Matthew Wayne Selznick's Blog, page 22

Writing Light Episode Six: Write Like An Actor

Every weekend from February through April, 2011, I sit down in front of a camera and talk about my previous week's progress writing my second novel "Light of the Outsider." This week, I explore the similarities between writing and acting, and propose that to do either thing well you must be willing to dig deeply into your own (often challenging) life experiences.

What do you think? Do you care if your characters' emotional lives are as complicated and rich as your own undoubtedly is, and do you pull on your own life experience to achieve that complexity in you writing? Please leave your feedback in the comments.

Thanks for reading "Writing Light Episode Six: Write Like An Actor," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Writing Light Episode Five: Out Sick

Every weekend from February through April, 2011, I talk about my progress writing my second novel "Light of the Outsider" in the previous week. Except this weekend, that is, for I have a very nasty chest cold and I'm in no condition to be in front of a camera.

Writing "Light" will return next week! Wish me well!

Thanks for reading "Writing Light Episode Five: Out Sick," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Welcome, iMedia Connection Readers

Have you come over here following a link from the cover story at iMedia Connection I co-wrote with Russell Scott, "Why the Digital Agency Will Never Die?" Well, I'm very pleased you took the time to drop by. I'm looking forward to responding to your comments on the article, and I hope now that you're here you'll take the opportunity to learn a bit more about me.

As it says somewhere around here, I'm a creator who works with words, music, pictures and people. That's a snappy way of saying I'm a writer, musician, podcaster in video and audio forms and that I use the social media practices I've developed over the last decade or so to help others with their own personal brands.

I've got a lot of opinions, most of them strong, about how humans can and should interact with one another in the Conversation Age. Interested? Follow the About link here and at the top of the page, from which you'll be able to get a pretty good idea of my ethics and standards — all stuff that shaped my share of the words in that article you just read.

Since you're hanging around, feel free to take a look at some of my creative endeavors, like my fiction and my music. The fiction is mostly of the speculative variety; the music mostly folky… and the price is right, too.

What I'm Doing Right Now

I'm one third of the way through a video podcast called "Making 'Light'" that examines my progress and the insights I stumble upon as I write my second novel, a fantasy thriller called "Light of the Outsider." You can find the whole "Writing 'Light'" series on Youtube — check it out; there are new episodes every weekend.

When I'm not Thinking Really Hard about online marketing campaigns for movies and TV shows over at Jetset Studios, I'm helping independent creators develop a web presence and personal brand. Or I'm playing bass and acoustic guitar. Thanks for being impressed, but I don't actually do those last two things at the same time. You're nice for thinking that.

Where You Can Find Me

Subscribe via RSS or email (via the form on the right sidebar of this site) to this blog and you'll never miss a word I write here. Or, you can "Like" my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter. Need to get hold of me? Lots of ways to do that on the blisteringly clearly titled Contact page. Or, hey, you can swing over to Jetset Studios — if I'm out getting coffee just take a seat; there are nice folks there who will keep you entertained.

Thanks again for dropping by, and I hope you enjoyed "Why the Digital Agency Will Never Die."

Hey, did you notice that? I made a rhyme.

I just did it again. Damn, I'm gonna stop right now before I blow my own mind.

Thanks for reading "Welcome, iMedia Connection Readers," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Writing Light Episode Four: Should You Edit While You Write?

In this episode of "Writing 'Light,'" the video podcast in which I talk about my progress writing my second novel "Light of the Outsider" in the previous week, I talk about a little hiccup I encountered. It seems a couple of my characters were acting like idiots. So what do you do when you're in the middle of your first draft but there are some mistakes to correct?

Your feedback is critical, and the success of "Writing 'Light'" and "Light of the Outsider" depends on your spreading the word. Please comment below, embed the video on your own blog, click the "Like" button, become a fan on my Facebook page, or leave a voicemail at 1-757-DIY-MATT (349-6288). Thanks!

Thanks for reading "Writing Light Episode Four: Should You Edit While You Write?," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Writing Light Episode Three: Maintain A Creative Support System

I get a little squishy in this third episode of "Writing 'Light,'" the weekly video show in which I document my progress with, read samples from and share insights about my second novel, "Light of the Outsider," a fantasy thriller due out late summer, 2011. This episode, it's all about creating and maintaining an emotional support system for your writing life. There's homework!

I'm especially interested to get your responses and feedback to this episode. Please comment below or leave a voicemail at 1-757-DIY-MATT (349-6288). Thanks!

Thanks for reading "Writing Light Episode Three: Maintain A Creative Support System," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Writing Light Episode Two: Developing and Revealing Characters

It's time for the second installment of "Writing 'Light,'" the weekly video show in which I document my progress with, read samples from and share insights about my second novel, "Light of the Outsider," a fantasy thriller due out late summer, 2011. This time around, I share some examples from the previous week's writing having to do with how I try to reveal character while moving the story forward.

Writers of all stripes, I want to hear your thoughts on on how you reveal character details in you work, and hear your feedback on this episode. Please comment below or leave a voicemail at 1-757-DIY-MATT (349-6288). Thanks!

Thanks for reading "Writing Light Episode Two: Developing and Revealing Characters," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Writing Light Episode One: Outlines, Free Writing and First Lines

Writing "Light" is a weekly video in which I document my progress with, read samples from and share insights about my second novel, "Light of the Outsider," a fantasy thriller due out late summer, 2011. In this first episode, I talk about my first week's writing (ahead of quota!), muse on the difference between outlining, discovery writing and a combination of the two, and share the first draft version of the first line and first paragraph of the manuscript.

I'm looking forward to you comments on this (and all!) episodes of Writing "Light!"

Thanks for reading "Writing Light Episode One: Outlines, Free Writing and First Lines," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Announcing My Next Major Creative Project

Here's what I'll be working on in the first half of the year… and here's how I'll be promoting it while I make it:

"Light of the Outsider — A Novel of the Shaper's World" is a fantasy thriller scheduled for release from MWS Media, LLC in the late summer of 2011. I'm writing the book from February through April, and every Saturday I'll share a page, scene or segment from my previous week's work to offer a sneak peek at the work in progress and possibly provide insight into my creative process. I'm counting on your feedback, comments and thoughts — let's create a dialog and build excitement for the summer release of "Light of the Outsider together!

Thanks for reading "Announcing My Next Major Creative Project," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Twilight at Borders

I went into the Borders in downtown Long Beach today, thinking I might browse around and then do some writing. Since I'd never been in that particular location, I also wanted to drop in before it disappeared. Borders, you may have heard, is rapidly approaching terminal velocity in the company's long fall from its glory days in the nineties.

Walking around the store, I became increasingly sad. Not counting the individual staffers at the cafe and cash registers, I saw one other employee on the floor. Apart from campers in the cafe, there were very few customers. I saw some books on the shelves by author friends and colleagues, but the stickers on the back betrayed that they'd been sitting there as long as six months, and the single copies there were the only ones ordered back then. No movement… and evidence that, like I'd heard, Borders has indeed suspended returning slow sellers to the publishers in order to keep stock on the shelves because the chain has had its credit revoked by many of those same publishers as a consequence of non-payment.

Dead stock on the shelves and no new stock coming in. Stagnation! I left without cracking open my laptop; I needed a different, more lively atmosphere.

Why The Death Of Borders Matters To Me

I worked for Borders — back when it was called "Borders Books and Music" — from 1995 to 2005. I started working for the company when the chain prided itself in stocking backlist titles, individual stores were encouraged to express creative autonomy in their merchandising and each location was truly a "third place" and a hub of the community with a full-time employee to serve that community with events and entertainment. It was a great place that served a larger purpose, and I was proud to be part of that.

When I left, the backlist was only available via special orders, merchandising was centralized, homogenized and codified in a huge binder of instructions that changed every few weeks and the Community Relations Coordinator position was long gone. The writing was on the wall and my own exit was years overdue.

Retail Abhors a Vacuum

I used to mourn the Borders that was. Now, I'm actually looking forward to the company's demise. I am concerned for the friends who still work for the company, believe me. But I'm excited for the possibilities the disappearance of Borders might create. Barnes and Noble isn't healthy enough to replace Borders stores in most locations… but perhaps small, niche independent stores with actively cultivated connections to their community might spring up again?

I think that would be neat. What are your thoughts on the demise of Borders and the decline of the book superstore in general?

Thanks for reading "Twilight at Borders," which is from the official website of creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. Click through to comment and find books, short stories, music, videos and more from the author.

Happy Holidays!

Enjoy a rockin' little Christmas classic from the band that's Bringing Saturday Morning Back!

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