Recent Reading - May 2012

There's a growing number of stories out there that I’m wanting to read right now, and that’s on top of the already large ’Reading Pile’, nay, let's call it the ’Reading Library’- as this is what it's becoming. Last year I blogged about my reading affliction (basically I tend to read lots of stories at once, a few chapters at a time, buy books/ebooks every week and then jump between stories, leaving novels unfinished or unread), and I have to say it’s still here. But now it's not just hiding in my browser’s History folder like a dodgy website, it's out all over the page, infecting everything.

Worry not, however, as there is hope. I have finished reading some stories! Our plucky reading-hero has managed to untangle himself from the piles of unread books and figure out how to turn the pages on his Kindle (the forward/back mix-up a thing of the past).

So here's a little look at what I've been reading this month and what I've thought...

Stephen King's ON WRITING.

I've finally managed to read this, and I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Written in a semi-autobiographical and engaging way, it made me laugh, smile and get ever-so-slightly teary, and I discovered how to highlight and make notes on my kindle app on the iPad!! (I know, am-a-zing!). A thought-provoking book on the life of a writer, with some fantastic writing tips.

5 out of 5 stars of writing.

THE EMPERORS GIFT by Aaron Dembski-Bowden.

ADB has really captured the character of a Space Marine in this Grey Knights 40k novel. Again, vivid descriptions and characters, with great set pieces. This is a character driven novel, which in doing so seems to enrich the 40k background - very like Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn in that respect - rather than just pay lip service to it. Well worth a look for SF fans everywhere!

Four out of five silver-armoured heroes.

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins.

Yep, I went there. This kind of dystopian future story has been done before, but I did like the POV and the structure of the story does get you reading more. Thought the writer thinned out the last act (thought it was a bit wishy-washy). There is a plucky heroine, and shes deadly with a bow. ’nough said.

Two out of five dystopian love stories.

SCARECROW AND THE ARMY OF THIEVES by Matthew Reilly.

Another full-on-action-packed-explosive-thrill-ride! With lots of exclamation marks! Exciting! Fun! Guns! Little robots! Was a great holiday read, great set pieces and escapes (reality was strrreeeechhhed ever-so-slightly), and a decent baddie this time too. But those exclamation marks! Grr!

Three out of five action-adventure-exclaimation-marks!

Next month I have stories lined up to read from Chuck Wendig, Graham McNeill, William King and David Mitchell. Severally doubt I'll read them all as I'm sure I'll find other shiny new things to capture my reading time. Let's see if I can even get one of them into June read list!

I'm always looking for a good read, so drop a comment on what you think is worth a read. See, looking for other Shinies already...


- Posted using BlogPress, while stuck at a train station waiting for a train, from my iPad. In a bar.

Breaking the Block, Idea two.

You're staring miserably at a blank screen, wishing you could scrunch up the page in frustration and throw it in the bin. However, these days most of us don't use paper to write on, so throwing your computer/laptop/iPad in the bin is costly, and you'd probably be throwing out all the good work you have completed which is saved on the hard drive...

Here's a few thoughts that have helped me in the past to overcome the blank screen, and may save you chucking your computer around the room!

Over the years I've discovered that I communicate and learn best visually. So I remember, and enjoy, stories better if I see it or if I can vividly visualise the story I am reading. When I'm talking to someone about a story, or even telling them about my day, I use visual words and phrases such as ’I saw’ or ’it looked like this’.

Now, here’s something to consider to help open those writerly-mind-canals. How do you take things in? And how do you best communicate? I've read a few books and saw some websites on how we can communicate and learn (from NLP books to management courses). Here's the supposed three main ways: Visually, auditory and kinaesthetically.

Visually is seeing and reading, auditory is listening and speaking, and kinaesthetically is touching and doing. Ok, I'm being very basic here trying to get my point across, but you can easily find articles and books on this if you want to find out more. Here’s a link to a website that goes into more detail, and has some form of test which may or may not help you discover your dominante way to communicate: Buisnessballs

So, when I'm getting frustrated with myself over writing, or while trying to plot a story or overcome a block, I do something that inspires me or opens doors in my mind. However, I keep in mind that my preferred way to communicate is visually. I read a story, look at art or watch a film I love. Also I listen to music that conjures up images from my favourite films or stories (soundtrack music is great for this) and relax my mind, opening it to those inspiring scenes, thus energising my ideas.

I do this while holding my notebook (crazy, I know, using this ’paper’ thingy!!! But I can rip it...), and start jotting down notes when the thought-river flows. Or I have my laptop or iPad near me and start writing when inspiration strikes.

Either you'll have an idea of your preferred way to take things in, or with some research you can find out. Use this information to help create ideas for your writing or inspire you to write. It's almost a form of self manipulation - but in knowing yourself, and how you best think, you can overcome the blockages to your creativity and maybe even push your aspirations forwards.

Mainly though, you'll be writing again. And your page, whether it be a computer screen or a bit of paper, will be filling up with words.

Writing or Publication?

Do you finish one story, grab your notebook, and look for the next? Or do you focus on promoting a single story or manuscript to gain publication?

There's plenty of us out here in the wilds of the Internet who look to become published authors. I'm one of them. However, a thought struck me the other day: What's more important? Money, being published, or the writing?

Many people focus lots of time and energy solely on getting published... How do I get published? When can I get published? When do I get the money? Agent? Reply time? And so on.

So, incentive. Why do you write? Do you want to be the person who has published a novel, with their name cut across a hardcover? Do you focus on getting paid? Being the best seller? Or is it about your character, your story, the message? Writing?

This has been knocking on the door of my thought-house for a while. When I was 25 I said to Past Allan, 'give it ten years, if you haven't had a story published, quit writing.' This has been an incentive for me AND an excuse. I've just turned 32 (I know, THE HORROR!) and still not published. It's became a negative. Never been paid for my writing. Well, I guess you need to send off your writing to get paid... So my fault right there... Yet I have written many stories. But should I give up in three years just because of missing my deadline?

I've enjoyed writing most of my little stories. That's been the real incentive I guess, the getting paid part hasn't really been the focus.

Motivation is key here, I guess. Over the years I've done a few courses, read lots of blogs and listened to people talk about writing. At the end of the day, lots of it was about either getting paid or getting published. Yep, there's been the writing part, but a large percentage of time goes into the clinical side of writing, not the fun part.

Mind you, there's also a good shout that getting paid can fuel more writing, creating time and pushing along those ideas and turning them into characters, plots and action. There's another good shout about just wanting to write stories - you have an idea, a story, and MUST write it - and finding ways to share it with others.

Honestly, I feel that if it just becomes about being published you may forget what makes that happen: a bloody good story and damn fine writing. Without that core, all the self promotion and sent manuscripts will be for nothing. And let's be honest, how much time goes into twitter, emailing and blogging compared to actual writing?

If it's about getting paid, beware of a similar fate - if the story has no emotion and is just a deadline and word count, well, will it really be good enough? Will you have the same pride looking back after spending all the money you were paid? If so, fair dos, at least you're honest!

Writing a story has a magic about it. I believe that this should not be forgotten. Write first, money second. If you write for a living, well, I get that it's about being paid, but make it about the characters and story and not just about the deadline. Like anything in a workplace, have pride in your work. Please don't be soulless, theres too much of that about these days. I think the readers will thank you for it, and you may well enjoy the process that little bit more.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Breaking the Block, idea one...

Just before I started to write this blog post I was sitting in a pub in a train station looking at a blank screen on my iPad and worrying about writers block (I use the term 'writer' here on the blog fairly loosely, considering my lack of being published and my general use of the English language). Now, minutes later, I've found that the raw stuff of stories surrounds me, and so was born this little blog post!

I'm in a busy pub inside Euston Station and every seat is filled. In my annoyance at the God of writing for not dropping a great idea into my head for me to start writing, I looked around. Scores of people were chatting, eating and drinking around me. And with a little observation (and the relaxing of my so-called blocked mind) I found that each of them held the potential to tell a story, or help me find ideas to write.

There was the woman in the corner holding a glass of red white in one hand and a book in the other (Game of Thrones, just like half of the other commuters in London right now); there was a suit-wearing man staring into the middle distance, a pint of beer lying untouched before him; there was a group of young woman talking excitedly with one another, dressed up for a big night out; there was a drunk guy walking around trying to engage people in conversation (yes, he did try to befriend me), with the bar staff looking at him wearily, and there was an old man on his own in the other corner with several empty whiskey glasses on his table.

Even from that description on a small amount of people at the bar you realise that there's a plethora of stories there. With a little observation, and relaxing the mind, we can find opportunities to find stories all around us. We should never worry about a lack of inspiration - spend a little time to look away from the blank page and take in your surroundings. Or even go for a coffee (or to the pub...) and see what happens, and what ideas you can find.

Just don't drink too much if you do go for a cheeky beer, doubt you'll get much writing done after too many pints!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Horror!

Alright Blogland, it's time to stop procrastinating and time to start writing!

Ever since completing a writing course and realising I wanted to work on some horror fiction I've been submerged in social network hell, living out my dream of writing through others and ending most days with a zero word count (compared to racking up hours on Facebook, blog sites and twitter).The death of every would-be writer.

However, like a dodgy American horror film, there's light at the end of the tunnel for me as I have now been working on two short stories that I am determined to finish and send out to publishers over the next few months.

I've read lots on how important an online presence is these days, but it's a slippery slope to the zero word count, whiling away all those hours on the Internet. As ever, doing it in moderation is the healthy way forward. I've set my weekly goals and aim to limit my social network lurking to times after I've hit my daily word count. Maybe I should have given up twitter for lent...!

While I'm aiming to get these stories published, and write more, I'm thinking of using the blog to share the story of how I work towards completing the shorts, and my luck with getting published, hopefully sharing some helpful thoughts on writing along the way.

Here's my first tip for those reading this and wanting to be published authors themselves. Stop reading this. Now.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Penned Monkey Confessions...

‘In her panties lurked musky badgers.’

Got your attention? Good.

This is a direct quote from Chuck Wendig’s eBook, Confessions of a Freelance Penmonkey. His book is filled with this colourful language, and the great thing about it is that it is book on being a professional author, with writing advice. Yes, writing advice. Professional Author.

Recently I’ve been doing a Creative Writing course and learning many great ways to throw out a little bit of word magic onto a screen. While studying I started reading writers and writing blogs and one that has now became a constant in my reading day is Chuck Wendig’s Terribleminds. There he spouts wisdom in the arts of writing, in his own dramatic script.

Wendig has become a viral infection that’s dug deep into my writing life. He’s like a little monkey on my shoulder, whispering profanity-ridden sentences and snippets of golden counsel while I scribble in my notebook, conjuring up my next post or short story.

Confessions is a collection of his writing advice from his blog, and I’ve found it one of the most useful writing guides around right now.  Advice on how to be an author is plastered all over the place, from web forums, to books, to eBooks, to magazines, to retreats and university courses. Most have solid, good advice, structured in prescribed ways to help the student master the ways of writing. As I stated earlier, I’ve just finished a course at Uni, and I’ll tell you, I found it the basic advice and coursework hard to read and study (so I didn’t), dull at times (so I didn’t study), at times uninspiring (add negative statement here about not studying), meaning I’ve just about passed.

Confessions takes a different approach. Wendig’s prose is energised and memorable, while he drops in great snippets of wisdom, teaching (reprimanding and warning) us about the raw reality of being a writer. He tells you like it is, no holding back the punches. It is also a look into the life of a writer, which sounds mean, scary, exciting, and fantastical.

Chuck Wendig is a modern writerly-type. Gone are the wispy days of dreaming that you’ll become an ‘overnight bestseller’ (that’s a myth anyway) after writing your first tome of greatness. Gone are the writers who happily make golden word-princesses upon pristine pages over the span of several years in a land of milk and honey. There’s a growing breed of hard working (drinking?) freelance authors that have the skill and determination to weave their magic in different styles and genres, finishing novels every three or so months and EARNING that pay check at the end of a project.

Beware the side effects of this book however: You’ll find yourself swearing more, spouting dirtier metaphors and similes, and talking to your Granny about becoming a Penmonkey. Oh, you’ll also find that you'll be a better, more focussed writer (well, only if you still want to be a writer, that is).

On a final note, I've just realised that if I had just picked this up (for around £3.50) before doing the University course,  I may have saved hundreds (and hundreds) of pounds. You live and learn.

5 out of 5 ink-stained monkeys.

Go buy the book HERE or have a look in Amazon. For more of Chuck’s unique writerly advice visit his website Terribleminds

We’re not finished with Wendig yet. Let’s see how good he is. Look out for my review of one of his short stories from Irregular Creatures soon.

October: Hell Month Part 2

 

Scrabble 'moment' in October...

I’ve been listening to the Braveheart Soundtrack while writing this. Just thought I’d let you know.

Work

Mathematically the worse month in work for performance ever. EVER. Total arse-crap.

University (of the Creative, Open variety)

I started my first month in an Open University course on Creative Writing. I was stoked, prepared, on the boil and ready to show the world just how good I was at writing. It was going oh-so-well, the course work was fun, I was finding it challenging and could even understand the bits about poetry. [Man points -1]. I completed the first assignment, writing short piece of fiction (about the time I was stuck in my car in total darkness on a motorway for five hours cause someone decided to jump off a bridge and kill themselves on Christmas Eve. Nice.). I was confident of an easy pass.

October refused to play ball. I BARELY passed the first assignment. Two points off failure.

Confidence in writing reached lowest ebb for years – not only was my writing not good enough for the job I went for, but it wasn’t up to standard for University also. Gutted.

Concussion

Here’s the sucker punch to the month. I play field hockey [Man points -1]. It was a derby match near the end of the month and we were determined not to lose against our greatest rivals. I turn up on the day, prepared for battle, ready to win. Then our Goal Keeper doesn’t turn up. How could we win a bloody game of hockey without our keeper? Gutted again.

But this made the team even more determined to win. Imagine beating our rivals without a keeper? So we fought hard. Really hard. Near the end of the match we were impossibly winning 5-4 and I was one on one with their attacker – if he got passed me he would easily score – and was so SURE I could tackle him and get the ball. So I dived in, nay, charged in [Man points +1].

A brain-numbing clash of heads/hockey stick to the body later I collapsed to the ground clutching my head. [Man points -1 (I’m Scottish; I should easily handle a wee head-butting)] Fuzzy Time had begun. But the attacker didn’t get past me and we were still winning. After some abuse from my team mates for being soft I got back up and carried on playing [Man points +1].  We won 6-4. But the October curse had literally hit again.

It took me a few days to realise I needed to go to the Doctors [Man points +1] and was told to take time off as I had concussion. Curse you October, curse you.

Halloween (with added concussion)

Now, when I hosted my Halloween party I did not realise I had concussion. I decided that having a big lump on the side of my face would suit for such a dark night and bruising was a nice touch to boot. I may have had a few beers and fun was had. I think. Can’t really remember much [Man points +1] (note: alcohol and concussion is a deadly mix.), but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

We watched Paranormal Activity and I didn’t jump too much this time and with so little of October felt I became at ease, thinking ‘that’s it, no more bad luck or strange goings on!’ Of course, October, being a sneaky bar-steward, had one final thing up its nasty little sleeve.

We checked out the extras on the DVD, and found the home made horror competition winner (check it out if you dare). Now, it’s not the best, nor scary. But, just at the end, the very, very end (around midnight too) I jumped out of my skin and yelped like one of Paris Hiltons’ piddily dogs getting its tail trapped in a door [Man Points -1]. THAT got the biggest laugh of the night. Immediately updates were on Facebook.

Oh, how I will remember you October 2010. Revenge will be mine.

Surviving October 2010

And so that was October. So glad it’s finished.

Many may feel hard done by because of such an, well, interesting month. But, in hindsight, it wasn’t too bad: I’m over the concussion and we won at hockey; I did get some great feedback for my writing from my university tutor and the job application; Gran is doing well; I had a holiday; work is way better and the shenanigans of last month gave me idea’s for writing (where this blog entry clearly came from!). You can wallow in negativity or find opportunity and learn from the experiences. I’m learning and living.

October 2011 – bring it bitch, bring it.

October Man Points overall total: -1. Not bad.