Repeating Myself
Sometimes, I wonder if I have anything left to blog about. I have, after all, done such a fabulous job delineating a wide range of subjects, that maybe the only thing left is to scrape the bottom of the barrel.
I’ve covered the most important subject, namely exploiting emotion in writing. I’ve also covered a host of other subjects, from publishing to first lines to story structure to setting.
As far as technical knowledge goes, I’ve got everything it takes to be a writer. I mostly just lack professional experience (but not for lack of trying). And I’ve been able to share and distribute this knowledge in an easy to understand format.
Bound by Commitment
Still, I am committed to keeping this blog fresh and current. I can’t let it fall by the wayside just because I’m getting so huge on Twitter (though I have also blogged about how nice it is to get big on Twitter).
Putting writing samples on the blog seems like the next natural step, but that requires a much larger time commitment than instructional posts, and I’ve got a lot of actual book writing to do.
And as my efforts at publication get more and more off the beaten path, I don’t exactly feel like confessing those deeds publicly is within my best interest.
The one thing I haven’t tried, that I am sure I would be good at, but that I would need a lot of audience cooperation with, is a question-and-answer post format.
It would give me tons of material, and the endorphin rush that comes from actually helping people. But I don’t know how to draw questions out of people, though I assume it can’t be too hard.
What the Future Holds
Honestly, I’m THIS close to posting clickbait articles meant to catch the eye and leave the reader high and dry.
Because that’s where the money is.
So if you see me suddenly spreading celebrity death hoaxes, you will know why.
…
…
…But you won’t be able to stop me.
A Ray of Hope?
I am finding more time to be productive, and ways to force myself to buckle down and work.
It’s always a long shot, but the chance to have something to actually sell is always increasing. And if can get that off the ground, I will have a lot more material for this blog. A lot more.
Until then, I’m open to questions.
Hey, there. I have one question (or several), well, it’s more like I’m curious. In addition, i have no idea if you have ever talked about this in the past, though you might have changed your approach since then. Are you a plot planner who, if things get off track, goes into a spiral of self-doubt or you let the protagonist take you? (Personally, I’m both, depending on the genre, but even if I let the protagonist take me, I know the high points, just not how to get there.) In case you are a plot planner, how do you plot? Do you use apps like Aeon Timeline? Do you make timelines at all? Do you have character sheets? Have you done character interviews? Do you use spreadsheets, or tables? How do you plot, man?
I’m an outliner.
I discovered this after failing to get anywhere with discovery writing. A solid outline is the best birthday present you could possibly give to yourself.
In the past, I’ve also built character dossiers (much like a police department would keep of known suspects). The great thing about these dossiers is that they allow you to keep track of visual and personal details about the characters, so that they don’t suddenly change eye color halfway through the book.
Things to blog about:
1) How important is humility for a writer? Also, is there a difference between being self-confident and egotistical? If so, what?
2) Common tropes: are these tools to be employed in one’s writing, or things to be avoided for the sake of originality? Could you do a series on some of the more widely used tropes, or plot devices, highlighting what their strengths and weaknesses are?
3) How important are word quotas? Some people say that keeping a weekly word quota will turn you into a writer faster than anything else. Will it?
4a) What is your take on diversity in writing, own-voices, and the push by many for non-eurocentric stories in the fantasy genre?
4b) How important is it to write characters of the opposite sex well? What about people of different ethnic backgrounds? Is it better to risk insulting some readers with a one-dimensional view of their cultural identities, or to avoid writing such characters?
4c) Do you think that there is untapped market potential in readers from historically underrepresented groups, or is writing for the traditional (white) market still where the money is at?
5a) How about a blog post about inventing new words? Can you give us all some guidelines about using words from made-up languages, or for inventing new languages altogether? How important is actual English when writing stories for an English-speaking audience?
5b) How do you feel about ad hoc word amalgamations? For example, if I want a word that means roughly the same thing as slimy, but in wriggly sense, can I combine the word slimy with wormy to create the word slurmy? Or am I better off using conventional language to convey what I want to say?
6a) It has been said: Never use a big word when a small one will do. But then, why are big words so cool? I cannot be the only person with an inordinate fondness for circumlocution, or the sesquipedalian. I don’t mean to bloviate with a gasconade of esoteric lexica, or maybe I do, but how do I share my passion for fancy words with readers without making my writing inaccessible to less logophilic audiences?
7) Is it better to flatter your intended audience by writing stories that make them feel good about themselves, or to challenge their worldviews?
8) How about a blog post on how to be a disciplined writer? That is, how to manage your time well, and how to be effective in your writing habits. What are the the metrics for discipline in writing, and what sort of benchmarks should aspiring writers aim for?
You’ll probably find none of this helpful, but don’t say that I didn’t try.