Undead Heart is Still Coming

The problem with deadlines is that once you set them you have to be ready to deal with missing them. I began writing Undead Heart almost three years ago. The plot came together quickly in my head and the characters needed little development. I finished writing the book in ten months, I figure three maybe four months to edit it and I would have it out by the Summer of 2011. Something in the mean time happened. I started working on my next novel. A Steampunk take on the Frankenstein story. Along the way I also read some classic literature and Ann Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. As a result my writing went through a slight change, one I am certain is for the better. This however meant I needed to do some rewriting of various parts of  Undead Heart. Actually my wife spotted the weaker parts before I did. Those have been changed and editing was back on track.

I set a deadline for myself to have the book finished by this year’s Phoenix Comicon. I am so glad I did not spend money on a table. About three weeks ago my wife and I had a discussion on how many YA books in this same genre feature a first person present tense point of view. The novel as it existed was already in first person but the tense had to change. The switch from past to present tense is a little more involved than doing a find and replace of all verbs with an -ed at the end. In some cases the scene needs a bit of reworking to make the new tense flow logically from one point to the next. It’s lengthy and a bit tedious but the end result is a work that moves much quicker and benefits from letting me tweak the mood and environment of several scenes.

I have been here before. My second novel, a science fiction work, actually went through two shifts, from third person to first and back and a tense change before it was done. At times I worry that I just am not ale to let it go. One fear I had when writing my first novel, twenty years ago if you can believe that, was that that book was it and I had nothing else. Well eight and counting novels later I know I have more coming. At the same time I have learned from my previous two publishing experiences that you do not want to rush this part and release a manuscript that is not 100%. It is not a race. So while I watch this latest deadline for Undead Heart slip past rest assured it is still coming and it is going to be worth the wait.

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Phoenix Comicon is Coming

The annual Nerdvanna that is Phoenix Comicon is rapidly approaching; May 23 – 26. I will be in costumed attendance Friday to Sunday. I always enjoy this event and have had a great time every year. This marks the first year that I will be participating in events. I have been given the opportunity to sit on three panel discussions. I am very excited at the opportunity.

The panels all are within the Star Trek universe, they are:

• How Star Trek Changed Science Fiction – Friday at 3:00 pm
• Deep Space Nine 20 Years Later – Friday at 4:30 pm
• Aliens of Star Trek – Saturday at 10:30 am

Please check the official program for the room locations.

If you guessed that I am a huge Star Trek fan you would be correct. I am honored to have this opportunity to share my knowledge and love of Star Trek. So if you find yourself at Comicon this year stop by and join in the discussion.

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Guest Post: Why You Should Improve Your Persuasive Writing and Literacy Skills

This post comes courtesy of Ivy Delfin from gapswriting.com. Communication is more than just relaying information. Good writing will alter the thoughts of the reader in ways they may not even be aware of, but you as the writer have learned to employ.

Today’s modern competitive world of technological innovation is driving changes in many different spheres. The changes in the way we use technology are also shifting the way we communicate with each other. Grammatically incorrect text messages, 140 or less characters of tweets and informality of email means that sadly, good, professional business writing skills are on the decline. Many people can no longer use clear language to convey information that is easily understood. Being able to persuade someone of the merit of your argument or point-of-view is an essential skill whether you are in high school or university, run a small or large business, breathe politics or just like a good debate.

Business writing programs such as those offered at Gaps Writing are designed to help you to increase your persuasive writing and literacy skills. Persuasive writing assists you to set out a structure for the way you write. Your aim is convince others to adopt your position, and support you in your work. If you are wary of your grammar and spelling, avoid adverbs and suspect about your tenses, you might also want to consider improving your general literacy skills. Literacy skills are all the skills needed for reading and writing such as the relationship between letters and sounds, your vocabulary, spelling and comprehension.

Improving your persuasive writing and literacy skills help improve the way you communicate with the world around you. As technology shifts, remember you don’t have to be one of those people who let autocorrect ruin your message.

Don’t Push That Button

Going through my RSS feed from Problogger.net, I came across this little gem. Stop. Don’t post that post! 7 questions to ask before you hit publish.

I think all bloggers could use a list of these rules taped right to their computer monitor. Since I do a lot of blogging on my tablet I’ll tape one there too. The biggest rule that I tend to go by is if the post is something I would share if I came across it. I have a few posts sitting in the perpetual, “draft,” drawer because after I wrote them, I came back and didn’t even feel like editing them. I have learned that not all post are created equal. Now I have a check list to look at when I am faced with a post that I’m just not sure about.

5 Key Lessons – Neil Gaiman

Author Neil Gaiman recently provided the keynote for the Digital Minds Conference in an article in on Forbes.com the author distills 5 key lessons from the talk. While intended for an audience of book publishers, these points are ones authors, especially self published ones, should be aware of. You can read the whole article here. http://www.forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2013/04/22/5-key-lessons-for-authors-and-self-publishers-from-neil-gaiman/

Monday April 22, 2013 – “Paint it Black”

The group Anonymous has called for Monday April 22, to be Internet Blackout Day in response to the House of Representatives passing the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). Rather than taking down this site for the day, I thought it might be better to call attention to the bill since it still has a long way to go through the Senate and even faces a White House veto.

The main part of the bill is it allows companies to share online information, your texts, emails, even files with the government in maters of safety and security. Now, on the one hand, if Dropbox hands over a file containing a list of active terrorist cells in New York City that could then be used to monitor their activities and prevent any attacks this would be a good thing. This is exactly what this legislation is intended to achieve. Unfortunately some sacrifices have to be made.

Safety is generally relative and involves some concessions. It is safer to drive a car with a seat belt on, but now you no longer have the option of not driving with a seat belt on since many states have passed seat belt laws. You are safer but less free. This is the crux of the gun control argument. The problem with any of these laws is when they are too broad or abused by the government to an extent that hinders our freedoms and does little for our safety. The best way to fight against that is to inform yourself, read up about the act and let your representatives know how you feel.

Here is a link to the Library of congress site with information on H.R. 624 (CISPA)

Take us away Mick. http://youtu.be/u6d8eKvegLI

 

Why Isn’t Your Book Selling

So you spent the last eight, twelve, eighteen, thirty-six months, working, slaving, sweating and bleeding into your manuscript pages. Your characters are so real they are now a part of your life. The plot is honed, buffed and not a hole in sight. Your style is so well crafted that the prose dances off the page. The book hits Amazon and only your mom buys a copy. Houston we have a problem. What the fudge could have gone wrong? What could these people be looking for? What could you possible have forgotten? What does a writer have to do to sell some books in this crazy digital tromping traditional publishing environment?

I chose my first two books on Amazon primarily because they were never going to find a home with an agent or traditional publisher. They don’t really fit into a clear genre and would have a small audience no matter what. So they were my experiment and I did not have really high expectations. That being said, my sales have have lived up to those expectations. I have since raised them for my next book, Undead Heart, so I eagerly read this article when one of my fellow writers shared it with me. Thank you Gale. The article is from The Creative Pen and I urge you to add it to your RSS feed, as it is a great resource.

“Help my book isn’t selling. What can I do?”

I flirted with some of these ten tips previously but for my next book I am working my hardest to use every single one. Some of these will involve spending money and that is the hardest thing to wrestle with. How much is enough to spend and how much is too much? You must always be aware of the return on your investment. They key to being a professional is to think like one. Spending more than you can or should reasonably expect to make is just bad business. But as the saying goes it takes money to make money. I think I might append that to say, “it takes money to make money and treating your work as a professional is the first step to being professional.”

Writing Update

This Monday I figured I would put up a post about where I am with my current writing projects. At the very least I figure it will help keep me on track. At the best I hope it gives some of my fans a heads up for what is coming.

Undead Heart The final edits are coming along really well. I have decided to switch the POV from 1st person past tense to 1st person present tense. This speeds up the narration and more closely matches the current trend in YA novels. So for the next couple of days I’m turning all my *ed verbs to *s. I still plan to have this out by the beginning of Summer.

The Hole in Your Mind My fist collection of short fiction is coming along. I have all the stories selected. I have also had four of the older ones polished up by a professional editor. Thank you Ekta at The Write Edge. This work will have stories and flash fiction pieces and a couple of odds and ends; some very odds and ends.

The Fourth Prometheus My Steampunk take on Frankenstein is still in the first draft stage. I will be polishing this up through the rest of the year and I am thinking that it could be out by April of next year. I haven’t settled on a cover design for this one yet.

Midnight Detail This is the novel, (my 9th), that I am currently writing. Right now I have about 20,000 words written and they are coming at a good clip. This is a vampire tale for adults and features a Secret Service agent, a former president (not named Lincoln), vampires, demons and a kidnapping. A taste of it can be found in my contribution for the anthology Twisted History.

Advice From a Master

This post came across my Facebook Newsfeed from the Lovecraft eZine.

H.P. Lovecraft’s Advice to Aspiring Wirter’s, 1920

Lovecraft’s first point is the recognition of what judicious reading can do for the aspiring author. I would go so far to say that if you consider yourself a writer but right now are not in the middle of a book or just starting one you obviously do not care very much about your style. There is no magic potion, no book, conference or class that gives you all the skills you need to write a great piece. You must assimilate all that you can. That does not mean just literary works or even works of impeccable style. You need to learn what not to do as well. Just shut up and read.

Another important tip is the one about finding your muse in nature. To make your writing really stand out it needs to come alive. You need to infuse it with all manner of description, sights, sounds, smells, that will draw the reader in. No matter where you are you should tune yourself to the surroundings, make a mental note of what you see and smell and anything that stands out as you can and will find a place for it in your work. The same goes for people watching. I love going to Las Vegas. I don’t drink, party in clubs, gamble (maybe a little), but I love sitting in the casinos and malls watching the people who go by. Who are they? Where did they come from? What do they like, dislike? How do they live? These people are all potential characters if you pay attention.

At the end Lovecraft gives us a list of the 20 most common errors he comes across from aspiring writers. So here the guides and attention to grammar do come in. The rules exist not to thwart creativity but to allow it to spread and reach others. You cannot make a reader love your story but you can make them hate it if your style fails to convey to the reader, in the most efficient way possible, the story you are telling. We all learn a little from those we look up to, even when we are not expecting it.

 

Publishing Industry Flowchart

Now for something completely different.

This made me chuckle. I saw it posted on Stephen Abram’s Lighthouse blog. Here it is from the source: GalleyCat.

Publishing Industry Flowchart

How far along it do you think your works might go?