Thursday, October 28, 2010

Aspiring Advice: Regrettably, Postponed

I had fully planned to write a column about Fantasy Names today, but my wife and I are about to have a baby! Hmm - which is the more important priority? Probably not blogging. So, until further notice, posts for the Laire will be few and far for a couple of weeks. I apologize for hyping any of you up. Life happens, and we have things to take care of before we head out.

I'll quickly sum up my thoughts for what I was going to write and do a real column later: Fantasy Names -  consider names that would best relate the reader to your character, usually not in the form of outlandishly pronounced names that only the writer can pronounce without butchering them. Short and simpler is likable.

Again, I apologize. Thank you to all my readers and followers who've made this blog a great experience. I solemnly promise to make it up to you on a later date.

I'm David, and I'm going to be a father . . . again!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Random Sauce: Your Love, I Owe

In my last post, I mentioned my confidence in my short story abilities. Even less confident are my attempts at poetry. Everyone is their harshest critic, but no matter. I figured it would be fun to share random tidbits from my archives, every now and then - cheesy or not. I drafted this six years ago while dating my wife. Enjoy!

Your Love, I Owe - by Yours Truly

Have you discovered a time
when your eyes shine for another,
and the world wouldn't matter
if you had to live without her?

In that valued moment,
when life obtains meaning,
you gain a clearer sense
of your reason for living.

The rarest diamond on Earth,
the finest pearl in the sea.
If I compared you to these,
would you love a man like me?

The dark is light where you are.
My heart longs when you are far.
See in me and always know,
your love, forever, I owe.

Clearly, I was a twitterpated bloke. Still am :)
All right, poets! Good, bad, sad, or cheese?
I'm open to your feedback. "Brutal is best."
Come back tomorrow for more Aspiring Advice

Monday, October 25, 2010

Post: Another Shout-Out and Submission!

I am floored by how cool people are. Seven days later, the Laire finds six more followers! This is wonderful and a real surprise to me, that people would actually choose to tag along on this writing starship. Just for that, I feel you all deserve a great big shout-out! Here goes...

First up is Melissa Wideen (no blog?), a fantasy writer who loves the genre as much as I do, if not more, and dedicates her time to write it. Welcome to the Laire!

Elizabeth Mueller - I've known her for a few years now - from conventions for the most part - and she is a stellar writer with a bright future (and blog). Welcome!

Lynda Young - though we've never met, we sure have a lot in common, right down to advisory posts for aspiring writers. The Laire welcomes you with open arms!

DEZMOND -a Hollywood spy with a blog geared toward your latest movie news needs. What a great place for the nosy movie lover. We've beamed you up, Dez!

Alexia Chamberlynn - is a fellow aspiring author in pursuit of publishing her novel and writing others with a unique visual style that captivates me. Welcome!

and last of all, but not least of all . . .

Marieke (last name?)- is an aspiring author of YA who enjoys time travel (tough genre - I don't envy you) and has a terrific voice. Check her blog. See for yourself.

I think that's everyone. Onto the new stuff!

Update: Chapter 14 is . . . DONE! That's right. Done. Like fried apple-dumpling done, with chapter 15 already started and the very last chapter completely mapped out. I've never written a better ending as this one is going to be, so I'm really excited to weave as many words as I can each day until I turn these notes into a for-real chapter (I'm a planner/linear writer - which means I don't do so well if I write out of order).

On another note, I felt impressed to pick up my shelved short story Forerunner and work on it. This is the story that Writers of the Future rejected a few months back. Well, after careful consideration and feedback, I made several big changes to it, which my critique group and Alpha readers really enjoyed, giving no suggestions for improvement at all. So, I'm taking a first stab at submitting a short story to a magazine - specifically, Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show.
Below is a short synopsis to give you a taste:

Derrick Bergman, a renowned oil driller, is accused of murder while on duty inside the Reaver, the world's largest submersed drilling station. Locked inside his cell, Derrick has no choice but to find a way out and return to the surface before his Forerunner kills someone else . . .

Keep in mind that I don't see myself as a very good short story writer. Actually, this is the only short story in my collection that isn't from an English writing assignment, so we'll see how it goes. Come back Thursday for another Aspiring Advice about Fantasy Names - Cool or Tongue-Twister?

I'm David - and a nine-year-old thinks I'm famous.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Aspiring Advice: Feelings - The Right Intensity For Your Character's Emotions


I think there's one thing that all of us can agree on - feelings. All of us humans have them, unless you're a vegetable, statue, zombie, or . . . dead. Chances are, if you're reading this blog, you're none of those things. I think I'm at least 99.8 percent sure of that.

Now, what do I mean by "the right intensity for your character's emotions?" I've said this before, that my biggest problem in writing is using the wrong word sometimes. In an effort to spice up my voice, I may look up a different word in a big thesaurus, not realizing that I've picked something that's not pertinent to my setting or character. It's easy to imagine how your characters feel. You may even put their shoes on to get an idea, but how do you put that feeling down on paper?

It's the level of intensity - mild, medium, and high.

Example: there's a princess walking down a corridor. A guard notices her, looks up, and seems surprised. There's something falling toward her. He shouts, "Look out!" and, by natural instinct, she looks. A large droplet of water is about to hit her face. Is this life threatening? No. Bothersome? Sure. She may not even see it or move away. What would she feel at the moment? I'll go with "apprehensive." Now, let's replace that water droplet with a rugby ball. Would her feelings be any different? I bet it would, and I'd go with "shocked" for that scenario. How about a bolder? Yes. That's much more dire, so I think a falling bolder would qualify for "terrified."

Generally, it is the circumstance of the story (what happens to a character) that dictates how they feel. *Below is a page from my notes of commonly used emotion words, aligned by category and divided into mild, medium, and high intensities. It's not a complete range of emotion, but it's enough to give you an idea:

(*Given to me at a writer's meeting - complied from healthyplace.com)

Applying the right emotion word for your character's feelings is important to know, as not to undermine or over-dramatize the situation. I doubt anyone would be "enraged" by a paper cut or simply "glad" over a report card with straight A's. I know once I publish this post, I'll feel "satisfied" for having accomplished a new post and adding another thousand words to my MS.

What are some of your favorite emotion words?

I'm David, and I totally rewrote a short story!

BTW - I noticed on my notebook that the Laire looks fine, but on my home computer, the background is all blue and awful. Anybody else seeing this, or is it just Vista? This kinda makes me feel "irritated" :)

Monday, October 18, 2010

Post: Loudest Shout-Out So Far Ever!

Holy good gravity! The Laire has six new followers? This is most unexpected and appreciated! This may take some time, but I think you all deserve a shout-out for being awesome and having equally awesome blogs.

Susan Fields - http://susanfieldswriter.blogspot.com - is an aspiring author, a lover of books, and a fellow fan of the fantasy genre. Welcome aboard, Susan!

Ellie Great - http://elliegreat.blogspot.com - is a talented writer and works for a non-profit organization to help children learn and develop their talents. Sweet!

S. Bennett - http://samanthajbennett.blogspot.com - Samantha is an aspiring author bent on creative ventures and a wild imagination. Glad to have you here!

Lydia Kang - http://lydiakang.blogspot.com - is a writer of poetry and YA fiction who has a rather tasteful blog that's easy on the eyes. Thank you for joining us!

WritingNut - http://writinginanutshell.blogspot.com - is a real mystery, an aspiring author who is currently working to finish her first novel. Good luck to you!

And Lastly, but not leastly . . .

Suzy Turner - http://suzyturner.blogspot.com - is an aspiring author who was once a magazine editor who has a natural knack for adventure. Enjoy the journey!

Did I miss anyone? No? Good. Moving on . . .
You guys rock. I look forward to reading your blogs!

Update: Curses! Chapter 14 is not yet done, but I did work on it. Swear I did. We had one of those problems when the character just isn't working. We had to have a serious sit-down and come to terms with where his character (and relationship) is headed. Finally, we came to an understanding and went with some of his ideas. So far it's working, but it would've been helpful if had he told me sooner. That, a wedding, and a sick house also held me back from working on it as much as I would've liked. There is no excuse this week (only three pages left, so really, it should only take a day). Speaking of the wedding, I was privileged to meet Kari Wendt and her daughter (whom my new sister in-law loaned a copy of The Dragon's Heart to). They both read it, loved it, and liked the change I plan to make on it. Thank you two again for your feedback and encouragement, even if I was so nervous that I could hardly speak right.

This week's advice is on Expressing Character Feelings - come back Thursday for a steady lesson and advice on how to use the right words to convey the right feelings for your characters, regardless of their situation.

I'm David, and I haven't been struck by lightning.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Aspiring Advice: Choice and Consequence

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Who here likes RPGs? I know I do, but I know not to play very many of them because they literally take forever to get through and their rate of addiction is such that taking a break with a Kit Kat no longer holds up as a priority. What? No Kit Kats? I know I'll need serious counseling if I ever find myself turning those down.

The problem with early RPGs is their limited options. Today, RPGs (like Mass Effect) have taken a new turn, giving you almost endless options and choices to make with believable consequences that follow, whether good, bad, or meh. What does any of this have to do with writing? As an author, writing your first draft of any novel, you are literally writing your own "choose your own adventure" book, only by the time it's finished, your reader is literally stuck with the paths, choices, and consequences that you've given to your characters. Maybe that's why I like writing so much. It's a free RPG and I can do whatever I want. Take that, programmers!

My advice this week is to remember the importance of choices in your stories. You make choices every day. So should your characters, and your consequences should match. This makes for interesting and more believable characters and plot development. More importantly, remember to often give your characters options, weigh out the consequences and play them out in your mind or on paper to see where they will take your story. This way, you can effectively chart the future and plot out surprises for your readers. Nothing kills a story faster than predictability. And it's okay for your characters to make choices contrary to what you would do.

I don't just mean the big choices either. Understand the layout of the world you are writing about and think, "what would happen if Sally A: walked home, B: got a ride home, C: went to the mall with her friends, Z: polished her nails on a table just outside the school entrance, etc." Another example - if Gaholbrenidge (you guys already know how I feel about exhausting fantasy names. If not, that's next weeks advice) is faced with an army charging after him through a forest, will he A: stand and fight, B: run away, C: climb a tree, Z: play dead, etc? If Gaholbrenidge has a magic weapon that can level a forest, I'd pick A or C. I like climbing trees.

Choices define the character which should then relate to the reader. Consequences should then relate to the choice with no turning back (unless you're writing time-travel). The next time you read a book or watch a movie, look for decision making. Allow choices to be made in your stories that both move it along in an interesting way or makes the reader like or hate a character. Batman's choice to take the fall for Harvey's murderous rampage, "I killed those people," in The Dark Knight - completely unexpected and made us like him more than ever, even if the whole of Gotham city sees him now as a loose cannon that needs to be stopped.

I'm David, and I'm hit'en Pirate Island tonight!

P.S. I'm so shocked to see five new followers since Monday! I've give you all a shout-out soon.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Post: Twenty Eight - 28 - XXVIII

It's that time of year again - another year older!

How weird is it to look back on 28 years of walking on this planet Earth, breathing its air, and consuming its carbon-based lifeforms to sustain my own? Okay. Maybe these aren't the things you think about on your birthday, but I am grateful for the life I've lived and the two years I have left to be considered (physically) young . . . you can imagine how I felt ten years ago at a BJ's restaurant when a female server guessed my age at what I am now. Made me feel old then, but it's not so bad. Maybe she was looking for a date, for all I know.

I have since completed four rough drafts with two more in the works/one in hiatus, and I have two years left to get my writing somewhere before I have to shelf the hobby, go back to school, and get a real job. The heat is on, and maybe this won't work, since I'm only following in the footsteps of Dean Koontz's approach. With the two projects I have planned to be finished by this next summer, I can only hope that I may catch my break.

The Laire has been busy since Thursday! Please welcome as I give a shout-out to two new Laire followers: Jamie Burch and Hanny! Both are total and sudden surprises. I had not met either of them in person or visited their blogs - but I have since visited their blogs - and they are chock-full of awesome! Jamie is a fellow aspiring author of YA who is actively chasing her dreams, with a stylish blog to match those dreams.
Check out her blog here:
http://dancingdownserendipitystreet.blogspot.com
Up next is Hanny (last name?), who is something of a mystery and very much a great observer like myself who isn't afraid to post his thoughts on what has surely passed through the minds of most people. Insightful and at times funny, his blog is a worthwhile read. Check it out if you have a moment!
http://stoneintheriver.blogspot.com
Welcome to The Cosmic Laire, you two.

Updates: I wish I can say chapter 14 is done - but it's not. My awesome alpha readers e-mailed back several chapters to look at and consider revisions, but now that that's all done, I can focus again on new ground. Aside from attending a wedding, I have no excuse this week to not have chapter 14 done, as well as 15!.

My advisory column will be up on Friday this week (wedding and all). Now, since it is my birthday, my Cosmic readers can give me presents! How? Ask a question about writing or how to improve an aspect of your writing in the comments section! I'm running out of advice, so your questions will make suitable gifts :)

I'm David - and you can never outgrow Legos.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Aspiring Advice: Mind What You Post

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Almost didn't make the deadline today. Phew!

I may very well be singing to the choir with this post, but in light of the awesome movie The Social Network, there's something that ought to be elaborated about its message. Now that social networking is a major part of our lives, with Facebook and blogs and whatnot, we have an outlet that allows us to express ourselves, keep tabs on old and new friends and other networking ventures. The problem is, like any new and cool tool, it can be used against us when overindulged, misused, or abused. Be mindful of what you post on the Internet.

Why do I suggest this? As aspiring authors, you and I have the benefit of participating on networking or blogging sites without garnering very much attention (which is something we'd like to fix, right?), and without thinking, you might rant about something or say terrible things about someone or start an argument. If you happen to get published, people will look into you more, and look you up. People may try to dig up something about you that you have long since forgotten. Social networking sites and blogs has the means to keep track of your posts, right down to a time and date. If someone wants to incriminate you, they can, unless you provide them with nothing to work with. Now, if you're willing to deal with the consequences of what you post, that's fine by me, just be careful, especially if you are using your personal identity (your actual name).

Now, some of you might have aliases (not real names), and that's cool, but that's not an excuse to be uncivil towards others. Bottom line, be mindful of what you post; text, pictures, videos, everything. They could burn you easily. The Internet is a big place, so play nice.

Want to add something to this? Please comment.
What do you use these nifty Internet tools for? 

I'm David, and my face looks like Tony Stark!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Post: The Beard is On!

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Welcome back, October, my favorite month of the year!
I think I've failed to mention this, so I will now. For Halloween, I'm thinking of going with the Tony Stark look. You know, that crass billionaire who made a flying iron suit in that one movie? I've got the hair, I've got the build (sort of), I've got the black shirt (with a glowing arc reactor in the center), and I've got the scowl, so all I need now is the sweet looking beard. This is making for a fun experiment as I've never let my facial hair go before. It's been a week and the feeling is quite strange. Itchy, warm, a sensation of something on my face all the time - I don't know how you guys with full-on beards do it! I have a month to grow it out and shave it like the above picture. Groovy (and in case you're wondering, yes, I will take pictures).

We have a new follower! Please welcome Colene Murphy to the Laire. Colene is an aspiring YA writer with a tasty blog and a flare for the writer's journey. We haven't met in person, just through each others blogs, but hopefully that absent acquaintance won't last long.
Check her blog here! http://cejourney.blogspot.com

Update: Ugh . . . the update. It would be more exciting if I actually had something to say! Oh well. Here's what I got. The committee just got back to me with chapters 12 and 13 and provided (once again) fabulous, earth shattering feedback (that wasn't sarcasm . . . it really did rock my world). Mike will spend a day or so reading the edits I just made, which means my alphas will have two new chapters very soon. Chapter 14 is still on the way (and thoroughly outlined), which means the draft will be finished in the next couple of days. The Dragon's Heart? It's getting there. Working on two projects simultaneously is harder than I thought. Since it's already done, maybe I should wait until this current one is finished. I'm just so excited for both.

I have a stellar topic for this week's Aspiring Advice, but feel free to ask your questions anyway. I'm more than willing to help my fellow aspiring authors where I can.

I'm David, and gallons of milk are on sale!