Love interests

I got to thinking about the last post I made, and I wondered to myself why the idea of the love interest is so important.

The simple answer would be to just think about it for ourselves, why we consider the ones we love to be important. Now, before you click on another favourite site, I'm not going to get all philosophical on you, because that would be boring. At least, boring for me to write, and I try to avoid that at all costs. But I digress.

I think one of the most compelling aspects of a story is to make the reader care about the main character (or characters). How to do that? Up the stakes. What's a great stake? The character's love interest. While it can be the parent-child or sibling or other relationship, one of the most powerful is the romantic love interest. One glance at the 'romance' section (especially the size of it) in any bookstore tells you how powerful a story element it is.

Thing is, it's not just in the romance genre. The amount of romance in SF/Fantasy probably rivals that of romance itself. Not to mention all the other romances going on in the rest of the fiction section. In my own WIP, it is going to be one of the primary plots, and a driving force to evolve the main character. Why? Love affects us in ways we just can't always explain. It can be a strong motivator (just look at the effort spent on attracting and keeping someone), it can be a source of comfort, fear, jealousy, embarrassment, wrath and the list goes on. Probably a longer list than most other story aspects. Give your character a reason to love, and they now have a reason to fight, to quest, to push harder and faster than the antagonist. Apply some threat, and you've got an instant (if not fully fleshed out) story.

Now that I think about it, it can apply to all the other sides of love too. For all the parents out there, you know what I'm talking about. Put your child in danger and every parent turns into Conan, or Rambo.

So, shortly I'm bringing my main character and her love interest together. Sparks shall fly, though I think in a non-typical way, and we'll see. Maybe they'll work to derail my carefully crafted plans. Then I'll just have to bring them back into line.

WIP progress: doing okay, but a test for my course in the Navy derailed some of the work last week. Still cranking out words, though.

There's my thoughts for the day. Anything to add, feel free...

More Words

Finally braced myself and dove back into the WIP today. After a rather slack weekend (pure indulgence, but I feel no shame), I've pounded out a grand total of 817 words! Don't all go nuts at once now. This brings my total to 12 324 words. Hmmm, doesn't sound as impressive saying it out loud again. (yes, I'm saying it out loud as I type, you can't hear it, but it's happening)

Still, I was going to stop as I have some ironing and other chores to do before bed but I couldn't. That, more than any abstract word count, is what felt good. That continuous push, when the CD has ended, the lights are all out because you haven't turned them on and you are ignoring chores because it's just hitting the page. I won't say easily, because I really had to work for these words. Maybe I've shaken the rust off, but just getting them out. Hard to describe, really.

So now I'll waste some time writing a blog entry. Naturally. :-) Nothing like a little procrastination before shining shoes. Bleh.

It does feel good to get back in the groove. Now I just have to maintain that forward motion. Today's scene was a bit of a character builder, though I didn't get through it all. A bit slow, but I'll save those considerations for the rewrite. Next up, the meeting of the love interest!

It's here!

Now my writing binder has arrived! Along with a box full of D&D books and assorted other bits. Spent most of last night sorting everything into my quarters here on base. This morning I opened up the binder to my outline, and realized I have a lot of review to do. Time to get my head wrapped back around the book. Nevertheless, it's a relief to have it here to work on, even if I have to wrap its schedule around the Navy's.

Tonight, my goal is to review and get back on it. Tomorrow I'll begin throwing some words at the page and see if I'm 'on' or not. Of course, if not, I'll just keep going. I'm already itching to fire my keyboard at certain scenes, but patience. No need to rush in and make a hash of it. Get it all sorted out first. Which is typical for me. Take some time to get my head sorted, and I can do a much better job. Rush in and it's all a mess. No offence to those seat-of-the-pantsers out there, but that's not how I work.

Now, off to work.

On its way

My writing material is now on its way to me in Esquimalt, courtesy of the most wonderful woman in the world, my wife. This is also the woman who, when I suggested giving up an engineering career to join the Navy, wasn't surprised. The one who said, basically, 'okay.' So yes, the most wonderful woman ever.

Along with inline skates and several D&D books. So now I just have to wait a week or so for the stuff to arrive, and remember to never, ever, outline in hardcopy only ever, ever again. Never. Ugh.

At least it's on its way. Then I can begin plugging away again. Hopefully spend an hour a night or so. At least work towards that, but we'll also see what the Navy loads me up with. Once I get settled with the course routine then the writing schedule will fall out also.

I also have had some readers on the first four chapters that I've written. Responses are positive, but also some good criticisms. I've filed them away for now, as there's no going back. Even over the things I've seen with Queen's Legacy. Just made the notes, and filed them away. I have to push forward only.

At least I've been able to control the growth of new stories. I often get good story ideas (or even average ones with potential) at the most unlikely times. I try to record them, and just stuff them in a folder in my desk for later use. Otherwise, I'll have a half-dozen starts and outlines, with nothing on its way to completion. Mind you, some are pretty interesting. Maybe some outlining while I wait for Canada Post to work it's magic wouldn't hurt.

For now, I have shirts to iron and some shoes to polish.

On to the next phase

Just catching up on things with my shiny new laptop. Right now I'm at the Naval Officer Training Centre, in Esquimalt, BC to begin the next phase of training. I graduated April 24 from basic officer training, and my wife and I got married that evening! Fortunately, she is sending my writing notes and such things, as well as the files, so I can keep plugging away, in the few shreds of spare time I might have. I plan to keep this blog to writing, but some Navy stuff will likely creep in. Can't help it, this job is so much cooler than my last one. Once I get my writing sorted out and back in line, I'll have more to say.

I certainly realized while on basic training just how much I missed writing (or any other creative outlet for that matter). Now that I'm outfitted here, I can keep going and get the ideas flowing. That and there are several good readers who want my stuff in the group, plus one published author! Life is pretty good, and will get better. I've heard the next course will allow some free time after the work day and on weekends, so I'm looking forward to pouring all the new experiences into the imagination mill and grinding them up to reform into good stories.

Anyway, while I wait for the mail, there are persons waiting on me to have a few wobbly pops. Next time I'm making my outline digital, instead of handwritten hardcopy. Gaaah. That one's biting me on the arse now. Oh well, learn for next time.

I'm still here

It seems like I've been away from the blog for a while, and it's true. However, I'm still kicking. I was accepted as an officer candidate in the Canadian Navy, and have been in the application process for most of 2007. Thus, I've been occupied for a while. Needless to say, the ravings will continue soon, once basic training is finished. Watch for me in May!

Book Pimping

Aaaaaaand we're back! Another trademark long absence. However, this one has been due to a potential career change (sadly, not writing related), that I'm keeping close to the chest for now. Suffice to say it has drained the writing resources (read: time), but I've considered it acceptable losses. For now.

But enough about that. Hopefully more soon.

My real post is about book pimping. I know, *groan* everyone talks about that at some time. Well, for one, there's no guarantee of originality in the header is there? Exactly. I'll save the original brain cells (there's a few I've stashed near the back, just past the visual cortex for just such an occasion).

Why do I want to talk about book pimping? Because just recently I've done it, and it really hit home that what many author/bloggers go on about is that word of mouth is one of the best ways to sell books. I'm not going to say I have any credibility as a marketer. Nor am I a bookseller, but today it struck me just how powerful it can be. Example:

The junior project engineer was looking for a new book to read. He figured I had a few titles I could suggest, as we both seem to enjoy fantasy and SF. Fine. He said he just finished one of David Weber's books, and I said 'here, try this series (the Honor Harrington, starting with On Basilisk Station - there, you've been pimped!).' That was Friday. I get an email this morning saying he finished the book and is starting book 2, and it was awesome. I agree, but I'm digressing. This was the first time I've pimped a book cold, on someone who wasn't in my 'inner circle' of friends, and had the same reaction as they had.

As an aside, I think I've been a key player in Mr. Weber's royalties from the greater Toronto area, but again, I digress.

So far I've given/pimped those titles to at least a dozen people, from family to (now) co-workers. Of course, it does rely on the author writing a good book, and me liking it, etc. etc. However, I suspect that word of mouth - and booksellers can be the best of them - can sell more books than a print ad.

Then again, what do I know?

New eyes

Hello all. This time it's not a trademark disappearance. I've been avoiding screens for a while, as on April 19th I had my vision corrected with the Lasek procedure. I'm trying to get some stuff cleared up around the house, but a bit later I'll fill you in on the whole deal. It's pretty cool, and the procedure is interesting. Then I just got busy at the ol' day job, after taking a week to recover.

Otherwise, writing has ground to a steady halt. Of course, after a while I go cross-eyed looking at a computer screen for too long doesn't help. The healing process continues, and I should be putting out words soon.

More details later.

Back at the keyboard

Back at the keyboard, 979 words stronger today. Not much, but my usual average for an hour's work. The perfect culmination of a weekend of household tasks. Of course, there was that novel I finished reading on Saturday. One of those grab you by the shirtfront and not let go. Author Mike Shepherd's Kris Longknife series. Some military science fiction along similar lines as the Honor Harrington series by David Weber (also highly recommended). Interesting characters, great action, and the dedication in book 3 is the best.

Aside from that, it's been a weekend of laundry, accounting and other boring yet necessary tasks. Not to mention finding a way to get the birds out of our vent humanely. Before they have chicks.

Hello all

I'm still around. Of course, after carrying on about my consistent word counts, I then go off the grid for entirely too long. However, I will admit to being preoccupied with a potential career change and various and sundry other things that would bore anyone to tears. Toss in a dash of procrastination and there it is. Typical, trademark long absence.

On the bright side, things are in the pipe and my potential day job change is out of my hands now. I'm heading back to the keyboard with renewed vigour. Since the day job isn't going anywhere, I figured I'd resculpt it to better suit my desires. However, until anything is solid, I'll put that away for now.

Next up will be a quick review of where my story is, and back at it. The challenge will be not to edit anything. I'm trying to get back on the forward progress, rather than going back.

At any rate, must go as the little one is paging us! I'll be back soon with more wit (or at least more ramblings and ravings, didn't you read the byline at the top?).

7k Total

After ten days of writing, I've managed a substantial 7421 words. I've stuck to 1 hour minimum per day, and I seem to be able to crank out from 700-800 words. Not bad. I'd love to increase that, but I'm happy to roll with a steady total for now. Once I've been able to produce that on a regular basis, then I'll up the ante and shoot for more.

I've found the hour/day target reasonable, as it allows for the day job, household tasks that can't be moved, and time for my family too. I only wish I could forgo sleep completely. That would free up lots of time.

The one thing I noticed, was that I took Friday off. I made up for it on the weekend, piling Friday's slot in the rest, but this may be a trend. Friday seems to be the one night where the whole week comes crashing down and I'm just bagged. Then Saturday morning I have loads more energy. We'll see, but I think it's a promising start. That whole journey of a thousand steps starts with one idea.

Another day, another hour

Another successful hour of writing. That's been my goal. Spend at least an hour a day writing. Ass-in-chair kind of work. So far it's paid off. You could call it a New Year's resolution, though I generally don't make those. I figure, if it's worth resolving, then it's worth doing it as soon as you think of it. I think the holidays just gave me a recharge from the day job, which helps ease the general fatigue of full-time work.

I've managed to pull anywhere between 600 and 800 words per hour, with few revisions. I'll pull a word here, tuck one there, but I try not to go back. I've re-read only to find my place again. I've already seen some places where I'll need more description. I'm focused on action, dialogue and trying to get my characters' voices out. I figure that's what revision is for. Only when the whole thing is done will I go back (unless I find a glaring continuity error, but let's burn that bridge when we come to it).

So far so good. Feels like being a 'real writer.' Now, off to the elliptical trainer. Must continue training for the ski season. Then offerings to Uller for snow.

Welcome to 2007

Hello all, and Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2007. I'm still wondering where 2006 went, but sometimes that just seems the norm.
I hope your holidays were good (and good to you). I hope those of you who are aspiring writers like myself made your word counts, finished those projects, or met whatever goals you set.
Me, I didn't meet all my goals, but I feel I made good progress, and learned a great deal. I'll list some of those learnings in a future post. Right now I've made my words for the day, and am just getting coffee, lunch and various and sundry other things ready before turning in.

I have found, though, that I've had to push for discipline. Both before I started the prose of the novel, and now that I've waded my way into chapter 2. It is definitely difficult to sit down and work hard at something when you've already put in an 8 hour (or more) day. That is something I'm still pushing, I'll freely admit.

The other is the nature of writing. I've managed, now that I've spent some time writing the prose, to finally send my internal editor to the back seat, and let the words come. Now, I tend to fight that editor's tendency to constantly thing "it's crap" and keep plunging on. I tell my editor (the demonic little wretch) that he can have his say in revision. I have avoided going back over what I did previously, except a skim read to catch up on and regain the groove of the scene.

So far, it's working. That, and my desire to prove I will do this. Not for anyone else but me.

Page One

I started Queen's Legacy today. Sure, I already set up the page on Monday with 'Chapter 1', but today was the first prose. Staring at that empty page, I understand the intimidation factor of it. So I just started typing. Well, not exactly. I did spend some time thinking about the first line. After that, I followed my outline for the action, and tried to keep it flowing. It's okay, I suppose, all 898 words of it (according to MS Word). I know it'll need revising, but I have a fine library of examples here at home to guide me, and there's no other way to do it. Write, revise, repeat. Let's have at it.

Outline done!

The outline for Queen's Legacy is done! I've done a brief on every scene, so I have the framework I can wrap the prose around. Of course, like any plan, it's unlikely to survive three seconds contact, but at least I've got all the bases covered plotwise. I've got all the necessary characters involved, and I think the pacing should be good. We'll see as it becomes a full work.

However, as my reward, I get to play with some toy soldiers for a bit (translate: put together some warhammer models that have been lurking on the shelf for too long). That and a Terry Goodkind novel that's been whispering my name from the other end of the library for a few days now.

I'm taking a few days to relax the mind, and then dig right back in. I think I need to check the timeline for a few things, plus there are a few details I need to clean up. However, it's time to throw down and write the story. At this point, I can't prevent it from coming out. I couldn't quit if I wanted to. Whether or not it eventually reaches publication, I need to write the story. To get it out and on paper, make it as good as possible, then start the next one. I love the 'high' of creation.

Beyond that, writing is the only thing I've focused on for the past weeks. Damn it feels good to have the outline finished. I'm going to go revel in my personal glory.

Target acquired

I made my target last night. Even on a swimming lesson night. Felt pretty damn good. Broke through some scenes with serious confrontations, and I think they'll shape up nicely. It was just good to get the words down.

Missing Teeth

Well, I'd like to say my time spent not-blogging was spent writing, but having had all four wisdom teeth extracted last Tuesday, the past week or so has been a complete null-zone. Reading and recuperating, mostly. However, thanks to the benefits of codeine pain killers and anti-inflammatories, the time was not the agony I've heard described by others. In truth, the whole op was pretty simple from my perspective. They put me to sleep, I woke up, and it was all done.

However, back into the saddle now, and almost finished. For this year supposedly being the year of the first draft, I think I may have been optimistic. Real life, combined with a lack of discipline on my part, has slowed me down. Hmmm, discipline eh? Maybe I could get my wife some leather for Christmas...

Yeah, too much information. I'll just keep that thought for later.

However, I refuse to worry about setbacks, even self-imposed ones. I'd rather consider that I'm almost done the scene-by-scene outline, and ready to start some serious prose. Now I just have to buckle down and keep my ass in the chair and fingers to keyboard. I figured I'd do something I heard at Toronto Trek, where one of the other writers at the workshop puts on a tiara marked 'Diva' when it's her writing time, as a signal to her family to 'do not disturb.' Not certain I'm the tiara type, mostly as I have no matching purse, but a light I can turn on to indicate the same thing is an idea. Besides, it is an excuse to get one of those cool lighting dish lights. Mmmm... pretty lights.

Now I must interrupt this impressively boring diatribe to head off to swimming lessons for my daughter. Maybe I can borrow one of her tiaras until I get my light.

Then again, maybe not.

Been a while

Sweet mercy, has it really been since June that I've put anything up? Where did summer go? Much as I look forward to winter, it feels like the time just swooshed by (much like deadlines).

Almost finished the scene breakdowns. 'But that was supposed to happen ages ago.' you say. Yes, but as ever, my optimistic view of getting things done was destroyed by the arrival of our new daughter, in June. Thus, in my forgetting of how much work a newborn actually is, my timing is a bit off. Oh well, some things are worth shoving schedules around for. Nevertheless, I've almost broken the story down, and let me say, there are some pretty cool scenes I'm planning. Hopefully I can pull them off and get the impact I'm aiming for. It felt pretty good to get done what I have, actually, so I'm not too worked up over being behind.

Since I'm sneaking a post in at work on lunch, I shall leave you all to get back to work. However, more (and more regular) to follow.

Word Play

Have you ever noticed that some words are just plain, cooler than others? I don't mean their meaning or specificity, but rather just how they roll off the tongue, like a fine wine. For example, the word buccaneer. Honestly, just say that a few times, then throw some emphasis in, maybe an arrrh! or two. Doesn't that just conjure an image just from saying it?

Not that other words are boring, but let's face it, even the word word is a little dull. Not much you can do there. Doesn't change the use, or how important it is, but even some of the simplest words can just be thrown out there and sound so, well, cool.

Doubt demons and plasma guns!

Hello all, once again my rare wit graces these electrons. Mind you, rare seems to mean post frequency, rather than some level of genius, but I shall endeavour to maintain my own illusions. Helps keep up my (questionable) sanity.

On the writing front, I am continuing to churn away, though things such as real life continue to interfere. I've found that I can get through three or four scene outlines per evening, maybe a little more if I slide some in at lunch. Mind you, my scene outlines tend to run 1/4 to 1/2 page of longhand. It seems to get slower as I progress, while I double check things like timelines and past scenes to make sure everything is roughly in line. However, I can see the story take shape. I've already modified a few things. Mostly for timing. Amazing how you realize that certain events you thought were okay, move around dramatically (pun intended) when you start to detail things out. Little details, travel time, preparation, and that sense that your character just can't do something then, they have to wait, yet they're bound an determined to do it anyway!

Ahem.

On the bright side, it feels good that the characters are coming alive. They're starting to emerge from the page and become more real. The down side; the usual demons are stalking. Mostly the doubt demons. You know the ones, they whisper at you "why are you bothering, who would read this tripe" "that's so unoriginal it doesn't even qualify as boring" and that sort of stuff.

Fortunately I keep my mental plasma pistol handy. You just can't have too much plasma!