About becoming an idea hording concept grabbing word pimp

Ahhh- trying saying THAT five times fast! Too easy? Put five marshmallows in your mouth and try again...difficult wasn't it? (Don't ask how I know.)

Today's blog is about the magic of stealing from the world around us- and the best source around- ourselves.

Writers steal.

It's what we do. And any writer who says they have never stolen, borrowed, liberated, absconded with, or snurched an idea, concept, name-- is lying. Or has been living in a cave raised by wolves. Of course then they'd probably start writing about wolves in caves- bada boom they're stealing from the wolf that raised them. And lying since they already made the claim they don't steal.

Thing is we are making up worlds. We're making up people, places, galaxies, etc (ok mainstream fiction writers make up a lot less than us fantasy/SF folks- but still...)
Those worlds have to come from the fluffy particles bouncing in our heads. And what influences those mini masses of idea goodness? The world around us. The movies we read, the books (hopefully not too much- there's a word for that ya know ;)) we read, the people we see, songs, whatever.

Some of it is subconscious, we're not aware of the generating kernel, but then it gets large enough to notice and BOOM! There's a full grown idea.

The rest is stolen property. But today I'm going to ramble on about stealing from yourself. Any writer worth their salt has crap they don't like. (If they say they don't see my earlier comment about lying.) Sometimes this is really awful stuff- hideous. The words have to be printed out and carried out to the incinerator. The hard drive must be purged. Women, children, and small fuzzy animals are warned to stay away.

Sometimes it's just stuff that never grew. Ideas stunted in their growth, left alone until they find a corner to hide in. Or projects we've finished, but just lost interest in.

I won't lie- I have a bunch of all of the above.

I wrote my first story when I was 13 or 14. I don't recall much, but I do remember that I used names from Star Wars (yes, I'm that old- do the math folks).
Did nothing with it. Have NOOO idea where it is.

Fast forward to my late teens or early 20's.
Tried another book. Got further this time, I think about 160 or so pages. Not sure where that thing is, but parts of it are rooted in my head, so I can steal from it at will. For example- the main character was named Vaslisha Tor Dain. I stole that name for my main character in Warrior Wench. (A book that was born as a graphic novel concept stolen from a bunch of comics). The two Vas's even look sort of alike. However, the original Vas was a scientist, very bookish. The new one is very very NOT bookish. In the world of Stargate, the original Vas was Daniel Jackson, the new one is Jack O’Neil.

I’ve stolen other character names, ideas, snippets from that book even though I haven’t seen it in a long time.

Concepts get snagged too. I have a few short stories (written years ago for a class- just sold one last fall). One I really liked had a kick ass character in a fantasy world. I didn’t steal her, nor the other main character- but if you look not too hard at the two main characters in the Glass Gargoyle book I’m working on- you’ll see them. I took the “feel” for that book from Glen Cook’s Garret files books. Most likely no one else will notice any similarity (aside from snark ;))- but in my head that’s the type of world for that book.

So I guess my point is HOARD everything you write. Be on the constant look out for cool words, names, ideas and squirrel them away like gold.

Can't stop writing, the words will eat me.

The title of this piece is taken from a very cute t-shirt "Can't sleep, the clowns will eat me" as well as from today's quote:

"I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die."
Isaac Asimov

But it's true-the title not the clowns...although the clown fear may have merit as well.

I speak of needing to write- desperately needing to write. Even when you really don't want to write at that moment, you desperately need to have written.

It's not that I can't turn off my creative side to work my normal mundane job, sadly, like most people I'm able to turn off my creative self far too easily. The trick is to not let it stay off for too long. I think creativity can be pushed aside easily in our culture. We're almost trained to do so as we work our way through the educational system.

But if we do it too long, we die. We forget how to paint, or sing, or write. Our normal state becomes one of non-creation. Stagnation. Watching the creations of others, but not engaging in it ourselves.

The words, the magic we had to create, to explore our reality in a manner to which we see fit- get taken away.

The flip side of this is that if we DO stay in touch with our creative side- we have to let it out for a good run fairly often for our own sanity.

Or the words- like the clowns- will eat us.

Eh, a rambling blog, but I've done my 1000 words on my WIP and have a need for sleep.

Sometimes things need to sit in the dark

The reason 99% of all stories written are not bought by editors is very simple. Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet shelf at home.
- John Campbell

I do like that quote. It reminds me that as someone who is aiming for a life in the world of book publishing-on the author end mind you- I need to be submitting.

I don't have a problem with submitting, I've got a stack of rejections from my first completed novel that I could share. That novel is currently sitting in a corner, or as I like to call it "dry dock" waiting until next year when it gets to go on a diet and hard core edit. It (technically two completed books) is the first in a fantasy trilogy. Now unlike some authors, I don't think it's awful. But it does need work and it needs to lose some pages. It sort of resembles a brick. Maybe it's my six million dollar man book- we can rebuild it- later.

This year I'm not submitting anything and it's been hard.



Along with the dry-docked Essence of Chaos, I also have a completed SF, Warrior Wench (in edits), a nearly finished humorous fantasy-mystery (and being tracked here) : The Glass Gargoyle of the Last Elven King, and a fledgling Victorian-steampunkish-SF adventure, (also tracked here) A Curious Invasion.

All those books in the works, it does seem as if I may have avoidance or commitment issues. But there is a method to my madness. Last year I began to realize that even when one thinks ones work is ready to go out- it most likely isn't. I actually made that realization with other folks writing first. I'd see things go out that maybe weren't quite ready. Then I took a long hard look at my own work and pulled things back a notch. A BIG notch. I need to build my writing legs, get the skills under me that will allow me to write the books that are in my head, but in such a way that others will want them in their heads too.

My long rambling point of today's blog is that sometimes it's best to take a step or two or five backwards. Build up your legs so that you can really make a good jump of it when you charge back into the fray. My goal is to have all of the books (except EoC) ready for submission by Jan 2011. Then I'll use the skills from them and this year to edit Essence of Chaos into a serious contender as well.

It's hard to see friends charging forth, putting their books out there, and in many cases succeeding beautifully. But for me 2010 needs to be a time of growth for my writing.

Just wait until 2011 though ;).

Brenda Novak's Auction now open!

Today it's a blog for a cause near and dear to my heart.

The talented Brenda Novak has opened her Diabetes Auction. This is a great chance for both readers and writers to get some great stuff and support a wonderful cause. Last year I won a great deal for a local writing conference.

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Home.taf

The auction runs through the month- so check it often!

Sometimes staying drunk doesn't work

"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." ~Ray Bradbury


I love the above quote. I have it printed out next to my desk in my library. I have it tagged as a favorite quote on FaceBook, I have seriously contemplated adding it as a tag line on my electronic signature.

Alas, sometimes it just don’t work.

Sometimes, there simply is no way to stay so immersed in the world of writing that the arrows and rocks of the real world don’t drag you under. This is one of those weeks.

For those of you out there who don’t know, I work at SDSU (financial aid), and this is hell week. Ok, maybe not a recognized, official hell week- but it’s the week prior to the intent to enroll for all new students, the students from this year are just now realizing they’ve run out of money, and all of them are determined to take summer classes. In other words, it’s a wee bit of a mad house and I leave work each day feeling like I’ve gone thirty rounds with a trained fighter, but really was only conscious for the first ten.

My writing is pretty much on standby through Friday. Now, one would think that my writing could pull me away from the mentally thrashed edge. Except, I’m currently too damaged to do anything when I get home. The best I can muster is capture bits and pieces of scenes and snippets that bounce to the surface of my beleaguered brain from time to time. There have been a few of those, furiously scribbled down before they fade away. They aren’t much, but they are acting like a lifeline to my sanity this week. They are hope- but they aren't enough to stay drunk on.

There is a light at the end though. I have a half of Friday and the week-end all to myself for my own writer retreat at home. I'll be locking myself up, not answering the phone, just focusing on getting as drunk as possible on my writing.

Book release day for Lisa Shearin!

Ok our normal blogging is postponed for an important announcement- Today Bewitched and Betrayed is OUT!!! Go forth and purchase it asap- like NOW. Fun fantasy read and a really nice author.

Extra bonus points if you buy it from an indie book store!

Sorry- at lunch from work no nuff time for regular blog!

Sometimes it really is all in your head

No, I'm not talking about imagined illnesses, or even paranoia. I'm talking about writing the stories you want to read.

Why do people write? There are probably as many reasons and justifications (yes, sometimes madness does need to be justified) as there are writers. Some do so because they have a story to tell them world, vital information and insight that they feel the world will be weaker for not having. Bully for them. Not trying to be snarky, and in a few cases the author may be right. But it does sound a wee pretentious to me.

Could be because I'm not writing for the same reason they are. I write because as many wonderful, amazing books that are out there (far more than I can ever hope to read) there are some stories missing. You know how it goes. Sometimes you pick up a great sounding book, start to read, then realize the author had a completely different idea of the plot that you did. You start to think and wonder why didn't they turn left instead of right (yeah- Doctor Who reference there- go look it up ;)). A whole different story could have taken place. Eventually, in some of us folks with this odd illness, we start missing the books we think should be there. Sort of like a phantom pain of a missing limb, only these limbs never existed.

Trying to badger favorite authors into writing one of these missing tomes won't really work. Most of those fine folks have enough missing tomes in their own heads, they certainly don't need other folks dumping theirs in there as well.

The only option is to make it yourself. The idea pops in your head, prompted by other books, movies, tv shows, songs, pictures, whatever. It then kicks around, bouncing in your brain as it picks up more little bits of ideas, characters, concepts. Pretty soon you're thinking that man, you really want to read that book about the Girl and the Gadget who saved the world.

Then it hits you- it only lives in your head.

So, in self-defence of the valuable and limited space inside my head, I have to write the stories down. I need to get them out so I don't forget important things like where I live, what my name is, what I had for lunch. But also so that I can read the whole story. So that I can find out what exactly happened. Who lived, who died, who got drunk and started screaming for dancing minkies (you'll have to read my book for that one ;)).

Some writers write because they want to share their insights, some of us do so to see what exactly is lurking in our heads.

The quote for today:
"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." ~Toni Morrison