There's a pause button on life, right? Something I can press to just let me get caught up? How about "restart level"? That would be handy.
I think I play too many video games.
Last weekend was the slush pile survivor workshop, which I ran with a fellow editor. It was lots of fun and we got great feedback. Of course, that also meant we were busy prepping from mid last week straight until the day of the workshop. Then I got a headache Saturday night, which continued until yesterday (at which point I realized it was coffee withdrawal, and promptly pumped caffeine into my veins), so I spent Sunday in bed reading.
I had 330 emails to deal with Monday morning.
A bunch of them, as I scroll through, are from the same people asking the same questions because I haven't answered yet. I'm totally stuck with how to address this kind of thing. Am I supposed to have an auto-responder saying "I swear I got your email--just give me a few days to get you an answer"? Am I supposed to email everyone I know every time there's life stuff going on/illness/etc to say "If you send me something, I won't get back to you until next week"? Should I add a block to my blog that has a current Skyla update?
I have no answers, beyond "get a secretary" but that's not an option at this point. But stupid February was all sneaky again and ended without me finishing the stuff I had to get done for February. I don't even have the latest CotA chapter ready to go, so that'll likely have to wait until the end of the week. Ugh.
Now. Round up of links.
Publishing/Writing Stuff:
* Adrienne Jones talks about the inspiration behind her novel The Hoax. Mundania is re-releasing it shortly, revised and with a snazzy new cover. I'll tell you when it's available so that you can buy it because Adrienne is awesome.
* Mundania is closed to submissions still. Normally we re-open in March, but there's just too much going on right now and it wouldn't be fair to hold subs for a few months before we have time to evaluate them. This time, we're waiting until June. And yet I'm still getting subs and questions from people about it. Writers, it should go without saying, but: when the info on the submissions page of a publisher's site contradicts sub info from another website, go with what the submissions page says.
Many authors feel differently than me and Jaime, and a host of others. Now, although I think writers should have a united front on this, I don't feel it's my place to tell others how to feel about their work being stolen.
Do you get that? It's not my place to tell others how to feel.
Some don't see piracy as a big deal. Maybe they don't have to rely on their writing income for bills (my royalties this month can cover groceries so I'm THRILLED) and they're happy just to be read. Maybe they see no problem with the work being shared around freely and they feel that a reader gained is a reader gained, even if it happens illegally.
Okay. Great. That's valid and fine for them. But that's the beauty of intellectual property rights: the creator can choose how and when the work is reproduced. The creator can say, "Sure--pirate away!" So while I won't tell others how *they* should feel about their work being freely shared, by the same token I'd prefer if they didn't tell Jaime and me how to feel either. You know what? If someone obtains my work via illegal mass downloads, I don't see the simple "oh well, I gained a reader--who cares if they didn't pay for my product?" view. Writing is part of my job. I'm well within my legal--and moral--rights to expect payment for the entertainment I provide. So if someone refuses to obtain my work legally, I don't *want* them as a reader. I don't want them as a fan. I'd rather not be read than have my work pirated. And I have every right to feel that way and express my opinion--without others trying to silence me--as the owner of the intellectual property rights of my work. So for those who would like to tell me and Jaime how to feel about piracy, you can go fuck yourself with a fucking loaf of bread.
Next.
* Ana Winson's new website is live. Ana has been my cover artist for Bloodlines, the award-winning Wolfe, and the re-release of River. Go visit!
* Depression kills. Suicide is not people being "selfish" and every time someone repeats that myth, it further distances people at risk from those they care about. Suicide is what happens when pain exceeds the resources for coping with pain. If you're worried about someone you know being suicidal, give them more resources to cope with pain, or help lessen their pain. Don't tell them they're being "selfish."
I had another week from hell. And it *really* sucks to not be able to explain why--I'm such a loudmouth and it's killing me to only be able to bitch privately. Le sigh.
I gave my mum the book I just wrote (YA paranormal called Abandoned) to read 'cause I was really proud of it (a month later and I DON'T want to burn it). She just finished it and said it made her cry at the end. This is good because my mother never cries with books and occasionally jokes that she has no feelings. So yeah, that's probably the best thing a writer can hear--we love to make people cry. Er, yes, we're a little twisted. So?
I'm spending Valentine's Day with Alistair from Dragon Age. He hasn't bought me chocolate or anything, but I'm sure I can get him to put out one of these days... I've also decided that the only reliable men exist in fiction, so if you have a y chromosome, tread very carefully around me right now...
Here are a few links for you today:
* You want to follow Ann Aguirre on Twitter. She'll give out some Hell Fire ARCs (WANT!) when she hits 2K followers, but more importantly, she's a lovely person who saved my sanity with Dragon Age.
* Slush Pile Survival Workshop - A fellow editor and I are giving this workshop locally in two weeks and it's going to be loads of fun. There are still spots available, so if you're in the Durham Region, sign up!
* Kevin Smith was kicked off of an airplane for being too fat. Kate Harding has more over at Shapely Prose.
* Bitch Magazine posted their explanation of why it's not anti-feminist to use "douche bag" as an insult. And I love it--that's what I've been saying for ages.
* Clients from Hell - Designers post snippets of discussions with some horrible clients. It's funny 'cause it's true.
* Last year on the blog, I wrote about former TV crushes as an excuse to post pictures of hawt men. Once again, fictional boys FTW!
* I'm blonde again. It's easier to keep up than the red. This time it's dark blonde with light streaks (I have no pictures of the light streaks, though). Of course, I'm using a black and white pic 'cause all my faveevilladies on Twitter have classy b/w pictures.
(look at that--I think I'm classy)
Beaker from The Muppets sings a ballad. Or tries. Beaker is my favourite.
I gotta get blogging more. I'm just really lazy and typically post links on Twitter to whatever I'm interested in, rather than do a proper blog post. But anyways, I'm going to try to do a round up post on Sundays of nifty, random stuff.
In Skyla News, I was on limited office hours this week due to really bad wrist pain, which flares up if I don't take enough breaks for several weeks. So...ouch. And in writing news, I've been suffering a whiny case of, "Writing is hard--waaaaah!" so I've pretty much kept to myself. I don't understand why staring blankly at the screen doesn't make words appear...
First up, publishing/writing stuff.
* A great piece on writers' expectations and publishing. I love this piece. It addresses the obsession with instant success stories (which I've talked a bit about before) and the whiny "Why do crappy books get published?" thing that everyone says. And it was summed up best by the awesome Julie Butcher: "So if we're hard-heads, we win?" Yep.
* Lili's Friday writing post about the fear that characters will stop talking to you if you're happier and don't share their pain. And it's a fantastic post because I've had that fear for years. I'm viewing shitty life experiences now as "taking one for the team"--they've allowed me to go to a very dark place and transform those feelings and experiences into something cathartic for others. In short, I feel like my best books are the ones I write for fellow damaged people. So if I actively work on being happier and healthier, can I still write effectively for the damaged? I don't know. But it's worth a shot.
* I wrote on the MP blog about my author checklist. This is something I've heard a LOT of editors talk about--what type of writers do they want to work with...and who do they REALLY not want around? I came up with nine qualities I've encountered that make me twitchy. I also encourage writers to come up with their checklist for publishers. I think we all have to be clear about what our expectations are for one another to make the best match possible, because really, that's how a book is going to be successful--when both parties are on the same page. I expect someone's going to get bent out of shape over it but, you know, someone's gotta say these things.
* Follow The Pixel Project on Twitter. Every night they tweet helplines from all over the world to DV shelters. Retweet the numbers and you could save a life.
The lovely Shayne Winters and I had a beer at the pub today (well, she had Pepsi because she's the designated driver) and got talking about, of course, publishing because that's just what two writers/editors do. We're interesting like that.
We got discussing the multitude advice out there. Everyone has some and they REALLY want to dish it out. And often they seem like they know wtf they're talking about.
And the simple truth is that every writer out there is hungry for The Secret. The handshake, the password, the golden ticket, that ONE thing that's going to get them in the door and published.
The truth? Write a book that people want to read, and write it well.
There are lots of other factors (be professional and not a twat, follow the guidelines, have a website, put your left foot in and take your left foot out, blah blah). But everyone wants to look at all those little factors and NOT the important one: write well and make it something people want to read.
That self promotion thing? It's all well and good but the truth is that no one knows, for sure, what exactly works there. What works for me won't necessarily work for you. You can do as much or as little as me and see totally different results. There are ways to promote well, yes, but that's not a guarantee it'll be effective. The beautiful website? Kids, every agent and editor agrees that a web presence is a must, but we've still contracted authors without having a site yet. There's nothing on the "do we sign this person?" checklist for an active blog.
All the other pre-publishing advice? That din of noise with everyone telling you this and that? Look kids, I talk a lot about the other factors here because I'm already assuming that you're writing well. So I stress the guidelines, I tell you to buck up and not whine, I warn about the many frustrations in the industry. But following the guidelines is not magically going to make someone accept your book if the book sucks. Being a nice, funny person isn't going to magically make someone accept your book if the books sucks. Having teh most fabulous website or doing the hokey pokey isn't going to magically make someone accept your book. Previous publishing credits, legit or otherwise, won't magically make someone take your next book.
If you're looking for a shortcut and ignoring that important piece of the puzzle--the book--that tells me you don't have enough confidence in your work to let it stand on your own. That should tell YOU that you have a problem, and no number of acceptance letters will solve it for you.
So. Advice. Who do you listen to in the din? Agents say one thing, which sometimes overlaps with editors, and then authors say something that may or may not match with what you've just heard and, oh yeah, all those unpublished people have opinions and speak loudly too. It's getting pretty noisy out there.
Well, what kind of writer do you want to be?
Play a game with me for a moment. What kind of writer do you want to be like? Not whose books are like yours, necessarily, but who has the career you'd love?
Shayne and I played this game today over Keith's White (not as good as Rickards, btw) and Pepsi. I said, hands down, I want to be Lilith Saintcrow when I grow up. Besides her utterly honest and gracious online persona (okay, so I'll never have that going for me), I greatly admire both her work ethic and her writing ability. She writes wonderful books with emotional resonance wrapped in an entertaining package, she puts out a couple a year without sacrificing quality, and she manages to support her family doing it. That's the kind of career I want; that's the kind of writer I want to be. So when Lili posts her Friday writing blog posts, I'm there. I'm listening. No two writers will ever have the same career path, but I know that if I want to be the kind of writer who lives off of fiction writing and puts out a couple books a year, I need to pay attention to what writers like her are doing.
Shayne is taking Holly Lisle's Think Sideways course. Ms. Lisle is someone who has dozens of books published and Shayne really admires her ability to work under deadlines, keep producing quality work, and how she conquers the challenges of being a working, professional writer. She says the course has been invaluable to her.
So when you, gentle reader who is also a writer, are wondering whose advice to take when it's all loud and a little conflicting, MY advice (and it really is just that) is to think about where you want your career to go. Are you the hobbyist who dabbles in different areas for fun? Listen to dabbling hobbyists--you'll make great friends and enjoy yourself. Are you the Great Canadian Novelist who puts out one book every three years? Find the authors like that and pay attention to their stories of how they got there (and then tell me who they are 'cause I have no fucking clue). Do you want to support your family as a working fiction writer? Obviously, checking out advice from Lili and Holly would be a good start.
Looking for the quick fix? Drawn to the stories of instant success, the exceptions to the rule?
Folks, if the rule is that hard work, talent, and perseverance lead to publication, please explain to me WHY you would like to be the exception to that? Or, better yet, ask *yourself* why you don't think this craft, this calling, is worth your blood, sweat, and tears.
Because my opinion? Writing is worth the pain and effort that I put into it, and the quick path to success isn't fucking good enough for me. My advice? If you don't feel the same, go buy a lotto ticket 'cause I don't think you belong in this field.
There are lots of types of participial phrases. I'll leave you to learn about them all. The one that drives me bonkers, though, is present participial, and when it's stuck at the beginning of the sentence.
Lots of new writers fall into the pattern of starting sentences the same way. The. He. She. I. Then someone points it out to them, and they're all, "OMG! I must do something more interesting!" so they start rearranging sentences. And they think it's a good idea to stick a present participial phrase at the start of the sentence, 'cause look! Now it doesn't start with the/he/she/I! Now it starts with a verb! I iz greatest author evah!
*twitch*
Okay, let's look at one of these babies for a moment.
Original sentence: He walked across the room and opened the door.
That's a solid sentence. Dry, but serviceable. Then the writer thinks OMGICAN'TSTARTWITHHE!!!
So it gets changed: Walking across the room, he opened the door.
THEREOMGTHAT'SPERFECT!
Please reread that.
He's opening the door while he's walking across the room? How effing small IS this damn room?
Besides the fact that frequently starting sentences that way is bloody irritating to read (seriously, no more than once or twice a page--if you're doing more than that, the frequent "ing" rhythm is damn annoying...it disrupts the flow of language and if you're trying for tension, you're going to lose it), it often has two things happening together at the same time that can't actually happen at the same time.
Let's look at another one that I've seen all too often:
Reaching across the desk, she opened the book.
Again...she's opening WHILE she's reaching?
Or:
Crying out his name, she kissed him long and hard.
Um, I don't think he wants to kiss a chick who is crying his name while her lips are sealed with his.
So how do you, newbie writer, make these sentences interesting without relying on starting with the/he/she/I or a present participial phrase?
Well, stop telling me what's going on, first of all. Let me (the reader) feel it. His heavy boots thudded on the worn hardwood as he crossed the room. A final glance over his shoulder at the empty space left behind revealed a room smaller and darker than the one from childhood memories. His fingers closed around the doorknob and gave the handle a hard twist to the right. He stared straight ahead, determined not to look back, and with a deep breath moved through the threshold.
Okay, still not great, but you know what? It's better. PLUS we've gone from one dull sentence to four that actually give you a sense of the space and character.
The ing-disease doesn't always mean you have a conflict of two things happening that can't happen at the same time. But they're awkward as hell and should only be used by those who know what they're doing.
Now, be good little bunnies and do a sweep for these in your next manuscript. Any competent editor would help you fix it in the first place, but then your chances of getting a competent editor when your manuscript is riddled with these is pretty slim.
Today an author who is much more famous than me and makes way more money casually said, in the context of a story about another writer, that he thought there was no greater flattery than someone stealing your books.
As a small press author who's first novel has been illegally downloaded more times than it was purchased in ebook (no small feat, as the ebook did well), I'd like to say that is unequivocally shit of the bull variety.
Real fans don't steal books. Readers who truly *love* books don't steal them.
(clipping this now to save those tired of my bitching--you're quite welcome to skip this entry)Read more
No comment for the moment on Harlequin Horizons, vanity publishing, etc, because it's been said to death by people more eloquently than me, and I've made my opinions known simply by what I retweet and post on Facebook.
There is something I'd like to comment on. And this is going to be long and rambly, so prepare yourself.Read more
I've seen many conversations the past month or so about epiracy. eBook readers feeling like publishers make reading ebooks legitimately hard on them and upset by resentful authors ranting about piracy, people claiming that they're turned off of buying an author's work when they hear about them being vocal about the issue.Read more
I've watched the ebook vs print book debate for years.
I fully admit that I don't get it.
I've never understood why anyone would get so up in arms over the format of a bloody book.
People vehemently in favour of the print format swear up and down that they'll never read an ebook, holding a paper book is so important, and act as though ebooks have less value. Ebook people (often writers) get defensive about the wave of the future, the convenience, etc.
Really, though, who the hell cares?
I like stories. I like stories in a variety of formats. I like movies, tv shows, video games, and yes, books.
Print books are lovely. They're nice to take anywhere and curl up in bed with. Great on the eyes. Yay print books!
But, you know, I'm picky about print books. I can't read most used ones unless they've barely been touched. That musty smell kicks up my allergies. If they've sat on the shelf for too long, the dust sets me off too. I'm also a little obsessive compulsive about not creasing the spines of books, which can make it awkward trying to read the words close to the gutter.
I'm also not a fan of hardcovers. Oh, they're pretty and all. And you should definitely get the River/Wolfe set when they're ready for release. But I always have to strip the jacket cover off because it gets in the way. They're heavy and awkward.
And ebooks also have their downsides. I don't dig reading on the screen all the time. I read sometimes on my ipod and it kills my battery, so I can't read for long. I can't be bothered dropping money on an electronic reader, either, so that's out.
But I can't imagine feeling so strongly about any format that I would become a total snob about it.
Here's the thing: I care about content. I care about characters and story and words. The format that content is in doesn't matter to me. If I really want an awesome book by an awesome author and it's only in ebook, then I'll buy the ebook. If I can get it in print and I don't mind waiting, I'll head down to the local book store and have it ordered.
But that's what it comes down to for me. Content. I like stories. I'm delighted when stories are offered in a variety of formats so that everyone can enjoy them. I see no reason to attack others for their preference of format, and don't understand why it's anyone's business HOW they want to read a goddamn book.
Should we not be happy about the fact that more ways to read books can mean more books getting to more people? This is a good thing. So how about we stop being douche bags, respect other people's choices, and celebrate literacy.
And, also, especially not helpful when you say ebooks and their authors are soulless, so let's stop with the dramatic crap, m'kay?
Please reread that.
