Occasionally I read a book, and though my friends have greatly varied tastes, I cannot help but tell everyone I know about it. As a writer, it still surprises me when I read something that has the potential to change my life, not in a psycho-spiritual way, but in a way which effects my creative output. Writerly folk have a way of dismissing anything that impacts the style of your writing as an example of how you are not strong in your craft, but much of writing characters and stories is, to me, finding a unique voice to tell it through. I feel it makes me more versatile to be able to change tones and voices as easily as changing a setting or story. To me, knowing the character of the work is key to discovering the voice you should be using.
The book in question is called What We Do Is Secret. Go look it up if you're curious; no summary here. However, I will say that the writer uses a very curious style of prose that is so musical, so repetitive, and so natural, that I could not put it down, even though I had to fight through a few places to understand really what was happening. And the best part was that, after finishing it, I felt this sense of freedom in my own work that I had never experienced before. I felt better equipped to write an already prose-heavy piece that I had been playing at for months. This book reassured me that it was okay to let my unconventional character speak with his own voice, and not with mine.
For fun, my writer's group tried this test: everyone was asked to write a short page of fiction, not using any of their known works or characters. In the piece, you attempt to disguise your voice and style (and chosen genre), and write something that was still palatable, yet completely distinct from any work you have ever shown the group. At the next gathering, we all read each other's pieces, not knowing whose was whose. Of the 7 of us, my work was the hardest to guess.
I take it as a major compliment that I can write pieces that are completely unique from each other in voice and style, while I do know other writers who feel differently. Some find it hard to read and work on a manuscript at the same time, for fear that some of the other writer's nuances will muddy their own private waters. The attitude is that your voice should be yours and yours alone, and you should work on perfecting what is distinctly you about your work. I don't disagree in principle, but what if your writing could be you but better? I imagine that if I wasn't constantly looking for ways to sharpen and improve, and not just change my voice, then I would be a hack at best.
And sometimes I am a hack. Sometimes, a voice I assume for a character or story just doesn't work, and I file it away for future treatments. Where voice, style, and character overlap, things get all sticky and difficult. Originally I started writing this post about character, specifically the (not-so)new obsession with the "unlikeable" protagonist. But voice is the go-between that can put an unlikable or unthinkable character in a place where they become accessible to the reader. As a writer, it is my job to be able to speak with authority from more than a single place...otherwise, my Cyberpunk grunge girl is going to sound way too much like my 15th century prince. Neither will be convincing. Overall style is a factor too, of course, but that is a whole other avenue. Trying to separate voice from style is rather pointless, in my opinion, but if you want to think of style as the more mechanical expression of voice, go ahead. In this case, I am speaking about both the writer's voice, and the character's, as it emerges from the work.
So here is my final advice: go and read some books. Read and write at the same time. Remember, real writers borrow from each other all the time, and someone just made a killing stealing from Stephanie Meyer. By all means, I am not suggesting you become a parrot. Rather, use your skills as a writer to spot what makes other writers successful; learn what draws you into their worlds. Voice and style are constantly evolving. It pays to always expand your repertoire. And when you pick up Twilight and think it's well-written enough to influence your voice or personal style, remember some chick already did that. Then go read some King, or Clive Barker, or at the very least some Laurel K. Hamilton...thousands have copied them, and I don't hear anyone complaining about that.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Went Fishing
Went fishing (not really). Will return with almost blogging later this week! Prepare to be amazed, or at least relatively amused.
Monday, July 16, 2012
It's Not Porn; In French, It's Art
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Sex Scenes: the Good, the Bad, the Dirty - Part 3: Nuts and Bolts (yep, went there)
The beginner puffs and huffs. The master sets your house on fire.
So I have not been blogging much, as you can tell. If you can imagine, I have been busy following the Luka Magnotta case, wondering how cannibalism got to be sexy...but I digress (too soon? have you read my novel?). The reality of it is that editing can be time-consuming and draining, especially when it's not your own work. I've been helping a friend work on a self-help book designed for young women. I'm sure you'll be hearing more next month, when I spend time blogging about editing as opposed to writing smut.
To complete my 101 on writing trash, I'm going to share my top 5 basic rules to crafting a good smut scene. So whether you're in it for a page, a chapter, or whole book, these are guidelines I have embraced in my own smut. Coming on the heels of the last two entries, these are pretty straightforward. So enjoy!
1. If you like apples, then go with cherries.
Seriously. This is of critical importance to writing erotica, or a well-planned sex scene of any kind. Don't write about what you know. In particular, write about sex that you don't have every night, simply for the fact that you have to think about it. Force yourself to engage all the senses. When you are asked to describe something you enjoy, you are less likely to think about all the possible avenues of pleasure that others might find in the act. You have to distance yourself a bit.
Do a test run. Go to a website like Literotica. Read a few stories. Bet you can guess who was getting off to their own smut. Sometimes they even leave out words...you know, like they were pausing for breath or something. This, in general, is the biggest issue with poorly written trash. See also 50 Shades of Gray.
2. Hot sex is spicy, with a dash of reality.
Not every woman has 5 orgasms her first time (she's lucky to get one ANY time) and not every man is 8" and as big around as your wrist. There is an element of fantasy to erotica, but too much fantasy and the resulting scene is plain unrealistic. A bit of levity and humanity brings the reader closer to the action and to the characters. It draws them in. Unless your goal is to write pure porn, the characters must remain front and center, and the size of their genitalia and their resulting scorecard should be insignificant, perhaps passing details at best
3. Remember the 5 senses.
With good sex, all 5 senses are engaged in the activity. Your character should be able to touch and see, but they should also smell, taste, and hear their lover. Not only is it more enticing, but the reader will find themselves more present in the fantasy if they can really get into what is going on with the character. Think of the sex scene as an opportunity for characterization. Someone who is passive may reveal a more dominant side in bed, or vice versa. Exploring all senses forces you to really think about what is going in the bedroom, as well as elsewhere, and whether the characters are fully developed enough to engage the reader on the whole. Remember that people read erotica because they want to be in the story. Put them there.
4. Penis vs. Cock vs. Dick vs. Prick vs. Doodle
Word choice is a critical component of crafting a readable story. When it comes to erotica, there is a whole "purple" vocabulary that you get used to. To determine which words excite and which words flop with an audience, I use a simple 1-3 scale. Words that rank at 1 are Academic. Think penis, vagina, sex. Sometimes these words come in handy, but more often then not what you are looking for is rates more of a 2. 2 are the workhorse words, the ones you find most commonly in modern smut, the words you are more likely to encounter in everyday non-polite conversation (and this is essentially what erotica is, folks). Words like cock, clit, fuck, cum/coming and prick all wind up in this category. The final third grouping is for euphemisms. Love tunnel, bajingo, hoohah, dingle, peter. All these carry a certain humor that has its place in only a small fraction of erotica.
If you can't seem to gauge where a sex word ranks on the scale, ask your friends. If you say the word and they laugh, it's a 3. If you can say the word to your doctor without a strange look, it's a 1. If you get a raised eyebrow, noooow you're talking!
Until you develop your style to encompass this vocab, each time you consider using a word, think about the tone of the work, the characters involved, and the audience. Though most of the time the words you use will come from category 2, having these factors solidly in mind will help you to best determine what language to use, and when it's okay to throw in a word from one of the other two groups. Trust me, some characters love the word dingle. They just don't use it when crawling into bed with the hot guy next door.
5. Sex itself can be a tease.
So you think there isn't much more you can tease your reader with. Your characters have already done the act, and you've given them about as much cock as you deem necessary. The teasing part is over- or is it? The sixth sense is thought. If you spend some time getting into your character's brain between sexual escapades (and maybe a bit during them as well), you will have the set up for a marvelous second, third, or fourth act. The mind is the greatest organ for foreplay. Let your character explore the ramifications of their willingness to get it on with the boss, the neighbor, or the mysterious stranger. Can it ever be as great? Will it? Why did they do this in the first place? How much of the experience was in their head in the first place? Is it worth it? How much better can it get? Then refuse to provide the answers - at least until the next encounter.
Well, there you have it. My own top five. I am planning to post some helpful links in the future, as well as my own little collection of the hottest lines in literature (hint: not all of the hot stuff appears in erotica), but next month this blog will focus on editing and the barest bones of the writing craft. I promise to make it as interesting as it is useful, as I hope this series has been. So, until next time...cheers!
So I have not been blogging much, as you can tell. If you can imagine, I have been busy following the Luka Magnotta case, wondering how cannibalism got to be sexy...but I digress (too soon? have you read my novel?). The reality of it is that editing can be time-consuming and draining, especially when it's not your own work. I've been helping a friend work on a self-help book designed for young women. I'm sure you'll be hearing more next month, when I spend time blogging about editing as opposed to writing smut.
To complete my 101 on writing trash, I'm going to share my top 5 basic rules to crafting a good smut scene. So whether you're in it for a page, a chapter, or whole book, these are guidelines I have embraced in my own smut. Coming on the heels of the last two entries, these are pretty straightforward. So enjoy!
1. If you like apples, then go with cherries.
Seriously. This is of critical importance to writing erotica, or a well-planned sex scene of any kind. Don't write about what you know. In particular, write about sex that you don't have every night, simply for the fact that you have to think about it. Force yourself to engage all the senses. When you are asked to describe something you enjoy, you are less likely to think about all the possible avenues of pleasure that others might find in the act. You have to distance yourself a bit.
Do a test run. Go to a website like Literotica. Read a few stories. Bet you can guess who was getting off to their own smut. Sometimes they even leave out words...you know, like they were pausing for breath or something. This, in general, is the biggest issue with poorly written trash. See also 50 Shades of Gray.
2. Hot sex is spicy, with a dash of reality.
Not every woman has 5 orgasms her first time (she's lucky to get one ANY time) and not every man is 8" and as big around as your wrist. There is an element of fantasy to erotica, but too much fantasy and the resulting scene is plain unrealistic. A bit of levity and humanity brings the reader closer to the action and to the characters. It draws them in. Unless your goal is to write pure porn, the characters must remain front and center, and the size of their genitalia and their resulting scorecard should be insignificant, perhaps passing details at best
3. Remember the 5 senses.
With good sex, all 5 senses are engaged in the activity. Your character should be able to touch and see, but they should also smell, taste, and hear their lover. Not only is it more enticing, but the reader will find themselves more present in the fantasy if they can really get into what is going on with the character. Think of the sex scene as an opportunity for characterization. Someone who is passive may reveal a more dominant side in bed, or vice versa. Exploring all senses forces you to really think about what is going in the bedroom, as well as elsewhere, and whether the characters are fully developed enough to engage the reader on the whole. Remember that people read erotica because they want to be in the story. Put them there.
4. Penis vs. Cock vs. Dick vs. Prick vs. Doodle
Word choice is a critical component of crafting a readable story. When it comes to erotica, there is a whole "purple" vocabulary that you get used to. To determine which words excite and which words flop with an audience, I use a simple 1-3 scale. Words that rank at 1 are Academic. Think penis, vagina, sex. Sometimes these words come in handy, but more often then not what you are looking for is rates more of a 2. 2 are the workhorse words, the ones you find most commonly in modern smut, the words you are more likely to encounter in everyday non-polite conversation (and this is essentially what erotica is, folks). Words like cock, clit, fuck, cum/coming and prick all wind up in this category. The final third grouping is for euphemisms. Love tunnel, bajingo, hoohah, dingle, peter. All these carry a certain humor that has its place in only a small fraction of erotica.
If you can't seem to gauge where a sex word ranks on the scale, ask your friends. If you say the word and they laugh, it's a 3. If you can say the word to your doctor without a strange look, it's a 1. If you get a raised eyebrow, noooow you're talking!
Until you develop your style to encompass this vocab, each time you consider using a word, think about the tone of the work, the characters involved, and the audience. Though most of the time the words you use will come from category 2, having these factors solidly in mind will help you to best determine what language to use, and when it's okay to throw in a word from one of the other two groups. Trust me, some characters love the word dingle. They just don't use it when crawling into bed with the hot guy next door.
5. Sex itself can be a tease.
So you think there isn't much more you can tease your reader with. Your characters have already done the act, and you've given them about as much cock as you deem necessary. The teasing part is over- or is it? The sixth sense is thought. If you spend some time getting into your character's brain between sexual escapades (and maybe a bit during them as well), you will have the set up for a marvelous second, third, or fourth act. The mind is the greatest organ for foreplay. Let your character explore the ramifications of their willingness to get it on with the boss, the neighbor, or the mysterious stranger. Can it ever be as great? Will it? Why did they do this in the first place? How much of the experience was in their head in the first place? Is it worth it? How much better can it get? Then refuse to provide the answers - at least until the next encounter.
Well, there you have it. My own top five. I am planning to post some helpful links in the future, as well as my own little collection of the hottest lines in literature (hint: not all of the hot stuff appears in erotica), but next month this blog will focus on editing and the barest bones of the writing craft. I promise to make it as interesting as it is useful, as I hope this series has been. So, until next time...cheers!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Sex Scenes: the Good, the Bad, the Dirty - Part 2
So now you're at the point where you've decided, well, either sex is going happen in the book, or not. But how much sex? And where, when, and with who? And lastly, what kind?
The first question really depends on the genre and type of book you're writing. Sometimes your character will just up and demand sexy tymes with another. It happens. If it's not going to kill the story, let it. If your story isn't meant to have lots of it, then use the "fade to black" technique; have your characters show interest, maybe flirt, and the next thing you know, one of them is showering and the other's making breakfast. Of course, a good writer can break rules (or a bad one...see 50 Shades of Gray), but in general, in terms of sex content, a book falls into one of four basic categories, regardless of genre:
Mainstream: You acknowledge that sometimes sex happens, and sometimes it happens to your characters. However, it is not the main goal of the story, and it is by no means a driving force or regular on-screen occurrence. When it does happen, the characters slip between the sheets, get it on, then go about their normal day, as does the reader.
Romance: Character relationships drive the story. Sex is the reward, both to the reader and the characters. It's a logical conclusion. If graphic scenes appear, they are designed to give attention to the relationship; they may be descriptive, but typically capitalize on the emotional feelings behind the act rather than the physical.
Erotica: The story is about sex. It remains the driving goal behind much of what the characters want to accomplish. Sex occurs on-screen most of the time, with more attention given to the mechanics, but characters themselves remain well-developed.
Porn: Debbie does Dallas on the page, and you don't give a shit who Debbie is while she does it. As long as she goes from one sex act to another, you get what you paid for.
Once you've determined that sex is going to happen, and you've decided how much you are able or willing to commit to the page, there are still the 4 "W"s to consider. When I speak of the where and when of a sex scene, I am not talking about the physical location or timing in the story. We all know people will fuck almost any place they can fit their bodies. What I'm talking about is where in the book is an appropriate place to put a sex scene. There's no formula to this, but there are a couple of places where I find the placement of a scene problematic. I have summed them up here:
Bond Sex: This is the sex your characters have immediately following, or even in the middle of, a perilous situation. Sometimes it can work, sometimes it's hot. Other times you are wondering where the bad guys are while the protagonist is getting his rocks off. This type of sex scene straddles the line between Duran-Duran-mad-sex-guns-and-passion, and just plain stupid. Consider your genre and pacing and use sparingly.
Hate Sex: Two characters who have spent plenty of time dissing each other suddenly wind up doing the nasty. Maybe it's hot, but consider how realistic it is. Also, if your reader has taken one character's side in a dispute, it may be hard for them to grasp why the two characters suddenly decide making up in bed is a good plan.
Stranger/Plot Hole Sex: We're not talking about one-night stands or the mysterious and attractive love interest. We're talking about how well the reader knows the character(s). Stranger sex occurs when no time has been devoted to developing either one or both characters, yet you expect the reader to show interest when you put them in bed together. Unless there are plot reasons, don't rush them into the sack.
Invisible Sex: This is the sex that happens when the characters have nothing else to do. If your characters are having sex because they are waiting for something to do, maybe you should consider writing porn.
Ultimately, it will be your ability as a smut writer which should dictate how much sex the readers sees, and how much remains between the sheets.
Some of these categories also address the who of the sex scene business, but to me, there is only one hard and fast rule concerning who is involved: unless you are writing porn, the reader should know a bit about the persons getting it on. Sex is the perfect medium to inspire emotion, and whether that emotion is desire or revulsion or something else, the point is that the reader needs to have a sort of connection in order to process the act.
So we've covered how much sex fits a book, and 3 of the 4 "W"s, when, where, and who. In Part 3 of this series, I will discuss the last "W" - what happens in a sex scene. So maybe you already know: sex happens. This post will examine more closely the dirty bits of a good sex scene...otherwise known as the good bits. Stay tuned!
The first question really depends on the genre and type of book you're writing. Sometimes your character will just up and demand sexy tymes with another. It happens. If it's not going to kill the story, let it. If your story isn't meant to have lots of it, then use the "fade to black" technique; have your characters show interest, maybe flirt, and the next thing you know, one of them is showering and the other's making breakfast. Of course, a good writer can break rules (or a bad one...see 50 Shades of Gray), but in general, in terms of sex content, a book falls into one of four basic categories, regardless of genre:
Mainstream: You acknowledge that sometimes sex happens, and sometimes it happens to your characters. However, it is not the main goal of the story, and it is by no means a driving force or regular on-screen occurrence. When it does happen, the characters slip between the sheets, get it on, then go about their normal day, as does the reader.
Romance: Character relationships drive the story. Sex is the reward, both to the reader and the characters. It's a logical conclusion. If graphic scenes appear, they are designed to give attention to the relationship; they may be descriptive, but typically capitalize on the emotional feelings behind the act rather than the physical.
Erotica: The story is about sex. It remains the driving goal behind much of what the characters want to accomplish. Sex occurs on-screen most of the time, with more attention given to the mechanics, but characters themselves remain well-developed.
Porn: Debbie does Dallas on the page, and you don't give a shit who Debbie is while she does it. As long as she goes from one sex act to another, you get what you paid for.
Once you've determined that sex is going to happen, and you've decided how much you are able or willing to commit to the page, there are still the 4 "W"s to consider. When I speak of the where and when of a sex scene, I am not talking about the physical location or timing in the story. We all know people will fuck almost any place they can fit their bodies. What I'm talking about is where in the book is an appropriate place to put a sex scene. There's no formula to this, but there are a couple of places where I find the placement of a scene problematic. I have summed them up here:
Bond Sex: This is the sex your characters have immediately following, or even in the middle of, a perilous situation. Sometimes it can work, sometimes it's hot. Other times you are wondering where the bad guys are while the protagonist is getting his rocks off. This type of sex scene straddles the line between Duran-Duran-mad-sex-guns-and-passion, and just plain stupid. Consider your genre and pacing and use sparingly.
Hate Sex: Two characters who have spent plenty of time dissing each other suddenly wind up doing the nasty. Maybe it's hot, but consider how realistic it is. Also, if your reader has taken one character's side in a dispute, it may be hard for them to grasp why the two characters suddenly decide making up in bed is a good plan.
Stranger/Plot Hole Sex: We're not talking about one-night stands or the mysterious and attractive love interest. We're talking about how well the reader knows the character(s). Stranger sex occurs when no time has been devoted to developing either one or both characters, yet you expect the reader to show interest when you put them in bed together. Unless there are plot reasons, don't rush them into the sack.
Invisible Sex: This is the sex that happens when the characters have nothing else to do. If your characters are having sex because they are waiting for something to do, maybe you should consider writing porn.
Ultimately, it will be your ability as a smut writer which should dictate how much sex the readers sees, and how much remains between the sheets.
Some of these categories also address the who of the sex scene business, but to me, there is only one hard and fast rule concerning who is involved: unless you are writing porn, the reader should know a bit about the persons getting it on. Sex is the perfect medium to inspire emotion, and whether that emotion is desire or revulsion or something else, the point is that the reader needs to have a sort of connection in order to process the act.
So we've covered how much sex fits a book, and 3 of the 4 "W"s, when, where, and who. In Part 3 of this series, I will discuss the last "W" - what happens in a sex scene. So maybe you already know: sex happens. This post will examine more closely the dirty bits of a good sex scene...otherwise known as the good bits. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sex Scenes: the Good, the Bad, the Dirty - Part 1
Is there such a thing as bad sex? In the flesh, many desperate folks might argue that there isn't. However, as hard up for some sexy time as you may be, nothing, and I mean nothing, makes a bad sex scene worth reading. Sure, it can be fun to laugh over a poorly written bang session, but in terms of intriguing or arousing, the two primary goals of smut writers, a bad sex scene is one that turns the reader off to the character, the story, and potentially your writing in general.
Now there's bad sex and there's a badly written sex scene. I want to distinguish between the two. Many good writers cannot write smut. It's not something we're all required to excel at. It's simply a tool in the arsenal for those of us who can. And some smut writers can't tell a story. The grinding and pounding reads flawlessly, but when it comes to constructing a plot, it's a crap express train to fail town. Rather than talking about writing and how to do it, I want to talk about "bad sex" ie. sex that, if we were to be given the option of experiencing it ourselves, we would quickly walk the other direction. I am talking about the kinds of sex scenes that appear as fetishes on the internet's most secret of hidden Craigslist ads.
When writing Messiah of Monsters, I ultimately decided to leave out two sex scenes. The first is an event that impacts protagonist profoundly, but by putting the story in first person, I had to be realistic as to what someone in Sam's situation would be willing to disclose to an audience. What happened to Sam wasn't good, or appealing, or sexually arousing. I didn't want to lose readers by introducing my character's first sexual experience as something that was horrific and traumatic, with no redeeming features. I decided to avoid including an all-out rape scene.
Rape scenes are an alienating gambit, particularly in erotica. No matter what other categories the book may fall under, if you include a scene where someone is raped, then do not pass go, do not try to point out all the other happy, consensual sex scenes. You have just placed yourself into the "non-consent" or "reluctance" genre. It's your fault, you know. Your job is to entice, and you just gave them sex and they expected to be turned on by it. Now, unless your reader can wrap their brains around the fact that, 100 pages later, the character is fucking and having a great time of it (either in spite of or because of their experience), you've lost them. Maybe years have passed for the character, and they've worked through it however they do, but your reader has only had a few hours to digest the action. Rape is brutal, beyond taboo, so unless your reader buys into the the whole fetish and enjoys rape fantasy on some level, they're gone.
Rape scenes in non-erotic novels usually have less impact on how you view the characters sexually, because the book is not geared toward making you find the characters sexually appealing. And though I did decide to leave out the details of Sam's scene, I did decide to keep the final scene as-is. Yes, there are definate elements of non-consent in the final chapter, but who's to say what part of the act is what leads Danny to want out? My guess is that he drew the line at blood, specifically his own blood. And that's the horror of it. I was writing erotic horror, after all.
There is one other scene that I elected to leave out, and this is one I've come to regret leaving behind. At the very least, it would have been unique. But it also would have placed the squick factor over the top before the novel's end. I'm not sure I would say it that it would have eclipsed it, but on what scale do you compare necrophilia to cannibalism? Can you think of a single book you've read where a woman has sex with a mummy-like body? Me neither, and I'm sorry I wasn't the first.
Marlaena's strange and symbiotic relationship with Tiomir is equal parts sensual and disturbing. As disgusting as it sounds, there is a certain beauty to a love that trancends death and the physical body. Think of all the vampire erotica out there, and you'll see my point. I think I managed to convey the extent of their interaction while remaining in Sam's headspace for the scene. He was an outsider, and so the reader was kept outside as well, forced to make a choice between acknowleging the implications or ignoring the obvious. Confession: I'm looking forward to writing the second book as a collection of interwoven stories, where each character's own tale is allowed a climax (see what I did there?) that remains true to the sensuality of the individual. With enough characters, there are inevitably going to be some boundaries that get pushed.
In both cases, I made a choice not to include these scenes, but I really had to think about it. There are only two kinds of sex scene scream *avoid at all costs* to me. Bet you can guess what they are. And while I imagine I will never need to write a scene involving bestiality (I had to try to spell this word a dozen times, that shows how rarely I have even seen the word in print), I am approaching a project that definitely involves underage participants. Fortunately, it's not erotica, and I can avoid alienating and infuriating the general population by some clever fade-to-black moments, though I will also not be shy in reflecting on how these very real, very human experiences, impact the characters. It's history after all, and sexuality is a dominant part of our growing up, however fast we do it. Our culture and the time we live in gives us the luxury of an extended adolescence. But imagine: Romeo was 15, Juliet was 13, they wanted to get married, and the people of Shakespeare's day didn't think this was odd.
It's all about perspective, which is the point I am driving at: sex scenes are particularly critical in determining the perspective you impart on the reader. Because it's sex, it's LGBT-oriented, and it's horror, Messiah is a book that appeals to a limited audience, and this fact is what led me to choose self-publishing. The sex scenes I left out prevented me from stripping away another large portion of my audience. My treatment of the story as a first-person recollection, and the ability to expound or experiment in-depth in a later volume, keep me from feeling like I was dishonest with my readers. I don't think Sam's rape scene will ever see the light of day; it's unnecessary, brutal, and not at all sexy. Marlaena and Tiomir's will probably get some attention, though. Maybe this is because I rejoice in getting under my reader's skin, or maybe it's because it's a challenge to make such a naturally repulsive thing alluring.
Part of a good sex scene is finding out what pushes someone's buttons, and going there without hesitation. If you hesitate your reader will, too. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, then read some of Brande's philosophy from the novel. He's pretty much got it down; it's part of what makes him both sexy and dangerous. To continue this discussion, later this week I will post my basic 5-step guide to writing a successful sex scene. I'm sure you can't wait...
Now there's bad sex and there's a badly written sex scene. I want to distinguish between the two. Many good writers cannot write smut. It's not something we're all required to excel at. It's simply a tool in the arsenal for those of us who can. And some smut writers can't tell a story. The grinding and pounding reads flawlessly, but when it comes to constructing a plot, it's a crap express train to fail town. Rather than talking about writing and how to do it, I want to talk about "bad sex" ie. sex that, if we were to be given the option of experiencing it ourselves, we would quickly walk the other direction. I am talking about the kinds of sex scenes that appear as fetishes on the internet's most secret of hidden Craigslist ads.
When writing Messiah of Monsters, I ultimately decided to leave out two sex scenes. The first is an event that impacts protagonist profoundly, but by putting the story in first person, I had to be realistic as to what someone in Sam's situation would be willing to disclose to an audience. What happened to Sam wasn't good, or appealing, or sexually arousing. I didn't want to lose readers by introducing my character's first sexual experience as something that was horrific and traumatic, with no redeeming features. I decided to avoid including an all-out rape scene.
Rape scenes are an alienating gambit, particularly in erotica. No matter what other categories the book may fall under, if you include a scene where someone is raped, then do not pass go, do not try to point out all the other happy, consensual sex scenes. You have just placed yourself into the "non-consent" or "reluctance" genre. It's your fault, you know. Your job is to entice, and you just gave them sex and they expected to be turned on by it. Now, unless your reader can wrap their brains around the fact that, 100 pages later, the character is fucking and having a great time of it (either in spite of or because of their experience), you've lost them. Maybe years have passed for the character, and they've worked through it however they do, but your reader has only had a few hours to digest the action. Rape is brutal, beyond taboo, so unless your reader buys into the the whole fetish and enjoys rape fantasy on some level, they're gone.
Rape scenes in non-erotic novels usually have less impact on how you view the characters sexually, because the book is not geared toward making you find the characters sexually appealing. And though I did decide to leave out the details of Sam's scene, I did decide to keep the final scene as-is. Yes, there are definate elements of non-consent in the final chapter, but who's to say what part of the act is what leads Danny to want out? My guess is that he drew the line at blood, specifically his own blood. And that's the horror of it. I was writing erotic horror, after all.
There is one other scene that I elected to leave out, and this is one I've come to regret leaving behind. At the very least, it would have been unique. But it also would have placed the squick factor over the top before the novel's end. I'm not sure I would say it that it would have eclipsed it, but on what scale do you compare necrophilia to cannibalism? Can you think of a single book you've read where a woman has sex with a mummy-like body? Me neither, and I'm sorry I wasn't the first.
Marlaena's strange and symbiotic relationship with Tiomir is equal parts sensual and disturbing. As disgusting as it sounds, there is a certain beauty to a love that trancends death and the physical body. Think of all the vampire erotica out there, and you'll see my point. I think I managed to convey the extent of their interaction while remaining in Sam's headspace for the scene. He was an outsider, and so the reader was kept outside as well, forced to make a choice between acknowleging the implications or ignoring the obvious. Confession: I'm looking forward to writing the second book as a collection of interwoven stories, where each character's own tale is allowed a climax (see what I did there?) that remains true to the sensuality of the individual. With enough characters, there are inevitably going to be some boundaries that get pushed.
In both cases, I made a choice not to include these scenes, but I really had to think about it. There are only two kinds of sex scene scream *avoid at all costs* to me. Bet you can guess what they are. And while I imagine I will never need to write a scene involving bestiality (I had to try to spell this word a dozen times, that shows how rarely I have even seen the word in print), I am approaching a project that definitely involves underage participants. Fortunately, it's not erotica, and I can avoid alienating and infuriating the general population by some clever fade-to-black moments, though I will also not be shy in reflecting on how these very real, very human experiences, impact the characters. It's history after all, and sexuality is a dominant part of our growing up, however fast we do it. Our culture and the time we live in gives us the luxury of an extended adolescence. But imagine: Romeo was 15, Juliet was 13, they wanted to get married, and the people of Shakespeare's day didn't think this was odd.
It's all about perspective, which is the point I am driving at: sex scenes are particularly critical in determining the perspective you impart on the reader. Because it's sex, it's LGBT-oriented, and it's horror, Messiah is a book that appeals to a limited audience, and this fact is what led me to choose self-publishing. The sex scenes I left out prevented me from stripping away another large portion of my audience. My treatment of the story as a first-person recollection, and the ability to expound or experiment in-depth in a later volume, keep me from feeling like I was dishonest with my readers. I don't think Sam's rape scene will ever see the light of day; it's unnecessary, brutal, and not at all sexy. Marlaena and Tiomir's will probably get some attention, though. Maybe this is because I rejoice in getting under my reader's skin, or maybe it's because it's a challenge to make such a naturally repulsive thing alluring.
Part of a good sex scene is finding out what pushes someone's buttons, and going there without hesitation. If you hesitate your reader will, too. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, then read some of Brande's philosophy from the novel. He's pretty much got it down; it's part of what makes him both sexy and dangerous. To continue this discussion, later this week I will post my basic 5-step guide to writing a successful sex scene. I'm sure you can't wait...
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Submissions (the truly sexy kind) for Spring and Summer 2012
These places recently put out a call for submissions. I wanted to kind of round them up from my resources and let you all know about them, and keep myself reminded as well. If you're a writer and you're looking to get your book out there, these are your people. I am in no way endorsing them, just sharing the information. If you know of others, feel free to post into the comments section. Here you go:
EROTICA MARKETS - short and long fiction
Mischief Bookseries
http://www.mischiefbooks.com/pages/contact/
Mischief is a new series of ebook erotica and erotic romance fiction exploring romantic and explicit sexual fantasies for the purpose of pleasure. Each month Mischief will publish original ebooks featuring contemporary stories by the very best authors worldwide. We publish an extensive list of original erotica and erotic romance in themed short story anthologies, petite novels of 40K minimum word length, novels and single author collections of 80K minimum word length. We are looking for fiction that really is a cut above tired, formulaic, hurriedly written and mass produced erotica in a saturated genre. Founded by Harper Collins, UK.
eXtasy Books
http://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=9
Fromt the site: "eXtasy Books is looking for new voices to add to their already busy stable! Like all publishers, we are always on the hunt for the next best-selling author. This could be you! Of course we realize that not every author can be a best-seller, and we don't promise mega sales, but we do promise to give writers with fantastic stories the chance to be read. We look for stories from mildly sensual to super hot. As long as your novel /novella has an intriguing storyline, and not just a string of sex scenes laced together by a thin plot, we will evaluate it for publication. We look at all genres. Novels/novellas can be from 16k and up. eXtasy Books pay standard royalty rate, 40% of listed price. 40% at third party sellers, except Fictionwise, it's 50%. Our contract is for ebook rights for 3 years from day of publication."
He Looks Like Trouble: Bad Boy Erotica
Editor: Shane Allison, Cleis Press in late 2012
Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication
Deadline: July 1, 2012 (earlier submissions encouraged and preferred)
"Bikers, tatted up punks, dirty cops and crime bosses. Do you love a bad boy as much as I do, men who live their lives everyday on the wild side? The type of boys you dream of riding up on their hogs, or in a muscle car to carry you away from the mundane? Shane Allison is in search of the best bad boy based erotica around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from new blood to seasoned scribes. The bad boy theme should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on it. Original, unique, creative characters, settings, scenarios and forms are encouraged. As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative erotica for this collection.
Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work will be considered but will be given lower priority than original work. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Let your imagination run wild.
How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to helooksliketroubleantho@gmail.com.
If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by August 2012. Be sure to include contact and bio information on the FIRST page of your story."
Big Man on Campus: Gay Erotic FictionShane Allison, Cleis Press
Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication
Deadline: June 1, 2012 (earlier submissions encouraged and preferred)
Hot on the heels of the Gaybie award-winning College Boys, Shane Allison goes back to school with Big Man on Campus in search of the best college based erotica around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from new blood to seasoned scribes. The collegiate theme should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on students, frat boys or professors. Think of late night study sessions in the library, a horny professor fantasizing of that beefy jock that sits teasing him from the back of the class, randy foreign exchange students and of course an anthology of this theme would not be complete without a college jock being thrown in. Original, unique, creative characters, settings, scenarios and forms are encouraged. As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative erotica for this collection. Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work will be considered but will be given lower priority than original work. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Please see College Boys: Gay Erotic Stories and Frat Boys: Gay Eroitc Stories to get an idea of the kinds of stories I dig.
SEE ABOVE ENTRY FOR DIRECTIONS AND GUIDELINES, then send to collegeboysantho@gmail.com.
NON EROTICA
ARTFUL DODGE
http://www3.wooster.edu/artfuldodge/
An Ohio-based literary magazine that publishes work with a strong sense of place and cultural landscape. Besides new American fiction, poetry and narrative essay, we're also interested in contemporary literature in translation -- from all over the globe. Pays $5/page.
BIG BAD ANTHOLOGY
http://johnhartness.com/big-bad-anthology/
Send me your best short story (6,000 words max, if it has to be longer contact me first) that features a bad guy or evil character as the protagonist. It can be fantasy, urban fantasy, superhero, horror, whatever. Just send me your best bad guy story. I'm taking twenty. Email submissions tojohnhartness@gmail.com
as a .doc or .txt attachment. Include a brief author's bio, please. Paying $50 for one year's exclusive electronic and print rights plus two contributor's copies. After that we retain rights to publish electronically in the anthology only, and in print in this anthology only, but you can take it and sell it somewhere
else, or sell it yourself as a standalone. Deadline July 31, 2012.
ALCHEMY PRESS ANTHOLOGY
http://alchemypress.blogspot.com/p/pulp-heroes.html
The Alchemy Press is seeking submissions for THE ALCHEMY PRESS BOOK OF PULP HEROES, edited by Mike Chinn. Sports stories, spy stories, aircraft & zeppelin stories, sea & pirate stories,
Westerns, medieval romance, horror, science fiction and fantasy, movies and car racing; there's no limit. Successful contributors will receive a copy of the book and a £10 advance against royalties on publication. We are after original fiction, but reprints will be considered if they are exceptional. Contributions must be in the range of 2,000-6,000 words firm, with full contact details on the front page. Deadline May 30, 2012.
EROTICA MARKETS - short and long fiction
Mischief Bookseries
http://www.mischiefbooks.com/pages/contact/
Mischief is a new series of ebook erotica and erotic romance fiction exploring romantic and explicit sexual fantasies for the purpose of pleasure. Each month Mischief will publish original ebooks featuring contemporary stories by the very best authors worldwide. We publish an extensive list of original erotica and erotic romance in themed short story anthologies, petite novels of 40K minimum word length, novels and single author collections of 80K minimum word length. We are looking for fiction that really is a cut above tired, formulaic, hurriedly written and mass produced erotica in a saturated genre. Founded by Harper Collins, UK.
eXtasy Books
http://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=9
Fromt the site: "eXtasy Books is looking for new voices to add to their already busy stable! Like all publishers, we are always on the hunt for the next best-selling author. This could be you! Of course we realize that not every author can be a best-seller, and we don't promise mega sales, but we do promise to give writers with fantastic stories the chance to be read. We look for stories from mildly sensual to super hot. As long as your novel /novella has an intriguing storyline, and not just a string of sex scenes laced together by a thin plot, we will evaluate it for publication. We look at all genres. Novels/novellas can be from 16k and up. eXtasy Books pay standard royalty rate, 40% of listed price. 40% at third party sellers, except Fictionwise, it's 50%. Our contract is for ebook rights for 3 years from day of publication."
He Looks Like Trouble: Bad Boy Erotica
Editor: Shane Allison, Cleis Press in late 2012
Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication
Deadline: July 1, 2012 (earlier submissions encouraged and preferred)
"Bikers, tatted up punks, dirty cops and crime bosses. Do you love a bad boy as much as I do, men who live their lives everyday on the wild side? The type of boys you dream of riding up on their hogs, or in a muscle car to carry you away from the mundane? Shane Allison is in search of the best bad boy based erotica around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from new blood to seasoned scribes. The bad boy theme should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on it. Original, unique, creative characters, settings, scenarios and forms are encouraged. As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative erotica for this collection.
Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work will be considered but will be given lower priority than original work. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Let your imagination run wild.
How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to helooksliketroubleantho@gmail.com.
If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by August 2012. Be sure to include contact and bio information on the FIRST page of your story."
Big Man on Campus: Gay Erotic FictionShane Allison, Cleis Press
Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication
Deadline: June 1, 2012 (earlier submissions encouraged and preferred)
Hot on the heels of the Gaybie award-winning College Boys, Shane Allison goes back to school with Big Man on Campus in search of the best college based erotica around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from new blood to seasoned scribes. The collegiate theme should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on students, frat boys or professors. Think of late night study sessions in the library, a horny professor fantasizing of that beefy jock that sits teasing him from the back of the class, randy foreign exchange students and of course an anthology of this theme would not be complete without a college jock being thrown in. Original, unique, creative characters, settings, scenarios and forms are encouraged. As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative erotica for this collection. Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work will be considered but will be given lower priority than original work. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Please see College Boys: Gay Erotic Stories and Frat Boys: Gay Eroitc Stories to get an idea of the kinds of stories I dig.
SEE ABOVE ENTRY FOR DIRECTIONS AND GUIDELINES, then send to collegeboysantho@gmail.com.
NON EROTICA
ARTFUL DODGE
http://www3.wooster.edu/artfuldodge/
An Ohio-based literary magazine that publishes work with a strong sense of place and cultural landscape. Besides new American fiction, poetry and narrative essay, we're also interested in contemporary literature in translation -- from all over the globe. Pays $5/page.
BIG BAD ANTHOLOGY
http://johnhartness.com/big-bad-anthology/
Send me your best short story (6,000 words max, if it has to be longer contact me first) that features a bad guy or evil character as the protagonist. It can be fantasy, urban fantasy, superhero, horror, whatever. Just send me your best bad guy story. I'm taking twenty. Email submissions tojohnhartness@gmail.com
as a .doc or .txt attachment. Include a brief author's bio, please. Paying $50 for one year's exclusive electronic and print rights plus two contributor's copies. After that we retain rights to publish electronically in the anthology only, and in print in this anthology only, but you can take it and sell it somewhere
else, or sell it yourself as a standalone. Deadline July 31, 2012.
ALCHEMY PRESS ANTHOLOGY
http://alchemypress.blogspot.com/p/pulp-heroes.html
The Alchemy Press is seeking submissions for THE ALCHEMY PRESS BOOK OF PULP HEROES, edited by Mike Chinn. Sports stories, spy stories, aircraft & zeppelin stories, sea & pirate stories,
Westerns, medieval romance, horror, science fiction and fantasy, movies and car racing; there's no limit. Successful contributors will receive a copy of the book and a £10 advance against royalties on publication. We are after original fiction, but reprints will be considered if they are exceptional. Contributions must be in the range of 2,000-6,000 words firm, with full contact details on the front page. Deadline May 30, 2012.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Are You Being Too Nice?
When I am starting a new story, I ask myself: who is the most likable character in this book? Then I kill him.
Okay, not always. But we all know that some of the most interesting stories come from writers who are downright nasty to their readers. They don't give a shit what you want. Take George R. R. Martin for example. Plot spoiler: everybody dies. Of course, this makes it all the more rewarding when he does do something nice, and say whacks one of the bad guys on the john with his pants down. That's kind of the point, I think. In life, we all know shit goes our way maybe half the time, but some things are largely dependent on effort, while others are 9/10ths luck. As writers, we need to strike a similar balance. If we give too little, then the reader gets mad. If we give too much, the reader gets bored. What I like is to strike a nice tension between expectation and delivery, or pleasure and pain, if you will.
Know your audience. Know your genre. But don't be afraid to change it up. Writers should never be too nice to the reader, or they risk loosing the sense of anticipation that comes from diving into a new story, and meeting new characters, and experiencing their individual failures and successes. By being too nice, writers risk not having much of a story to actually tell.
Five ways a writer can be "too nice" to their readers
1. Yummy! A plot cookie! On a plate! On the table!
If you have ever roleplayed (showing my geek roots here), then you know the type: the storyteller who describes a whole room, but pays very very close attention to one giant tomb constructed of human flesh, amid piles of other books similarly constructed of human flesh. By drawing the players', or in this case the readers', attention to the ONE THING THAT DOES NOT BELONG you can be sure that they get it when the book becomes the center of attention. Problem is, this handholding technique might be fine for a kid's book, but for the majority of the reading public, such obvious plotting backfires. They don't get the fuzzy feeling of treasure hunting among your words, of being a little Sherlock and constructing the clues for themselves. A good writer matches a protagonist's conclusions and timing with that of the readers. That way, the reader doesn't think the main character is stupid, nor do they think you stuck a DRINK ME sign on the side of the bottle.
2. It's not you, it's me
Maybe your character is too likable. Maybe because he's such a swell guy, you really want him to succeed. But there's not much story to be had in a charmed life. Many amateur writers are way too nice to their characters. I don't know why this is. I've also seen it's opposite, usually in the form of the teen male writer who graphically depicts every stabbing, beheading, and bleeding gunshot wound. In either case, the issue is that the writer has put too much of themselves into the character's success. It may not be a case of the Mary Sues, but being too attached to the imaginary can prevent you from telling the real story. remember that your reader may want your character to win, but winning is not where the tension is.
3. Death becomes her
Some characters seem to walk on stage wearing a red coat. We don't let the reader get to know them because we are bound and determined for them to just play their part and get the fuck out. We do this because we are afraid of hurting our reader's feelings, of letting them expect more out of us as storytellers. But shouldn't they expect more? Remember that every character has a life beyond the story you are telling. You don't want to share the whole thing, but breathing life into each face that makes an appearance, whether they are destined for greatness or to be dismembered in auto accident five minutes into the story, this is what makes a story feel complete.
4. But the genre told me to
In any genre, expectations abound. Devoted readers ask, and it is your job to deliver. You're about as predictable as a pregnant woman eating pickles and ice cream. You've got your genre down to a mathematical science. Whatever the greats have done, you do as well. It worked for them, right? Actually, you just slid down the slope of uniqueness into a pile of poo that is your prescribed and generous conclusion. It's what they wanted, right? And you want them to like you. Cuz that's how you make sales, right?
5. And they all lived happily ever after...
My roommate writes romance. In her genre, it's damn well expected that every character come away with their heart's desire, as well as their true love, the house, the car, and a fine slice of pie. Sometimes there are weddings. And babies. All the shit that makes the romance reader's heart go all flippy with emotion. Because that's the point. But say you're not writing romance. This is the opposite of #4, in a way. Regardless of genre, you are delivering a neat little package that makes the world all sacchrine sweet for all your darling characters when most genres don't work like that. Real life doesn't work like that.
Writers thrive on their readers' expectations and distrust. Readers want surprises, but not so much that they have no clue where shit is coming from. It comes down to finding a balance between want and do-not-want, or getting your reader to cry and jump gleefully along with the protagonist. You can't do that if you aren't moved. Moving the reader to experience the story and not just move their eyes along the page is the fundamental goal of every writer, no matter the genre.
Okay, not always. But we all know that some of the most interesting stories come from writers who are downright nasty to their readers. They don't give a shit what you want. Take George R. R. Martin for example. Plot spoiler: everybody dies. Of course, this makes it all the more rewarding when he does do something nice, and say whacks one of the bad guys on the john with his pants down. That's kind of the point, I think. In life, we all know shit goes our way maybe half the time, but some things are largely dependent on effort, while others are 9/10ths luck. As writers, we need to strike a similar balance. If we give too little, then the reader gets mad. If we give too much, the reader gets bored. What I like is to strike a nice tension between expectation and delivery, or pleasure and pain, if you will.
Know your audience. Know your genre. But don't be afraid to change it up. Writers should never be too nice to the reader, or they risk loosing the sense of anticipation that comes from diving into a new story, and meeting new characters, and experiencing their individual failures and successes. By being too nice, writers risk not having much of a story to actually tell.
Five ways a writer can be "too nice" to their readers
1. Yummy! A plot cookie! On a plate! On the table!
If you have ever roleplayed (showing my geek roots here), then you know the type: the storyteller who describes a whole room, but pays very very close attention to one giant tomb constructed of human flesh, amid piles of other books similarly constructed of human flesh. By drawing the players', or in this case the readers', attention to the ONE THING THAT DOES NOT BELONG you can be sure that they get it when the book becomes the center of attention. Problem is, this handholding technique might be fine for a kid's book, but for the majority of the reading public, such obvious plotting backfires. They don't get the fuzzy feeling of treasure hunting among your words, of being a little Sherlock and constructing the clues for themselves. A good writer matches a protagonist's conclusions and timing with that of the readers. That way, the reader doesn't think the main character is stupid, nor do they think you stuck a DRINK ME sign on the side of the bottle.
2. It's not you, it's me
Maybe your character is too likable. Maybe because he's such a swell guy, you really want him to succeed. But there's not much story to be had in a charmed life. Many amateur writers are way too nice to their characters. I don't know why this is. I've also seen it's opposite, usually in the form of the teen male writer who graphically depicts every stabbing, beheading, and bleeding gunshot wound. In either case, the issue is that the writer has put too much of themselves into the character's success. It may not be a case of the Mary Sues, but being too attached to the imaginary can prevent you from telling the real story. remember that your reader may want your character to win, but winning is not where the tension is.
3. Death becomes her
Some characters seem to walk on stage wearing a red coat. We don't let the reader get to know them because we are bound and determined for them to just play their part and get the fuck out. We do this because we are afraid of hurting our reader's feelings, of letting them expect more out of us as storytellers. But shouldn't they expect more? Remember that every character has a life beyond the story you are telling. You don't want to share the whole thing, but breathing life into each face that makes an appearance, whether they are destined for greatness or to be dismembered in auto accident five minutes into the story, this is what makes a story feel complete.
4. But the genre told me to
In any genre, expectations abound. Devoted readers ask, and it is your job to deliver. You're about as predictable as a pregnant woman eating pickles and ice cream. You've got your genre down to a mathematical science. Whatever the greats have done, you do as well. It worked for them, right? Actually, you just slid down the slope of uniqueness into a pile of poo that is your prescribed and generous conclusion. It's what they wanted, right? And you want them to like you. Cuz that's how you make sales, right?
5. And they all lived happily ever after...
My roommate writes romance. In her genre, it's damn well expected that every character come away with their heart's desire, as well as their true love, the house, the car, and a fine slice of pie. Sometimes there are weddings. And babies. All the shit that makes the romance reader's heart go all flippy with emotion. Because that's the point. But say you're not writing romance. This is the opposite of #4, in a way. Regardless of genre, you are delivering a neat little package that makes the world all sacchrine sweet for all your darling characters when most genres don't work like that. Real life doesn't work like that.
Writers thrive on their readers' expectations and distrust. Readers want surprises, but not so much that they have no clue where shit is coming from. It comes down to finding a balance between want and do-not-want, or getting your reader to cry and jump gleefully along with the protagonist. You can't do that if you aren't moved. Moving the reader to experience the story and not just move their eyes along the page is the fundamental goal of every writer, no matter the genre.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Work Space
When I find time to write, I am usually so grateful to feel inspired that I hardly notice my surroundings. I could be on a train, in bed, at a café or a restaurant, or even in my car (I’ve been known to use the voice recording feature on my cell phone, though I have returned both mp3 recorders I purchased because I so seldom found a use for them). When inspiration strikes at an inopportune time, I resort to whatever materials are available, which includes notebooks, napkins, or even ink on skin. But these are all exceptions. For the most part, I require some basics before I can work seriously. For me, a perfect setting for writing is about creating a mood that is conducive to inspiration and free of basic distractions. Because much of what I write is “dark,” the mood is often easier set at night or when it’s dreary out. This isn’t to say I haven’t picked up my laptop on a sunny summer day, seated myself in an open air café, and written passages on cannibalism and suspension art. It happens.
Lighting in general plays a large role in how productive I am. I am not a fan of overhead lighting. I like antique lamps and yellow colored lights, dark rooms where there are too many shadows to count. It gives my brain something to do when it’s not focused on the story. This goes for my writing space at home, as well as finding those little places away from the house. These past few days, people have been posting pictures of a “writing nook,” though I know too few people that would actually fit inside it comfortably. I like a little elbow room, and I’m not a very big girl. Also, not sure if there are any lamps in there. It makes me want some candle niches, like the ones in the stone walls at the villa I stayed in in Malta. Let’s be real though. Could I write in it? Not likely. Poor lighting is part of it. These days, you can find me at First Slice in Andersonville. One, because the coffee is good and cheap, and two, because there is pie. While the big windows are a challenge to my dim netbook screen, I have found a few usually vacant spots that I can work in without too much eyestrain.
I know a lot of people talk about putting on music to help themselves write. However, I am one of those odd weirdos that requires damn-well-close to silence in order to get going on a project. Some ambient people noise in a public space is doable, and I make soundtracks to fuel my thoughts when I am away from the keyboard. Having people I know surrounding me and lapsing into intermittent conversation can be distracting, since I ordinarily want to chime in. This is why we use the age-old writing sprint technique when we want to get something done at Writer’s Group. If you’re not familiar, this technique lets you pick a set time, usually anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour, and writing without talking. Then when the time is up, you’re free to share and gab and whatever else for as long as you need until another sprint is called.
It’s apparent I have gone through some development in terms of finding the ideal writing space. One of my major transitions was to change from composing primarily by hand to writing directly on a computer. The challenge to me was to conquer the feelings of permanency that came from putting my work right on a computer. Counter-intuitive, yes? Yet, I still get asked this question by burgeoning new writers. My advice is simple: unless you are 16 and writing in a secret diary, or away from all computers and software programs known to man, avoid the pen and paper, son. Unless it works for you. In which case, embrace your renaissance ways, compose your prose in notebooks of Moleskein, then by God put it on the computer before you lose it, or burn it in a fit of hatred.
Looking back, there are only two cardinal rules here: do what makes you work best and back that shit up. ‘Nough said.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Pimping @terribleminds
Chuck offered space for writers to pimp each other today. I wanted to share with you what I added. If you're a writer, let's do a reach around, m'kay? Just let me know!
I write smut. Oh hey, that’s also my twitter name when you run it together, iwritesmut. Aren’t I clever? I have a book out. It’s called Messiah of Monsters. Because cannibals are the new black. Because cannibals are vampires with more bite. Cannibals are vampires that don’t sparkle…but I digress.
There’s filth, of the whoring, drug-induced, gay variety. Also, there are circus freaks. Suspensions. A hermaphrodite.
Did I mention cannibalism?
The link for the Kindle ed is here: http://www.amazon.com/Messiah-of-Monsters-ebook/dp/B007E64G9Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333070204&sr=8-1
It’s FREE for Prime members. There is also a fabulous paperback.
In return, I want to pimp three people in lightening hot fashion. One, my cover artist, cause that girl owns: https://m.facebook.com/therealsilhouettestudios?v=info She’s amazing, and very willing to work with writers. Also, she will make your book cover look like a trophy wife instead of a two-bit hooker on crack.
Also, check out this guy: http://www.queeryoungcowboys.com/ – there’s some molten gay smut for you. I just found his link above and have been contemplating it for a little bit now. You know you should, too.
Finally, there’s this lady who runs some fun flash fiction on Tuesday nights. It will only take 15 mins from your schedule and god knows you have plenty of time, you procrastinating writer you. Hell, you read down this list all the way to me. That says something. Go to http://nicolewolverton.com/ any given Tuesday night and rock us with your bad fiction self.
I write smut. Oh hey, that’s also my twitter name when you run it together, iwritesmut. Aren’t I clever? I have a book out. It’s called Messiah of Monsters. Because cannibals are the new black. Because cannibals are vampires with more bite. Cannibals are vampires that don’t sparkle…but I digress.
There’s filth, of the whoring, drug-induced, gay variety. Also, there are circus freaks. Suspensions. A hermaphrodite.
Did I mention cannibalism?
The link for the Kindle ed is here: http://www.amazon.com/Messiah-of-Monsters-ebook/dp/B007E64G9Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333070204&sr=8-1
It’s FREE for Prime members. There is also a fabulous paperback.
In return, I want to pimp three people in lightening hot fashion. One, my cover artist, cause that girl owns: https://m.facebook.com/therealsilhouettestudios?v=info She’s amazing, and very willing to work with writers. Also, she will make your book cover look like a trophy wife instead of a two-bit hooker on crack.
Also, check out this guy: http://www.queeryoungcowboys.com/ – there’s some molten gay smut for you. I just found his link above and have been contemplating it for a little bit now. You know you should, too.
Finally, there’s this lady who runs some fun flash fiction on Tuesday nights. It will only take 15 mins from your schedule and god knows you have plenty of time, you procrastinating writer you. Hell, you read down this list all the way to me. That says something. Go to http://nicolewolverton.com/ any given Tuesday night and rock us with your bad fiction self.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Chasing Zero: preview of a work long in progress
Finally putting the last and finishing chapters into a book that has been on my desk for a decade. It's a story worth telling, but I'm still unsure if I am up to the task of telling it. It's very different than much of my other work, but it's certainly a reflection of my long-time love of cyberpunk and sci-fi. Here's a tiny bit of flavor text from this excersize in madness:
Nora turns over the documents with a wave of dismissal. “I haven’t been feeling well,” she says. Her hand stays on the topmost of the papers, as if expecting a sudden phantom wind to disperse her formal musings. “I’ve never felt secure in putting any of this down, you know. Old habits and all.”
Greene inclines her head, for once attempting to agree. “I can see that,” she says at last.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sinking in the Sea of the Workshop
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation where I was reminded of one of the pitfalls of writing workshops and college writing programs. I put it out my mind like a bad friend, someone your trusted to help but who failed you in the end. Let's face it: almost anyone who has been told a few times that they write well, or anyone who thinks they write well, despite being told the contrary, has likely tried their hand at one or the other. The problem that I remember with these well-meaning instructors is that they don't so much teach the craft as they expect you to learn from your fellow writers. Trouble is that most of these schmucks are just as clueless as you are. Effectively what they do is throw you to the sharks, sink or swim, each man for himself. Further, most times they strip you of your life boat, which we call genre, and force you to cram all your creative juices into a small dinghy full of nasty people with BO that they call Short Literary Fiction.
In the workshop, we have limited time. I get it. Really I do. But when you are finally asked to swim that mile to the shore and don't know a basic stroke, you're going to drown. So rather than berating me for choosing a genre that sells as opposed to some high hipster shit that would have died out years ago (and rightfully so!) had it not been for you and your fellow English-degreed friends, why don't you spare me the lecture and posturing and teach US HOW TO FUCKING WRITE.
Oh yeah. Maybe it's because no one ever taught you either.
From the beginning, I was fortunate. In high school, I learned shit that even some published (/cry) writers don't know. I learned how to create concrete images, not to mix my metaphors, and by God avoid the evil -ly words which make you look weak and feeble. I had an amazing teacher, Mrs. Morrison, who was as connected as she was gifted with teaching kids and other folks how to write. She knew Raymond Carver before he died, and I met people like Lucien Stryke, Tess Gallagher, and Gwendolyn Brooks. She still enforced the short-fiction-lit-fic crap, but she also taught the fundamental skills of good writing. With almost two years of writing experience under my belt, I taught workshops to middle school students. I was pumped, excited. I was looking forward to continuing my writing education in college (I was into poetry then).
And sank.
There are two main problems with college writing workshops: one, they are designed to teach you by example, the example being the writing of your peers. If your peers suck, however, you learn nothing. You become the teacher yourself, the big fish leading a school of little guys. This happens because, two, most workshop "instructors" don't act like a teacher insomuch as they behave like just another member of the workshop, except that their critique is also probably your grade. Also, because they read about 20 other stories besides yours, no doubt they won't spend time discussing the effectiveness of a certain character or a specific line. They won't tell you why ly and ing endings suck balls.
It wasn't until a transfer to a private college that I found a teacher who was actively teaching writing. By then, I had come to recognize that the "workshop" format was all the rage, and totally useless for honing actual skills. So when I returned to school to finally complete my degrees years later, I knew what to expect. I slogged through it anyway and learned almost nothing. Hell, I think the only thing I took from the classes I endured were the words of fellow student, novelist Robyn Bachar: "Enough with the commas already, woman!" I can say with confidence that Robyn is probably the only person in any of these classes who has gone on to "be" a writer. And I can also say that Robyn walked into the room with both talent and training, which confirms my belief that many of these classes teach you virtually nothing. For all I know, there were other people in the class who had talent, but because they could not write a fucking sentence, Robyn and I found veiled ways to make fun of their arrogant lit-fic bullshit while secretly writing novels like the good little genre whores we are.
So if all classes are backwater cesspools that breed mosquitoes and not writers, where do writers go to perfect their craft? The answer is simple: other writers and the Internet, my dears! Maybe you already know that I am carrying on a not-so-secret intellectual love affair with Chuck, the terrible mind behind terribleminds.com. If you want to understand writing in an easy-to-chew format, check him out. He breaks writing down into easy to parse lists, and much of his advice is invaluable. Though I think I know more than a few things about creative fiction, the man has saved my bacon more times than I can count. He has some great books out, too.
You can also visit the blogs of writers you enjoy and respect. Though they may not teach you much when it comes to the bare bones of the craft, they can at least help you become more genre savvy. Some writers may even be willing to recommend books to you if you're trying to get up on the basics. If you crave the workshop format and want to share your work with other writers, shop around for a writing group where the skills of the others are on par with your own, or even start a workshop group of your own. I did the latter; there is something to be said for sharing my work with people who are on a level similar to mine. Online or in-person, it doesn't matter these days. I am still learning, of course. And I still get a little comma-happy from time to time.
I have some ideas swirling in my head for a set of workshops that delve into the uncharted waters of writing skill. The more I learn, the more I realize that the ironclad dos and don'ts of writing are few, but the few are irrefutable and need to be understood, if not followed. Also, I won't turn people away at the door because they write novels or genre fiction. And I won't ask anyone to learn from the writing of someone they don't respect. That defeats the purpose of taking our work seriously, which is the basic goal of a writing workshop, in my opinion. Hell, where else is it going to happen for most of us?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Another giveaway starting soon!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Messiah of Monsters
by R. A. Dunn
Giveaway ends March 27, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Myths About Self-Publishing
To quote the guy in the 80s movie, Splash, the one where Darryl Hannah is half-naked and making keening noises (I am pretty sure it was not Ferris Bueller): What a week I'm having. I'm meeting people (digitally), including publishers, reviewers, and ton of fabulous and supportive fellow writers. My calendar is filling up with all sorts of writerly activities, and I'm generating an active interest in my work. People are following me on Twitter and FB, and more people are reading the novel. It's been hectic, but I'm up to the challenge.
Long ago, in a college writing workshop far far away, I was given a very valuable bit of wisdom: you're a writer if you say you are. To that end, I remained reluctant to call myself a writer until I had one completed work of fiction under my belt. Not a few short stories, not a couple of articles, not the dozen or so half-finished manuscripts stuffed in my closet. One novel. That's all it would take. So, I guess I'm a writer now. Thank effing G-d.
Shortly following the release of Messiah of Monsters, a few nay-sayers emerged from my sea of friends (you know who you are) to object to my choice to self-publish my first book. They said things like: "well, surely it must be good enough for a regular publisher," "that'll never work," and "don't sell yourself short...you're too impatient." At least the last of these is partly true. Ultimately though, seeing as I had never finished anything, and I found myself on a sudden and unexpected roll, I gave the proverbial finger to all of these people and plunged in. However, I still took time to consider all the options, which I break down a bit for you below.
Vanity Press - you pay a guy who puts your book into print. They do all the work, as little or as much as you pay them for. Sometimes they edit for you, arrange your cover, typeset, and "market" your book. Meanwhile, you sit back and hope you spent that $300- $2000 wisely.
Desktop Publishing - you do this at home, print at home, the whole deal. This is the way many small zines go, and some low-graphic content comics, as well as chapbooks and smaller works. Since you pay for every piece you print and do all of it yourself, it can be time consuming AND expensive in the long run.
Print-on-Demand - this is what Lulu and CreateSpace are. Basically, your book is a file that hangs out until someone thinks it sounds keen and buys it. Then it prints. The printer takes a cut of the final price to cover their sales and make profit, and you get the leavings. You also do most of the work, though the process is (somewhat) simpler than it sounds.
Small Press - these are the little guys. These are the guys who can't afford to offer you big royalties, but they are your first stop on the road to a best seller. They operate in similar fashion to the giant publishing houses, though some aspects remain largely do-it-yourself. They don't have the giant funds to send you on a book tour, or get you a review in the New York Times. You still have to wait around for them to read your work, reject it, request edits, and then send you a contract. It takes time. Also, small presses tend to specialize, which is great for the genre-savvy reader (and writer!), but it leaves some of us outliers in the cold. Show me one publisher that's looking for LGBT erotic horror, and I'll show you a unicorn.
Overall, I am glad I took the path I did. I've learned some very valuable lessons in the last few weeks, a few about people and even more about self-publishing. I'm going to share with you the things I've learned that stand out as those I will take with me into my next project, whether it's self-published or no.
1. Self-publish your book? Who are you paying to do that? Aunt Sue did that once. Remember the 500 copies of "The Dream is Over," which we used for kindling at the old lakehouse?
As I described above, Self-publishing IS NOT the same as Vanity Press. It surprises me that vanity presses still exist...but the reason they continue to exist and rip people off is because somehow, somewhere, someone managed to convince folks that VPs were still superior to self-publishing. This is far from accurate. In case you were born after 1990, the VP concept predates the sophistication of the interwebs and inexpensive print-on-demand/desktop publishing. Hint: most "small presses" that require the author to pay a fee up front as opposed to granting you an advance or at least handing you a contract that details how YOU will be paid are actually VPs.
In this digital day and age, there is no reason in hell that you should be paying someone to publish your book. And if you think that having a name that is not your own appear as the publisher somehow helps you to gain fans, think again. Remember Aunt Sue? That name that published her tripe is associated with her shoddy work as well as your fine masterpiece.
2. Self-published books are badly written, which is why these people can't find a publisher.
Sometimes you don't choose to self-publish. It chooses you. For me, there were multiple factors which played into my decision to self-publish, rather than seeking a traditional publisher for my work. First and foremost, my chosen subject matter was a risky one, especially for a first-time author. The small press route was an unlikely gambit that would just eat up my time and my resolve with rejection letters. More and more people find the process of publishing unappealing, but they can tell a good story just the same. Yes, there's a lot of junk out there - but it's a good bet that some of the small presses create a fair amount of it, too. It's the dark side of this beautiful world we've created....I am a bit of a jerk, so I spend a fair time laughing at some of the atrocious shit out there, while at the same time I have to kick myself for not having picked up the gauntlet as fast as they did. Industrious little bastards.
3. Fame. Glory. Riches. You'll never see these in self-publishing.
And guess what? Most traditionally published writers don't see them either. The Stephen Kings and J.K. Rowlings are few and far between, my friends. The majority of writers get by with day jobs, or leach off a willing and gracious spouse. Some of us are lucky enough to do enough freelancing that our mundane life becomes a minor intrusion on our creative condition.
Seek opportunities everywhere, write every day, and write good shit, but don't expect a best seller. It's 99% who you know, so there are probably a million undiscovered Hemingways out there. Get over yourself. I can bet neither one of the authors above expected much from their work, either. Surprise. This part was not too hard for a self-depreciating lunatic to figure out. I'm still shocked at the attention I'm getting now.
4. Don't try this at home, kids.
Get an editor. A real one. Even if you do some editing work yourself like I do, I can't underscore this enough. It still irks me to admit some aspects of my novel are rougher than I would like because I did not follow this rule. Sad to say, I could not afford one. I still can't. I had people read it over before it was released, other writers who admitted that they were not up to the task. At least I knew I had a good story. I spent grueling hours putting it to task myself - the first 15 copies grabbed by friends on the first day illustrate how even thorough proofreading doesn't always make for perfection. However, no matter what distance you can put between yourself and your product, nothing compares to a fresh read-through by a trained eye.
One thing that I benefited from, that enabled me to see my own mistakes more clearly, is seeing the book in it's final print form and then reading it cover-to-cover. Make use of on-demand like CreateSpace, even if you never publicly release the book in a self-published format. I can't tell you the difference it made, seeing those words in a new format, reading it like a reader would. Some things worked, some didn't, some things I could change, some I just had to let go.
5. You self-published because you are nothing. No one will buy your book. Because Penguin didn't put its stamp on the cover, and Simon and Schuster did not give you the time of day, neither will anyone else.
One great reason to self-publish is that it defeats the age old conundrum: you can't get an agent before you publish something and you can't publish something without an agent. I am very happy to report that many formerly self-published authors are now living it up with contracts in nice little homes with small press and the big leagues alike. Heck, I guess one of them even got a movie deal recently. Way to make us all look like slackers...but also, thanks for putting us on the map with norms. It's been a long time coming.
The biggest thing self-publishing has given me is momentum. Drive. A will to live...well, not exactly, but I would say it has given me the will to persevere. And I've proven to myself that I can do it, that I can finish something. For awhile there, I was almost sure my tombstone was going to read: R. A. Dunn, the girl who couldn't call anything done. It feels good enough that I am ready to do it again...and again. This time, surely, with more precision. And maybe an agent or a contract...but I'm not going to be so fast to decide that. I want to know my options first. However, I do know that publishing one book will not sustain me.
After seeing your words in print, it DOES in fact get easier. This is the number one reason to self-publish. As this last week has shown me, I am much further into the game then I expected to be. <deep breaths>
Long ago, in a college writing workshop far far away, I was given a very valuable bit of wisdom: you're a writer if you say you are. To that end, I remained reluctant to call myself a writer until I had one completed work of fiction under my belt. Not a few short stories, not a couple of articles, not the dozen or so half-finished manuscripts stuffed in my closet. One novel. That's all it would take. So, I guess I'm a writer now. Thank effing G-d.
Shortly following the release of Messiah of Monsters, a few nay-sayers emerged from my sea of friends (you know who you are) to object to my choice to self-publish my first book. They said things like: "well, surely it must be good enough for a regular publisher," "that'll never work," and "don't sell yourself short...you're too impatient." At least the last of these is partly true. Ultimately though, seeing as I had never finished anything, and I found myself on a sudden and unexpected roll, I gave the proverbial finger to all of these people and plunged in. However, I still took time to consider all the options, which I break down a bit for you below.
Vanity Press - you pay a guy who puts your book into print. They do all the work, as little or as much as you pay them for. Sometimes they edit for you, arrange your cover, typeset, and "market" your book. Meanwhile, you sit back and hope you spent that $300- $2000 wisely.
Desktop Publishing - you do this at home, print at home, the whole deal. This is the way many small zines go, and some low-graphic content comics, as well as chapbooks and smaller works. Since you pay for every piece you print and do all of it yourself, it can be time consuming AND expensive in the long run.
Print-on-Demand - this is what Lulu and CreateSpace are. Basically, your book is a file that hangs out until someone thinks it sounds keen and buys it. Then it prints. The printer takes a cut of the final price to cover their sales and make profit, and you get the leavings. You also do most of the work, though the process is (somewhat) simpler than it sounds.
Small Press - these are the little guys. These are the guys who can't afford to offer you big royalties, but they are your first stop on the road to a best seller. They operate in similar fashion to the giant publishing houses, though some aspects remain largely do-it-yourself. They don't have the giant funds to send you on a book tour, or get you a review in the New York Times. You still have to wait around for them to read your work, reject it, request edits, and then send you a contract. It takes time. Also, small presses tend to specialize, which is great for the genre-savvy reader (and writer!), but it leaves some of us outliers in the cold. Show me one publisher that's looking for LGBT erotic horror, and I'll show you a unicorn.
Overall, I am glad I took the path I did. I've learned some very valuable lessons in the last few weeks, a few about people and even more about self-publishing. I'm going to share with you the things I've learned that stand out as those I will take with me into my next project, whether it's self-published or no.
1. Self-publish your book? Who are you paying to do that? Aunt Sue did that once. Remember the 500 copies of "The Dream is Over," which we used for kindling at the old lakehouse?
As I described above, Self-publishing IS NOT the same as Vanity Press. It surprises me that vanity presses still exist...but the reason they continue to exist and rip people off is because somehow, somewhere, someone managed to convince folks that VPs were still superior to self-publishing. This is far from accurate. In case you were born after 1990, the VP concept predates the sophistication of the interwebs and inexpensive print-on-demand/desktop publishing. Hint: most "small presses" that require the author to pay a fee up front as opposed to granting you an advance or at least handing you a contract that details how YOU will be paid are actually VPs.
In this digital day and age, there is no reason in hell that you should be paying someone to publish your book. And if you think that having a name that is not your own appear as the publisher somehow helps you to gain fans, think again. Remember Aunt Sue? That name that published her tripe is associated with her shoddy work as well as your fine masterpiece.
2. Self-published books are badly written, which is why these people can't find a publisher.
Sometimes you don't choose to self-publish. It chooses you. For me, there were multiple factors which played into my decision to self-publish, rather than seeking a traditional publisher for my work. First and foremost, my chosen subject matter was a risky one, especially for a first-time author. The small press route was an unlikely gambit that would just eat up my time and my resolve with rejection letters. More and more people find the process of publishing unappealing, but they can tell a good story just the same. Yes, there's a lot of junk out there - but it's a good bet that some of the small presses create a fair amount of it, too. It's the dark side of this beautiful world we've created....I am a bit of a jerk, so I spend a fair time laughing at some of the atrocious shit out there, while at the same time I have to kick myself for not having picked up the gauntlet as fast as they did. Industrious little bastards.
3. Fame. Glory. Riches. You'll never see these in self-publishing.
And guess what? Most traditionally published writers don't see them either. The Stephen Kings and J.K. Rowlings are few and far between, my friends. The majority of writers get by with day jobs, or leach off a willing and gracious spouse. Some of us are lucky enough to do enough freelancing that our mundane life becomes a minor intrusion on our creative condition.
Seek opportunities everywhere, write every day, and write good shit, but don't expect a best seller. It's 99% who you know, so there are probably a million undiscovered Hemingways out there. Get over yourself. I can bet neither one of the authors above expected much from their work, either. Surprise. This part was not too hard for a self-depreciating lunatic to figure out. I'm still shocked at the attention I'm getting now.
4. Don't try this at home, kids.
Get an editor. A real one. Even if you do some editing work yourself like I do, I can't underscore this enough. It still irks me to admit some aspects of my novel are rougher than I would like because I did not follow this rule. Sad to say, I could not afford one. I still can't. I had people read it over before it was released, other writers who admitted that they were not up to the task. At least I knew I had a good story. I spent grueling hours putting it to task myself - the first 15 copies grabbed by friends on the first day illustrate how even thorough proofreading doesn't always make for perfection. However, no matter what distance you can put between yourself and your product, nothing compares to a fresh read-through by a trained eye.
One thing that I benefited from, that enabled me to see my own mistakes more clearly, is seeing the book in it's final print form and then reading it cover-to-cover. Make use of on-demand like CreateSpace, even if you never publicly release the book in a self-published format. I can't tell you the difference it made, seeing those words in a new format, reading it like a reader would. Some things worked, some didn't, some things I could change, some I just had to let go.
5. You self-published because you are nothing. No one will buy your book. Because Penguin didn't put its stamp on the cover, and Simon and Schuster did not give you the time of day, neither will anyone else.
One great reason to self-publish is that it defeats the age old conundrum: you can't get an agent before you publish something and you can't publish something without an agent. I am very happy to report that many formerly self-published authors are now living it up with contracts in nice little homes with small press and the big leagues alike. Heck, I guess one of them even got a movie deal recently. Way to make us all look like slackers...but also, thanks for putting us on the map with norms. It's been a long time coming.
The biggest thing self-publishing has given me is momentum. Drive. A will to live...well, not exactly, but I would say it has given me the will to persevere. And I've proven to myself that I can do it, that I can finish something. For awhile there, I was almost sure my tombstone was going to read: R. A. Dunn, the girl who couldn't call anything done. It feels good enough that I am ready to do it again...and again. This time, surely, with more precision. And maybe an agent or a contract...but I'm not going to be so fast to decide that. I want to know my options first. However, I do know that publishing one book will not sustain me.
After seeing your words in print, it DOES in fact get easier. This is the number one reason to self-publish. As this last week has shown me, I am much further into the game then I expected to be. <deep breaths>
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Free Giveaway on GoodReads!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Messiah of Monsters
by R. A. Dunn
Giveaway ends March 17, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Creating a Soundtrack for Creativity: Messiah of Monsters
Over the next two weeks, I want to spend some time exploring the songs and images that drove the creative process behind my first novel, Messiah of Monsters. When I speak about soundtracks, I am talking about the music I find myself listening to as I work on a piece. More often than not, I use music to help me work through character motivations and rough spots, to brainstorm new ideas, and remind me of the story when I'm not actively writing it. It's a great way to keep things fresh in my mind when I'm not able to get to a computer or pen fast enough.
If my first novel had end credits, it would probably start with them. Messiah is a wraparound story, starting near the end and ending with an epilogue. In this style, I started thinking about what songs might fit that feeling of closure. Early in the novel, Sam goes into the local diner. It's a familiar place to him, a place he feels at home in. He's been coming here for as long as he can recall; it's where his friends hang out, and the same place where his parents met. There's a jukebox, and pies, and the smells of burned coffee and gravy. We all know places like this. It made sense to me that the music that he's heard for nearly two decades should suddenly take on a more sinister tone, given he knows what will transpire and how the story will end.
So what was playing on the jukebox when Sam entered the diner that one final time? I had to think about this for quite awhile. I needed a song with lyrics that could be read both deeply and not at all. Moreover, I wanted one that was also familiar, but one that could be downright creepy if seen in a new light. At first, I was stuck on Leonard Cohen, but anything that was approaching dark or moody would be too obscure for a jukebox. Hallelujah is lovely song, and there were a couple of others, but after thinking about them for months, I found that they simply did not fit with the story, even if the image they conjured in my head still gave me some inspiration.
I arrived at the decsion that I also needed at least one song on my playlist that was timeless. It's one of my huge issues with including music as an active part in a story, and it's why I rarely do so. Often the writer loses sight of what an audience will think of their work in just five or ten years. Choosing something contemporary has a tendancy to date a story. My general rule is that if a band has been going strong over ten years, then they are likely safe to mention in passing. Only one band gets that treatment in the story, but that's a story for another post. So again, I went back to trying to imagine what would be playing on that jukebox.
The song I finally chose was The Ronnettes', Be My Baby. For many of you, this likely evokes thoughts of the movie, Dirty Dancing, but I didn't have that association. What I looked at were some of the more interesting lyrics. In the song, the singer appears to be pleading with the love interest to continue their relationship. What intrigued me most were the odd ways that the lyrics approached this, acknowleging right from the start that the relationship was unbalanced (for every kiss you give me/I'll give you three), also implicating the lover also has some sort of parental or mentor role (I'll make you so proud of me). I felt this paired very well with how Sam felt about Brande, and how he pursued their relationship partly as a learning experience. Finally, there comes a line that we often think of as flipant in most songs, the line about loving someone "for eternity," but this takes on interesting connotations in terms of what Brande claims to be and what Sam believes is real.
So yeah, this song gets quite the rotation when I am thinking about the novel. It has an almost a Stephen King-esque quality to it, a "small town puppy love" feel that makes it both safe and dangerous at the same time. It's the same kind of homey, not-quite-right feeling that Sam eventually finds in his relationship with Brande.
Something to note: in general, there can be concern about copyright when quoting lyrics in published works. One good article on the subject appears here. I rarely do it myself, but I did decide to add two very short snippets to the finished work. Since it gave me a bit of a headache debating it, I don't know that I will do so again, but I figured that in this case, it was very unlikely to be of issue, considering the fair use clause, and the negligible length. However, I stress that you should use caution if you choose to do so yourself.
Further Reading...
Check out the full lyrics here.
Be My Baby on Youtube
If my first novel had end credits, it would probably start with them. Messiah is a wraparound story, starting near the end and ending with an epilogue. In this style, I started thinking about what songs might fit that feeling of closure. Early in the novel, Sam goes into the local diner. It's a familiar place to him, a place he feels at home in. He's been coming here for as long as he can recall; it's where his friends hang out, and the same place where his parents met. There's a jukebox, and pies, and the smells of burned coffee and gravy. We all know places like this. It made sense to me that the music that he's heard for nearly two decades should suddenly take on a more sinister tone, given he knows what will transpire and how the story will end.
So what was playing on the jukebox when Sam entered the diner that one final time? I had to think about this for quite awhile. I needed a song with lyrics that could be read both deeply and not at all. Moreover, I wanted one that was also familiar, but one that could be downright creepy if seen in a new light. At first, I was stuck on Leonard Cohen, but anything that was approaching dark or moody would be too obscure for a jukebox. Hallelujah is lovely song, and there were a couple of others, but after thinking about them for months, I found that they simply did not fit with the story, even if the image they conjured in my head still gave me some inspiration.
I arrived at the decsion that I also needed at least one song on my playlist that was timeless. It's one of my huge issues with including music as an active part in a story, and it's why I rarely do so. Often the writer loses sight of what an audience will think of their work in just five or ten years. Choosing something contemporary has a tendancy to date a story. My general rule is that if a band has been going strong over ten years, then they are likely safe to mention in passing. Only one band gets that treatment in the story, but that's a story for another post. So again, I went back to trying to imagine what would be playing on that jukebox.
The song I finally chose was The Ronnettes', Be My Baby. For many of you, this likely evokes thoughts of the movie, Dirty Dancing, but I didn't have that association. What I looked at were some of the more interesting lyrics. In the song, the singer appears to be pleading with the love interest to continue their relationship. What intrigued me most were the odd ways that the lyrics approached this, acknowleging right from the start that the relationship was unbalanced (for every kiss you give me/I'll give you three), also implicating the lover also has some sort of parental or mentor role (I'll make you so proud of me). I felt this paired very well with how Sam felt about Brande, and how he pursued their relationship partly as a learning experience. Finally, there comes a line that we often think of as flipant in most songs, the line about loving someone "for eternity," but this takes on interesting connotations in terms of what Brande claims to be and what Sam believes is real.
So yeah, this song gets quite the rotation when I am thinking about the novel. It has an almost a Stephen King-esque quality to it, a "small town puppy love" feel that makes it both safe and dangerous at the same time. It's the same kind of homey, not-quite-right feeling that Sam eventually finds in his relationship with Brande.
Something to note: in general, there can be concern about copyright when quoting lyrics in published works. One good article on the subject appears here. I rarely do it myself, but I did decide to add two very short snippets to the finished work. Since it gave me a bit of a headache debating it, I don't know that I will do so again, but I figured that in this case, it was very unlikely to be of issue, considering the fair use clause, and the negligible length. However, I stress that you should use caution if you choose to do so yourself.
Further Reading...
Check out the full lyrics here.
Be My Baby on Youtube
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Press Release for Messiah of Monsters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Messiah of Monsters
My father’s middle name is crazy. It should be mine too, according to my mother and Greg, my mother’s husband. My first name is Sam, short for Samael, not Samuel. It’s biblical, but not in a conventional good-lad-goes-to-church sort of way.
In Messiah of Monsters (320 pp., tpb, $13.99, Kindle, $5.99), Chicago area author R. A. Dunn introduces us to Sam Bladen and a menagerie of other miscreants: juvenile delinquents, whores, and literal sideshow freaks. As the story’s unreliable narrator, Sam crafts a tale that is at once believable and fantastic. He divides his time between Storm King, a small town in the Catskills “situated at the ass end of the universe,” the seat of his mundane life, and Sheepshead, a decaying oceanside borough outside New York City, home to the Sans Merci performance troupe.
A fresh entry into the erotic horror genre, Dunn describes her work as offspring of Chuck Palahniuk and circa-1990s Poppy Z. Brite. She veers away from the modern realm of romanticized monsters, werewolves, and sparking vampires. Instead, she draws the reader into a fascinating mythology which combines ancient legends with modern sexuality and body rituals. Early reception of the novel at pre-release readings described it as: “riveting,” “sensual and poetic,” as well as “graphically well crafted” with “detailed characterization.”
Written as a revealing first-person confession, Messiah of Monsters is an intoxicating combination of graphic sex and cerebral horror. Initially, Sam’s self-destructive behavior appears to be the root of his problems with long-time sidekick and confidant, Danny Eagan. Though their relationship survives a morass of small town bullies, fickle friendships, and personal betrayals, it isn’t enough to steer Sam away from Brande, a member of the Sans Merci Troupe, a suspension artist, and self-styled Messiah of Monsters. Under the charismatic freak’s tortuous tutelage, Sam begins an agonizing process which leads him to question the very basis of human morality.
R, A. Dunn works as a tutor, consultant, and freelance editor in Chicago, IL. She has a double degree in Anthropology and Creative Writing from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and received her Masters in Anthropology from Kent State University. Not limited to erotica, Dunn is currently planning a project which involves both a travelogue and her self-described magnum opus, a historical novel spanning much of 15th century Ottoman history. Dunn operates a writer's blog at dangerousfiction.blogger.net. She is also active on many forms of social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Her professional website is located at www.cityofglass.com.
ISBN: 1468175475
The book is currently available on Amazon.com and through other Distributors.
To arrange a book signing or interview, contact Ridgely Dunn at XXX-XXX-XXXX or by email at dunn.ridgely@gmail.com.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Effing Social Media
Now you see me...now you see me AGAIN.
Twitter, Facebook, Myspaz, Livejournal, Blogger, Google +, Pinterest...okay, I am not really using all of them at the moment, but I've made my electronic footprint on them all. I replicate myself over and over into the digital universe, hopeing that people will be able to find me without looking too hard. Why bother, you may ask. The answer is simple; it's because I'm a writer, and currently a self-published one at that. Social media is free marketing, and I plan to use it as much as I can.
As you have likely seen, I now have two blogs and I think I like it this way. Each one does something completely different. One is about a particular subject, and this one is about my writing and my work. I maintain that my goal is to write in them minimally twice per week, each. Since I have to regard media as more than just a way of communicating lunch plans with my pals, I have developed a social calendar to keep things rolling. There are some pretty swell opportunities out there for writers who can keep a decent online writing presence. It took me some time to arrive on how to plan out this new approach to social media, which is only half the reason why I'm so late getting started. That first novel kind of devoured my time, you know?
Blogs make great portfolio material, so long as they don't overlap too much into the personal diary or journal spectrum. Further, I think blogs should be written with an audience in mind, whether the audience is 12 or 12,000. This is why I left Livejournal, and why it's taken me this long to get these started. I just didn't feel the need for an audience per se. All my personal stuff migrated to Facebook, and many of my friends on one medium were the same friends I had the other. Facebook is great for the everyday, random, and short attention span stuff. Blogs are where I can get into the meat of a subject.
I am still in the baby steps phase of blogging. While I am writing to an audience, I am still trying to build my readership. This means getting an idea of what interests people, and what too many blogs are already talking about. I've done so much blog reading these past few weeks that my head is about to explode. I've read a lot of garbage, particularily from people claiming to be experts on erotic fiction writing. I'm not going to limit my tips to a specific genre, but I do want to use this as a sandbox for Dangerous Fiction. I'm also going to avoid the obligatory plea for comments and critiques. If you have them, you know what to do. We all use enough social media to know how it works.
So if you want small doses of information on writing, including writing tips and updates on my books and related projects, go add me on Twitter: @iwritesmut. And if you want to see pictures of the King Cake we just devoured during Tuesday Night writers group, find me on Facebook. And if you want to see the giant invisible knot of 20 different kinds of social media that is my favorites bar, you'll have to become my friend in real life first.
Twitter, Facebook, Myspaz, Livejournal, Blogger, Google +, Pinterest...okay, I am not really using all of them at the moment, but I've made my electronic footprint on them all. I replicate myself over and over into the digital universe, hopeing that people will be able to find me without looking too hard. Why bother, you may ask. The answer is simple; it's because I'm a writer, and currently a self-published one at that. Social media is free marketing, and I plan to use it as much as I can.
As you have likely seen, I now have two blogs and I think I like it this way. Each one does something completely different. One is about a particular subject, and this one is about my writing and my work. I maintain that my goal is to write in them minimally twice per week, each. Since I have to regard media as more than just a way of communicating lunch plans with my pals, I have developed a social calendar to keep things rolling. There are some pretty swell opportunities out there for writers who can keep a decent online writing presence. It took me some time to arrive on how to plan out this new approach to social media, which is only half the reason why I'm so late getting started. That first novel kind of devoured my time, you know?
Blogs make great portfolio material, so long as they don't overlap too much into the personal diary or journal spectrum. Further, I think blogs should be written with an audience in mind, whether the audience is 12 or 12,000. This is why I left Livejournal, and why it's taken me this long to get these started. I just didn't feel the need for an audience per se. All my personal stuff migrated to Facebook, and many of my friends on one medium were the same friends I had the other. Facebook is great for the everyday, random, and short attention span stuff. Blogs are where I can get into the meat of a subject.
I am still in the baby steps phase of blogging. While I am writing to an audience, I am still trying to build my readership. This means getting an idea of what interests people, and what too many blogs are already talking about. I've done so much blog reading these past few weeks that my head is about to explode. I've read a lot of garbage, particularily from people claiming to be experts on erotic fiction writing. I'm not going to limit my tips to a specific genre, but I do want to use this as a sandbox for Dangerous Fiction. I'm also going to avoid the obligatory plea for comments and critiques. If you have them, you know what to do. We all use enough social media to know how it works.
So if you want small doses of information on writing, including writing tips and updates on my books and related projects, go add me on Twitter: @iwritesmut. And if you want to see pictures of the King Cake we just devoured during Tuesday Night writers group, find me on Facebook. And if you want to see the giant invisible knot of 20 different kinds of social media that is my favorites bar, you'll have to become my friend in real life first.
Monday, February 20, 2012
The Plan
I need a 4 hour work week.
More accurately, I need a work week that does not demand that I leave the house, regardless of the hours I actually work. I want to move, travel without giving notice. I also want to spend as much time as I can on creative endeavors, because pretty much everything else I do is pointless. The answer, as I am learning, is dangerous fiction. And because I can only write so much, and only so much of what I write is dangerous, I hope to take a dive in the shallower end of the pool as well, where much of the editing and publishing happens.
I am not going to get carried away with making fruitless plans, either. For that reason, this blog is a test market; this blog will help define the genre and the audience for dangerous fiction. At the very least, I will write about writing and all of that writing might help 3 or 4 or a dozen other writers. At best, we discover that good books that were believed to be so niche as to be unmarketable now have a stable, loving home.
And one thing a nice home needs is some basic housekeeping, right? So first: what is dangerous fiction? I am going to tell you how I define it; then I will put it to you to define it for yourselves, and for others who read it. To me, dangerous fiction is not always experimental or speculative. These things have their own sort-of genres, established rules, and readerships. Nor is it necessarily subversive in form. To break the rules, you have to demonstrate you are aware of them. This means proper punctuation and spelling in all places except those places where breaking those rules achieves something new.
And that is what dangerous fiction does. It is not the attention whore, but the person who sneaks into the party uninvited, weaves a few fabulous but believable tales, then leaves right before the guests realize that their wallets are missing and all their shoelaces are tied together in one gigantic knot. Dangerous fiction is distracting. It breaks stuff. Taboo subjects, impossibly shaped plots, themes and stories that are begging to be told, if only to piss people off. All of these contain an element of dangerous fiction. And this is what I want to write. And read.
Now that you have an idea of what I am suggesting, let me tell you what I'm going to do about it. First, I'm going to help myself. Having a blog about writing when you're a writer kind of does just that. This blog is not entirely about me, but it's not wholly selfless either. I have my own novel to promote, which I will talk about in later posts. I'm also going to speak to other writers, especially those that are still working on their craft. I'm going to make it simple and straightforward, and because I am not attacking your actual manuscript with my red pen, maybe you'll listen to me. I already teach writing. I've hosted a workshop or two, and also edit books and marketing materials. This isn't going to be the grammar show, but it is going to prevent a few people from making idiots out of themselves. At least that's the hope.
More importantly, this blog will serve as an incubator for the creation of Dangerous Fiction Press. I am not about to run out and apply for my business license just yet; I want to generate interest first. In the first few years, this will be a very small scale operation: probably a couple of anthologies and a few novels. It means a lot of learning for me. Having this blog here will help me keep track of accomplishments and make me accountable for the plans I make. It might also serve as a blueprint for others who want to take a similar route and enter the world of small press publishing.
Deep breaths. Here we go.
More accurately, I need a work week that does not demand that I leave the house, regardless of the hours I actually work. I want to move, travel without giving notice. I also want to spend as much time as I can on creative endeavors, because pretty much everything else I do is pointless. The answer, as I am learning, is dangerous fiction. And because I can only write so much, and only so much of what I write is dangerous, I hope to take a dive in the shallower end of the pool as well, where much of the editing and publishing happens.
I am not going to get carried away with making fruitless plans, either. For that reason, this blog is a test market; this blog will help define the genre and the audience for dangerous fiction. At the very least, I will write about writing and all of that writing might help 3 or 4 or a dozen other writers. At best, we discover that good books that were believed to be so niche as to be unmarketable now have a stable, loving home.
And one thing a nice home needs is some basic housekeeping, right? So first: what is dangerous fiction? I am going to tell you how I define it; then I will put it to you to define it for yourselves, and for others who read it. To me, dangerous fiction is not always experimental or speculative. These things have their own sort-of genres, established rules, and readerships. Nor is it necessarily subversive in form. To break the rules, you have to demonstrate you are aware of them. This means proper punctuation and spelling in all places except those places where breaking those rules achieves something new.
And that is what dangerous fiction does. It is not the attention whore, but the person who sneaks into the party uninvited, weaves a few fabulous but believable tales, then leaves right before the guests realize that their wallets are missing and all their shoelaces are tied together in one gigantic knot. Dangerous fiction is distracting. It breaks stuff. Taboo subjects, impossibly shaped plots, themes and stories that are begging to be told, if only to piss people off. All of these contain an element of dangerous fiction. And this is what I want to write. And read.
Now that you have an idea of what I am suggesting, let me tell you what I'm going to do about it. First, I'm going to help myself. Having a blog about writing when you're a writer kind of does just that. This blog is not entirely about me, but it's not wholly selfless either. I have my own novel to promote, which I will talk about in later posts. I'm also going to speak to other writers, especially those that are still working on their craft. I'm going to make it simple and straightforward, and because I am not attacking your actual manuscript with my red pen, maybe you'll listen to me. I already teach writing. I've hosted a workshop or two, and also edit books and marketing materials. This isn't going to be the grammar show, but it is going to prevent a few people from making idiots out of themselves. At least that's the hope.
More importantly, this blog will serve as an incubator for the creation of Dangerous Fiction Press. I am not about to run out and apply for my business license just yet; I want to generate interest first. In the first few years, this will be a very small scale operation: probably a couple of anthologies and a few novels. It means a lot of learning for me. Having this blog here will help me keep track of accomplishments and make me accountable for the plans I make. It might also serve as a blueprint for others who want to take a similar route and enter the world of small press publishing.
Deep breaths. Here we go.
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