I Am a Writer & Now We All Know It

There has been a contest going on by Jeff Goins that ends today over at http://youareawriter.com/contest/. For the contest, Jeff challenged us to create a video, blog post, tweet, etc., that featured us admitting that we are a writer. When I came across the contest I was so excited. I thought, that’s a pretty good challenge, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

For some reason, it won’t allow me to embed the video here, so go check it out on YouTube here. I know that it’s a hassle to have to go to another site to check it out, but I promise it’ll be worth it.

I really had a lot of fun with this contest, regardless of how frightening it was for me. Even making that video was scary! Still, it was good to get out there and do it and finally show myself that I can. Nothing terrible is going to happen if I go out and admit who I am and what I do. I would’ve liked to have gotten video of me actually out there and interacting with people, but I didn’t want to bother them with cameras and all that trouble.

Everyone should go out and do something similar. It doesn’t matter if you’re a writer, painter, musician, etc. Just go out there and tell the world. You have a gift and a passion that needs to be shared. If you don’t get out there and tell people, you’re selling yourself short. Face your fears and insecurities and be proud of who you are.

The Social Media Disconnect: Do You Comment or Converse?

Earlier today I read an article on the news about a new dark comedy called God Bless America. The film is about Frank, a man who has had enough with the downward spiral of American culture. He decides to take out his frustration on the cruelest, stupidest, and most intolerable people he can think of. Naturally, he starts with reality television stars.

The movie is apparently on demand now. I might just have to check it out. Anyways, what I took most from this article was a quote from the writer/director of the film, Bobcat Goldthwait. He said the following:

“Social media is accelerating. People no longer have conversations, they just comment.”

If you think about it, Goldthwait is right. How much time in your day do you spend responding to emails, chatting on Facebook and Twitter, blogging, and so on? Most of us probably spend more time on the internet than actually talking to people.

I don’t want to devalue social media, because it really has innumerable benefits. If it weren’t for social media, I wouldn’t have people from around the globe reading this right now. However, you can’t deny that society is spending much more time online today. I even read another article that linked excessive Facebooking with depression. Who knows if that’s true.

The internet and social media is a huge part of what writers do. We use it to research, promote, connect with readers, build our audience, and build relationships. I spend a lot of time catching up on emails, reading and commenting on other blogs, and interacting with others in a Goodreads group that I’m a part of. To put it simply, I spend a lot of time online.

The trick to keeping social and not turning into a social media robot is to focus on the actual person whose words or work you’re commenting on. I try to have conversations with people on Twitter or in blog comments, not just leave a little remark here or there. That’s not having a conversation. That’s not engaging in a two-way conversation with another human being and actually showing interest in them and what they have to say.

We need to spend more time doing this. It’s about building relationships, not merely putting in your two cents. If you want to engage people, you need to converse. If you want to build friendships or working relationships, you need to converse.

If the only thing you’re worried about is looking like you care, then go ahead and leave your comment and be on your way. Otherwise, let’s chat. I’d like to get to know more people, especially those who share common interests with me. I’ve got my email listed on the About The Author page of this website for a reason. And I know that you can leave a comment on my posts, but you’re also allowed to converse, you know. I promise it won’t hurt. You just might find that you enjoy it.

Description: Not Enough, Too Much, or Just Enough?

While I’ve been working on editing Changing Tides, I have been reminded of a question that I still have not found the answer to: Is there enough detail, or should I add more?

I first encountered this question when I was writing my first novel, The Unlimited. I wasn’t sure that I had put enough descriptive text into the book. I have read a lot of books and all authors seem to do things their own way. I’ve read books with a ton of description (whole paragraphs for one object), and I’ve read books that gave barely any. I think that in between those two extremes is perfect.

My problem is determining where my story is in terms of description. I know that I don’t have too much, because I make sure not to do that. I like to give the reader whatever information I think they need and allow them to paint their own picture in their head. I’m just not sure if I’ve included enough description.

For now, I’m just writing and editing and doing what comes naturally. When I have others read it, they’ll give their opinions and I can make adjustments. With The Unlimited, nobody said it was lacking in description so I guess it was good how it was. I’m just always very unsure of myself and my work and always second-guessing myself.

Regardless of whether or not I need to include more or less (which I suppose really is all about the preference of the individual reader), I do want to improve my descriptive skills. I have read books that were almost poetic in their descriptive text. The author just described everything so beautifully. They show you the scene instead of merely describing it to you. I hope to develop my skills in that area as I progress in my writing.

This is just my second book, so I know that I have plenty of time to learn and develop my style. That’s the whole point isn’t it? Don’t we all want to get better? I know I do. For now, I’ll just keep aware of the things that I want to improve as I’m editing my work. I know that there is no such thing as perfection, but there is personal satisfaction and that’s what I’m aiming for.

What are your views on description? Do you prefer a lot or a little? Do you struggle with this in your writing as well? Any tips for improving on descriptive text?

It’s About Knowing, Not Being Known

I know I haven’t posted anything new on here lately, but I haven’t had much to say. You see, I’ve recently gotten back into reading about Eastern Philosophy and Religion. I’ve always been intrigued by it, but lost sight of it in the past year or so. After reading one of Bruce Lee’s books called Artist of Life, I dug out my books on Tao, Buddhism, the Samurai, etc.

The concepts of Eastern Philosophies such as Tao and Buddhism take much reflection and patience. They’re internal ideas geared toward the self. Needless to say, during my reading and exploring, my mind has been fixed on that and pondering the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and most recently, Confucius. One thing that I read got me thinking about writing and I just had to share it with you.

Confucius said, “Don’t worry that other people don’t know you; worry that you don’t know other people.”

Photo by Ivan Herman www.ivan-herman.net

I feel like this is a great philosophy in general, but it can definitely be applied to being an author. You see, we all focus on finding an audience and, hopefully, building a fan base. We all want to be known, even if we keep that desire secret.

What we often overlook is that, in focusing all of our energies on getting known by other people, we’re not taking the time to get to know anyone else.

Since I started this blog and began branching out on Twitter, I have met some great people. I have learned so many things from others and I’m forever grateful that I had the opportunity to know them and speak with them. Sadly, when we are in such a hurry to be known and reach whatever goals we have for ourselves, we don’t take the time to stop and look around at the other people that are a part of that.

I have picked up tips on the use social media from Dan Blank (@DanBlank) over at We Grow Media, gained inspiration from Jeff Goins (@JeffGoins), and learned many other great writing tidbits from the likes of Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) and Bob Mayer (@Bob_Mayer). Without taking the time to follow them and interact, I would not have gotten any of that knowledge. Even worse, I wouldn’t have ever known that these incredible people existed.

For me, writing isn’t about sitting at a computer, typing words, and getting paid. Hell, I don’t make much off of it. I write because I love it, but also because I love the people who are involved in it. When I hear back from other indie authors it makes me so happy because I know that I’m a part of something and they took time out of their day to speak with me.

Never forget that it’s about the people. It doesn’t really matter what industry you’re in or even if you’re not in one at all. Life is about the people that we get to know and the experiences that we take away from that relationship.

 

Have you met anyone new lately? What did you take away from the experience? A new friendship? A bit of knowledge that you didn’t have before?

Knowing Your Limitations and How They Can Help You

Recently, I have gotten back into the swing of working out five days a week. I alternate between three days of weights and two days of cardio. I have also been eating very healthy. In both areas, in order to succeed you need a great amount of strength and determination, but also smarts. You have to know your limitations. Sometimes it’s not appropriate to do certain exercises even if you can and it’s definitely not appropriate to not eat. I always have to be aware of the limitations that my body puts on me and work around those.

Writing is kind of the same. I’m about half-way through my markup of Changing Tides now and I noticed something interesting yesterday. I was reading and I came across a line that I thought was really witty when I wrote it. To be fair, it is pretty witty (ignore the rhyming. I swear it was an accident!). The problem is, now that I read it in context with the whole story, it’s not appropriate.

Sometimes, just because you can be funny or scary or cute doesn’t mean you should.Changing Tidesis a very emotional and dramatic story. That’s not to say that there is no room for humor, because I have some in there, but I have to be wise about where I put it. I don’t want to take anything away from the feel of the scene or the story just so that I can keep that one humorous line. That would be a gross injustice to the story.

Writing is a lot like weightlifting. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. You have to be smart and patient and follow a process, knowing when to push and when to fold. You don’t want one movement to take away from another, just as you don’t want one line to take away from another.

It is also important to remember that, by taking out that one line, you may be making your story much more amazing. Really, something that simple can have a huge impact on your story. Knowing when to take something out can mean the difference between a great scene and one that leaves readers unsatisfied because of an inappropriate line.

You know what you’re capable of and that should be enough. You don’t need to force something into your story that doesn’t fit just because you like it or because you can. I could jump off of the roof if I wanted to, but I’m not going to do that just to prove that I can.

Always remember that it’s about the story and the characters. Do them justice and write their story the way it should be written. Step aside and put away your pride so that you can make something incredible. I promise you’ll be glad you did when all is said and done. If the ends really do justify the means, then taking out one line to make your story even better is a fair trade I’d say.

When you’re reading over your work, read it objectively. If something stands out to you, there’s probably a reason. Identify that reason and take the appropriate steps to fix the problem. If it means deleting something then delete it. If a whole scene isn’t working then you start it over. The whole point of a rewrite is to make your book better, so don’t ignore problems areas just so you don’t have to do the work. Remember your characters. After all of the work you’ve put into their story at this point, do you really want to let them down?

Seeing Red: The Dreaded Rewrite

A little over a week ago I finished the first draft of Changing Tides. Needless to say (but I will anyways), I’m very excited about that. For some reason, even though I already have Suffer No More and The Unlimited published, I feel like more of an author knowing that I’m close to having a third book. It just feels more real with every book, I guess.

We all know what comes after the first draft, don’t we? Next comes the second draft and then maybe ten more after that. Who knows how many times the same thing will get rewritten? This phase of the writing process is probably the least favorite among authors, but not me.

A lot of authors hate editing and rewriting their work. It’s a lot of work. It’s discouraging. It can hurt your pride. There are a lot of negatives about this phase, but only if you look at it that way. I see it as a magical phase. The first draft is certainly my favorite because that’s writing the story, but I still love the rewrite. It’s like turning coal into diamonds.

The process of coal becoming a diamond takes millions of years to complete and it all happens where we can’t see it. The chances of coal becoming a diamond are actually pretty rare, but it does happen. Now, I see the first draft of a novel as the coal and the final, finished product as the diamond. It takes time (hopefully not millions of years!) and tons of patience. A lot of people don’t have the skill to really do a great rewrite, but it is the key to a great novel.

“There is no great writing, only great rewriting.” – Justice Brandeis

That quote pretty much sums it up for me. I’ve never heard of a novel that was perfect on the first draft. I’ve never even heard of an author who was completely satisfied with their first draft. The fact of the matter is, without the rewrite, you’re left with a lump of coal. Who wants coal when they can have a rare and beautiful diamond? All it takes is effort, desire, and determination, and you can turn your novel into that diamond that everyone wants.

I actually didn’t even really have an intensive rewriting phase for The Unlimited. I wrote the first draft and touched things up as I wrote. After I had the book edited, I made the necessary corrections and called it a wrap. I was pretty happy with that book so I left it as it was. I’m trying something different with Changing Tides because, to be honest, I’m not entirely happy with the first draft. I know it can be better and I want it to be.

I printed out the book and now I’m going through, chapter by chapter, marking it up with my new special red pen. As you can see, there is a lot of red. Sure, it’s a little disheartening to see my pages riddled with red scratches and notes, but I’m setting aside my pride. All that matters is that the story becomes what I know it can be. If that means there’s a lot of work to do then so be it. I’m willing to do whatever I need to and take as much time as I need to make the book as perfect as I can. I don’t want coal, I want a diamond.

Do you want a diamond? Take the time and do it right. That would be one of my biggest pieces of advice for other authors. You’ve spent so much time writing the first draft, so go ahead and take a little more time to perfect it. Take your craft seriously and give your story what it deserves. I’ve read too many books that were riddled with spelling and grammar errors. I’ve seen too many stories that weren’t consistent, didn’t make sense, or were just plain poorly written. Respect yourself and respect your story if you want the best finished product possible.

Do you hate the rewriting phase or do you embrace it? Stories and tips are welcome as always if you’ve got any you’d like to share.

Take the Risk to EARN the Reward

Photo by Eus Nieuwenhuizen (Creative Commons)

I have spoken a lot about perseverance in my previous posts. I have tried to stress the fact that you, and you alone, are the only one who can get you where you want to go. Through hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything.

Before you can persevere you have to make the choice to act.

When you decide to act, you start a journey that will require that drive and perseverance. Unless you take that first step, there will be no journey and no struggles to overcome.

Imagine you’re standing on the bank of a river. Behind you is your past. Everything you have come to know and be comfortable with is right there behind you. It’s safe. Across the river, is a different path. It is somewhere you’ve never been before, but somewhere you know you want to go. Something compels you to go there, but in order to do so, you’ll need to leave behind what you’ve known for so long. You have to brave the river and make it across in order to get to that which you seek.

It won’t be easy. The river is deep and wide. There is a strong current, threatening to pull you off your path. If you want to make it across that river, you’re going to have to swim, swim, and swim some more. If the tide drags you away, you’ll have to swim harder to get back on your path.

This is how life works. If you want to go somewhere new and seek reward, you’ll have to take the risks. You persevere through that journey and you never stop until you reach your goal.

Writing is the same. It’s a journey. You build your story and, in some cases, ride the tide away from your original destination. You stray. Things get in the way. What you’ve always got to remember is what’s on the other side of that river. Fight for that and never stop. You never know, the grass just may be greener on the other side.

Here are some tips to help make that journey easier:

• Remind yourself of what you’re fighting and struggling for. Keep that in the back of your head. It helps to remember what all of the hard work is for.
• Don’t get frustrated. You don’t have to make the whole journey in one day. It is called a journey for a reason. Take it slow and you won’t get overwhelmed.
• Glance back every now and again to see what you’ve left behind. It may help put things in perspective when you’re getting discouraged. When you see what you’re leaving, it may give you the motivation to keep striving for the future.
• Seek help. Sometimes, we can’t make the journey ourselves. Frodo had his friends throughout his journey, as did the amazing Luke Skywalker (okay, the nerd is back in his cage now).

Have you ever crossed that river to get to something on the other side? Did you make it across and, if so, was it worth the journey? Feel free to share your stories, writing-related or otherwise, with the rest of us!

SITE UPDATE: I have added a page called “Indie Spotlight.” It will be used as a place for me to mention any really great indie books that I have read. A lot of us indie authors don’t get the exposure or credit we may deserve, so this is my way of trying to give a little.