Tag: creative writing

Categories
Books Writing

New Novella and EOM chapter… coming soon.

I did a thing.

And it is not great. I don’t feel good about it. But that was the whole point. And I’m proud of myself for doing a not great thing.

I published an ebook. The first thing I’ve ever put out into the world that people will have to pay for. 

I’d say it is pretty typical as far as first attempts go, in that it’s mostly rubbish.

As my brother always says, the first step to getting good at something, is being crap at something.

So yay! I’ve taken the first step in self-publishing!

(For those who missed the post from a few weeks ago: I decided to write a novella (a trilogy of novellas, actually) just for my EOM readers. Original fiction that will hopefully be enough like EOM to get and keep their interest, but different—quite different— in that they will be shorter and sweeter. A modern fantasy novella (series) with a guaranteed happy ending. With any luck, this can be a stepping stone from my fan fiction to my original fiction? An experiment to see if this is something I can actually do.)

And as far as experiments go, it wasn’t a total failure. I wanted to see if I could write a novella in 10 days. And I found that I could! It just took another 18 days to get my act together and get it up on Amazon. There is definitely room for improvement–of course in writing–but also in formatting and navigating rigmarole involved in e-publishing. I kept dragging my feet on learning how to put it up. In the end, I put in the minimal effort required because the more frustrated I became, the more I wanted to just forget the whole thing and not bother with it at all. Terrible, I know. So, we’re going with the logic that a bad book is better than no book? That’s probably not true. But, it’s what I need to tell myself in order for me to actually start making a career of writing.

I write this Thursday evening. When you read this, the ebook will be available, and I will be off in the woods, putting a roof on my tiny cabin, far away from the internet or any kind of cell service, so I cannot check the stats and be immediately disappointed that no one has seen it or bought it yet.  

Rather than look at amazon obsessively when I get home from building, I will make some tea, read some poetry, and refuse to open my computer until the weekend when I publish another EOM chapter. Wish me luck in not looking at my KDP account for at least three weeks. (Well that failed. It is not even three pm on the same day and I am on my computer, posting EOM and checking stats and doing other things. Sigh… so weak.)

That being said, if you do read and like it, please review. That would help me out bunches. You can get it here.

(But look at his lovely cover my brother did. Quite possibly the part of the book with which I am most pleased.)

Categories
Uncategorized

Novella update. Thoughts on Audiobooks?

First draft of the novella is done and sent to my alpha reader! (Although now that I’ve finished it, I’m convinced it is terrible and needs a lot of work. But I suppose that’s the next step. Try to make it suck less. And repeat until it’s shareable.)

It took I think a total of 10 days to draft, and will probably take another 10 days for the ‘make it suck less’ process. 

I want to attempt, as an experiment, to do it as an audiobook, as well.

Do you like audiobooks? I consume a lot, so I thought it might be worth it. But it could be too much trouble or beyond my abilities. But I do want to know if this is a possibility going forward.

What do you think. Audiobooks, yay or nay? Worth it?

Categories
Writing

What I’m working on (new project!)

What am I working on?

Obviously, I’m working on EOM again. But after I published the latest chapter, I decided to write a novella (a trilogy of novellas, actually) just for my EOM readers. Original fiction that will hopefully be enough like EOM to get and keep their interest, but different—quite different— in that they will be shorter and sweeter. A modern fantasy novella (series) with a guaranteed happy ending. With any luck, this can be a stepping stone from my fan fiction to my original fiction?


I started it Monday, and I’m about halfway through (the first one) and it’s been fun to write so far. It will obviously need editing and redrafting. If all goes well, it could be out (on Amazon) at the end of August/the start of September, depending on how my graphic designer friend gets on with the cover. (And she can’t start until I’ve finished at least the first draft, so, that’s still on me.)

Something about publishing chapter by chapter, or novella at a time, makes it easier. It’s not instant gratification by any means. Still, it allows you to put something out there and feel a sense of accomplishment. Whereas with a novel, you might be working on it for a year with nothing to show (the world) for it, and the longer it takes, the longer you have to fall out of love with it or even grow to hate it.

I have my own ideas for a few novella series, but I wonder, is it a terrible idea to take suggestions? I would like to know what people enjoy reading now, and I want to practice writing in different genres. (However, I lack the self-motivation to just do it without any incentive/accountability.) Something to ponder.

After I post this little ramble to the blog, I’m going to write as much on the new novella as I can. It’s at that stage where the writing of it is a bit addicting (the way EOM used to be). So, I’m eager to get to it. In fact, I shall end the post here.

~K

Categories
Travel Writing

Writing with and without a routine

As evidenced by my previous post, I was in New Orleans (fully vaccinated and wearing a mask in all public spaces, for those who may be concerned.) And writing EOM was…. Easy? Perhaps that’s the wrong word. But it just flowed. It felt like, “yes, you are in a new place, you should be writing this.” Things that had me stuck at home just resolved while I was in a new place. It felt wonderful.

Though only writing while I’m travelling is not a sustainable plan. I cannot travel enough to write all that I want. 

Hence the routine.

Every book on writing I’ve ever read has stressed the importance of making writing a habit, incorporating it as a part of your routine. So, I’ve done my best to establish one, and, surprise surprise, I’ve been more productive!

My writing routine is:

When travelling – just writing every day at any time, because everything is stimulating and it’s seems all I want to do is write.

When I’m not travelling, I try to leave the house by 7am (this was the case before the pandemic and now again since I’m vaccinated.) Libraries and cafes work best. Monday through Thursday mornings I work on Where Power Lies, (which is currently over 70,000 words and a little more than half-way done. No doubt it will take lots of cuts and redrafting editing in future, but not today!

I’ve started putting my phone on Do Not Disturb, that rather than just silent for my morning hours. It’s too easy to get derailed. Just as one gets into a flow, one is brought out of it again by a text or a news notification. Already doing just this has upped my word count.

Another part of the routine, (inspired by Rachel Aaron’s book 2k to 10k) is to take five minutes before I start drafting, to write out in a notebook what the scene(s) I am about to write will be like. It only takes few sentences, and it really focusses my mind. 

Fridays (like today!) are for EOM and perhaps also a blog post, if I have anything at all to say. (And it appears that today I do.)

Yes, I need to keep to a routine. It will allow me to complete projects and get more writing done. 

But nothing will compare with the joy of writing in  new place. I feel I write my most and best when I’m experiencing a place for the first time. I’m more observant, I make connections, ask questions, and am just filled with a general sense of wonder and curiosity. And that of course, is immensely helpful in the creative process. 

I have plans for a vacation this autumn for Morocco and Spain, which Delta variant is seriously menacing. The intention was (and still is, for the moment) to write fun shorts while I’m away, based in the location I happen to be! I’m really looking forward to those projects. My future travels will inspire a little series of stories that I hope to put up on Amazon and other e-book platforms. I just want to put something out there. Get it over with. Break the barrier and start sharing my work, even if it’s rubbish. 

Oddly, I do not have this hangup about fan-fiction. For some reason, fan-fiction readers seem much kinder and go into a story wanting to enjoy it. I know any readers for novels and novellas I e-publish will never be as wonderful as fanfiction readers. (Unless they are my fan fiction readers. Would I be so lucky.) But I can’t let that stop me from putting my work into the world… (anymore.)

So the plan is:

1. Post a new chapter of EOM next Friday (yay!) 

2. Finish the first draft of Where Power Lies by the end of August (a stretch goal, to be sure, especially considering that I also want to finish building the cabin by then, too). And, 

3. (Travel gods willing) write story or two during my vacation, and publish them as little e-books (probably in November? An untraditional but worthy NaNoWriMo project.) 

So there. I’ve put my routines and goals out there in the world, and now I can be held accountable.

Do you have a routine? Any tips or tricks you’d like to share?

Categories
Writing

A Few Thoughts on Inspiration

“This is the tale I pray the divine Muse to unfold to us. Begin it, goddess, at whatever point you will.” ~ The Odyssey of Homer

 

These hussies…

Muses

… are muses (according to painter Baldassare Peruzzi).

 

But if you are like me (a writerly person) you probably have a love/hate relationship with these fickle ladies.

 

Best thing to do is just ignore them. Carry on writing as if you don’t need them, because you don’t, really. Choosing a time and place to write, every day, gets your brain into the habit of writing. I could go on at length about brain waves – alpha and gamma waves to be exact – but I won’t. (I wrote a fantastically unpopular essay describing what happens to the brain when being creative. Apparently a paper on neurology was not what the literary tutors wanted when they asked for an essay on “The Creative Process”. Ah well.)

 

The point is to write every day whether you are inspired or not. Think of creativity as a muscle, and if it isn’t regularly challenged, exercised, it grows weak and impotent.

 

Inspiration may seem sudden and electric, but lightning doesn’t strike those lying in sunny fields, but those constantly cranking the generator.

 

(And I realise I’ve just jumped between metaphors. They are a weakness of mine.)

 

This is miMewz. (See what I did there?)

mewsondesk

He sits on my desk and sends me encouraging vibes of creativity (and rage). While I enjoy his company, I don’t depend on him for creative afflatus. That comes from sweaty cranking at that generator.

 

I say all this but I’m hugely hypocritical. In fact, since starting my MA in Creative Writing, I think I write fewer words per day than before. However, take this blog post as a resolution. Write every day, even if it’s shit.

 

~K