Review, Review, Review

Adjacent is a project on hold, as the end of the month word count goal is rushing in upon me.
“Again?” you exclaim, “What’s wrong with you?”

I know, but every month it is something. May was lawn and garden demands, the busiest weekend of the year for our business and an automobile disaster. The Memorial Day weekend coincided with my mother’s birthday, a big one, and a first Communion gathering followed by a brunch designed to knock me off my diet topped off some of what kept me from writing more every day.

Waffles and fried chicken, and more bacon and sausage than anyone could imagine eating. Fried potatoes and scrambled eggs kept it all company. A sample of what heaven must taste like.

Finished, again, two drafts, “Partisans of the Blue: The Dauntless Recruits” and “Life on the Farm”, the latter a story with hints of “Sleepless in Seattle”. Maybe. I can see it but…

What have I come to realize this last month?

That typing out my second draft on an old style typewriter idea; not happening. You can’t wait until your first draft is finished. Typewriters are too slow. Of course my typing improves as I go, only getting faster, but it still goes too slow. With my current experience, with what I was hoping to accomplish by typing my work out, you can’t trail your first draft by more than 10,000 words to make this tactic effective for a first refinement; not an edit. I wont elaborating further.

Another realization, I will never publish a book without hiring an editor. There is too much at risk. Okay, if I was working on one single great lifetime work I was going to spend ten years writing, maybe. But then again, considering the scope of the effort, no. My skills and knowledge of grammar and the other aspects of writing expand daily at a rapid rate. I owe that to a sound education as a child, even if my grades were not always the greatest. Still it would simply be a disservice to my readers, of whom I am humbled to think of going out of their way to read my books, not to put the best product forward as possible. This is not a conclusion from only my own writing experience, but also from what I have been reading by other self-published authors.

Dependent upon Amazon Prime for free books to read, most of which appear to be self-published, I have found too many books too poorly written. Which translates; self-edited. Having a propensity for science fiction I count myself fortunate to have found early on Ryk Brown’s books. Self-published, he is head and shoulders above what I’ve read otherwise in the self-published science fiction genre. The issues with Ryk Brown’s books are there but are soooo minor compared to what I’m reading now. The difference being of course the hiring of editors, who Ryk Brown refers to as independent contractors.

Examples of the shortcomings of this writer’s want-a-be free for all, AKA self-publishing, are many. The book I am reading now: Why are the most complex and difficult to understand sentence structures (don’t get me started on how they organize a paragraph) in the beginning of the story? It’s not just this most recent author I am reading, but several other authors I have read. Is this by design, so we don’t think so badly of the rest of the book as it becomes marginally better written?

And what’s with the formula? Man has expanded across the galaxy. There is a mysterious alien race of unknown origins threatening (thank you Ryk Brown for writing science fiction without alien races). A ghost ship of legend appears and the race begins. Add a borderline mad genius with some uncanny instinct about said ship of whose location is yet to be determined, a damaged crew with troubled but somehow superior personalities working together to find said person of genius and ghost ship, take control of ghost ship and save the universe. Maybe they all took the same creative writing course. I just described to you about 20% of all self published science fiction in part or whole.

Add ingredients to bag and shake well.

And the reviews!!!! They call these stories ‘space operas’ for reasons I fail to comprehend. I have yet to read of anyone singing, though the Characters in “Chuck Hammer, A Vendetta’s Wage” have been known to sing a song or two. (that would be my book) The number of reviews range from twenty to just short of one-thousand. There is always one thrown in complaining about the pricing. Which reviews are sincere and which are paid for. Hard to tell, even the bad reviews, one star, express intrigue with the story. They consistently rank just over four stars.

My shortcoming is that I can’t stop reading these space operas.

Many reviewers complain about the lack of good editing in self-published works. That isn’t good for the cause. I myself am beginning to think that I need to payout the little money we have for e-books if I want to experience any good writing.

You can read my reviews on Amazon here. I write reviews under the moniker Leonid480.

In this quest for service, Create Space, part of Amazon, as well as other publishing sites provide services, including editing, that you can purchase. There are also organizations such as ‘Reedsy’ where authors and service providers can network. One more dimension of self-publishing; networking.

I contemplated attending a writer’s conference in Indiana for some face to face (the antithesis of Facebook) networking, something I consider better for one’s sense of well being. Our vehicle troubles, and the associated costs, have axed those dreams.

It is becoming clear that if I do not create schedule and stick too it, tasks such as networking and marketing, on the Internet or otherwise, will not be gotten to. It is perfectly clear that I will not get any books out in a timely fashion without the help of editors. (I started this post yesterday and since then I have started another story line in “Partisan of the Blue”. Editors help eliminate the unnecessary and point out gaps that need to be filled: types of editors.)

Goals for June: Create a schedule and stick too it. Time set aside to develop a network the priority. Get both current works onto the computer, complete. Then review, review, review before choosing an editor/s.

Thank you for following my progress.

No associated links constitute an endorsement by me.

More Word Counts

As I find myself behind in my word count goals once again, what do I need more than an article on word counts to come up on my Facebook page. I do not want to be writing to meet a word count goal, but without such goals my writing will stall out. It is the reality of my life that I have over half a dozen projects and responsibilities around me that can easily consume my time, as well as provide fulfillment in their own rights. My garden expansion project is one example. I still have to get the fencing up, a must not only to deter the rabbits but to keep our dog from tearing up my work. No fences around my notebooks, just have to make sure they are out of our dog’s reach.

I am also, after completing two rough drafts, transitioning more to the editing/review process. This reduces my new word count significantly. My low word count goal (for now) however should produce greater drive, as it is not all too unpractical to do it all. I may post excerpts from my work midmonth as I get these two books well underway. “Life on the Farm” is inching bit by bit to a full length novel as more scene ideas arise and I do more research.

But this fore mentioned article on word counts deals with story classification by length. Looking over this article, at what and how people are writing, I find inspiration. What is classified as “small stone” or “flash fiction” describes something that meets a need. The need to write. There are many ideas, scenes I would like to write out, that I contemplate could be built into a larger story. What that larger story would be is a complete mystery to me, so I often put nothing down. But I should be writing them down and storing them away for further development, even combining the tiny bits together, to create that larger story in the future. The potential to combine tales, that I would never imagine being in the same novel, together into a single work intrigues me. It is an exciting creative concept. This process is akin to the found object concept in design; centering your design around a miscellaneous object chosen because it was found on site e.g., because it simply captured one’s imagination or challenged one’s creativity.

Being connected to various resources provided by self publishing organizations or networks is a must if you want to develop your writing and creativity. Much of what is posted may not be of interest or necessity but you’ll always glean something useful from the resources over the long run. The writer’s resources I’ve listed in the sidebar are but a few of many good resources available.

A group is growing; a group of people sincerely interested in my writing. A few even have begun to offer me assistance in my endeavors. I read a revealing article about Alpha Readers; those willing to read your work in its roughest form and offer intelligent advice. A rare species in relation to the Beta Reader; someone who critiques your work just prior to publication. You are a blessed and fortunate individual if you have someone, you truly trust and who believes in your talents, that wants to help you as an Alpha Reader…

God Bless.

Crunch Time …I have to Wonder

Again. My goals are not great. With one book’s first draft finished and the first draft of another winding up I spent a good deal of time at the typewriter early in March. I was typing out thousands of words in a day. I had a competent level of new words being put down in my notebooks to easily make my minimalist goals. I felt confident in my progress and expanded my attentions to other need to do projects.

There lies the problem. I have too many need to do projects surrounding me. We need a new screen door on the front entry. That has turned into a major project with the slipshod way the former owner had kept up the house. A weight loss competition with my brother drew some of my energies in that direction. My wife and I, in pursuit of healthy eating, made some big batches of kim-chi, which in turn inspired me to research making sauerkraut, the way my grandmother made it. Yard work beckons as the days grow warmer and longer. Poker success drew more poker ventures. A workbench project I had been putting off went forward full throttle, …for a while.

I could be at a feeder poker tournament right now. I am poised to bring the workbench to a quick completion, but I had to stop everything to reach my monthly writing goals. It is what keeps the work progressing.

That is a whole lot of life to draw knowledge, insight and inspiration from as a writer. Or it could just become things standing in your way.

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) was promoting this website via Facebook. It is the most alluring book/writing support site I’ve come across so far, but…Another website? More social media? One more ‘sign in’ to remember from among my already too many? It’s been a while since I’ve been on Good Reads, and that was by accident.

Marketing is essential and I need to schedule it in. With the effort required to maintain an Internet presence I wonder if simply paying a contractor to market my books might be the better approach. When and where will the networking begin that will bring sales success; enough for me to write freely without distractions? I have several work spaces amidst our living environment where I have put down many an inspired word. ‘Amidst our living environment’ is always the part that brings this end of the month crunch. Our house is a fixer upper and the spaces are small. Paying for editing and other services may be a necessity to speed up production.

After focusing on the ‘just getting the story down’ advice for my first drafts, setting out on a second draft is almost like starting all over. There is a lot to sort out. I question my type it out on the typewriter approach. Though it has some advantages, problems with these old typewriters, and contemplating having to type it all again into the computer, makes me wonder if all the typing is worth it.

Free your life from clutter and distraction aspiring writers, or anyone else in pursuit of a goal. April will be a turning point. If I can complete my second drafts things will continue on strong. It will determine if I can produce my works out in a timely fashion.

A Tale of Two Authors

Stephen King advises to write like a king. His first piece of advice in this regard is to stop watching TV and to read books. I have been reading a few books; mostly science fiction in hopes of improving my writing. I have read two science fiction authors; both self-published. A comparison of their writing I believe will prove insightful for anyone trying to make it as a writer.

The first is Ryk Brown; author of a successful science fiction series that has acquired a loyal following. The other is Vaughn Heppner; author of a collection of several series, of not only science fiction but also fantasy as well as other genres.

Ryk Brown has his own website in which he interacts with his readers. He has dedicated himself to writing as a full time profession, attempting to produce three to four books a year. He does not have as many books as Vaughn Heppner, but he does have the numbers, and that appears to be a major prerequisite to turning a profit in this era of self-publishing.

Vaughn Heppner also has his own website, a bit less personable. It is unclear how much time he is dedicating to writing. From what I could discover he is currently a school teacher, or possibly not. While it may be difficult to find out specific personal information on either of these authors, there is an abundance of information from Ryk Brown on his pursuits as an author. Not so concerning Vaughn Heppner.

Trying to write books myself, there is a single contrast that screams out when I read these two authors; the editing. First of all, I have to say I enjoyed the stories of both these authors. Vaughn Heppner has received more criticism in his reviews, and I believe I know why. Vaughn Heppner either is self-editing or relying on acquaintances who cannot dedicate the appropriate level of effort to produce the highest quality product.

I read Vaughn Heppner’s Lost Starship Series books 1 and 2. The beginning of book 1 was grueling. The sentences were confusing and words misplaced. The confusing sentence development cleared up early in the story, but a regular occurrence of misplaced words made me wonder if the books were translated from another language. The author is from the middle of Canada, which would suggest English is his native language though maybe not. I knew someone from the middle of Canada once. It was a ten hour ride to the nearest town when he was young and his speech patterns were a bit atypical. Book 2 had far fewer issues.

Ryk Brown makes it clear in his blog that he has a team of what he calls contractors helping him. They also push him along in getting his stories out, from what I understood. A necessity if you want to produce more than one book a year. Editing can be a satisfying part of the writing process, but you just cannot see your own mistakes without a separation of several months from your work. Ryk Brown has had some editing problems himself; At least one character died more than once. There were similar mix ups in battle scenes as to which enemy ships had been destroyed and which not.

Ryk Brown has produced a solid believable history behind the intergalactic world he has created, which highly enhances the story. The Vaughn Heppner world is an intergalactic world laid out more simply by implied associations through world or system names being derived from continental, religious or corporate terminology.

Ryk Brown starts with a big picture and a limited scope; the perspective of a crew from a single ship. Political intrigues and a world of spies is developing from there. Vaughn Heppner drops you right into a world of political intrigue and spy craft; at least in the series I began with.

Ryk Brown can be read by all ages from middle school on up. Vaughn Heppner has a simplicity to his exciting and layered stories that is well suited to younger readers. Again, I am unclear if this is by intent. Heppner’s theme’s on the personal struggles of his characters are also positively instructive for young readers, though there is a level of sexual titillation involve with the main adult character that some might find unsuited for the youngest readers.

Vaughn Heppner also has a good collection of vocabulary. Vocabulary that all of us should know but is possibly being lost; words such as ‘proffer’ and ‘careworn’. I look for useful vocabulary when I read. While many preach that one must write with understandable vocabulary, staying away from large words, I believe a growing number of useful words that describe a specific emotion, state or action are being lost in our modern era, and that an author has a responsibility to use the most specific and expressive vocabulary possible. That requires an extensive vocabulary of what should be common words. I found the word ‘pell-mell’, to my delight, looking over an old Alfred Hitchcock series I had read as a child.

I can easily recommend Ryk Brown to science fiction readers; his first three books, together the equivalent a long single novel, are available for free. I recommend you read the reviews on Vaughn Heppner to see if my endorsement of his stories as exciting and well formed, will be worth enduring the problems with his writing people have expressed in their reviews. People’s tolerance of typos and hard to read sentences vary greatly. Vaughn Heppner’s books are available for free via Amazon Prime and Kindle Select.

Finally, Ryk Brown has given up on the exclusivity that Amazon requires for offering one’s work for free via Amazon Prime or Kindle Select, receiving a fee from Amazon if the book is read. He believes the returns Amazon offers benefit Amazon and not authors. Amazon in constantly changing their scheme of reimbursing authors for offering their work for free through their ever evolving programs. Vaughn Heppner is solidly established in the Amazon program. This is a decision I will have to face myself as I am dedicated and set to put out several books over the next eighteen months or so. If you are attempting to go full time as an author Ryk Brown’s approach to sales may be the way to go.

I certainly wish I could devote to my writing full time. Sorry for the delay is this months update. “Life On The Farm” keeps growing larger though I do not believe it will reach 40,000 words. Hope to have the second draft of “Partisans Of The Blue; The Dauntless Recruits” completed this month. The third draft will be put onto the computer. Then I will have to decide if I will pay out for editing services or not.

The delays in getting more books out are directly related to the editing process. I worked on “Chuck Hammer” again and again even after I published. I look to reach the highest standards in everything I set my mind to. I’m playing poker again.

The Process

The Christmas season was a fight to keep my goals. January began with a general cleaning and organizing of most every room in the house. Boxes of clutter went to Good Will, and work spaces were evaluated and rearranged. Felt good, but, Just making my new words goal, with a bit of ease, for this month brings me to an acceptable minimal level of production. But the process is down and being applied consistently.

“Partisans of the Blue; The Dauntless Recruits” is waiting to be typed out as the second step of my process. The completion of a personally designed typewriter/media desk, building myself, is not holding me back per say. Another table of suitable height is currently occupied. My mind has been focusing on the first draft of something growing a bit beyond a short story; “Life on the Farm”.

Writing out the first draft by hand, then typing the work out, editing along the way, reading and rereading the typed sheets, adding edits again along the way, and after all that, avoiding exceedingly long sentences, I put it all into the computer. Several rounds of editing will be required after that. A good reliable printer is a must at that stage. A good monochrome laser printer is quick and reliable. The sales woman at the office supply store told us that ‘Brother’ printers are returned the least. This little work horse did not cost much at all.

The process of writing “Life on the Farm” is deviating from my norm. I sit down not knowing what to write. I list out every scene I am planning for the story. One looks good, and I start writing. It has been going well. The mish mash of scenes should be easily organized if I simply start a new sheet of paper, when typing, at every scene change.

If I really want to make a living writing I need to start focusing on other processes; most notably marketing. I have rereleased the e-book “A Vendetta’s Wage” (See sidebar). I formatted, or rather arranged, my e-book in a way I thought insightful for e-books, that I observed in a book written by Joel Goldman. That is, to put any superfluous sections of the book in the back. The story begins first page. He, actually, even moved the table of contents to the back. I also re-priced my book, in line with prices I have observed asked by other independent authors, usually $2.99 (or a bit more) for a full length novel. Those would be authors who have sales but no overwhelming support in the form of reviews and the like.

Thank you for reading.