Kyle Warner's Blog, page 23
February 19, 2014
BRAIN MOLD Goodreads giveaway (ENDED)
Today I'm happy to announce that I will be giving away two signed copies of Brain Mold on paperback. All you have to do is be a member at goodreads.com and ENTER. Easy! Goodreads will select two winners their special and secretive powers and then I'll ship them out. This contest is only for members of the US. Sorry, everyone else. Maybe next time!While you're at Goodreads, feel free to say hi! I'm new to the site, but it's pretty cool and I like it so far. I hope to see you there.
Click HERE to enter today!
Good luck and thanks!
Update 3/31/14: This giveaway has ended. Thanks to the nearly 600 people who entered. The winners have been notified by Goodreads and the books will be in the mail shortly. --K
BRAIN MOLD Goodreads giveaway
Today I'm happy to announce that I will be giving away two signed copies of Brain Mold on paperback. All you have to do is be a member at goodreads.com and ENTER. Easy! Goodreads will select two winners their special and secretive powers and then I'll ship them out. This contest is only for members of the US. Sorry, everyone else. Maybe next time!While you're at Goodreads, feel free to say hi! I'm new to the site, but it's pretty cool and I like it so far. I hope to see you there.
Click HERE to enter today!
Good luck and thanks!
January 18, 2014
2013 in review: Film
This list feels incomplete without having seen 12 Years a Slave or Her, two of the best reviewed movies of the year, but I want to post my list before it's too late (it's probably already too late--oh well!).
My picks for best films of 2013:
1--Gravity (Alfonso Cuaron)
Gravity is a film with tension to spare. Filled with gorgeous visuals, creative direction, and a stellar performance by Sandra Bullock, it makes for the best film I've seen in 2013. So much of the film is a wonder to behold that I don't really want to see how much of it was accomplished behind the scenes. Special effects artists: I love your work. It's magic. But knowing how the trick was accomplished hurts the trick, you know? Anyway. Fantastic film.
2--Frances Ha (Noah Baumbach)
I can honestly say I wasn't a fan of this during the first twenty minutes or so. Then something clicked and I started relating to the character and her ordeals. Frances Ha is both funny and sad, embarrassing and charming, and ultimately a revealing look at creative youth. Does the film owe a lot to Woody Allen (especially the visual style of Manhattan)? Yes. Does that diminish my appreciation for the film? No. This is Baumbach's best film and Greta Gerwig is fast becoming one of my favorite actresses.
3--The World's End (Edgar Wright)
Is it as good as Shaun of the Dead? Well, no. But it's a modern comedy classic anyway. Bold, stupid, and a different kind of brilliant. I love this film.
4--Mud (Jeff Nichols)
Young director Jeff Nichols is not well known to general moviegoers, but he's slowly building up a filmography full of great movies. I liked Shotgun Stories. I really, really liked Take Shelter. And I love Mud. I am continually shocked by what a great actor Matthew McConaughey has become in recent years. The rom-com actor has quickly become one of the more daring leading men of independent film. His performance as the title character Mud is the best work of his career.
5--Prisoners (Denis Villeneuve)
A dark, twisted thriller with great performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. I think much of the film's greatness is thanks to cinematographer Roger Deakins, who instills almost every frame with a cold sense of dread. A superior thriller.
6--Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass)
Tom Hanks and newcomer Barkhad Abdi do excellent work here in Greengrass' true-story thriller. Tom Hanks' final scene is probably the best work of his career.
7--American Hustle (David O. Russell)
I love this cast, especially Bale, Lawrence, and Adams. Every actor does some of their best work here. The film owes much to Scorsese's GoodFellas (except instead of gangsters we're dealing with con artists), but it still has the style and voice of director Russell's finest films.
8--The Place Beyond the Pines (Derek Cianfrance)
The film operates in a way that I found rather fascinating. Without saying too much, the film focuses on Ryan Gosling's character as if it is his film, then Bradley Cooper enters the film and it becomes his film, then it radically switches things up again. Interesting storytelling. Watching the film felt much like reading a good book, where we act as the only witnesses to the good and bad deeds of the characters on display.
9--The Conjuring (James Wan)
I'm so happy this film became a financial and critical success. We need more horror movies like this. I'm also happy for director James Wan, who is unfortunately remembered as the creator of torture porn because he started the Saw series. First of all, the initial Saw film is still pretty good. But more than that, Wan proves that he's come a long way with The Conjuring, and doesn't require blood and pain to create a good scare. So many cool shots in this film. So many good moments. So many creative scares. It's a shame that good horror film making isn't respected more. This is the work of a true talent.
10--Pacific Rim (Guillermo del Toro)
I don't believe there was a film I was looking forward to more in 2013. I love Godzilla and kaiju. In a way, I might even think of this film as a disappointment, as it took me two viewings before I came to fully appreciate it. I do wish that the characters felt a little bit more fresh, and I would have liked a somewhat more epic story than just the final days of the resistance, but it is what it is. It's fun, colorful, optimistic storytelling. The visuals of Pacific Rim are so grand and beautiful. It's not Guillermo del Toro's best film, but it's probably Hollywood's best attempt so far at the modern giant monster film.
I'd also like to give some honorable mention to. . .
The Act of Killing--Chilling documentary. Never seen anything quite like it. Don't know if I ever want to see it again.
The Wolverine--The best superhero flick of the year. Every superhero story need not be about saving the world or a city. I quite liked this more personal story and would be happy seeing more like it.
The Lords of Salem--Rob Zombie's best film and a great piece of horror.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire--The first film was good but this is a big step up. I loved some of the comments from uninformed moviegoers at the end "I guess with an ending like that they're hoping to make a third one, huh?" Heh.
Much Ado About Nothing--Joss Whedon does Shakespeare at his house with some of his friends and films it all. It's a fun movie for fans of Whedon's past works, but in addition to that it's also a fine Shakespeare adaptation. Nathan Fillion steals the show.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug--I don't have a lot of love for An Unexpected Journey, but this is a step in the right direction. Still not up to the level of The Lord of the Rings, but it's a fine fantasy film, and it makes me excited to see Part 3.
The Wolf of Wall Street--Good but not great Martin Scorsese film.
Blue Jasmine--If Cate Blanchett doesn't win Best Actress at the Oscars then something is very wrong.
Spring Breakers--I might hate every character in the movie, but I was entranced by the film. James Franco's a mad man.
Man of Steel--It's my favorite Superman movie. . . What?
Drug War--Johnnie To is one of the best action filmmakers in the world. The final 20 minutes of Drug War are amazing.
Before Midnight--So raw, so angry. Sad, yet maybe hopeful. Maybe. It's not as charming as Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, but it's an interesting, bold take on life and love when the best days of being together are in the past.
Europa Report--A 'found-footage' sci-fi thriller that works quite well.
Blackfish--I'm never going to SeaWorld again.
Stoker--Chan-wook Park's first English film isn't quite as good as his Korean works, but the visual storytelling and dark ideas are still there. This is a film I look forward to revisiting.
Lone Survivor--A very good war film. Thrilling action but emotional, too. Peter Berg's best film.
All in all, a very good year for film. Looking forward to seeing all the greats that I missed, plus all the new 2014 films on the horizon.
My picks for best films of 2013:
1--Gravity (Alfonso Cuaron)
Gravity is a film with tension to spare. Filled with gorgeous visuals, creative direction, and a stellar performance by Sandra Bullock, it makes for the best film I've seen in 2013. So much of the film is a wonder to behold that I don't really want to see how much of it was accomplished behind the scenes. Special effects artists: I love your work. It's magic. But knowing how the trick was accomplished hurts the trick, you know? Anyway. Fantastic film.
2--Frances Ha (Noah Baumbach)
I can honestly say I wasn't a fan of this during the first twenty minutes or so. Then something clicked and I started relating to the character and her ordeals. Frances Ha is both funny and sad, embarrassing and charming, and ultimately a revealing look at creative youth. Does the film owe a lot to Woody Allen (especially the visual style of Manhattan)? Yes. Does that diminish my appreciation for the film? No. This is Baumbach's best film and Greta Gerwig is fast becoming one of my favorite actresses.
3--The World's End (Edgar Wright)
Is it as good as Shaun of the Dead? Well, no. But it's a modern comedy classic anyway. Bold, stupid, and a different kind of brilliant. I love this film.
4--Mud (Jeff Nichols)
Young director Jeff Nichols is not well known to general moviegoers, but he's slowly building up a filmography full of great movies. I liked Shotgun Stories. I really, really liked Take Shelter. And I love Mud. I am continually shocked by what a great actor Matthew McConaughey has become in recent years. The rom-com actor has quickly become one of the more daring leading men of independent film. His performance as the title character Mud is the best work of his career.
5--Prisoners (Denis Villeneuve)
A dark, twisted thriller with great performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. I think much of the film's greatness is thanks to cinematographer Roger Deakins, who instills almost every frame with a cold sense of dread. A superior thriller.
6--Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass)
Tom Hanks and newcomer Barkhad Abdi do excellent work here in Greengrass' true-story thriller. Tom Hanks' final scene is probably the best work of his career.
7--American Hustle (David O. Russell)
I love this cast, especially Bale, Lawrence, and Adams. Every actor does some of their best work here. The film owes much to Scorsese's GoodFellas (except instead of gangsters we're dealing with con artists), but it still has the style and voice of director Russell's finest films.
8--The Place Beyond the Pines (Derek Cianfrance)
The film operates in a way that I found rather fascinating. Without saying too much, the film focuses on Ryan Gosling's character as if it is his film, then Bradley Cooper enters the film and it becomes his film, then it radically switches things up again. Interesting storytelling. Watching the film felt much like reading a good book, where we act as the only witnesses to the good and bad deeds of the characters on display.
9--The Conjuring (James Wan)
I'm so happy this film became a financial and critical success. We need more horror movies like this. I'm also happy for director James Wan, who is unfortunately remembered as the creator of torture porn because he started the Saw series. First of all, the initial Saw film is still pretty good. But more than that, Wan proves that he's come a long way with The Conjuring, and doesn't require blood and pain to create a good scare. So many cool shots in this film. So many good moments. So many creative scares. It's a shame that good horror film making isn't respected more. This is the work of a true talent.
10--Pacific Rim (Guillermo del Toro)
I don't believe there was a film I was looking forward to more in 2013. I love Godzilla and kaiju. In a way, I might even think of this film as a disappointment, as it took me two viewings before I came to fully appreciate it. I do wish that the characters felt a little bit more fresh, and I would have liked a somewhat more epic story than just the final days of the resistance, but it is what it is. It's fun, colorful, optimistic storytelling. The visuals of Pacific Rim are so grand and beautiful. It's not Guillermo del Toro's best film, but it's probably Hollywood's best attempt so far at the modern giant monster film.
I'd also like to give some honorable mention to. . .
The Act of Killing--Chilling documentary. Never seen anything quite like it. Don't know if I ever want to see it again.
The Wolverine--The best superhero flick of the year. Every superhero story need not be about saving the world or a city. I quite liked this more personal story and would be happy seeing more like it.
The Lords of Salem--Rob Zombie's best film and a great piece of horror.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire--The first film was good but this is a big step up. I loved some of the comments from uninformed moviegoers at the end "I guess with an ending like that they're hoping to make a third one, huh?" Heh.
Much Ado About Nothing--Joss Whedon does Shakespeare at his house with some of his friends and films it all. It's a fun movie for fans of Whedon's past works, but in addition to that it's also a fine Shakespeare adaptation. Nathan Fillion steals the show.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug--I don't have a lot of love for An Unexpected Journey, but this is a step in the right direction. Still not up to the level of The Lord of the Rings, but it's a fine fantasy film, and it makes me excited to see Part 3.
The Wolf of Wall Street--Good but not great Martin Scorsese film.
Blue Jasmine--If Cate Blanchett doesn't win Best Actress at the Oscars then something is very wrong.
Spring Breakers--I might hate every character in the movie, but I was entranced by the film. James Franco's a mad man.
Man of Steel--It's my favorite Superman movie. . . What?
Drug War--Johnnie To is one of the best action filmmakers in the world. The final 20 minutes of Drug War are amazing.
Before Midnight--So raw, so angry. Sad, yet maybe hopeful. Maybe. It's not as charming as Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, but it's an interesting, bold take on life and love when the best days of being together are in the past.
Europa Report--A 'found-footage' sci-fi thriller that works quite well.
Blackfish--I'm never going to SeaWorld again.
Stoker--Chan-wook Park's first English film isn't quite as good as his Korean works, but the visual storytelling and dark ideas are still there. This is a film I look forward to revisiting.
Lone Survivor--A very good war film. Thrilling action but emotional, too. Peter Berg's best film.
All in all, a very good year for film. Looking forward to seeing all the greats that I missed, plus all the new 2014 films on the horizon.
2013 in review: Books
My favorite reads of 2013
I must confess that I did not read any 2013 novels (at least I can’t remember any—so if I did, they’re not worth mentioning). Most of my reading was focused on older books, some of them published long before I was born.
Top 3 favorite novels read in 2013:
1) The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut—One of my favorite books of all time is Slaughterhouse Five, which I read a few years back. Since then, I’ve been picking up a new Vonnegut book whenever I can. The Sirens of Titan ranks as my third favorite of the Vonnegut books I’ve read so far (behind Slaughterhouse Five and Mother Night). It’s epic, funny, sad, endlessly imaginative, and perhaps the most challenging of all Vonnegut’s novels (a main character has a name change half-way through, without warning or immediate explanation). The Sirens of Titan is the work of a genius author.
2) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz—Friends and family had been recommending this book to me for years. Finally picked it up and found the book well-deserving of their praise. At first, I must admit, I did not like it. I was not prepared for the hour-by-hour storytelling (most the book takes place over a few days). Once I got past that, I found the book very readable, with a charming lead character, and a full universe of weird characters and supernatural weirdness. This is my favorite Dean Koontz book. I may read the other Odd books later on.
3) Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut—Perhaps Vonnegut’s funniest novel. A story full of weird, sideways looks at the meaning of life, God, humanity’s madness, and used cars as only Kurt Vonnegut could tell it. It’s a little light on plot, but it has all the other goods.
Favorite graphic novel/comic:
Godzilla: The Half-Century War by James Stokoe—Hey, I think this was a 2013 release! Okay, I don’t read a whole lot of comics anymore, but I try to keep up with the good ones, and the releases related to my favorite fandoms. I love Godzilla. Half-Century War features some awesome art and an original Godzilla story, spanning 50 years of one soldier’s obsession with killing/hunting/understanding Godzilla. I really enjoyed it.
Short Story:
Zombie by Chuck Palahniuk—Ooo, this was from 2013, too! How ‘bout that? I haven’t read many of Chuck Palahniuk’s books, but I love this little short. It’s sad, strange, and kind of wonderful. Telling the story of the youth of the nation willingly lobotomizing themselves with the use of defibrillators to avoid responsibility and conflict, Palahniuk navigates some dark territory, but I think he ends the story in a beautiful way. It can be read online on Playboy’s safe for work website. Here: http://playboysfw.kinja.com/zombie-a-...
Non-Fiction:
A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, Second Edition by David Kalat—Did I mention I like Godzilla? I do! I also like David Kalat, he’s a great film historian and has recorded some really good film commentaries over the years. This is a great textbook detailing behind-the-scenes information and the deeper meanings behind the Godzilla films. Whereas most are willing to write off Godzilla movies as brainless entertainment, Kalat raises some interesting points about the political subtext in the finer films, but isn’t afraid to admit when a movie sucks. I think this is the best book I’ve ever read on the Godzilla series. (note that the book cover presented here is for the 1st edition, not the expanded 2nd edition which I read)
2013 in review: TV
So I’m a couple weeks late doing this, but whatever.
2013.
Big year. Kind of a sucky year in a lot of ways, but I can’t ignore its importance for the world, and for me.
I just want to give some love to the books, movies, music, and TV that were introduced to me in 2013.
Best TV:
1—Breaking Bad—I actually didn’t start watching Breaking Bad until 2013, so the final season was the only season I watched ‘live’ with the rest of the world. After watching just two episodes of the first season, I realized what an error I had made, and quickly zoomed through everything to get caught up. The final season of Breaking Bad was great. It will be remembered as one of the finest shows ever made and it deserves that kind of recognition.
2—Mad Men—2013’s season started off kind of wonky, but quickly became one of the series’ best. The finale hints at interesting things to come. And now with Breaking Bad out of the way, the discussion of what is the best show on TV just got a little bit easier.
3—Hannibal—I’ve always liked the Thomas Harris books and their film adaptations, so I was uncertain what to think when it was announced there would be a Hannibal TV show—and on NBC? It didn’t sound like a good idea to me, but the show is some kind of fantastic. Hugh Dancy creates the best version of Will Graham to date and Mads Mikkelsen is great as Dr. Lecter. Mikkelsen plays the part as though he had never seen Hopkins in the role and the show is better for it. Hannibal is charming, yes, but he’s more a monster than Hopkins ever allowed himself to be. The writing is great and the cinematography is at a level higher than anything I can remember seeing on network TV. Hannibal is the best new show of 2013. Can’t wait to see where it goes from here—I only hope that the ratings improve so that the show is around for years to come.
And some honorable mention for The Americans, The Bridge, Sleepy Hollow, Orange is the New Black, and The Blacklist.
Lacking an HBO subscription, I haven’t seen the latest Game of Thrones season yet. Otherwise it’d probably rank pretty high, too. The Blu-Ray shall be mine!
The show that took the biggest step back from greatness in 2013 for me was Justified. I don’t know if the show will ever be better than it was in its second season (though season 3 came close), but last year wasn’t that great. I mean, it was okay, it was still Justified. . . but something about season four just seemed kind of tired. I’m hoping that doesn’t mean 2014’s season will be just the same. But hey, Patton Oswalt was cool!
Most disappointing new show of 2013: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.—I wanted this to be good. Seemed like it should be good. I mean, Marvel was doing almost everything right lately. How could this show go so wrong? It’s not what I expected (I thought it’d utilize the lower ranking superheroes of Marvel’s roster, but no. . .), but that’s not the reason it disappoints. The show is kind ofentertaining, but it’s so damn safe. It’s losing viewers every week, which should be a wakeup call to the showrunners, but I don’t know if they’re going to fix it in time to save their creation. They seem willing to pull every punch possible, resulting in the least daring action TV show of 2013. I mean, not everything has to be edgy (I wouldn’t call Marvel’s films edgy, with the exception of maybe Iron Man 1 & 3). The show is a thriller where everyone invariably lands on their feet with a smile. Maybe that’s cool to some people. For me, it’s getting old. The show needs a massive overhaul in season two.
Worst new show of 2013: The Following. So stupid it’s almost funny.
Here’s to 2014! More Mad Men, Hannibal, Justified, Game of Thrones, and all the rest, plus the return of 24, and some promising looking newbies like Helix, Black Sails, True Detective, and maybe Rake.
Good bye, Breaking Bad. I feel like I was just getting to know you.
January 13, 2014
Writing advice you never asked for: Make 'Em Suffer
“Life is suffering and suffering is life.”~sounds like a quote from an Ingmar Bergman film~
No life is worth living in which we are not challenged in some way.
No book is worth reading when the characters are not similarly challenged.
I’m sorry to say it, but there are some bad days ahead for all of us. It’s true. Know what though? There are plenty of bad days behind us, too. But we survived those bastards, so we can sure as hell survive whatever the future has in store. Because we’re smarter now, stronger somehow, and maybe a little bit braver. The bad days have helped define who and what we are just as much as the happy days.
A tale with characters that learn nothing, fight the easy fight, and come out unscathed is worthless to me. You have to make them suffer in some way to bring about change. You have to show them at their worst before they can be their best. You have to break them before they can ever be whole.
That’s not to say that everything need be depressing. You don’t need to pour that suffering on like syrup over pancakes (I like the Butter Pecan syrup the most myself -- but that's not important, I suppose). You should get an idea of a reader’s expectations before you decide to make the main character a one-eyed little girl who can’t walk or talk and lost her puppy last year to Tropical Storm Billy. Different genres have different expectations of a character’s crisis. For example, comedies full of death can either be bold or off-putting. Know what you write and write what you know. You know?
A character’s suffering can come in many ways. A divorce? A zombie horde taking everything the hero has ever known? The super villain who wants to reveal the hero’s day job? The serial killer who works in such a way that it’s driving the protagonist to the edge? The death of a loved one? The painful misunderstanding that led to the loss of a friend?
Crisis. Sadness. Suffering. Madness. Pain. Depression. Oppression. Love/Loss. Whatever.
We can draw from our own lives if it’s applicable or we can draw (carefully) from real-world happenings or fictional dramas. There’s no rule for where you have to get your inspiration. Suffering can be very real or very unreal, but it’s required in some way to make the characters real.
It’s the fuel that drives all fiction.
Without it, your fiction is born lifeless, with nowhere to go, with nothing to learn, and without a reader who cares.
So give ‘em hell.
November 25, 2013
NaNoWriMo: Why it's cool, why it's not for everyone, and why that's okay
This was my first year participating in NaNoWriMo. Here are some rambling thoughts on my own experiences and what I think of the 'competition.'
Why it’s cool:
There is a group of people who will tell you that NaNoWriMo is pointless because no one in the publishing field will read your work. Or worse, they claim that the competition is giving non-writers the unlicensed right to feel like real writers for a month, and that all they may produce is shit. First, give the finger to all those people, then read on…
NaNoWriMo is cool simply because it encourages you to write, to be creative, and to stare at the dragon beast that is the white page and conquer it one word at a time. We need art. It’s part of being human. We soak up the art around us every day, sometimes unknowingly, and it makes us who we are.
Inside every one of us is the ability to tell a story. Is that story necessarily meant for the world to see? Maybe not. Could be that it’s meant for you alone, whether you like it or not. But don’t despair. Realize how many people have talked about ‘that novel I want to write one day’ but how few have actually written it. You’re in a select group now. You’re a writer regardless of whether you have a book deal or not. And if you enjoyed the process, you can always write another, and then another (and it doesn’t have to be written in November either). You’ll get better over time, trust me. Maybe when you reach that fifth book, you’ll have something truly worthy of sharing with the world. Or you know, you could you be that genius who gets it right the first time. In which case, you scare me. . . But really, what I mean to say is that art matters. So, if you can, give some art back to the world. And if the world’s not ready for it (or if you’re not ready for the world), then at least your art has enriched your life in some way, and that matters perhaps more than anything.
But there’s also this togetherness to NaNoWriMo. The ‘competition’ is mostly devoid of actual competition, at least with your peers. It’s more like a marathon where everyone’s cheering each other on. The finish line is all that matters, no matter who reaches it first. There’s something awesome and rare about that kind of a creative community.
Will many WriMoers see their books available at Barnes & Noble one day? No, but I think we all knew that already going in, and the people who want to claim the competition is about getting published miss the point. Imagine a world where we actively discouraged our youth, our friends, our family, to avoid doing anything creative. That’s some awful dystopia shit right there. But we don’t live in that world. NaNoWriMo is proof of that. So, that’s cool.
Why it’s not for everyone:
There is something about NaNoWriMo that I do not like. It’s this idea of winning. I mean, I get it’s a competition of sorts, but I think it could potentially send the wrong message to certain new writers that if they fail, then they must not be cut out for the whole being a writer thing.
Speaking personally, the idea of writing every day is nothing new to me. I tend to write with chapter goals in mind as compared to a word count, but I rather liked the NaNoWriMo site’s daily count doodad. And while I think the whole NaNoWriMo thing was exactly what I expected it to be, I found that I wrote in a way totally unlike myself, and I’m not sure if I liked that.
Driven by a force that I’ve not yet come to identify, I wrote every day in November at a speed that I was not accustomed to. At first, I thought, ‘well this is great!’ But then comes that point in nearly every novel I write, where I gotta stop and look at things as the story threatens to derail itself.
Except in NaNoWriMo, with a clock ticking on me, I didn’t give myself what I deemed the appropriate amount of time to reexamine what the story was meant to be and where I wanted it to go. I worked like a hungry shark, fearful that if I stopped going forward, I might sink to the bottom and die.
Disclaimer: I don’t enjoy rewriting much. This is something I mean to work on as a writer, but for now it’s just who I am. When my story’s done, I like it to be relatively well groomed, so that the editing process goes more smoothly. . . I’ve never written a sloppier book than I did this November. I already want to edit it, but I know it’s too soon (wait 3-4 weeks to edit your finished manuscript—doctor’s orders). I accomplished what NaNoWriMo asked of me, but there’s this emptiness I feel, because the book’s not quite what I wanted it to be when I started it.
I came to this conclusion that a writer should be suspicious of deadlines, but personal goals are something to be actively encouraged.
NaNoWriMo is a great but flawed thing. It encourages us to tell the story we want to tell, but doesn’t grant enough freedom to the storyteller.
Listen: Writing is a very personal craft. We all do it a little differently, which is why the ‘rules’ on how to write a great book are mostly to be ignored. There should be no rules on how you write your work day-to-day, or a sense of failure if you do not reach the number at the end of the month.
Ultimately, NaNoWriMo may not be for you. Don’t be discouraged if you wrote less than the competition asked of you in November. I ‘won’ the competition and got a little certificate to print up and put my name on. Also got this, check it:
Yeah.
In no way does that certificate prove I’m a better writer than the ones who couldn’t reach 50,000. Someone else who took three months to complete their novel instead of three weeks might’ve produced something much better than I did. Really, I’m certain of it.
I think that if you’re already pretty comfortable with writing, then NaNoWriMo will be useful to you if you need something egging you on and keeping you honest about your daily writing. It can potentially instill good writing habits into your daily routine.
It could also potentially lead you to despair because the idea of ‘losing’ is never a good thing, especially when the competition isn’t totally fair to begin with.
I guess I mean to say that you should NaNoWriMo at your own risk.
…and why that’s okay:
You didn’t get your book finished in November? That’s cool with me. It should be cool with you. The little badge thing that NaNoWriMo gives your profile page for 50,000 words is overrated, like a toy thrown into a cereal box. IT’S THE CEREAL THAT MATTERS!
It’s cool to be able to say that you wrote a complete book in a month’s time. I mean, holy shit, what an accomplishment. But it’s just as cool to say you wrote your book your way, even if writing it spilled over into the next year a little bit.
Some writers actively hate on NaNoWriMo for an abundance of reasons. Some of their reasons I can even agree with, but mostly I feel like we should just let it be.
There exists a competition that encourages people to write, to interact, and to build something with their MIND POWERS. That’s so cool. Lots of the participants in NaNoWriMo may not write at any other time of the year and that’s fine. November means something to them that it may not mean to the rest of us who think about writing every month of the year. Don’t ruin it for them.
There are lots of things I don’t like about NaNoWriMo. I’m not even totally satisfied with my own experience with the project, despite the fact that I did everything they asked of me. But let’s not forget that it’s a powerful motivational activity for a great many people.
Let the WriMos go on WriMoing.
For those still fighting to finish before the 30th. . .
I believe that there’s still plenty of time for most of you to get your work done before December’s arrival. But if you don’t make it, that’s fine. Don’t beat yourself up about it.
I do ask that you keep writing in December, though. Hell, if it keeps going on into 2014, that’s fine, too. Keep writing until you finish your thing.
If there is one thing that I’d like you to take away from all my rambling, it is this:
The requirement for every book should not be the length of time it takes to finish it, or the number of words hidden between the covers, but rather the fact that it says THE END on the final page.
Finishing your work is what matters most.
And writing THE END feels so damn good.
I’m done now.
THE END.
November 2, 2013
NaNoWriMo First Impressions
First impressions: This ain’t so hard! … and then comes the slow realization that I have roughly 20 more days of this to look forward to … Oh God, no.
So, I’m on my second day and I have roughly 6,449 words so far. Not too shabby, I guess. Gonna do more work tonight. It’s not often I catch onto the pulse of my story so quickly. It’s just working this time.
Whether or not I can keep up this pace though, I’m not so sure… The beginning of the story is clear in my mind. The middle is fuzzy. The end? I don’t have an ending yet. HA! This is not gonna go well.
Usually I like going into a new book with it pretty clear in my head, but with it not so set in stone that it’s boring to write. I like to think of it as if it’s a movie I watched a few years ago. I remember many of the big scenes and cool directions the story goes in, but I can’t remember all the finer details. I’m sort of in that mode with this story, but it’s fuzzier than usual, like a film I saw a some years ago while drunk or something.
Still, I’m glad I’m participating this year. It’s fun to be involved with all these others and compare our mental breakdowns as we rush towards that finishing line thingy.
If you want to track my progress or become writing buddies, check out my NaNoWriMo profile.
So, I’m on my second day and I have roughly 6,449 words so far. Not too shabby, I guess. Gonna do more work tonight. It’s not often I catch onto the pulse of my story so quickly. It’s just working this time.
Whether or not I can keep up this pace though, I’m not so sure… The beginning of the story is clear in my mind. The middle is fuzzy. The end? I don’t have an ending yet. HA! This is not gonna go well.
Usually I like going into a new book with it pretty clear in my head, but with it not so set in stone that it’s boring to write. I like to think of it as if it’s a movie I watched a few years ago. I remember many of the big scenes and cool directions the story goes in, but I can’t remember all the finer details. I’m sort of in that mode with this story, but it’s fuzzier than usual, like a film I saw a some years ago while drunk or something.
Still, I’m glad I’m participating this year. It’s fun to be involved with all these others and compare our mental breakdowns as we rush towards that finishing line thingy.
If you want to track my progress or become writing buddies, check out my NaNoWriMo profile.
October 26, 2013
Brain Mold FREE October 26th - 28th 2013
My novel Brain Mold is free today! It'll remain free through Monday the 28th! Get your copy while this sale lasts!
Looking for a fast-paced horror novel in the days leading up to Halloween? BRAIN MOLD.
Looking for a free book that you may or may not read but you want to get it while it's free anyway? BRAIN MOLD.
Looking for a book called Brain Mold ? BRAIN MOLD.
So ends my sales pitch.
--K
www.kyle-warner.com
Looking for a fast-paced horror novel in the days leading up to Halloween? BRAIN MOLD.
Looking for a free book that you may or may not read but you want to get it while it's free anyway? BRAIN MOLD.
Looking for a book called Brain Mold ? BRAIN MOLD.
So ends my sales pitch.
--K
www.kyle-warner.com
October 24, 2013
I'm now signed up for NaNoWriMo 2013
I’ve decided to take part in NaNoWriMo for the very first time this year. Sounded like a good idea at first, but now that I’m committed it sounds terrifying. WHAT HAVE I DONE?!
I’ve written multiple novels before, but never under such a deadline as this. I really think I can do it, though… Probably… Maybe… Oh hell, I’ve made a mistake and it’s too late to back out now…
*sobs*
The novel I will be working on is a prologue of sorts to a series of dark urban fantasy books I will be publishing soon. Title: The Intended Death. Or something.
If you want to add me as a buddy or track my progress as I descend into madness, you can find me here:
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/kyle-warner
Best of luck to all others participating this year! I hope to see you all at the finish line thing.
— Kyle
I’ve written multiple novels before, but never under such a deadline as this. I really think I can do it, though… Probably… Maybe… Oh hell, I’ve made a mistake and it’s too late to back out now…
*sobs*
The novel I will be working on is a prologue of sorts to a series of dark urban fantasy books I will be publishing soon. Title: The Intended Death. Or something.
If you want to add me as a buddy or track my progress as I descend into madness, you can find me here:
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/kyle-warner
Best of luck to all others participating this year! I hope to see you all at the finish line thing.
— Kyle
