Thomas M. Watt's Blog, page 28

Creativity and the School System

Another day spent doing the important stuff – accounting homework, computer science homework, running, lifting, and playing this stupid game on my phone for reasons that allude me.

Damn, I miss writing. I’ve spent the last month tidying up Master, promoting Master, and trying to build my online social media presence (does “social media” really need to be introduced with “online”?). As any person who crafts stories knows, the “writing” part of writing is the fun part. Editing is cool, reading is fun, tweeting sucks, tumbling is pointless, and everything else is a ton of time, work, and energy for sales dollars that would make a homeless person snicker (why are we cursed with this passion?).

Dan Brown once said “If I’m not creating, I’m not happy.” That really rings true with me, and I’m sure many of you agree with his statement as well. If this weren’t true, I’d imagine life would be a whole lot easier. I’m sure I would do everything by the book and make suitcases full of money from the local business factory (credit: Bojack Horseman). But then what would I dream about? The Chargers winning the Super Bowl? If I’m not on a team, I don’t give a shit. I didn’t come into this world to watch; I came to do.

It’s amazing the amount of creative individuals we encounter each day of our lives. There are SO MANY of us out there, and so many struggle with the dullness of an ordinary life. I find it upsetting that school systems don’t foster the creative/competitive potential of humans. When you are actively engaged in something, you work harder, you excel faster, and you learn more.

Imagine a math class where a difficult problem were written on the board, and two students were asked to independently solve it in front of the rest of the class. Solving this problem first would fill a student with the euphoric high any victory brings. The student who lost would be upset, agitated, and determined to win at next opportunity – that means studying out of desire, which is much different than obligation.

This is one way school systems could better engage their students. And you might argue that this could hurt the self-esteem of those who aren’t so good at math. You know what, though? Everybody has different strengths. Mine has always been my athleticism. And you can bet your ass I would not have trained as hard as I did if victory came by throwing baseballs at a fence for 3 – 39 (odd) minutes.

Come to think of it, maybe if they made math, science, and English a little more competitive, people would value intellectual proficiency a little more. I can guarantee smart would be sexy.

That’s my daily rant, stay tuned for next time when I talk about how religion and politics are two surefire ways to stir up your readers and guarantee they’ll never return to your blog again (which is why I will not be discussing religion or politics in tomorrow’s post).

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

 

Certified DGA – 11/30

Vernon Time

Saturday night I had the honor of playing a villain in the ongoing web series Vernon Time. It’s a really dark, unique show that features incredible cinematography.

That’s right, contrary to popular opinion based on the shitty POS I posted on Saturday, I’ve decided to go ahead and take acting a little more seriously. This has always been a back-burner dream of mine, but something I’ve occasionally wanted to do. It beats the shit out of the accounting homework I’ve been doing all day, tell you that much.

One of the great benefits of being involved with film productions(regardless of the size of their audience) is that they allow you to connect with a group of people working toward a common goal. Many of us love to write because it allows us unlimited freedom and independence. Unfortunately, this also makes the journey to traditional publication/high volume of sales extremely difficult. For instance, when I set out to write I never imagined I would:

Spend 2 months learning the rules of grammar.
Type like Melnyk plays piano.
Post in a bible forum where I thought I might find readers for a particular story.
Steer clear of that bible forum from that day forward
Spend a full day learning the game of “Go” for a scene where someone looks in a window and sees two people playing Go.
Make so many changes to my query letter I found myself pitching a novel that was 10 times better than the one I’d actually written.
Get an “A” in my English Composition course.
Discover that most pompous asses who use big words to sound smarter than the general population are actually committing felonies while on the run from the grammar police.
Realize that using big words to impress people is a great way to practice abstinence and isolation.
Second guess myself every time I claim to have DGA (decent grammar awareness) because I swear there’s so many intricate little rules you could spend your whole life studying them but the first time you write “It’s been a pleasure” some little imp will pop out of the nearest bush and say, “Oh, really? It is been a pleasure? I bet you you can write good, too… moron.”

Below is the first episode of Vernon Time.

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

 

Saturday Special – The Thomas M. Watt and A-Dawg Show

Hope you enjoy. If you missed my first attempt at sketch comedy, you can find some helpful relationship advice here.

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

Number 1 Deadliest Sin for Writers

Writers Group… or maybe it’s just a pic from Thanksgiving that seemed more convenient to include, but who knows?

I’ve been writing for a while now and have had the pleasure of connecting with a large number of amateur writers who share hopes and aspirations similar to my own. During this evolutionary journey, I’ve realized their is one common trait that hinders nearly all of us from realizing our dreams:

Egoism.

Don’t get me wrong, maintaining confidence in pursuit of your goals is crucial. It takes an enormous amount of stubbornness to believe you can become a published author when so many realists jump to criticize your chances.

The ill-side of ego I’m referring to here is the tendency of writers to fall so in love with their own unique concepts and ideas that they disregard the story-saving input of others.

I spent one full year working on the same book everyday without allowing anybody else to glance at it. One. Full. Year. In my mind, this book was so incredible I actually worried about people breaking into my Tacoma just to steal my USB flash drive(spend too much time in your own head, you will go crazy).

When I finally allowed people to look it over, their obvious indifference to the material shocked and defeated me. Somehow I summoned the courage to rewrite the entire book, but my ego took even more of a hit when I found my drastic alterations did nothing to sway the opinions of my readers. I wound up rewriting again and again, and even revised the first chapter over thirty (!) times before accepting the fact that I was missing something.

For the first time in my writing career, I decided to study writing. The book that changed me was called Story Engineering. This book describes rules and structures that all good stories abide by, essential tools I never could have found on my own. Though I’ve since read books that discuss more advanced topics, Larry Brown’s work laid the groundwork for my writing education.

The only way to grow as a writer is to learn. It is impossible to learn something you already know. Therefore, if you wish to improve your craft, it is absolutely vital that you listen to readers who criticize your work. You will be amazed at how quickly criticism can turn to praise.

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving for Book Reviewers!

Gee-wiz, this makes me laugh!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let me start off by saying a full night of rest really does do the body good. I’m back at it, promoting my book to interested parties, and reaching out to new book bloggers. My primary goal is to garner 100 reviews for Master.

The number appears staggering, but then again I never expected to have 10,000+ views on WordPress, either. The key will be to consistently reach out and form new bonds with book reviewers (who are guardian angels for us writers). I like to think that they will be excited to review a good, unknown book.

There are many ways to sell books – you can contact readers directly, purchase advertising on sites like Facebook, and/or reach out to friends and family who love to support you. The two most effective ways, however, are through reviews and word of mouth.

What’s great about these methods is that they cost the writer nothing. Not only that, but they require no effort (no, you can’t force people to rave about your book). I can’t think of a clearer metaphor for the age old saying “get the ball rolling” than to have people hyping up your book through reviews and conversation.

Of course, in order to attain this coveted momentum, you’re going to have to put in the legwork. That’s what I’m doing now – reaching out to book bloggers and reviewers, and posting an annoying amount of links to Master in the hopes that more people will give it a look… it cost less than 2 cups of coffee, people!

A really cool feature on Twitter is that they include a button on every tweet to check its analytics:

Here you can see exactly how many people have scrolled past the tweet, clicked on the tweet, and liked or retweeted the tweet.

Every time a tweet is retweeted, you can plan on receiving twice the amount of views you normally would have received (often times more). The exposure is exponential with every retweet.

What’s this have to do with the rest of my post? Well, my thinking is simple. For every reader who purchases Master and discovers it’s actually a pretty damn good book, there is a good chance they will either:

Tell a friend about it
Write a review on Amazon
Write a review on Goodreads
Write a review on their blog
Check out my other works.
Do more than 1 of the above, or maybe even all 5 of them.

This is why book reviews are so important. It’s a form of social proof when a third-party with no agenda verifies you’ve put together an enjoyable work of fiction. Not only that, but some book blogs have an enormous following of avid readers, who are eager to discover the next great novel.

That’s all I got for today, Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the states! And have a nice Thursday to everyone else!

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

 

 

 

Exhausted – 11/25

Waddup, waddup.

I’m borderline unconscious as I write this, so forgive me. I’ve had somewhere between 1 – 2 1/2 hours of sleep in the last 24 hours. But they say you must post consistently, so I’ll see what I can come up with.

Since I hit that “publish for pre-order” button for Master a month or so ago, I’ve made a daily effort to expand my social media presence. As of right now, every post I make goes to my Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, and Tumblr accounts. I still would like to link up with Amazon, Google+, and Linked-in(why not).

I’ve yet to reap the rewards of branching out, as connecting with new followers takes just as much effort and time as writing a new post each day (Though I should mention a sweet German fan did order Master because she read my Goodreads posts each day).

One thing I’ve noticed is how smooth and valuable WordPress is in comparison with other social media sites. Goodreads is first and foremost a place for readers, which initially led me to believe it would be a paradise for writers. Unfortunately, the bloggers on this platform are most interested in discussing the books they are currently reading. In other words, nobody signs into Goodreads with the intention of checking out an unknown user’s blog. The platform does not exist for this purpose.

I’m brand new to Tumblr, but so far it offers hope. My only concern is that I do not know whether you can comment on blog posts yet. The reblog and ‘like’ options seem to be the favorite choices among bloggers here.

Twitter is cool because you can send out 140 character tweets and shamelessly promote your book to followers. This is also the downside of Twitter – it’s quickly morphing into a giant ad-machine, in my humble opinion.

I think Facebook is a great place for writers. Everyone has a personal Facebook page (aside from me), so blogging on here helps you connect with true fans. One of the downsides of blogging strictly on WordPress is that you’re building a following of other writers – meaning you’re connecting with people who share a common interest, but are more interested in promoting their own work than reading the works of their competitors.

I know I’m tired because my grammar has gone to shit. I will post a better, more informative post tomorrow… Peace.

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

What is a Premise?

I know I told many of you I’d be discussing the indie script I’m working on today, but with all my illusions of grandeur I’ve decided I’d be more comfortable discussing the importance premise holds for storytellers.

According to grammarabout.com,  a premise is: A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn.

This term is thrown around a lot in literature and screen-writing circles. If somebody asks you what the premise of your story is, they’re basically saying “What’s it all about?”

I remember when I spent a year working on a book series that never saw the light of day. I knew nothing about plot, 3-act structure, or even what makes for good conflict. I knew I had a brilliant idea that I was obsessed with, and that’s it… No wonder the books sucked.

I attended a writers conference eager to pitch my first book to agents and publishers. Enlightenment struck when I sat down to explain my story. All I could do was discuss the interesting events and characters, while maintaining the confidence of a reality star interviewing for a position as a brain surgeon.

When you understand premise, you’ll understand the concept of your story and be better able to explain it. A premise should include:

The protagonist
The antagonist
The inciting incident
The obstacles faced by the protagonist
The stakes of the quest.

Here is a cliche premise I’ll make off the top of my head to give you an idea. I’ll link each subject with its corresponding number from the list above.

A chiseled ice-cream driver’s(1) ride is turned upside down when Harry(2) and his cronies bust into the back of his truck(3) with axes. If he doesn’t defy the laws of rush hour traffic(4) and get the ruthless pre-teens to Disneyland within 30 minutes(5), his understanding of a banana-split will take on a whole new meaning(5 again).

Ok, that wasn’t exactly cliche. Weirdly horrific would be more apropos. But when you can condense these elements of your story into one paragraph, you’ll be making leaps and bounds of progress. For one thing, this is what agents and publishers are looking for when you query them. Secondly, understanding how much these elements impact your story as a whole will help you put something together that readers will enjoy before you even set pen to paper. To make a premise stronger, and a story more appealing, turn up the degrees of each element.

chiseled ice-cream driver – sounds like a strong, capable man. A good story features an antagonist who is more capable than our hero. So let’s make this a sixteen year-old girl with braces (regardless of your opinion of stereotyping, readers will always assume qualities about your characters from the moment they are introduced. You may not like it, but you’re better off accepting it)
Harry – Any kid with an axe scares the shit out of me. Why don’t we give throw in a free black-eye with some bruises. Sounds like his dad beats his ass and he’s probably got some psychological issues that make him more dynamic than before. Also, let’s upgrade his axe to a chainsaw.
Bust into the truck – Nah, how bout they planned this shit? At a red light they come sprinting from all corners of the neighborhood and make a tactical play at breaking into that ice-cream mobile.
Rush hour traffic – Well, this is an easy one. How bout we have her driving on the wrong side of the highway, just for the hell of it?
The banana split joke is out, and we might as well kick the random 30 minute thing to the curb. How bout the gas tank is on low, and Harry tells our protagonist she’s dead if she can’t get them there before… the Peter Pan ride closes.

And here’s the new story description:

Lacey ‘the brace-face’s summer job takes a horrific turn when a black-eyed bully and his loser friends use chainsaws to infiltrate her ice-cream truck. If she doesn’t get them to Disneyland before gas runs out and the Peter Pan ride closes, she’ll die before ever telling Brad how she feels. But demanding she drive on the wrong side of the highway is a tell-tale sign that Harry is in the mood for murder.

Wow, that would be the most brutal YA novel I ever heard of. Anyway, I hope you get the idea (and noticed the added romance that is ALWAYS a benefit).

One big takeaway from this experiment should be that the most effective alteration I made between premises was giving Harry a black-eye. This doesn’t make him any more menacing, but does suggests he has some internal conflicts of his own, making him dynamic and more than just a standard ‘bad guy’. This story could then be made quite effective by reflecting his abusive upbringing with similar struggles that Lacy has experienced… Or contrasting them with the ones she hasn’t. An effective resolution to this story would demonstrate how Lacy overcame her childhood trauma through ‘X’, which a good writer would use as the overarching theme throughout the entirety of the story.

I brought up a lot here, and wouldn’t dare elaborate on the more complex subjects in this post. Just remember that when you know the premise of your story, not only can improve it exponentially, but you will be capable of describing it to others without feeling like a drunk explaining the meaning of life to a sober person.

Thomas M. Watt

Author of Master

 

 

Life Update – 11/23

Notice the mitts, ignore the creepiness.

Waddup, waddup.

Wow, it has been a while since I last had to sit down and truly write a post. I’m so grateful to those of you who have ordered a copy of Master. It’s more than just a sale, kind gesture, or generous act in my opinion. This is how I know my hard work is worthwhile – as I’ve mentioned before, I want to entertain readers with good stories for the remainder of my lifetime. By choosing to order Master, you’re supporting my dream and motivating me to continue writing. Thank you all, once again.

Now then, some of you are aware that I laid out big, lofty marketing plans about a month or so ago. They involved blog tours, dozens of book reviews, and a social media following that would make America’s favorite T.V. family jealous.

I got around to pretty much none of that. I did expand my Twitter following from 0 to 160, and made tons of friends on Goodreads (still frustrated by Goodreads irrelevant updates when I login. Any of you who know how to sort these out for me, by all means, please do). This weekend I even set up a Facebook Page and Tumblr account. Along with that, I’ve had the pleasure of becoming true friends with some really awesome authors on here, whom I chat with nearly every day (you know who you are).

I’m most disappointed with my inability to advertise Master, connect with helpful promoters, and even figure out whether I ever correctly entered my quick thriller into the KDP select program.

But I’m not upset. Not at all. Master just received its first review (four stars), and I’m positive it will continue to be well received. Why? Because I had so many people beta-reading it! Everyday a different person was in my ear telling me how much they enjoyed the book, but wished I would only clear up this one, tiny-little-thing.I listened, probably for the first time in my life, and was relieved to discover ‘storytelling’ is not nearly as subjective as we’re told. Many of my readers found similar issues (such as Phil talking on the phone, holding a gun, pinching the bridge of his nose, and driving an RV all at the same time… I changed it, but experience with my big hands^^^ tells me it can be done).So as I’ve said from the beginning, my priority will always be to publish stories people will enjoy reading. I truly believe that if you can do that, the book will eventually sell itself. The big hurdle is exposure.I do intend to post short stories on here again, as I truly miss the… well, writing part of writing. As of now, it looks as though I’m going to be developing a script for a short indie film that will be filmed this December. The premise will be a cross between Fight Club, The Game, and Rat Race. Can’t wait to tell you all about it at 7:00 PST tomorrow.Thomas M. WattAuthor of Master

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Master

Thomas M. Watt:

4 star review for MASTER – Thank you again, Joan.

Originally posted on Fiddler Blue:

Author: Thomas M. Watt

Publisher: Kingdom of Kingsley (Nov. 20, 2015)

Genre: Adult, Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

ASIN: B01759SY3S

Pages: 139 (Kindle edition)

Source: Author

Links: Good Reads | Amazon

NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the copy!

Master invades Phil Gordon’s dreams and burns his real life down to hell – Wife and daughter abducted, Master claims responsibility. He threatens to slaughter them unless Phil drives an RV loaded with explosives into the city. Complicating everything is Phil’s ex-girlfriend, who’s stuck with him for the trip. The only way he can save his family is to figure out who Master is, where he can find him, and whether he even exists. – book blurb

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Saturday Special – My “Se7en” Monologue

 

This monologue marks the first time I’ve bothered memorizing lines for my acting class. I have to say I’m pleased with the result, but I’ll let you be the judge.

*This monologue is an excerpt from Se7en. The lines are delivered by a character named John Doe, who is played by Kevin Spacey. It is a great horror film and features one of the greatest movie endings of all-time.

Thomas M. Watt
Author of Master