Words for Writers: Read. Your Craft Depends On It.

I read books for the same reason I eat the still-beating hearts of my enemies: to gain their power. -Dan Wells

I love that quote. For writers there's so much truth in it. I've learned more about the craft of writing by doing, and reading, than I have by reading instruction manuals. There are some really good books on the craft of writing out there. One, Stephen King's "On Writing" (before reading the book you must realize that King is a pompous ass, and comes off as if his method is gospel.). For fantasy writers Orson Scott Card's "How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy" is quite dandy.

As good as both of those books are I've discovered more about myself, and putting words to the page, by spending hours with my nose in book after book. About two weeks ago I started reading "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin. I had put off reading this book for a while. There is so much hype around it. You could surf message boards for hours, and the posters exalt this series as the greatest fantasy series ever written. I let "A Game of Thrones" gather dust on my bookcase for close to a year before I picked it up.

Months ago I came across news that HBO was adapting Marin's series into for the small screen. This piked my interest but I resisted opening the cover, and digging into the story. A few weeks ago I caught the first trailer, and was blown away. I think HBO may have adapted the most beautiful fantasy series since Peter Jackson worked on "The Lord of the Rings." Still I left the book alone. About two weeks ago I caught an 11 minute clip of behind the scenes footage for the series. They interviewed different characters, and Marin himself. I could resist any longer, and read the story.

I was immersed.

First, I've never read such real people before. I can't think of many writers who can compare to George Martin's characterization skills, particularly his Daenerys story line. Her evolution as a character was beautiful to read. It was like watching a caterpillar become a butterfly.

The overall series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," is big. Mr. Martin planned seven books. His plotting is brilliant. I've gleaned nugget after nugget reading "Thrones." The unique thing about fantasy is that you can get away with writing big sprawling epics. That's why a lot of readers love the genre. The problem is a lot of fantasy writers aren't very good at plotting, or foreshadowing. Sitting here thinking about "A Game of Thrones" I recall small things that George Martin did at the beginning of the book that didn't come to fruition until six hundred pages later. His hinting, and nudging, and game of smoke and mirrors was comparable to the Mona Lisa. His writing, plotting, foreshadowing was artwork. It should be admired.

I could go on and on. I've never read someone who could juggle so many point of views in one book. Just off hand I think Martin had about 7 to 8 characters who's point of view you read from. The only other writer who could match that is Robert Jordan, but even in "The Wheel of Time" you don't get into many multiple POV's until books later.

George Martin's prose was quick, easy, and brisk. The problem with so many fantasy writers is that their sentences are so long, and meandering, that I quite reading. It's distracting and can be very frustrating. Mr. Martin packed some heavy punch in small sentences, and catapulted me from word to word with this method. I loved it.

I've got thirty pages left of "A Game of Thrones." As soon as I close the book I'm going to take its sequel, "A Clash of Kings," from my bookcase and devour it. I kind of feel like I've been endowed with some special power after reading George R.R. Martin's writing. It has been an exhilarating experience. If you want to learn about the art of writing great fantasy pick up "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. I've learned more in these 800 pages than I have reading Tolkien, Lewis, and anyone else you stand next to Mr. Martin.

Read, writers.

There's power to be gained by the page!

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Words for Writers: Dialog Exercises

I enjoy a podcast called Writing Excuses. Week to week Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells offer valuable tips on the craft of writing. Each writer is proven and has seen success with each of their work. Brandon Sanderson is a New York Times best selling fantasy writer. After Robert Jordan passed away Jordan's widow Harriet asked Mr. Sanderson to complete "The Wheel of Time" series. Dan Wells is the author of the YA horror series about sociopath John Clever. I've read the first installment of the trilogy "I Am Not A Serial Killer." Very well written with an unexpected twist. Lastly, Howard Tayler writes one of the most successful webcomics "Schlock Mercenary." Tayler also holds the honor of Schlock being the longest running webcomic. Schlock Mercenary has been running for more than a decade.

Recently the Writing Excuses team commission listeners to do dialog exercises. Since the focus was dialog only there were a few rules: No tags and no narration. Since those two things were taken away the dialog had to communicate: distinctive characters, setting, and conflict. After readers sent in their submissions Brandon, Howard, and Dan critiqued the entries over the 'cast. I didn't actually do the exercise until five minutes ago. Since I haven't submitted my dialog to the Writing Excuse guys I'd figure I'd post it here for fun.

If you'd like to offer your thoughts about my work feel free.

If you're a writer I encourage you to do these kinds of things to sharpen your skills.

If you'd like to check out the podcast you can listen to first episode HERE and the second episode HERE. Don't worry about a lot of you're time being taken. The episodes are twenty minutes are less. 

Without further ado my story through dialog is below . . .

***

It's gone.

What? What d'ya mean it's gone?

I mean, it's not here.

Where'd it go?

I don't know. We wasn't here.

I know we wasn't here, but wasn't anybody else either.

As far as we know.

Don't say that.

Why?

Just don't.

But we weren't. Hey, what are you doing? Don't do that.

It's gotta be here somewhere.

Well, put that down. That staff is 3000 years old.

I gotta find it.

The emerald is gone, but don't cause more problems.

Master Jonana is going to be furious.

Yeah, but don't make it worse. Put the staff down.

Oh my Gods!

I told you to put the staff down.

I, uh, I didn't think. The magic only works for the pure bloods.

Look we gotta get.

We can't.

And be beheaded?

Gods! Gods!

Let's go. Now!

We can't. No.

The emerald's gone. You just put a gaping hole in Jonana's study. Let's get.

This is all your fault.

Mine! How d'ya mean?

This would'a never happen if you hadn't of put those ideas in my head.

Ideas? What ideas?

I'm leaving. Going.

That's what I've been saying. Let's go.

No, not with you.

Hey, whatever. Let's get.

You're not going either.

What? Hey! Hey! Put that staff away. Look what you already did.

Anxis, I'm sorry.

Dorie, no!

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Words for Writers: Moments of Zing

I have a file on my computer labeled Treasure Trove. The purpose of this file is for ideas that I don't want to use in stories, but may have some use for later. Every now and then I'll I look through the Treasure Trove to see if there's anything interesting I may have forgotten about. The Treasure Trove is like the island of Misfit Toys. These ideas don't want to be in there. They want to be used. They're just pieces that don't fit to any particular puzzle. Yet.

Anyway, since about the first of January I've been working on a story idea, and towards the end of last week it went stale mate. I was really discouraged over it. I had three protagonists who's stories I was attempting to  meld together, a magic system that seemed purposeless, and a world I was struggling to build. Yesterday morning I decided to file everything . . . EVERYTHING . . . in the Treasure Trove. This was about a month's worth of work, close to 100 hours of investment, all for naught.

After filing away the story I put my laptop away. I didn't really want to think about writing. I sat around and read for a few hours, until my wife got home. After she arrived I had her cut my hair. She doesn't talk too much when she cuts my hair so I sat and thought about my story. I was thinking about one of the three main characters. This guy was an odd ball. He didn't mesh with the other two. Essentially all my problems were being caused by this guy. I put him out of my mind, and out of  no where I had a moment of zing. If you don't know what zing is allow me to explain.

Listening to some authors talk about where they get their ideas can sound almost mystical. In some ways conjuring up ideas can be a little magical. Therefore, moments of zing is when an idea falls from the heavens, jumps up and hits you in the face, or is hand delivered by your muse. Sitting on the stool, with the hum of clippers in my ear, an idea about the magic system gripped me, and would not let go. It made perfect sense. After my wife finished cutting my hair, I was in the shower rolling around the idea of this magic system, and within 15 minutes I had the cause and effect of this magic figured out. The working of this magic would go along perfect with the story I had just put on a boat to the Treasure Trove. The only problem was the protagonist that wasn't getting along with everyone else.

For whatever reason I always get my best ideas in the shower. I think my Muse must be a water nymph. Standing there in the shower my Muse introduced me to a new character that could replace the guy that didn't fit in. This new character would also be perfect for the magic I just developed. I quickly finished my shower, and ran to my laptop. With excitement I rescued these files from the Treasure Trove. I put fingers to keys - it was as if they were on fire - and put down all the ideas that I had received over the last half hour.

Gladly, my story was saved. I'm about to work on it some more. I'm excited.

Lastly, I think the secret to getting great ideas, is always be on the lookout for them. Moments of Zing are going to hunt you out. You must hunt for them. It's not like God steps from the throne room, and hand delivers a message. They're natural moments that are mostly unexpected, but happen because you were paying attention. Most of my best ideas have come while I was reading. I see an idea that a writer was trying to get across, and I think of how I could put a new or different spin on it, and voila(!) I have a story with new potential.

Remember, be on the lookout, moments of Zing are out there, are happening, right now. They're not looking for you. You have to look for them.

*If you'd like to read more about the Zing check out John Brown's website. He has two articles about Zing. The first: "Capture the Zing" is quite a dandy. It's where I first learned about the Zing, and how to recognize when I have having those moments. The second: "Zing Hunting Methods" is great for when you're dry, and may be struggling with a block. John gives you a few methods to generate ideas.

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Words for Writers: Don't be Unique. Be Yourself.

I think the most annoying piece of writing advice I've seen given by any writer is, "Be unique." Honestly, I don't know what they're trying to say. I think it's a pat answer.

About once a week I have a moment where I feel a fair amount of suckage. That is to say I would like to rip my laptop out of the wall, and throw it through my office window. When I first started writing I went through an extended period of trying to be unique. I want to be a fantasy writer. The fantasy genre is full of tropes and cliches. I, however, was going to be different. I was going to change the face of fantasy. For about six months I trashed every single thing I wrote. I felt like maybe being a fantasy writer was too high of an aspiration. Maybe I should write in another genre. The problem is I don't love other genres like I love fantasy.

In my personal life the two most important relationships I have are with my wife, and with fantasy literature. Trying to write in another genre was an asinine thought on my part.

I was doing the dishes last night, and came to a realization. I'm not going to tell great stories by attempting to be unique. I'm only ever going to tell great stories by being myself. I am an individual. There is no one else like me, and that by itself makes me unique. That makes the stories I tell unique. I love Brandon Sanderson, and I wish to God that I had thought of some of the magic systems that he's come up with, but  I haven't. There's no reason for me to fret over coming up with a magic system to compete with what Mr. Sanderson does. That's stupid on my part. I need to let who I am come out in the magic I create. Patrick Rothfuss is my favorite blogger. Honestly, you could take away every blog I enjoy, and I would be okay with that. If you took away Patrick Rothfuss I would have a shit fit. Now, as much as I'd love to be as witty, and as funny as Pat is, my blog will never be that. I'm straight forward, no b.s., full speed ahead.

I am who I am. There's no reason to change that. I'm unique just by being myself. As a writer I need to be myself.

Whatever you want to do in life. Whether it be: school teaching, music, writing, photography, or running your own business, it doesn't matter. Be yourself. Your idea may have been done before, but it's never been done by you. You're different. That will make your song, your story, your painting, your business different from everything out there.

Be yourself, friend. Don't get caught in the trap of attempting to be unique. You already are.

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Words for Writers: Write or Die

I've been working on some back story for a current project, and started running out of steam. To relax my mind, and gather some thoughts, I thought I would write a post.


This topic has been a prevalent one in the past week.


If there's something that you love, that you dream of spending the rest of your life doing, you can find an untold number of reasons why not to accomplish that dream. Very often there doesn't seem to be as many reason why you should pursue the gold at the end of the rainbow. I mean, it's your dream, and dreams don't come true.


Do they?


My dream is to be a published fantasy writer. I would love to introduce readers to worlds unexplored, and tell them stories of great battles, invincible warriors, and valiant kings. There's plenty of reason not to pursue that dream. The publishing industry is in a state of shift. Without that the business is a competitive one, agents and editors publish what they believe will sell, and there's one fad after another that rakes in the dollar bills. There's many pressures.


Of course, no matter what I pursue there's going to be pressure. If I'm going to pursue something I may as well pursue what I love. I don't want to spend the rest of my life slaving away at something I hate.


Over the weekend I was reading an interview of Brandon Sanderson's from a convention a few years back. These words had a big impact on me. He said:


"I imagine this phantom cubicle chasing me. And if catches me, I'll have to be an insurance actuary or something. That really scares me — I don't want to do that. I've wanted to be a writer since I picked up my first fantasy novel. Ever since then I said, this is what I need to do. I am terrible and I'm going to be terrible at anything else, and if I don't make it at this I'm going to be a bum on the side of the road. And then I dedicated everything I had to doing that."


There's not a whole lot that I love. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life doing anything other than writing. If I did I would be miserable.


Before I sat down to write this afternoon I received a phone call from a good friend. I answered and he asked if I was about to write. I told him I was, and jokingly he said, "Write or die." I laughed but I knew those words were filled with truth. 


Write or die.


To put icing on the cake, I visited a blog I enjoy, and J.M. Tohline wrote on the topic that's been in my mind since Saturday.


It doesn't matter what you love. Pursue that and take death as the only other option. It'd be a sad life wasting away at something, showing up for no other reason than a paycheck. All the while you wonder if you could have reached for the stars, and have snatched a few from the sky.


For me my only options are: Write or Die.


What are your's?


*If you get the opportunity click on J.M.'s name. The link will take you to his blog. Read it. You'll be inspired, and far less of your time will be taken.

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Words for Readers: Read for Life

Today I had planned on doing a blog aimed at writers, but on my way home from work I got an idea.

I read many many blogs designated for writers. Some bloggers chronicle their journey of their writing experience. Others offer advice and input hoping to help someone else become better at their craft. I have no criticism for any of the blogs. I love them and check them all multiple times a day - I'm obsessive like that.

Sadly, I haven't found as many blogs catering to readers.

It may be because I haven't searched out such blogs. It doesn't really matter. Now, that I've resurrected the Madhouse you can expect a weekly post entitled, "Words for Readers." I want to invite you to journey with me in my life of reading.

Reading is as serious as writing. Without the reader you can't have the writer, and vice versa. The writer owes his life to the reader, and the reader owes the same to the writer. Some look at this as a business, but it's more than that. If the writer looks to the reader as his job, or the way in which he brings home the bacon, then the reader has been cheated. If the reader looks to the writer as a form of escapism then the reader has cheated the writer.

The writer is the reader's avenue to a life unexperienced. A writer's biggest priority is to stretch the soul and the imagination of those that dare to read his work. The writer is opening a door of life that the reader has yet to open. The writer, in fact, holds the key in his hand that allows the reader to go places he has never dared.

For the writer the reader is a challenge. The writer must offer the reader a slice of life that may be undiscovered, or maybe he's making the reader's life better in some way. A writer can offer the reader: pain, excitement, happiness, comfort, love, friendship, and life.

As a reader seek out books that let you taste all the different flavors of life. You can't get that by reading only your favorite author, or closing yourself off to one genre only. Read every book that you can get your hands on.

I love fantasy. I read fantasy more than anything else. At one point, fantasy was the only thing that I would read. Reading one genre only would be like eating ice cream and nothing else. Sure it tastes good, but it's not very healthy. I branched out and started reading genres I didn't think I would enjoy, and since have found some writers that I adore. Joe Hill, Charles Portis, and Kurt Vonnegut are three such authors I have an affinity for. If I hadn't veered away from Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan I would not have discovered these three amazing authors. I'm glad I did. Each of the five authors I've listed offer something that no one else can. They offer me life in different shapes, sizes, and styles.

The next book you read make it one that isn't necessarily your style. Find an author who has something to say that you don't want to hear. Read words that are written in a way you haven't read them before. You won't do that by reading the same genre or writer over and over and over. If you only read fantasy then pick up some Fitzgerald. If you only read the classics then check out Patrick Rothfuss. Go boldly where you never have gone before.

Be daring, Reader!

Don't read for pleasure or entertainment only. Read for life!

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