One of my favorite podcasts, Adventures in Sci Fi Publishing, is back in production! For their first episode back they featured Greg Van Eekhout, author of Norse Code. It was gone for four months while the main host Shaun Farrell was busy moving his family and starting a new career. If you go and listen to the podcast, you'll join me in saying we're all glad he and his co-host Sam are back!
Let me take this opportunity to list my favorite writing related podcasts. I have learned a whole lot about the craft of writing, the publishing world, and what being an author is really like for some by listening to these great podcasts. I recommend finding all of these podcasts in iTunes, it's much easier than downloading each podcast manually. But it's also fun to look at their sites so here they are:
Writing Excuses
Get Published
The Secrets
Holly Lisle On Writing
I Should Be Writing
The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy
Writers Talking
The Writing Show
Enjoy! You'll thank me later :)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
A New Way To Come Up With Character Names
Stick your blackberry in your pocket without the keys locked, then go and play a sport or do some outdoor work. When you're done, pull your blackberry out of your pocket and see what you've got. You may need to rearrange some things and add some vowels, but you'll have the start of something :)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Take the Time To Slow Down
If you're like me, your life is really busy, and at times a bit stressful. Do you feel like you're constantly going, or even constantly in a rush? I wanted to hit on how helpful it can be to take little breaks in your life to chill out and let yourself wind down. I've got a few ways to do this that don't include drinking alcohol, or anything else like that! So I hope they are helpful to you, and can in some way enrich your life, and help you to slow down every once in a while. A word my brother came up with that I think describes this well, is chillax. For the writers, try these when you get writers block.
To the guys reading this, you may call me metro, but I dare you to try this first one out, then come back and leave a comment and tell me what you thought. I learned this one from my wife, trust me, the candle really helps. Take a good half hour or so from your evening, kids are in bed, the house is quiet. Draw a bath, and also put a candle somewhere in the bathroom. When is the last time you actually took a bath? If you’re like me it’s been years; I'm a shower man myself. Seriously, draw a hot bath, light a candle, turn off the lights in your bathroom, close the door, and soak in the tub. Let the hot water and flickering flame melt away all of your thoughts towards things you need to do, problems in the story you're writing, or situations that are stressing you out. Try it, and I bet you'll feel unwound and relaxed afterword. I bet you'll even have more energy to go deal with those things that were bothering you.
Here is another great one. If there is a thunderstorm going on, and you have a space outside which is covered, take your wife, or go yourself if you're single, and sit under that space watching the storm. Don't let it go by while you sit inside surfing the web or watching TV, go outside. My wife and I were able to do this recently, we sat next to eachother, enjoying the sights, sounds, and eachother's company. We didn't even talk much as we watched the sky light up, and listened to the thunder rumble. We sat on our porch together, which is very small, but it was really fun. It almost felt like we were camping together, or on a date, and we were just sitting on our porch. I highly recommend this one, though you must rely on the weather for it, so you can't really go out and try it at anytime.
Another thing you can do, is purposefully take the long way round. Like me, you may feel as though you're constantly racing from one thing or place to the next. Sometimes it's nice to force yourself to slow down and relax. Take a different way, one that offers a better view. Or drive down the main roads, avoiding all those hairpin shortcuts you usually take. Use the time to enjoy the ride, music, and/or company you are with.
Here is one I know will be hard, because I've never done it myself. A friend told me that while in the grocery store, he will sometimes choose the longest line to stand in. He does this to remind himself to slow down in this very busy life. Perhaps someday I'll give this one a shot; if I ever find myself not in a hurry to get somewhere.
This one, I know you can do. Watch a movie that moves at a slow deliberate pace. I'm not talking about a boring movie, but one that's done with purpose, so that you'll pay more attention to the subtle things in the film. I recommend Capote, with Philip Seymour Hoffman. If you listen to the commentary, they say that the opening shots were designed to slow down the audience, from their busy lives. It's a shot of wheat blowing in the wind, and a train rolling down some tracks. The shots last much longer than you would expect them to, see if it doesn't slow you down a bit. 7 Pounds, K-pax, and Doubt are also good movies for this.
Finally, one of my favorites! Find a place where you can sit around a fire with friends, or even alone. You'll tend to watch the flames dance, and hear the wood crack as it burns. It a very soothing event for me. I bet you'll have much deeper conversations with your friends than you're used to. You will also probably remember that night, and keep it as a fond memory.
Personally I like the thunderstorm, sitting around a fire, movie, and bath things the most. Even though I still find the shortest grocery line, while waiting I sometimes think of the guy who stands in the longest one and am reminded to enjoy the small break, and use it as an opportunity to mentally chillax and realize that life is good, and I should take the time to enjoy it. For the writers reading this, lots of story ideas can come to your brain while you let it slow down; which is much better than getting all of those ideas at 3 in the morning, trust me!
I hope this is helpful, thanks for reading it. I will relish any comments you leave.
To the guys reading this, you may call me metro, but I dare you to try this first one out, then come back and leave a comment and tell me what you thought. I learned this one from my wife, trust me, the candle really helps. Take a good half hour or so from your evening, kids are in bed, the house is quiet. Draw a bath, and also put a candle somewhere in the bathroom. When is the last time you actually took a bath? If you’re like me it’s been years; I'm a shower man myself. Seriously, draw a hot bath, light a candle, turn off the lights in your bathroom, close the door, and soak in the tub. Let the hot water and flickering flame melt away all of your thoughts towards things you need to do, problems in the story you're writing, or situations that are stressing you out. Try it, and I bet you'll feel unwound and relaxed afterword. I bet you'll even have more energy to go deal with those things that were bothering you.
Here is another great one. If there is a thunderstorm going on, and you have a space outside which is covered, take your wife, or go yourself if you're single, and sit under that space watching the storm. Don't let it go by while you sit inside surfing the web or watching TV, go outside. My wife and I were able to do this recently, we sat next to eachother, enjoying the sights, sounds, and eachother's company. We didn't even talk much as we watched the sky light up, and listened to the thunder rumble. We sat on our porch together, which is very small, but it was really fun. It almost felt like we were camping together, or on a date, and we were just sitting on our porch. I highly recommend this one, though you must rely on the weather for it, so you can't really go out and try it at anytime.
Another thing you can do, is purposefully take the long way round. Like me, you may feel as though you're constantly racing from one thing or place to the next. Sometimes it's nice to force yourself to slow down and relax. Take a different way, one that offers a better view. Or drive down the main roads, avoiding all those hairpin shortcuts you usually take. Use the time to enjoy the ride, music, and/or company you are with.
Here is one I know will be hard, because I've never done it myself. A friend told me that while in the grocery store, he will sometimes choose the longest line to stand in. He does this to remind himself to slow down in this very busy life. Perhaps someday I'll give this one a shot; if I ever find myself not in a hurry to get somewhere.
This one, I know you can do. Watch a movie that moves at a slow deliberate pace. I'm not talking about a boring movie, but one that's done with purpose, so that you'll pay more attention to the subtle things in the film. I recommend Capote, with Philip Seymour Hoffman. If you listen to the commentary, they say that the opening shots were designed to slow down the audience, from their busy lives. It's a shot of wheat blowing in the wind, and a train rolling down some tracks. The shots last much longer than you would expect them to, see if it doesn't slow you down a bit. 7 Pounds, K-pax, and Doubt are also good movies for this.
Finally, one of my favorites! Find a place where you can sit around a fire with friends, or even alone. You'll tend to watch the flames dance, and hear the wood crack as it burns. It a very soothing event for me. I bet you'll have much deeper conversations with your friends than you're used to. You will also probably remember that night, and keep it as a fond memory.
Personally I like the thunderstorm, sitting around a fire, movie, and bath things the most. Even though I still find the shortest grocery line, while waiting I sometimes think of the guy who stands in the longest one and am reminded to enjoy the small break, and use it as an opportunity to mentally chillax and realize that life is good, and I should take the time to enjoy it. For the writers reading this, lots of story ideas can come to your brain while you let it slow down; which is much better than getting all of those ideas at 3 in the morning, trust me!
I hope this is helpful, thanks for reading it. I will relish any comments you leave.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Book Review: Tarzan of the Apes
By Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Greatest Adventure Story I've Read to Date!
I have a new favorite book, and author. Edgar Rice Burroughs has completely won me over with his novel Tarzan of the Apes. I heard a respected fellow bibliophile co-worker praising this work once, and made a mental note to place it on my list of books to read. I'm so glad I heard him describe this masterpiece as a great book, it might have been years more before I had gotten to it! Not only is Burroughs a fine writer in the crafting of beautiful sentences, wonderful imagery, fine diction, and great descriptions of things; he's also a master plotter and story teller. I have loved many classics, as I've opened old volumes I always hear about. Among classics, many are stories of an inward journey only, and not much else exciting goes on in the story. I did find a very fine adventure story in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and cannot say much ill towards it, other than I disliked the characters of the Duke & the King so much, that I tired of reading about them, and wished to speed along in the story past where they dirtied it's pages. This I can see is only a preference; however in Tarzan of the Apes not only was there a fine story, but it kept me turning the pages at all times. There was never a moment where I grew slightly bored, but at all times could not wait to know what would happen next. I love Moby Dick, I love Great Expectations, I love The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; but Tarzan was as much of a joy to read as these titles, all the way through! Do yourself a favor, and pick this classic up. I'm sure you'll be able to find it for a very small price, or even for free as text and audio at www.gutenberg.org. You must come back to this page and comment on what you thought of the ending once you've finished the book. I will say nothing about it, but am very curious of what others think of it.
I have a new favorite book, and author. Edgar Rice Burroughs has completely won me over with his novel Tarzan of the Apes. I heard a respected fellow bibliophile co-worker praising this work once, and made a mental note to place it on my list of books to read. I'm so glad I heard him describe this masterpiece as a great book, it might have been years more before I had gotten to it! Not only is Burroughs a fine writer in the crafting of beautiful sentences, wonderful imagery, fine diction, and great descriptions of things; he's also a master plotter and story teller. I have loved many classics, as I've opened old volumes I always hear about. Among classics, many are stories of an inward journey only, and not much else exciting goes on in the story. I did find a very fine adventure story in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and cannot say much ill towards it, other than I disliked the characters of the Duke & the King so much, that I tired of reading about them, and wished to speed along in the story past where they dirtied it's pages. This I can see is only a preference; however in Tarzan of the Apes not only was there a fine story, but it kept me turning the pages at all times. There was never a moment where I grew slightly bored, but at all times could not wait to know what would happen next. I love Moby Dick, I love Great Expectations, I love The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; but Tarzan was as much of a joy to read as these titles, all the way through! Do yourself a favor, and pick this classic up. I'm sure you'll be able to find it for a very small price, or even for free as text and audio at www.gutenberg.org. You must come back to this page and comment on what you thought of the ending once you've finished the book. I will say nothing about it, but am very curious of what others think of it.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
My Entry for Scott Brick's Share the Experience Audio Narrator Contest
Scott Brick, my favorite living audio-book narrator, is holding a contest. It is open to anyone who has never made a cent doing professional narration work. I've always thought how cool it would be to read books for a living, so I submitted myself reading a passage from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I'm not expecting much, but thought it would be really fun to give it a shot. I've posted a link to my submission audio below. Enjoy, and please leave comments.
Click here to hear my submission
Click here to hear my submission
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
One Great Weekend with Crazy Going Ons
I had a really great weekend, even though one of my friends literally got punched in the face! I used to be in a band Dying To Live and I stayed with my good friend Ryan, the drummer of my old band. He lives with his brother, who is the vocalist for his new band 7 Horns7 Eyes. Check them out, they are really good. Anyways, after getting to hang out over some delicious Mexican food and ice cream with the incredible writer, Mark Ferrari, I went to go see my friend Aaron, one of the old guitarists for Dying To Live, play in his new band Surface Tension Surface Tension. There was a fight there, the first one I've seen in my whole life at age 26 thankfully, and then on our way from the show up to Aaron's house (guitarist in 7 Horns 7 Eyes) to hear the new drum tracks my friend Ryan recorded, someone trying to merge onto I-5 side swiped his car pretty bad. The jerk then gets out, swears at my friend, and then punches my friend directly in the face through the open car window. We all stayed in the car and called the cops, eventually seeing him taken away in hand cuffs, arrested for assault. It was a crazy night! But what a great day, getting to meet Mark Ferrari, an amazing author published by Tor, play baseball with my old band mates (another of whom is now in 7Horns7eyes, Sean Alf) and hear some of their new songs!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Classic Tales & Contemporary Albums II
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
&
Eat, Sleep, Repeat by Copeland
The images of Dicken's Great Expectations are brought to life by Copeland's Eat, Sleep, Repeat. They go very well together. I rediscovered this album hiding away in my glove box. I had not spun it in my cd player to for over a year. This was soon after reading Great Expectations, and some of the tracks reminded me so much of Pip; all of his inner monologues, the odd miasma of Pip's childhood house, Ms. Havisham's house, and Bernard's Inn. I felt while listening to them that I was transported back to these places. Sitting with good old Joe Gargery while dreading Pip's sister and her beating stick the tickler. Standing in the dark room untouched by time in Miss Havisham's house, her gaunt figure sitting in that yellowed bridal dress, the room around us completely dilapidated to match. Sitting in at the fireplace in the dim Barnard's Inn, pondering on Pip's problems with his companion Herbert Pocket, or writing all of their depts down once more so they felt better about it. Read the book, and listen to the album, you'll see what I mean, it's wonderful.
Eat, Sleep, Repeat by Copeland
The images of Dicken's Great Expectations are brought to life by Copeland's Eat, Sleep, Repeat. They go very well together. I rediscovered this album hiding away in my glove box. I had not spun it in my cd player to for over a year. This was soon after reading Great Expectations, and some of the tracks reminded me so much of Pip; all of his inner monologues, the odd miasma of Pip's childhood house, Ms. Havisham's house, and Bernard's Inn. I felt while listening to them that I was transported back to these places. Sitting with good old Joe Gargery while dreading Pip's sister and her beating stick the tickler. Standing in the dark room untouched by time in Miss Havisham's house, her gaunt figure sitting in that yellowed bridal dress, the room around us completely dilapidated to match. Sitting in at the fireplace in the dim Barnard's Inn, pondering on Pip's problems with his companion Herbert Pocket, or writing all of their depts down once more so they felt better about it. Read the book, and listen to the album, you'll see what I mean, it's wonderful.
I Finished My First Manuscript!!!
I didn't quite get to 50,000 words, but maybe in the rewrite process! I may end up fleshing some scenes out a little more. It feels great to have finally finished an entire book! I learned a lot more about plot and structure than I would have guessed. I can't wait to edit it, working on the writing itself now that I have the story elements worked out. I'm pumped!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Manuscript Update! Over the 40K Mark!
My new goal is 50,000 words. This story turned out to be longer than I thought it would be :)
Friday, April 17, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
III Act Structure Breakdown
Changeling
3 Act Structure Breakdown
Directed by Clint Eastwood
3 Act Structure Breakdown
Directed by Clint Eastwood
with Angelina Jolie, Gattlin Griffith, Michelle Gunn
Plot:
A mother's prayer for her kidnapped son to return home is answered, though it doesn't take long for her to suspect the boy who comes back is not hers. *source: www.imdb.com
Act I
- We meet Protagonist and Secondary Character (Mother & Child), a loving mother and her son, life is good.
- Mom's job calls her in, she can't keep promise to go to movies with son on Saturday, first conflict
- Secondary character is missing, the Protagonist must find her son. This is the great conflict of the film which pushes us into act II, the Protagonist is now in a world without her son. (Plot Point # 1)
Act II
- Protagonist tries to find boy with help of police by calling them, they don't help (1st false victory, falling action)
- Protagonist continues search unsuccessfully, conflict becomes more intense (rising action
- Police call mom, tell her they’ve found boy (false hope/culmination)
- Mom finds out the boy police found is not her son (2nd false victory, falling action, midpoint)
- She fights to find truth, policeman sends her to mental hospital
- She is freed, because the truth is found that it’s not her boy (1st victory, rising action, Plot Point # 2)
Act III
- Protagonist has new goal to get justice for what has happened to her and others put in mental hospital
- Ladies are freed from mental hospital (2nd victory, rising action)
- Policeman gets fired, court case won, murderer sentences to be hung (3rd victory)
- Murderer promises to tell Mom he killed boy, so she can move on, but he doesn’t (all is lost)
- Murderer is hung
- Truth found, boy wasn’t murdered but got away, protagonist has hope her boy is still alive (denouement)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Classic Tales & Contemporary Albums
The Alchemy Index: Vol. II Water by Thrice
&
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne
You should listen to The Alchemy Index: Vol. II Water by Thrice while reading 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, they go very well together. It is like a perfect soundtrack to the novel. You could also read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson while listening to this album, as they share some themes, but 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Thrice album have the same tone, and so go very well together. They have much of the same somber feeling. You can feel the quiet wonder of the unending sea, and the massive world that lies beneath it.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Favorite Quotes From Favorite Authors
1."...said uncle Pumblechook, a large hard-breathing middle-aged slow man, with a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head, so that he looked as if he had just been all but choked, and had that moment come to."
2."...with a bowl of battered small coins before her, as much defaced and beaten out of their original impress as the small coinage of humanity from whose ragged pockets they had come."
Charles Dickens - 1. Great Expectations 2. A Tale of Two Cities
"Valley View Cemetery, that gray-and-green island of tombs and trees and flowered paths a restful, leafy, whispering oasis lying like a cool piece of cloud shade on the luminous wheat plains north of town."
"Hickock's uneven eyes turned towards the visiting room; his face, puffy, pallid as a funeral lily, gleamed in the weak winter sunshine filtering through the bar-shrouded glass."
Truman Capote - In Cold Blood
"We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in diaphanous folds."
Joseph Conrad - The Heart of Darkness
2."...with a bowl of battered small coins before her, as much defaced and beaten out of their original impress as the small coinage of humanity from whose ragged pockets they had come."
Charles Dickens - 1. Great Expectations 2. A Tale of Two Cities
"Valley View Cemetery, that gray-and-green island of tombs and trees and flowered paths a restful, leafy, whispering oasis lying like a cool piece of cloud shade on the luminous wheat plains north of town."
"Hickock's uneven eyes turned towards the visiting room; his face, puffy, pallid as a funeral lily, gleamed in the weak winter sunshine filtering through the bar-shrouded glass."
Truman Capote - In Cold Blood
"We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in diaphanous folds."
Joseph Conrad - The Heart of Darkness
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Book Review: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea | by Jules Verne
An Underwater Adventure I Won't Soon Forget (Spoiler Warning)
There were many things Jules Verne did well in this novel. Two of the things I personally enjoyed, were his characterizations, and his imagery. The way you see Captain Nemo through the eyes of Professor Aronnax gives such a great and ominous view of him. Respect, horror; and yet you sense that Professor Aronnax takes quiet a liking to Captain Nemo. While not sharing the captain's world view, he finds an admiration for Captain Nemo as a colleague in the science of the sea, and as a fellow admirer of fine art, which Nemo has in the Nautilus's museum. Ned Land, the Canadian was a great character to have in the story, because he was like the one normal dude. He keeps things relatable to the average reader like me, who doesn't know all about marine science, and the like. His goals are the same as what the reader's would be if in his shoes. There are a few great haunting images I took with me after finishing this book. The underwater funeral at the coral graveyard. It had such a solemn and somber mood, being underwater, how much more silent can you get? It reminded me of when one of your wingmen died on the SNES game Wing Commander, one of my favorite games of all time, you would see them hold a silent funeral, on the outside of the ship in space suits, sending off the coffin into space with a gun salute. Just the sheer lack of sound out it space, is just like being underwater in this book. I also really liked the environment of the saloon and library onboard Captain Nemo's ship, the Nautilus, and the description of Dr. Aronnax sneaking through it as Captain Nemo plays on his Organ. What an intense, yet quite scene. I also really liked a scene where these two are high above the city of Atlantis, looking down. There are many scenes of quiet wonder, where you can picture yourself in the narrative, taking it all in, such wonder around you that you have no words to speak. Moments where it seems time has slowed down, and you just know it's going to be a memory you take with you once you leave. You should listen to The Alchemy Index: Vol. II Water by Thrice while reading this book, they go very well together, it is like a perfect soundtrack to the novel. You should also read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson while listening to this album, they share some themes, but 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Thrice album have the same tone, and go so well together. They have much of the same feeling, somber. You can feel the quite wonder of the unending sea, and the massive world that lies beneath it. The ending of this book seemed like a really weak cop out to me, it was very disappointing, but somehow it didn't ruin the book for me as some bad endings have. It was an awesome exciting big build up, and then a huge cop out, but it didn't take away all the great things that happened in Act II of the book. I would read it again, even knowing the ending, just to go on that great journey under the sea one more time.
There were many things Jules Verne did well in this novel. Two of the things I personally enjoyed, were his characterizations, and his imagery. The way you see Captain Nemo through the eyes of Professor Aronnax gives such a great and ominous view of him. Respect, horror; and yet you sense that Professor Aronnax takes quiet a liking to Captain Nemo. While not sharing the captain's world view, he finds an admiration for Captain Nemo as a colleague in the science of the sea, and as a fellow admirer of fine art, which Nemo has in the Nautilus's museum. Ned Land, the Canadian was a great character to have in the story, because he was like the one normal dude. He keeps things relatable to the average reader like me, who doesn't know all about marine science, and the like. His goals are the same as what the reader's would be if in his shoes. There are a few great haunting images I took with me after finishing this book. The underwater funeral at the coral graveyard. It had such a solemn and somber mood, being underwater, how much more silent can you get? It reminded me of when one of your wingmen died on the SNES game Wing Commander, one of my favorite games of all time, you would see them hold a silent funeral, on the outside of the ship in space suits, sending off the coffin into space with a gun salute. Just the sheer lack of sound out it space, is just like being underwater in this book. I also really liked the environment of the saloon and library onboard Captain Nemo's ship, the Nautilus, and the description of Dr. Aronnax sneaking through it as Captain Nemo plays on his Organ. What an intense, yet quite scene. I also really liked a scene where these two are high above the city of Atlantis, looking down. There are many scenes of quiet wonder, where you can picture yourself in the narrative, taking it all in, such wonder around you that you have no words to speak. Moments where it seems time has slowed down, and you just know it's going to be a memory you take with you once you leave. You should listen to The Alchemy Index: Vol. II Water by Thrice while reading this book, they go very well together, it is like a perfect soundtrack to the novel. You should also read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson while listening to this album, they share some themes, but 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Thrice album have the same tone, and go so well together. They have much of the same feeling, somber. You can feel the quite wonder of the unending sea, and the massive world that lies beneath it. The ending of this book seemed like a really weak cop out to me, it was very disappointing, but somehow it didn't ruin the book for me as some bad endings have. It was an awesome exciting big build up, and then a huge cop out, but it didn't take away all the great things that happened in Act II of the book. I would read it again, even knowing the ending, just to go on that great journey under the sea one more time.
Book Review: Journey to the Centre of the Earth | by Jules Verne
A Great Adventure (Beware of Spoilers)
This tale of Axel, his uncle Lidenbrock, and the formidable rad Icelander and guide Hans, was quite entertaining. Their journey to retrace the trail of Arne Saknussemm to the depths of the earth was much fun. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of Axel's more regular behavior and reasoning to that of his uncle's extreme feverish moods and utter determination to go on no matter what the circumstances. Hans, my favorite character, was a solid rock free of all emotion, silently saving the other's from certain death on multiple occasions. There were some great moments where I feared for the lives of the travelers, and others where I in no way grew jealous of the travels they endured. I really liked the part where they came to the sea, discovered the forest of overgrown mushrooms, and sailed on their raft. A good read, and easier than Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the sea. I found the plot clever, when coming up with what to do while traveling underground through a tunnel, Jules Verne is proved is this volume to have a bright imagination.
This tale of Axel, his uncle Lidenbrock, and the formidable rad Icelander and guide Hans, was quite entertaining. Their journey to retrace the trail of Arne Saknussemm to the depths of the earth was much fun. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of Axel's more regular behavior and reasoning to that of his uncle's extreme feverish moods and utter determination to go on no matter what the circumstances. Hans, my favorite character, was a solid rock free of all emotion, silently saving the other's from certain death on multiple occasions. There were some great moments where I feared for the lives of the travelers, and others where I in no way grew jealous of the travels they endured. I really liked the part where they came to the sea, discovered the forest of overgrown mushrooms, and sailed on their raft. A good read, and easier than Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the sea. I found the plot clever, when coming up with what to do while traveling underground through a tunnel, Jules Verne is proved is this volume to have a bright imagination.
Book Review: A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
The Classic Christmas Story
I agree whole heartedly with the review of cherrypj, this novella is a great read! I love Charles Dickens, and I would love for everyone to read his books, but I realize that many are a bit long and perhaps intimidating. For those of you who would like to see what Dickens is like, I highly recommend this book. It's a novella, or short novel, like Hemmingway's The Old Man and The Sea. Reading a novella is great because you can get into the story, enjoy it, and also have that great feeling of accomplishment in finishing a book in a short amount of time. For me, it was especially fun reading this because I started it on Christmas Eve, which is when the book starts. It is lovely to see the character of Scrooge go through a change of heart. The story is a very pleasant read, and full of great imagery. You can really see the dreary and cheerful scenery, as it is described so well with mood and tone. The pacing in this book is quite good. There is just enough history told to let you know of Scrooge's near past and associations with his late partner Marley without slowing the story down in exposition. I especially like it when Dickens describes all of the wonderful food with such fervor. It makes you want to jump into the pages and grab each and every kind of food he describes, and try it out until your stomach would burst and your taste buds be overloaded. I highly recommend reading this book around Christmas time, and if you've never read Dickens before; it's really a great story and is highly deserving of the title Classic.
I agree whole heartedly with the review of cherrypj, this novella is a great read! I love Charles Dickens, and I would love for everyone to read his books, but I realize that many are a bit long and perhaps intimidating. For those of you who would like to see what Dickens is like, I highly recommend this book. It's a novella, or short novel, like Hemmingway's The Old Man and The Sea. Reading a novella is great because you can get into the story, enjoy it, and also have that great feeling of accomplishment in finishing a book in a short amount of time. For me, it was especially fun reading this because I started it on Christmas Eve, which is when the book starts. It is lovely to see the character of Scrooge go through a change of heart. The story is a very pleasant read, and full of great imagery. You can really see the dreary and cheerful scenery, as it is described so well with mood and tone. The pacing in this book is quite good. There is just enough history told to let you know of Scrooge's near past and associations with his late partner Marley without slowing the story down in exposition. I especially like it when Dickens describes all of the wonderful food with such fervor. It makes you want to jump into the pages and grab each and every kind of food he describes, and try it out until your stomach would burst and your taste buds be overloaded. I highly recommend reading this book around Christmas time, and if you've never read Dickens before; it's really a great story and is highly deserving of the title Classic.
Wuthering Heights is a well written dreadful story (beware of spoilers)
This book was well written, but hard to read because the characters are so awful, just deplorable human beings. However, as I read on I found a few characters to keep me on my quest of giving it's old prose a second chance. These were Nellie Dean of coarse, Catherine Linton, and Hareton Earnshaw. I hated this book in high school, but I must say, it's much better than I remember. The character's moral temperment made me loathe them, and reading about them. Their extreme emotion and passion, like Catherine's last embrace with Heathcliff was pretty cool, but at the same time, Catherine's love couldn't have been that great for Heathcliff if she married another for social status. If I met these people I would go on a diatribe about their moral character, but hey, if this was something new and different from other literature back when Emily Bronte wrote this, and she was trying to do something different with these characters than what was normal, then that is something to be commended. It all came together for me a little while after Linton Heathcliff's death and Young Catherine's livelyhood overtook her grief. I must say, she's a pretty tough cookie, though she can be a brat, she had enough in her to make me care enough to find out what would happen to her. I suppose I hated Heathcliff enough too, to want to see how his life would end and in what manner, though if Nellie, Catherine, and Hareton hadn't brightened the pages a bit, I wouldn't have cared enough to keep turning them till the denouement. All in all I give this dreadful volume a 4 because it was so well written, and though the story was rough because it's characters were so awfully wretched, a few beat through the dim to leave you at peace in stead of disgust as the story ended with a bit of joy; and though I didn't want to admit it to myself, this old Gothic tale became a page turner for me near the end, and I love page turners! May you live in peace young Catherine and Hareton, forgetting all of your families dark history!
Book Review: Wuthering Heights
by Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights is a well written dreadful story (beware of spoilers)
This book was well written, but hard to read because the characters are so awful, just deplorable human beings. However, as I read on I found a few characters to keep me on my quest of giving it's old prose a second chance. These were Nellie Dean of coarse, Catherine Linton, and Hareton Earnshaw. I hated this book in high school, but I must say, it's much better than I remember. The character's moral temperment made me loathe them, and reading about them. Their extreme emotion and passion, like Catherine's last embrace with Heathcliff was pretty cool, but at the same time, Catherine's love couldn't have been that great for Heathcliff if she married another for social status. If I met these people I would go on a diatribe about their moral character, but hey, if this was something new and different from other literature back when Emily Bronte wrote this, and she was trying to do something different with these characters than what was normal, then that is something to be commended. It all came together for me a little while after Linton Heathcliff's death and Young Catherine's livelyhood overtook her grief. I must say, she's a pretty tough cookie, though she can be a brat, she had enough in her to make me care enough to find out what would happen to her. I suppose I hated Heathcliff enough too, to want to see how his life would end and in what manner, though if Nellie, Catherine, and Hareton hadn't brightened the pages a bit, I wouldn't have cared enough to keep turning them till the denouement. All in all I give this dreadful volume a 4 because it was so well written, and though the story was rough because it's characters were so awfully wretched, a few beat through the dim to leave you at peace in stead of disgust as the story ended with a bit of joy; and though I didn't want to admit it to myself, this old Gothic tale became a page turner for me near the end, and I love page turners! May you live in peace young Catherine and Hareton, forgetting all of your families dark history!
This book was well written, but hard to read because the characters are so awful, just deplorable human beings. However, as I read on I found a few characters to keep me on my quest of giving it's old prose a second chance. These were Nellie Dean of coarse, Catherine Linton, and Hareton Earnshaw. I hated this book in high school, but I must say, it's much better than I remember. The character's moral temperment made me loathe them, and reading about them. Their extreme emotion and passion, like Catherine's last embrace with Heathcliff was pretty cool, but at the same time, Catherine's love couldn't have been that great for Heathcliff if she married another for social status. If I met these people I would go on a diatribe about their moral character, but hey, if this was something new and different from other literature back when Emily Bronte wrote this, and she was trying to do something different with these characters than what was normal, then that is something to be commended. It all came together for me a little while after Linton Heathcliff's death and Young Catherine's livelyhood overtook her grief. I must say, she's a pretty tough cookie, though she can be a brat, she had enough in her to make me care enough to find out what would happen to her. I suppose I hated Heathcliff enough too, to want to see how his life would end and in what manner, though if Nellie, Catherine, and Hareton hadn't brightened the pages a bit, I wouldn't have cared enough to keep turning them till the denouement. All in all I give this dreadful volume a 4 because it was so well written, and though the story was rough because it's characters were so awfully wretched, a few beat through the dim to leave you at peace in stead of disgust as the story ended with a bit of joy; and though I didn't want to admit it to myself, this old Gothic tale became a page turner for me near the end, and I love page turners! May you live in peace young Catherine and Hareton, forgetting all of your families dark history!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Editing Tips
This is a four stage editing process I've come up with. I've thrown in advice I've gathered from reading books on writing, and listening to writing podcasts. I kind of broke it down into 4 phases to go through, starting broad, and then narrowing down. You could almost say you start with revision, and then get down into editing. I hope it is helpful to you.
Dan’s Editing Process
1. The Story as a Whole
· Read it out loud, you'll catch things you wouldn't be simply reading through it.
· Everything Make Sense?
· Any plot holes?
· Protagonist go through a change? Character Arc?
· Problems too easily solved?
· Each scene, character moving the story forward?
· Anything boring, or slowing the story down?
· Challenges have a strong enough conflict?
· Any fluff that’s not adding to the story? Kill your darlings!
2. Breaking It Down Into Scenes
· Break story into individual scenes, treating each scene as it's own story, does it work?
· Characters acting believably to who they are?
· Show don’t tell
· No grocery list descriptions
3. Line Editing
· Work from the last sentence to the first sentence in the last paragraph, read sentence to sentence then the full paragraph, all the way to the beginning.
· Editing Checklist: Spelling
¤ Spell check has been run.
¤ "It's" and "its" have been used correctly ("it's" is a contraction for "it is"; "its" is possessive).
¤ All other homonyms -- which spell check would not catch -- have been checked. (For example, you wouldn't want to write: "She peaked through the blinds and saw the peek of Mt. Ampersand.")
· Editing Checklist: Grammar
¤ Dialogue is punctuated correctly.
¤ Any run-ons or fragments are intentional (and even those are rare).
¤ Subjects and verbs agree in number, and verb tenses are consistent throughout.
¤ Commas have been used correctly.
¤ "That" and "which" have been used correctly.
¤ There are no unclear or confusing pronoun references.
¤ Sentence structure varies in descriptive or expository passages. (Keep your reader interested.)
¤ The sentences are concise.
¤ Consideration has been given to word choice. (This means you have consulted a thesaurus.)
¤ Basic facts have been checked (especially ones that would be embarrassing to get wrong).
4. Get Feedback
· Use what you think is good advice, it’s still your book
· Don’t get offended, use feedback, and thank them for it, they read it!
Dan’s Editing Process
1. The Story as a Whole
· Read it out loud, you'll catch things you wouldn't be simply reading through it.
· Everything Make Sense?
· Any plot holes?
· Protagonist go through a change? Character Arc?
· Problems too easily solved?
· Each scene, character moving the story forward?
· Anything boring, or slowing the story down?
· Challenges have a strong enough conflict?
· Any fluff that’s not adding to the story? Kill your darlings!
2. Breaking It Down Into Scenes
· Break story into individual scenes, treating each scene as it's own story, does it work?
· Characters acting believably to who they are?
· Show don’t tell
· No grocery list descriptions
3. Line Editing
· Work from the last sentence to the first sentence in the last paragraph, read sentence to sentence then the full paragraph, all the way to the beginning.
· Editing Checklist: Spelling
¤ Spell check has been run.
¤ "It's" and "its" have been used correctly ("it's" is a contraction for "it is"; "its" is possessive).
¤ All other homonyms -- which spell check would not catch -- have been checked. (For example, you wouldn't want to write: "She peaked through the blinds and saw the peek of Mt. Ampersand.")
· Editing Checklist: Grammar
¤ Dialogue is punctuated correctly.
¤ Any run-ons or fragments are intentional (and even those are rare).
¤ Subjects and verbs agree in number, and verb tenses are consistent throughout.
¤ Commas have been used correctly.
¤ "That" and "which" have been used correctly.
¤ There are no unclear or confusing pronoun references.
¤ Sentence structure varies in descriptive or expository passages. (Keep your reader interested.)
¤ The sentences are concise.
¤ Consideration has been given to word choice. (This means you have consulted a thesaurus.)
¤ Basic facts have been checked (especially ones that would be embarrassing to get wrong).
4. Get Feedback
· Use what you think is good advice, it’s still your book
· Don’t get offended, use feedback, and thank them for it, they read it!
Monday, February 2, 2009
First Manuscript
So, when you hit 50,000 words, it's considered a novel. I'm guessing my first completed manuscript will be more like 25,000. If I can get past 20,000 it'll be a Novella, like Hemmingway's The Old Man and the Sea. That's my goal, to pass up 20,000 words, but we'll see if my story needs to be that long. -Dan
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Airport Audio Atmosphere
Silvery clicks and zippered flicks
Create an audio atmosphere
Above scuffled feet
In the airline lines
While hugs and cries
Depart and arrive
In doors behind
With opened trunk lids extended handles raise
Above castered carying cases filled with clothes.
Create an audio atmosphere
Above scuffled feet
In the airline lines
While hugs and cries
Depart and arrive
In doors behind
With opened trunk lids extended handles raise
Above castered carying cases filled with clothes.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Winters Heavy Hand
Damp golden leaves lay in green grass,
The wind unable to blow them.
They lay weighed down from the morning rainfall,
An unending shower of cold wet droplets,
Pummeling down the dressings of now barren branches.
Winter comes in signs unsecretive,
Bearing its marks with a heavy hand.
The wind unable to blow them.
They lay weighed down from the morning rainfall,
An unending shower of cold wet droplets,
Pummeling down the dressings of now barren branches.
Winter comes in signs unsecretive,
Bearing its marks with a heavy hand.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Driving Past Rock and Stone
I once saw a construction worker, chiseled and grizzled; smoking a short ivory cigarette in the growing red heat of a newly formed day. Drying some tears, I passed him by; and he seemed to me the most masculine male of a man I'd ever see in my days; especially now juxtaposed to my face, wet with tears. I seemed a little boy driving past a man, but a man who'd never let his emotions show no matter what weighed underneath his hard construction hat. While he a stone, I felt glad to be clay, showing the thumb prints which had pressed me into the shape I now displayed. I didn't want this masculine mold, impressing the world by being tough, meanwhile packing a bomb within to blow up from something small. While losing a battle with my emotions, and letting it all out, although feeling weak I felt thankful for my seemingly weak ways. My lady, She had forgiven me and I felt it undeserved. My gratitude gathered in small slithering tears, slipping down my cheeks to be smeared into my sleeves. I drove to work past a man made of metal and stone, his chimney lips pressed, puffing out smoke from the wick of a bomb within foreshadowed to explode.
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