The past few days have been dedicated to the growing conflict between my spouse and me regarding the differences of opinion relating to self-publishing.
Here is the basic argument: My husband believes that self-publishing is the route I should take.
His primary reason for this is the delay between a publisher accepting a piece of writing versus the time it actually makes it into print. He views the delay as a loss of money, as self-publishing would allow for a longer print run.
Now, I cannot disagree with this. The harsh reality is a 14+ month wait from acquisition to print. It is a difficult pill to swallow. Now, granted, I can be working on my next novel in that period of time, but with ever shrinking advances, 5k (and that is being too charitable!!) isn't a whole lot to live on for 14 months. I can make more than 5k in 14 months on cheap contract work. (Which my husband enjoys pointing out.)
I do not want to delude myself into thinking I could get a big advance. I'm somewhat realistic.
However, my argument comes up in I would have to foot the bill on the things the publisher would typically pick up. These include:
- Cover Art
- Formatting for print
- Formatting for ebooks
- Editing
- Basic Marketing
- Distribution
Now, there are a few perks to going this route. These include:
- Picking my own cover art, hiring the artist of choice, etc
- Picking my editor.
- Handling my marketing or picking someone I trust to do my marketing for me.
- Fast publication time.
- Selecting my own pricing.
There are disadvantages. These include:
- A lot more edit work I have to do on my own.
- Investment for all of the above things a publisher would normally handle.
- No brand backing my work.
- No agent for advice. Some self-pubbers have agents, but I strongly doubt I would get approached by an agent, and I expect I would be busy enough where I would not have time to go shopping for one.
- The negative impact of having gone the self-publishing route.
There are shared advantages and disadvantages of each, of course. The most notable point being::
- There is NO guarantee that I would succeed either by traditional OR self-publishing methods.
There are a lot of things missing from this list. I realize this. This is a uncomplicated form for those who are just dipping their feet into the process of determining which route is best.
On a personal front, I want to support the traditional publishing venue. However, I have to be realistic as well. I can afford to invest ~$1,500 to get my cover art, start marketing, and pay an editor to pick over my book.
I do not think I can afford to wait 14+ months with no chance of income at all. It is all-or-nothing in my personal situation. I have the choice of contract work -- which is paying less and less with each passing day as individuals seek volume and sacrifice quality. Or, I can buckle down and start producing books and selling them for the kindle or print.
At least this way, the stories I love to write might make it out to the populations that like to read. It is unlikely I will land in the coveted top 100. But, if I do not take life by the horns and ride the bull, I will never have a chance at all to shine.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The E-book World
This post has been a long time coming. Let us just say I've been sick and busy and leave it at that.
I bought a kindle on Monday. It will arrive on Thursday. I saw one my friend had, and she was nice enough to allow me to handle it. (She even forgave me for losing her page as I was playing with her kindle rather than leaving her book on the page she left on...)
I was taken with it immediately. It is a tiny bundle of gadget geek glory. Complete with leather cover and a book light. I got mine in red leather, as I have an extreme fondness for red leather.
My first impression was, "This doesn't look much different than a real book!" This is what spurred my desire for one. That, plus my husband gave me the final ultimatum: Get rid of books or do not buy new ones. Apparently 600-800 titles crammed into two bookshelves is excessive.
I do not want to stop buying books OR get rid of my preciouses, and he refuses to get another book case, so the kindle was a good compromise. I already bought 34 classical novels I haven't read that I have wanted to read. And I already have already added a few books onto my wishlist. There are a few books I can't get as an ebook, but I'm sure I'll be able to talk him into just one or two titles.
I am definitely curious how authors view their works as ebooks. If you have been published and have both print and ebook copies, and don't mind sharing the stats between how many buy ebooks versus print, I would be curious to find out.
I bought a kindle on Monday. It will arrive on Thursday. I saw one my friend had, and she was nice enough to allow me to handle it. (She even forgave me for losing her page as I was playing with her kindle rather than leaving her book on the page she left on...)
I was taken with it immediately. It is a tiny bundle of gadget geek glory. Complete with leather cover and a book light. I got mine in red leather, as I have an extreme fondness for red leather.
My first impression was, "This doesn't look much different than a real book!" This is what spurred my desire for one. That, plus my husband gave me the final ultimatum: Get rid of books or do not buy new ones. Apparently 600-800 titles crammed into two bookshelves is excessive.
I do not want to stop buying books OR get rid of my preciouses, and he refuses to get another book case, so the kindle was a good compromise. I already bought 34 classical novels I haven't read that I have wanted to read. And I already have already added a few books onto my wishlist. There are a few books I can't get as an ebook, but I'm sure I'll be able to talk him into just one or two titles.
I am definitely curious how authors view their works as ebooks. If you have been published and have both print and ebook copies, and don't mind sharing the stats between how many buy ebooks versus print, I would be curious to find out.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Throwing off the Mantle...
Today's post will be a little out of the normal. Mainly because this national novel writing month, I returned to my roots as a writer and did something I haven't indulged in for a long time: I pantsered this book.
I am usually a fan of my plotting and my careful details. However, this time I said screw it, threw away my plot (which I had spent an entire month working on) and decided that I would dive in with nothing but my poet-possessed laptop and my brain.
Really, it was a great idea.
This novel does not use a unique concept. It uses a plot mechanism used before, but done in a way unique to me. This is also outside of my usual method of operation. While I won't quite say it has a cliche plot, I focused more on telling a good story than trying to tell a unique story. There is a little irony in that I think I managed to come away with one of my better stories just by focusing on having fun.
This got me thinking a little. When I stepped back and viewed my book on the level of telling a good story, there are often similar plot mechanisms I like in a story. 'Snicker's' bars versus fillet mignon, but.... I think this month I went for a book that would be a fun read.
And somehow, I think I have succeeded.
By throwing off the usual controlled style of writing, I think I touched back on why I love to write. I think this let me relax and do what I love the most. This reflects in the quality of my writing, as well. This book will need edits, but I am not so certain that it will need a rewrite. I know scenes that I want to tune, but so far there are none I want to scrape.
It is a pleasant, uplifting feeling. While I am usually able to write a good quantity of words when I apply myself, I do not usually feel so eager to get up in the morning and get to work on a book.
Thank you, November. Thanks for letting me get back in touch with my roots and remember what it is like to write a book off the seat of my pants!
This is the book that I will send to a publisher and agents. It will need work, it will need polish, but this is the one that I will take all of the way.
I am usually a fan of my plotting and my careful details. However, this time I said screw it, threw away my plot (which I had spent an entire month working on) and decided that I would dive in with nothing but my poet-possessed laptop and my brain.
Really, it was a great idea.
This novel does not use a unique concept. It uses a plot mechanism used before, but done in a way unique to me. This is also outside of my usual method of operation. While I won't quite say it has a cliche plot, I focused more on telling a good story than trying to tell a unique story. There is a little irony in that I think I managed to come away with one of my better stories just by focusing on having fun.
This got me thinking a little. When I stepped back and viewed my book on the level of telling a good story, there are often similar plot mechanisms I like in a story. 'Snicker's' bars versus fillet mignon, but.... I think this month I went for a book that would be a fun read.
And somehow, I think I have succeeded.
By throwing off the usual controlled style of writing, I think I touched back on why I love to write. I think this let me relax and do what I love the most. This reflects in the quality of my writing, as well. This book will need edits, but I am not so certain that it will need a rewrite. I know scenes that I want to tune, but so far there are none I want to scrape.
It is a pleasant, uplifting feeling. While I am usually able to write a good quantity of words when I apply myself, I do not usually feel so eager to get up in the morning and get to work on a book.
Thank you, November. Thanks for letting me get back in touch with my roots and remember what it is like to write a book off the seat of my pants!
This is the book that I will send to a publisher and agents. It will need work, it will need polish, but this is the one that I will take all of the way.
Monday, November 15, 2010
November killed the Blog Writer
I'm sorry that I have been quiet. There are many reasons for this, and some of them I can delve into on a writing related blog. Shocking, isn't it?
It is November! It is just about halfway through November! Both of these things are excellent. I'm excited. I love National Novel Writing Month, and I have really enjoyed participating as a Municipal Liaison this year. I have met a lot of fun and interesting people. I get out of my condo at least once a week and I get to write as I do it. This is very pleasing.
Instead of my usual post, I am going to copy-paste my guest blog posts from another blog. Some of you have already read them, but I figured there was no better way to catch my mood of the past week than to revitalize the posts I have already done. They are almost all on writing subjects, and they may be useful to you.
Post #1 -- November 8, 2010
Post #2 - November 9, 2010
Post #3 - November 10, 2010
Post #4 - November 11, 2010
Post #5 - November 12, 2010
Post #6 - November 13, 2010
Post #7 - November 14, 2010
I cover quite a few writing related subjects in these posts. 7 posts in 7 days tired me, so I'm going to just leave you with these to keep you occupied.
It is November! It is just about halfway through November! Both of these things are excellent. I'm excited. I love National Novel Writing Month, and I have really enjoyed participating as a Municipal Liaison this year. I have met a lot of fun and interesting people. I get out of my condo at least once a week and I get to write as I do it. This is very pleasing.
Instead of my usual post, I am going to copy-paste my guest blog posts from another blog. Some of you have already read them, but I figured there was no better way to catch my mood of the past week than to revitalize the posts I have already done. They are almost all on writing subjects, and they may be useful to you.
Post #1 -- November 8, 2010
Post #2 - November 9, 2010
Post #3 - November 10, 2010
Post #4 - November 11, 2010
Post #5 - November 12, 2010
Post #6 - November 13, 2010
Post #7 - November 14, 2010
I cover quite a few writing related subjects in these posts. 7 posts in 7 days tired me, so I'm going to just leave you with these to keep you occupied.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The First Three Chapters
Twitter has once again spawned a discussion subject in my brain. Thanks, twitter. Really. I should be working on other things right about now!
Joking aside, this is something that writers of all calibers should pay attention to.
Your first three chapters are very important. They will be what gets the interest of an agent or a publisher. It will be what hooks your reader into the story. Everyone knows that a story needs a strong foundation to stand upon. This is often done within the first three chapters. In fact, if you haven't built into your real story within the first three chapters, well, there is probably something very wrong. Even if your plot doesn't directly tie in with the climax or conclusion, it should somehow lead your character towards it.
Even if it is a swift kick in the butt to leave their door and go do something with themselves.
I feel that this is a generally accepted concept. However, I am going to take the mold and I am going to go smash it into a wall over there.
Do not polish your first three chapters and neglect the rest of your novel. The first three chapters are important. There is absolutely no denying it. You cannot have a great piece of fiction without a strong start.
You cannot have a great piece of fiction without a strong finish.
I like to call the syndrome, "Great opening and then came the can o' crap!" Crap is generally viewed as a negative thing. Because really, poop is gross. Toilet humor can be funny, but unless your book is about toilets or somehow features poop, you do not want this to be a descriptive term of your story.
I have read many manuscripts during the course of editing and critiquing that have really gripping starts and then they turn to crap. The polished, flowery language that worked so well in the first few chapters turns into a tired, lame horse that can't quite manage to climb the hill. The disappointment factor is typically so great that I have to step away from the computer so that my line edits are constructive rather than mean.
Those of you who have endured my critiques are probably aware of how bluntly honest I try to be. I firmly believe that you can learn the art of writing by doing a *lot* of critiquing. I certainly learned how to improve my craft this way.
This is advice, do as you wish with it. But, if you spend the same amount of time polishing your first three chapters as you do the entire novel, chances are that you will have a novel really worth something at the end of the day.
Also... just because you have polished your first three chapters, do not send them out immediately until your entire novel is done. This is just.... ugh. Don't do it. You never know when an agent or publisher will get back to you. You need to be able to send it out the next day if you get a reply asking for the complete manuscript.
True story: A friend of mine got a reply from Tor asking for the complete manuscript. She IMs me in a complete panic. She has not edited her novel.
Some 8 hours later I returned a line edit so she could panic through her corrections. It was perhaps the worst evening of my life.
I did it because she is my friend, but you should never put yourself into this situation. You want to be a responsive writer who is prepared. If they want the manuscript? It better be ready, printed, sitting on your desk in a nicely wrapped package and ready to send out the following morning. You don't necessary need to overnight the manuscript unless there are circumstances where they ask for it by a certain date. If it is by email, you should just have it ready for emailing.
There is nothing wrong with doing a one last reading before you send, but you should not be needing to do any significant edits. When you send your proposal or query, your novel should be ready from start to finish.
Your new editor or agent may suggest changes, but you should be sending them something that you feel is up to the publication standards of your genre.
Joking aside, this is something that writers of all calibers should pay attention to.
Your first three chapters are very important. They will be what gets the interest of an agent or a publisher. It will be what hooks your reader into the story. Everyone knows that a story needs a strong foundation to stand upon. This is often done within the first three chapters. In fact, if you haven't built into your real story within the first three chapters, well, there is probably something very wrong. Even if your plot doesn't directly tie in with the climax or conclusion, it should somehow lead your character towards it.
Even if it is a swift kick in the butt to leave their door and go do something with themselves.
I feel that this is a generally accepted concept. However, I am going to take the mold and I am going to go smash it into a wall over there.
Do not polish your first three chapters and neglect the rest of your novel. The first three chapters are important. There is absolutely no denying it. You cannot have a great piece of fiction without a strong start.
You cannot have a great piece of fiction without a strong finish.
I like to call the syndrome, "Great opening and then came the can o' crap!" Crap is generally viewed as a negative thing. Because really, poop is gross. Toilet humor can be funny, but unless your book is about toilets or somehow features poop, you do not want this to be a descriptive term of your story.
I have read many manuscripts during the course of editing and critiquing that have really gripping starts and then they turn to crap. The polished, flowery language that worked so well in the first few chapters turns into a tired, lame horse that can't quite manage to climb the hill. The disappointment factor is typically so great that I have to step away from the computer so that my line edits are constructive rather than mean.
Those of you who have endured my critiques are probably aware of how bluntly honest I try to be. I firmly believe that you can learn the art of writing by doing a *lot* of critiquing. I certainly learned how to improve my craft this way.
This is advice, do as you wish with it. But, if you spend the same amount of time polishing your first three chapters as you do the entire novel, chances are that you will have a novel really worth something at the end of the day.
Also... just because you have polished your first three chapters, do not send them out immediately until your entire novel is done. This is just.... ugh. Don't do it. You never know when an agent or publisher will get back to you. You need to be able to send it out the next day if you get a reply asking for the complete manuscript.
True story: A friend of mine got a reply from Tor asking for the complete manuscript. She IMs me in a complete panic. She has not edited her novel.
Some 8 hours later I returned a line edit so she could panic through her corrections. It was perhaps the worst evening of my life.
I did it because she is my friend, but you should never put yourself into this situation. You want to be a responsive writer who is prepared. If they want the manuscript? It better be ready, printed, sitting on your desk in a nicely wrapped package and ready to send out the following morning. You don't necessary need to overnight the manuscript unless there are circumstances where they ask for it by a certain date. If it is by email, you should just have it ready for emailing.
There is nothing wrong with doing a one last reading before you send, but you should not be needing to do any significant edits. When you send your proposal or query, your novel should be ready from start to finish.
Your new editor or agent may suggest changes, but you should be sending them something that you feel is up to the publication standards of your genre.
I attended Con*Cept 2010!
Really, it is too late at night for me to just be starting this blog post. No, really. After a fun-packed weekend of talking about writing, playing AD&D with friends and then talking about writing some more, I somehow thought it was clever and prudent to blog about my experiences at Con*Cept 2010. I wonder if those crazy folks would let me attend again as a panelist.
I hope. I had fun. A lot of fun.
But I digress.
As a panelist, I was expected to have some idea of what I was talking about. The last panel, well, they must have been convinced the Lady Firebird and I were impromptu artists. It was two of us versus some twenty of 'them'. You know, those writing people. Writing people who stared as if we would somehow be able to save them from the subject that took us all of five minutes to cover.
Leaving another 55 minutes to burn.
Apparently we burned it pretty well. The Closing Ceremonies peeps had to drive us out of there after we ran over time by five minutes and they were waiting on us to participate.
Oh look, that digress word again. If you're curious, the panel was on the subject of "Do you have the Writing Gene?". Lady Firebird and I both quickly agreed that you didn't need no stupid gene to write. If you want to write, you'll write. Back on that a little later.
I attended several panels over the weekend, and participated in three total. There are not enough blog posts in the world that can cover just how useful a convention with panels can be for a new writer. Or even an established writer. Heck, I'm pretty sure the professions there all learned something this weekend.
But, I will tell you about my experiences as a panelist at a convention dedicated to Science Fiction and Fantasy. My first impression?
Best. Idea. Ever.
I do not regret the instant I decided I would be brave and try something new. I have never had public speaking lessons. I'm pretty sure I slept through most of my book reports in high school.
The first thing I noticed when I sat on the panel was that the audience really couldn't care less of my credentials. They wanted to know what was in my brain, as well as in the brains of my fellow panelists. They wanted to know about the art of writing. They cared enough about the craft of writing to endure my squeaky-bird voice for the better part of an hour. (Brave, brave fools!)
The first panel, however, is something that will probably stay with me for many years as a treasured memory. Until the convention, I had only known of Deborah Beale as a name -- someone unlikely to meet but well known enough that I went, "Oh, I do recognize this name!". Turns out the chair I picked at the panel happened to be the one next to hers.
She also 'happens' to be married to Tad Williams, one of my favoritest authors. Sorry Tad, but Tailchaser's Song is still my favorite -- I'm about to give Dragons of Ordinary Farm a whirl as soon as I get a chance to get back to the library! (I'm coming for you, Deborah...)
Oh look, I digressed -again-. I did mention that I wasn't supposed to be writing this blog post so late at night, didn't I?
At least I didn't do it on no sleep like I did the first panel. We were discussing "Writing for Characters". This is a great, great subject. Though at one point I think the discussion may have gone to the sort of silly character -I- am. I mean, really? Who goes to a panel on no sleep?
My memory of the specifics are a little hazy. I do remember, however, that the audience was very eager. They had questions. They hung onto our words. Took us seriously.
Learned about how to write characters from the perspectives of four authors in various places in their careers. I was the little ugly duckling of the lot, in a way. I have been humbled, as a writer and a person, seeing just how much of a difference that just talking about something you love can do. I even learned a little of myself and how I write by telling others of it.
For the record, Violette Malan forgets she is cold once she starts talking.
When asked what one of her more interesting characters was, I seem to recall that Deborah Beale likes flying monkeys. This is ironic, as I was telling the crowd about the fact that one of my characters was born from a dream where a lady had flying monkeys.
I obviously had a soul-sister in the making. I mean, what is there not to like about someone who likes flying monkeys?
I D... nevermind. I won't say it.
Writing for Characters is a great subject for a panel. If you can attend one on it, I suggest it.
Fast forward 24 hours.
Tad Williams at panels! Tad, Tad, Tad, you are a funny, funny person. My husband has been lookin' at me funny because I keep breakin' out in random giggles. Go see Tad if you can. He is very entertaining. Also super nice.
Obviously I spent my morning at panels where Tad was in attendance. Had a great time.
Panel #2... "I have an idea but where to start?" -- Another great panel discussion topic. Once again at a table full of great people.
How odd... I ended up sitting next to Deborah Beale again. We may have been giggling a little bit. I'm sure the glass of wine from the bar just prior really had nothing to do with it.
This is a fantastic panel subject, as I said before, because there is just so much that can be discussed. Plotting, planning, execution. If you have a chance to see a panel like this, go! Very educational.
The last panel was on the Writer's Gene. We ended up continuing our discussion from panel #2 (Lady Firebird was on Panel #2 as well), but that is what the audience seemed to like. We covered all sorts of things from critiquing to how to write. The downside? Tad Williams and Mark Shainblum were the speakers before us. Talk about huge shoes to fill. Both of these male-creatures are extremely talented and funny. Put them together and you make an interesting panels.
The best panels, I think, are the ones where two writers get into an argument about the craft. Things get *lively* then.
Overall, don't expect to go into a writing panel at a convention and suddenly become a better writer. Go in with the hopes of learning something and being inspired.
I know I was inspired. There is something ethereal about being in the same room with so much talent. There is something special about looking eye to eye with those I admire and realize that my methods are so very similar to theirs... I just haven't had as much experience at it.
It is humbling to know that there were so many hopeful people wanting to learn to write and looking at my fellow panelists and me to help give them insights and answer their questions. In future blog posts, I hope I can take just a little bit of the wonder of those panels and put it into what I want to say here. If I can, it will make me a far better blogger on the art of writing than I am today.
If you are not familiar with Tad Williams and Deborah Beale visit their webpage and get to know them. Not only do I class them as fantastic people -- especially after getting the pleasure to talk with them face to face -- but they are wonderful talents in a world that could use a few more people just like them.
I need sleep. Good night!
I hope. I had fun. A lot of fun.
But I digress.
As a panelist, I was expected to have some idea of what I was talking about. The last panel, well, they must have been convinced the Lady Firebird and I were impromptu artists. It was two of us versus some twenty of 'them'. You know, those writing people. Writing people who stared as if we would somehow be able to save them from the subject that took us all of five minutes to cover.
Leaving another 55 minutes to burn.
Apparently we burned it pretty well. The Closing Ceremonies peeps had to drive us out of there after we ran over time by five minutes and they were waiting on us to participate.
Oh look, that digress word again. If you're curious, the panel was on the subject of "Do you have the Writing Gene?". Lady Firebird and I both quickly agreed that you didn't need no stupid gene to write. If you want to write, you'll write. Back on that a little later.
I attended several panels over the weekend, and participated in three total. There are not enough blog posts in the world that can cover just how useful a convention with panels can be for a new writer. Or even an established writer. Heck, I'm pretty sure the professions there all learned something this weekend.
But, I will tell you about my experiences as a panelist at a convention dedicated to Science Fiction and Fantasy. My first impression?
Best. Idea. Ever.
I do not regret the instant I decided I would be brave and try something new. I have never had public speaking lessons. I'm pretty sure I slept through most of my book reports in high school.
The first thing I noticed when I sat on the panel was that the audience really couldn't care less of my credentials. They wanted to know what was in my brain, as well as in the brains of my fellow panelists. They wanted to know about the art of writing. They cared enough about the craft of writing to endure my squeaky-bird voice for the better part of an hour. (Brave, brave fools!)
The first panel, however, is something that will probably stay with me for many years as a treasured memory. Until the convention, I had only known of Deborah Beale as a name -- someone unlikely to meet but well known enough that I went, "Oh, I do recognize this name!". Turns out the chair I picked at the panel happened to be the one next to hers.
She also 'happens' to be married to Tad Williams, one of my favoritest authors. Sorry Tad, but Tailchaser's Song is still my favorite -- I'm about to give Dragons of Ordinary Farm a whirl as soon as I get a chance to get back to the library! (I'm coming for you, Deborah...)
Oh look, I digressed -again-. I did mention that I wasn't supposed to be writing this blog post so late at night, didn't I?
At least I didn't do it on no sleep like I did the first panel. We were discussing "Writing for Characters". This is a great, great subject. Though at one point I think the discussion may have gone to the sort of silly character -I- am. I mean, really? Who goes to a panel on no sleep?
My memory of the specifics are a little hazy. I do remember, however, that the audience was very eager. They had questions. They hung onto our words. Took us seriously.
Learned about how to write characters from the perspectives of four authors in various places in their careers. I was the little ugly duckling of the lot, in a way. I have been humbled, as a writer and a person, seeing just how much of a difference that just talking about something you love can do. I even learned a little of myself and how I write by telling others of it.
For the record, Violette Malan forgets she is cold once she starts talking.
When asked what one of her more interesting characters was, I seem to recall that Deborah Beale likes flying monkeys. This is ironic, as I was telling the crowd about the fact that one of my characters was born from a dream where a lady had flying monkeys.
I obviously had a soul-sister in the making. I mean, what is there not to like about someone who likes flying monkeys?
I D... nevermind. I won't say it.
Writing for Characters is a great subject for a panel. If you can attend one on it, I suggest it.
Fast forward 24 hours.
Tad Williams at panels! Tad, Tad, Tad, you are a funny, funny person. My husband has been lookin' at me funny because I keep breakin' out in random giggles. Go see Tad if you can. He is very entertaining. Also super nice.
Obviously I spent my morning at panels where Tad was in attendance. Had a great time.
Panel #2... "I have an idea but where to start?" -- Another great panel discussion topic. Once again at a table full of great people.
How odd... I ended up sitting next to Deborah Beale again. We may have been giggling a little bit. I'm sure the glass of wine from the bar just prior really had nothing to do with it.
This is a fantastic panel subject, as I said before, because there is just so much that can be discussed. Plotting, planning, execution. If you have a chance to see a panel like this, go! Very educational.
The last panel was on the Writer's Gene. We ended up continuing our discussion from panel #2 (Lady Firebird was on Panel #2 as well), but that is what the audience seemed to like. We covered all sorts of things from critiquing to how to write. The downside? Tad Williams and Mark Shainblum were the speakers before us. Talk about huge shoes to fill. Both of these male-creatures are extremely talented and funny. Put them together and you make an interesting panels.
The best panels, I think, are the ones where two writers get into an argument about the craft. Things get *lively* then.
Overall, don't expect to go into a writing panel at a convention and suddenly become a better writer. Go in with the hopes of learning something and being inspired.
I know I was inspired. There is something ethereal about being in the same room with so much talent. There is something special about looking eye to eye with those I admire and realize that my methods are so very similar to theirs... I just haven't had as much experience at it.
It is humbling to know that there were so many hopeful people wanting to learn to write and looking at my fellow panelists and me to help give them insights and answer their questions. In future blog posts, I hope I can take just a little bit of the wonder of those panels and put it into what I want to say here. If I can, it will make me a far better blogger on the art of writing than I am today.
If you are not familiar with Tad Williams and Deborah Beale visit their webpage and get to know them. Not only do I class them as fantastic people -- especially after getting the pleasure to talk with them face to face -- but they are wonderful talents in a world that could use a few more people just like them.
I need sleep. Good night!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The Purpose of the Plot
Greetings, Pantser. Hello, Outliner. Warm welcome to those in-between.
No matter what type of organizer you are it is important that your story has a plot. There is one exception to this which I will go over at the very end of this post. Please deal with my humor until then.
First, no matter how good or how bad a story is, no matter what genre that story belongs to, it shares one simple thing with all stories. There is some form of plot. When you put a sentence down to the paper, you are writing about *something*. That something will become your plot. Or at least part of it.
When you write your first draft, you may not know what your plot is until you get there. That is one of the joys of being a pantser -- or someone who writes by the seat of their pants. I have served my time as a pantser. It can be a great deal of fun. It keeps the mystery alive. Until the last word, the last page, when you sigh and realize that you are 'finished'. Crossing the finish line as a pantser can be very rewarding.
But let us not forget about the dedicated outliner. These folks -- I've done this as well -- plan their plots, their conflicts and their characters in advance of writing. These folks know where their story is going. These folks sit through the hard moments where they know exactly what is to come and cope with having to wait to get there. In a way, the outliner may feel as if they are putting the finishing touches on a story by writing the dialogs, the descriptions and the scenes out true to their outline.
Then there are the few who are both pantser and outliner. I fall into this category. After having done dramatic experimentation with both outlining and pantser'ing. These folks have a direction but leave the details up to chance. Many pantsers will often have a concept of where they want to go, but it changes on the fly. The hybrid will know where they want to go, the getting there is just an adventure waiting to happen.
All of these methods are correct. The magic is in the editing, but that is a different subject altogether.
Now that we have covered the three basic types of writers, let us dig right into the heart of the issue.
What is a plot? Why do I need it? And why do *you* feel like you need to tell me why *I* need a plot? Who the hell are you anyway?
There are many more questions that could suffer answering, but I will start with these.
What is a plot?
A plot is the driving force behind a story. It is your story. It is your synopsis, it is the reason your reader wants to keep reading your book. It is the conflict. It is the drama. It is the breath-taking moment when your character's dream has come true. It is every defining moment of your book. It is the why of your book. It is also the how of your book. It is the purpose of your book.
The plot, in the nitty-gritty world, is the series of events that take your book from the start to the end. It is the tangled weave that your character spins as he or she goes out on their adventures. It is the series of events that take your character to the conflict and the events that allow them to resolve the conflict.
Wikipedia defines a plot as: A literary term, a plot is all the events in a story particularly rendered toward the achievement of some particular artistic or emotional effect or general theme. An intricate, complicated plot is known as an imbroglio, but even the simplest statements of plot can have multiple inferences, such as with songs in the ballad tradition. Basically a plot is the story line or the way a story is written.
Why do I need it?
Why do you need air? Why do you eat? Why do you sleep? Why do you ask me this question?
This has been something that I have been answering a lot lately. This is actually what spurred me into writing this post. With National Novel Writing Month quickly approaching, many writers are struggling with this concept. Some are even throwing their hands up in disgust and giving up because they focus on their characters and end up with no plot, no world and no purpose for them. When asked about this.... they'd get offended and say their characters are the plot.
No, your characters -- no matter how beautiful or wonderful -- are not your plot. You need a plot. Get over it and make one. Start with your conflict. Once you know what the main conflict and the climax (The most tense, story changing event in your novel) it is MUCH easier to figure out the rest of your plot. Just remember, you do NOT have to have all of your plots tied to the climax. Side-adventures are allowed. In fact, they are encouraged. They can add a lot to a story even if it may not be directly related to the climax. Your climax is very much your defining moment in the book.
And why do *you* feel like you need to tell me why *I* need a plot? Who the hell are you anyway?
I am just a writer like any other. I just love the craft so much I feel the need to ramble on about it. You don't have to follow my advice. It is, after all, just advice. Do what you want. But, your story will be much better off with a good plot.
And if you somehow manage to get me to critique your book, you won't get the lecture about plots and realize 80,000 words in that your story is actually lacking a defining plot and you need to rewrite the whole thing -yet again-. If you fail to get a good plot, you will end up doing a full rewrite.
I know I have fallen into this trap.
As a side-note, a good plot does not need to be a complex plot. Sometimes the best plots are the simple ones.
Now, as I promised early (Look, Ma, I kept my promise. Really, I did!) there is a situation where plot... well, who needs it? National Novel Writing Month!
All the rules are gone for this. If it is fiction, have fun. Write whatever. No plot? Pfffft. Who needs a plot anyway? The point and beauty of National Novel Writing Month is to enjoy writing. To accomplish something you haven't before. By all means, throw aside the wicked plot and just write. You might be surprised at the plot that sneaks in, but do not be afraid to experiment and play. It isn't for the professional, but for that scared little writer who really wants to write a book but needs the experience.
Don't worry. You can worry about your plot on the next book. November is for you, new writer.
No matter what type of organizer you are it is important that your story has a plot. There is one exception to this which I will go over at the very end of this post. Please deal with my humor until then.
First, no matter how good or how bad a story is, no matter what genre that story belongs to, it shares one simple thing with all stories. There is some form of plot. When you put a sentence down to the paper, you are writing about *something*. That something will become your plot. Or at least part of it.
When you write your first draft, you may not know what your plot is until you get there. That is one of the joys of being a pantser -- or someone who writes by the seat of their pants. I have served my time as a pantser. It can be a great deal of fun. It keeps the mystery alive. Until the last word, the last page, when you sigh and realize that you are 'finished'. Crossing the finish line as a pantser can be very rewarding.
But let us not forget about the dedicated outliner. These folks -- I've done this as well -- plan their plots, their conflicts and their characters in advance of writing. These folks know where their story is going. These folks sit through the hard moments where they know exactly what is to come and cope with having to wait to get there. In a way, the outliner may feel as if they are putting the finishing touches on a story by writing the dialogs, the descriptions and the scenes out true to their outline.
Then there are the few who are both pantser and outliner. I fall into this category. After having done dramatic experimentation with both outlining and pantser'ing. These folks have a direction but leave the details up to chance. Many pantsers will often have a concept of where they want to go, but it changes on the fly. The hybrid will know where they want to go, the getting there is just an adventure waiting to happen.
All of these methods are correct. The magic is in the editing, but that is a different subject altogether.
Now that we have covered the three basic types of writers, let us dig right into the heart of the issue.
What is a plot? Why do I need it? And why do *you* feel like you need to tell me why *I* need a plot? Who the hell are you anyway?
There are many more questions that could suffer answering, but I will start with these.
What is a plot?
A plot is the driving force behind a story. It is your story. It is your synopsis, it is the reason your reader wants to keep reading your book. It is the conflict. It is the drama. It is the breath-taking moment when your character's dream has come true. It is every defining moment of your book. It is the why of your book. It is also the how of your book. It is the purpose of your book.
The plot, in the nitty-gritty world, is the series of events that take your book from the start to the end. It is the tangled weave that your character spins as he or she goes out on their adventures. It is the series of events that take your character to the conflict and the events that allow them to resolve the conflict.
Wikipedia defines a plot as: A literary term, a plot is all the events in a story particularly rendered toward the achievement of some particular artistic or emotional effect or general theme. An intricate, complicated plot is known as an imbroglio, but even the simplest statements of plot can have multiple inferences, such as with songs in the ballad tradition. Basically a plot is the story line or the way a story is written.
Why do I need it?
Why do you need air? Why do you eat? Why do you sleep? Why do you ask me this question?
This has been something that I have been answering a lot lately. This is actually what spurred me into writing this post. With National Novel Writing Month quickly approaching, many writers are struggling with this concept. Some are even throwing their hands up in disgust and giving up because they focus on their characters and end up with no plot, no world and no purpose for them. When asked about this.... they'd get offended and say their characters are the plot.
No, your characters -- no matter how beautiful or wonderful -- are not your plot. You need a plot. Get over it and make one. Start with your conflict. Once you know what the main conflict and the climax (The most tense, story changing event in your novel) it is MUCH easier to figure out the rest of your plot. Just remember, you do NOT have to have all of your plots tied to the climax. Side-adventures are allowed. In fact, they are encouraged. They can add a lot to a story even if it may not be directly related to the climax. Your climax is very much your defining moment in the book.
And why do *you* feel like you need to tell me why *I* need a plot? Who the hell are you anyway?
I am just a writer like any other. I just love the craft so much I feel the need to ramble on about it. You don't have to follow my advice. It is, after all, just advice. Do what you want. But, your story will be much better off with a good plot.
And if you somehow manage to get me to critique your book, you won't get the lecture about plots and realize 80,000 words in that your story is actually lacking a defining plot and you need to rewrite the whole thing -yet again-. If you fail to get a good plot, you will end up doing a full rewrite.
I know I have fallen into this trap.
As a side-note, a good plot does not need to be a complex plot. Sometimes the best plots are the simple ones.
Now, as I promised early (Look, Ma, I kept my promise. Really, I did!) there is a situation where plot... well, who needs it? National Novel Writing Month!
All the rules are gone for this. If it is fiction, have fun. Write whatever. No plot? Pfffft. Who needs a plot anyway? The point and beauty of National Novel Writing Month is to enjoy writing. To accomplish something you haven't before. By all means, throw aside the wicked plot and just write. You might be surprised at the plot that sneaks in, but do not be afraid to experiment and play. It isn't for the professional, but for that scared little writer who really wants to write a book but needs the experience.
Don't worry. You can worry about your plot on the next book. November is for you, new writer.
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