Category Archives: On Writing

Why Scrivener?

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Over the last few years there have been a lot of people who suggest Scrivener as a writing platform, so I decided to use the free trial and see what all the hub-bub was about.

I actually didn’t get a computer until I was 21. Before that it was always pen and paper. My first computer came with an old program called Lotus Word Pro, and (of course) Word. For years I refused to leave Lotus because it had one feature no other program had.

With Lotus, you could click a little button at the top and it would show each section of your file as a little tab above the ruler. You could then group the tabs and/or move the whole tab/section around. Each section was denoted by a pagebreak.

It was awesome. It made flipping through sections, color coding and marking which were finished easy. Then I could have other sections that where just for notes, crits, maps, or random info. On the flip side, it was really difficult to convert any Lotus file over to Word, or vice versa. They just really didn’t like each other. (It is actually how I got into the habit of saving everything as RTF. Almost any program/computer is able to read RTF.)

Scrivener takes this basic premise and goes much farther. Its organized better. You can open two tabs at once and compare them. Easier to use. Intuitive. And then there is the COMPILE button. Scrivener will compile all of your sections into one file, any file you want. Doc? Mobi? Ebook? Sure… anything.

Best part? 30 (non-consecutive) day free trial (So go try it right now!). Tutorial Videos. And only $40 to keep it. Cheaper then anything else I know of, and far more useful.

After using it just for the 30 uses I realized just why so many people suggest it. So I use it.

Side note: There will soon be a “Scrivener for Dummies” book out soon. Here is an interview with the author.

Fan Fiction

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Last month someone asked Neil Gaiman a few questions about specifics concerning the background of his characters. I thought his answer was beautiful:

“I think that is what fanfiction is for. Go and make it up, and learn.”

For years, many writers have argued about fan fiction. And here it is from one of the (imho) great writers of our time. “Go, make it up… learn”.

There are some great things to be said for fan fiction.

  • The world is already created.
  • There is a HUGE reader base already, much of the time.
  • You get to explore new ideas.
  • You get to use you imagination.
  • You practice writing.
  • You practice getting criticism.

What’s more, Fan Fiction gives the reader a vested interest in the world.

Remember all those little kids pretending to be Jedi, Power Rangers, or Transformers? Maybe you were one. Fan fiction is just the next step. It’s doing something you love, exploring a world you adore, and making it your own.

Legally, fan fiction is okay in most places as long as you don’t try to sell it. Some authors, like Piers Anthony and Gaiman, even actively encourage it. Why? Because they love their fans. And if you actively participate in their world through stories and art of your own you will be more likely to keep investing in it later by buying their books, or watching their (potential) movies.

Those kids that played Jedi in the backyard? They grew up to be adults who flocked to the theaters in droves when Phantom Menace came out. They still dress up sometimes and call it “cosplay“, only now they spend small fortunes to do it. (How much does a Stormtrooper suit cost?)

So, participate in fan-fic. Enjoy it. Read it. Write it. Then encourage it for your own fans. It’s good for the heart, the soul, and even some pocketbooks. But really, it just brings more life to a story, and gets people thrilled to read, and write. What could be bad about that?

When Do You NOT Need an Editor?

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As self publishing takes a huge surge it isn’t surprising that books keep appearing that have yet to be edited by anyone other than the author. This has, of course, caused a lot of people to think twice about reading indie authors in favor of traditional publishers. Traditional publishing comes with built in editors (with some limitations) so it is safer to assume their books will be better, at least in that way.

Editing your own work isn’t easy. It is very easy to overlook things because you are so close to the writing, and have been looking at it for so long. That is why many authors suggest you put the first draft away for a month or so before you actually start editing.

Editing can be expensive, and time consuming. (I have been quoted $1.50-2.50 a page, or $5 an article. Most editors have minimums also.) However, it is a necessary process of writing. Many new writers think they can do all the editing themselves. Mainly because: it’s free!

Free is very tempting, but on the other hand if you want your readers to come back for more, and spend real money on what you have to offer, then you need to present the best thing possible. It needs to be legible, and show some amount of professionalism. And while “spell check” is an amazing program, it isn’t foolproof. And no grammar editor has ever been spot on 100% of the time.

If you are trying to get traditionally published you may be able to dispense with editing, if you have a good grasp of grammar. If they accept your work they will, of course, go over it themselves and get anything you missed. In fact, most freelancers who just do articles for traditional publications don’t have professional edits, though they may have a friend or college who looks over it to catch errors. Keep in mind that if you have too many errors a publisher won’t even bother reading past the first paragraph.

In fact, if you paid for every article you wrote to be copy edited you wouldn’t be making much money. Just think about it… for every 10 articles you write you might get half of them published (being optimistic for a beginner). If you paid someone $5 each to edit them, then got paid $50 each for the 5 you publish you would net $200, but if you only sold one, or sell to markets that pay less, you won’t be making much at all. In this case it is really in your best interest to get a college who will trade articles with you to edit, or read everything you can on the editing process.

However, if you are going the indie route you are probably doing something along the lines of a book, or at least a short story. There won’t be publishers, editors, marketers, cover designers or anyone else unless you either pay someone, or ask a friend. This puts the power in your hands, and it also puts a of responsibility on you.

My suggestion is to start with workshops. It is always easier to see edits needed in someone else’s writing then it is to see in your own. Workshops are also a fantastic avenue of (usually constructive) criticism. And if you can’t take criticism then you really should really consider whether or not you want to risk putting your writing out to begin with.

Some things that may help in your editing quest:

Writing Classes

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One question that consistently comes up in writing forums is “Should I take a class?” However, no one will really know if you should take a class on writing except you, but I will share with you my experience on the matter.

Over the years I have taken about 15 college classes. They included creative writing, poetry, english 101, and english 102. I took them in efforts to earn an AA degree, and creative writing and poetry just seemed like an easy class since I already did that. English 101, and 102 are required to get an AA.

While creative writing and poetry were fun to take, they really didn’t teach me anything. It was intended to teach the structure of a story/poem, how to format, and how to craft a “good” story. The problem with this type of class is that creativity is a subjective thing. If the instructor doesn’t like that type of writing he may fail you just because of style issues. Other teachers will stick to basics, like does the story have a beginning, middle and end, and does it make sense. They are grading form, rather than content. The problem with this approach is that not all stories fit the accepted form. “Dante’s Inferno” has no end, yet it is widely regarded as a classic.

English 101 teaches grammar, and how to format papers for future school work. English 102 goes deeper in-depth on how to research, write, and present a research project. Both of these classes are necessary for any degree, and useful for writing research papers. If you plan to do non-fiction, high research, or technical writing I would highly recommend you take them even if you are not planning on getting a degree.

There were actually several classes that did help me with my writing. I write fiction stories about people, so I took classes that would widen my understanding of people and what makes them tick.

Psychology, anthropology, biology, environmental sciences, history of religions, history of Russia, and history of African-Americans. From each of these classes I learned new things. How people think. How cultures evolve. How history changes cultures. How biology affects people. And even how environment affects people, and people affect environment.

These classes, classes that had absolutely nothing to do with writing, taught me more than any creative writing class ever did. Why? Because I was learning about people, places, and things that I would later be writing about, not just the format of a story.

You can get the same effect by reading non fiction, or watching documentaries. Learn something new and that knowledge will be helping you to write better.

I learned more about what makes a good story from writers workshops. In a workshop you had a lot of people reading and commenting on your work. They have no problem telling you what they do and do not like about it. They will call you out on grammar, spelling, and the content of your story. It is a great way to get good feedback and see where you need to improve.

Are You a Writer? Or an Excuse Maker?

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An aspiring writer asked Nail Gaiman the following:

 “I’m shockingly lazy and find it hard to get motivated to sit in front of that computer and write. Help me!

 Neil Gaiman’s Response: “Why? You being lazy and unmotivated and not writing allows another writer, who does sit down and write, to get published in your place. Magazines and publishers only have so many pages, so many annual publishing spots. You’re letting someone else who wants to do the work get published. Surely that’s a good thing…?”

This, of course, offended a lot of people. How dare Gaiman tell people things like this! How dare he be so insensitive. Blunt even.

It reminded me, on the other hand, of a story I read a while back.

 A man who played the violin simply beautifully was doing an interview. Someone came up afterward and said “I always loved the violin. I wish I could play like that.”

 To which he responded: “No you don’t. If you did, then you’d be practicing every day, eight hours a day. You wouldn’t be wishing. You’d be doing.”

To be a truly great violinist you must practice. Learn. Practice some more. Memorize great amounts of music, and then recreate it as your own.

Really, writing, like any other art form, takes the same thing. Practice. Time. Patience. Tenasity. If you really want it you will do it. If not, then your just making excuses.

Neil Gaiman had it right. If you don’t write then someone else will. Someone else will be published, and they will have their dream while you are still wishing on a star for it to be handed to you.

“Has anyone been afraid to write their own novel?”

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This was a question on Reddit not long ago. There was a lot of discussion, and some good personal stories. I thought I’d share my answer. I added some extra notes that I didn’t put on the original post.

*** *** ***

Yes.

About 10 years ago I got traditionally published (a few articles, some poetry, even a short story) in magazines and zines. I was suppose to get paid, but never actually did. (This was due to some confusion about foreign checks, and my bank which hadn’t ever seen one before.)

Then there was my marriage. It was falling apart around me and I wasn’t feeling confident about anything anymore.

So one part said my writing wasn’t good enough to actually get paid, and there was my marriage that made me feel like I wasn’t good enough for anything.. I ended up quitting writing for 8 years.

Every time I looked at my manuscripts during that time I would freeze up. The ideas were their, the stories were fully formed in my head, but I had been convinced that I could never possibly do it myself. I even went so far as to look into ghost writers or collaborations a few times to no avail.

In the end I had to learn to trust myself again, and my writing. After the divorce I started working on little bits here and there, trying to get myself to work more each day. It wasn’t easy.

I started showing small bits to people, and they encouraged me often. Told me how great it was. Showed me where I could improve. Gave me honest feedback and criticism.

Lets be honest. Your first draft is going to be terrible. It always is. Even Stephen King has to completely rewrite stuff now and then. But that’s what edits are for. (Note I said “edits”, not “editors”. There is a HUGE difference.)

Don’t let your subconscious take away from what you truly love. And don’t let anyone else tell you differently. The mechanics of writing can be learned. It’s the passion, and the gift of a good story, that make a true writer.

The Walking Dead

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Walking Dead

The phenomenon of “Walking Dead” isn’t really surprising. They tell a damn good story. And it’s ZOMBIES! Who doesn’t love a good zombie flick?

But it isn’t the zombies that make Walking dead great. In fact, the zombies don’t always play a huge role in the story. They are an obstacle for the characters to overcome. They are a background. But they are not the true focus of the story.

The major theme in movies like “Resident Evil” and “28 Days Later” is the zombies. How did they happen? How do they escape from them? How many interesting ways can we kill them? How much blood can we show on screen?

“Walking Dead” centers around the survivors, their interactions, and their characters. How do they cope with being alone? How do they interact? Who do they turn to?

Themes of racism, adultery, survival, and family overshadow the zombies. The zombies are present, and often become tools used by the writers to pull the characters together, or push them apart, but the zombies are not the theme of the story.

“Walking Dead” showcases how a character driven story can really captivate an audience no matter what the backdrop of the story may be. They managed to take something that is usually used as a two hour show and stretch it into two seasons of some of the best TV I have seen in a while. This is, of course, my opinion, and I am partial to zombie movies, so take that with a grain of salt. However, the ratings don’t like. People love this show.

Remember this in your own writing. A great book is usually about the interaction between characters, not the sensational item. Throw in a zombie, a dragon, a wizard or a spy. If your characters don’t make us feel something (amazement, sadness, laughter, edge of our seat suspense) then we won’t care to come back and read again.