Insert blah-style descriptor here

I feel like I'm stuck in the end of summer doldrums. Everything is so meh ...

I've been working on a lot of projects, but none are progressing at the speed I'd like. I just haven't really been able to take a moment to recharge.

I'm also bummed that the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League is complete. I haven't really been a huge fan of any teams since college, so it was a lot of fun to have a team to cheer for and cry over (the Seattle Reign, in case you were wondering).

A lot of people probably didn't even know that there is a professional women's league in the US. Their loss. The quality of gameplay was excellent. Even better, there were a bunch of intenational's playing - amazing players like Jessica Fishlock, Christine Sinclair, Kaylyn Kyle, Renae Cuellar, and others that really gave the game some spectacle and flair.

Plus, you have to give props that they made every game available for viewing online, so you never had to miss a match. I'm hoping for some expansion teams for next season. Maybe one day, we'll get one in Florida.

Considering how many games I watched this season, I better get a lot of writing done before the next one comes around! It's a fun addiction, though.

The reader's the thing

I've just had my novel Shiloh's Way read and critiqued a few times as I work on the final edits. I've gotten some really useful feedback that's going to help a ton. However, seeing how two different editors viewed the text was hugely enlightening. I was blown away by how obviously readers being themselves into the works they're reading - through their own experiences or knowledge.

Let me provide a couple examples. My main character suffers from self-esteem issues. One editor is obviously a gregarious extrovert and very self assured. She found the character annoying from time to time, and couldn't fathom why the character acted the way she did. Meanwhile, the other editor was like, I totally get her. I've been there with those issues.

Isn't that a lot like real life? People who have never suffered from, say, depression have a very hard time understanding or having empathy for those that do. You often hear things like, just snap out of it, stop feeling sorry for yourself, yadda yadda yadda. Yeah. Not that easy.

Another point that was really funny to me is that I have goblins in the book, and it was suggested I be careful borrowing too much from Tolkien. It's true that the goblins were based on a literary predecessor, but it they came from Christina Rosetti's Goblin Market -- published 75 years before The Hobbit. It's just humorous because, since everyone has seen the movies or read the books, there is an assumption that Tolkien created all these things.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll be working on these edits for awhile. Hopefully, with the great help I've received from these editors, I'll be able to turn it into something worthwhile!

A name unlike any other

You know what's hard? Names.

Naming a character has a massive impact on how readers first view a character. It's strange, but you automatically begin to make assumptions simply based on what the writer decides to call someone. Pictures pop to mind if you read Abner Snodgrass or Mildred Grimes as opposed to Ace Hunter or Sydney Miles.

So, you want the name to sound right, be evocative, and have some meaning behind it. After all, you will be using it an awful lot.

I've been struggling over names for my new work for weeks now. I think I have one so far. Ugh.

Twirl that mustache!

Villains are interesting.

When you look at your prototypical Cambellian mythic hero, they're not really very complicated. While their temperament is variable, they always suffer to fight the good fight. Although they may struggle, their ultimate choice to is to stand against evil, turn back the darkness, and protect the innocent. So, their motivations aren't that complex.

A good villain on the other hand needs a really powerful motivation that is able to overcome the mores and ethics of their culture. The important thing to remember is, bad guys don't see themselves as villains. They don't commit crimes or hurt people to be "evil." If you want a strong, fascinating antagonist, there has to be a reason that they move and take action.

To me, those are the most interesting foils for heroes. Sometimes, the proper motivation can actually make you feel empathy for the antagonist, think Inspector Javert - born in prison, dedicating his life to law and justice to the point it blinds him to the inequality around him. So, we understand him, even if we can't accept his dogmatic pursuit of Valjean.

The proper motivation can make you despise a villain more while allowing you to better understand why they choose the actions they do. Look at Voldemort in Harry Potter -- he's just basically a racist. It's a reflection of the horrible things we see in our own culture - to worry more about purity of blood than worth of character. How many racist organizations are currently active in our enlightened age? Too many. But, Rowling embed him with a deeper motivation, his desire to be in control of his destiny, to be special, and his disgust of his origins ... this resonates with a lot of people.

I bring all this up as I begin to crystallize the antagonists for my new project. Last night, all the threads came together creating a pattern for my big bad's actions. It's really exciting when story points coalesce into something resembling a salient plot.

So, yay! I have a bad guy!

Starting anew!

Hello, blog! Long time, no type.

I've been working on a lot of projects, one of the most time-consuming is called real life. I'm a little skeptical about how it's going to turn out, but I can't really stop it now. So, first a quick update.

Blackburn Burrow, my horror/adventure screenplay is still under option for a few more months at Amazon Studios. The comic books they commissioned by Ron Marz and Matthew Dow Smith have all been released on Amazon, so go get them! Ron Marz always tells a good story, and I adore Matthew Dow Smith's art style.

Now, I have talked with a lot of people about the adaption, and the consensus has been that they'd rather keep the creatures alive rather than undead, because they're unique and new. And, by a LARGE margin, people don't want Merrin to be a romantic interest of Mister's. I wrote the screenplay with teen girls and women in mind in order to provide a good role model on the screen. Women don't have to have a man to kick butt or be a strong character. It gets shoehorned into so many stories where it doesn't need to be. The adopted father/daughter relationship between Mister and Merrin is a selling point. It's different. It makes her much stronger, as well, as she's more of the focus.

However, while I would love Amazon Studios to stick to the original premise, I understand if they want to go another way. That's the movie business -- just like I enjoyed the comics that were very different, I'd enjoy the move the studio made. If they choose to pass on the option, I won't give up on it. Blackburn Burrow has a lot of promise! It doesn't need a huge budget -- I think that would actually hurt the film. I'd prefer intimate horror to big set pieces. Anyway, I'm happy however it goes.

I do know one thing, though -- after seeing Amazon's pilots for TV shows, they put out a great product. It would be in good hands with them. If it comes back to me, maybe I'll turn it into a novel.

Speaking of novel's -- Shiloh's Way is off being edited right now. This is more of a content edit and critique to help me shape it up. I'm seriously considering putting it in the Kindle store for people to check out once rewrites are out of the way. It's pretty unique for a fantasy novel, but it still needs a LOT of work.

I am currently working on a new project that I'm developing in a different manner. I've got the structure, and I kind of want to write it into that framework. Think of a novel-length haiku, in a way. Sometimes, having a fixed structure can really help focus your writing. It may work, it may not.

I plan on using the blog as a warm-up exercise as I write, so you'll be hearing more about it soon!

Don't forget, the four issues of Blackburn Burrow are still free on Amazon! Go get them, and leave a review -- perferably stating you'd love to see it as a movie! ;)

I want a do over.

I want my week back.

The last seven days went something like this ...

Some sort of freeway monster ate my license plate between Orlando and Jacksonville, causing a lovely (and expensive) visit to the DMV. I was visited by a lovely influenza virus and her date, Mr. Respiratory Infection (he's a bacteria; it's a problem with their parents, but they're working it out). Of course, that kept me home from work and sent me on a lovely (and expensive) trip to the doctor. Fortunately, my neighbors decided to keep me entertained while I was trapped in bed with the constant hammering and drilling of a construction project. We end that with the kitchen sink drain pipe exploding. Ok, it didn't explode. That's hyperbole. It vomited. No, really; right after I used the churned stuff up in the disposall, a hole ripped open in the pipe depositing what looked like cat vomit all over the place.

Let's just say, it was a terrible week for writing. Hope I can start getting caught up as my strength comes back.

At least I'm in the hunt!

I forgot to mention that on Feb 1 the BlueCat Screenplay Competition announced that one of my scripts had moved forward to the quarterfinalist round. Some honesty is important here -- usually, the scripts that make it through the first round in a contest tend to be the ones that were actually formatted correctly. I know that everyone always wants to think it's because of their amazing talent, but a lot of garbage gets submitted to these things. The readers often have to wade through hundreds of submissions that don't follow the rules of screenwriting.

So, making it to the next round just means my script is at least mediocre and that my Final Draft program is working correctly. If you'd like some numbers, the contest had 3391 submissions with about 10% moving on to the next round (341 scripts).

The nicest thing about BlueCat is that you get feedback on your entry as part of the entry fee. I think that I, and a lot of writers, really view it as a cheap way to get your script read and get some notes, with the contest being a bonus. They do offer a much more in-depth analysis, but being the poor scribe that I am, it's not something I can really afford.

The competition has a page count cut-off. Of course, my screenplay was far past that, mainly due to the nature of my script's genre and my poor skills. So, I was forced to do the ol' chop chop to make the submission requirement. The fastest place was to cut the majority of the denouement. I still believe it's an important part of the script, but you can get the gist of where the future is leading my characters without it. Of course, what was one of the main complaints in the critique I received? The reader thought the ending was too abrupt and cheated the viewer. Well, sir -- I agree! At least it shows that the reader REALLY did read the script.

The screenplay I submitted was Gaia 4: The Last City, my anime/space opera homage. There is really nothing along the lines of Macross or Lensman coming out of American cinema these days, although I really feel that there is a hunger for that sort of story. The script is also based on a novel I'm working on, although it's slow going. Hopefully, I'll have an update on that sometime soon.

If you wanted to check out all the quarterfinalists, you can do so here.

Reach out to the truth ...

It's not any secret that I'm a huge fan of games, of both the video and board varieties. Part of the reason I love games is that some tell you a story and some allow you create your own. It's the same reason I love movies and books. It's all about the tale it tells and the characters involved.

One of my favorite games of all time is Persona 4. I bring it up because, not only was a new version of the game recently released for the Sony Vita, the animated series is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. I love the characters, the concept, and the arc of the story. The tale is unique, yet also familiar; it's iconoclastic, but also archetypal. That's not to say it is the deepest and most profound story ever told; it's not. I just find it highly enjoyable.

The core concept that really draws me in is the idea that, at some point, you must face another you -- the you that contains all the beliefs, desires, and motivations that you dislike about yourself. By facing this other part of you and accepting it, you gain power. Now, accepting doesn't mean that you would continue with a destructive behavior, rather that by finally acknowledging that the behavior is really you, you're given the ability to overcome it and change yourself. However, the first step is accepting you as you are.

It's a powerful message. If you get a chance, check it out!

Masochism as a way of life

As a writer, it's often very difficult to get honest feedback. In my opinion, there are two types of dishonesty when dealing with criticism of your work. The first is the most obvious and common -- people just don't want to:

a) be mean
b) get on your bad side
c) harm a friendship/relationship
d) all of the above

It's actually really selfish. I know that sounds weird, because, after all, this person took time out of their life and busy schedule to read something for you. However, being less than honest is the opposite of being helpful, it literally harms your ability to properly edit and shape your work. Why do they do this? So that they aren't uncomfortable. That's selfish. It's better to say, "I don't feel comfortable critiquing your work."

The second type of dishonesty comes through disinterest. An uninterested party will often give your work just a cursory review, leading to poor feedback that can be just as dangerous. The critique masquerades as a powerful, impartial examination, but in reality it's just a sloppy glance that leads you astray.

You really have to be on your guard for both these types of input.

You also have a responsibility to both properly and specifically inform your reader what sort of feedback you desire, and you must accept the critique with grace and courtesy.

When you hand something to someone to read, be honest as to what you're looking for in return. Unless they're from an MFA in English program somewhere, they've never really been trained how to give feedback.

My first reaction on getting feedback is to always argue the reader's conclusions. I desperately want to defend my work and it's validity. I think it's just natural - the way parents often defend their kids before knowing the whole story. Put the feedback aside after you read it. Calm down. Read it again. Never respond immediately. Technology seems to drive us towards our baser responses, and it would be so easy to fling off an e-mail into the wired. Don't do it.

The reality is -- I'd rather someone say my piece just doesn't work, than to get some false praise that keeps me engaged in a fruitless pursuit. Value honesty.

So, to me, writers must have a certain masochistic streak. The only way our works get better is if they're torn down. It's a very organic thing, though -- like growing muscle. If you want to write, you're going to get hurt. But, to paraphrase Pink (wow, NEVER thought I'd ever type that ... I should take a screenshot), just because you're hurt, it doesn't mean you'll die. Keep at it.

And, find someone good to give you feedback!

I love all the bits and pieces

My last blog spoke a bit to the concept of world building. I love how compact, creative expressions can create a world - a song, a poem, or even a painting. I long for my writing to be even partially as concise as those forms.

While not considered a particularly literary pursuit, I have really enjoyed some of the worlds expressed through board games! I've always loved video games, but there is something visceral about the tactile nature of board games - the pieces, the cards, the dice, or whatever each individual game may bring.

A lot of people think of Monopoly or Life as being the essential board games; those people are missing out. I highly encourage you to check out the web site for Board Game Geek. You'll see a list for The Hotness on the left hand side. You'll be blown away by the variety and scope of the games listed. Besides that, some of the art is AMAZING.

I bring this up because I've long thought about creating a game in an unusual world I've been thinking about. Cooperatively competitive ... Meaning, you do better the more you work with others. I would love to support the world with short stories and novels, but I think I want to start with the game. More on it later!

The world is the thing.

As I await the fate of Blackburn Burrow, I'm working on several other projects. One is a sci-fi anime homage called Gaia 4. While I have a first draft screenplay done, I really consider that more of an outline for the novel. It gave me ample opportunity to develop the characters voices, while creating dynamic, moving plot.

However, unlike books, film uses cheats to world build. You're given visual clues with connotations as to the social and political nature of the culture. The written word allows you to go so much deeper. World-building is one of the greatest joys of writing. It also takes a heck of a lot of work and is filled with myriad pitfalls. If you build a certain pillar of the culture, you can't just go an ignore it several chapters or books later. As a reader, I despise that kind of retcon, and I constantly endeavor to never force my readers to face such a disconnect.

Gaia 4 has the subtitle The Last City -- and, that's exactly what it is, an isolated and completely insular colony. Knowing that, and knowing what is to come, it was important to generate a mechanism to explain why there hadn't been more of a cultural shift in the society, especially when faced with the constant stresses they've endured. The answer has to be completely organic.

So, I had to begin at the establishment of the city and accept that the city's "history" may actually change the story I envisioned. A story is a huge puzzle; the pieces have to fit. If you force something into your story that doesn't belong, it really affects the integrity of the whole narrative.

Just a little something I was thinking about.

Don't forget, you can download copies of the Blackburn Burrow comic for free through Amazon! The art is amazing. Definitely worth checking out.

Where to grab Blackburn Burrow ...

Today was pretty exciting - I was interviewed by a local news anchor regarding Blackburn Burrow and Amazon Studios. It's exciting that things are still moving along!

I realize I should probably make it easier for everyone to pick up new copies of the comic, so here you go -- links to the first two issues. Get the Kindle version if you have a Kindle or an iPad or tablet with the Kindle app (the app is free) -- it really looks great!

This is the link to read the comic in the browser:
Issue 1
Issue 2

Links to the comic for Kindle at Amazon.com:
Issue 1
Issue 2

I'm also ecstatic that I was able to rewrite the opening to Shiloh's Way ina manner that finally makes me happy. The whole original intro was driving me nuts.

Anyway, this is the part where I promise to blog more! No, really ... I promise!

Did I miss it?!??

So, Blackburn Burrow blew up yesterday, and my blog missed it.

You know, this is the problem having a real job while trying to get a real job writing while still working in my writing and ... well, you know -- playing video games. In other words, the blog needs more attention, especially if I want to really keep everyone up to date.

So, here's the deal: Amazon Studios released the first issue of the Blackburn Burrow comic based on my screenplay! It's a great step in the right direction of selling the screenplay and building interest in it at the same time. It was written by Ron Marz with art by Matthew Dow Smith.

Pretty much everyone covered the release, from the LA Times to Bloody Disgusting. Even better, it shot up to #1 in the Kindle store for free comics/graphic novels. Twitter had tons of messages flitting about and the people in the forums I visited really seemed to enjoy the issue.

It is quite a bit different from my screenplay, but that's Hollywood. It will continue to evolve and change. This really makes me want to complete the novel I'm working on of the story, not to force the movie that way, but just so that the original vision lives on. I'm fine with the changes. It's exciting to see how people deal with the characters I created.

It's been fun coming into contact with some amazingly talented people, too. Idnlove to work with someon them, but I'm so terrible at promoting myself and pushing for those sorts of endeavors. I really need to step up my game.

Sadly, this is a business where if you don't talk about yourself, no one will talk about you ...

I'm just so bad at talking about me. Scary.

Anyway, if you want the first issue, head to Amazon! It's free!

Snip, snip, snip -- cut more!

Cutting about 10% out of my novel was pretty brutal. However, to be brutally honest, the 10% I cut really sucked. That's the technical term. I'm in the process of writing an entire new chapter, then properly linking it into the rest of the text.

It's not actually all that difficult, but you can run into continuity errors if you screw up.

However, having actually optioned something now, I think it's time to get this book out there and move onto something new. The publishing business is a mess right now, though. It's very, very difficult to get someone to read your writing, let alone print a book of it.

It used to be a real negative to publish your own work; a lot of people still try to force that traditional schema on people. To me, though, it's really like an audition to get picked up by a publishing house. If you can find some modicum of success in digitally publishing for the Kindle or the like, you'll get picked up. At the very least, you might make a little bit of spending money.

So, to that end, I'm actively seeking out people to help me get the manuscript in order. Primarily, I'm trying to find the right artist for a cover and someone to edit/proofread the darn thing. So, here's fingers crossed that it goes well. It's a brand new world.

Moving right along

Exciting things are happening, even if my writing has been a bit slow recently. The most exciting for me was my first mention in Publishers Weekly. They published an article on Amazon Studios upcoming plans, including the digital comic of my script Blackburn Burrow. You can read the article here.

My screenplay The Bandit Hero made the finals over at the Story Pros contest, which was unexpected. And, I just submitted a series proposal to Amazon Studios. However, I really need to start to work on my books a bit more. Still, there are a lot of positives going on. Now, I just have to find time and space to write a lot more.

A step in the right direction

I'm very happy that my family friendly fantasy THE BANDIT HERO and my anime inspired space opera GAIA 4 have moved ahead in the Story Pros screenwriting competition. That being said, it's the quarterfinals - so, it doesn't hold a lot of weight unless they continue forward. After all, who remembers the guy that came in 4th in the 50yd dash in the Olympics? A win would be really nice as I begin the crazy quest for representation.

Living in Florida, I really need someone in Hollywood with both the knowledge and experience to sell my writing. It's just the way of the world. I have to admit, I would love to be able to write full-time one day, I have dozens of ideas for both books and screenplays that I'd like to work on. Working a full-time job really makes it hard to work on more than one project at a time.

Enough griping - it's going to be an interesting summer with all the contests going on. Here's hoping I actually get some writing done as I feverishly wait for the results.

Wisdom from High School

Ah, the Internet ... sometimes I really do believe that this connectedness is a mirage. In reality, we are far more disconnected from people than we ever were. On a major blog today, I saw a writer trolling the readers. He'd written a contentious piece the previous week, which I have no issues with. However, he decided to write a follow-up to disparage all those that disagreed with him.

This I have a problem with ...

So, I wrote my own little response, and I'm going to share it here, because I think it is valid outside the context of this one event:


When I was in high school, I was EIC of the high school paper. I learned an awful lot doing that job, primarily because I had a great teacher. She knew classical literature and journalistic beats equally. Along with my other duties, I was responsible for a regular editorial.

For one issue, I wrote something that ended up being a bit contentious and created a lot of controversy. We actually got a lot of letters to the editor on the piece, which is almost unheard of in a high school. I suggested I write up a follow-up editorial to answer some of the criticisms and clarify my points.

I'll never forget what she said. I had my shot -- if I didn't communicate what I needed to, if I needed to clarify, if I had to answer critics, then my editorial failed. If it can't stand on it's own, it's rubbish. If it can -- then no further response is warranted. She continued: I had a platform, the paper -- it was mine. Any further response would be like bullying people. Not only do I get to choose the letters to respond to, but I'd be using my position to make other people look wrong, because I could cherry pick the response.

No, I'd had my say, now it was time to let others take it up.

If the original piece had accomplished what it supposed to, this response wouldn't be necessary. Furthermore, the writer seems like a whiner responding to such unimportant elements of the reaction. Did he not have confidence in the original essay? Was his pride wounded that people didn't just accept his opinion?

When you put your writing out there, you must accept the slings and arrows along with any praise. Don't be a baby when people disagree.

Yes, I'm obsessed with Nova ...

I have had a somewhat productive week. I submitted a rewrite proposal to a studio, and, while I am not confident I will get the job, I approached the topic from a total rewrite perpective. So, I may end up doing more with the story. I've become quite fond of the characters.

I also submitted a couple more screenplays to a competition. Screenplay contests are weird beasts, as you're not really in competition with the other screenplays. Your opponent is whoever reads your script. It is quite possible that everyone involved would love the project -- except the one person who reads it first. It's a crazily subjective thing. So, while its fun to try, you can't put too much weight on the outcome. However, a positive placing could really provide some nice returns and coverage.

Marvel also revealed the return of the Guardians of the Galaxy this week ... Including Star-Lord. For those who aren't aware, he was last seen battling Thanos alongside Nova in a pocket universe. That means Nova Prime aka Richard Rider should also be alive.

The problem is Marvel is fixated on creating a new Spider-man light version of Nova set on Earth. I'm fine with both existing - the Nova Corps, after all, normally has many members. But, Rich is one of the few Marvel characters that hasn't ever seen a significant retcon. He has a relatively linear line of growth as a character. His connections through the Marvel cosmic arena make him an awesome human point of view out in the alien wilds. Here's hoping that Marel comes to their senses and does this right.

Mine's not gilded! No fair!

I find it quite difficult holding down full-time employment while attempting to write. It's not simply the time and exhaustion factor (though both are significant), it's the stress of being responsible not just for yourself, but others. My job doesn't just support me; other's rely on my income.

After awhile, it begins to feel like a prison, but not one from which you can ever be released. It's the drowning feeling of being caught in a trap, swept by tides not under your control. The pen garners the weight of Sisyphus' boulder - you can start, but never finish.

In our society, I think this feeling of being stuck is rising among all ages. No one wants to feel like they're in a cage.

It's funny, I'm working on a proposal right now that has a pair of characters facing a similar conflict. For them, it's about having chosen duty over dreams. It's a choice that begins to wear at them. Of course, duty is important. The selfishness of just seeking your dreams without regard to anyone or anything else is pretty self-indulgent. Still, hopes and dreams are what makes the prison bearable, right?

Well, THAT didn't work ...

I sat down today, wrote out a proposal, drew up some character summaries, finished about 90% of the series bible ... so far, so good. I dug into the script, and - yeah, it didn't work at all. It was just so boring. Not what I wanted at all.

I suppose it isn't unusual for this sort of thing to occur, it's just a bit disheartening. However, it's not back to the drawing board. I really like the concept, so I just have to work out the structure a bit more. Gotta toss the script, though.

I just want to get this one right -- it's a really interesting opportunity!