Matthew Aaron Browning's Blog, page 6

Oh Yeah…I’m a Writer

Earlier this year, I posed a question to my fellow scribes, asking them what is their day job – because [spoiler alert!] a lot of us aren’t full-time authors. The comment feed on that post became populated with some interesting insights from those of us walking that tightrope of writing and day jobs and families and lives.

And it’s that tightrope walk that’s kept me from posting to this blog in over a month. (Nobody tell Agent Steve, please.) It has not been a fruitless time lapse, though, because fortunately I’m a marketing person by day, and the skills I hone there will certainly help when it’s my own book I’m promoting. (That sounds believable, right?)

I’ve spent the past several weeks developing the campaign for the inaugural West Virginia Urban Agriculture Conference. We created a concept that blends urban imagery with agricultural themes with a “Farming. It’s so citified.” tagline. Our logo – depicting a chicken wearing a necktie – was the genesis of the campaign. We then personified said chicken, named him Chicken Stu, created an actual Stu (as you can see in that photo there), and set him up his own Twitter account. Stu has become the official spokes-chicken for the conference and has been tweeting his journey from the barnyard to the city and his experiences at the conference. In the tradition of the Traveling Gnome and Flat Stanley, Stu has been exploring our capital city, visiting some important folks (like the Governor and First Lady!) and finding urban agriculture examples all over town, sharing his snapshots, portraits and selfies along the way. So it’s been a bit of a time suck, as you can imagine.

Add to that the fact that we’re finishing up a new edition of our magazine, embarking on an expansive (and expensive) community beautification project, and I spent most of February and March writing a grant proposal. Okay, and I recently discovered the gloriousness that is TV’s Game of Thrones, so between binge watching the show and reading the lengthy books, what time I have had for writing has been spent being entertained by the Starks and the Lannisters and the gang.

Now, that isn’t to say I’ve been completely inactive. We’re still awaiting feedback on both Blades of Grass and the revised Welcome to Straightville. Steve is expecting editorial response soon. And I am working on a cool story for Brent Hartinger’s Real Story Safe Sex Project. (More on that soon.)

So, folks, that’s why I haven’t been an active presence on my own website and social media platforms lately. It’s been one of those “life in the way” chunks of time. But I’m finishing up the Real Story project very soon, so stay tuned!

What’s in a Name?

"The moment that counts most for me is the one that precedes reading. At times a title is enough to kindle in me the desire for a book that perhaps does not exist." – Italo Calvino

My last blog post – about my latest revision of Straightville, U.S.A. – contained the following nugget of information:

So I’m happy to say that I sent the latest revision (I think it’s number 1 gazillion) to my agent for his review last weekend. And now I’m waiting again to see what he thinks, because this is the most drastic revision of them all. And this waiting is still the same invigorating, nerve-wracking, nail-biting feeling it has always been.

I heard back from my agent, Steve, a few days later, and thankfully he liked what I’d done. Steve has been in this business a while and worked as an editor on projects like Brent Hartinger’s Geography Club before stepping into his agent role. So when he gives advice, I listen. He always backs up his suggestions with the fact that this is my book and I can basically take or leave his thoughts. I always take them, though. He’s yet to hit me with anything that I haven’t thought makes my work better.

So, I then did ANOTHER revision! Above I say that the previous draft was the most drastic revision of them all. But I’m going to strike that and call this current version the most drastic of changes. In fact, I’ve even changed the title, as you’ll notice in the header above – next to that ultra-hipster looking photo of me.

So what was Straightville, U.S.A. is now Welcome to Straightville, and I prefer it that way based on what transpires in this current version of the story. [Fun fact: that’s actually the third title this book has carried, but I’m not going to get into all that.]

As I mentioned in that last post, this project is now five years old, but I’m looking at it in a whole new light. I’ve read about authors who revisit their early projects and wish they could change things. I totally get that. While this book has had its ups and downs, I’m glad it has taken so much time to find a publishing home. It’s much stronger because of it.

You can read the new and improved description of Welcome to Straightville on my Books page. It’ll go out to publishers for review soon, and we’ll see if anybody bites.

Fingers and toes crossed!

Writing is a Waiting Game

“The waiting is the hardest part.” – Tom Petty

Glaciers. Turtles. Snails. Little old ladies on the highway. These are things that move at faster speeds than the traditional publishing business.

This is a fact that has taken me a while to get used to, but only because I’ve had no other choice than to do so. I did my research into the business side of being a writer when I first started querying Straightville, U.S.A. in 2011. I knew not to be in any hurry. Finding an agent could take forever, if it happened at all. Assuming I did clear that hurdle, selling the book could take another forever. And if I got that far, putting a book on shelves could take yet another forever, like up to a year at least.

What has surprised me most is how the book itself has evolved at such a slow pace. I started writing it in December 2008. I didn’t finish what I considered a sellable draft until 2011, at which point I sent it out for representation. But it continued to evolve from there as I got agent feedback (translation: rejections) and revised before sending out the next batch of query letters. I didn’t attract agent attention with a version until the summer of 2012. But even that wasn’t enough. Despite representation backing it, feedback on the book from editors was a little mixed. Basically, it went something like this:

“I really liked A, B, C, and D about Straightville, U.S.A. But E and F could use some work. So regrettably I’m going to pass.”

After amassing a little collection of such feedback throughout 2012 and 2013, I was armed with enough comments to do yet another revision of the manuscript. But by that point, I was knee-deep in writing Blades of Grass, so switching into Straightville mode had to wait. By the time I did get freed up to focus on revising Straightville, I was drained. A large part of me was ready to move on to something brand new. But then a way to revive the project hit me. So I’ve spent the past couple months doing yet another rewrite of this now five-year-old book.

So I’m happy to say that I sent the latest revision (I think it’s number 1 gazillion) to my agent for his review last weekend. And now I’m waiting again to see what he thinks, because this is the most drastic revision of them all. And this waiting is still the same invigorating, nerve-wracking, nail-biting feeling it has always been.

The point of this is to say that, if you’re a writer considering going the traditional route, be prepared to kick your shoes off and sit a spell while waiting to get your name on the cover of a book. It’s going to take a while. A long while. Probably. And your book will likely look nothing like it did the first time you typed The End.

I Write Because Buzzfeed Says So

“That is perhaps the greatest parody of journalism that I have ever seen.” – Julia Sugarbaker

When did I know I was going to be a writer? Was it that summer day in 1994 I wrote a poem for no real reason at all? No. The winter day in 2008 I wrote the first page of Straightville? Nada. The day in 2012 when all this happened? Nope!

The first time I ever actually knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I was destined to be a writer was when this well-crafted, scientifically sound Buzzfeed quiz told me to be one.

So that settles it then.

I mean, these things are based on science, folks. They don’t just pick careers out of thin air! They dig deep and ask the tough questions…like on what would I spend my tax refund and what’s my favorite social network. By the time that question surfaced, I knew sh*t had gotten real. Not that I had doubts before then. The images of Uncle Scrooge and Spongebob Squarepants in hipster glasses sold me on the science pretty early on.

All in all, I can feel gosh-darn confident that this whole writing thing is no fluke.

But, wait now. These Buzzfeed guys are realists. They know not everybody is going to make it in this business. So they offered up some backup jobs: director, producer and advertiser, namely.

And that merely served to increase my sureness that this is the incontrovertible real deal. My day job does involve a bit of advertising, and I ran a (public access) TV show for several years.

So, like, I am definitely on the right track, you guys. I mean, how could you not have total blind faith in a site that also gave us this? 

There you have it, dear readers. I feel so validated.

(Okay, okay. In all seriousness, it probably was this day.)

The Best of 2013 in 2014

[I wrote this piece in mid-December of last year, saved it as a draft, and completely forgot to publish it. Dummy. So despite being well into 2014 at this point, here are my favorite books of 2013.]

 

I rather enjoy a good year-end “best of” list (even if NPR Books is tired of them). So when I started compiling my practically obligatory Best Books of 2013 list, it dawned on me that very few of the books I read this year were actually released this year.

It’s rare that I read a book when it first comes out, not for any particular reason other than my book queue is perpetually long and by the time I do get down to the business of reading a new novel, it’s no longer a new novel.

So with that being said, this post actually contains the Top 10 Books I Read in 2013 Despite the Fact That Some Are Quite Old. But that doesn’t make a very sexy blog title, does it?

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene. This book came in second, behind the Harry Potter series, in Entertainment Weekly’s recent bracket game that asked the question “What is the Best Young Adult Novel of All Time?” I can see why it made it so far in the poll. It’s a touching, if a little predictable, read that I devoured in two days time (lightening pace for me). I hear a film version is on the way.

2. Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg. This is an interesting take on the traditional coming out novel in which the main character, Rafe, decides to go back into the closet when transferring to a new school. A funny, touching and enjoyable read.

3. Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones. I adore the Muppets (Rowlf’s my fav) and consider Jim Henson and his band of puppeteers to be geniuses. This lengthy and in-depth look at his life offers a wealth of insight into that brand of genius. At times a slow read (there are plenty of anecdotes that don’t move the journey forward with any momentum), the examination of Jim’s work style and the evolution of beloved characters like Kermit, Ernie and Bert make the clunky parts worth trudging through because the good stuff is great.

4. Where You Are by J.H. Trumble. Trumble did put out a new book this year, but Where You Are, released December 2012, was in my queue ahead of it. Trumble writes books about difficult subject matter without being difficult to read. I’m not saying you won’t have to shake off the story each time you take a break, but that’s a good thing. It means you’re invested in these characters. Can’t wait to get into the next one.*

5. The Elephant of Surprise by Brent Hartinger. Hartinger’s Russel Middlebrook series is one of my favorites in the realm of gay-themed Young Adult. This latest installment holds true to the breezy tone of the earlier books. Keep your eyes out for the film version of Geography Club, the book that introduced us to Russell.

6. Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith. As I’m sure you all know by now, Galbraith is actually J.K. Rowling. After the disappointing Casual Vacancy, I went into this one with some trepidation, but Rowling, er Galbraith, did not disappointment. A nice, page-turning detective novel.

7. Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six by Jessica Buchanan, Erik Landermalm and Anthony Flacco. Buchanan was a 27-year-old humanitarian aid worker in Africa when she and a colleague were kidnapped by Somali pirates and held for three months. This is a fascinating recounting of her experience as a hostage and eventual dramatic rescue. Loved it.

8. Proxy by Alex London. There are some good lessons to be learned in this story about Knox, a troublemaking rich kid, and Syd, the “proxy” from the wrong side of the tracks who is contractually obligated to serve out Knox’s frequent punishments in this dystopian novel that Hunger Games fans might enjoy. Making Syd a gay character is a nice touch, and is actually what led me to this book to begin with, but I’d hardly call it a “gay novel.” It’s an enjoyable read, although I did sort of see the end coming pretty early on, and I thought an epilogue would’ve offered a little more closure, but those are minor complaints.

9. Faitheist: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious by Chris Stedman. Religion fascinates me, but I admittedly know little about it. I was raised in a Christian household, which played a large role in my struggled acceptance of myself during my adolescence. I had enough internalized teen angst to make Angela Chase say, “Dude, chill out.” [If you know who Angela Chase is without googling it, let’s be best friends, ‘kay?] It was a process that left me with an extremely open mind and interest in other world religions – something that far few Christians have, in my humble opinion. Stedman’s journey from fundamental Christian to atheist to interfaith activist is a brave and fascinating one.

10. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I enjoy revisiting the classics every now and then, so this year I paid a visit to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, whose adventures I hadn’t read since I was probably about the age of these two beloved characters. While Tom’s tales are terrific, I prefer being inside Huck’s head, so his journey is making the list. (Sorry, Tom!)