Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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Writing Questions for Josh
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Not too weird and not too ..."
lol, I hear you on that one. I'm always wondering what, where, and how to introduce myself, especially online. I've got a penname, mostly associated with my fanfic, that I love, that's also associated with my nanowrimo and edmo accounts, then I've got another 'real' penname (real being actual first and last name) that I would like to publish under, my real name, and a new blog I created a few months back has a different penname. It's all so confusing, especially when they all intersect. When I go to post a blog comment, I don't always want it associated with my blog, but that can't always be helped, I guess. Yeah, multiple names gets crazy.
Good luck keeping all of yours under wraps!
I do my academic non-fic under my real name, my commercial non-fic under a pen name and my fic under still another pen name. Oh and when I wrote humor, that was under a 4th pen name.Would never, ever in a million years let it all intersect. The universe might implode.
being as yet unpublished (well, not counting two shorts in a British small press magazine over 5 years ago), I have decided to go with a penname (should I be lucky enough to get published again).But me being who I am, it probably will intersect with my name and online alias at some point.
Hey, Josh-
I just read a story of yours that got me thinking about third person v first person. What are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer one over the other? Is it one of the choices you make early on in a book? Do you think the gender of the writer matters? Is there an expectation that women should write 3rd person guy characters?
hugs, hunny bunny- Sarah B
I just read a story of yours that got me thinking about third person v first person. What are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer one over the other? Is it one of the choices you make early on in a book? Do you think the gender of the writer matters? Is there an expectation that women should write 3rd person guy characters?
hugs, hunny bunny- Sarah B
Mod
No, I think the weird conviction that writers must be what they write about defies the laws of logic -- it's quite a new idea.
POV is determined strictly and solely by two things: the skill of the writer (which most of us are not good judges of) and the needs of the story.
You can also take into account the fact that most readers prefer 3rd party POV, if you want to.
If restricted information to the reader will make for a better story -- meaning more tension and suspense (sexual or otherwise) and/or if the POV character's voice is a powerful factor in the story, then the POV should be first person.
(Sometimes changing POV from a detached third to an intimate first can fix a lot of weaknesses in a story. It's fascinating to see this magic happen.)
If the story will be better for showing both characters POV -- where two characters have equal status in the tale and we need both halves of hte story, then changing to a tight and alternating 3rd person POV is the way to go -- it's great for action-adventure stories where the two principals break off and go in different directions.
For historical and fantasy I think omniscient is actually a wonderful choice, though we hear that it's very much out of favor with modern audiences (but what that mostly means is it's so often done badly these days). You still see omniscient in literary fiction, and in fact it's gaining favor there again.
The two most common POV mistakes I see are, in fact, largely a matter of voice. For some reason a lot of writers in this genre doing first person POV in a bitchy chicklit voice that does not sound remotely male, but even worse, is not remotely engaging.
And the second problem is writing a 3rd person POV from a removed or distant perspective. This inevitably leads to observing the main character as opposed to being IN the main character's head.
... from a removed or distant perspective. This inevitably leads to observing the main character as opposed to being IN the main character's head.--
I agree with you here- sometimes I think 3rd doesn't hurt as much, when nasty things are happening to our characters, and is easier to write. But we just need to suck it up and suffer along!
The story I was thinking about was Sean and Dan #2, where you wrote it in first, with flashbacks in 3rd. That was an interesting technique to bring the backstory in.
And speaking of voice, I haven't told you lately, but I love the 1st person voice of Kit in the two Holmes and Moriarity books. Especially when he is so tired and cranky, and lovably vulnerable.
I have wondered about gender expectations and cognitive dissonance when a female named author is writing first person POV from a man's POV. But then, oh, screw it, I say let's do it!
I agree with you here- sometimes I think 3rd doesn't hurt as much, when nasty things are happening to our characters, and is easier to write. But we just need to suck it up and suffer along!
The story I was thinking about was Sean and Dan #2, where you wrote it in first, with flashbacks in 3rd. That was an interesting technique to bring the backstory in.
And speaking of voice, I haven't told you lately, but I love the 1st person voice of Kit in the two Holmes and Moriarity books. Especially when he is so tired and cranky, and lovably vulnerable.
I have wondered about gender expectations and cognitive dissonance when a female named author is writing first person POV from a man's POV. But then, oh, screw it, I say let's do it!
Mod
Ha! I think you hit on something there, which is our natural desire to distance ourself from painful things.
There's also the problem that the first books we read are in omniscient fairytale voice. Once upon a time... So no wonder we fall back on it under pressure.
The story I was thinking about was Sean and Dan #2, where you wrote it in first, with flashbacks in 3rd. That was an interesting technique to bring the backstory in.
I had more time to experiment back then. ;-) I tried to use it to generate energy in a story where most readers probably knew from Dark Horse the backstory of Dan and Sean's relationship.
And speaking of voice, I haven't told you lately, but I love the 1st person voice of Kit in the two Holmes and Moriarity books. Especially when he is so tired and cranky, and lovably vulnerable.
Thanks so much! I'm very fond of irascible Kit.
I have wondered about gender expectations and cognitive dissonance when a female named author is writing first person POV from a man's POV. But then, oh, screw it, I say let's do it!
That's at least one reason why writers have been using pen names since the beginning of the printing press -- but keeping the moat topped with enough oil is harder and harder in the age of the information superhighway.
As a reader, I'm equally comfortable with 1st or 3rd person. I just want a well written story. But I find 1st person sex scenes challenging to write. Sex scenes are challenging in the first place, and 1st person is too intimate. 3rd allows enough distance to let the characters get intimate without leaving me feeling exposed.Which probably means I need to write more 1st person sex scenes to build up that skill.
Mod
You read my mind.
Ok, here's a weird confession. When my main character is a man I have no trouble staying inside his head in first or close third. It's inside a woman's head that I get all mixed up - I think because first she's me, then not me, then me, maybe my mom....It's hard work and I have to edit and edit and edit to make her consistent. I'm not sure my men aren't all incarnations of the same guy, but what I do know is they don't sound like me, which is a relief.One of the nice things about sex in first person is it solves the pronoun problem. And too intimate in a sex scene can be fun.
I think one of the best "I"s in sex scenes is Vic, the protagonist of the PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price. If you haven't read it yet, Among the Living is the first book. Being in his head is truly an experience :)
I love Vic. He has so many hangups! It is so wonderful to see him growing with all of the humor he generates! I also love Jacob. He wants Vic, end of story for him, he is willing to put up with all of Vic's craziness just to have him.
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That's interesting. It does make a kind of sense though. When you're writing a male character you're automatically taking one step back even though you're in an intimate POV.
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Yes. Jordan writes wonderful scenes of intimacy. They're hot and human.
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It's a great relationship she's captured there.
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A lot of this still holds true, though certain "rules" have certainly been broken (even back in the day) and very effectively too!
http://notyourusualsuspects.blogspot....
Hi everyone. Hope you don't mind me jumping in here. Anyway, I have a question that has been bugging me. When should I start using my pen name on Goodreads, Livejournal, etc?My short story which was accepted for publication by an indie publisher will finally be published after more than a year of delay. When I reread my story, I felt I am not satisfied with it. I wish I had written better, but hey, a publishing credit is a publishing credit, I guess.
So, I am planning to write more stories, though it'll take maybe more than a year to finish my new work, let alone get it published.
So, should I start using my pen name now or later when I finally get a story I like getting published? Should I start cultivating my "alternate identity" now or later?
To be honest, I hate having separate identities like this. It's messing with my mind. There is me in Real Life, me as a fanfic author, and me as an author.
Mod
And, of course, I'm also wondering how bad it would be to have the same first name as one of my fav m/m authors, lol. It's my real middle name, I swear!
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And it does work more smoothly if you start your interactions under one identity. It's confusing when people post as one person and then refer you to another ID as an author. There's limited time and attention on the net. We're all busy and overstretched, so you want to keep it simple for potential book buyers.
That's my take.
You're building name recognition. It'll be easier if you don't expect us to remember two or three different names.
And, yes, you do want to avoid picking a name close to another author's -- especially a more popular author. I can't help but suspect the big jump in my sales this year is due to someone who started writing m/m porn as Jess Lanyon. ;-D Jess doesn't seem to be moving many books, but dear God my numbers jumped!
I can't help but suspect the big jump in my sales this year is due to someone who started writing m/m porn as Jess Lanyon. ;-D Jess doesn't seem to be moving many books, but dear God my numbers jumped! LOL!
Thanks for your advice. I'll follow your suggestion and change my name here and on the writing group so I won't confuse anyone. I think it will also give me time to adjust to my new name. Anyway, my pen name for my published work is Cleon Lee. I don't think the name is similar to any authors in this genre.
Jess Lanyon, I had to look it up! Lol. Anal Supressed Wife In The Kitchen. Oh, the possibilities :) And is it a British English/American English thing or should suppressed be with a double p?
I joined GR as Kari Gregg at least half a year before I sold. Hm. Might've been a year. I wasted that opportunity, though, because I had no clue about groups until Missy Welsh told me about the M/M Romance group...right here in Josh's Q&A, I think. LOL.The porno-rific Jess Lanyon...LMAO...I know, I know. It's not funny.
Yes, it is. ;-p
Mod
Here's an odd question I'm going to throw out there because I'd thought about this originally... Would my penname be different enough if instead of sharing the same 1st name with a fav author, using that 1st name as a last name?
Honestly, I came up with my penname before I knew someone else so awesome used it in this genre. Oiy. lol.
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Yes, it is. ;-p ..."
Yeah, it is sort of.
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Here's an odd question I'm going to throw out there because I'd ..."
Basically you want to avoid losing potential sales to another writer, so as long as your name isn't going to be confused (same first and last initials, as an example), I think you're fine.
Classic example: Ellis Peters and Elizabeth Peters. Two very big, very popular mystery writers, and people used to constantly complain on mystery lists that they'd bought one or the other of them by accident.
Not that I think it did either Peters or Peters any real harm given how very popular they both were, but suppose it was Elora Peters and she wasn't a writing powerhouse? She'd want every possible sale.
Mod
Here's an odd question I'm going to throw out there..."
Very true. And that makes perfect sense. I know I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I need to. Our last names are different enough that there should be no real problems. I guess I just want to get it right the first time and doing all the hard work now and doing it right, is better than having to do it again later.
Thanks Josh!
Anna, I struggled with choosing the pen name for months before I settled on my pen name I browsed baby names websites a lot. LOL. Even if I'd never publish anything with it, I though I was gonna use it for reviewing or any M/M romance activity. The first name is more difficult. The last name is easier since I want a name that still sounds Chinese and close to my name, since I am Chinese.
Mod
It's definitely not an easy task, but at the same time, it can be a lot of fun, like choosing the name of a character.
I've got an awesome baby name book I used, but didn't need very much. It ended up being my real middle name(wish it had actually been my real first name, so this is perfect for that) and then the last name of my favorite actress who isn't very popular at all. She had a small recurring role on my fav tv show that I really liked and wished I could be more like.
I'm just going to go with that one... as soon as I can figure out what the stinking password is to the email addy I'd created for that name. And the Twitter account, and.... lol. I lost a lot of hard work if I can't figure out what that password is. THEN, I'll change my name on here and in the mmcrit group. Oiy, what a day.
Once Josh advised me using a pen name, I took about two days to shuffle letters around and check whether or not the name rang a bell on google.Of course, I made my own life difficult because I decided to make up a name using only letters from my real name, but, hey ... I AM me, whatever I'm called :D
I'm nowhere near being published yet, but I love my pen name.
Mod
Anyway, like I said, I'm gonna go with it. And to make it even better, I added in a middle name. However, I still need to figure out what the password is to my alternate self's email addy. Still.... The fate of said penname is resting on this password. And the experts tell you never to write these things down so evil people can't get into your email and steal your identity. Heck, I (placing emphasis on myself) can't even steal my own identity! lol.
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Thanks! Glad you like it! :-) Now I HAVE to get this book finished. lol.
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I guess my question is are there compelling reasons for the change? It's not ideal, but there might be a good reason for it.
Jordan S. wrote: "Ok. It's official. OMG... eep! lol. I've changed my name on here to reflect my penname: Jordan Sophia Lombard. I'm nowhere near ready to send this book off to get published, but when I am, I'll be ..."Good for you :D
You're braver than I am
I feel like I'm jinxing myself if I go online under my penname before I sold something (though I did buy a domain and made a placeholder website)
I might have to rethink this strange superstition.
Advice, anyone?
Wait till I sold something or just go for it?
Go for it, Anita! You want to get used to people calling you by your pen name and interacting with the world as the new you. Granted, my pen name is very close to my real name -- or what my name used to be anyway, LOL -- but sheesh, I've been married for 2 decades. It still took me a while to get used to being Kari Gregg again.
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lol, I talked to Jordan Price, since she knows me from other various places and I didn't want her to get confused, and she called me her doppleganger. ;-D So, I'm feeling pretty good about it. I do need to get a new wetpaint site up though.
I don't know if that's the right thing to do since wetpaint is technically a wiki, but it's free, easy to use, and I have the option (which I fully intend to use) of locking it so only I can make changes to anything. I can do whatever I want to it, making multiple pages and things, which is pretty cool. If anyone's interested it's www.wetpaintcentral.com.
So, yeah, go for it! And good luck!
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Thanks for all the support :DAnd thus, Anita Dapperens has now become Blaine D. Arden
(though everyone is free to call me Anita, of course)
With all these name changes, I hope people don't get too confuzzled ;)
Mod
And thus, Anita Dapperens has now become Blaine D. Arden
(though everyone is free to call me Anita, of course)
With all these name changes, I hope people don't get t..."
I confess to looking at people's avatars for help. :-D
Your name is cool, Anita.. er... Blaine. ;-) Now we should announce our name changes on the writing group and rename our folders.
L.C. wrote: "I confess to looking at people's avatars for help. :-DMe too. I get confused when people keep changing them - its how I identify everyone."
I promiser not to do it again ... I never expected to do it.
Cleon wrote: "Your name is cool, Anita.. er... Blaine. ;-) Now we should announce our name changes on the writing group and rename our folders."Like Jordan did.
Yes ... I guess we should
and I should restart critiquing as well ...
best excuse for today? I have a new laptop :D
and I can't stop playing with it (aka installing all my favourite programmes, starting with yWriter, so I can at least write!!)
and thank you :) I had fun coming up with one that I liked.
Cograts, Anita (sorry, will take me time :))
I like the new names Jordan and Blaine :)
Mod
Emanuela, thanks!
Yeah, I changed everything over on the group, but my old folder is still up. I have to get a mod to delete it for me since I changed my email account before doing so. Doh! Note: delete your folder, or rename it if you can, BEFORE you change your email addy or anything. lol.
Josh, yeah, I do that too. But, I'm also going to change mine to a better pic of me sometime soon, so it can match my new Twitter account (@JordanSLombard).
Thanks, Suhi and Emanuela :)Jordan S. wrote: "Blaine... I like it! Great name choice!"
Thank you :)
Jordan S. wrote: "Yeah, I changed everything over on the group, but my old folder is still up"
I'll have to do that soon. Am still busy installing my new laptop (it always takes longer than you think)
Not to mention it's nearing bedtime over here.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Not too weird and not too stalkerish, but for my own mental stability (such as it is) I just have to keep the different professional sides of my life totally separate. It's like that space-time continum thing.
;-) Not sure all my professional entities could survive finding themselves in the same place at the same time.