished. It's a bitch when you have to tell your friends your eyes are swollen because of allergies. Yeah well, a guy thing I guess. Anyway, I have started on the first book of the next Trilogy, a new puppy, playful and fun. I'll enjoy the journey and the growing up phase and at some point will again have to say...so long. Such is the circle of life.
She was right on. A half a box of Kleenex and two undisturbed mornings that began at 3am each time and the book was finished. It's a bitch when you have to tell your friends your eyes are swollen because of allergies. Yeah well, a guy thing I guess. Anyway, I have started on the first book of the next Trilogy, a new puppy, playful and fun. I'll enjoy the journey and the growing up phase and at some point will again have to say...so long. Such is the circle of life.
August 8, 2017
Living the Dream and Really good New News!!
What started out to be a good attempt at blogging, has turned out to be a miserable failure. I do apologize. I really would like to take time to write these but my third novel is really kicking my butt, Mishmakon, The Dragon King. I'm trying to finish it, currently at 178K words. I promised myself not to cut it short to end it. I want my characters to close it on their own. Weird?? No, I've just come to be attached to them.
In the meantime, I've started my 4th book. A new trilogy, not yet fully named but something like "A Dragon Legacy". The first book takes place in now time, in George West, Texas. I spent 20 years in Texas so this will be fun. I will try to keep better track of my friends and postings. It's a bitch to be retired. No, no, no, just kidding. I'm living the dream.
In the meantime, I've started my 4th book. A new trilogy, not yet fully named but something like "A Dragon Legacy". The first book takes place in now time, in George West, Texas. I spent 20 years in Texas so this will be fun. I will try to keep better track of my friends and postings. It's a bitch to be retired. No, no, no, just kidding. I'm living the dream.
August 16, 2016
Bad Blogger, no biscuit...
I'm truly sorry I have dropped the proverbial blogger ball. I will try to resume blogging soon, as I really do love sharing thoughts with the universe and of course, YOU.
I do have some excuses in the fact that I've been super busy trying to finish Book III- of my trilogy - A Dragons Tale. I have also had knee replacement surgery earlier this year in May and will have the other replaced in early Sept. of this year.
I do have many ideas I would like to continue to share on the art of writing, especially as a new author with no previous literary history other than being a passionate reader. So onward and upward.
At the end of Sept. I hope to be a new man, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Well...if nothing else, at least be able to finally live in a somewhat pain free world. See you soon and remember..."Always Keep Your Sunny Side UP".
I do have some excuses in the fact that I've been super busy trying to finish Book III- of my trilogy - A Dragons Tale. I have also had knee replacement surgery earlier this year in May and will have the other replaced in early Sept. of this year.
I do have many ideas I would like to continue to share on the art of writing, especially as a new author with no previous literary history other than being a passionate reader. So onward and upward.
At the end of Sept. I hope to be a new man, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Well...if nothing else, at least be able to finally live in a somewhat pain free world. See you soon and remember..."Always Keep Your Sunny Side UP".
April 24, 2015
Breathe deep...and edit.
As of late, I've been reading more indie books wanting to support my brethren. It is discouraging to discover the lack of proper editing taking place in some of the novels. In two of the last three books I've read,(indie authors), the stories were exciting but the sloppy editing really stopped the flow of the story. It kept me from wanting to buy anything else from them. It's certainly a reinforcement tool for me, to make sure my work is as clean as it can be when I finally release it. I cherish the words my mentor instilled in me, "When you think the final edit is complete,and you are happy with it, breath deep and go through it one more time. If the final product contains errors, there is no one to blame but you."
It's true. Most indie authors don't have the money for "professional editing" whatever that means. I have, in the last year, read A-list authors that supposedly had scores of editors behind them and was appalled at the clerical and grammatical errors I encountered in their writings. Nobody is excluded. When you think it's time to release that baby you've pampered and worried over, breathe deep and edit one more time. It may sell another book for you and create a new follower! Stay thirsty my friends.
It's true. Most indie authors don't have the money for "professional editing" whatever that means. I have, in the last year, read A-list authors that supposedly had scores of editors behind them and was appalled at the clerical and grammatical errors I encountered in their writings. Nobody is excluded. When you think it's time to release that baby you've pampered and worried over, breathe deep and edit one more time. It may sell another book for you and create a new follower! Stay thirsty my friends.
February 3, 2015
"He said…She said"
“This is a brand new post,” he said.
She said, “Why are you posting this?”
He said, “What do you mean? This is my blog.”
She said, “So, can't you write it better?”
All too often we get into the rut of “he said, she said” as new authors. It is easy to do and after all we are only trying to clarify, to the reader, who is speaking. (As if they can’t figure it out.) During the course of writing my first novel, I purchased many books on the craft of writing hoping to glean tidbits, here and there, that would improve my story telling. Some did, some didn’t. Again, my editor and actually I should say my mentor came to the rescue. She pointed out various ways of presenting dialogue without the “he said, she said” scenario. So let’s try the opening a different way.
Robert blurted, “This is a brand new post.”
“Why are you posting this?” Sally replied, wrinkling her freckled brow.
“What do you mean, Sally?” Robert’s face crimson with anger. “This is my blog.”
“Can’t you write it better?” Sally said quietly, wishing she hadn’t angered her brother.
Now I am introducing not only dialogue but action into the dialogue. It get’s the point across, as did the initial opening, but now reflects tension between Robert and Sally.
Along with showing and telling, I can’t tell you how many scenes I was “suggested” to re-write – showing and not telling – and showing with emotion. It does make the scene richer. There are also many opportunities, when there are only two people in conversation, that nothing but dialogue needs to be written unless you are trying to convey action.
Stay thirsty my friend.
She said, “Why are you posting this?”
He said, “What do you mean? This is my blog.”
She said, “So, can't you write it better?”
All too often we get into the rut of “he said, she said” as new authors. It is easy to do and after all we are only trying to clarify, to the reader, who is speaking. (As if they can’t figure it out.) During the course of writing my first novel, I purchased many books on the craft of writing hoping to glean tidbits, here and there, that would improve my story telling. Some did, some didn’t. Again, my editor and actually I should say my mentor came to the rescue. She pointed out various ways of presenting dialogue without the “he said, she said” scenario. So let’s try the opening a different way.
Robert blurted, “This is a brand new post.”
“Why are you posting this?” Sally replied, wrinkling her freckled brow.
“What do you mean, Sally?” Robert’s face crimson with anger. “This is my blog.”
“Can’t you write it better?” Sally said quietly, wishing she hadn’t angered her brother.
Now I am introducing not only dialogue but action into the dialogue. It get’s the point across, as did the initial opening, but now reflects tension between Robert and Sally.
Along with showing and telling, I can’t tell you how many scenes I was “suggested” to re-write – showing and not telling – and showing with emotion. It does make the scene richer. There are also many opportunities, when there are only two people in conversation, that nothing but dialogue needs to be written unless you are trying to convey action.
Stay thirsty my friend.
September 22, 2014
A Dangling…what??
When I first started working with my editor, she would send me back pages of the transcript with areas highlighted and the initials 'DM' beside them. I thought it might be a subtle way she was telling me the scene was dumb. In essence, she may have been. Eventually I get an email one day asking me, "Why do you persist on using dangling modifiers? I thought I have been pointing them out to you to correct."
As a line in a once famous movie went, "I think what we have here is a failure to communicate." I was overjoyed to find out that I wasn't really the dummy I thought, she thought I was. After several more emails, she understood I was still in the dark. The problem was she was correcting the sentence and just marking it for me to notice. Well, if I didn't know what she was correcting to begin with, then how the hell was I to know what she had corrected? Seems logical to me.
An example went something like this:
Standing, the tree blocked Leandro's view. Everyone can understand that sentence. What's the big deal? It's obvious, the tree blocked Leandro's view...as it stood?? No...Leandro stood, yeah that's it.
Sitting, the table was in Anaterri's way. Again, pretty apparent to me. The table was in Anaterri's way...after it sat. No, I mean after Anaterri sat, yup that's the ticket.
Finally after several of these were actually pointed out to me, I got it. I had to begin changing my thoughts as I was writing. I told Terri, my editor, that I felt like I was trying to write a book for Spanish speaking people and didn't understand how to speak Spanish. After some deliberation I finally figured out that I was writing a book for English speaking people, I just had to learn how to speak English.
What is really gratifying today and sometimes annoying, is when I am reading a novel by an "A-Lister" and I come across a dangling modifier. I just want to put the initials DM on the sentence, in red, and send the book back to them. Bad author, no biscuit. But, I would never do that because I know, in secret, they're just testing me to see if I catch it. Stay thirsty my friend.
As a line in a once famous movie went, "I think what we have here is a failure to communicate." I was overjoyed to find out that I wasn't really the dummy I thought, she thought I was. After several more emails, she understood I was still in the dark. The problem was she was correcting the sentence and just marking it for me to notice. Well, if I didn't know what she was correcting to begin with, then how the hell was I to know what she had corrected? Seems logical to me.
An example went something like this:
Standing, the tree blocked Leandro's view. Everyone can understand that sentence. What's the big deal? It's obvious, the tree blocked Leandro's view...as it stood?? No...Leandro stood, yeah that's it.
Sitting, the table was in Anaterri's way. Again, pretty apparent to me. The table was in Anaterri's way...after it sat. No, I mean after Anaterri sat, yup that's the ticket.
Finally after several of these were actually pointed out to me, I got it. I had to begin changing my thoughts as I was writing. I told Terri, my editor, that I felt like I was trying to write a book for Spanish speaking people and didn't understand how to speak Spanish. After some deliberation I finally figured out that I was writing a book for English speaking people, I just had to learn how to speak English.
What is really gratifying today and sometimes annoying, is when I am reading a novel by an "A-Lister" and I come across a dangling modifier. I just want to put the initials DM on the sentence, in red, and send the book back to them. Bad author, no biscuit. But, I would never do that because I know, in secret, they're just testing me to see if I catch it. Stay thirsty my friend.
July 15, 2014
The Wheat or the Chaff?
One of the hardest parts of writing, in my mind, is the frustration of editing, editing, editing and in case I didn’t say it clearly enough…editing. It’s not enough that you have taken 8 eons to write your FIRST novel or that it’s been 50 eons since your last English class or that you know there are people out there already in line to buy your book, but what do you mean, “this sentence doesn’t make sense.” I know what the hell it means, people aren’t stupid…they can figure it out.
Wrong again bucko.One of the most profound pieces of constructive criticism, after I’d first finished The Prophecy, came from my cousin Kelly. He wanted to read the manuscript and I thought it would be good because he would tell me how great it was and I would be ready to take the world by storm...just because Kelly said so.
A week went by and I finally got a call. “Well?” I said, trying to control my elation. “It’s a good story, I wanted to keep turning the page…but... it’s a bit amateurish.” My mind was screaming “Of course it’s amateurish you knucklehead, it’s my first book.” But in a calm, barely controlled hysterical voice I said, “But you liked the story?” “Yeah, it was good.” Our conversation went downhill from there in direct proportion to my once inflated ego.
After a couple of days of pouting,I decided,okay the story is good but how do I make it “not amateurish?” I decided to check out sources on line and found the 2nd Draft Critique program through Writers Digest.I sent the first 50 pages (the min.) to an author/editor I chose from their list of bio’s just to see what she would say.It was the beginning of what would be an intense lesson in authorship and a most rewarding,albeit sometimes frustrating experience for both of us. It is a costly process to have the entire 687 page manuscript professionally edited,in my present world of finance but I had to view it as an investment in my future.It truly helped me separate the wheat from the chaff. More to follow…
Make the investment, the wheat is better than the chaff.
Wrong again bucko.One of the most profound pieces of constructive criticism, after I’d first finished The Prophecy, came from my cousin Kelly. He wanted to read the manuscript and I thought it would be good because he would tell me how great it was and I would be ready to take the world by storm...just because Kelly said so.
A week went by and I finally got a call. “Well?” I said, trying to control my elation. “It’s a good story, I wanted to keep turning the page…but... it’s a bit amateurish.” My mind was screaming “Of course it’s amateurish you knucklehead, it’s my first book.” But in a calm, barely controlled hysterical voice I said, “But you liked the story?” “Yeah, it was good.” Our conversation went downhill from there in direct proportion to my once inflated ego.
After a couple of days of pouting,I decided,okay the story is good but how do I make it “not amateurish?” I decided to check out sources on line and found the 2nd Draft Critique program through Writers Digest.I sent the first 50 pages (the min.) to an author/editor I chose from their list of bio’s just to see what she would say.It was the beginning of what would be an intense lesson in authorship and a most rewarding,albeit sometimes frustrating experience for both of us. It is a costly process to have the entire 687 page manuscript professionally edited,in my present world of finance but I had to view it as an investment in my future.It truly helped me separate the wheat from the chaff. More to follow…
Make the investment, the wheat is better than the chaff.
June 17, 2014
He said…She said
“This is a brand new post,” he said.
She said, “Why are you posting this?”
He said, “What do you mean? This is my blog.”
She said, “So, cant’ you write it better?”
All too often we get into the rut of “he said, she said” as new authors. It is easy to do and after all we are only trying to clarify, to the reader, who is speaking. (As if they can’t figure it out.)
During the course of writing my first novel, I purchased many books on the craft of writing hoping to glean tidbits here and there that would improve my story. Some did, some didn’t. Again, my editor and actually I should say my mentor came to the rescue. She pointed out various ways of presenting dialogue without the “he said, she said” scenario. So let’s try the opening again.
Robert blurted, “This is a brand new post.”
“Why are you posting this?” Sally replied, wrinkling her freckled brow.
“What do you mean, Sally?” Robert’s face crimson with anger. “This is my blog.”
“Can’t you write it better?” Sally said quietly, wishing she hadn’t angered her brother.
Now I am introducing not only dialogue but action into the dialogue. It get’s the point across, as did the opening, and reflects the tension between Robert and Sally. Along with showing and telling, I can’t tell you how many scenes I was “suggested” to re-write – showing and not telling – and showing with emotion. It does make the scene richer. There are also many opportunities, when there are only two people in conversation, that nothing but dialogue needs to be written unless you are trying to convey action.
Stay thirsty my friend.
She said, “Why are you posting this?”
He said, “What do you mean? This is my blog.”
She said, “So, cant’ you write it better?”
All too often we get into the rut of “he said, she said” as new authors. It is easy to do and after all we are only trying to clarify, to the reader, who is speaking. (As if they can’t figure it out.)
During the course of writing my first novel, I purchased many books on the craft of writing hoping to glean tidbits here and there that would improve my story. Some did, some didn’t. Again, my editor and actually I should say my mentor came to the rescue. She pointed out various ways of presenting dialogue without the “he said, she said” scenario. So let’s try the opening again.
Robert blurted, “This is a brand new post.”
“Why are you posting this?” Sally replied, wrinkling her freckled brow.
“What do you mean, Sally?” Robert’s face crimson with anger. “This is my blog.”
“Can’t you write it better?” Sally said quietly, wishing she hadn’t angered her brother.
Now I am introducing not only dialogue but action into the dialogue. It get’s the point across, as did the opening, and reflects the tension between Robert and Sally. Along with showing and telling, I can’t tell you how many scenes I was “suggested” to re-write – showing and not telling – and showing with emotion. It does make the scene richer. There are also many opportunities, when there are only two people in conversation, that nothing but dialogue needs to be written unless you are trying to convey action.
Stay thirsty my friend.
June 7, 2014
Show and Tell
One of the most consistent mistakes I made, as I wrote The Prophecy, was telling and not showing. Of course I wasn’t aware of this until I started working with my editor. It is a trap that is easy to get into because as a new author I was in such a hurry to tell you my story. It was also a pitfall in the way I write, in that the movie is playing in my mind and I am just trying to stay up with the story. I hear the dialogue but instead of putting the dialogue on paper, I would have the tendency to tell you what they were saying. (I really just didn’t want you to miss anything.) Unfortunately, as I later learned, you were missing everything.
For example:
Anaterri could sense that something was wrong with Leandro. He’d been unusually quiet during their walk. Not sure if she’d upset him or if his injuries were being troublesome she continued on. (This was the whole scene as it was initially written. Now that tells you something about their walk and you certainly get the picture that Leandro is bothered. But what if it went something more like this:)
Anaterri could sense that something was wrong with Leandro. “M’Lord, you are unusually quiet today, is there something wrong?”
“I have been thinking of how to present you to my parents,” he replied quietly.
“That is not necessary, M’Lord. I can return to my cottage and you can return to the castle.”
“No,” he snapped, “I won’t live without you. It’s…it’s just what to tell them.”
“The truth, M’Lord,” she responded as she turned to him.
“The truth?” he quipped, “Oh yes, the truth. Mother, Father, I would like you to meet Anaterri…sorry I don’t know her last name…”
“Strayarth, M’Lord. My last name is Strayarth.”
“Uh, yes. Anaterri Strayarth, she is the one that saved my life. She is a blue dragon that gave me her blood and now I am a dragon too. Gosh, that was simple.”
And of course the scene continues on. It was only until my editor pointed this out, sometimes time and time again, that I was able to start thinking in the mode of showing and not telling. Again, the value of a good editor is not only to help you with the common mistakes but, in the case of a new author, to also help you develop from being a story “teller” into someone that can show the story through the eyes of your characters.
For example:
Anaterri could sense that something was wrong with Leandro. He’d been unusually quiet during their walk. Not sure if she’d upset him or if his injuries were being troublesome she continued on. (This was the whole scene as it was initially written. Now that tells you something about their walk and you certainly get the picture that Leandro is bothered. But what if it went something more like this:)
Anaterri could sense that something was wrong with Leandro. “M’Lord, you are unusually quiet today, is there something wrong?”
“I have been thinking of how to present you to my parents,” he replied quietly.
“That is not necessary, M’Lord. I can return to my cottage and you can return to the castle.”
“No,” he snapped, “I won’t live without you. It’s…it’s just what to tell them.”
“The truth, M’Lord,” she responded as she turned to him.
“The truth?” he quipped, “Oh yes, the truth. Mother, Father, I would like you to meet Anaterri…sorry I don’t know her last name…”
“Strayarth, M’Lord. My last name is Strayarth.”
“Uh, yes. Anaterri Strayarth, she is the one that saved my life. She is a blue dragon that gave me her blood and now I am a dragon too. Gosh, that was simple.”
And of course the scene continues on. It was only until my editor pointed this out, sometimes time and time again, that I was able to start thinking in the mode of showing and not telling. Again, the value of a good editor is not only to help you with the common mistakes but, in the case of a new author, to also help you develop from being a story “teller” into someone that can show the story through the eyes of your characters.
May 8, 2014
Hello? Is Anybody Out There?
When The Prophecy started to become a reality, in my mind and then on paper as something legitimate to publish, I had no preconceived idea about "target markets." I was just writing a book. I had no previous knowledge of structure, planning, word count...nothing. I just had a story to tell and of course everyone was going to want to read it. It was only after the story was written and I had decided to hire a professional editor that the question first came up. "Who is your target market?" Well...everyone, of course. After several emails back and forth, it was decided that because of adult content, the target market would be 18 and up. It is after all a love story.I did have several beta readers, both male and female of various ages, to read the manuscript and give me feedback. I did want the love scenes to be tender and highly suggestive but obviously not pornographic.It was the same decision with the violence (not tender, but you know what I mean). It is a fine line for an author to walk, and again I will be the first to say that is the benefit of having a professional working with you. My editor is an award winning author of several romance novels so I knew I could count on her opinion to keep me in line. In the world of fiction, an author will almost never please everyone that chooses to read their work. The best you can hope for is more, than not. Being an avid reader myself, I find an author I like and usually end up reading nearly everything they have published. It is typical that some works are definitely better than others. But the common thread, is that their stories are still compelling enough and crafted well enough to keep me coming back. I believe that is the best we can all hope for. Now that I have a clearer understanding of who I am writing for, and two more books in the trilogy to write, it is a great relief to know that I won't have to stick my head out into the cold, dark and stormy night and yell, "Hello? Is anybody out there?"
