Search for Profluence of Life

I am writing to you from Brisbane, Australia, at the beginning of an 8-month long globe-trotting solo adventure.

So, why did I go 9,000 miles away from my home and everything familiar? A search for "profluence."

The straight-up definition of profluence is "to flow smoothly." But, if you're going for an MFA literary definition, you gotta go deeper. It speaks to the passage of time through a narrative and how that "flow" is imperative to the experience therein. A Mr. John Gardner coined the lit term in "The Art of Fiction"--

"Page 1, even if it is just a description, raises questions, suspicions, expectations. The mind casts forward to later pages, wondering what will come about and how... The moment we stop caring where the story will go next, the writer has failed and we stop reading."

I writer friend recently mentioned this term to me, I had never heard it before. I realized that I was not necessarily looking for this in my writing, but in life. Working at home in the same town, generally doing the same things each day, I felt that my mind was no longer "casting forward" for anything. The novel I was living, I realized I would never read. Where was the uncertainty? The suspense? The questions? Like...

What the hell is this thing? 

When writing a story, you can't always let characters carry you. Sometimes you have to make events happen, otherwise you get the same thing over and over. No Profluence. I find myself now looking forward, wondering what will happen at every turn-- you know, like a good book.

My blogs are also now on the site niume.com (https://niume.com/profile/106548#!/posts) check it out for some great travel and trip updates from Queensland, Australia, Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, and TBA, South Korea.

Lastly, looking for a new novel idea and going to post some excepts of different ideas. Let me know which ones you like and I'll stick with it.

One more thing... Photos!

My Best Bad Review

When you put your book into the world, there's always going to be some fear of a bad review. 

This is your baby! You've worked for at least months, probably years, to put this project into the world. If you're a responsible author, you do fastidious edits and revisions before presenting your work to the public, which adds even more time. Then you spend time with your cover, formatting, advertising... you get it. It's a lot of work!

So when someone writes a critical review or, God forbid, a negative review, we feel attacked. All the work that we put in feels not only unappreciated, but utterly pointless. In my opinion, this is the reason that, regardless of how we authors steel our wool or emotionally detach ourselves from out book, critical reviews still hurt. So when I saw this...

“Serializing a work of fiction can be executed effectively, but, in this instance, it was not. … The journey could have relieved my feeling of plot-drought, but it did not come off as onerous in a physical sense or in regard to the relationships between the characters. Worst of all, Stemler builds suspense throughout the novel for the Soldier Son fight, but it doesn't pay off.”

 

OYE!

My heart!

My soul!

My lungs!

My liver!

No, not really. Though that was probably my initial reaction. Maybe that initial gut-wrenching feeling never goes away. But then I took a breath, shrugged, realized that everyone has books they like and don't like, and my book isn't perfect. (I've been at this for 5 years now. I know the drill)

Critical reviews are not our enemies as authors. Critical reviews are not enemies to anyone, actually. The reviews that really annoy me (and many like me, from my conversations with other authors) are the ones that say “I didn't like it” and then don't say why. Those I call “bad” reviews, for more reasons than one. Critical reviews give us something valuable; an opportunity to improve. Critical reviews are not easy to hear—it's not easy to hear what you're not good at—but they are one of the ways we get better, and no one ever said getting better was supposed to be easy. On that note, no one ever said your work would be appreciated, either, or should be. Once I thought about it, I realized that asking someone to appreciate my work would be like asking someone to appreciate me living. No one can appreciate your life but you!

This particular review got more more interesting. I got an email message from the reviewer over twitter asking about the book. Fascinating! He had a lot of great questions about the Soldier Sons, about Zensor, about the book's conflict. I was so glad to see he was interested. However, I did think it was a little strange he knew so much about the book and was interested enough to track me down, yet didn't like it. 

Zensor is displeased by all this fuckery.

 In any case, it was the best bad review I ever had. I love answering questions about my works. In fact, it gave me an idea for a mock interview (which I hope to have more space for next time). After I answered his questions, I noticed he did change his review from one star to three stars, which made me very happy. Three stars is also what I also give books that, though they didn't have any major flaws, weren't my cup of tea.

Long story short, critical reviews aren't necessarily bad reviews and good listening is always a good policy. 

Writers Are Writing

Hard at work, I am shooting for a release date around April 15 for Soldier Sons Book 3: Battle At Bridgetown. Brad Flowers, who does my cover art, has already sent me a sketch (which I am VERY excited about).

 After writing all five books and now editing, revising and finishing each one—well, it's a lot of effort. Sometimes I would go as far to use the other W word; Work.

Oye.

As a young self-published author, suffice to say I'm not overrun by fans. I don't write to count my dozens of dollars. I write because I enjoy it. However, nit-picking over tiny details, running over the manuscript again and again in an effort to polish your book and present the best piece possible does start to feel like Work in a hurry. Then managing advertising campaigns and trying to market the work to reach out to new readers—that definitely feels like work. I did enough marketing and advertising in business classes in college and there's a reason I didn't do it as a career. 

Feeling a big dogged by this extensive process with somewhat little pay-off, I was telling my tale of woe to my work-out buddy, who I have mentioned in previous posts. Her response, as usual, adjusted my perspective.

It's about future, plans and expectations versus passion, she explained. If you are a “writer,” you are thinking of what you could be or should be. Naturally, this leaves a lot of room—too much room—to dwell on the things that you aren't. You are focused on the future and on things you want instead of what you are doing. All this, I realized, I was no doubt doing. 

Instead of focusing on the could's and should's and ego of being a “writer,” my friend advised me instead to focus on the here and the now; simply “writing.” By thinking of “writing,”—an action, something current, something immediate—I moved the frame to the here and now instead of the intangible future. By focusing on what you like and enjoy, she explained, the future will take care of itself. You'll be a “writer” as you are “writing.” 

 

The moral of the story is, don't focus on what you're not or what you should be. Focus on what you are doing and take enjoyment and pride in it. (Like getting an awesome new sketch of your upcoming book).

Stay tuned for excerpts from the new book and see what's coming up in Book 3: Battle At Bridgetown (hint; there's a battle). I've heard great things so far and I look forward to letting the new beast loose on new readers.

Antholgies Open!

Creative Content & Copy is pleased to announce that our FIRST Anthology collection is now open for submission!

Anthology 1 Reading: Love  submissions accepted from February 12, 2015 until March 20, 2015.  Publication date TBA. 

C3 is seeking writers to feature in our upcoming Anthology titled Reading: Love.  As the title suggests, this collection will be featuring all things heart-warming and romantic, passionate and compassionate.  Love is among the most prevailing and unifying forces we share as human beings, and we could think of no better focus for our first feature.

 Let us give you the details . . . 

What is an Anthology?  An Anthology is, quite simply, a collection of stories.  In today’s modern era, we are going for Anthology Version 2.0 and our collections will feature short stories as well as poems, quizzes, word games, quotes and other fun pastimes.  We are seeking writers like you to add to our Anthology!

What are we looking for?  We are seeking poems, short stories and other creative works about love.  This may be romantic love, friend love, family love, pet love, religious love, unrequited love, even love for thine enemies.  Stories may be anywhere between (minimum) 1000 words and (maximum) 5000 words.  Poems have no minimum requirements, and may be no longer than 2000 words.  We are looking for works that are fun and easy to read and understand.  While that does not mean that abstract concepts are barred from entry, preference will be given to works that are generally enjoyable to read: this means rhyming or structured poems and works that are not overly pedantic or abstract may be preferred.  

What is NOT allowed?  All works should be family-friendly.  Ask yourself, would I want my child reading this?  This means that works that contain any of these elements will NOT be accepted for entry: explicit sexual descriptions, excessive swearing, explicit violence, excessive drug use, or positive depictions of racism, sexism or prejudices.  Works that are not sufficiently proofed and edited will not be accepted.  Works that are libelous (false depictions of real people) are not allowed.  Plagiarism (works printed by another author) is not allowed.  Works that have exclusive licenses with other publications are not allowed (this is the responsibility of the author to determine).  Any complaints dealing with libel, plagiarism or breach of contracts will be directed to and handled by the author!

Can I submit my work? Yes!  Previously published, unpublished or self-published authors of any age or experience are welcome to submit.  Submissions may be made online to c3@creativecontentcopy.com.  Please title your message “Reading: Love Submission” and include your work in an attachment.  All works should be single-spaced.  Any works that do not adhere to content guidelines will not be accepted. In your email, please tell us a bit about yourself and your work (less than 200 words, please).  Please include at the top of your work your FULL NAME as you would like it to appear in the Anthology and your EMAIL so we can contact you if you are accepted.  

What are the rules? By submitting your work you agree to grant C3 license to reproduce your work in the Anthology Reading: Love.  Reading: Love will be published through Amazon as an e-book and put for sale to all audiences, and may also appear in a physical format.  C3 does not request exclusive publishing rights, meaning that you may submit your work and publish your work after its appearance in Reading: Love (please note; some publishers do NOT allow previously published work, even under these licenses.  This is the responsibility of the author to determine).  C3 also reserves the right to proof, edit and change your work to suit the publication (this may include but is not limited to; deleting passages, changes sentence structures, changing titles etc.).  If your work is accepted for publication in Reading: Love, a formal license agreement will be sent to you upon notification of acceptance, and your work will not be published without agreement to this license.  You may retract your work from submission at any time BEFORE YOU AGREE TO PUBLISHING.  Once you agree to be published, there will be absolutely NO REDACTIONS! 

Are there any costs to submit?  Do I get paid if I am accepted?  No and no.  The mission of C3’s Anthologies department is to create enjoyable books for readers and to give deserving authors more exposure.  C3’s subsequent Anthologies (costs of reading, editing, publishing, etc) will be supported by the earnings from previous editions, therefore no payments will be furnished to authors featured in any Anthology. However, we are happy to help you get more exposure; brief author biographies may be included that can direct readers to other works you have published or your social accounts to increase exposure (if you choose).  If your work is accepted for publishing, we will ask you to submit a brief author profile so readers who enjoy your work will be able to easily find you!

Whew!  Still with us?  Great!  If you would like to submit your work or you have other questions for us, contact us at c3@creativecontentcopy.com . Remember to title your message “Reading: Love” for submissions, single space your work, make sure your work is edited and proofed, and it is between 1000 and 5000 words for stories, and less than 2000 words for poems.  Don’t forget to include your NAME and your EMAIL at the top of your document and attach it in an email.  

Submissions will be accepted from February 12, 2015 until March 20, 2015.  Publication dates for Reading: Love will depend on the submission response and will be announced to all authors who have been accepted.

We look forward to reading your work!

5 Exercises to Strengthen Your Characters

Every fiction piece I write is character driven.  Many authors start with a plot and bend their characters to fit into it, generating a fascinating storyline with actors that can be difficult to relate to.  Strong, real, genuine characters—like their realistic human counterparts—will build a compelling story on their own with minimal guidance.  Readers have often asked me where I get ideas for my characters, but what they’re really asking is how to make them feel real?  

Every OC (original character) is an amalgamation of thoughts, ideas, beliefs, inspirations and idiosyncrasies the author contains and witnesses.  When it comes to characterization, there is no more rewarding and therapeutic exercise than seeing the shadows of your imagination come into their own.  But where do they come from?  How did they start?  How do they maintain their own personalities on paper?  There are a variety of ways to make your fictitious crowd as real as the people you see.  Your OC is all in your head—here’s a few exercises to help you get acquainted: 

1. (Extra)Ordinary Lives  

While I was sitting in uncomfortable chairs in uncomfortable pants suits in office after office sweating for work, I found myself visualizing a different outcome for my job interviews than the typical “thank you for your interest, but…” letter.  I took the familiar grey scene, threw in the rich, mysterious employer in my head and made it the start of my second book, The King of the Sun, before I knew anything else about it.  The same works for any everyday situation you’d rather skip; your characters probably would too, but you have the power of infinite possibility to make them more interesting.  Whether it’s part of your story or not, putting your character in an ordinary setting will relate them to you and you may discover something about them.  And wondering how your serial killer antagonist or dragon-slaying hero would react to the DMV might make taking a number an iota more interesting. 

2. Channeling Emotions

...Like Anger

While I was attending business school, myself, professor and cohorts would debate the significance of a few percentage points in gross margins and a few pennies in shipping overhead endlessly—it was so ordinary I wanted to die. I was frustrated with it because I couldn’t see any point, and I felt small and alone because no one else seemed to share my views.  I felt like I didn’t belong; sometimes the whole anthill ensemble made me feel downright insane.  The twisting in my soul forged a deep, familiar connection to The King of the Sun’s Cinder Slade.  I stared emptily at walls listening to a suit drone about cost analysis and I found Cinder doing the same.  I got to realize my outrage through my sometimes capricious OC as the vapid rat-race wore us down—Cinder cracked so I didn’t have to.  Forcing your feelings through your characters will feel like conducting string puppets; instead, put them in the armchair you collapse in after a long, horrible day or sit them at your desk and see what happens next. 

3. Dear O.C.,

By: http://created-by-monsters.deviantart.com/

Letters, emails, phone calls and notes tell fragments of history in brief, glinting glances.  They’re alluring because they’re a mystery speckled with truth: they’re telling someone about something, but it isn’t you and you’re not supposed to know about them.  Who would your character take the time to write to?  What would they say?  Is it a love letter?  An over-due Happy Birthday?  A bail plea?  A good-bye?  A threat?  The letters or phone transcripts may never make it into your story, but the little glimpse of your OC’s lives and their feelings in a familiar form will reveal and entice their inner selves.  In my last novel, I pictured a prickly phone conversation between Cinder Slade and his older brother.  Ash Slade came into focus as they talked, and I saw a jealous, overworked family man who still picked on his younger sibling to alleviate stress.  The fact that Cinder would call him at all made me realize he was loyal, guilty and desperate for love.  I had no intention of using the dialogue at first, but the exercise became very important later on.

4. Getting into Character

Putting your OC on paper makes a connection between your image of them, your plot and your end product, the story.  It’s a tenuous line that often trembles under monotony and breaks when your image or plot weakens under writer’s block.  Drawing on another artistic medium to channel your character gives them a more distinctive image, shakes up your creative juices and pulls on new connections in your mind, other than literary. Try sketching your OC.  If you’re not an artist, try another talent; make a poem of a particular emotional moment, photograph a landscape or building they might frequent, sew a garment or make an accessory that expresses their own je ne sais quoi, or try acting out a particular scene as your character.  The quality of the art is secondary to feeling your OC; gravitas, exuberance, spite, joy?  I have done all of these for either published or unpublished OC’s, but a bit of amateur acting works best for me.  Voicing your favorite OC in the privacy of your home will help truly explore the scene and personality—just don’t take it to the streets, or you might be in trouble. 

5. Making History

Your story encompasses a group of segmented events in your character’s history, but this is only a blink of their life.  Events in their past often break through in flashbacks or memories, but, like all people, every instant of our history shapes who we are, and 90% of those instants will never make it into the story.  To make your OC feel real, give them a full identity and past that you can draw on.  Sometimes these are singular moments, sometimes they are whole chapters in their lives.  Did they have brothers or sisters?  Were they close to their parents?  What was the turning point of their adulthood?  Were they bullied as children?  Were they the bully?  Did they go to college?  Military school?  For a gallant, kind protagonist or a cunning, diabolical antagonist or a murky, dark anti-hero, the question is how did they become who they are?  If you want to bring it home, ask yourself what moments are most distinctive in your own life and why their impacts are so clear—then ask the same of your characters.

Some characters certainly have more history than others...