Writing a Novel: Step 2

There are many ways to learn the art/craft of writing. One common approach is formal education - studying literature, writing, communications, etc. Another, and perhaps more common approach, is reading. But when I say reading, I'm going to add a caveat. I don't mean reading books on how to write. While these books are certainly useful, and offer plenty of insights, they can be overdone. I'm not saying is to avoid such books. No. Read them. Find the ones you like and read them over and again. But don't make a career out of reading books on the topic of writing (unless that is your career). My reasoning here is simple: I do not believe writing can be taught; rather, it can only be learned.

Honestly, I'm not playing with semantics with that last statement. I've taught writing to countless students at various levels; I've worked in seminars and workshops; I've written about writing - as I'm doing now. What has become clear to me from all of this is that the fundamental elements of writing can be passed along to those wanting to learn. But only those with a desire to learn will actually gain anything useful from the process. In other words, writing is self-taught, and along the way there are things to be learned at every level. Teachers and books on writing can offer information, but in the end it all rests upon the person wanting to learn. There comes a point when a writer must write to improve his or her craft.

What I'm saying is that the best approach to learning how to write is through reading and writing. The "writing" part I suppose is self-evident, although there are many writers to dislike writing. They either overcome this, or spend much time reading books on writing, looking for that one secret to suddenly make them a writer.

In the realm of writing, there are many aspects to be learned: grammar, style, tone, mood, theme, vocabulary among others. These are the terms that can be found through formal study. They can also be leaned simply by reading. Admittedly, the labels might not readily jump to mind, but the seeds are planted. This makes learning the "technical" side of writing easier. And with that said, there is no best approach. It varies with each writer. But know that reading is a fantastic means of learning how to write. In fact, I'd suggest reading books you dislike. Readers tend to be less engaged in such works, and highly critical from the start. This prevents you from getting lost in an engrossing text, allowing you to analyze the writing - usually identifying what it is you dislike about the book. And like everything else in life, avoid going to an extreme. It is equally important to read what you enjoy (as mentioned in the last post about writing). In the end, this method trains the reader in form, approach, style, grammar, and countless other aspects because he or she is repeatedly exposed to these things.

Of course, if it where that simple everyone would be a talented and wonderfully skilled writer. This obviously isn't the case if all of us have books we dislike. In part, that's because there is no "secret," no "formula," no "right" way to write. Creating a novel is both an art and a craft. This means aesthetics are involved, and through-out history there has never been one aesthetic that rules them all (although the topic has been written about plenty, starting with Plato).

Lastly, it is important to love words if you're a writer. Know them, friend them on Facebook, learn their nuances. And if you're reading a book, don't take them for granted. Pull out a dictionary and consider the definitions. Writers often use particular words with specific meanings, or multiple meanings. This is a part of the art. The words used are not random, although admittedly they are not always purposeful. As a reader and writer, you need to learn when there is more to a word than the word itself. This can open an entirely new world in a novel for a reader. And sometimes it is the difference between a good book and a great book. But for this to happen, you have to trust the writer. Start with the assumption that the writer knows what he or she is doing. In the end, even if the assumption was incorrect, you'll likely have learned something useful about writing.

*Note: I love adding notes to my blog posts. It seems quite silly and pointless. Nonetheless, here is one: In the above post, I've used to rhetorical tropes in the form of repetition. I confess, "rhetorical tropes" sounds stuffy. Even so, they are useful to writers, and come naturally to those who are avid readers. But sometimes it is useful to understand there names (yes, both repetitions have names). Why this is important is because once you learn many or all of the tropes, you can apply them in your writing with purpose - rather than simply "feeling" that the trope works. Also, knowing some or all of these tropes will allow you to expand your writing style. Now these tropes are rhetorical, not literary tropes/cliches such as "it was a dark and stormy night." I mention these for those who are interested in finding them in the above text and prowling the Internet for there formal names. I promise, they are not very difficult to find, and are worth the time it takes. I'll also be post a little bit more about tropes the next time.

Writing a Novel: Step 1

Usually when someone asks me about my approach to writing a novel, I offer the answer: Everyone writes differently. This is very much true, and it is what often makes "How to write a novel" books frustrating. Some writers outline a novel, some don't. Some layout the plot chapter by chapter, others just start typing. There really is no right way, except maybe the way that works best for the writer. That would be the "right" way.

Now that I've given a few reasons on why a post like this shouldn't be helpful, let me see if I can turn it around. There are some common elements in all writing approaches. While their priority might vary from person to person, these elements tend to be the foundation to all novel writing - and short fiction writing. So to start with I'll try to offer up a few things that will cover the early groundwork:

1: Write about something you enjoy.
This seems obvious, but often writers get frustrated and start writing whatever they think will get published. There is nothing wrong with writing what publishers are publishing, but try to match that with something you enjoy. In the end, if the writer has no passion for the subject, it will come through in the writing.

2: Write about what you know.
We've all heard this one before. But I'm not sure everyone interrupts it the same way. It is important to have knowledge of your subject, but it doesn't have to be limited to the knowledge you already have. Research can help. And, it is possible that you might have a passion for a topic you know nothing about. Does that mean you shouldn't write a novel on the subject? No. It means you'll want to spend some time researching it, getting a strong grasp on the matter, and then venture into it. Once again, passion for the subject will likely carry you through the research, making it all the easier.

3: Read.
This one is pretty easy. Before you start your novel, read a few books in the genre. Learn what the readers expect and how the genre is usually approached. You don't have to read every book out there. In fact, I'd suggest you avoid even thinking about that. All you want to do is read enough to comprehend the form of the genre. In other words, if you're writing a mystery novel, know that usually someone is murdered in these genre novels, and quite often the reader expects someone to be murdered. Again, passion for the subject should help here, and if you have passion for it, you've most likely read a number of books already.

Along with this suggestion comes a warning. Some writers are "mimics." That is to say, they write in the style of the author they most commonly read, or enjoyed. This sometimes leads to a writer appropriating the style of another author. To avoid this, put some time between the genre reading and the writing. In fact, it might be a great time to do research. I usually put a few months between my writing and any reading in the genre - even though I love the genres I write. This also helps me find new approaches and create characters and plots that are hopefully unique. Mind you "unique" in genre is difficult as there are certain things which are expected. Monsters must appear in a novel about monsters - well, at least they should. And typically someone is killed in a murder mystery. With that said, feel free to play with the "form." It is important to understand and use the form of a genre without becoming "formulaic."

Words, Words, Words

So many ways to quote Shakespeare, and so many ways to read his works.

Alas, dear friend, I promise not to rant and rave about the works of William Shakespeare - in particular about the play I quoted: Hamlet (short version of the title).

What I will do is speak about muse, as it is still that month dealing with novel writing. I've not had time for many posts, mostly because I've been writing, editing, reading, and playing with words. However, I will offer up some words about inspiration and ideas.

I am often asked from whence my ideas come. (Sorry) I don't know, is the honest answer. They come from many places. I'm certain you're expecting me to say "Shakespeare," given my prattle about the Bard. And I'll confess, Shakespeare's plays are certainly one of many sources. For those who've read The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson, you'll note that there is a bounty of Shakespearean quotes. Certainly, I played with the character Prince Hamlet when developing Pearson throughout the novel. Not only did Professor Pearson quote the play often, but the character also suffered from some of the "conditions" of which Prince Hamlet suffered. The most obvious being the question of sanity.

With that said, my inspiration for the character was not Hamlet. Nope, I wanted an unlikely character in an interesting situation. Although, I confess, given the Lovecraftian themes a professor is also a likely character.

But let me not wander too far from my topic. For me, reading and re-reading (and teaching) the works of Shakespeare is a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration. I've had solitary sentences (in context) give me myriad story ideas. His works are replete with wonder and amusement. If you take the time to worry yourself with the text and subtext, your fancy will certainly be struck.

I do know that reading Shakespeare is not cup of tea everyone can drink. And I don't sit around reading Shakespeare looking for ideas. Honestly, inspiration comes from every direction - when I'm looking. Music is a great source. Film, the news (oh, what dreadful stories are to be found there), the shopping mall, video game (yes, I have an archaic Xbox, and a contemporary PS3).

In the end, I don't know that my muse comes from any group of things or any single thing. When I choose to consider something, I find myself inventing a history, surrounding ideas, themes, and characters. Most often, the character comes first, then the plot and theme follow. Perhaps that is called daydreaming. I like to call it "my job." :)

Allow me to throw out a line from a Beatles song:

"When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybodies help in any way."

The song is Help, and besides having a catchy melody, it has instant character. I wonder how many tales could be written from this line?

Mind you, for me it is more than the lyrics. It is the melody as well. I've found my muse in symphonies ranging from Mozart to Wagner. One is often quite cheerful and the other brooding. Sometimes, it's the reverse. A dark Mozart is great motivation for me, and a frolicking Wagner puts me on edge.

Ah, but here's the rub. I don't think anyone can be told where to find inspiration. So my answering the question is not likely to do much other than inspire you to find your own muse. And don't overlook your own experiences. Writers are the sum of their experiences. I don't know that one must suffer to produce art, or commercial entertainment, but it does help if one is exposed to a wide variety of experiences. Perhaps a little suffering is good for the soul, but so is a great deal of joy. Mayhaps is all boils down to: writing. Writing and something is bound to turn up. Words, words, words...

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

In case you haven't heard, this month is National Novel Writing Month, also called NaNoWriMo. If you have questions or need help of any sort, visit the link above to the nanowrimo website.

For a number years, I've been under the opinion that the volume of writers has been on the increase, although it appears the number of readers has been on the decrease. Thanks to computers, it is easy to become a writers. Of course, there is more than the declaration. Writing is a very important aspect of being a writer. I suppose that's why nanowrimo is a wonderful way of jumping in head first. Writing a novel is daunting. Writing one in a month is... well even more daunting.

This is also the time of year that the emails arrive, asking me if I'm joining in the fun. I confess, I never have. Oddly, I've always been to busy with writing projects to attempt a novel in a month. Such irony. But that doesn't mean I don't share in the spirit, and even try to write a bit more to share the "pain"? And, as I am writing, editing, and revising presently, I'm in the game, so to speak.

Yes, I did say "game,' because it is a bit of a game. Countless writers spend this month moderately competing against each other for high word counts, each attempting to reach a goal of a novel length manuscript. It is possible. I know a few people who have done it several times. And I know many, many people who have almost accomplished it and ended up well on their way to finishing a novel. So why not give it a shot? Grab a web word counter, and even if you don't write a novel, see how many words you can write this month. Oh, and don't forget to read! Those who write, do read. And those who read, often write. It's a great way to learn, and it is one of the oldest methods of building writing skills: reading and writing.

Even though it probably isn't needed, I'm going to offer my favorite starting point. Of course, it varies for every person. There is no uniform system of "how to write" (even if there are published books explaining the process). In the end, only the writer and determine the best method and approach. As for me, I like to start with three things:

1. Narrator: The person actually writing the story - that's not the writer, it is an invented voice/person.
2. Character(s): Grab a handful and place them in a conflicting situation. Conflict leads to story. It can even be characters in conflict with each other.
3. Plot: The general purpose or movement of the story. Chase? Mystery? Exploration? Adventure? Murder?
   

There it is. Take one of those broad plot concepts (or one you think up), stir in conflict and characters, add a narrator, and a novel starts to cook. Let your imagination and fingers do the rest of the work. And remember, plenty of people are writing alongside you.

What's Your Favorite Zombie?

If this year isn't the year of the zombie, then certainly next year will be... or maybe the year after that. It has arrive sometime.

The last few years have seen a plethora of zombie films, both "serious" and comedic. At the moment, Zombieland is booming at the theaters, and "mash" books such as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (zombie version) are filling bookshelves. As for books, there are quite a few others out there. They vary from traditional zombies (we don't know why they exist, they just do) to SF/thriller blends - usually associated with a viral infection.

And yes, I have two similar projects in the works or soon to be released. The one that is perhaps the greatest surprise is the novel Pallid Light. Yes, this one is with the ever pleasant co-author Alexander Griffin. Wonderful to work with. Always agreeable. And ever so witty.

But this post is really about the different types of zombies out there. If you haven't been keeping up with the walking dead, then you should know there are shambling zombies, ambling zombies, intelligent zombies, and brain dead zombies. There are also those that crave flesh, and others that desire brains, and some they just bite and chew.

While zombie lore existed long before George Romero's film Night of the Living Dead, it was that film that planted them in the horror genre - though it took a few years for them to sprout.


In Romero's classic film, the zombies were slow, brain dead beings, that walked the Earth for no known reason, and they liked to eat living flesh. Oh, they were groaners as well, as opposed to the more recent screamers.

Following Romero's film were a number of others, including follow-ups by Romero (I remember watching Dawn of the Dead at the midnight show at the mall theater). The zombies in that film were a bit smarter, although they did tend to hang out waiting for good prices of consumer goods.

Now throw into this the cornucopia of zombie novels and short stories, and we have a new sub-genre. To underscore this, many entertainment companies and websites are having zombie contests, protests, and of course games. Ah, did I mention The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks (Mel Brook's son)? This book is neither novel nor story. It is a guide on surviving the zombie apocalypse, and wildly successful.

And back to films. Dawn of the Dead saw a re-make with faster zombies, and they were a bit smarter. In many ways they were similar to the critters in 28 Days Later (although some would argue they are not zombies).







Needless to say, I could continue this all day - but I won't. However, if you haven't read or seen any of these books or films, take the time. If the sub-genre is this popular, it seems like it is related to popular culture, which begs the question why is popular culture embracing zombies?

Zombies Can't Read

As promised, a few more (near) real time updates from the ConClave convention. I did a wonderful panel on Dark Fiction -which connected nicely to The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction anthology I recently edited (www.williamjoneswriter.com/?p=217).

The anthology will appear in bookstores in the next few weeks. Although there are some advanced copies here at the convention. I believe the first batch sold out today.

Later in the evening I had a reading with the writer Stewart Sternberg. Both of read sections from our "zombie" novels (in my case, Pallid Light), as the reading was titled "Zombies Can't Read, but We Can."

The audience was delightful. There was a bit of overflowing music from next door - Wild Cherry's "Funky Music," and Cheap Trick's "Surrender." Attempting to read over the blaring music and karaoke was quite a challenge, but I believe it went well. Naturally I was in a hurry to get here, so I left my hard copy of the novel at hone. This left me reading from a Netbook screen - from an older version of the anthology.

Again my thanks goes to the audience who were spirited, and enjoyed zombie fiction, which made the entire thing worth the effort. Below is a photo of the audience (unable to get everyone into the photo -the room was too wide), and below that is a zombie I encountered in the hallway.

Things to do on the Weekend

If you're a writer, then writing is a good thing to do on the weekend. :) The next best thing to do is visit ConClave and join in on the literary panels.

Starting Friday, Oct. 8th, I'll be at the convention. If you get a chance, drop by and say hello.

I'll be on a number of panels and attending several this weekend. It is my hope to post some updates, photos, and maybe more from the convention - for those who can't attend.

Starting Friday, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, I'll be on the Writing 101 panel Darwin Garrison, Merrie Haskell, Charles P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg, M. Keaton.

My guess is this will be a great panel for new and experienced authors. A wide variety topics will be covered, and of course the more voices in the audience with additional knowledge makes the panel all the better.

On later that night, at 6:30-8:00, I'll be on the Zombiegeddon panel - an exploration of why the undead keep coming back in fiction. And a bit of fun with the apocalyptic/zombie genre of fiction.

I'll be joining Daniel J. Hogan, Charles P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg.

Even if you're not a fan of this sub-genre, this panel is worth attending. I did a similar panel last year and it was a blast...riot...killer....

What I'd like to do is list all of the panels I'm on, but after looking at the list, it is around 14, and maybe 15 if you count one double booking. :) That would be too long of a list to go through. And, as there are many other important and fun panels, I'll point to the program book: PROGRAM BOOK

What I will try to do is attempt to take Twitter questions and comments, and post a bit of the panels (maybe some audio with permission) on Facebook and my blog.

Lastly, but equally as important, I'll have advance copies of The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: Best of Dark Fiction with me, and they will be available for sale at the con. A list of authors can be fond on this blog (here).

Hope to see a few of you there!

On Writing

Based on the title, I suppose I should attempt to write something profound about writing. That wasn't my intention. "Write." If you want to be a writer, then writing is the most difficult aspect of the job, and the most fundamental. I know it sounds silly. However, the most common barrier people encounter in writing is the writing aspect. It is tough work.

Okay, it's not profound or original. But maybe it is a little bit insightful.

I've spent the last few months wrestling with various projects, trying to complete each. I've finally reached a point to where it seems I've returned to where I've started - which means, some projects are complete. I'll start announcing a few of those next week. Or maybe even tomorrow.

For the moment, I've reset my writing counter, and embarked on another project. I typically divide my time between projects, so word count trackers are not accurate. Still, I'm going to use one. And I'm isolating it to a single project. This keeps it a bit more honest.

On the off chance someone is curious, the project I'm tracking now is a novel. I have a few to write in the next year, so I thought it'd be fun to track them.

I'll not venture into "my process" of writing. Although I'd love to hear how others approach a work such as a novel or short story. And if you have something you'd like to mention, please do. For those who are shy, emailing me is fine.

Depths of the Ocean: More High Seas Cthulhu

It was my intention to post about product placement in television and fiction books - oh, and films, etc. But as other matters press upon me, I'll save that one for later in the week. Right now, I'd like to talk about stories set on the high seas.

For those who don't know, after my reading of a few million words for a previous anthology, I started to avoid sending open anthology calls around the Internet. In fact, some of my calls are still lurking in the pages of Writers Digest, which means I get submissions for books printed years ago.

To help slow the flow of submissions, I now make a cunning mention on my blog. Usually word gets around, but not quite as much as "major announcements."

And, as some people were not completely sure of what I was hinting at in the last three anthologies request, I'll be blunt this time. :) I'm looking for stories for a 2010 anthology.

What type of stories? They must be set on or darn close to the ocean or large body of water. The book is a sequel to High Seas Cthulhu.

Setting: Still an ocean or big body of water. Mostly modern, some historical is welcome.

Word Count: 5K (longer must be negotiated)

Payment: 5 cents/word first publication, 3 cents/word reprint.

Deadline: June 2010 - Although it could move up (never sure about these things)

Reference: If in doubt, read the existing book: High Seas Cthulhu. You might also consider visiting the link on my blog, where the authors of the last book wrote about how their stories came to be: High Seas Cthulhu: Below Decks

As for High Seas Cthulhu, it can be found in most books stores and online, ebay, game stores. Pretty much anywhere. I urge reviewing a copy to save yourself time by avoiding the repetition of tales from the first book.

How to submit? (Umm. I get plenty of email, and much of it is blocked by spam software. But let's try it this way. Submit to:

william@williamjoneswriter.com (Subject: High Seas 2 YOUR NAME).

The subject is very important because I'll use software to sort the submissions, and without High Seas 2, it'll likely get dumped into spam).

Suggestions:

• Deep Ones are easy to write about in this anthology, so only use them if you have a unique slant. Most everyone will submit Deep One tales and you want yours to stand out. Or better yet, avoid Deep One tales.

• Edgy is good. Please avoid this opening: "Dear reader, you might think me insane for what I'm about to put to paper..." (I've read that story. :> ) Put a modern spin on the story/creature/character, and make it yours.

• Dark is good. Mood, tone, and a feel of darkness works in this anthology, but know that many people will be going the same way, so play with the approach.

Lastly, Cthulhu: Nope, no Cthulhu unless requested. Next to Deep Ones, this big fellow is the most popular critter people write about for this type of anthology. We can only have so many Cthulhu awakens and destroys the world tales in the anthology. So to improve your chances, avoid using him. Or at least query me about it before you do.

Feel free to post questions here, as that way I can answer them and create a FAQ at the same time.

Writing and Editing Several Projects

I often get emails asking about what book I'm working on, whether it be writing or editing. One would think answer these emails to be easy. However, I often have a few pans in the fire, so I'm shifting about from one thing to another. This means there is no short answer (unless you ask about a specific project). Okay, even in that case, because my time is interlaced with other projects, it is still tough to answer.

In an attempt to clarify and probably confuse, I've added a word counter meter to the sidebar of my blog (I'll put one on my website sometime in the near future). Now the meter is following a "project," which is unnamed. :) But it will keep with the project as I go along. And in the near future it will be named. (Many will be able to guess the project).




Alas, that is the most I can do for now, except reply in complicated emails. Well, maybe not all. I've found another word count meter that indicates my state and writing status. I'll try to make a post including it now and then.

So, for the moment: Yes, I am working on all of those projects I've been emailed about. There are a few, so movement varies from day to day. And, for those who have sent me manuscripts to read, I appreciate your patience. Oh, and if you send one via post, please include your email address or return postage...please.

Some fun with Writing and Editing

Here are a few comics from Comics.com on the topics of writing and editing. I was sent one by writer and editor Charles P. Zaglanis, and it inspired me to post a few:

Dialog - Those other Voices

I won't be writing a treatise on short story writing. Rather, I'm simply doing a few posts on common questions or things I've encountered. This post is about dialog. One of the things that often appears in fiction is "realistic dialog." This is a tricky phrase. To be honest, if dialog is too realistic then it becomes a series of grunts, grumbles, repeated words and phrases. "Real" dialog doesn't always work in fiction. Yet, sometimes new writers will defend perfectly reproduced dialog as "being real."

There is the catch. In fiction, "real" isn't as important as moving the story and keeping the reader's attention. So "based on a true story" doesn't mean that the dialog is verbatim. Rather, in short fiction, dialog needs to move the story forward, develop the character, and maintain tension. This usually means the characters speaking are at odds, having opposing ideas, or have some conflict that is being discussed.

"Is that a UFO?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Okay. Wow, that's really cool."
"Yes, it is. I see them all of the time."
"Really?"
"Yes. Not that big of a deal."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Oh."

----
Other than the obvious and mundane voice traits I've added to the above two characters ("Yes" and "Oh"), there is nothing thrilling in the above dialog. Well, maybe if it were REAL then it would be quite exciting to the reader. Although with the lackluster exchange, it seems to under-deliver. And in part, this is due to lack of hard conflict. If you're a fan of The X-Files, then you can probably re-imagine the above exchange between Scully and Mulder. Most likely it would involve disagreement (conflict).

Also, the above dialogue does little to move the story forward. Clearly the characters have spotted a UFO - or so one says. And one character is new to the experience while the other finds it rather commonplace. That work is mainly done in the first 4 lines. The remainder of the dialogue is pretty much useless, short of using for comedic affect by expounding upon its mundane nature.

Once again, every writer has his or her own approach to this, and I'd be interested in learning some of those. I wonder how the above dialogue could be made more interesting and move a story along within 9-10 lines. That would be a 10 line flash fiction work. :)

Narrators - Voices in Your Head

A common misconception about narrators is that the are always the protagonists in a story. Sometimes they are, but most of the time the narrator is someone else.

Obviously, 1st person tales typically use the character as the narrator. Many folks find this the easiest form of narrator. Perhaps it's because writers often let their own voice become the narrator. This means the writer knows the narrator very well and so the narration becomes easier.

This leads to a point I'd like to make. After the protagonist, the narrator is the most commonly overlooked aspect of a story. And yet, these two elements are perhaps the most important.

Of course, there are various ways of developing a narrative voice. It is easy to rely on your own voice, but this can be repetitive in short stories, and make all of your characters feel the same. So give some thought to narrative voice. Find one that fits the story.

For me, I must have a narrator before I can put down much text. Yes, I have written stories and changed the narrative voice after disliking the original. In the Pearson tales, I use a 1st person, Edwardian-lite narrator, who is fond of alliteration and hyperbole. This is not my own voice, honest. ;p Yet, readers often email me and write: when you were casting that spell...

They know I'm not Rudolph Pearson, yet the 1st person narrative links the author with the character. My point being that I did much work on that narrator, and now to find his voice I must sit down and re-read a bit of Pearson. Certainly, there is a bit of me in the narrator, character, and other characters.

No matter how hard we try, "we," the writer appear in our narrators and characters. But that doesn't mean we should throw ourselves into them. The challenge and fun is developing new creations.

Again, the approaches to this are multitudinous. I wonder what methods others use.

Short Fiction on the Fly

Here's something I'm asked about often: Writing short stories.

The most common question put to me is "Where do I start?"

Of course, the flippant answer is "at the beginning." This response helps no one, and provides nothing useful. Yet, it is perhaps the most cited answer to the question.

Instead of that response, I tend to say you start with character and a narrator. This confuses some people. Some feel that the protagonist is the narrator, while others feel the narrator is the writer.

For me, fiction is about the protagonist. And how we learn about the protagonist is through the narrator - at least that is one means.

So, of you start to tell someone about your short story and you start with: There's this guy who...

Stop there.

"This guy" is not a character; he is a place holder for the missing protagonist. First, find the protagonist. Do this by creating a life around him - a past, family, likes, dislikes, parents, siblings, habits, traits, everything you can think of to make this character interesting in the adventure he's about to undertake. You may even find that he starts to write his own story.

Next, you need a strong narrator. But that will be another post.

I wonder what other ways writers stumble into stories? Regardless of what books on writing state, there I'd no one method to writing. Everyone develops an approach with practice. The one I cited works for me, and has helped many others.

Anyone have a different approach?

Books in the Mail

One of my favorite surprises is an unexpected book in the mail. This week I was lucky enough to get two such surprises. One was Queen of K'n-yan, by Asamatsu Ken; the other book was Degrees of Fear and Others, by C. J. Henderson.

I must admit, the books were anticipated, just not expected (there is some fun with semantics). I had the pleasure of reading Queen of K'n-yan before it was published. In fact, I've been waiting for it's publication to post a review. For now, let me state that it is a delightful and horrifyingly Lovecraftian novel. After my previous post, I confess that I did endorse the book, as did Brian Lumley, so I'll just quote the words from the back cover:

"Asamatsu Ken's Queen of K'n-yan is a fascinating story, and as Darrell Schweitzer states in his Introduction, it is indeed a fine Cthulhu Mythos novel..." -- Brian Lumley

"Original, dark, graceful and chilling. Asamatsu Ken understands the genre, and delivers a compelling novel." -- William Jones

If you read the "blurb's," then you'll also know that there is a great Introduction by Darrell. If you enjoy Mythos fiction, this is a novel to read.

As for Degrees of Fear and Others, this is a collection of C. J., and story commentaries (short paragraphs before the story). The stories are fun to read without the commentaries. Certainly read the book. It has Lovecraftian tales, and other tales of horror.

The surprise with this book was the cover change. My website has one of the early versions, and as it turns out, it was swapped. I like this cover very much. I had to scan it, as I couldn't find an image online. Well, if I had more time, I'm certain I could have found one.

Both of these books are delights and elegant. Take a peek at them.

Secrets of Morocco

I'm still at Penguicon, or at least the convention is still going, and I'm attending. However, I thought I'd make a quick post about a topic that has generate interest in the roleplaying community.

It seems that Morocco is traveling around the world. Okay, that's odd, but it's a metaphor, so it can be odd. Maybe. What I'm referring to is a "monograph" I published a few years ago for the Call of Cthulhu RPG, titled Mysteries of Morocco. At the time, it was a strange notion. To attept to capture a country, rather than the traditional CoC city, in a sourcebook. Obviously countries are quite a bit larger. So I schemed and came up with a format that at least allowed for an overview of a country, while focusing on particularly regions, and specific cities. It seems the experiment has some level of success.

Either way, Mysteries of Morocco was later published by Pegasus Spiele in Germany as Geheimnisvolles Marokko. They produced a great cover with some delightful interior layout. And they also included a scenario that did not appear in the English edition, written by Jakob Schmidt - whom I've never met. But, I can say from my weak reading of the German text, he did a great job at capturing the content of the book and expounding upon it.

Now it is re-appearing in a new version from Chaosium, as Secrets of Morocco. And, the announcement of this release has spurred a number of people to email about the book's contents. That is difficult to summarize, as the new content is scattered throughout the work. There are new characters, locations, and connections, as well as a additional scenario that can be linked into existing scenarios set in the region, or other Chaosium campaigns, or it can be played as a stand alone adventure.

(To the right is a draft version of the cover that Chaosium has published on their website. It is by Malcolm McClinton. Malcolm did a great job at capturing the "heat of the moment," and the feel of the region.)

For those who are curious, Secrets of Morocco covers the country's history, religion, culture, environment, and elements from the 1920s and 1930s that are important to the RPG setting. The book already had new skills for Westerners visiting Morocco - allowing for social conflicts based upon the differences between cultures. And as with the original monograph, there are some "beast" riding rules, allowing for horse and camel chases or races - those familiar with the somewhat recent films The Mummy or Hidalgo will see an immediate application (and there are myriad other films and books that deal with this topic). And of course, the Sahara desert, heat, and various secretive mythos related entities and cults are not overlooked. If you're not familiar with the monograph, there are also rules for "shots" (that's a drinking game unknown to most people). There is a scene from the film Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark that inspired these rules. (As another side note, most films set in the Middle East are actually filmed in Morocco).

That's probably enough words on the topic. If not, please feel free to email or post questions.

Boo!

Having read quite a bit of fiction in my life, I tend to view it in a different manner as time passes. Many years ago, I remember reading horror stories, finding them engaging, and they were usually "page turners." But I'm not sure something ever occurred in a story or novel that startled me or suddenly scared me - causing me to have a physical reaction, like someone sneaking up behind and yelling "Boo!" Rather, I found myself disturbed by the novels, or I had images lurking in my mind. This would be something like watching the film Jaws, and then having a fear of the water. Except, Jaws, like most films, has the ability to "surprise" the viewer - the "Boo!" factor. I wonder if that is possible in fiction. And by that I mean sudden surprise. Certainly fiction has the ability to produce the unexpected, but what about doors opening with something jumping out, or a hand resting upon a character's shoulder. In film, that would cause some one to stir or jump or even scream. Is this possible in fiction? I'd imagine someone has experienced it.

This probably seems like a strange question coming from someone who writes in the genre. But after a while, either through reading or writing, some of the unexpected aspects are lost. Or, it might be that horror fiction can disturb or unsettle a reader, but maybe not create a startling surprise that causes the reader to jump out of his or her seat. Or, maybe this is something I simply have lost over time.

For those interested, this topic contrasts well with a previous post: Horror: What scares us and why do we like it so much?

What brings this topic to mind is that at conventions, I often hear readers asked for the "scariest" books or stories. This, in turn, makes me wonder about what I've just been rambling about.

Omegacon Friday

The convention is off to a bustling start. From what I've heard, there were 1700 pre-registrations. I've not idea how many walk-ins. Of course, with any convention this size, there are complications. The programs were a bit mixed -- and altered. Some rooms were changed last minute, and a program book wasn't included in the "goody bag." However, the folks running the convention responded quickly and re-organized.

To the right and above is a image of the registration line.

As I mentioned before, the dealer room is quite vast, and it would require too many pictures to convey the size, so I won't venture down that path. Instead, here are a couple of offerings.

To the left is an image of the far side of the convention hall. And the next image is of ESP -- turns out they were there as well. And across from the ESP booth is Marietta Publishing, the house that has produced quite a few Lovecraftian titles.


The first event of the day for me was the launch party for The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. It was a great event, and I had the opportunity to meet quite a few nice people. But, I was unable to photograph anything. What I do have is the Books-A-Million display outside the launch party. The Pearson book is missing (not released yet), but they did have a nice display with Horrors Beyond 2 and High Seas Cthulhu.

Later in the day there was an autograph session. Because of some confusion, the Author Nook (launch room) was moved into the autographing room. This wasn't included in the program, so it resulted in a bit of confusion. Still, it was a busy afternoon -- and again, no photographs.

During the day, Alan Dean Foster dropped by. He is always pleasant to talk to, and he has quite a few interesting stories. Naturally, I had to ask a question about the original Aliens script (he wrote the novelization, and spoke with James Cameron about the film -- even suggested that Cameron should try a Lovecraftian film).

Around 6:00 pm, I was on a panel titled "How to Edit Yourself." This event was aimed at authors who had a chance to ask the panel of authors and editors about "self editing." Each panel member had quite a bit advice, and all of it useful -- for the audience and also for the panelists. It is a bit difficult to summarize an hour meeting, so I'll offer some lists on self editing (this should be humorous because I'm not editing this post):

* - Try not to edit while writing. Put the work aside for a period of time, and return to it to edit.

* - Do not become attached to any part of the writing. Sometimes writers need to part with their favorite sentences or paragraphs for the sake of the work.

* - Make sure everything in the story/novel plays a part in the work -- it should move the story forward.
* - If possible, find workshops or other people to read the work and offer comments. Even if the people are not "trained" writers, they can still provide useful input. When several people mention a problem in the same point in the story, it is possible there is something at that point in the story.

* - Read the work aloud. Yes, this is a common answer about editing, but it is still valid. While reading a novel can be a lengthy process, it isn't any longer than writing it. Reading aloud often catches problems that might be overlooked when reading "in the mind."

* - Make sure you read your work. This one sounds silly, but quite often writers produce a story/novel and more or less skim it rather than reading it.

* - Pay close attention to the opening -- the opening helps to sell a story/novel. If the editor isn't interested by the opening, then it is less likely the rest of the work will be read. Remember, readers in stores might not give a work more than a few paragraphs, so a strong opening is important.

* - Don't ignore the remainder of the work. A strong opening is great, but don't stop there. Organize the work, and keep the story moving forward.

Needless to say, there were quite a few other suggestions, and many good questions, but I can't cover all of them. Anyone who wants to add to this list, please feel free. Or if you have a question, ask. Most likely, a similar question was asked during the panel, so I can probably offer a broad answer based on several others' responses.

Omegacon -- The Start

At the moment, I'm in Birmingham, Alabama for the Omegacon convention. It is certainly one of the larger SF/F/H fiction and entertainment conventions in the U.S. The dealer room runs around 5,000 square feet, and events are scheduled 24 hours a day. If you're in the area, drop by the convention - it is certain to be great fun. If you're not able to attend, I'll post over the next three days events and pictures. At the very least, take a look at the website, forums, schedule, and guests at Omegacon.

Slated for me tomorrow is an interesting number of events:

Friday: 1:30 pm is the launch party for The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. After the event, I'll offer up more details. For the moment, know that this is an event where authors talk about their books, and answer questions about the soon to be released or just released books.

What I will say is that those who attend will get a limited edition full color promo card, and a secret discount number if the book is purchased directly from Chaosium's website.

Friday 4:30 pm is a book signing. This one is pretty easy to figure out. I'll be in a room autographing books.

Friday 6:00 pm is "How to Edit Yourself." This is more about editing your own fiction rather than editing what you say in public. It is a topic is popular with writers, as knowing how much to edit and how to go about it can be more difficult than one might think.

Although the dealer's hall isn't open, I passed through it and found quite a stack of High Seas Cthulhu and Horrors Beyond 2 on the Books-a-Million retail shelf (they are also a sponsor for the convention, and have quite a display. The photo is from a distance, and the books are on the middle rack, 2nd shelf down from the top. It isn't wise to march into a retailer's area when the place is closed. Security isn't fond of that. So the picture is a bit blurry and far away.

As for other events, Richard Hatch, the actor from Battle Star Galactic (in both the original and new version) was nearby at dinner. And I've already ran into quite a few friends and familiar faces.

Horror: What scares us and why do we like it so much?

It seems to me that many people never get a chance to attend as many conventions as they like -- if any. So I thought I'd bring a convention to everyone. One of the panels I participated in at Confusion 2008, along with Suzanne Church, was on the topic of horror and what scares us.

This seems like a good place to pose the question, and look for a few answers. What is it that scares us in horror? Are there particular things? Are people scared by horror fiction any longer? What is the attraction to horror? Is it being scared or is it something else? Do we need gore or some visceral element to make horror horrifying?

I could go on with the questions, but these seem like a good starting point. I'll try to round up a group of panelists, but everyone should consider themselves panelists and offer answers or pose questions.