S.R. Crawford's Blog, page 88

Reasons Why I Am Your Unconventional Author…

I am young (I wrote my first book by 14, published it at 18 and kept going…)
I am mixed race (not a lot of people who look like me are seen as the “author type” sadly).
I’m from a working-class family and poor area.
I’m not highly educated.
I’m not well-read or well-spoken.
I’m a Multi-Genre author – fantasy, self-help, lifestyle, essays, drama, YA,, memoir humour…
I have tattoos.
I swear and mix my words and simply can’t talk very well!
I wrote about love before I’d experienced it.
I wrote about vampires even though I had hated them beforehand.
I’m self-published.
I’ve never actually tried traditional publishing.
I’m not perfect…

I hope seeing this breaks down any conventions about what an author is supposed to be like. I think as long as you have an idea and the passion and dedication to put it down on paper, then that’s all it takes to be an author. Whether you’re a very good one or not is a different story, but only by reading one’s work can someone determine that for themselves. So, if you wish to review me for yourself and put me to the test, try out Ash Born.

“The Fall” – A Poem

For as long as I can remember,

I have feared the Fall.

That time, they call it September, when things change.

The sun retreats behind the clouds.

The biting chill comes stalking.

And the days shrink away…

Leaving only the grey.

Then, I inevitably fall.

Fall into anxiety.

Fall into depression.

Fall into self-doubt and regret and anger.

Why did I waste the gift of long days that Summer had provided?

Why didn’t I go outside and soak up enough energy to last me through the Winter?

Why didn’t I stay at university, where I’d be safe to be in this state of not-knowing, greeting September as the start of a new academic year?

Why am I so tired?

Wake up.

Wake up.

And each question pulls me in deeper.

Each passing day only steals away more and more of…

Me?

Where am I going?

Where am I?

I try and try to fix myself.

To create.

To inspire.

To sort out this life thing once and for all.

Except it’s like a puzzle that doesn’t have all the pieces.

No matter what I do, I can’t feel incomplete.

And I blame fall for chipping away at me.

For stealing my excitement.

Stealing away my creativity.

Put words on paper?

Good luck.

The sky is too grey to see the pages.

And so my pages remain blank.

Through the fall, I’ve fallen.

***

But this autumn, I don’t want to fall.

Well, fall as deep, this time.

I forbid the depression to creep.

Don’t you seep in.

Siana, don’t you sink.

Perhaps I could see the beauty.

The pretty, layered clothing.

Long boots, long scarves, long coats.

Then there’s the fluffy blankets, shielding me from the darkness.

Oh, and not forgetting TV and film marathons to protect me from my reality.

Good books.

Good talks.

Good food.

Pretty nails.

Pretty leaves.

Pretty colours.

And maybe I’d write.

Not for anyone else, but for me.

Write what’s inside so that it doesn’t kill me.

Write to no deadline or agenda.

Write in a state of total euphoria until the sun returns to me.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this fall,

I won’t fall.

Where Have I Been?

So, what did I do in South Africa, I hear you ask? Well, here’s a quickfire list for you. It was so much more than this list, but I’m writing a book about it all, so you’ll have to read that to get more details!

I rode a horse in the mountains, overlooking the beautiful scenes.
I sat in a huge truck as we explored an African safari, seeing the likes of lions, monkeys, wildebeest, rhino, hippos and more.
I tried African food.
I met 46 people.
I slept in 4 different places in the 2 weeks.
I rode a quad bike for an 1 hour and a half through a game reserve, coming so close to real wild African zebras and giraffe.
I witnessed (ish) an African lobola.
I relinquished control.
I drove a go-kart like a maniac whilst peacocks roamed all around us.
I rode in a car with 11 people in it for 10 hours.
I went to Durban beach and was washed by the beautiful sea.
I watched and enjoyed a Shona rap battle.
I danced with a party of happy new family members.
I played with crazy children.
I watched said children catch, kill, skin, cook and eat a bird.
I sat at a makeshift campfire and discussed life with other young adults all from different places.
I witnessed the poverty of South Africa.
I cooked for 13 people.
I ate foods I usually wouldn’t.
I saw street lizards, wild horses, and gazelles.
I prayed every day.
I got lost.
I opened my mind.
I explored.
I really lived…

Africa Changed Things…

I’m so sorry that I’ve been absent for so long. Silly me, I actually forgot to tell you that I went to South Africa for two weeks at the end of August – whoops!

I’m back now and I’ve been busy throwing up and having anxiety and writing a new book and going back to work. Busy bee. I may be back but a few things have changed that I’d like to share.

I am writing a book about my experiences in Africa…stay tuned for more on that.
I shall be posting on social media less, unless I have a really great thing to share, because I want to focus more on writing in my free time (which feels like very little).
I will still be blogging but again less than before, most likely. Instead, I’ll aim to bring you great content when I do post so that it makes up for it!
I feel like Africa is still changing my perspective on things so expect some philosophical stuff and more changes to come.
I will be writing a lot more life posts when I do blog, not just writing based posts.

Next post, I will talk a little bit about Africa and my new book idea and we’ll see where things go. But for now, Africa is still changing me and I want you to know – it’s euphoric.

Why Writers Get Depressed

Don’t worry, this post won’t be as “depressing” as it sounds. I just wanted to reach out to my fellow writers and say you’re not alone if you’ve ever felt depressed. Because we all get like that at times and here’s why writers suffer so much.

Our work is under appreciated and under valued.
We work for a long, long time  only to have a small audience ever read our work. (Especially at first)
Misunderstood time and time again.
Writing is a lonely profession.
You often wish the reality you write about were your reality, but it’s not, and that sucks.
Rejection!
Being underpaid for the work we do.
Being given writing tasks like they’re easy when they’re not.
Writer’s block.
Grammar!
Having an idea but struggling to make it what you envision it could be.
No reads make you feel like a failure.
No one understands the depth of something you’ve created.
People can sometimes think our jobs aren’t “real jobs”.

You’re not alone, friends. So connect with other writers and keep going despite the depression. Much love.

Why “Red Queen” Wasn’t All That

Under-developed characters:

I felt that Mare Barrow (the main character) was very meh for me. She seemed bland and just an accessory for the story instead of a strong, developed, real character. I didn’t care about her or her story. I didn’t like her. And I just couldn’t get into her person. In fact, I didn’t like any of the characters which isn’t great. 

Poor Love Story

Again the love story was not developed. I felt like one minute she hated them then she was head over heels for no real reason. Yes she did explai her indecision etc. but it felt like it was just said not shown. Like it was something the author wanted instead of something that naturally worked for the story and the characters themselves. 

Poor Decisions 

Mare made decisions that seemed rushed and rash again her character. She agrees to murder when she has suffered so much and I feel it was the wrong decision. 

Boring Middle 

The middle of the story was dry. I understand they were setting up the world and the tension of where she was but it felt dry. I felt like I had to force myself to finish it. I think writers need to be careful when setting things up not to allow readers to get bored. 

I do think I was a bit harsh. It was a good idea. I loved he powers and the unique world. And I can tell the second book will be better than the first. But it wasn’t a great book for me that I could invest in. Sorry! 

Enter my Book’s Giveaway!

The first book in my fantasy series is up for a giveaway, the last day is today! So get your FREE SIGNED COPY of Ash Born if you’re in the U.K. Just click the link below and sign up! 

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/240423-ash-born

Writing Advice NOT to Take

“Never start a story with the weather” – you can do whatever you like, as long as it’s not boring!
“Write what you know” – yes, you should explore what you know first, definitely. But if you want to write something else, do it! Technically, I started writing a love story before I knew what love was. And similarly, writing fantasy means using my imagination only (I have never seen a dragon!)
“Don’t write cliches” – true, don’t be the same as everyone else. But that doesn’t mean that exploring cliches can’t work; they’re cliche for a reason because they work/are relatable!
“Descriptions are key” – they’re not, really. As long as you make sense, you don’t need to list a bunch of descriptions to go along with it. Your readers have their own brains, they can fill in the blanks like what colour the wallpaper is or how many freckles the character has.
“There are only 10 rules of writing…” – THERE ARE NO RULES!! WRITE WHAT YOU WANT, HOW YOU WANT! Heck, you might just stand out because of it.
“You need to write likable characters” –
“Action is needed” – It depends on genre, yes an adventure book needs action but other genres don’t need it, especially not throughout! Only certain readers will be bothered by the lack of action scenes, otherwise, most will find entertainment elsewhere (the character interactions, love, revelations etc.)

What Makes a Character Bad

They make decisions that don’t really make sense. 
They’re bad to be bad.
They have no history.
They don’t want anything. There’s nothing driving them forwards except you, the writer. 
They’re a meh character. Nothing about them is interesting. No one cares about them.
They aren’t realistic. Maybe they’re perfect or never make mistakes or burp or have sexv because why’re an angel…all that is unrealistic, and people hate that. 
They take lives or do horrid things that any normal person would think twice about.
There’s no consequences for their actions.
They speak like no normal person would. Yes, dialogue should be spicy and fabricated but completely from the norm is unbelievable. 
They never eat or sleep so they’re not human. 
Their friendships or relationships or interactions are dry and dull. 
They have no substance – likes, dislikes, aspirations, quirks, humour, friends…
They’re a fool. 

How to Create a Character Profile

Anyone who is serious about writing a story, especially one with a lot of characters, should know what a character profile is – and use them. Take my fantasy series, for example, there are over 160 main-ish characters throughout the 4 books. Yes, that many! In order to keep up, and know each of them well, characters profiles go a long way. Plus, if you spend some time away from a character, it helps you to remember the fundamentals about them.

So, how do we create one? You can google search it, and you shall find plenty of templates. It’s a really simple thing to do. Here are a few things I suggest you include in yours and some tips for doing it well.

Name – because duh…but don’t just pick any crap name! Remember a name can make or break a person. A reader likes a name they can pronounce or at least like a little. Give your heroine a powerful name or maybe a delicate name for her if she’s sweet and kind. Something that reflects who they are.
Age & Ethnicity – Ethnicity isn’t as important but it can help some people to see what you see. I’ve had characters that I imaged as dark skinned and so I said they were because I wanted my audience to see what I see. However, it can be cool to allow your reader’s minds to fill in the blanks that you leave. Give them an age, though, their dialogue and life experiences are a reflection of their age.
Relationships  – Mother, Father, Siblings, Friends, Colleagues, Enemies, etc. Do they get along? How do they interact? How did they meet?
Occupation  – If they work, where? Why? Do they like it? How much do they make? You can’t have them work as a coffee barista but have them driving a Bentley. It needs to line up!
Likes & Dislikes  – Even if the things on this list never make it into the story, it’s good to know as the writer. It will help your characters have substance. Everyone has likes and dislikes. Liking pasta, hating feet – that kind of thing. It helps them interact and bond with other characters, too.
Place in the Plot  – What’s their purpose? How do they move the story forwards, or hinder it? Why are they necessary in the first place?
Personality Traits – Are they kind? Curious? Hateful? Charismatic? Energetic? Silly? Competitive? Reserved?
Powers/Abilities or Personal Strengths  – Every person has strengths and weaknesses, so you should know these about your characters. What are their flaws and how does it impact the story? Where do they find their strengths? Then, if it’s fantasy, consider what powers they may have, too, and why.
Speech, appearance, and actions –  How do they talk? It’s hard to make every character different because not everyone speaks completely different but it’s good to know who’s talking without a name tag. Also, what does their face look like? Nose, eyes, hair? It’s not crucial, but good to know if it’s important to you and how you see them. And their actions, how do they move? Are the quite reserved in their body language or brave and self-assured? Walk tall or hang back? Can really add to their characters to explore this.
Extras  – A few things to consider but aren’t 100% necessary but could help with the full image of who they are as a character: height, weight, quirks (weird things only they do), clothing style, body details (tattoos, scars, spots, freckles, etc.)

Just bear in mind that your characters are just characters, they are people. They have lives – past and present, and want a future yet to be determined. They need a reason for making the choices they do throughout the story. They need a reason for hating Kate next door. You can’t have them doing one thing then completely doing another that would be what the reader considers “out of character”. A kind, innocent girl wouldn’t then kill someone without hesitation a chapter later. Make it all make sense! Think, who are they? Why are they doing this? Would they really do this, or am I forcing them to?

Good luck.