Karen GoatKeeper's Blog, page 21
February 21, 2018
Reading About Writers
Reading about writers we admire seems to be part of a writer’s makeup. Even reading about writers we’ve never heard of can be interesting. Each of us writers tries to be an individual yet we look for ideas, tips, validation in the lives of our fellow writers.
Somewhere my mother acquired a copy of “Yours, Isaac Asimov” and passed it on to me. It is a compilation of the letters he wrote back to his fans who were legion. These were winnowed down from some 40,000 letters and numerous postcards.
For those who don’t remember Isaac Asimov: He lived and wrote in Manhattan, New York City. Almost 500 books carried his name as author which isn’t that special. What is special is that these books spanned all ten major Dewey Decimal System categories. For me he is most remembered for his science fiction, especially his robots.
The book covers many subjects, some in very humorous fashion, including writing. Being a writer, these were of interest to me and perhaps to you.
There is the perpetual question of why a person chooses to write. “My secret is that I love to write – the mechanical act of it. I guess loving to write isn’t a common thing. So I must be the luckiest guy in the world.” He loved to write so much, he typed from 7:30 in the morning to 10:30 at night. That is dedication. I aspire to such dedication.
There is another side of writing: reading. “I like my own writing – another secret to prolificity, since I can’t wait till I write something so I can read it.” How many times does a writer finish a book, spending months editing and revising, then put the book aside never wanting to see it again? I hope I never get so tired of something that began and should continue as something special – my writing.
Another perpetual question is where a writer finds ideas to write about. “It is almost impossible to think of something no one has thought of before, but it is always possible to add different frills.” Readers of a particular genre know this as books in that genre have a certain format all of them follow. What sets each apart is how it is written.
“The idea is nothing, or virtually nothing, since all depends on how it is written. A poor idea well written is more likely to be accepted than a good idea poorly written.”
Reviews are considered so important today. All writers want those glowing reviews so more people will discover and purchase their books.
Then there is the bad review. Writers are cautioned to let it go, ignore it. I much prefer this approach: “Rotten reviews are the lot of the writer, and selling well is the best revenge.”
May all us writers achieve such revenge.
Somewhere my mother acquired a copy of “Yours, Isaac Asimov” and passed it on to me. It is a compilation of the letters he wrote back to his fans who were legion. These were winnowed down from some 40,000 letters and numerous postcards.
For those who don’t remember Isaac Asimov: He lived and wrote in Manhattan, New York City. Almost 500 books carried his name as author which isn’t that special. What is special is that these books spanned all ten major Dewey Decimal System categories. For me he is most remembered for his science fiction, especially his robots.
The book covers many subjects, some in very humorous fashion, including writing. Being a writer, these were of interest to me and perhaps to you.
There is the perpetual question of why a person chooses to write. “My secret is that I love to write – the mechanical act of it. I guess loving to write isn’t a common thing. So I must be the luckiest guy in the world.” He loved to write so much, he typed from 7:30 in the morning to 10:30 at night. That is dedication. I aspire to such dedication.
There is another side of writing: reading. “I like my own writing – another secret to prolificity, since I can’t wait till I write something so I can read it.” How many times does a writer finish a book, spending months editing and revising, then put the book aside never wanting to see it again? I hope I never get so tired of something that began and should continue as something special – my writing.
Another perpetual question is where a writer finds ideas to write about. “It is almost impossible to think of something no one has thought of before, but it is always possible to add different frills.” Readers of a particular genre know this as books in that genre have a certain format all of them follow. What sets each apart is how it is written.
“The idea is nothing, or virtually nothing, since all depends on how it is written. A poor idea well written is more likely to be accepted than a good idea poorly written.”
Reviews are considered so important today. All writers want those glowing reviews so more people will discover and purchase their books.
Then there is the bad review. Writers are cautioned to let it go, ignore it. I much prefer this approach: “Rotten reviews are the lot of the writer, and selling well is the best revenge.”
May all us writers achieve such revenge.
January 31, 2018
Reconsidering Society
"The Carduan Chronicles" is taking me many new places so I am busy reading up on them. Research so matters in a book. That brought me to the book "How To Tame a Fox."
This is a fascinating experiment in domestication. Belyeav started this (putting himself into great danger) in the USSR in 1952. He wanted to explore the changes in animals when they are domesticated focusing on silver foxes for two reasons. First, they were like wolves. Second, the USSR had numerous silver fox farms producing fox pelts and he was an official in charge of the breeding program.
Foxes were selected for tameness. This alone led to great changes in the foxes.
Then there came a section about self domestication. Belyeav suggested humans had self domesticated themselves in order to form societies. In looking around, he checked into primate societies.
It seems chimpanzees and bonobos are much alike, split into separate areas by a river. Yet their societies are totally different.
Chimpanzees have a male dominated society. Males vie for dominance, form murderous gangs and subjugate their females.
Bonobos have a female dominated society. The females select their mates preferring those showing less aggression. Their society has no vying for dominance, no murderous gangs.
People have a male dominated society.
What if my Carduans have a female dominated society? How would this change the dynamics and relationships? What if the society is in flux, shifting between the two?
Like learning to see my world through the eyes of those much smaller than myself, this would force me to reconsider my values and ways of looking at society. Will I? It's tempting.
This is a fascinating experiment in domestication. Belyeav started this (putting himself into great danger) in the USSR in 1952. He wanted to explore the changes in animals when they are domesticated focusing on silver foxes for two reasons. First, they were like wolves. Second, the USSR had numerous silver fox farms producing fox pelts and he was an official in charge of the breeding program.
Foxes were selected for tameness. This alone led to great changes in the foxes.
Then there came a section about self domestication. Belyeav suggested humans had self domesticated themselves in order to form societies. In looking around, he checked into primate societies.
It seems chimpanzees and bonobos are much alike, split into separate areas by a river. Yet their societies are totally different.
Chimpanzees have a male dominated society. Males vie for dominance, form murderous gangs and subjugate their females.
Bonobos have a female dominated society. The females select their mates preferring those showing less aggression. Their society has no vying for dominance, no murderous gangs.
People have a male dominated society.
What if my Carduans have a female dominated society? How would this change the dynamics and relationships? What if the society is in flux, shifting between the two?
Like learning to see my world through the eyes of those much smaller than myself, this would force me to reconsider my values and ways of looking at society. Will I? It's tempting.
January 24, 2018
Surviving Critique Time
Isaac Asimov used to have several books in the works at the same time. Of course, he was a genius. Still, it is comforting to know working on more than one book at a time is fine.
"The Carduan Chronicles" are my main writing project. However, it came to my attention that 2018 is a special anniversary: I moved to this spot in the Ozarks 25 years ago this May.
There will be a book of photographs of the place coming out later this year. It will have several essays mixed in. Most of these are written. One became my submission to my writer's group for the critique session.
Critiques of a piece of writing are about the writing, not the writer. My group is very good about this. So, why does it seem so personal?
It's personal because the writing is personal. These essays especially are personal. They are part of me.
Were the comments useful? Yes. Am I now doing a lot of rewriting? Yes. Am I glad I let a few feathers get ruffled? Yes.
Surviving critique time takes remembering, no matter how personal the writing may be, the comments aren't aimed at you. They are aimed at making your writing better. Even if you don't make all the changes suggested, each is an opportunity for you to take a closer look at why you wrote the piece the way you did. It lets you see your writing through the eyes of readers.
My essays will be better for it.
"The Carduan Chronicles" are my main writing project. However, it came to my attention that 2018 is a special anniversary: I moved to this spot in the Ozarks 25 years ago this May.
There will be a book of photographs of the place coming out later this year. It will have several essays mixed in. Most of these are written. One became my submission to my writer's group for the critique session.
Critiques of a piece of writing are about the writing, not the writer. My group is very good about this. So, why does it seem so personal?
It's personal because the writing is personal. These essays especially are personal. They are part of me.
Were the comments useful? Yes. Am I now doing a lot of rewriting? Yes. Am I glad I let a few feathers get ruffled? Yes.
Surviving critique time takes remembering, no matter how personal the writing may be, the comments aren't aimed at you. They are aimed at making your writing better. Even if you don't make all the changes suggested, each is an opportunity for you to take a closer look at why you wrote the piece the way you did. It lets you see your writing through the eyes of readers.
My essays will be better for it.
January 3, 2018
Space Ship Disaster?
Yes, a space ship disaster does open my new novel. That is not my present disaster.
Have you ever tried to design a space ship?
First is the list of things that need to be on the ship. Engines, fuel, water and air tanks plus reclaimers, cargo or passenger space, control area, two door locks, storage batteries for solar power, infirmary, bathroom and insulating hull make up a good list.
Second is the size of space ship. Since this is a short flight supply/passenger transport, it doesn't need to be huge. Since the Carduans are small, it can be small. Then it must be able to maneuver between trees and land on a rock ledge.
Oven dishes make nice oval patterns. My proposed ship is oval in shape. It has a streamlined curve over the top and flat bottom with two rollers, front and rear, for landing gear. This can provide lift flying through an atmosphere.
How tall is the ship? On my first attempt, all the storage areas except cargo/passenger space was placed under the main deck. This is similar to a cargo ship. It looks great.
This has one major flaw. The crew comes out of the door lock and suddenly descends a floor. The solution? A gang plank? An elevator? Ramps? Steps? Escalator?
None of these will work in the story. The crew must be able to step out of the door lock onto the rock ledge and back in again.
Could the storage areas be put above the main deck? There is a reason heavy things are low in a car. It puts the center of gravity low increasing the stability of the car. Top heavy cars and space ships are not smart moves.
That leaves incorporating some of these storage items into the basic floor plan. The water tank fits. The air seems to work. My problem is fitting the engines and fuel tank in.
Maybe this attempt will work and not join my pile of disaster ships.
Next comes a map of the ravine.
Have you ever tried to design a space ship?
First is the list of things that need to be on the ship. Engines, fuel, water and air tanks plus reclaimers, cargo or passenger space, control area, two door locks, storage batteries for solar power, infirmary, bathroom and insulating hull make up a good list.
Second is the size of space ship. Since this is a short flight supply/passenger transport, it doesn't need to be huge. Since the Carduans are small, it can be small. Then it must be able to maneuver between trees and land on a rock ledge.
Oven dishes make nice oval patterns. My proposed ship is oval in shape. It has a streamlined curve over the top and flat bottom with two rollers, front and rear, for landing gear. This can provide lift flying through an atmosphere.
How tall is the ship? On my first attempt, all the storage areas except cargo/passenger space was placed under the main deck. This is similar to a cargo ship. It looks great.
This has one major flaw. The crew comes out of the door lock and suddenly descends a floor. The solution? A gang plank? An elevator? Ramps? Steps? Escalator?
None of these will work in the story. The crew must be able to step out of the door lock onto the rock ledge and back in again.
Could the storage areas be put above the main deck? There is a reason heavy things are low in a car. It puts the center of gravity low increasing the stability of the car. Top heavy cars and space ships are not smart moves.
That leaves incorporating some of these storage items into the basic floor plan. The water tank fits. The air seems to work. My problem is fitting the engines and fuel tank in.
Maybe this attempt will work and not join my pile of disaster ships.
Next comes a map of the ravine.
December 27, 2017
eBook Sale
It's the week between Christmas and New Year's. Cold has enveloped the Ozarks.
Smashwords is having a hot sale this week. For the sale, all my novels are free.
You can go to Smashwords and find them or go to my website, go to the book page and click on the Buy eBook button there.
The free status is only until New Year's.
Smashwords is having a hot sale this week. For the sale, all my novels are free.
You can go to Smashwords and find them or go to my website, go to the book page and click on the Buy eBook button there.
The free status is only until New Year's.
December 20, 2017
Alien Encounters
As I try to rewrite my science fiction story rough draft into something approaching coherency, I come to my aliens.
It was easy to make the aliens appear. They moved into the rough draft and belonged there. Now they need to move into the new draft.
This makes it necessary to have a good description of these Carduans. Where do I start?
Size is good. Their space ship must be small enough to dodge the trees and land in the ravine. Small ships require small aliens. At present, the Carduans are four inches tall making their ship 18" by 18" by 30". This is workable, yet I am so tempted to let them grow an inch.
Their home planet is rich with UV light. Now, UV light is what tans our skin and can cause skin cancer and DNA damage. So, the Carduans must have protective traits.
One is color. Blue helps protect against UV light. Another will be thicker skin.
These make other changes inevitable. If they live in a UV light rich place, they must be able to see it. A little research and the Carduans have not the three kinds of cones we have, but four so they can see the spectrum from red into the UV.
If Carduans are blue, perhaps it would help if their blood was also blue. Invertebrates have blood based on copper instead of iron. It is blue.
Unfortunately hemocyanin is not as efficient at carrying oxygen. This is offset by the small size. Perhaps a second heart is in order to keep the blood pressure up and increase the circulation rate.
The Carduans do have hands with thumbs. This is essential for handling tools, etc. Yet their small size makes five fingers ridiculous. Perhaps two fingers would be better.
One problem remains. I am writing the story. If the Carduans are too strange, how can I relate to them? The final Carduan is different, yet the same. This is the basis for keeping the visual spectrum, the hands, the bipedal stance, the emotional makeup.
The next difficulty is getting a picture of a Carduan. That would make writing about them much easier. Has anyone seen one lately?
It was easy to make the aliens appear. They moved into the rough draft and belonged there. Now they need to move into the new draft.
This makes it necessary to have a good description of these Carduans. Where do I start?
Size is good. Their space ship must be small enough to dodge the trees and land in the ravine. Small ships require small aliens. At present, the Carduans are four inches tall making their ship 18" by 18" by 30". This is workable, yet I am so tempted to let them grow an inch.
Their home planet is rich with UV light. Now, UV light is what tans our skin and can cause skin cancer and DNA damage. So, the Carduans must have protective traits.
One is color. Blue helps protect against UV light. Another will be thicker skin.
These make other changes inevitable. If they live in a UV light rich place, they must be able to see it. A little research and the Carduans have not the three kinds of cones we have, but four so they can see the spectrum from red into the UV.
If Carduans are blue, perhaps it would help if their blood was also blue. Invertebrates have blood based on copper instead of iron. It is blue.
Unfortunately hemocyanin is not as efficient at carrying oxygen. This is offset by the small size. Perhaps a second heart is in order to keep the blood pressure up and increase the circulation rate.
The Carduans do have hands with thumbs. This is essential for handling tools, etc. Yet their small size makes five fingers ridiculous. Perhaps two fingers would be better.
One problem remains. I am writing the story. If the Carduans are too strange, how can I relate to them? The final Carduan is different, yet the same. This is the basis for keeping the visual spectrum, the hands, the bipedal stance, the emotional makeup.
The next difficulty is getting a picture of a Carduan. That would make writing about them much easier. Has anyone seen one lately?
November 22, 2017
Mired In Important Trivia
Trivia is supposed to be unimportant. It's facts and information about everything.
The central part of a story is much like that as times. There can be a lot going on, yet it drags along. The story set up is past. The story ending is in the future, dimly or vividly seen.
And the author types on, marking time, wracking up word counts, wondering where to go from here.
My Carduans are snowbound. They sit inside their ship watching the activity outside, but not participating. It isn't safe to go outside. Terrible monsters appear suddenly. The cold is strange to them and they are not prepared for it.
Boredom is the order of the day, both for the Carduans and the author.
The story drifts along through trivia. Yet, buried in the trivia, are all the threads for the story coming up.
There is a first romance trying to develop.
There is the problem of not being food for the pyrope or the lobel or the new predator just spotted.
There is the problem of finding food sources as their store of food will be gone in a few months with careful rationing.
The ship may be safe, but none of the Carduans want to live in it for the long term. How can they build houses and still be safe from the predators?
So the trivia is important as it hints at the problems coming up in the story. But, for now, aliens and author are mired, snowbound, in trivia, bored.
The central part of a story is much like that as times. There can be a lot going on, yet it drags along. The story set up is past. The story ending is in the future, dimly or vividly seen.
And the author types on, marking time, wracking up word counts, wondering where to go from here.
My Carduans are snowbound. They sit inside their ship watching the activity outside, but not participating. It isn't safe to go outside. Terrible monsters appear suddenly. The cold is strange to them and they are not prepared for it.
Boredom is the order of the day, both for the Carduans and the author.
The story drifts along through trivia. Yet, buried in the trivia, are all the threads for the story coming up.
There is a first romance trying to develop.
There is the problem of not being food for the pyrope or the lobel or the new predator just spotted.
There is the problem of finding food sources as their store of food will be gone in a few months with careful rationing.
The ship may be safe, but none of the Carduans want to live in it for the long term. How can they build houses and still be safe from the predators?
So the trivia is important as it hints at the problems coming up in the story. But, for now, aliens and author are mired, snowbound, in trivia, bored.
November 15, 2017
What Is It?
Somehow the problem of names for things isn't very high on the radar at the beginning of a science fiction novel. Things have names. everyone knows those names.
What's the problem?
Aliens don't know the names. Aliens have never seen these things before. Aliens need to name these things.
Now comes the disconnect.
I know the names of these things. Yet, as the author, I must pretend I do not know these names. I must pretend I am seeing these things for the very first time. Not only am I seeing them for the very first time, I must see them the way my Carduans see them.
Except my Carduans will no longer really be Carduans. They are not on nor will they, as far as anyone knows, ever return to Cardua. They are now residents of Earth. Except it isn't Earth. It's a new planet with a new name being explored for the very first time.
There is another side to this. Familiarity can make the observer sloppy, keep the observer from really seeing what is right in front of them.
Now I must forget my familiarity with these things. I must see them with new eyes and, perhaps, gain a new perspective and respect for the things I take for granted.
What's the problem?
Aliens don't know the names. Aliens have never seen these things before. Aliens need to name these things.
Now comes the disconnect.
I know the names of these things. Yet, as the author, I must pretend I do not know these names. I must pretend I am seeing these things for the very first time. Not only am I seeing them for the very first time, I must see them the way my Carduans see them.
Except my Carduans will no longer really be Carduans. They are not on nor will they, as far as anyone knows, ever return to Cardua. They are now residents of Earth. Except it isn't Earth. It's a new planet with a new name being explored for the very first time.
There is another side to this. Familiarity can make the observer sloppy, keep the observer from really seeing what is right in front of them.
Now I must forget my familiarity with these things. I must see them with new eyes and, perhaps, gain a new perspective and respect for the things I take for granted.
November 8, 2017
Why Read Comic Books?
Growing up, my father often took us camping. It could be for a weekend. It could be for longer during the summer.
Longer trips would include a stop at a store for supplies and comic books. Each of us chose one, all different. Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck were popular.
Now I find these old comics are parts of anthologies. What started as a trip into nostalgia has become more.
A writer must hone a story. It needs an interesting beginning. The plot must go along through events enticing the reader to stay with it. Then the ending needs to be satisfactory to the reader. The writer is tempted to keep adding subplots and embellishments until the plot is hidden.
Likewise the characters must be ones the reader will follow through the adventures. Too often a writer creates a character through descriptive sentences. Comic books can't do it that way.
A comic book is visual so some things are done through the art. In the Duck comics the art gives the setting and sets up sight gags to make the reader laugh. The plot isn't done this way. The characters are done partially this way.
The plot is boiled down into a series of events. It goes from point A to point B. Any side trips are definitely side trips and not allowed to overshadow the main plot.
Characters are created through dialog and actions. Expressions aid this but can be glossed over and still the character shines through. Any character description is a few words and very occasional.
I may read comics because they are fun and bring up pleasant memories. But reading them may improve my writing. I just need to slow down and look closely at them.
Longer trips would include a stop at a store for supplies and comic books. Each of us chose one, all different. Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck were popular.
Now I find these old comics are parts of anthologies. What started as a trip into nostalgia has become more.
A writer must hone a story. It needs an interesting beginning. The plot must go along through events enticing the reader to stay with it. Then the ending needs to be satisfactory to the reader. The writer is tempted to keep adding subplots and embellishments until the plot is hidden.
Likewise the characters must be ones the reader will follow through the adventures. Too often a writer creates a character through descriptive sentences. Comic books can't do it that way.
A comic book is visual so some things are done through the art. In the Duck comics the art gives the setting and sets up sight gags to make the reader laugh. The plot isn't done this way. The characters are done partially this way.
The plot is boiled down into a series of events. It goes from point A to point B. Any side trips are definitely side trips and not allowed to overshadow the main plot.
Characters are created through dialog and actions. Expressions aid this but can be glossed over and still the character shines through. Any character description is a few words and very occasional.
I may read comics because they are fun and bring up pleasant memories. But reading them may improve my writing. I just need to slow down and look closely at them.
October 25, 2017
Imagining Plot Points
Any story rests on three legs: characters, setting and plot. My new story rests heavily on plot as each chapter must confront a new challenge and end with another challenge rearing its head.
A comfortable place for me to be to start writing is to have a list of possible plot points, those challenges. The list can have any number of these challenges on it. They can be fanciful or serious. They may get used. They may not.
First I need my list. Where can I find these challenges? One place to look is with the setting and the characters.
The Carduans will face many challenges back in that Ozark ravine. (For those interested, a summer picture of the ravine will be on my website High Reaches post this week.) Each of these challenges should become a plot point.
Some of the challenges will come from the setting. Luckily I live near several Ozark ravines. I went exploring. This brings up wildlife like coyotes, deer, opossums, raccoons, mice, rats, snakes plus smaller denizens like insects (think mosquitoes, tiger beetles) and ticks. Many of these will not be a problem in the winter, but some big ones would be like opossums and coyotes.
There is the terrain. The floor of the ravine is often a wet weather creek subject to flooding. There are small bluff rocks, fallen trees, vines, bushes, thick small vegetation. Of course this is in the summer. In the winter there is ice, snow, cold, wild temperature swings, storms.
The Carduans will need to gain three things: food including water, energy and shelter. Their ship is designed for space, not planetary living. Their on board supplies are meager. They must brave the elements and the wildlife or perish.
There is one other source of plot points. Nine Carduans are on the spaceship. Three are adults. Six are young people. Each is an individual with different emotions, reactions to disaster, ideas of what to do and feelings about the others.
The story does open in February, but February doesn't last forever (thank goodness) so even those ideas from warmer seasons might play into this story. With this list of challenges, surely I can come up with a list of possible plot points.
A comfortable place for me to be to start writing is to have a list of possible plot points, those challenges. The list can have any number of these challenges on it. They can be fanciful or serious. They may get used. They may not.
First I need my list. Where can I find these challenges? One place to look is with the setting and the characters.
The Carduans will face many challenges back in that Ozark ravine. (For those interested, a summer picture of the ravine will be on my website High Reaches post this week.) Each of these challenges should become a plot point.
Some of the challenges will come from the setting. Luckily I live near several Ozark ravines. I went exploring. This brings up wildlife like coyotes, deer, opossums, raccoons, mice, rats, snakes plus smaller denizens like insects (think mosquitoes, tiger beetles) and ticks. Many of these will not be a problem in the winter, but some big ones would be like opossums and coyotes.
There is the terrain. The floor of the ravine is often a wet weather creek subject to flooding. There are small bluff rocks, fallen trees, vines, bushes, thick small vegetation. Of course this is in the summer. In the winter there is ice, snow, cold, wild temperature swings, storms.
The Carduans will need to gain three things: food including water, energy and shelter. Their ship is designed for space, not planetary living. Their on board supplies are meager. They must brave the elements and the wildlife or perish.
There is one other source of plot points. Nine Carduans are on the spaceship. Three are adults. Six are young people. Each is an individual with different emotions, reactions to disaster, ideas of what to do and feelings about the others.
The story does open in February, but February doesn't last forever (thank goodness) so even those ideas from warmer seasons might play into this story. With this list of challenges, surely I can come up with a list of possible plot points.
