I have officially submitted the additional chapters for the non-fiction book proposal. Waiting is not something that I do particularly well, so I look for other projects to keep my mind busy. Luckily, I am ready to work on Revision 7 of my fiction manuscript.
Writers vary widely in their approach to writing a novel. Some spend years outlining a story while others allow the story to unfold as they are writing. My process is really a little of both. That is, I allow myself a great amount of freedom during the conceptual stages, letting the story develop along with the characters. Then, I create a general outline that helps me to establish a consistent story arc. But, I also allow myself sufficient freedom during the writing process.
The result is a draft story that has a beginning, a middle and an ending, allowing me to see the potential impact of the story and where it needs work. During this initial process, I find it necessary to write some descriptions where I would much rather have dialog or action. It is a reminder to rewrite sections that show rather than tell. In the short term, I am able to continue the flow of the story without interruption, knowing that I must revise the draft.
Each revision is an attempt to insert needed elements, but it is a slow process. The balance between getting the story out versus outlining every detail is a personal preference. I am comfortable with my approach, but it is tailored to my personality. Likewise, other writers must find what works best for them.
When does this process end? It ends when I have done all that I can do to move a story forward. From that point, it either goes to a professional editor or it is submitted to agents depending on my confidence level. The threshold for acceptance is very high in today's market, so a submission should catch and hold the attention of a publisher.
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Attempting to write amid snow, noise and vampires
Today, I have a consultation call with David Sterry and Arielle Eckstut, The Book Doctors. I will pitch my fiction manuscript, Box of Dreams, to them. As I mentioned in a previous posting, I attended their "Pitchapalooza" event last month. It was a great opportunity to hear other writers pitch their manuscripts to an expert panel.
In the meantime, the non-fiction project has been slightly delayed by the blizzard. Four hours shoveling snow and a house full of wives, kids, puppies, cats and fish are not ideal conditions for writing. Just kidding. I only had one wife, one kid, one puppy and one cat at home yesterday, though it seemed like I had more at times.
I was able to finally finish reading "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. I can strike that one off my list of classics to read before I croak. I think I've now read about half of a list of 100 greatest novels of all time, depending on the list.
I realize perhaps for the first time that even classic novels are not perfect. It's a bit subjective, but it's possible to find flaws. However, classic novels are highly regarded for a variety of attributes that one may possess over the other. The reader can accept the strengths without regard for the weaknesses.
Lawrence Block talks about "suspension of disbelief" in his book entitled "Telling Lies for Fun and Profit". This is the ability of a writer to develop characters, plot and setting that are plausible for the reader. Stated differently, the reader may relate to these elements very easily. Fiction is inherently flawed by the establishment of characters, events and setting that are often far beyond the boundaries of reality. They are creations that the reader will either accept or reject. Therefore, the art of writing fiction is the ability to suspend disbelief so perfection in fiction, like reality, is not possible. The ability to convince the reader becomes a measure of the writer's ability to create plausible characters.
Bram Stoker does this with Dracula. But, I was surprised at some of the underlying themes. Somehow, in my mind, the vampire stereotype was applied to Stoker's Dracula. I never saw him as a creature to be pitied, yet Stoker does present him as a victim. It is also a love story with erotic undertones. I was most surprised at the underlying Christian theme in the story. It is a classic story of good versus evil that passes through a variety of contemporary genres.
Having participated in a writer's group for over a year, I can appreciate the value of reading a story with a critical eye. Nonetheless, I will not allow my attention to detail alter my perspective as a casual reader. That is, I will continue to enjoy a story despite the inevitable flaws that exist in any work of fiction. I enjoyed "Dracula" very much, but I can set aside the critical analysis of the work with the understanding that all fiction has strengths and weaknesses.
So, what was wrong with it? Actually, nothing is WRONG with it. It is a compelling story in which I was able to suspend disbelief. That is, I was able to visualize and relate to characters that are....at least for most of us....nonexistent. BUT, I would say that the story is relatively flat at points. The reason? In some parts, the story offers vivid images with stunning character developments while other parts are repetitive with very little action. In other words, I began to expect the same level of intensity throughout the story. The story was slightly unbalanced in this regard. The end of the story again becomes highly compressed with action and intensity, but the final events end a little too quickly for me. It seemed that Stoker was a little rushed at the end of his story.
These are minor weaknesses for a story written in the 1800's. Sadly, today's writer must maintain a level of interest among readers who are overstimulated and attention deficit. Today's reader expects consistency and highly compressed information from a novel. Nonetheless, "Dracula" belongs in the Top 100 Novels of All Times for its originality and images that continue to inspire a variety of similar stories with similar characters.
In the meantime, the non-fiction project has been slightly delayed by the blizzard. Four hours shoveling snow and a house full of wives, kids, puppies, cats and fish are not ideal conditions for writing. Just kidding. I only had one wife, one kid, one puppy and one cat at home yesterday, though it seemed like I had more at times.
I was able to finally finish reading "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. I can strike that one off my list of classics to read before I croak. I think I've now read about half of a list of 100 greatest novels of all time, depending on the list.
I realize perhaps for the first time that even classic novels are not perfect. It's a bit subjective, but it's possible to find flaws. However, classic novels are highly regarded for a variety of attributes that one may possess over the other. The reader can accept the strengths without regard for the weaknesses.
Lawrence Block talks about "suspension of disbelief" in his book entitled "Telling Lies for Fun and Profit". This is the ability of a writer to develop characters, plot and setting that are plausible for the reader. Stated differently, the reader may relate to these elements very easily. Fiction is inherently flawed by the establishment of characters, events and setting that are often far beyond the boundaries of reality. They are creations that the reader will either accept or reject. Therefore, the art of writing fiction is the ability to suspend disbelief so perfection in fiction, like reality, is not possible. The ability to convince the reader becomes a measure of the writer's ability to create plausible characters.
Bram Stoker does this with Dracula. But, I was surprised at some of the underlying themes. Somehow, in my mind, the vampire stereotype was applied to Stoker's Dracula. I never saw him as a creature to be pitied, yet Stoker does present him as a victim. It is also a love story with erotic undertones. I was most surprised at the underlying Christian theme in the story. It is a classic story of good versus evil that passes through a variety of contemporary genres.
Having participated in a writer's group for over a year, I can appreciate the value of reading a story with a critical eye. Nonetheless, I will not allow my attention to detail alter my perspective as a casual reader. That is, I will continue to enjoy a story despite the inevitable flaws that exist in any work of fiction. I enjoyed "Dracula" very much, but I can set aside the critical analysis of the work with the understanding that all fiction has strengths and weaknesses.
So, what was wrong with it? Actually, nothing is WRONG with it. It is a compelling story in which I was able to suspend disbelief. That is, I was able to visualize and relate to characters that are....at least for most of us....nonexistent. BUT, I would say that the story is relatively flat at points. The reason? In some parts, the story offers vivid images with stunning character developments while other parts are repetitive with very little action. In other words, I began to expect the same level of intensity throughout the story. The story was slightly unbalanced in this regard. The end of the story again becomes highly compressed with action and intensity, but the final events end a little too quickly for me. It seemed that Stoker was a little rushed at the end of his story.
These are minor weaknesses for a story written in the 1800's. Sadly, today's writer must maintain a level of interest among readers who are overstimulated and attention deficit. Today's reader expects consistency and highly compressed information from a novel. Nonetheless, "Dracula" belongs in the Top 100 Novels of All Times for its originality and images that continue to inspire a variety of similar stories with similar characters.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Draft first pages
The writer's group offered some very good comments on my first chapter last night. Originally, I planned to include a Preface with an overview of the book along with my reasons for writing it. After receiving many requests from the group, I realize an overview should be part of the main body of the book. Besides, a lot of folks skip over the Preface. So, I will attach the draft version of my Introduction to this post.
INTRODUCTION
The process of creating a story and writing a novel can be intimidating. We all have a story to tell, but the development process seems needlessly shrouded in mystery. At least, that was my perspective prior to writing my fiction novel, Box of Dreams.
I have over 20 years experience in engineering, project management and new business development, but I am also a writer. I know, I know, you are probably saying, “Well.... that’s just crazy talk! Engineers don’t write novels!” Not so fast there, Mr. Liberal Arts Major! Kurt Vonnegut studied mechanical engineering at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the University of Tennessee. He also looked a little bit like Albert Einstein.
Holistic Approach
Writing is not pure art. That is, writing involves a process. On the other hand, writing is certainly not pure science. The process of writing is a combination of art, science and nature. It has a conceptual phase, a development phase and an execution phase, all bound by a particular environment, much like a project in the business world. It involves all of the brain. Having wonderful, creative ideas is simply not enough without a process. Understanding process is simply not enough without creative ideas.
In business or engineering, a successful project begins with a conceptual phase of development in which ideas are allowed to flow freely. It often involves brainstorming, which is a process of tossing ideas around until a viable solution begins to form.
This approach is used frequently in the automobile industry. It is the integration of art and engineering. Furthermore, designers may begin with a particular body style, which is an art form. The body style might determine the space requirements for designing the interior of the car as well as the mechanical aspects. So, the overall design of the car may be confined to limitations of space, due primarily to aesthetics.
Building design often follows a similar process of art and engineering. An architect may begin with an overall building design that is both interesting and pleasing to the eye. The structural engineer must then find a way to design within the overall parameters set by the architect. Keep in mind, if the architect’s design does not consider the principles of physics or market conditions, then the project will likely fail. If the structural engineer does not work within the confines of the architectural design, then beams stick out of windows and the whole thing just gets ugly!
Writing a book is very similar. During the early stages of a story, concepts may be shaped like clay before a writer must commit valuable time to further development. In addition, design and scheduling techniques may be used to develop a compelling story.
I demonstrate my unique process for integrating the craft of writing with engineering and business and apply it directly to writing my novel. It worked for me and it can work for you. I also provide an example by which you might develop your own unique process. After all, it is your thought process that is most important.
About the Book
In this book, I describe the steps used for writing my fiction story, “Box of Dreams”, using very specific examples that follow each stage of manuscript development. Perhaps more importantly, I share a method I developed specifically for developing and writing my story. I also describe the most fundamental elements of writing and share my thoughts on the writing business. Finally, I describe how I developed my unique method and suggest steps for tailoring your own process to your specific needs.
I kept copious notes while writing “Box of Dreams”. My intent was to record the information obtained along with the individual steps for writing my manuscript in case I might want to follow a similar process at some point in the future.
I was fearful of forgetting what I had learned because some of the information was very new to me. Also, I had struggled to find a single source of information that addressed all of my questions concerning the writing process and the business of writing.
After completing my fifth revision, I realized I had collected a respectable amount of information consisting of my methods and my research into the topic of writing. In addition, I realized I had a compelling story and that my process could be used by others.
This application is presented in very plain language, but it is also condensed and arranged into a logical sequence that I believe will help an aspiring writer to better understand the process of writing. It is, in essence, a roadmap through a variety of issues that writers face with a particular method that I developed as a tool to help simplify the process. Stated differently, it is a perspective of an aspiring writer approaching a venerated profession, which has value as a unique point of view.
Organization
This book is organized to reveal the simultaneous development of my process and book in chronological order. I will begin with a little about my writing background. Then, I will provide the initial inspiration for writing “Box of Dreams” which is a short story entitled “The Vase”. From there, I will describe each element used to develop the story while referencing some of my resources. These elements will be introduced separately but will continue development throughout the book. Finally, I will describe the editing process and begin to offer the results of my research on a variety of topics related to the writing business.
INTRODUCTION
The process of creating a story and writing a novel can be intimidating. We all have a story to tell, but the development process seems needlessly shrouded in mystery. At least, that was my perspective prior to writing my fiction novel, Box of Dreams.
I have over 20 years experience in engineering, project management and new business development, but I am also a writer. I know, I know, you are probably saying, “Well.... that’s just crazy talk! Engineers don’t write novels!” Not so fast there, Mr. Liberal Arts Major! Kurt Vonnegut studied mechanical engineering at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the University of Tennessee. He also looked a little bit like Albert Einstein.
Holistic Approach
Writing is not pure art. That is, writing involves a process. On the other hand, writing is certainly not pure science. The process of writing is a combination of art, science and nature. It has a conceptual phase, a development phase and an execution phase, all bound by a particular environment, much like a project in the business world. It involves all of the brain. Having wonderful, creative ideas is simply not enough without a process. Understanding process is simply not enough without creative ideas.
In business or engineering, a successful project begins with a conceptual phase of development in which ideas are allowed to flow freely. It often involves brainstorming, which is a process of tossing ideas around until a viable solution begins to form.
This approach is used frequently in the automobile industry. It is the integration of art and engineering. Furthermore, designers may begin with a particular body style, which is an art form. The body style might determine the space requirements for designing the interior of the car as well as the mechanical aspects. So, the overall design of the car may be confined to limitations of space, due primarily to aesthetics.
Building design often follows a similar process of art and engineering. An architect may begin with an overall building design that is both interesting and pleasing to the eye. The structural engineer must then find a way to design within the overall parameters set by the architect. Keep in mind, if the architect’s design does not consider the principles of physics or market conditions, then the project will likely fail. If the structural engineer does not work within the confines of the architectural design, then beams stick out of windows and the whole thing just gets ugly!
Writing a book is very similar. During the early stages of a story, concepts may be shaped like clay before a writer must commit valuable time to further development. In addition, design and scheduling techniques may be used to develop a compelling story.
I demonstrate my unique process for integrating the craft of writing with engineering and business and apply it directly to writing my novel. It worked for me and it can work for you. I also provide an example by which you might develop your own unique process. After all, it is your thought process that is most important.
About the Book
In this book, I describe the steps used for writing my fiction story, “Box of Dreams”, using very specific examples that follow each stage of manuscript development. Perhaps more importantly, I share a method I developed specifically for developing and writing my story. I also describe the most fundamental elements of writing and share my thoughts on the writing business. Finally, I describe how I developed my unique method and suggest steps for tailoring your own process to your specific needs.
I kept copious notes while writing “Box of Dreams”. My intent was to record the information obtained along with the individual steps for writing my manuscript in case I might want to follow a similar process at some point in the future.
I was fearful of forgetting what I had learned because some of the information was very new to me. Also, I had struggled to find a single source of information that addressed all of my questions concerning the writing process and the business of writing.
After completing my fifth revision, I realized I had collected a respectable amount of information consisting of my methods and my research into the topic of writing. In addition, I realized I had a compelling story and that my process could be used by others.
This application is presented in very plain language, but it is also condensed and arranged into a logical sequence that I believe will help an aspiring writer to better understand the process of writing. It is, in essence, a roadmap through a variety of issues that writers face with a particular method that I developed as a tool to help simplify the process. Stated differently, it is a perspective of an aspiring writer approaching a venerated profession, which has value as a unique point of view.
Organization
This book is organized to reveal the simultaneous development of my process and book in chronological order. I will begin with a little about my writing background. Then, I will provide the initial inspiration for writing “Box of Dreams” which is a short story entitled “The Vase”. From there, I will describe each element used to develop the story while referencing some of my resources. These elements will be introduced separately but will continue development throughout the book. Finally, I will describe the editing process and begin to offer the results of my research on a variety of topics related to the writing business.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Lessons in writing and the writing business
As I indicated yesterday, I kept copious notes as I wrote my fiction manuscript. I wanted to have a record so I might gain from the overall experience. I expected I would eventually choose the elements of greater value and dismiss those elements or steps that did not work or that produced unsatisfactory results.
I am now going back and reviewing my notes along with books and articles that had an influence on me. I believe my expectation was correct. In short, I did make mistakes, but I was very fortunate to find a wealth of information as well as many valuable techniques. My intent is to condense this information as I believe it will be very useful for other aspiring writers.
In the meantime, I am finding even more value in the process of reviewing the materials used along the way. It is a summary of lessons learned, but also a review of the key elements that I found to be most valuable. Yes, there is a lot of information, but there was not a single source for the very specific information that I needed at the time. I realize that many of the issues that I faced are common as I talk among other aspiring writers. Perhaps there is a need for such a reference of common issues. I hope so.
Of course, I realize I am merely providing a road map that addresses very specific issues. It is not a substitute for greater experience and knowledge, but I think it is very fresh in my mind and quite possibly relevant to a new generation of writers. Furthermore, these fundamental elements of writing and the writing business offers the development of my manuscript as an example. As my fiction book nears completion, the results of my work shall become apparent. The success of my non-fiction book will likely rest on the success of my fiction book. However, if I fail, I will have something of value for my efforts. I will have an education in the craft of writing through the direct application of methods I plan to document for future use.
I am now going back and reviewing my notes along with books and articles that had an influence on me. I believe my expectation was correct. In short, I did make mistakes, but I was very fortunate to find a wealth of information as well as many valuable techniques. My intent is to condense this information as I believe it will be very useful for other aspiring writers.
In the meantime, I am finding even more value in the process of reviewing the materials used along the way. It is a summary of lessons learned, but also a review of the key elements that I found to be most valuable. Yes, there is a lot of information, but there was not a single source for the very specific information that I needed at the time. I realize that many of the issues that I faced are common as I talk among other aspiring writers. Perhaps there is a need for such a reference of common issues. I hope so.
Of course, I realize I am merely providing a road map that addresses very specific issues. It is not a substitute for greater experience and knowledge, but I think it is very fresh in my mind and quite possibly relevant to a new generation of writers. Furthermore, these fundamental elements of writing and the writing business offers the development of my manuscript as an example. As my fiction book nears completion, the results of my work shall become apparent. The success of my non-fiction book will likely rest on the success of my fiction book. However, if I fail, I will have something of value for my efforts. I will have an education in the craft of writing through the direct application of methods I plan to document for future use.
Friday, January 14, 2011
So, now I have a manuscript
Last year, I wrote a 70,000 word fiction manuscript entitled Box of Dreams, an adventure of self discovery existing somewhere between The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez Reverte.
Here is my pitch: Art's career has been sabotaged. His autistic son has been murdered. Even his suicide attempt is thwarted. But, Art's life is about to change forever as he discovers his great, great, grandfather's diary written in Vigenere's code. Art encounters a slutty ex-girlfriend, her manipulative mother, and old friends as he attempts to unravel the mysterious code in search of lost Confederate gold.
So, I'm thinking, maybe I should write about my experience. Maybe there is a benefit to maintaining a journal of sorts as I unlock the mysteries of promoting my manuscript. Hmmmmm.....sounds like a plan.
Here is my pitch: Art's career has been sabotaged. His autistic son has been murdered. Even his suicide attempt is thwarted. But, Art's life is about to change forever as he discovers his great, great, grandfather's diary written in Vigenere's code. Art encounters a slutty ex-girlfriend, her manipulative mother, and old friends as he attempts to unravel the mysterious code in search of lost Confederate gold.
So, I'm thinking, maybe I should write about my experience. Maybe there is a benefit to maintaining a journal of sorts as I unlock the mysteries of promoting my manuscript. Hmmmmm.....sounds like a plan.
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