Getting back on the wagon (and I don't mean drink!)

Jeeze this real world work lark can be a drag eh?! It has been a while since I've posted anything here, which is personally disappointing, but the pressures of the real world do sometimes have to take priority. (the downside of being an Indie author).

The last three or four months have been nothing but work, I've have completely exhausted myself, mentally and physically, and am in desperate need of the upcoming Christmas break - yay! I have tried to write a few posts, but have chosen to delete them after a quick proof read. It is a bit like writing a book, I think you need to have the head-space to be able to focus on, and enjoy, the writing - if you aint 'plugged in' then you ain't doing it justice. That's my thoughts. However, a week away from the break and as far as work is concerned, there is nothing more I can do that will improve the situation in the immediate future so my brain returns to my passion - writing. (Also fishing, but that is an escapism that will have to wait).

INVICTUS Part 1 - Introducing Richard - This story has been submitted to the Wishing Shelf Awards, and I am hopeful that it will achieve something - maybe even just a mention in dispatches - and with the finals of the Awards scheduled for May 2016, I have turned my focus to finishing INVICTUS Part 2 - as yet of no specific title. Even though 'Elementals' sits with my editor as I chip away at the cost of that, my thought process is to leverage any interest generated by my WSA entry by having the 'next' one released and out there. And, progress is starting to look pretty OK. 

SO, to kill or not to kill your main characters? This is a topic that has been quite hotly debated in many circles; one train of thought is that readers become attached to a single character and to kill them off is like ripping the heart out of that persons reading pleasure. Another train of thought is that killing off a, or the, main character(s) generates an emotional response that pushes the reader on. 

An extremely good example of a third train of thought is seen in the very latest Star Wars movie (The Force Awakens).

******* SPOILER ALERT!! ******

One of the problems with being an author is that I find myself analysing the 'plot', the attention to detail and any glaringly obvious errors - in 'The Force Awakens' there are plenty! To me this film is all about setting up the future franchises; there will be a stream of new Star Wars films I'm sure - but I won't be going to the cinema to watch them. Looking at some obvious time line indicators it is a minimum of twenty-five years gone by, the years have not been overly kind to some of the major human characters and it is quite obvious that Han Solo and Princess Leia aren't moving with the same agility as they once did; they certainly aren't as nimble as they once were - who is at their age?! So, in order for the franchise to continue making he films under the 'Star Wars' title, fresh blood needs to be introduced, whilst the old peeps need to ... well, die. It is that transitional period, "Out with the old..." etc etc. So, main characters are killed off because they have gone past their sell-by date, but the monetary aspect of the 'Star Wars' brand is too great to end it. In my opinion, this one is just a mish-mash of plots from the previous successful releases, a sequel too far, and it doesn't work (for me).

One of the other glaringly obvious failures in this film is that the technology has not advanced. Twenty-five years later and the X-Wings, Tie Fighters and Princess Leia's hairdo are the same! It's a bit like Daniel Craig's James Bond still using a public phone box to ring 'M', or Money Penny using a typewriter as opposed to a computer - it just stands out as an error, and an opportunity missed.

Anyway, the point is that killing off main characters can also bring an extended life to a successful series - but it has to be done right!

*** SPOILER ALERT OVER!! ****

I suppose the only advice I would offer on 'To Kill off or not to Kill off.." would be, IF it sits comfortably in the story line FOR THE RIGHT REASON!

For Invictus Part 2 I am killing off one of the characters approximately a third of the way into the story, I need to because I want to generate an emotional response from the reader that will pull them further into the 'revenge' phase. At this exact moment in time I am unsure if any of the other main characters will be sacrificed for the story line or not, but I am not overly precious when it comes to characters - if they can't positively contribute to the story in life then they are taking up page space; it can be real fun from a writers perspective, it can also be both polarizing and coalescing for the readers.

I'm looking forward to the break - I want that head space freed up so that I can get back to writing. Sometimes Indie writers just can't write because of real world issues. I've learnt that it is better to take a break than force a line or two; it just isn't worth the risk of damaging a story because someone once said "Write everyday, you must!".

Anyway, I'll be back on the page soon. My little pearl of wisdom to all wannabe authors, write because you want to, because you can and because you have the urge - not because there's a deadline looming and you got to get words onto a page. Your story is your work, and once it is out there in the real world people will judge you on it; be fair to yourself and put only your best foot forward.

http://www.ajwilsonbooks.net/
https://www.facebook.com/andrewj.wilson.3

A simplistic snap shot of the world ... 

Firstly, I want to play a game - the following statements were made by the most powerful people and/or governments in the world. Each correct statement earns a bonus point.

Hanger 51 is a myth.

Iraq has WMD's.

I did not have sexual relations with girl!

We have not sent troops to support, and fight with, the rebels in Eastern Ukraine.

MH17 was not shot down by a Russian BUK missile.

All of those dead Russian soldiers that have been brought back from Ukraine were there on holiday.

Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone in the assassination of JFK

9/11 was a terrorist attack on the American people.

In anticipation of the long awaited report on the MH17 tragedy the Russian President releases documents that heavily implicate the American and Israeli governments in the 'attacks' on the WTC's. The published findings state quite clearly that it WAS a Russian made BUK missile that brought down the civilian aircraft. It seems a lot like the two playground bullies know 'stuff' about the other, "if you tell on me. I'm telling on you..." and they have. 

Cruise missiles aimed at targets in Syria are fired from the Caspian Sea; American Intelligence services report that four missiles fell on civilian sites in Iran, yet Iran doesn't protest or confirm it; Russia says ALL missiles achieved their targets. The only scenario that allows all parties to be telling the truth is that those four missiles were programmed to hit targets inside Iran, as requested by the Iranian government? I'm not sure if that is more unnerving that the only other conclusion - one of them is telling lies.

Let's revisit the list:

Hanger 51 is a myth. - No it isn't, the world knows this as a fact.

Iraq has WMD's. - No it hasn't (or didn't at the time).

I did not have sexual relations with girl! - Oh yes you did - fact!

We have not sent troops to support, and fight with, the rebels in Eastern Ukraine. - Oh yes you have - fact.

MH17 was not shot down by a Russian BUK missile. - Oh yes it was - fact

All of those dead Russian soldiers that have been brought back from Ukraine were there on holiday. - Really, and they all took their company vehicles with them?! Wrong - fact

Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone in the assassination of JFK - Oh no he didn't - fact

9/11 was a terrorist attack on the American people. - Oh dear, no points here either.

So, based on the above examples, who can you trust? Who should you trust? I'm only posing the question - the answer has to be an individual choice.

And now there is a new dilemma - I.S - suddenly this group are responsible for a global shift in demographics and power. A Trojan Horse of refugees, the destabilizing of stocks and shares, and the sickening rise of extreme racism - all selectively brought to us through the power and control of the internet - is a very dangerous (but tactically genius) contrived offensive. It's not that we're too trusting, it's that we are so consumed with our own little world that we've ignored the big picture ... is it too late? Dunno, I guess we'll find out soon enough.

The anniversary of 9/11- Fourteen years ago I, like so many, was glued to national TV as the singular most horrendous slaughter unfolded in front of my eyes; the attacks on the World Trade Centre in NY. As I drove home yesterday I listened to an American radio station interview with woman, a former cabin crew member, and she had some very valid points to make over the downing of those towers. Actually, to be more exact, some experience based factual observations that raise yet more questions. I have to confess that I have long suspected the 'truth' regarding that terrible human tragedy is a long walk away from the story being told by the Government. I certainly don't consider myself a 'Conspiracy theorist, raging fruit-bat' type of guy, it's just that I like to question things. In my humble opinion there is sufficient evidence to at least warrant thought, consideration to the possibility that it was a domestic act of deliberate destruction. To do that you have to get over the biggest hurdle of all - you have to allow yourself to acknowledge that there are real people out there that could be this evil, and that is a terrible admission.

It is not that the 'coincidences' prove that it was a merciless act of domestic origin ... they don't: But there are enough to heavily suggest that we are not being told the truth. There are enough 'coincidences' to make the dumbest of dumb question the odds - unfortunately, there are none so blind as those that will not see. 
I watched the footage of people jumping from the towers to absolute certain death, the endless processions of funeral vehicles carrying the bodies of firemen, police and paramedics, servants of New York City that gave their lives; I can understand why the very thought of it being a domestically orchestrated event is incomprehensible, I really do. At the very least indulge me for a few minutes, this is not a theory on who did it, or why, it is much worse than that!

If the Air Hostess turned Author is to be believed then the planes that hit the 2 towers were not the same type of aircraft that they represented. A plausible explanation around the misfortune of the actual passenger aircraft is offered, and a further link between the cause and certain company owners is uncovered. There were 'War Games' going on, the huge delay of the intercept aircraft being scrambled, the number of people that didn't turn up to work that day, WTC 7, nano-thermites, the list goes on and on. IF (and it is a massive 'if'), but IF half of what is coming to light proves to have a basis, just how many people have knowingly contributed to this mass murder? And it is that that shocks me to the core. Could it really be that there are that many people that can keep their participation quiet? If an author wrote a story portraying that level of intricate planning and that many people, it would be deemed implausible, a fantasy novel, Though let's not forget the saying "Fact can be stranger than fiction."
There are a couple of things in play here; an arrogance that people will simply believe what they are told, and the belief that most people are just too damn lazy to employ original thought. For those that aren't aware, there is also the UK live news report announcing the fall of WTC 7 whilst the actual building stood intact behind her for a further 15-20 minutes.

And on the subject of weird and wonderful, or at least weird, - this isn't a compilation of various reports, charts, rumours or propaganda, this is absolute fact, seen with my own two eyes. Last year MH17 was shot out of the sky by a missile. How do we know this? Because there was a missile casing lying alongside the wreckage in the first reports shown on tv here in New Zealand. It was between 6 and 7 in the morning, I was watching the report on our flat screen television as I walked towards the patio doors. The female presenter was narrating, telling the country that there were suspicions the plane had been shot down by a missile. Her male colleague watched the footage, at the end of it laughing mockingly at the narrative, "Possibly shot down by a missile, how can they say that, look ... rerun the clip, can we see that again, you could see the missile.." he scoffed. The clip that was shown again was not the same clip, it had been reduced in length, the missile chassis part was not part of the edited rerun. I have searched the internet for the original footage with no joy - can someone really make that disappear? It seems so, which should make everybody realize the frightening prospect that there are some very serious people out there, with very serious agenda's and we, the common folk, are just disposable mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed on s@#t. 

Going back to that American radio interview, the lady in question was at a secret location, she truly feared a 'drone strike' on her house so had moved ... her fear was real, you could tell in her voice. 
Radio interview Rebekah Roth (it's a couple of hours long but worth it)

Anyway, whilst this body of super powerful, totally messed up individuals decide the fate of the human race I shall keep writing my story's. I'm keen to see if fiction can match the truth.

AJ Wilson on the web

It is time to move on...

From the very beginning 'Wilsons Way' has been about recording and sharing some of my own experiences, thoughts and lessons since first sitting down to write Russian Redemption. It has been 100% honest, which is to say I have shared the good and the bad of the journey, and that I have made mistakes - I'm calling that bit 'being human'.

The journey (for me) is all about improvement - and to be fair I have a lot of ground to make up here; my secondary school education hardly compares to the more specialist creative writing degrees, English Lit Majors or the likes that most big-time authors seem to have. However, that is why I use an editor, proofreader and publisher... she does have the qualifications! So, for me it is more about story telling. Looking back over the three years I've been writing I would hope that Judi (Santel Publishing) has seen a marked improvement in my 'skills' and/or development because I've probably spent just as much time reading other peoples blogs, posts, books and articles, as I have actually writing. And, those that stand out for me, those that I believe are valuable to new writers/Authors. I'll bring here - and here is another one for you:- Chuck Wendig's blog 'Terrible minds', in particular:

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/08/26/i-smell-your-rookie-moves-new-writers/

I should warn you that Chuck has a colourful vocabulary, but this article makes a whole lot of sense, or at least it did to me. It's been a bit of a barometer so far as my author growth is concerned (and I think I'm doing OK), but being who he is, makes it kind of better than OK, a bit more than just heading in the right direction - almost a motivational pat on the back. Even more than Stephen Kings list did!

This is not a case of hero worship; I don't know that much about Chuck to be honest. This is more a case of being able to identify with a skilled and successful author, and seeing a lot of similarities in the thinking; in other words it would appear that I ain't doing too much wrong. 

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I've made the decision to back myself. Proof reading, editing and publishing, cover design, and all that stuff is not cheap, we've already covered that off, but it is something that I absolutely believe HAS to happen. The thought of putting a book out on the internet without those processes is a thought that I refuse to entertain. And to be honest the old adage about peanuts and monkey's does ring very true in all of them. So, like I said - 'Its time to back myself.' 

Up to now it has been a case of chipping away at the financials when a few bucks becomes spare, but it's time to change that. So it is time to downgrade the car to free up some money and bet on myself. WiP 6 - 'Elementals' -is back from Judi after the first edit, WiP 7 - Ariana's Law - is in the final stages of rewrite in preparation to send to Judi for its first scrutiny. So, by early 2016 I will have 5 stories published with a further 5 or 6 in various stages of development. They cross a variety of genres so there should definitely be something for everybody, and it is time to take that to market. I'm going to be sharing the idea's, options, successes and failures over the coming weeks and months but I'm starting with this:

Do one thing EVERY day to build awareness. This can be anything; facebook post, blog post, share a link, send a tweet, even just talk to one real person about the stories that I write - maybe I should get some business cards made up???

Today's one thing is this introduction to what I am doing, and why. More than happy to hear your feedback:-

AJWilson on Facebook.

AJWilson website (for book links and a look at what's being said.)

Bookvetter.com - some serious teething issues?

A while back I was shouting the praises of Bookvetter.com, a website for readers and authors, where reviews are exchanged anonymously, the basic premise being that if you (the author) want reviews then you also have to give back by reading and reviewing other books - I still like the idea, it's simple and fair. Of course it is open to abuse, as is just about everything on the internet, but it's early days yet, and I think the road-map is both ambitious and has potential.

However, (as opposed to 'but'.) there are some issues with it's functionality that you need to be aware of if you are going to use this site:

1. The format that you submit your manuscript in. This is not an problem exclusive to Bookvetter, as I had the same issue with an Amazon submission, Somewhere between uploading a Pdf and it arriving on the site, there seems to be a glitch where-by double lettered words lose a letter - 'all' becomes 'al', 'filling' becomes 'filing' and 'call' becomes 'cal'. but only on certain devices.

2, Talking of 'certain' devices; gone are the day's where a book was read purely on paper. The birth of the e-book was a massive evolution; the use of modern technology take affordable reading to the masses should not be under estimated. But 'technology' is advancing at an unbelievable rate, now people are reading books on kindle, laptops, ipad, mobile phones - and on and on... The problem here though is the PDF does not transpose well across these different devices, the formatting goes haywire.

Six reviews:

Formatting:

Perfect  2

Amatuer  4

Unacceptable  0

Grammar:

Acceptable  4

Moderate  1

Unsatisfactory  1

This in turn leads to some dissatisfied readers!

If someone can come up with a standard format for both upload and read (regardless of device) then there is money to be made. From an authors perspective it is not good news in the current model, unwittingly exposing readers to a substandard experience goes a long way to tainting a reputation, something one can ill afford in such a cut throat market.

So BEWARE!

Should the book have been published?

Exceptional 1

Average 3

No  2

I still think Bookvetter.com has a positive future, I am just concerned about the damage that can be done in the short term.

The mood of writing -

Seeing as I'm the only Author I know, or at least the only Author I know well, I have no idea if this is normal or not, but I find  the mood of the writing dictates the mood of the household, and vice-versa. (I just know that there are people reading this and slapping their foreheads, or maybe a face palm. 'Of course numb-nuts!'.)

Russian Redemption was my first book so every experience was new to me; I didn't even realize a lot of what was going on at the time, it was only afterwards that things became apparent. 

And there were time when writing specific sections of Russian Redemption effected my own mood, and ultimately the mood of the household. By stark contrast, the unabated fun and carefree ambience generated whilst writing a YA story, Elementals, was brilliant for the whole family -  and, knowing this, I wonder why the wife has never suggested I write a FSoG...!!

It's a two-way relationship though, the writing can influence the mood, and the mood can influence the writing. Work crap, outside influences, stress... you have to shake those bad boys off if you want to write to your potential. And I don't worry too much if I'm struggling to get into the proverbial zone, I just don't write that night. (Now I know there are people that say you should write everyday, but ya have to live in the real world sometimes eh, even though it sucks.) 

As stated previously, I don't feel the need to be alone and in silence when writing, I am capable of shutting out the outside world. I even find that a little background noise can be quite comforting.

It is also always the case that when somebody gives an opinion on the internet, there is going to be someone that completely disagrees with the above - and that's fine, honest.

I don't consider myself to be an exceptional author of modern works of art, I confess that my diction is not equal to some, but I don't write books. The best way that I would describe me is someone that tells stories and puts them into words. Are they one and the same? I don't think so.

Side Note - my latest project (temporarily known as Ariana's Law) - is at 53,000 words, I'm quite pleased with that in month one.

http://www.ajwilsonbooks.net/

https://www.facebook.com/AJWilsonbooks

Stephen King tells the secrets - Part 2...

I thought I'd bored you enough in the first one but for those that are just a gluten for punishment, and want to read the other ten, here they are...

(The full story is available on the Barnes and Noble blog below)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/stephen-kings-top-20-rules-for-writers/

11. There are two secrets to success. “When I’m asked for ‘the secret of my success’ (an absurd idea, that, but impossible to get away from), I sometimes say there are two: I stayed physically healthy, and I stayed married. It’s a good answer because it makes the question go away, and because there is an element of truth in it. The combination of a healthy body and a stable relationship with a self reliant woman who takes zero shit from me or anyone else has made the continuity of my working life possible. And I believe the converse is also true: that my writing and the pleasure I take in it has contributed to the stability of my health and my home life.”

I think this is a good insight, especially for authors where writing is not their primary income. To be able to spend a day at the office, come home and spend hours writing is only possible if the family support you as a writer. However, a warning - don't loose track of the fact that you have a family!

12. Write one word at a time. “A radio talk-show host asked me how I wrote. My reply—’One word at a time’—seemingly left him without a reply. I think he was trying to decide whether or not I was joking. I wasn’t. In the end, it’s always that simple. Whether it’s a vignette of a single page or an epic trilogy like ‘The Lord Of The Rings,’ the work is always accomplished one word at a time.”

13. Eliminate distraction. “There should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or videogames for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out at a blank wall.”

I'm not signing up to this one in its entirety although I see the point that he is trying to make. There is nothing worse than being submerged in the plot, living it so you can capture the essence, and being hauled out of your 'special place' by an annoying distraction. Me, personally, I find silence unnerving at times, my brain seems to work better with a little background noise to the point where I don't actually hear it but take comfort in knowing that it is there.

14. Stick to your own style. “One cannot imitate a writer’s approach to a particular genre, no matter how simple what the writer is doing may seem. You can’t aim a book like a cruise missile, in other words. People who decide to make a fortune writing lik John Grisham or Tom Clancy produce nothing but pale imitations, by and large, because vocabulary is not the same thing as feeling and plot is light years from the truth as it is understood by the mind and the heart.”

Yup - absolutely agree, enough said.

15. Dig. “When, during the course of an interview for The New Yorker, I told the interviewer (Mark Singer) that I believed stories are found things, like fossils in the ground, he said that he didn’t believe me. I replied that that was fine, as long as he believed that I believe it. And I do. Stories aren’t souvenir tee-shirts or Game Boys. Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer’s job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground intact as possible. Sometimes the fossil you uncover is small; a seashell. Sometimes it’s enormous, a Tyrannosaurus Rex with all the gigantic ribs and grinning teeth. Either way, short story or thousand page whopper of a novel, the techniques of excavation remain basically the same.”

Hmmm, a modern take on the old adage "stories come from within" - can't argue that one.

16. Take a break. “If you’ve never done it before, you’ll find reading your book over after a six-week layoff to be a strange, often exhilarating experience. It’s yours, you’ll recognize it as yours, even be able to remember what tune was on the stereo when you wrote certain lines, and yet it will also be like reading the work of someone else, a soul-twin, perhaps. This is the way it should be, the reason you waited. It’s always easier to kill someone else’s darlings that it is to kill your own.”

As mentioned earlier, the first draft is complete within 3 months. Now you have to switch from writer to reader; the whole book made sense to you when you were writing it, now you have to give time for the writers thoughts to leave the mind, and the reader steps in. As Mr King says, this can be a truly inspirational phase, and one I always find enjoyable (don't be afraid to pat yourself on the back either!)

17. Leave out the boring parts and kill your darlings. “Mostly when I think of pacing, I go back to Elmore Leonard, who explained it so perfectly by saying he just left out the boring parts. This suggests cutting to speed the pace, and that’s what most of us end up having to do (kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your ecgocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.)”

The darling killer - If, as a writer, you have done your job properly, your 'darlings' will be the readers 'darlings' too, so killing them off can be an emotional experience for all parties concerned. I'd probably word this slightly differently to Mr King - Don't be afraid to kill your darlings off. As for leaving out the boring bits - I concur - but it's what I think is boring.

18. The research shouldn’t overshadow the story. “If you do need to do research because parts of your story deal with things about which you know little or nothing, remember that word back. That’s where research belongs: as far in the background and the back story as you can get it. You may be entranced with what you’re learning about the flesh-eating bacteria, the sewer system of New York, or the I.Q. potential of collie pups, but your readers are probably going to care a lot more about your characters and your story.”

I am someone that does research the crap out of the subject mater, all in the name of plausibility, but I try and keep it quite subtle. In my current WiP there are a few scenes set on the Harvard Uni campus back in 1986/87 - I'm British, living in New Zealand, and have never been to Harvard. However, I have no doubt that some of my readers have so I have to make it believable. The research is fun, and the fact that very few (if any) care is neither here nor there: In the story "the lift opens" - big deal - but to make something as simple as that plausible you need to understand that there were only three high rise accommodation blocks at that time, and the lifts ONLY stopped on specific floors so my characters accommodation had to be on one of those floors or they would have to use the stairs to go up or down a floor to catch the lift! Plot Fail! That said, I take on board the point that Fiction is not a documentary; information overload leads to DNR.

19. You become a writer simply by reading and writing. “You don’t need writing classes or seminars any more than you need this or any other book on writing. Faulkner learned his trade while working in the Oxford, Mississippi post office. Other writers have learned the basics while serving in the Navy, working in steel mills or doing time in America’s finer crossbar hotels. I learned the most valuable (and commercial) part of my life’s work while washing motel sheets and restaurant tablecloths at the New Franklin Laundry in Bangor. You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself.”

Could not agree more!

20. Writing is about getting happy. “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.”

Again, totally agree with this. Going back to one of the earlier answer, write for yourself first, embrace and enjoy the experience - if you can't do that then I would suggest a new vocation be sought. Very very few authors make it big, you need money behind you or a huge stroke of luck. So, if you are writing to get rich (or any of the other options Stephen King offers) then your motivation is all wrong, and your disappointments are almost guaranteed. write for yourself, for your own satisfaction, joy and well being and see what happens.

To repeat the top bit - if you do want to read the whole article it is on the Barns and Noble blog: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/stephen-kings-top-20-rules-for-writers/

Stephen King tells the secrets.....

I saw a great FB post today advertising 'Stephen Kings Top 20 tips for writers', clicked on it and gave plenty of time and consideration to what Mr King had to say. I also had a completed unrated (but just as interesting) email conversation with Bookvetter - that's the read/review site I spoke about on here back in January. Unfortunately I probably wouldn't hold your attention long enough to read two different articles, so I'm gonna leave the Bookvetter one for another time (It will be worth reading though, some good information for authors in that one!)

Anyway, back to Stephen King. Firstly, I must confess... I'm not a great fan, (Sorry Stephen, just not my preferred genre). Secondly, the whole article is available here:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/stephen-kings-top-20-rules-for-writers/

And so I'll move on...
One of the things I like about this version is that it understands we aren't all mind readers; unlike some sites that have published this article, they haven't butchered it down to just the bold black print heading. Here you get the eye catching header, and then a short blurb so that idiots like me can understand the meaning behind those big bold headings. Another thing I like is that they haven't added their own opinions to what the very successful author has confided - If they had of done that then this post probably wouldn't of happen.

1. First write for yourself, and then worry about the audience. “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story. Your stuff starts out being just for you, but then it goes out.”

Right, good start, I absolutely agree and abide by this one! I do write for me, it is my passion, mine I tell you. I write stories from inside my head - I have no idea where they come from they just seem to turn up and then they become incredibly tenacious about getting put in print. I am very grateful for them to, because I love writing and they give me the fuel. During this stage the story is only for me, I write it as quickly as I can to get the story out of my head.

2. Don’t use passive voice. “Timid writers like passive verbs for the same reason that timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe. The timid fellow writes “The meeting will be held at seven o’clock” because that somehow says to him, ‘Put it this way and people will believe you really know. ‘Purge this quisling thought! Don’t be a muggle! Throw back your shoulders, stick out your chin, and put that meeting in charge! Write ‘The meeting’s at seven.’ There, by God! Don’t you feel better?”

This one is not so obvious to me. I don't really understand a timid writer, but I do understand a timid character in a story line. As strange as it may seem, when I'm writing I am that character for the time that I'm writing the lines - complete escapism! Obviously if EVERY character in a story is timid then there could be a problem, (and I'd probably question the quality of the story).

3. Avoid adverbs. “The adverb is not your friend. Consider the sentence “He closed the door firmly.” It’s by no means a terrible sentence, but ask yourself if ‘firmly’ really has to be there. What about context? What about all the enlightening (not to say emotionally moving) prose which came before ‘He closed the door firmly’? Shouldn’t this tell us how he closed the door? And if the foregoing prose does tell us, then isn’t ‘firmly’ an extra word? Isn’t it redundant?”

OK - I understand this, and it is a good reminder. To be able to get readers to be able to envisage the scene, and hear the voices, is a real skill, one that I certainly strive for. The thing is, not all readers can do that. I confess to a little 'dumbing down' just to expand the potential reader base, BUT it is only a little.

4. Avoid adverbs, especially after “he said” and “she said.” “While to write adverbs is human, to write ‘he said’ or ‘she said’ is divine.” - Solid advice, I'm working on it!

5. But don’t obsess over perfect grammar. “Language does not always have to wear a tie and lace-up shoes. The object of fiction isn’t grammatical correctness but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story… to make him/her forget, whenever possible, that he/she is reading a story at all.“

Hallelujah to that! My grammar is not too brilliant, and that's why I use an editor & proof reader for my books. But here, here I am me so suck it you grammar nerds; don't hate me for my ignorance, hate me for a whole host of other available reasons.

6. The magic is in you. “I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing. Dumbo got airborne with the help of a magic feather; you may feel the urge to grasp a passive verb or one of those nasty adverbs for the same reason. Just remember before you do that Dumbo didn’t need the feather; the magic was in him.”

Very inspirational, and very true. I think this is the reason why I write the way I do; My working environment can be very stressful at times - sour-stick, unripe lemon sour, head-banging type of stressful! This stuff goes round and around in my head day and night sometimes, it is that stressful (and frustrating). But when I sit down to write all that stuff gets pushed to the back, right back. That allows copious amounts of empty space to let the story's in - and that little cinema that I use to watch the stories unfold. It's that stressful stuff that pays the bills, the writing has no potential to negatively impact my life financially so I can write free of worry, free of stress... free of fear. (At this stage I'm writing for me, any fear comes after the book has been finished, the fear of the opinions of others).

7. Read, read, read. “You have to read widely, constantly refining (and redefining) your own work as you do so. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.”

Reading is everywhere! Web based newspapers, books, magazines, even menus at restaurants. I don't think he is limiting the reading to books, just highlighting that any reading can be helpful to an author.

8. Don’t worry about making other people happy. “Reading at meals is considered rude in polite society, but if you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the second to least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway.”

I think I understand this, and I'm certainly not questioning Mr Kings ability to be rude - but I think there is a possible confusion over the words. I think there is a bit of 'write for yourself' and 'don't try and please everyone 'cos it just ain't gonna happen' in this one; with a dash of 'thicken up the skin' cos it could get messy' warning.

9. Turn off the TV. “Most exercise facilities are now equipped with TVs, but TV—while working out or anywhere else—really is about the last thing an aspiring writer needs. If you feel you must have the news analyst blowhard on CNN while you exercise, or the stock market blowhards on MSNBC, or the sports blowhards on ESPN, it’s time for you to question how serious you really are about becoming a writer. You must be prepared to do some serious turning inward toward the life of the imagination, and that means, I’m afraid, that Geraldo, Keigh Obermann, and Jay Leno must go. Reading takes time, and the glass teat takes too much of it.”

I seem to be very lucky where I can completely zone out when I'm writing. Don't get me wrong, quiet is good, but sometimes I find that a little back ground noise can help.

10. You have three months. “The first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season.”

This is true. The first draft is about capturing the story in its entirety, after that's done it is time to go back through it from the start. I have found that taking long breaks, or not writing quick enough, has one of two effects;

1. Excitement wains, concentration becomes hard work - writing a story should never be classed as work, it can't be a chore.
2. It stops being fun! (see above)

... To Be Continued...

Talking of being a chore, you've probably had enough of this by now so we'll take a break. If you can't wait to see the next ten you can see the whole article at:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/stephen-kings-top-20-rules-for-writers/

All good - Write, then write some more...

It's one of those side track moments...

Over the last few days it has been reported that over in Zimbabwe, Cecil the Lion was hunted and killed by an American dentist.

https://www.distractify.com/stick-to-cavities-1270093558.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb

What an amazingly handsome beastie he was, but, thanks to a dentist, a corrupt ranger and $55,000, Cecil is now nothing more than a wall decoration - You selfish dickhead!

Anyway, not getting on my high-horse, I was keen to understand how others had taken this news - and it ain't pretty.

I suppose by way of a disclaimer, I have never hunted for decorative purposes - hunting for food, killing for protection, pest control or to end the suffering of an animal is a completely different topic of conversation, and I am not against any of them. (Oh, I should tell you that I am no tree hugger, nor do I have hippy tendencies, and vegetarianism is definitely not something I practice).

Decades (and a lot of them) ago, long before Walmart or Tesco's, or 'The Warehouse', were established, hunting probably was a multifaceted pastime - a good feed for the family, a new coat or blanket, even a draft excluder for the cave, all from one hunt - and the head got put up to possibly act as a hat rack or coat stand, or somewhere to hide the family jewels whilst waiting for Chub to invent the safe. Today's modern hunter hunts with a camera, a way of preserving the spectacular images of these (and other such) creatures in the wild, safe in the knowledge that they 'could' have killed the animal, but intelligent enough to understand that there is no need to.

Qualifying as a sniper during my military career, I enjoy shooting, and have participated in a number of shoots inside and outside of my Army day's - but ALL with good reason. I also fish whenever possible; the same rules apply - If I'm killing it, I'm eating it. (With the exception of protection, pest control [mainly rabbits and rats] and euthanasia, I can think of no other justification.

There are a few that say it is the 'thrill of the chase' - fine, chase it, but you don;'t have to kill it; take a picture and brag to your friends how you tracked it through the outback for two days, leopard crawled through dense bush and croc infested swamps, blah blah blah. Crikey, you can even get the picture custom enlarged so it covers that blank space of a wall. Then pat yourself on the back and go and get a McD's - kudos. How is killing such a majestic animal challenging? High powered rifle (probably with scope) fired from a safe distance versus what? Where is the thrill in that?

Apparently, there are places where wild boar are herded into enclosures and shot - I am assured that this is because, in those parts of the world, they are dangerous to the locals, destroy crops and their population is in need of control, (the meat is distributed locally), This ticks many of the boxes and, although the idea will still upset some people, I am ok with it.

Now there is a huge social media backlash aimed at this American dentist, and he wonders why? I'm not an advocate of bullying, or personal attacks, and would be equally appalled should this backlash take on a more sinister form.

Just to add to the whole mess, it is reported that the shoot was illegal, something that the dentist denies. I'm pretty sure that there will be some sort of PR exercise where we're told that Cecil was old, or in ill health, and that killing him was probably a good thing! No, never! Morally, ethically and for the love of God, I am sure that the $55,000 could have been used in a far more constructive way, that would have brought greater satisfaction to the individual than robbing the planet of something so majestic - Dickhead!! -

Just my personal thoughts on this tragedy.

A warning to all new authors...

OK, I think I'm safely far enough along the Author path to be able to give this piece of advice, and it's important for two reason's; 

1) because I assure you that this will impact your peace and quiet.

2) because no bugger told me!

You are told to 'write what you know', this refers to drawing from your own knowledge and personal experiences. But that doesn't mean that you've done everything you write about, right?! Crikey, if that was the case I'd be in a whole host of trouble, actually probably just prison. Don't judge me - I wrote one story that involved some pretty horrendous medical experiments, a wee bit of killing and some other un-pleasantry's, set in Russia; One that is a tragedy romance and the last, a modern war, kill pirates, special forces tale. I can honestly say that I've never been to Russia, and certainly not in 1940 something - well not in this lifetime anyway. BUT, as more and more friends, family and colleagues read the material it is amazing how many of them think a character or scene is based on either them, you, or actual personal experiences. And be warned, they take some considerable convincing otherwise. 

I make no apology for writing a scene, or creating a character, that has such authenticity it can resonate to that degree; but, in truth it's very difficult not to write something that somebody, somewhere hasn't already experienced, and not be writing fantasy. Authors tend to be a little more observant of people and environment, it's a sixth sense that hunts out potential story lines or character traits, and it stores them in the sub-conscious for future use. If you add to that that an author always leaves a part of themselves in every book, be that an emotion, a specific phrase or word, or one of a thousand other ways, it's hardly surprising that there will be some familiarity to the reader; even if you've only left an inherited trait shared by other members of your family. 

Writing 'what you know' is one thing, but you'll be amazed how much more you get to know with a decent amount of research. 

It's really ironic that your first 'hater' will be from within your family, friends and colleagues!  :-) But it's also kinda logical.

To date, ALL of my hate mail (that's probably a bit strong) has come from that group - then again, maybe I haven't sold that many copies outside of that group - dammit.

In reviews, where the reviewer has mentioned that the authors 'personal experience is evident', (or words to that effect), I take it as a real compliment, even if there is no personal experience, or true event, behind it/them. So, despite the fact that one of your stories may cost you a friend, family or colleague, you could lose them to a compliment.

I'm only mentioning this because it is something that had never occurred to me, nor did it occur to anyone else to warn me about it.

Anyway, there's a new story coming people, 23,000 words into an American Drug/political thriller,  it's gonna get messy.

http://www.ajwilsonbooks.net/

https://www.facebook.com/andrewj.wilson.3

ajwilsonbooks@gmail.com

Elementals - The editing begins...

Well, it's that time again - the latest 'Work in Progress' begins the transition from my lap top to (eventually) the next Amazon publication - Yes, it's editing time. As I hand over the manuscript to Judi there is an air of excitement building in the pit of my stomach, or it could be nerves! 

This story is of Young Adult genre, sort of Harry Potter meets Indiana Jones, meets Lord of the Rings. I think I'm always nervous when I hand over the script, all the questions race through my mind... is it good enough, is it the best it can be, what if Judi doesn't like it... I still have the doubts. Strangely the doubts don't go away, ever! If you look at Russian Redemption and Invictus Part 1, they have some brilliant reviews, huge compliments from complete strangers, but it still doesn't eradicate the doubts or fears. 


Something else that doesn't help is rereading the story - not just the five or six times, that's fine, but when you get to the point that your mind 'auto corrects' spelling or grammar errors so the eye doesn't even see them, then it is time to stop, it is no longer effective or efficient. But it is so bloody frustrating.


Anyway, the WiP - Elementals. We start the editing phase, and I hate it. When the sections come back with red ink all over the place I feel depressed - we're not talking throwing myself off a tall building depressed, more of 'humph, how did I get that so wrong' depressed. I dream of the day I'll submit a manuscript to Judi and it comes back with almost no red writing highlighting my errors - I fear we are a way off from that place. On the upside, at least it stops Judi from getting bored, eh? I absolutely loved writing it though, probably more than any I've written to date. To immerse myself into a child based fantasy was like washing off forty years of grown up. To reconnect with an innocence that sees the world a whole lot differently than adults, and to be able to walk, talk and observe the world without the burden of real life was exhilarating. I had the help of my twelve year old daughter to keep me 'young' as we planned story boards, explored scenario's and recorded details through the eye's of a child, another fantastic experience - talk about role reversal!


There also seems to be a bit of a perception that a YA story requires less research - this is completely untrue. As an author there is a responsibility to have just as much detail as any other book, the challenge is to communicate it in an appropriate manner. Why? Well, it is my view that a good book fuels the imagination of the reader, and no one has an imagination quite like youngsters. My writing is fiction, it's not real, but I love to weave the story's with facts, with real locations, with actual truisms; during a recent visit to the Amazon forums I saw a poster called Anna Karenina describe the difference between fiction and fantasy as being:-

"One hasn't happened, but could - the other hasn't happened and can't"

And that is why I research so much, I want the reader to think 'hmmm, this could be true', it brings a different dimension to the story.

An example is a book titled 'View from the 6th Floor - an Oswald Story' by Elizabeth Horton-Newton. A really enjoyable read that makes various references to the JFK assassination; it's not a conspiracy theory story, it's a kind of romance between old friends but suggests enough fact to make the reader ask 'did it happen that way?', it certainly lays it out in a manner that suggests that it could have - and that's a great achievement from a book.

That is the same reaction I want from readers of my books, I want them to be drawn into the story, invest in the characters, and have enough fact to anchor them to the real world, whilst encouraging the imagination to wander outside of the confines, to explore alternative avenues, not quite alternative realities.... yet.

So now Elementals starts to breathe. With Judi's skills and advice the story of Granddad Bert and the family adventure will take on it's own life, released onto the Amazon stage to do it's own thing. (hopefully before Christmas). Now I have to look at cover options and the other peripheral requirements needed to complete the wrap and pack. If anybody fancies reading an Advance Review Copy let me know.

Onwards and upwards! 


http://www.ajwilsonbooks.net/
ajwilsonbooks@gjmail.com

Listening to advice is completely different to following that advice...

Inside the world of Authordom there are many, many people that will offer advice, most without being asked for it. As a new, up & coming author there is often the temptation to blindly follow advice given by successful authors, after all if it worked for them.....

Well, I'm going to disagree with this (to a degree). For me writing is a very personal thing, it is a selfish passion. I don't know where the story's come from, how they get into my head, but when they arrive, they arrive with a forceful presence that insists on making it onto the page. This is my world, I can make anyone do anything in the story, an alternative reality - if you haven't written a book you will have no idea of just how much fun that can be. I've heard some people refer to a book as 'art' - I'm not entirely sure that this is accurate, it's certainly not the way I feel, but that's just my personal opinion. However, a story should be very personal to the author; I don't see how an author can expect a reader to invest emotionally in a story if the author hasn't invested the emotion in the writing. My point is that, similar to a painting, it is the individuality of the artist that makes or breaks the painting; it is expressive, an extension of the person, a physical representation of the imagination - and that is why I disagree with blindly following others that have enjoyed a degree of success.

Yes, there are some base rules BUT to quote Tara Moss (taramoss.com/category/books/) "Be wary of “writing rules” and advice. Do it your way.”

Sometimes there is advice that resonates to the point of vibration, an extension of your own deepest beliefs, Joss Whedon's quote is one such piece of advice:-

“You either have to write or you shouldn’t be writing. That’s all.” ― Joss Whedon

When asked to share advice, Tina Frey offered the following:

“It’s a great lesson about not being too precious about your writing. You have to try your hardest to be at the top of your game and improve every joke you can until the last possible second, and then you have to let it go. You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it…You have to let people see what you wrote.” 

Again, I have to agree. It is a big issue with some authors, normally associated with those that refer to their book as their 'baby'. Accept the basic fact that not everyone is going to like your book. It is pointless trying to change the mind of a reviewer, they've formed their opinion based on their own thoughts (ideally), if they don't agree with yours, so what? Let it go people.

An interesting pearl of wisdom from an American authoress, Joyce Carol Oates, published since 1963, suggests "Technique holds a reader from sentence to sentence, but only content will stay in his mind.” ― Joyce Carol Oates Yep, gets my vote too.

For my favourite of all I go back to Tara Moss, 

“Write. Start writing today. Start writing right now. Don’t write it right, just write it –and then make it right later. Give yourself the mental freedom to enjoy the process, because the process of writing is a long one...” ― Tara Moss

In my head I am writing pretty much all of the time, but unfortunately my day job would take umbrage if I just sat and wrote in their time. I don't have the opportunity to write, write and write, and strangely enough I think this is a good thing. I love writing, I love the whole experience at a granular level, but it's my escapism, my place to go to get away from the real world. To the surprise of some, my day job requires a degree of brain strain, thinking on a technical level. If we presume that the day job is the leash on my mind, writing brings the euphoria like being released into a field to run around. But if I lived in that field I'd never be able to capture that euphoria again.

Anyway, there are some other advisory jewels offered in the full piece, but remember these are other people, with their own advice. Writing is all about letting your self be true to yourself.

www.aerogrammestudio.com/2013/07/19/23-tips-from-famous-writers-for-new-and-emerging-authors/

I hope some of it helps.

www.ajwilsonbooks.net/