How Reading Affects Writing

Hope the attic of my life is never this bare.

In the secret space of dreams, where I dreaming lay amazed.
When the secrets all are told, and the petals all unfold.
Attics of My Life – Grateful Dead

As a writer, I dip into my memories, scrounging around for bits and pieces to create my Frankenstein stories – not literally mind you, just that they’re stories of assembled parts that alone have little value. Before I started writing, I usually considered my memory comprised of things I did or stuff that happened to me, around me or to someone I know.

After writing intensively lo these past eight months, it is clear that my memory also consists of other people’s memories that they’ve injected into their work. Unapologetic, I delve into the trunks and boxes filled with odds and ends from movies I’ve watched and stories I’ve read. Without fail, the book I happen to be reading, the blog posts I’ve read that day, or the web articles I skim creep into my writing.

It usually happens in three ways:

1. I find something that strikes a chord with the story I’m writing at the time, whether it be hard research (a cool bit of esoterica that is germane to the story), emotion (yeah, I need to draw that out more in my character), or concept (I like an idea that I want to include, but not in the way it’s presented in what I’m reading).
2. I read something that either inspires a new approach or dooms a current one (I find a bit of inspiration from an interview that inspires me to spread my wings a bit and try something I wouldn’t normally do OR I read something that is similar to what I’m working on realize I don’t want to replicate it).
3. Something I’m reading evokes a certain feel or flavor that I want to convey in my work, but brings with it trappings I wasn’t prepared to get into (e.g., an ancient monastic setting and the workings of said monastic setting).

At Joanna Penn’s blog, The Creative Penn, a recent post was titled “Why Do Great Writer’s Steal?” She goes on to offer ways a writer experiencing a block can use material to help them jump start their writing. In the beginning of the post she quotes T.S. Eliot:

“Mediocre writers borrow. Great writers steal.” T.S.Eliot

I take that to mean that great writers take something from someone else and make it their own so that it bears little resemblance to the original thing. I hope that’s what it means, because I can’t help but do it. I’m not saying I’m great, but I’m happy to take a concept and bend, twist, paint, burn, smash, or whatever I have to do to it to get it to the point that it becomes I’m searching for.

Writing Magic in Fantasy Fiction

Phantom Spells and Wizard Bells Indeed

One of the many problems with my first draft of Shadow of the Black City was the weakness of the desert magic. I hadn’t put enough time into it – and, really, I don’t think I was ready to tackle the issue. I knew this was a problem before I even started revisions, so I’ve had a while to think on it.

As with anything I do related to writing, I spent (and am still spending) time researching various aspects of magic systems, from fiction to folklore to anthropology.

For me, creating a magic system from scratch has been a daunting task for three reasons:

1. Creating something original is about damn near impossible
2. Creating something that makes sense and is plausible (as much as magic can be) can turn into a treatise on the mechanics of the system rather than a nice supporting character in the big story
3. Striking a balance where the magic doesn’t overshadow or subvert the characters is every bit the challenge that creating rich characters is. (I would argue that magic is a character much like setting).

Brandon Sanderson, author of the Mistborn series as well as the latest installment in the Wheel of Time series, The Gathering Storm, describes the presentation of magic as a spectrum (something of which I am always a fan), with unexplained magic where the reader doesn’t know the rules on one end and magic systems where the reader usually learns of it as the main character does.

I found this to be useful, because it indicated that there is no limit to how you can present magic, so long as it has limitations and causes conflict. I can handle that.

After searching far and wide, I put together a list of links that I found helpful in guiding me:

From Writing Excuses podcasts (I recommend checking out their other podcasts as well):

This week the Writing Excuses team discusses magic again, this time focusing on the cost of magic. Whether or not your magic system has internally-consistent rules your readers can follow you need to consider the ramifications of using magic in the worlds you create. Or at least, that’s what we think. Have a listen and find out why.

Wikipedia on magic in fiction (freakin’ love Wikipedia!):

Within a work of fantasy, magic can function to move the plot forward, providing both power for the hero of the story, and power for those who oppose him. The use of magic is often transformative of the character, if not the world.

In order to carry out this function, magic often carries a price, equal to its value.

The League of Ordinary Gentlemen on magic in fiction:

Magic should be magical.  That’s one thing oft-forgotten in the fantasy world.  A spell is much more than a fireball or the summoning of denizens of the deep to do a sorcerer’s wicked bidding.

Tor.com discussion and list of various magic systems from various fantasy works:

I have found that a good magic system makes a fantasy story much more interesting… In fact how that magic works in a key element in both novels and add an element of mystery as the key characters try to figure it out.

Wikihow.com with a handy guide from which to draw inspiration if you are looking for a place to start:

Ever feel that books such as Harry Potter have taken all the good Magic set-ups in books? Despite the thousands of types of magic in books, it’s still possible to make a brand new magic.

Things to avoid in your magic system from Atsiko’s Chimney (There are several good posts here from which you can glean helpful information):

All those little things that authors do to drive the reader nuts, whether it’s avoiding good plotting with magic, or making their mage a Mary Sue (or Marty Stu, but let’s just pretend “Mary Sue” is a neuter gender noun for now.) So, in this post, the top ten ways to make your mage hero a Sickeningly Speshul Snowflake:

Fantasy Fiction Factor offers more tips on how to create believable magic:

No matter how your characters use their magic or how it interacts with other creatures and forces, it needs to follow a set of rules. Consistency is invaluable in the magical universe. Without that, magic becomes the miracle elixir that rives wounded plots and rescues poorly developed worlds.

I should say that, while not online, Orson Scott Card’s How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy delves into this concept quite a bit as well.

The takeaway from this research is that you must be consistent, magic must introduce conflict and tension and there must be costs for magic. Without these building blocks, your story takes on the tone of an elementary school recess where the oldest kid lays out an ever changing set of parameters to conveniently benefit him at will. Not that I’m bitter. My brother used to do that to me back in the day.

These articles aren’t the end-all and be-all of developing magic systems, but they sure do help to provide a little structure. If you have any additional links or useful resources, please post them in the comments below!

Shadow of the Black City Blurb v.2

Nomad Khyrg al Wahid witnesses an airship crash in his arid highland home known as the Jashem. Two survivors emerge from the wreckage: an ethnographer and his assistant from Bogozechi, a dark industrial city rife with intrigue. Khyrg’s clan rival, Anwar ibn Masaud, having also followed the crash, arrives at the crash site moments later and demands the traditional punishment for trespassing in clan territory – execution. Khyrg is torn between his people’s ancient code and the compassion in his heart. Anwar forces his hand and attacks. Khyrg deals Anwar a mortal blow and flees with the Bogozechians to a defunct rail yard where he uses forbidden magic to coax an old engine to life. As they steam into the heart of the Jashem and beyond, Khyrg learns the true nature of his companions’ expedition. Too late he realizes his choice has placed him between the anvil of the Bedu – the people of his heart – and the hammer of Bogozechi’s grasping Magnate Lords.

Writer Identity, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Process

The spectrum is a beautiful thing.

From Dichotomy Wiki.:

A dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts. In other words, it is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets) that are:

• mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts; and,
• jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other.

There are two false dichotomies that are presented with dependable regularity (apologies to Metamucil):

The guy flying away? He has the right idea.

Pantsers v. Planners and Intuition v. Intellect. Sometimes the two debates are considered interchangeable.

The discussion usually involves coming down in favor of one concept or the other. However, it is much more constructive to think of these things as harmonious, existing along a spectrum, or, even more likely, this. In reality, most writers utilize all of these things in varying degrees. Intuition informs intellect and vice versa. These are not mutually exclusive categories, nor would we want them to be.

Does it make me a pantser if I write an entire manuscript without an outline, but go on to create a detailed outline or chapter-by-chapter notes during the revision process? Or am I Sybil? Or does it even matter?

Always searching, never finding.

As a writer, I read as much about the craft as I can. I currently subscribe to 33 blogs related to writing on my Google Reader. I’m sure it has something to do with hoping to find a magic bullet that will lay to rest all of those nagging thoughts that I’m not doing it right. Or, that there is a better way. Or, that everything will click and the writing will come easier. And even though I know none of these things is true, I read on.

We worry too much about which categories we, our writing, and our methods belong. Maybe that’s natural, considering our writing gets categorized into genres and sub-genres, each with their own stigma. All of this worrying gets in the way of doing what we love: writing.

Like most writers, I’m happiest when I’m writing and less so when I forsake writing to chase after my questing beast of identity. It’s easy to get caught up in searching for identity in the existing framework of the writing world, for reassurance, while we toil away, but it’s infinitely more fun to let our writing define us.

The Revisionatrix is a Cruel (and Cool) Mistress.

The Revisionatrix messes with your vision and your mind.

I didn’t know what to expect when I began revising the first draft of my first novel, Shadow of the Black City. Right now, I feel like I’ve got even more questions than when I began. Sweet.

Truth is, it’s not all bad news. Sure there are page long deletions (alright, pages upon pages, but still) and a general wandering of the plot and awful writing (kind of like being trussed up like a slave – not that I’ve ever been, of course). However, with the Revisionatrix looking on with all her imperious malice, I’ve got my big picture editing machete and am hacking away furiously, methodically.

As the detritus falls away, and the clichés with it, something lean is emerging, something with form. As I think more about the structure of the story, other things materialize that can add muscle. That thrills me. I don’t let you-know-who know that.

I’m still a long way away, but I hope to have a yearling after this round, as opposed to the fawn that just learned to walk minutes ago. I hope to stop comparing my novel to deer.

I have to say, it has been easier to remove chunks of story, characters — pretty much anything — than I thought. I imagine each subsequent revision and rewrite will be a more difficult challenge than the previous and the Revisionatrix will ratchet things up a notch. And that’s cool. Each revision provides an opportunity to explore more and find the depth I enjoy so much in books that resonate with me.

So if you find yourself with a platform pump on your neck or the lash upon your back, take time to derive joy from the Revisionatrix and keep her stiletto heel out of your eye. And do try to keep the smile you feel inside from creeping across your face. The Revisionatrix will not like that at all.

4 Things to do When Writing Gets You Down

Everyone who writes finds themselves lacking motivation at one time or another, probably more than we’d like. But there is hope. Even though most of us can’t afford to employ Mr. T (even at his advanced age, I’ll bet he can still whip most of our asses) here are some pretty obvious ways to rejuvenate your zeal.

So often, it is we non-writing writers that he pities.

1. Listen to music that makes your soul shine.

2. Read books that make your heart sing.

I likes me some LOTR. Good v. Evil (Read: You v. flagging desire).

Tolkien always brings me up. Note: Avoid doing this in one sitting, or you'll never get anything done and your spine will look like a question mark.

3. Do something physical to get a boost of positivity.

A quick walk or run, some push ups, squat thrusts… er, maybe skip those. Get those endorphins rolling and channel all that dopamine right into your keyboard.

I live 5 Minutes from the trails of the New River Gorge. If I don't get out and enjoy it, I'm crazy.

4. Watch a movie that gets you going.

Maybe you like the Bonzo flicks with Ronald Reagan or you go for She-Devil with Roseanne and Meryl – better you than me. I go for this:

What we do in life echoes in eternity.

Usually doing any of these things serve to keep me going, to fortify my desire. What have I missed here? Do you have any special ways of kicking yourself in the pants when you’re dragging butt at the keyboard?

The Trick of Writing

 

It is no mean feat getting those amazing ideas from your brain onto paper.

 

Millions of people doing their thing on any part of this earth at any given time have great story ideas swimming in their head (to wit). There is a subset of people who try to get those ideas from their heads onto paper in the form of writing, visual arts or music. Within that subset there are people who are able to not only get the ideas down, but also are able to get them down well. Then there are those who are brilliant and get their ideas down in such a way that they make us laugh, weep and fret.

The secret to succeeding as a writer, if you believe what you see on various writing blogs and in writing books, is to methodically pound out the words, revise, rewrite and persevere. That’s true, but it doesn’t get at the underlying challenge: getting your readers to see that thing you saw in your head that prompted you to write in the first place.

I’m not saying the writing schedule, the revisions, the writing and the perseverance won’t aid you tremendously in your efforts — it will. What I am saying is that it is difficult to know if you are succeeding because you, the writer, are so close to the material. You know your characters, their back stories, their motivations and their aspirations. You know the look and feel of the setting of your story. You know the hidden twists and the subtext of the conversations. All of these things make it even more difficult to know if your writing is doing what you want it to.

So how do you find out? Get others to read your work – people you can trust to be honest with you about your writing. The more people who will do this for you, the better. Some writers turn to writing groups, others go for the workshop scene. Some writers have a circle of writing friends who, while not a writing group, are willing to lend the support necessary. Different readers will provide insights to different things. Readers of the type of work you are writing can tell you if it is cliche, mundane, confusing or a rollicking thrillride of a read. Readers who are writers or editors can provide you with technical feedback as well as feedback about the overall story.

Finding these people is easier than you think – There is a robust writing community on Twitter (#amwriting hash tag is a good one to get started), in the blogosphere (Bibliophile Stalker’s links, Writer Unboxed, any number of writer blogs like Mark Charan Newton’s) and probably not that far from where you live (do a Google search for writing group [your state] to get started). Get involved in the conversation and you will develop relationships with writers from all over — Writers like to share because they toil alone and like to encourage and commiserate. Review your friendships for those people who may have some editing or writing chops, look to online writing resources such as the Online Writing Workshop for sci-fi and fantasy writers, or go to conventions with a goal to participate and network (without being pushy, of course).

And how do I know this? I’m in the process of doing this myself. I have the good fortune of having people in my life who are readers of fantasy and are excited by my work. I also have the good fortune to know some folks who have writing and editing backgrounds. However, I don’t want to wear out my welcome, so the more resources, the better.

Of course, you do still need to sit your butt down and pound out those words.

Writing is work.

 

 

 

Writing Milestones

The first of many.

This week I reached two writing milestones: I submitted my first fantasy short story, The River Lords, for publication and I began revising the first draft of my first novel, Shadow of the Black City. Each of these milestones represents something different.

The River Lords represents completing a project and putting it out there and, most importantly to me, moving on to the next thing.

The next thing is revising the first draft of Shadow. I’m about 10-15% into revisions and the process is confirming what I suspected — This revision will be more rewrite than revision. I’m okay with that. The important thing was for me to get the story down in all its rambling, hackneyed glory.

The original story arc holds true, it just needs pruning. I foresee combining characters to simplify the story, tightening the original conflict and changing the age and circumstances of the main character — so far. I’m sure there will be more, but that’s cool. I’ve explored the subject of writing and first drafts enough to go into this with my eyes open. Truth be told, I’m excited to refine this work.

As one who loves to read about how people approach the various parts of the writing process, I’ve been around the web and bought books. I read Natalie Whipple’s blog post today regarding writing a first draft and thought it may have best captured the most essential nugget of any part of the process –Write how YOU write.

Ultimately, the process is about me sitting at the keyboard and working through however many iterations of my novel until I like the story I’m telling. Yeah, it’s simple to say, but you’d be surprised how many people have a hard time doing it.

A little inspiration on a dreary day

I love this guy. No matter how I’m feeling, Patrick Sweany always brings me up. He’s the effin’ best, not to mention nice as hell. Go out and buy his stuff. Now.

This post is inspired by author Robert K. Lewis, known poster of great traditional blues. I’ll be posting more blues in the future, both traditional and contemporary. There is so much great music out there that never hits the airwaves, so hopefully you can pick up a little through this blog and Robert’s Blog Needle City.

The Learning Continues

Lords River Falls not to be confused with my short story, The River Lords

Earlier today, I posted another snippet from The River Lords, a short story I’ve been working on for several weeks. The metamorphosis of this story has been fascinating–and educational. About a week ago I thought I had a draft I was ready to submit for publication, but something nagged at me. I wasn’t all that pleased with the ending and I wasn’t sure that the ending made sense. I felt this way mostly because I had been immersed in all the changes without taking time in between each version and had become too close to the story. I had my wife and a friend with editing experience take a look. Turns out, it wasn’t as bad as I had feared, but there were things that could be done — like hacking off 2000 words from the beginning. All previous River Lords excerpts that I’ve posted on this blog are no longer in the story.

This story has gone from 10k words to under 5k to under 3k — all for the better. The story is more interesting, doesn’t try to explain everything, and has a cohesive flavor. I feel like editing and revising this short story has given me some valuable insights as I prepare to edit and revise the first draft of Shadow of the Black City. The things I take away from this experience are:

1. There is no such thing as writing too much, so long as you are willing to discard it.
2. You can chop way more from your story than you think and still have it make sense.
3. It’s always good to get a third party or twelve to look at your work just to make sure you are writing what you think you are writing.
4. If you think you are starting your short story close to the end of the story, look again, you probably aren’t.

To some who read this post, these insights may be nothing new, but for fairly new writers like me, maybe it will be of use. I’m a writer who, even though I read as much as I can on the process and the craft, am doomed to find out many things for myself, the hard way. But also the fun way–through writing.