I've been struggling for a long long time to finish up Adventure Hunters: Time Judged All. It has taken me so much longer than I expected and I've encountered difficulties I never thought of. But one of the things I've noticed is that I'm not happy with the worldbuilding. Considering this is a sequel, I can't exactly start from scratch. Anything I change in TJA will have to be changed in Similitude as well to create consistency. With that in mind, I've decided to unpublish Similitude until I finish the sequel to a point where I am happy with it. That may mean changing Similitude only a little or it could lead to a major rewrite. The main part of my worldbuilding that I'm unhappy with is that I want it to be more Science Fantasy, with much more technology and such. Right now the world of DosShell lies in the realm of Low Fantasy. If there are any fans of Adventure Hunters, I hope you aren't disappointed with this. I do intend to get the sequel written. But until then, I'll shelve DosShell and the adventures of Artorius, Regina, and Lisa. Other websites have reviews of Similitude and I feel I need to be clear that it will be unavailable until Time Judged All is finished. As always, thank you for reading.
Showing posts with label Adventure Hunters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adventure Hunters. Show all posts
15 January 2022
18 September 2016
Excalibur Books Asked, I Answered
In anticipation of my newest novel hitting the shelves, Excalibur Books asked me some questions about it. Without further ado, here's what I had to say.
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background? Sure. I'm a SF fan living in Japan. I taught English in the Japanese public school system at the junior high school level for five years. I'm no longer a teacher but I still live in Japan. When I'm not working or writing, you can usually catch me watching movies.
What genre are your books? Zero Sum Game is a science fiction novel; and my first book Adventure Hunters: Similitude is fantasy. That's all I have released so far.
What draws you to these genres? Despite growing up in the nature and beauty of Wyoming, I love science fiction. I love the escapism, SF's uses to explore social issues, its glimpses into the possible what-ifs futures, and of course the cool tech.
What was the main inspiration for Zero Sum Game? I wanted to write a SF/superheroine novel where the protagonist's powers are derived from her school uniform. In Japan, the school uniform is a big part of a student's life. Some students even choose their future high school or university based on the look of the uniform. I worked backwards from that: why does her uniform giver her super powers, where did it come from, how did she get it, and all sorts of other questions. Using that as a basis, I came up with ZSG.
Give us an insight into Hina Takamachi. What does she do that is so special? Hina was a difficult character to write, much more so than her friends and teachers and other minor characters in the novel. I wanted her to be a good girl but certainly not a Mary Sue. One thing I wanted her to be was athletic. I originally made her a volleyball player but I changed it to her being an Olympic weightlifter. I wanted to show that girls could be strong and still like fashion and be somewhat girly and have friends that support her activities. Olympic athlete Kanae Yagi was a big inspiration for Hina.
What aspects of Japanese culture do you include in your fiction? Deciding to make Hina a junior high student was a difficult choice. I didn't want ZSG to be a young adult novel but I wasn't sure if such a young main character could sell a book. If I had made her high school or college-aged, it might have been easier. But I had only taught junior high students. I specifically wanted to include lesser-known aspects of school life and culture that most people might not know. The hardest part was trying to figure out what I could explain in the book, and what would slow it down too much and best be left as notes and annotations on my website.
What's it like being a non-Japanese author living and writing in Japan? It's interesting to say the least! By being a bit of an outsider I think I'm able to observe things a bit differently than natives. I hope I can further add touches of culture and traditions to my works set in Japan. What's been the most difficult is that most of my Japanese friends don't read English, so they can't read my books! I hope to have them translated into Japanese one day.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? That is a tough one and something I have thought about. I based Hina's look on Kanae Yagi and a model named Mana Yuzuki. But both are too old now to play Hina in a movie. I'm not sure who the most current actresses are in Hina's age range but I think Morning Musume '16's Miki Nonaka would be a good fit.
What else have you written? The aforementioned Adventure Hunters: Similitude; as well as a variety of articles for the Star Trek international fan group the 1701st, In Genre, and the magazine Preview, which is distributed on a military base here in Japan.
Where can we buy or see them? Both novels are available on Amazon in ebook and paperback formats. Zero Sum Game can be found here and Adventure Hunters: Similitude is here.
Which writers inspire you? Christopher L. Bennett and Stephen Baxter for incorporating hard science into their books. Bennett's original novel Only Superhuman is a recommended book that mixes superheroes and hard science. Manifold: Time by Baxter has always stuck with me. Neil Gaiman uses words in a magical way. I love his style and prose. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I love Jeffery Deaver for his thriller twist and turns that take you by surprise, even though the clues were there all along. I recommend his novel The Cold Moon. And of course the King, as in Stephen. When I'm unsure how to write something, I look at how he does it. On Writing is my writing bible.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured? Like almost all authors it seems I never have enough time to write! When I am writing a first draft, I try to get 500 words a day done. If I know I can't or I'm in the editing and rewriting phase, I try to work for half an hour every day. I find my best writing time usually starts around 10am, but I can only write at night because of my job. On my days off work I try to write in the morning.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? I am definitely a plotter. I tried writing a story with no outline and just got lost after the first act. I'm very particular about my outlines because I am a stickler for structure. I guess that comes from writing screenplays before I started writing novels. For short stories, while I may have a specific scene or goal in mind, I usually don't outline them.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Ebooks. Lately I have read and bought more paperbacks but I like the portability of ebooks. I can fit a thousand books in my pocket.
What book/s are you reading at present? Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Seas by Jules Verne, who was also born on my birthday.
Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? Yes. After the first draft is done, I usually wait six weeks before returning to it. I have the day marked on my calendar. I try to start a new project and forget about the draft but it usually sits in the back of my mind.
Who edited your book and how did you select him/her? Nikki Bennett, a fabulous YA author and friend, edited my book for me. We met at a writer's meeting and she had already self-published several books.
Who designed your book cover/s? Steph's Cover Design. She also did great work on Excalibur's Voice trilogy and The Mists of Osorezan.
What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? Without a doubt, marketing. That is the biggest disadvantage for self-publishing and the biggest advantage for traditional. Marketing is a social and selling trade and most authors just aren't like that. Another advantage of traditional publishing is having a cover artist/designer. There are, sadly, some tremendously horrible self-made covers out there. The biggest advantage for self-publishing is creative control. You can write as niche as you want and not worry about editors telling you "It won't sell." As a reader, that adds a whole lot a variety to your reading.
How do you relax? Watching movies, usually at home on my days off. I average about two a week. And I love going to the Japanese movie theater a lot more than an American theater. It's a lot more subdued and easygoing.
How can readers discover more about you and you work? Follow me on my social media accounts. Don't be shy about leaving reviews, likes, or comments. I want to hear from my readers and interact with them.
Social Media Links
Resonant Blue (blog)
Facebook Page
Twitter
Amazon Author Page
Instagram
I'd like to thank Excalibur Books for the interview and I hope you enjoyed it. As always, thank you for reading.
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background? Sure. I'm a SF fan living in Japan. I taught English in the Japanese public school system at the junior high school level for five years. I'm no longer a teacher but I still live in Japan. When I'm not working or writing, you can usually catch me watching movies.
What genre are your books? Zero Sum Game is a science fiction novel; and my first book Adventure Hunters: Similitude is fantasy. That's all I have released so far.
What draws you to these genres? Despite growing up in the nature and beauty of Wyoming, I love science fiction. I love the escapism, SF's uses to explore social issues, its glimpses into the possible what-ifs futures, and of course the cool tech.
What was the main inspiration for Zero Sum Game? I wanted to write a SF/superheroine novel where the protagonist's powers are derived from her school uniform. In Japan, the school uniform is a big part of a student's life. Some students even choose their future high school or university based on the look of the uniform. I worked backwards from that: why does her uniform giver her super powers, where did it come from, how did she get it, and all sorts of other questions. Using that as a basis, I came up with ZSG.
 |
| Kanae Yagi at the 2016 Rio Olympics |
What aspects of Japanese culture do you include in your fiction? Deciding to make Hina a junior high student was a difficult choice. I didn't want ZSG to be a young adult novel but I wasn't sure if such a young main character could sell a book. If I had made her high school or college-aged, it might have been easier. But I had only taught junior high students. I specifically wanted to include lesser-known aspects of school life and culture that most people might not know. The hardest part was trying to figure out what I could explain in the book, and what would slow it down too much and best be left as notes and annotations on my website.
What's it like being a non-Japanese author living and writing in Japan? It's interesting to say the least! By being a bit of an outsider I think I'm able to observe things a bit differently than natives. I hope I can further add touches of culture and traditions to my works set in Japan. What's been the most difficult is that most of my Japanese friends don't read English, so they can't read my books! I hope to have them translated into Japanese one day.
 |
| Starring...Miki Nonaka? |
What else have you written? The aforementioned Adventure Hunters: Similitude; as well as a variety of articles for the Star Trek international fan group the 1701st, In Genre, and the magazine Preview, which is distributed on a military base here in Japan.
Where can we buy or see them? Both novels are available on Amazon in ebook and paperback formats. Zero Sum Game can be found here and Adventure Hunters: Similitude is here.
Which writers inspire you? Christopher L. Bennett and Stephen Baxter for incorporating hard science into their books. Bennett's original novel Only Superhuman is a recommended book that mixes superheroes and hard science. Manifold: Time by Baxter has always stuck with me. Neil Gaiman uses words in a magical way. I love his style and prose. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I love Jeffery Deaver for his thriller twist and turns that take you by surprise, even though the clues were there all along. I recommend his novel The Cold Moon. And of course the King, as in Stephen. When I'm unsure how to write something, I look at how he does it. On Writing is my writing bible.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured? Like almost all authors it seems I never have enough time to write! When I am writing a first draft, I try to get 500 words a day done. If I know I can't or I'm in the editing and rewriting phase, I try to work for half an hour every day. I find my best writing time usually starts around 10am, but I can only write at night because of my job. On my days off work I try to write in the morning.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? I am definitely a plotter. I tried writing a story with no outline and just got lost after the first act. I'm very particular about my outlines because I am a stickler for structure. I guess that comes from writing screenplays before I started writing novels. For short stories, while I may have a specific scene or goal in mind, I usually don't outline them.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Ebooks. Lately I have read and bought more paperbacks but I like the portability of ebooks. I can fit a thousand books in my pocket.
What book/s are you reading at present? Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Seas by Jules Verne, who was also born on my birthday.
Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? Yes. After the first draft is done, I usually wait six weeks before returning to it. I have the day marked on my calendar. I try to start a new project and forget about the draft but it usually sits in the back of my mind.
Who edited your book and how did you select him/her? Nikki Bennett, a fabulous YA author and friend, edited my book for me. We met at a writer's meeting and she had already self-published several books.
Who designed your book cover/s? Steph's Cover Design. She also did great work on Excalibur's Voice trilogy and The Mists of Osorezan.
What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? Without a doubt, marketing. That is the biggest disadvantage for self-publishing and the biggest advantage for traditional. Marketing is a social and selling trade and most authors just aren't like that. Another advantage of traditional publishing is having a cover artist/designer. There are, sadly, some tremendously horrible self-made covers out there. The biggest advantage for self-publishing is creative control. You can write as niche as you want and not worry about editors telling you "It won't sell." As a reader, that adds a whole lot a variety to your reading.
How do you relax? Watching movies, usually at home on my days off. I average about two a week. And I love going to the Japanese movie theater a lot more than an American theater. It's a lot more subdued and easygoing.
How can readers discover more about you and you work? Follow me on my social media accounts. Don't be shy about leaving reviews, likes, or comments. I want to hear from my readers and interact with them.
Social Media Links
Resonant Blue (blog)
Facebook Page
Amazon Author Page
I'd like to thank Excalibur Books for the interview and I hope you enjoyed it. As always, thank you for reading.
28 March 2016
Adventure Hunters: Similitude Update
Hello everyone!
Independent authors are always learning of and trying new ways to get book in front of readers. And if we ask ten different marketing experts how to do that, we'll get ten different responses.
In an attempt to try something new to help promote Adventure Hunters: Similitude, I am, for the time being, making it an Amazon exclusive. The ebook version will only be available via the Kindle Store. This doesn't mean exclusively to the Kindle device, as long as you have a Kindle reading app on an iPad or other device, you can still purchase the novel. The print version will still be available through Amazon and CreateSpace.
I'm doing this for several reasons. Amazon offers quite a few incentives for authors. Plus, I now have one centralized location to control the marketing of my book, as opposed to logging into the various sites for various distribution. Most of my previous sales (thank you, readers!) have come from Amazon. My second place distributor was Barnes and Noble and that was a distant second. Also, when potential readers asked me where they could buy Adventure Hunters, the first place I said was Amazon. Everyone knows it and almost everyone has shopped there at least once.
There you have it. I'll probably have Similitude as Amazon only for the rest of the year and see how sales pan out. Maybe it will work. Maybe it won't. Maybe it will stay the same.
Happy reading!
Independent authors are always learning of and trying new ways to get book in front of readers. And if we ask ten different marketing experts how to do that, we'll get ten different responses.
In an attempt to try something new to help promote Adventure Hunters: Similitude, I am, for the time being, making it an Amazon exclusive. The ebook version will only be available via the Kindle Store. This doesn't mean exclusively to the Kindle device, as long as you have a Kindle reading app on an iPad or other device, you can still purchase the novel. The print version will still be available through Amazon and CreateSpace.
I'm doing this for several reasons. Amazon offers quite a few incentives for authors. Plus, I now have one centralized location to control the marketing of my book, as opposed to logging into the various sites for various distribution. Most of my previous sales (thank you, readers!) have come from Amazon. My second place distributor was Barnes and Noble and that was a distant second. Also, when potential readers asked me where they could buy Adventure Hunters, the first place I said was Amazon. Everyone knows it and almost everyone has shopped there at least once.
There you have it. I'll probably have Similitude as Amazon only for the rest of the year and see how sales pan out. Maybe it will work. Maybe it won't. Maybe it will stay the same.
Happy reading!
04 June 2014
A Three-Year Adventure
After almost three years, I feel Adventure Hunters: Similitude, my debut fantasy novel, is finished. While it took nearly seven years from idea to printed form, it has taken almost three years to get to the point where I have to let it go and have it live on its own.
As many of my constant readers know, this book was originally published in 2012, and only in ebook form. It did ok, I got a few sales and a couple of reviews. Quite a few sample downloads on Smashwords, but nothing spectacular sales-wise. After I signed with Mountain Springs House, the book was rewritten, edited, and given a new cover and subtitle. But after numerous delays and other difficulties with MSH, which pushed back publication by almost a year, I left the company and re-released my book.
The first edition was only available as an ebook. This time, I have gone through CreateSpace and made a paperback version. The first time I held the proof copy in my hands, I was so excited. I did my geeky happy author dance. After correcting the errors I had found, and reviewing a second proof, I hit the “approve” button and sent the paperback version out into the market.
I feel that I can finally let go of this piece and move on. Of course I have been writing other novels, like the upcoming Zero Sum Game, but Similitude has felt that it was always on the back burner, trying to get out. Now I can move forward. I will always be marketing and promoting it, but there will not be any more changes or editions. I feel it is finished and needs to stand on its own. I wish it the best of luck.
If you read it, please leave a review at your favorite site, on the Similitude Facebook Page, or on this blog. The adventures of Artorius, Regina, and Lisa aren’t over quite yet. You’ll be seeing them again.
Thanks for reading.
As many of my constant readers know, this book was originally published in 2012, and only in ebook form. It did ok, I got a few sales and a couple of reviews. Quite a few sample downloads on Smashwords, but nothing spectacular sales-wise. After I signed with Mountain Springs House, the book was rewritten, edited, and given a new cover and subtitle. But after numerous delays and other difficulties with MSH, which pushed back publication by almost a year, I left the company and re-released my book.
The first edition was only available as an ebook. This time, I have gone through CreateSpace and made a paperback version. The first time I held the proof copy in my hands, I was so excited. I did my geeky happy author dance. After correcting the errors I had found, and reviewing a second proof, I hit the “approve” button and sent the paperback version out into the market.
I feel that I can finally let go of this piece and move on. Of course I have been writing other novels, like the upcoming Zero Sum Game, but Similitude has felt that it was always on the back burner, trying to get out. Now I can move forward. I will always be marketing and promoting it, but there will not be any more changes or editions. I feel it is finished and needs to stand on its own. I wish it the best of luck.
If you read it, please leave a review at your favorite site, on the Similitude Facebook Page, or on this blog. The adventures of Artorius, Regina, and Lisa aren’t over quite yet. You’ll be seeing them again.
Thanks for reading.
10 July 2013
MSH Blog Tour: Week 7 - Interview
Here is what we were told to do for week 7 of the MSH blog tour: "Character Interview. Interview your main character - or characters. BE creative people you are writers after all." I'll give it my best shot. This interview is with Artorius, one of the main characters of Adventure Hunters. The episode below is mentioned in the novel and I thought I would expand upon it.
The following is a transcript of a prisoner interview. Officers: Commander Kee and Ensign Booker. Prisoner: Artorius.
PLACE: Jail Wing, Constable Station 3
Kee: What's your name, son?
Artorius: Artorius.
(Prisoner has Sigil Of Disgrace branded on left cheek. Letters HY) Kee: I don't recognize that Sigil. What was your kingdom?
Artorius: Hyion, sir.
Kee: Hyion? King Valdore's kingdom, right?
Artorius: Yes.
*************************
PLACE: Jail Wing, Constable Station 3
Kee: What's your name, son?
Artorius: Artorius.
(Prisoner has Sigil Of Disgrace branded on left cheek. Letters HY) Kee: I don't recognize that Sigil. What was your kingdom?
Artorius: Hyion, sir.
Kee: Hyion? King Valdore's kingdom, right?
Artorius: Yes.
Kee: What did you do?
Artorius: I was accused of attempting a coup. I tried to stop it, not start it.
Kee: Hmm. You know why you're here?
Artorius: Wearing Paladin armor is illegal for Sigil Bearers.
Kee: How long have you been in Vaneer?
Artorius: Six months, sir.
Kee: And you hadn't been caught until now? You don't exactly blend into a crowd.
Artorius:: Your patrols are a little weak. Ensign Booker here often overlooks the meat district. Two patrols cover the northeast corners but you need more men between the Temple of Runa and the outskirts. A variation in timing between sweeps, as well as in officer rotations might improve your vigilance rate. Sir.
Booker: I swear…I've never seen this man before. I don know how he-
(To Ensign Booker) Kee: Shut it. (To Prisoner) You know our routines pretty good. Personnel, too, it seems.
Artorius: Habit.
Kee: Come on out. Got some more questions for you. Get those cuffs off him. (Prisoner demonstrates that restraints have already been removed, most likely picked by prisoner himself) Ain't you a corker.
(Interrogation moved)
PLACE: Reception area of Constable Station 3
Kee: With skills like that, you could be quite the mercenary.
Artorius: That doesn't appeal to me
Kee: why not?
Artorius: It's not how things are done.
Kee: Really? Many of your… in your situation have stepped outside the law. Mercenaries, assassins…
Artorius:: I…I won't go that route.
Kee: Is it that simple?
Artorius: I admit, since my… I use to think in black and white. But to survive… The world is many shades of gray.
Kee: Many shades of gray… I like that. Your armor isn't all sparkly. You were involved that house fire last night, weren't you?
Artorius:: Yes, sir.
Kee: You raced in, got those two children out, while the fire department just stood back and said nothing could be done. (sighs). You put me in quite a pickle, son. A pickle. And I don't like pickles, either these or the vegetables. I been at this job a long time. I know a man when looking him in the eyes. and yours are trustworthy. you may be a Sigil Bearer but I don't think it was warranted. Maybe you'll tell me in time. (Ensign Booker attempts to talk) Shut it, Booker. (To prisoner) Now here is the deal. You don't bother us, we don't bother you. You did a great service saving those little ones last night. The parents are grateful and so am I. Stay low and stay clean. Got it?
Artorius: Yes sir. Thank you.
Kee: Now get out of here.
(Prisoner is released)
End of interview.
*************************
I hope you enjoyed this little exercise. If you want to know more about Artorius, be sure to check out Adventure Hunters when it is released by Mountain Springs House. As always, thanks for reading.
28 November 2012
The Novel Reuploaded
In a post on Facebook, an author asked whether he should take down his novel and rewrite parts of it based on the two negative reviews he received. It got me thinking about revising and when is enough is enough.
When a physical book is printed, it's finished. Whatever mistakes there are (forgotten characters, confusing plot lines, no period after every sentence) rests with the author. Yes, an editor reads it, and works with the author to make the book the best it can be. But they can only do so much, they have deadlines to meet and solicitations to make and the book must be published. Once it hits the printing press for mass distribution, it's out of the author's hands and into the reader's.
Ebooks are different. They can uploaded as many times as needed, and the newest version is the one that gets put on the virtual shelves. This allows the author to continually revise their story; fix spelling mistakes, add chapter titles, replace every period with a heart, whatever needs to be done to the novel.
But is this the best thing to do? I don't think so. I do admit that reuploading is sometimes necessary. It happened to me with Adventure Hunters. I admit, when I uploaded it the first time in January, I was too hasty. I didn't have anyone proofread it or hire any beta readers. A friend of mine downloaded it and later emailed me about all of the mistakes and inconsistencies that were in it. I took it down and went through all of his corrections, cursing myself for missing these. I must have read those passages dozens of times, how could I have missed all these mistakes? I was also unhappy with the cover and decided to redo it.
After fixing the mistakes I debated whether to rewrite some passages. I had some worldbuilding ideas I had thought of after the initial publication, but I held off. I added a few lines mentioning the three main religions of DosShell but I decided to save my ideas for the sequel (yes, there will be a sequel to Adventure Hunters). I did this for two reasons: I thought with more time, I could improve my worldbuilding and add more details to my world, and I would have more material for my sequel, possibly making it better than the first one. Also, I felt doing major rewrites would just end up hurting my novel.
Which brings me to: when is enough is enough? At some point, the next draft of your novel is going to make it worse, not better. There comes a point when the author needs to put down his laptop and let the story stand on its own. There will always be parts of a story we don't like; scenes that could be better or characters that could use strengthening, a hundred other things. But eventually you have to send your baby out into the world and let it face reality. I'm not saying you should never fix a novel after it is uploaded. If you catch misspellings or a person's name changes throughout the novel, or the cover isn't good enough, fix it. Slight cosmetic changes are okay. Rewriting large chunks or restructuring the third act shouldn't be done.
What about rewrites based on negative reviews? Again, I don't think so. If you are fortune enough to have an editor or a couple of proofreaders or beta readers, they will hopefully catch any mistakes before it goes to print (real or virtual). However, you can't please all of the people all of the time. What one reviewer hates may be the favorite thing about your book for another reviewer. If you are consistently getting negative comments about the same thing from multiple reviewers, maybe you should look at the problem. They may be right. But if you don't agree, it's a wash and the decision goes to the writer.
I also don't advocate multiple uploads with major revisions because of people who have already bought your book. If they don't like your novel in the first place, they will most likely not buy it again. If two friends are discussing your book and there are differences because they read different versions, it may make them decide not to read you again. Would you trust an author who seemed like he couldn't make up his mind about what he wanted to put in his book? Even though most revised editions are free to download again if you bought the book once, will you read it again just to discover one line was added? Probably not.
If you feel you need to rewrite major portions of the book, I'd suggest uploading it as a different edition. Maybe market it as the "unabridged version" or "expanded and uncut" or something along those lines. "The definitive author's edition" sounds good. In this case, it lets a reader know that substantial changes were made.
As always, thanks for reading.
When a physical book is printed, it's finished. Whatever mistakes there are (forgotten characters, confusing plot lines, no period after every sentence) rests with the author. Yes, an editor reads it, and works with the author to make the book the best it can be. But they can only do so much, they have deadlines to meet and solicitations to make and the book must be published. Once it hits the printing press for mass distribution, it's out of the author's hands and into the reader's.
Ebooks are different. They can uploaded as many times as needed, and the newest version is the one that gets put on the virtual shelves. This allows the author to continually revise their story; fix spelling mistakes, add chapter titles, replace every period with a heart, whatever needs to be done to the novel.
But is this the best thing to do? I don't think so. I do admit that reuploading is sometimes necessary. It happened to me with Adventure Hunters. I admit, when I uploaded it the first time in January, I was too hasty. I didn't have anyone proofread it or hire any beta readers. A friend of mine downloaded it and later emailed me about all of the mistakes and inconsistencies that were in it. I took it down and went through all of his corrections, cursing myself for missing these. I must have read those passages dozens of times, how could I have missed all these mistakes? I was also unhappy with the cover and decided to redo it.
After fixing the mistakes I debated whether to rewrite some passages. I had some worldbuilding ideas I had thought of after the initial publication, but I held off. I added a few lines mentioning the three main religions of DosShell but I decided to save my ideas for the sequel (yes, there will be a sequel to Adventure Hunters). I did this for two reasons: I thought with more time, I could improve my worldbuilding and add more details to my world, and I would have more material for my sequel, possibly making it better than the first one. Also, I felt doing major rewrites would just end up hurting my novel.
Which brings me to: when is enough is enough? At some point, the next draft of your novel is going to make it worse, not better. There comes a point when the author needs to put down his laptop and let the story stand on its own. There will always be parts of a story we don't like; scenes that could be better or characters that could use strengthening, a hundred other things. But eventually you have to send your baby out into the world and let it face reality. I'm not saying you should never fix a novel after it is uploaded. If you catch misspellings or a person's name changes throughout the novel, or the cover isn't good enough, fix it. Slight cosmetic changes are okay. Rewriting large chunks or restructuring the third act shouldn't be done.
What about rewrites based on negative reviews? Again, I don't think so. If you are fortune enough to have an editor or a couple of proofreaders or beta readers, they will hopefully catch any mistakes before it goes to print (real or virtual). However, you can't please all of the people all of the time. What one reviewer hates may be the favorite thing about your book for another reviewer. If you are consistently getting negative comments about the same thing from multiple reviewers, maybe you should look at the problem. They may be right. But if you don't agree, it's a wash and the decision goes to the writer.
I also don't advocate multiple uploads with major revisions because of people who have already bought your book. If they don't like your novel in the first place, they will most likely not buy it again. If two friends are discussing your book and there are differences because they read different versions, it may make them decide not to read you again. Would you trust an author who seemed like he couldn't make up his mind about what he wanted to put in his book? Even though most revised editions are free to download again if you bought the book once, will you read it again just to discover one line was added? Probably not.
If you feel you need to rewrite major portions of the book, I'd suggest uploading it as a different edition. Maybe market it as the "unabridged version" or "expanded and uncut" or something along those lines. "The definitive author's edition" sounds good. In this case, it lets a reader know that substantial changes were made.
As always, thanks for reading.
15 March 2012
Outlining
In an earlier post I touched on outlining and structure, and I'd like to talk more about them here. I'm not trying to give advice, especially being a novice writer. I'm just telling what I do. Most of what I learned about writing comes from Syd Field's book Screenplay and Stephen King's On Writing. I won't do a review of these books so just bear in mind that many of my habits came from these two works.
I start with an outline, a road map of my story. It isn't long, usually not more than four pages. I begin with a log line, a short descriptive overview of the story, the kind of thing you would find in TV Guide or such; usually only one or two sentences long. After that I figure out four things: opening, ending, Plot Point 1 and Plot Point 2 (PP1 and PP2, for short). These are the main parts of my story, the road signs that tell it what direction to take.
The opening and ending are fairly straightforward: what is the hero doing at the beginning of the story before they get into their situation; do they win in the end or lose? These are usually pretty easy to figure out.
PP1 and PP2 aren't quite so easy. In a two hour movie these usually happen about thirty minutes and ninety minutes, respectively, into the movie. These are the points where the hero (or heroes) have to make their decisions or something drastic happens to them at this point. Often in action movies PP1 is when the hero learns what the villain has done or trying to do and PP2 is when the hero is caught or when the villain has almost started his final plan. Once I figure out these two points, I have signs to direct my story towards. As I think and write my outline these may change over time but the function of them don't. They are there to anchor my story. In Adventure Hunters, the opening is the three adventurers in the ruin, the ending is telling their last story, PP1 is deciding to search for the Lambda Driver and PP2 is when the golems are activated.
After figuring out those four points, I write an outline, having split my story into three acts. Act 1 ends with PP1, Act 2 ends with PP2 and Act 3 ends when the story ends. I then write fourteen "scenes" for each act, rough outlines of all the major scenes in my story. These descriptions are brief and don't include every detail, they are just general outlines to give me a rough idea of what my story will be like. This is, without a doubt, the hardest part for me, especially Act 2. Syd Field calls writing the outline (or treatment) a "kick in the pants" exercise. Now I have to take my half-baked idea and turn it into a narrative.
I don't have every detail worked out, only the major parts. There are many things I'll leave blank and figure out as I am writing the story. Some take me by surprise. An example of this is in Adventure Hunters when the three heroes go to meet the gargoyles. My outline had it written as a very straightforward "gather their collective breath and get information" series of scenes. But as I was writing their journey through the forest I needed more tension. I needed a character to be scared of the gargoyles who lived in the forest. Neither Regina or Artorius fit the bill, it wasn't in their character. That left Lisa. So as I wrote the scenes, I made her first be angry and racist towards the gargoyles. But that didn't work, so I changed it into a fear bordering on a phobia. But why was she scared? I eventually wrote a scene explaining why, tying it in with a traumatic experience with her parents from her childhood. This was something I never planned on when I created Lisa and wasn't in my original outline, it grew as I was writing and was a pleasant surprise.
Syd Field says to write a four page outline, Stephen King makes it up as he goes along, and Jeffery Deaver writes 100-200 page outlines for his stories, knowing every twist and turn along the way. I'm aiming for somewhere in the middle. Without an outline I write about thirty pages and get lost and frustrated, I've done it before. But a 100 or 200 pages outline? I might as well just write the novel. Deaver is a thriller writer and a master of plot twists, he needs to know every twist and turn in advance to make sure everything fits together. There are merits to all three approaches, I think.
After I'm happy with my outline and hopefully find it without too many plot holes, I'll start writing. I refer to my outline and use it as a map but it isn't gospel, I'll change it if I think something else works better. Along with my outline I have a word count I try to shoot for. Again, this number isn't gospel or ironclad but if I get close to it I'm happy. I think it helps me out, knowing that I'm inching closer to a goal and giving me a feeling of accomplishment. However, I won't write just to fill up a word count, if my story ends and I have nothing else to say, it ends. I don't want to stuff it with useless filler.
So there you are, a glimpse into my writing process. Of course I'm new at this so I'm sure my habits will change the more I write. If any other readers out there would be willing to share their process I'd love to read them, just write in the comments box. As always, thanks for reading.
I start with an outline, a road map of my story. It isn't long, usually not more than four pages. I begin with a log line, a short descriptive overview of the story, the kind of thing you would find in TV Guide or such; usually only one or two sentences long. After that I figure out four things: opening, ending, Plot Point 1 and Plot Point 2 (PP1 and PP2, for short). These are the main parts of my story, the road signs that tell it what direction to take.
The opening and ending are fairly straightforward: what is the hero doing at the beginning of the story before they get into their situation; do they win in the end or lose? These are usually pretty easy to figure out.
PP1 and PP2 aren't quite so easy. In a two hour movie these usually happen about thirty minutes and ninety minutes, respectively, into the movie. These are the points where the hero (or heroes) have to make their decisions or something drastic happens to them at this point. Often in action movies PP1 is when the hero learns what the villain has done or trying to do and PP2 is when the hero is caught or when the villain has almost started his final plan. Once I figure out these two points, I have signs to direct my story towards. As I think and write my outline these may change over time but the function of them don't. They are there to anchor my story. In Adventure Hunters, the opening is the three adventurers in the ruin, the ending is telling their last story, PP1 is deciding to search for the Lambda Driver and PP2 is when the golems are activated.
After figuring out those four points, I write an outline, having split my story into three acts. Act 1 ends with PP1, Act 2 ends with PP2 and Act 3 ends when the story ends. I then write fourteen "scenes" for each act, rough outlines of all the major scenes in my story. These descriptions are brief and don't include every detail, they are just general outlines to give me a rough idea of what my story will be like. This is, without a doubt, the hardest part for me, especially Act 2. Syd Field calls writing the outline (or treatment) a "kick in the pants" exercise. Now I have to take my half-baked idea and turn it into a narrative.
I don't have every detail worked out, only the major parts. There are many things I'll leave blank and figure out as I am writing the story. Some take me by surprise. An example of this is in Adventure Hunters when the three heroes go to meet the gargoyles. My outline had it written as a very straightforward "gather their collective breath and get information" series of scenes. But as I was writing their journey through the forest I needed more tension. I needed a character to be scared of the gargoyles who lived in the forest. Neither Regina or Artorius fit the bill, it wasn't in their character. That left Lisa. So as I wrote the scenes, I made her first be angry and racist towards the gargoyles. But that didn't work, so I changed it into a fear bordering on a phobia. But why was she scared? I eventually wrote a scene explaining why, tying it in with a traumatic experience with her parents from her childhood. This was something I never planned on when I created Lisa and wasn't in my original outline, it grew as I was writing and was a pleasant surprise.
Syd Field says to write a four page outline, Stephen King makes it up as he goes along, and Jeffery Deaver writes 100-200 page outlines for his stories, knowing every twist and turn along the way. I'm aiming for somewhere in the middle. Without an outline I write about thirty pages and get lost and frustrated, I've done it before. But a 100 or 200 pages outline? I might as well just write the novel. Deaver is a thriller writer and a master of plot twists, he needs to know every twist and turn in advance to make sure everything fits together. There are merits to all three approaches, I think.
After I'm happy with my outline and hopefully find it without too many plot holes, I'll start writing. I refer to my outline and use it as a map but it isn't gospel, I'll change it if I think something else works better. Along with my outline I have a word count I try to shoot for. Again, this number isn't gospel or ironclad but if I get close to it I'm happy. I think it helps me out, knowing that I'm inching closer to a goal and giving me a feeling of accomplishment. However, I won't write just to fill up a word count, if my story ends and I have nothing else to say, it ends. I don't want to stuff it with useless filler.
So there you are, a glimpse into my writing process. Of course I'm new at this so I'm sure my habits will change the more I write. If any other readers out there would be willing to share their process I'd love to read them, just write in the comments box. As always, thanks for reading.
02 March 2012
Word Count
I'm up to about 45,000 words on The Super School Uniform. I'm hoping for around 100,000. Stephen King said in his book On Writing that 180,000 is a goodish length for a book if the tale is done well and stays fresh. I don't know if I'll ever get that many words but I'm hoping as my skills improve, my word count will go up. Adventure Hunters was around 63,000 words, I'm expecting to pass that with my next novel. At 44,000 words I'm only near the halfway point on The Super School Uniform.
As I wrote screenplays, page count was always a factor I thought about. An average screenplay was about 120 pages, or a two hour movie. One page of a screenplay equaled about one minute of film. I liked having a page goal, it was something to aim for. If my screenplay was woefully short, say 80 pages, I knew to go back and add stuff, usually character-building moments. Novels are more loose, they can be as short or as long as they need to. But I like having a minimum to shoot for, like a little map to follow. Obviously my 100,000 word goal is not ironclad but it's a nice signpost to write towards.
As I wrote screenplays, page count was always a factor I thought about. An average screenplay was about 120 pages, or a two hour movie. One page of a screenplay equaled about one minute of film. I liked having a page goal, it was something to aim for. If my screenplay was woefully short, say 80 pages, I knew to go back and add stuff, usually character-building moments. Novels are more loose, they can be as short or as long as they need to. But I like having a minimum to shoot for, like a little map to follow. Obviously my 100,000 word goal is not ironclad but it's a nice signpost to write towards.
11 February 2012
Coming Next...
Not long after I finished Adventure Hunters I began the first draft of my second novel. Unlike Adventure Hunters not be adapted from a screenplay and will be my first original novel. The working title is The Super School Uniform. It's a sci-fi/superheroine tale about a Japanese schoolgirl who must stop aliens from destroying the planet. I don't want to give away more than that. I'm a little less than halfway through the first draft. I'll keep you posted.
I may also post other works here on this blog. They would be short stories, snippets, vignettes, etc. I'm not quite sure if I will do it or not. As always please leave a comment below.
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