I’ve been a little quiet on the blog because I have been creating a persona. Back in 2012 when started writing professionally I had no clue what a persona or “brand” was. I just knew I wanted to write a book and I wanted to get it out into the world.
I didn’t know about marketing or having a presence. Online or otherwise. I simply thought that if I wrote the book I would have a legion of readers clamoring to get my book. Yes the naivete was in abundance. Continue reading From Writer to Author-Making the transition→
This book has been ready for some time now but I didn’t want to release it until book 5 was nearly done and on the horizon. This one will be available this month and book 5 will be available early next year.
Here is a brief synopsis:
The Wheel has unleashed the Kriyas. Creatures of fearsome power that devour life-force. They have been set on a path to destroy anyone who stands in the way of recovering the three foci, weapons of immense power. Dante, having undone the searing must now locate the third foci, Shadowstrike, the only weapon powerful enough to stand against Maelstrom and Lucius.
From his prison in the forgotten plane, Lucius now with the power of Maelstrom has been patiently restoring the connection to the Nexus. One more weapon will complete the bridge. Once restored every plane will be in danger of destruction. Dante, together with Sylk and Meja, return to the Akashic Records. There they will seek to uncover the identity of The Wheel. Will they find Shadowstrike, stop the Kriyas, and prevent Lucius from escaping?
Writing this book was quite a challenge and the last book (book 5) has been exciting to write. The Warriors of the Way series spans 3 years of my life. I hope you enjoy it. I’m on to another project that is a departure from this type of story. Its a little darker but it has been bouncing in my head for a long time now. The only thing I can say about it now is that its a mystery and the protagonist is a mystic. More to come soon!
In order to be a writer you must struggle ALONE in obscurity.
There is no way you can write while surrounded by other writers or artists.
Writing forces you to be disconnected and its better that way.
A writer can only truly depend on themselves, no ones knows you like you.
I’m sure there are countless others and I’m here to tell you that its false. Actually I believed this and worse for a long time while I wrote and struggled to identify as a writer. Then I realized, if I am going through this other writers must be going through the same thing. It wasn’t an epiphany, but it was close. So I started to look around and found groups of writers who band together to write or offer support.
There are teachers who will share their experiences( Julia Cameron comes to mind with one of my favorite writing book:
If you haven’t picked up these books please do. They will motivate you and give you a glimpse of what it means to write.
Another great source I have found recently ( OK I’m slow to this) are blogs. There are countless writing blogs in existence but I have found quite a few excellent ones, here are some:
http://terribleminds.com/ -Blogged by Chuck Wendig who is an excellent writer with a very unique sense of humor. On occasion he has guest writers which make for great reading and plenty of useful information.
http://goinswriter.com/– Blogged by Jeff Goins. A very good blog filled with down to earth inspiration and motivation.
Its a fast read, but a very profound call to action. If you haven’t embraced your calling as a writer this book will spur you to answer that call. Look up Jeff he has some great books that will transform your view on writing..
I also recently joined an online writers group you can find them here:
This site is run by Cathy Yardley and she has great resources for writers.
There are many more that I will share with you over time, but ideally the key is to go out and connect with others, writers, readers, bloggers, agents, publishers-Basically anyone who loves using words to express themselves. Go find them. Stop thinking you need to be alone to be a writer- I thought that for a long time and its not true. Join a writers club. Find a place where writes converge, online and off.
In NY we have a few writing cafes that are excellent places to meet fellow writers. Find the one that suits you or create one.
The key is not to be alone in this adventure we call writing.
On my window sill beside my desk I have no less than ten books on writing your first novel. This is not including the numerous articles I have on my hard drives. Included in this list are a few must haves – Larry Brooks Story Engineering ,Story Physics, and Story Fix, Strunk and White- Elements of Style travels with me everywhere. so does Stephen King-On Writing. The others while good reads- (and think about this, being a writer reading about writing has to be the epitome of procrastination) did not really further my writing or prompt me to write any faster. Now don’t misunderstand, I am all for learning and honing our craft of word smithing. Many times that takes reading and learning and studying. However the best way I have found to get better at writing is-writing. So why do I have more than ten books on writing staring at me everyday? Well I bought those books before my first book was published and it was really a way to feel like I was progressing in my book without actually having to write. In other words it was busy work, but not real work not writing. Very similar to shifting those papers around from one side of the desk to another but not really doing anything about them.
So here is my advice: Just write it- already.
You want to become better as a writer you have to write, a lot.
You want to become a published writer? It wont happen just thinking about it, only you can write your story.
By all means hone your craft, learn as much as possible. Read the books on writing, get the style guides. Just understand that at the end of the day none of that can replace your voice on a page.
November is upon us and its that time again for writers accomplished and aspiring to join in the challenge of getting 50k in 30 days. Continue reading NANOWRIMO 2015→
I recently read a great new debut book by Alexis Radcliff.
Here is a the synopsis: It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.
I’m not a huge steampunk fan, meaning I dont actively read the genre but this book will change that. It is an excellent read. Alexis writes believable and complex characters. The story has twists and intrigue to keep you guessing for the length of the book and more. Alexis was gracious enough to be interviewed. Please pick up her book and give it a read. You can find sample chapters and the links where the book is available in the interview below.
Thank you again Alexis!
Alexis Radcliff
Name: Alexis Radcliff
Age: 30
Where are you from?
I grew up in a small town in the Midwest, but I moved out west after college to work in tech and live nearer to both mountains and ocean.
When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve written my whole life on and off, and I worked in journalism all through college, but I didn’t start really thinking about fiction seriously until I was in my mid-twenties.
Do you have a novel/collection published? Would you like to tell us about it?
My first published novel is A Vanishing Glow. It’s an exciting blend of epic fantasy, steampunk, and flintlock fantasy set against a Victorian backdrop with an extremely rich world.
What inspired you to write your first book?
While growing up I read a lot of high fantasy, so by the time I went to college I was hungry for something different. The seeds of the world I built for A Vanishing Glow started there, and it just sort of percolated in my head for the next decade or so.
Do you have a favorite character from your book? If yes, who is it and why?
I’m really partial to Nilya Valsu, one of my two protagonists. I just have so much planned for her, and I think she’s a really fun character to write: she’s resilient, smart, and proactive, but she also has a lot of emotional depth to her.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
There’s a lot of intrigue in my plot, and if I could do it all over again, I might have picked a slightly easier or more straightforward plot for my first book. I’m happy with how it all turned out, but I spent a lot of time wrestling with the plot points to make sure everything wove together properly.
What are your current projects?
I’m currently working on Mystech Arcanum novella, and then the third volume in the series. I also have a very exciting superhero series planned for 2016 that I can’t wait to share!
Do you have any advice for other writers?
The more I see what gains traction and what doesn’t in both social media and sales (from my own experiences and those of other writers), the more I realize how big of a deal writing more books is. Nothing will help you succeed more than having additional books out, particularly at the early stages.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Write. Publish. Repeat!
What book are you reading now?
I am currently bouncing back and forth between a few nonfiction books, Station 11, and Annie Bellet’s Twenty-Sided Sorceress series. All very enjoyable!
Do you remember the first book you read? If not tell us what your favorite book is and why.
I remember that the very first “grown-up book” I read was Piers Anthony’s A Spell for Chameleon, and I was so proud of myself for finishing it! The very first book I read on my own was probably something by Dr. Seuss, but my mom had been reading to us for years at that point.
Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
I run, I play videogames, I hang out with my husband, and sometimes I like to bake. Mostly videogames, though, haha.
Blog: http://www.lexirad.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARRadcliff
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lexirad
Bio: Alexis Radcliff is an author, gamer, unashamed geek, and history junkie who spent the better part of a decade working in tech before dedicating herself to her first love, literature. When not writing, she spends her time reading, running, playing way too many videogames, and thinking too much about everything.
I used to own this book as a paperback and it was a beast to carry around. I have a good friend Jean, who was just breaking into screen writing about the same time I started The Spiritual Warriors. I gave it to him as a gift thinking “Why would i need a book on screen writing when I’m going to write novels?” I have learned a bit since then.
Screenwriters hone their craft BEFORE they begin getting into their field. Unlike many of us writers who prefer to accumulate stacks of rejection letters as some kind of badge of honor. I never enjoyed rejection letters and I got a few before going the indie author/ authorpreneur route. I did however learn some things. I needed to get better- much better, I needed an editor and I needed to get serious about honing my skills and learning my craft before putting my books out there.
So here I am coming back full circle with this book almost four years and five books later. This time I picked it up as a kindle read (much easier to carry around). I have also learned to view film as condensed labs for my writing. Yes in some cases it has ruined movie viewing for me on so many levels. While others are just enjoying the film I’m thinking to myself “Is that the inciting incident?” “That was a great opening hook!” or “That could have been better used later in the story.” “That was definitely third act material, too early.”
The transformation of my movie going experience aside, reading about screenwriting has strengthened my writing and I recommend picking up this book or Syd Field’s Screenplay as a view into a different type of writing that can strengthen your novel writing.
However if there is only one book you can get on screenwriting and more importantly storytelling, since we are all at our cores storytellers- Get Robert McKee’s book, Story. You wont regret it.
Let me know what you think? Did you get it? Do you own it? What are your thoughts on this book? Do you have other suggestions besides this one? Drop me a line in the comments below! I enjoy hearing from you.
I first met Terry in 2005. I had never heard of him before and myamazing future wife told me I had to absolutely read him. We shared a common taste in books and I wasn’t reading anything at the time so I said sure. What could be wrong with wizards and fantasy? This is my kind of book. The stuff of my childhood i was familiar with. I was in for a rude surprise.
Here was a writer who took the usual tropes and turned them on their head. In a fresh and creative way Terry gently shoved me into Discworld. I met characters I could relate to. Characters who were flawed but didn’t give up. Terry and I became fast friends. After going through my wife’s collection I hit my local bookstore and discovered that my new friend Terry had written a few more books. Over 40 more books. Terry and I were going to be amazing friends. Over the next few weeks I bought and read all of his books( this was PK-pre kindle). I had not started writing my own books yet. The idea was still far away, too large, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Then I met Terry. Out of all my influences(and there are many) Terry looms as one of the largest because when I thought the concept of writing was too difficult, here was a writer showing me that it could be done in an intelligent, humorous and prolific way.
I cant say when it happened exactly. I know it was early 2010 when I finally chose to put words on paper. It had always been an aspiration. I do know that when I started I had two people next to me my wife and Terry. My wife( who was my first editor and transcriber) was the catalyst that spurred me in her special way. She would ask me questions or create a conversation about my writing, which back in those days I treated like a deep profound secret. She would say things like:: ” Did you write today?” or “Oh that part is great!” The words every beginning writer needs to hear, words of support and encouragement. Terry spoke to me in another way. “Did you do your research? That sentence can be tighter. That character needs to arc differently. That isn’t funny, cut it. Stop trying so hard and let it flow.”
I took my first steps in my life as a writer and haven’t looked back since. I realized something now several books later. Our words have power. I can reach countless people through my books. Writers and artists shape and influence our world and lives. I knew this on a deep level. I knew that the written word has shaped civilization since its inception, but it was something more. I now experienced it. I had people telling me that my book changed their lives. That my words impacted their life. The same way Terry’s words impacted mine.
So I wanted to take this moment to say thank you Terry. Thank you for being who you were. Thank you for taking the risk and sharing your amazing imagination with the world, with me. Thank you for showing me what was and is possible if I dared. I never met Terry personally, but through his books he and I shared many great afternoons laughing and reflecting on the state(and hilarity) of this thing we call life.
If you are reading this and wondering if you should embark on a creative pursuit, whether its writing or painting or anything that calls to you-stop aspiring and do it . Stop dreaming about it and take the first step, then another followed by another. I can say with certainty that your life will be transformed.
I enjoy hearing from you! Who was your inspiration? What got you started? Or why haven’t you started?
In fact my first book (The Spiritual Warriors was almost entirely written in the starbux my neighborhood. What I have realized with my insane schedule is that its not ideal to have only ONE place to write. for starters it sets me up to skip writing on those days when I dont “FEEL” like writing (another subject altogether). It gives me an out if I cant get to starbux to write. So I have decided to embark on a different writing journey for my second book which is now almost two thirds done. I call it guerrilla writing, which I’m sure is not a new nor solely mine.
Basically what it means is that I will begin to steal snatches of time and write wherever possible. The fact that I write longhand makes this ideal, but I’m certain if you have a laptop it can work as well. It means not buying into the whole ” I must write ten pages today or I have failed!” mentality and write snippets. A paragraph, two sentences even a very awesome word furthers your writing along by that much more.
I suggest this to all writers out there. This is not to say that your method doesn’t work. We all write differently, I am suggesting taking this up to see if it can make you freer about your writing, something like the difference between writing being a monolithic and ponderous THING that must be carried out in a set way and writing becoming mobile, nimble and free, happening wherever you may be. I will let you know how my own journey goes.
Fast forward three years and I no longer write longhand, even though I still think it’s a great way to write. However forcing anyone to edit my handwriting is a crime punishable by flogging. Now I walk around with a moleskine in my back-pocket everywhere I go to capture the story ideas that occur at the most inopportune moments. I have realized three years and six stories later that Guerrilla Writing is not a new or unique approach to writing. Every writer does it to some degree, some more effectively than others.
I was discussing this with some friends and family recently. They asked me when did i have time to write. I gave it some thought and came to this realization: I never have time to write. I have however become very good at stealing time from my days.
You have all heard it before. Writing is difficult. Writing is a long haul, its a marathon not a sprint. This is all true. There are days when you will question your sanity (what little you have remaining). There is a way around this. It doesn’t make it easier and it doesn’t shorten the time, but it gives the illusion of being easier and faster. This works especially well for those who believe in writers block. I don’t particularly, but that’s a topic for another post.
The method i suggest is what I all guerilla writing and much like guerrilla warfare where a small group of fighters take on a larger group using irregular tactics and strategies like hit and runs, ambushes and mobility. You can approach your writing the same way. Instead of trying to block out several hours to write, sit down and write for ten minutes and only ten minutes. Carry a notebook with you and jot down ideas or parts of your story like a hit and run. Carrying the notebook (or any other idea capturing device) is an example of mobility.
Many of the times when we say we don’t have time to write it is because we have made writing something exotic and special. Rid yourself of that notion. Make it plain. Make it everyday. Make it your new normal. When you do this you will find that it frees up your writing and the ideas generated. I especially suggest the small notebook. Before carrying one I was that deranged writer looking for a pen and a napkin to write my next great idea on. Now I swear by my moleskine notebook because they are impervious to almost anything and are stylish in the process. Plus when I’m writing in mine it feels almost scholarly and reminds me of my days in grade school.
We are all given the same 24 hours in a day. What you do with them makes all the difference.
When I write I listen to music. It’s just the way my brain works. I have no explanation for it except that I think it must engage one side of my brain and silence the censor that tells me I am insane for even thinking about jumping into this writing life. I have tried writing without music, and while I can do it, I feel that its an upward slog as I do it and this is on the good days. Continue reading Music and writing→
