So I've been talking with a friend on twitter about the difference between a writer and an author. It started out as a simple enough tip: he suggested that I should take "aspiring" out of my profile, because if I write, then I'm a writer. I disagree.
Part of it goes back to what I said in this post about not being able to call myself a writer until I've finished the novel, and not being able to call myself an author until I'm published. But I realize now, that in my head, they're two different titles. It's like being called Staff versus Manager, or an Analyst versus Accountant. It's not necessarily hierarchical, and maybe it's pigeonholing, but to me they're entirely different animals (though not mutually exclusive).
In my opinion, being a writer means that you sit down and write pretty much every day. A writer may or may not share that work, but that's not the point. A writer actively writes, and that's a good thing, and a goal in and of itself. You can be a writer regardless of the style of writing (it could be poetry, news articles, corporate brochures, or advertisements), and you don't have to make money doing it. It could be hobby or something you do sitting on a train (which is how I got started). The point is the writing, and going back to my old post again, finishing what you start, even if you don't share it.
An author, however, is someone who writes book-length work and shares that work broadly, generally with the intent to earn money on it, even if it doesn't pay all of the bills. I don't think a copywriter is an author, but both are writers. Similarly, I wouldn't call a journalist an author, but they write too. To me it's a title, and one that's earned through publication, be it traditional or self-publishing.
I am a writer, but I aspire to be an author. It's the next step in my writing career, and that's precisely how I look at my writing: as a career. I enjoy it immensely, and there's a strong possibility that I'll never get rich or famous from it, but being an author is still a career goal.
I don't want to demean anyone who calls themselves purely a writer. Being a writer is a self-defining thing, and something to be admired. I just don't think that the two terms are synonymous.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Slowly but Surely, the Process Moves Forward
It's been a little while since I posted, so I think it's time to give an update on my progress, and the process I went through to get here.
2010 and Prior -Wrote the "Shitty First Draft" (SFD)
The SFD took me a long time, about two years. Of course, I was/am a new writer, still figuring everything out (I'd only seriously been writing for about a year prior to starting 'Pack'.) About six months (and 35,000 words) into the first version, I decided to rewrite everything. The premise was the same, but the cast and initial setup was completely different. The only character I kept was my protagonist, Laila. Even then, I didn't really know what I was doing, and kept going back and changing things around, so I chalk up most of the two years to newbie mistakes and the learning curve. The next one won't take nearly so long. I hope. :-)
January - SFD Complete
My first draft was not good. The basic concept was written, the characters were more-or-less developed, and the overall content was laid out, but it wasn't anywhere close to being published. Which was fine. It's accepted wisdom that the first draft should be shitty. The author needs to write the first draft as fast and as creatively as possible, without letting the internal critic slow the process down. The critic is allowed out to play during the editing process, and that's when you start to have a publishable story.
February/March - Prepared for Beta Readers
This was the first round of edits, and to be fair, I really went through the manuscript two or three times before I sent it out to anyone to read in full. (I'd asked for some feedback on certain sections, but ultimately I decided it wasn't worthwhile to share the novel in bits and pieces.) Even after the edits, the manuscript wasn't perfect. I knew it wasn't ready to go out into the world, but I wasn't able to see what needed to change. Luckily, that's what beta readers are for.
April - Break month.
I sent the complete manuscript to several people to read and give me feedback (my beta readers). These were people that I trusted to give honest, constructive criticism, and they did a great job for me. They all found aspects of the story that they liked, as well as things that needed to be fixed or changed to improve the clarity and cohesiveness of the story. In particular, I found out I'm not so good at the description. Which is great (okay, not great that I suck at providing enough setting and description, but great that now I know I suck at it, so I can pay more attention to it in the future, and fix my problems).
Meanwhile I took a break from 'Pack'. I worked on other things, most time-consuming of which was my day job (it was my busy season). But more importantly, I needed to put some distance between the manuscript and me. In order to see the flaws, I had to be able to read with fresh eyes, and a new perspective. I couldn't be so wrapped up in the story that I took all of the criticism personally.
May - Paper Review
First, I read through an unedited version of the manuscript, making my own edits on paper. I called this the Master Copy. Then I read through each beta reader's comments on their version of the paper copy, adding the changes and comments I agreed with to the Master Copy. Each beta got their own color of pen in the Master as well, so I could keep track of who said what. Have I mentioned before that I'm a bit of a Type A nerd? Anyway, I managed to get all of that done for all five copies of the manuscript, despite the fact that I was still swamped at work and busy with personal things on the weekends.
June (forecasted) - Finish Major Rewrites
My goal this month is to finish incorporating the written edits into the digital file, so that I have a completed work of fiction by July 1. I think it's doable, but I will have to knuckle down and work hard to get there. I need to add a couple of scenes, revise the ending, and generally make a lot of changes. But I really think it's coming along. Once the major rewrites are done, I'm going to send it to a couple more people to read, to see if it's (finally) ready to go out the door.
In the end, this has been a long and involved process. Now that I've gone through it (or will have gone through it soon) I'll do better on the next novel. I now know where I tend to get stuck, and what steps I'll have to go through to get it all finished. Plus, I'm a much better writer now than I was when I started, so the SFD should go faster next time.
I want to emphasize, however, that the writing process takes as long as it needs to take. I'm not going to rush through everything and send a piece of crap out into the world. If I need to go through another round of edits on 'Pack' to make the story sparkle, I will. Good things are worth waiting (and working) for.
2010 and Prior -Wrote the "Shitty First Draft" (SFD)
The SFD took me a long time, about two years. Of course, I was/am a new writer, still figuring everything out (I'd only seriously been writing for about a year prior to starting 'Pack'.) About six months (and 35,000 words) into the first version, I decided to rewrite everything. The premise was the same, but the cast and initial setup was completely different. The only character I kept was my protagonist, Laila. Even then, I didn't really know what I was doing, and kept going back and changing things around, so I chalk up most of the two years to newbie mistakes and the learning curve. The next one won't take nearly so long. I hope. :-)
January - SFD Complete
My first draft was not good. The basic concept was written, the characters were more-or-less developed, and the overall content was laid out, but it wasn't anywhere close to being published. Which was fine. It's accepted wisdom that the first draft should be shitty. The author needs to write the first draft as fast and as creatively as possible, without letting the internal critic slow the process down. The critic is allowed out to play during the editing process, and that's when you start to have a publishable story.
February/March - Prepared for Beta Readers
This was the first round of edits, and to be fair, I really went through the manuscript two or three times before I sent it out to anyone to read in full. (I'd asked for some feedback on certain sections, but ultimately I decided it wasn't worthwhile to share the novel in bits and pieces.) Even after the edits, the manuscript wasn't perfect. I knew it wasn't ready to go out into the world, but I wasn't able to see what needed to change. Luckily, that's what beta readers are for.
April - Break month.
I sent the complete manuscript to several people to read and give me feedback (my beta readers). These were people that I trusted to give honest, constructive criticism, and they did a great job for me. They all found aspects of the story that they liked, as well as things that needed to be fixed or changed to improve the clarity and cohesiveness of the story. In particular, I found out I'm not so good at the description. Which is great (okay, not great that I suck at providing enough setting and description, but great that now I know I suck at it, so I can pay more attention to it in the future, and fix my problems).
Meanwhile I took a break from 'Pack'. I worked on other things, most time-consuming of which was my day job (it was my busy season). But more importantly, I needed to put some distance between the manuscript and me. In order to see the flaws, I had to be able to read with fresh eyes, and a new perspective. I couldn't be so wrapped up in the story that I took all of the criticism personally.
May - Paper Review
First, I read through an unedited version of the manuscript, making my own edits on paper. I called this the Master Copy. Then I read through each beta reader's comments on their version of the paper copy, adding the changes and comments I agreed with to the Master Copy. Each beta got their own color of pen in the Master as well, so I could keep track of who said what. Have I mentioned before that I'm a bit of a Type A nerd? Anyway, I managed to get all of that done for all five copies of the manuscript, despite the fact that I was still swamped at work and busy with personal things on the weekends.
June (forecasted) - Finish Major Rewrites
My goal this month is to finish incorporating the written edits into the digital file, so that I have a completed work of fiction by July 1. I think it's doable, but I will have to knuckle down and work hard to get there. I need to add a couple of scenes, revise the ending, and generally make a lot of changes. But I really think it's coming along. Once the major rewrites are done, I'm going to send it to a couple more people to read, to see if it's (finally) ready to go out the door.
In the end, this has been a long and involved process. Now that I've gone through it (or will have gone through it soon) I'll do better on the next novel. I now know where I tend to get stuck, and what steps I'll have to go through to get it all finished. Plus, I'm a much better writer now than I was when I started, so the SFD should go faster next time.
I want to emphasize, however, that the writing process takes as long as it needs to take. I'm not going to rush through everything and send a piece of crap out into the world. If I need to go through another round of edits on 'Pack' to make the story sparkle, I will. Good things are worth waiting (and working) for.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Favorite lines from 'Pack'
I'm back at it, working on the revisions to Pack based on my beta reader feedback. So far, I'm really pleased with what everyone has said, and while there's still a ton of work to do (it seems never-ending) I think I'm at least on the right track.
But today, I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite lines from the story. Enjoy!
"Hungry?" he asked.
"No, I think I'll wait to see if my stomach can eat my spine."
"No," I said firmly, trying to imagine the wolves were just misbehaving Labradors.
But today, I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite lines from the story. Enjoy!
***
We kept up the pace for a couple hours, finally stopping for a break when my stomach growled so loudly that even Erik heard it."Hungry?" he asked.
"No, I think I'll wait to see if my stomach can eat my spine."
***
Teeth the size of paring knives glinted in a vicious snarl.
***
"No," I said firmly, trying to imagine the wolves were just misbehaving Labradors.
***
I watched as the first of the haggard looking buildings passed my window. Faded and peeling red paint graced its walls, while slightly crooked steps led up to the sagging front porch. The windows were clean though, and well-dressed mannequins advertised modern clothing inside. The next building was equally dilapidated, and the sign over the door simply read Bar.
***
"How's the training going?" Sarah asked, as I gracelessly threw myself into a chair.
"I'm definitely going to be sore tomorrow, probably sore tonight, and maybe even sore before lunch is over," I replied.
***
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Withdrawal
It has been just over one week since I sent out the Beta Manuscript. I promised myself that I would not edit Pack while the beta readers are working. To that end, I've given myself one month away. Here's my reasoning:
"Is that scene really necessary? Maybe I should have taken it out before sending to the beta readers."
OR
"That transition was too fast, there wasn't enough time between action A and response B."
I will not go back to edit. I will not go back and revise.
The thing is, I was really happy with it when I sent Pack off to be read. I felt pretty good about it. Is it perfect? No, but I thought it was as close as I could get on my own without new insight. I still think that's true. Additional edits might have just been changes, and not necessarily for the better. I need the time away and I need the feedback. So I will wait, as frustrating as that may seem sometimes!
I'm trying to distract myself with other related projects. I'm seriously researching the publishing options, reading blogs and books on all aspects of the subject. I'm revising a short story set in the same world as Pack but 60 years prior. I'm writing the content for my website and bugging my husband to help me design it. I'm thinking about the next book and starting on a very rough outline.
All in all, this is still going to be a productive month, but I can't wait to hear what the readers think and get back to finishing Pack!
- Respect for the readers: if I'm fiddling with the manuscript, then they're not reading the latest version, and their time is wasted.
- Fresh eyes: giving myself some time away will let me go back and read with renewed vision. I'll be able to see the typos and errors better, and gain a new perspective on the story.
- Distance: when reader input comes back, I'll have a bit of distance from the project. I won't be as wrapped up in crafting the story, so I'll be able to consider their feedback with an open mind, and not take things personally.
"Is that scene really necessary? Maybe I should have taken it out before sending to the beta readers."
OR
"That transition was too fast, there wasn't enough time between action A and response B."
I will not go back to edit. I will not go back and revise.
The thing is, I was really happy with it when I sent Pack off to be read. I felt pretty good about it. Is it perfect? No, but I thought it was as close as I could get on my own without new insight. I still think that's true. Additional edits might have just been changes, and not necessarily for the better. I need the time away and I need the feedback. So I will wait, as frustrating as that may seem sometimes!
I'm trying to distract myself with other related projects. I'm seriously researching the publishing options, reading blogs and books on all aspects of the subject. I'm revising a short story set in the same world as Pack but 60 years prior. I'm writing the content for my website and bugging my husband to help me design it. I'm thinking about the next book and starting on a very rough outline.
All in all, this is still going to be a productive month, but I can't wait to hear what the readers think and get back to finishing Pack!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Quick Update
I apologize for missing my posting earlier this week. Things have been a little crazy around here. So I'm just going to give a quick update on where I'm at.
I finished a second (or is it third?) review of the manuscript, tightened up some plot points and rewrote the ending. The ending still needs some work, but I'll get back to that.
I've decided I need to write-out a character from the original draft. She felt like a 2D stereotype and didn't add much to the story. In fact, she wasn't physically in most of the story, usually appearing only through phone conversations. I figured out a way to replace her, so I'm going to do it. But that means a lot of revision, and one more pass on the manuscript before Beta.
The new ending also beefed up another character for me, and added a new dimension to the story that I have to scatter throughout the manuscript. I think it will be much, much better this way.
All of these changes have really cut down the size of the manuscript. I'm down to about 60,000 words, which is a little short for a novel. If I continue to slice and dice, it could go even lower than that (and might be better for it). I'm considering calling it a novella now instead of a novel. There are issues with that, of course, including that novella's are often difficult to sell through Traditional Publishing, but I'm thinking I don't want to go that route...much to ponder before fully making that decision, but I'm thinking about it.
I should have a Beta Manuscript by the end of the weekend. My Beta Readers are lined up and ready to go. Then it will be a month-long "break" from the novella. I have a couple of story ideas that I'm going to start working on during the "break" to see if anything sticks. I also have a short that I want to clean up and post for free online. And I'm going to put up my own website soon too, so you can look forward to that.
Well, so much for a "quick" update. There really is a lot going on!
I finished a second (or is it third?) review of the manuscript, tightened up some plot points and rewrote the ending. The ending still needs some work, but I'll get back to that.
I've decided I need to write-out a character from the original draft. She felt like a 2D stereotype and didn't add much to the story. In fact, she wasn't physically in most of the story, usually appearing only through phone conversations. I figured out a way to replace her, so I'm going to do it. But that means a lot of revision, and one more pass on the manuscript before Beta.
The new ending also beefed up another character for me, and added a new dimension to the story that I have to scatter throughout the manuscript. I think it will be much, much better this way.
All of these changes have really cut down the size of the manuscript. I'm down to about 60,000 words, which is a little short for a novel. If I continue to slice and dice, it could go even lower than that (and might be better for it). I'm considering calling it a novella now instead of a novel. There are issues with that, of course, including that novella's are often difficult to sell through Traditional Publishing, but I'm thinking I don't want to go that route...much to ponder before fully making that decision, but I'm thinking about it.
I should have a Beta Manuscript by the end of the weekend. My Beta Readers are lined up and ready to go. Then it will be a month-long "break" from the novella. I have a couple of story ideas that I'm going to start working on during the "break" to see if anything sticks. I also have a short that I want to clean up and post for free online. And I'm going to put up my own website soon too, so you can look forward to that.
Well, so much for a "quick" update. There really is a lot going on!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Beta Readers
I've mentioned this a few times over my last few posts, but my manuscript is nearly ready to be reviewed by beta readers. If all continues on current trajectory, I will have a "beta-ready" draft by April 3rd. As I prepare to send this to a few readers, I thought I'd explain the beta process in a little more detail, particularly with regard to my own ideas and expectations.
Caveat: This is my first time sending a novel out for beta-review, so ideas and processes may change over time. Not every writer approaches their review in the same way, and this might not even be the best way, but it makes sense to me right now.
What is a beta reader?
A beta reader is someone who is willing to read a complete, but as-yet unpublished manuscript and provide feedback to the author (me). Here's the Wikipedia definition. The beta should provide constructive criticism -- honest, useful, and insightful feedback -- on the work in question.
From my perspective (and I imagine every author would feel approximately the same), it's not useful to say that you don't like me or you hate the book. I need to know why you hate the book. I need to know if and where plot holes exist. I need to know if you got bored, or where there's not enough description. I also need to know what you liked, and if you were excited, engaged, or couldn't put it down.
What I don't need is a line-by-line copy-edit (although if you happen to see something, especially if it seems to be a recurring problem, go ahead and let me know so I can fix it).
What are the expectations?
I think this is probably different for every author, but I'm going to request the following of my beta readers...
1. Deadline:
We all have time constraints and life issues, but once it's out there, I'm going to be sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, tearing my hair out, to find out what you think. So...I will give you a month to read it and send back your feedback. I'm not going to do any work on the manuscript after I send it out, so this will also give me some time away from it to have a fresh perspective when I'm reading through the comments.
2. No Sharing:
Do not share the novel with anyone else at this point. Not your mom, not your best friend, not your next door neighbor. It's a work in progress, and I know there will be additional revisions after I get everyone's feedback. If you like the story, FANTASTIC! Tell everyone how great it is and then tell them that some day, once it's finished and published, they'll be able to buy it. You can even tell them the premise of the story and why you liked it. But please do not share the actual novel until it's published. If I find out you've passed it along to someone else, I will hunt you down and...no, okay, that's not true, but I'll be really upset.
3. Comments:
Along with the manuscript, I'm going to send out a simple editing guide to use while reading the novel. Essentially, I would like the beta readers to mark up the margins with their comments, using a legend of sorts to organize their thoughts. For example, if a passage is boring, I want you to put a big "B" in the margin and explain in a few words why you're bored. Like, "B - too much walking through the woods." Or if a section is really exciting, it might be "E - LOVE IT!".
4. Be critical, but don't be mean:
'Nuff said.
What can beta readers expect in return?
My undying gratitude. And maybe a case of beer or a bottle of wine, your choice.
Okay, but seriously, I am trying to turn this into a career, so I will do my best to act professionally in my response to comments. I will endeavor to not take any feedback personally, and I will not argue with your impressions of the book. In fact, unless there's a comment that I truly don't understand, I promise to not bother you about it at all, unless you bring it up in conversation or something, and even then I promise to not get upset.
Well, I'll do my best.
It's a hard thing, putting your work out there for other people to tear apart. But I really do want the criticism, because I need to learn and improve my writing. I don't want people to coddle me and tell me that "it's just so wonderful." That's why moms are not going to be allowed to read it (sorry Moms - you'll get to read it when it's finished). Of course, I don't want to be crying over the darn thing either.
For those of you who are my beta readers -- and you should know who you are, but if not, you'll find out soon -- this is your chance to bow out. If you don't think you can make the timeline, or don't want to put up with my Type A personality BS, you don't have to be a reader for me. I won't get mad. Believe me, I realize that it's going to be a bit of work, and we all have jobs, hobbies, and other commitments. I will 100% completely understand.
Caveat: This is my first time sending a novel out for beta-review, so ideas and processes may change over time. Not every writer approaches their review in the same way, and this might not even be the best way, but it makes sense to me right now.
What is a beta reader?
A beta reader is someone who is willing to read a complete, but as-yet unpublished manuscript and provide feedback to the author (me). Here's the Wikipedia definition. The beta should provide constructive criticism -- honest, useful, and insightful feedback -- on the work in question.
From my perspective (and I imagine every author would feel approximately the same), it's not useful to say that you don't like me or you hate the book. I need to know why you hate the book. I need to know if and where plot holes exist. I need to know if you got bored, or where there's not enough description. I also need to know what you liked, and if you were excited, engaged, or couldn't put it down.
What I don't need is a line-by-line copy-edit (although if you happen to see something, especially if it seems to be a recurring problem, go ahead and let me know so I can fix it).
What are the expectations?
I think this is probably different for every author, but I'm going to request the following of my beta readers...
1. Deadline:
We all have time constraints and life issues, but once it's out there, I'm going to be sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, tearing my hair out, to find out what you think. So...I will give you a month to read it and send back your feedback. I'm not going to do any work on the manuscript after I send it out, so this will also give me some time away from it to have a fresh perspective when I'm reading through the comments.
2. No Sharing:
Do not share the novel with anyone else at this point. Not your mom, not your best friend, not your next door neighbor. It's a work in progress, and I know there will be additional revisions after I get everyone's feedback. If you like the story, FANTASTIC! Tell everyone how great it is and then tell them that some day, once it's finished and published, they'll be able to buy it. You can even tell them the premise of the story and why you liked it. But please do not share the actual novel until it's published. If I find out you've passed it along to someone else, I will hunt you down and...no, okay, that's not true, but I'll be really upset.
3. Comments:
Along with the manuscript, I'm going to send out a simple editing guide to use while reading the novel. Essentially, I would like the beta readers to mark up the margins with their comments, using a legend of sorts to organize their thoughts. For example, if a passage is boring, I want you to put a big "B" in the margin and explain in a few words why you're bored. Like, "B - too much walking through the woods." Or if a section is really exciting, it might be "E - LOVE IT!".
4. Be critical, but don't be mean:
'Nuff said.
What can beta readers expect in return?
My undying gratitude. And maybe a case of beer or a bottle of wine, your choice.
Okay, but seriously, I am trying to turn this into a career, so I will do my best to act professionally in my response to comments. I will endeavor to not take any feedback personally, and I will not argue with your impressions of the book. In fact, unless there's a comment that I truly don't understand, I promise to not bother you about it at all, unless you bring it up in conversation or something, and even then I promise to not get upset.
Well, I'll do my best.
It's a hard thing, putting your work out there for other people to tear apart. But I really do want the criticism, because I need to learn and improve my writing. I don't want people to coddle me and tell me that "it's just so wonderful." That's why moms are not going to be allowed to read it (sorry Moms - you'll get to read it when it's finished). Of course, I don't want to be crying over the darn thing either.
For those of you who are my beta readers -- and you should know who you are, but if not, you'll find out soon -- this is your chance to bow out. If you don't think you can make the timeline, or don't want to put up with my Type A personality BS, you don't have to be a reader for me. I won't get mad. Believe me, I realize that it's going to be a bit of work, and we all have jobs, hobbies, and other commitments. I will 100% completely understand.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
DropBox - a Lifesaving (okay, Writing-saving) Productivity Tool
It seems that I like posting on Tuesdays. This was unintentional, but I guess routine will sometimes sneak up on you!
Anyway...
Today is March 15, which means I only have a couple more weeks before my self-imposed deadline. Unfortunately, things are progressing much slower than I had hoped. In part, that's my fault, because last week was not very productive for writing. This happened for a number of reasons, but suffice to say, I let myself get distracted.
This week, I'm trying to keep my butt in my chair as much as possible. Luckily, I've been introduced to a new tool that will aid my progress. It's called DropBox, and it's a super easy way to transfer files between computers. All you have to do is save your file to the DropBox folder on your desktop and it will appear on every other computer that you've installed DropBox. So now I don't have to go through the time-consuming process of saving the files to a flash drive and transferring them manually, or opening up Google Docs on a webpage to download the file. It's already there! Best of all, it's FREE!
I'll be working hard this week, and I still intend to make my deadline, come hell or high water. I WILL have a beta-ready draft by the end of the month!
Anyway...
Today is March 15, which means I only have a couple more weeks before my self-imposed deadline. Unfortunately, things are progressing much slower than I had hoped. In part, that's my fault, because last week was not very productive for writing. This happened for a number of reasons, but suffice to say, I let myself get distracted.
This week, I'm trying to keep my butt in my chair as much as possible. Luckily, I've been introduced to a new tool that will aid my progress. It's called DropBox, and it's a super easy way to transfer files between computers. All you have to do is save your file to the DropBox folder on your desktop and it will appear on every other computer that you've installed DropBox. So now I don't have to go through the time-consuming process of saving the files to a flash drive and transferring them manually, or opening up Google Docs on a webpage to download the file. It's already there! Best of all, it's FREE!
I'll be working hard this week, and I still intend to make my deadline, come hell or high water. I WILL have a beta-ready draft by the end of the month!
*****************
On an unrelated side note, some of you may know that I have a Japanese exchange sister, Sachika. In the aftermath of the earthquake, we were able to contact her. She and her family are safe and sound, but the devastation has been brutal. If you are interested in financially supporting the relief efforts, and want to make sure that 100% of your donation is being used directly in those efforts, you might consider donating to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They have pledged that "your gifts...designated for the Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami will be used entirely (100%) in response to this disaster."
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Work Hard and Finish What You Start
About a week ago, maybe more, I had a conversation with a good friend about my book. She's read a bit of it and helped me through some tough choices that I've had to make on the early rewrites. We were talking about the amount of time I've spent working on the novel, and how I've learned so much from this process. Given today's knowledge, if I could start all over, I would do things very differently, though I don't think I can face starting over completely on this story.
She had one comment that really struck me during this conversation, and has stayed with me ever since:
On first glance, that might seem like a terrible thing to say, but it wasn't, and I didn't take it that way. Rather, she was forcing me to consider why I'm writing, and what it is I'm trying to accomplish. She was helping me assess the work in progress.
Now I'm going to say up front that I'm not going to set the novel aside until I have a completed manuscript. I have to finish the story. I tried to explain why during the conversation with my friend, but I don't think I was very eloquent about it.
Luckily, there's someone else out there that's been in the business much longer and is better equipped to speak on the subject.
David Coe is starting a new series of posts on Magical Words called "Back to Basics". Part 1: Be a Writer posted on Monday. Of the many good pieces of advice in that post, there was one that particularly struck a chord, because of this past conversation.
This brilliantly explains why I can't just stop working. I can't call myself a writer until I've finished an entire work. I've written a few short stories, sure, but they were intended to be writing exercises, not serious projects. The novel is my first attempt to create something that's worth publishing. The act of "finishing" the project will prove that I can, in fact, write a novel. If it's not good enough this time, maybe the next one will be, but I can do it.
Far too many people decide that their goals are just too hard. They don't want to put in the time, effort, energy, money, or make the sacrifices necessary to achieve their goals. They're afraid of failure. And maybe they're even afraid of success. So they quit mid-stream and go back to something that, at least on the surface, seems easier.
Life takes work. Dreams take work. There's no fairy godmother that's going to wave her magic wand and poof, you're a princess. It doesn't work that way. You pick a path, choose your goal, start at the bottom and work your way to success. I don't care if you want to be a farmer or an astronaut, a ballerina or a WWF wrestler, you have to work to your success. What's that old adage? Anything that's worth doing is difficult (or something like that).
I want to be a writer. I've spent nearly two years working on this novel, but I'm not yet a writer. I will finish the novel, and then, only then, can I call myself a writer.
Ultimately, I want to be an author. If this novel isn't good enough for publication, then I'll start on the next project. I will finish that one. I may have to go through the process two or three more times, but eventually I will be published and then, only then, can I call myself an author.
She had one comment that really struck me during this conversation, and has stayed with me ever since:
"Don't stay married to the novel, just to justify your efforts."
On first glance, that might seem like a terrible thing to say, but it wasn't, and I didn't take it that way. Rather, she was forcing me to consider why I'm writing, and what it is I'm trying to accomplish. She was helping me assess the work in progress.
Now I'm going to say up front that I'm not going to set the novel aside until I have a completed manuscript. I have to finish the story. I tried to explain why during the conversation with my friend, but I don't think I was very eloquent about it.
Luckily, there's someone else out there that's been in the business much longer and is better equipped to speak on the subject.
David Coe is starting a new series of posts on Magical Words called "Back to Basics". Part 1: Be a Writer posted on Monday. Of the many good pieces of advice in that post, there was one that particularly struck a chord, because of this past conversation.
6. Keep Moving Forward: Ask Faith, and she will tell you that you are not a writer until you finish something — a story, a novel, something. And she’s right. I know so many aspiring writers who reach that tough section in the writing process and either retreat into rewrites or give up and start something new. Revisions are important; the new-shiny is a great part of writing. But writers finish what they start, and you need to keep moving forward with your Work In Progress. Writing isn’t easy; part of the process is fighting through the stubborn sections of a work, finding that solution to a nagging plot problem. Keep moving forward. Finish what you start.
This brilliantly explains why I can't just stop working. I can't call myself a writer until I've finished an entire work. I've written a few short stories, sure, but they were intended to be writing exercises, not serious projects. The novel is my first attempt to create something that's worth publishing. The act of "finishing" the project will prove that I can, in fact, write a novel. If it's not good enough this time, maybe the next one will be, but I can do it.
Far too many people decide that their goals are just too hard. They don't want to put in the time, effort, energy, money, or make the sacrifices necessary to achieve their goals. They're afraid of failure. And maybe they're even afraid of success. So they quit mid-stream and go back to something that, at least on the surface, seems easier.
Life takes work. Dreams take work. There's no fairy godmother that's going to wave her magic wand and poof, you're a princess. It doesn't work that way. You pick a path, choose your goal, start at the bottom and work your way to success. I don't care if you want to be a farmer or an astronaut, a ballerina or a WWF wrestler, you have to work to your success. What's that old adage? Anything that's worth doing is difficult (or something like that).
I want to be a writer. I've spent nearly two years working on this novel, but I'm not yet a writer. I will finish the novel, and then, only then, can I call myself a writer.
Ultimately, I want to be an author. If this novel isn't good enough for publication, then I'll start on the next project. I will finish that one. I may have to go through the process two or three more times, but eventually I will be published and then, only then, can I call myself an author.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Today is March 1st
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. March 1 follows February 28. Not a complex idea, unless it's leap year, and then March 1 follows February 29. Luckily it's not leap year. And yet, somehow, March has taken me by surprise. There's a lot wrapped up in this month.
This is the last month of work before my self-imposed deadline to have a complete manuscript for beta readers.
I have 4 weekends of solid writing left before that deadline (5 if I cheat just a little) and one of them will be spent traveling. With the exception of time on the plane, I probably won't get a whole lot accomplished over the weekend away.
There are four Fridays before it all hits the fan at the day-job: a major workload lands on my desk, my boss goes on paternity leave, and I'm managing a new staff person. (This was a big part of why I set my manuscript deadline for the end of March; April will be stressful and I won't get much writing done).
March is a writing month. I have to get it done, there's just no alternative. The pressure is invigorating, as it forces me to pull my thoughts (and myself) together. I'm looking forward to finishing the manuscript and finding out whether people like it, even though I guarantee the end result will be more work. After all, what's the point of having beta readers, if not to incorporate their feedback? But I'm hopeful that the last year and a half spent writing and re-writing this particular novel won't be left gathering dust on the virtual shelf.
Okay, that's enough musing on the date. Time to get to work!
This is the last month of work before my self-imposed deadline to have a complete manuscript for beta readers.
I have 4 weekends of solid writing left before that deadline (5 if I cheat just a little) and one of them will be spent traveling. With the exception of time on the plane, I probably won't get a whole lot accomplished over the weekend away.
There are four Fridays before it all hits the fan at the day-job: a major workload lands on my desk, my boss goes on paternity leave, and I'm managing a new staff person. (This was a big part of why I set my manuscript deadline for the end of March; April will be stressful and I won't get much writing done).
March is a writing month. I have to get it done, there's just no alternative. The pressure is invigorating, as it forces me to pull my thoughts (and myself) together. I'm looking forward to finishing the manuscript and finding out whether people like it, even though I guarantee the end result will be more work. After all, what's the point of having beta readers, if not to incorporate their feedback? But I'm hopeful that the last year and a half spent writing and re-writing this particular novel won't be left gathering dust on the virtual shelf.
Okay, that's enough musing on the date. Time to get to work!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
You know you're a writer when...
...bathroom signs drive you bananas!
There's a sign in our office bathroom that drives me nuts every time I go in there. It's stupid, and not a huge deal, but I read it every day, multiple times a day, and I can't stand it any longer.
On first glance, this might not seem so bad. But look closer. The tenses don't really agree in the second sentence, and it's awkward at best. I wish there was someone I could complain to, but in an organization that spans the country and employs more than 20,000 people, who knows who wrote it. I'm sure it's part of some toolkit that was provided to our operations personnel on a national basis. Luckily, I have people I can rant to!
So, here's my revision:
Or another version:
Or a funny version:
There's a sign in our office bathroom that drives me nuts every time I go in there. It's stupid, and not a huge deal, but I read it every day, multiple times a day, and I can't stand it any longer.
Attention:
Please be considerate of your fellow employees and leave the stall area clean.
Everyone can help by making sure you utilize the provided seat covers as well as thoroughly wrapping feminine products and disposing of them properly in the container.
Thank you.
On first glance, this might not seem so bad. But look closer. The tenses don't really agree in the second sentence, and it's awkward at best. I wish there was someone I could complain to, but in an organization that spans the country and employs more than 20,000 people, who knows who wrote it. I'm sure it's part of some toolkit that was provided to our operations personnel on a national basis. Luckily, I have people I can rant to!
So, here's my revision:
Attention:
Please be considerate of your fellow employees and leave the stall area clean.
Everyone can help by using the provided seat covers, thoroughly wrapping feminine products, and disposing of them properly in the container.
Thank you.
Or another version:
Attention:
Please be considerate of your fellow employees and leave the stall area clean.
Please use the provided seat covers, thoroughly wrap feminine products and dispose of them properly in the container.
Thank you.
Or a funny version:
Attention:
People work here besides you. Don't be gross and mess the place up.
Thanks!Anyone else have a version they'd like to share?
Friday, February 11, 2011
This is a long one today, but I'm feeling prolific.
I've been thinking quite a bit lately about my goals for my writing career. The most immediate goal is, of course, to finish writing the novel and perfect it to what I consider a publishable quality. I’ve been making significant progress on this one, and I think I’m still on track to meet my self-imposed deadline of the end of March. But once that’s done, I need to decide where I want to go, and what I want to do with it.
I’ve been doing a lot of research into the publishing industry, trying to decide what’s going to be best for my own growth and development, and what makes the most sense in the digital age. Last summer, I wrote a little about the changes occurring in publishing. Since that time, I’ve read a lot more on the subject, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far.
Traditional Publishing
When most people think of books, they think of the big publishing houses. Traditional publishing essentially works like this.
Self-Publishing
Unless the manuscript is going to sit in a desk-drawer somewhere and crumble into dust, the alternative to Traditional Publishing is to self-publish. There's a certain stigma to self-publishing, in part because a large majority of self-published books aren't very well written, and in part because it sort of seems like cheating. Plus, it's hard to sell books as a self-published author because you don't have the connections and distribution networks like the big guys. In the past, I think a lot of people’s approach self-publishing like this:
But there is a better way to approach Self-Publishing, that can be worthwhile and still produce a high-quality novel. It goes like this:
So which is better? I don’t know. I don’t think there’s an answer to that. I think there will always be room for Traditional Publishing, because some authors are happy to give up control if it means they don’t have to do anything but write. But by the same token, I think there’s a broad and expanding market for self-publication, for those authors willing to put in the time and effort to develop the necessary skills and make it work. And the authors that don't put the time in, will be weeded out by the market
Before I sign off on this ridiculously long post, I wanted to throw out a couple of links for the blogs that have helped me understand the publishing market.
Dan Blank has a fantastic blog (We Grow Media) about digital media with a focus toward the writer. He’s also offering a course that I’m considering taking called “Build Your Author Platform”. It’s a bit pricey, which is why I haven’t signed up already, but I took an hour long webinar that gave the overview, and it sounded really fantastic. If you’re interested in learning more about digital and social media, check him out.
Jane Friedman is another blogger that I follow religiously. She’s also focused on the publishing industry, with an eye toward the use of social media. One of her recent posts described how the digital generation is shaping publishing and, really, consumer expectations in general.
A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing is one that I just started following a few days ago, but has some great information.
Finally, Pub Rants, written by literary agent Kristen Nelson, is a fantastic resource to learn more about traditional publishing.
I've been thinking quite a bit lately about my goals for my writing career. The most immediate goal is, of course, to finish writing the novel and perfect it to what I consider a publishable quality. I’ve been making significant progress on this one, and I think I’m still on track to meet my self-imposed deadline of the end of March. But once that’s done, I need to decide where I want to go, and what I want to do with it.
I’ve been doing a lot of research into the publishing industry, trying to decide what’s going to be best for my own growth and development, and what makes the most sense in the digital age. Last summer, I wrote a little about the changes occurring in publishing. Since that time, I’ve read a lot more on the subject, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far.
Traditional Publishing
When most people think of books, they think of the big publishing houses. Traditional publishing essentially works like this.
- Write the Novel: Author locks herself away in a remote cabin somewhere and writes a novel.
- Get an Agent: Once complete, Author sends out query letters to agents, hoping to find someone to represent the novel and take it to the publishers. (Query letters include information about the author, a one-paragraph description of the novel, and some other basic information.) Based on the query letter, the agent will decide if they want to request pages and find out more. Most agents request anywhere from 1 - 50 pages initially. If they still like it, they'll ask for a full manuscript. If they still like it after that, they'll offer representation. Finding an agent can take months, even years, and perhaps dozens of queries.
- Get a Publisher: Agent takes the manuscript and shops it around to the publishers. Why the middle-man? Publishers usually won't look at 'unsolicited' manuscripts submitted directly by the unknown author. Why? Because most of those manuscripts aren't ready for publication and the agent acts as a first screening process. Plus the agent will know which publishing houses are looking for new authors, represent the genre or similar works, and they have the right connections to get the manuscript in front of the right people. This process again can take several months or even years. When Publisher makes an offer, Agent reviews the contract and negotiates the deal for Author, so that Author can, for the most part, continue to write uninterrupted.
- Publish Books: Once a contract is signed with Publisher, Publisher takes control of the manuscript. They'll have an editor go through and make additional revisions. They take care of the cover art, formatting, and printing of the manuscript. They develop a marketing plan and set up the distribution networks to get the book in stores, on shelves, and nowadays, online. For the most part, they take care of everything for Author, allowing Author to focus on writing. By the time the first novel is launched, the second novel should be finished and in production. Meanwhile, Agent is making sure that the money is taken care of, the accounting is accurate, and everyone is being paid their appropriate share.
Self-Publishing
Unless the manuscript is going to sit in a desk-drawer somewhere and crumble into dust, the alternative to Traditional Publishing is to self-publish. There's a certain stigma to self-publishing, in part because a large majority of self-published books aren't very well written, and in part because it sort of seems like cheating. Plus, it's hard to sell books as a self-published author because you don't have the connections and distribution networks like the big guys. In the past, I think a lot of people’s approach self-publishing like this:
- Write the Novel: Author locks herself away in a remote cabin somewhere and writes a novel
- Publish Books: Author finished the novel, and decides to skip the whole Traditional Publishing thing. She doesn't worry about getting it edited or reviewed, except maybe by Family Member A; it's clearly perfect. E-Publishing is the new-hotness, so Author, maybe with the help of a technical person, publishes the book as a Kindle or Nook (name your favorite e-reading format). Yay! It's published!
But there is a better way to approach Self-Publishing, that can be worthwhile and still produce a high-quality novel. It goes like this:
- Write the Novel: Author writes a novel, but not in isolation, instead connecting with other writers and readers and developing relationships with people interested in similar topics. They’re called Friends and Colleagues
- Get Feedback: Author asks for feedback from Friends and Colleagues, perhaps participating in a critique group. Ideally, the group of readers should be diverse, including one or two family members (for positive support) but mostly independent readers that don’t have to worry as much about negative reactions. Some reviewers should be writers themselves, and subject-matter experts are good readers to make sure the facts hold up (e.g. if the novel is science fiction, the science should be based on the actual laws of physics, so it would be helpful to have a scientist review it).
- Get Help: Author is probably good at writing, but probably not so good at the technical stuff or artwork. Whatever Author isn’t good at, needs to be outsourced. However, the Author needs to be the director of the show, making sure that all aspects of the project are completed to a high standard. What should be considered? Editing, cover art, website, digital formatting, etc.
- Develop a Marketing Plan: Author needs to be in charge of marketing and promoting the novel. Hiring an expert, in this case, is probably too expensive, though it could be done. She needs to be a Businessperson.
- Publish Books: Author needs to choose the best publishing options for their audience. Digital is probably the easiest and cheapest format, but there are also print-on-demand services, or Author could even choose to print an entire run of books and store them somewhere. This also ties in to the marketing plan, since if you’re going to print books, you need to have outlets to sell them.
- Reevaluate Marketing Plan: Since Author is in charge, Author needs to stay vigilant and make tweaks or changes to increase the sales. There are a lot of variables that can be messed with, everything from price, to promotions, to guest blogging to freebies. Author is now also Salesman.
- Stay Connected: Throughout the entire process, Author needs to stay connected and keep developing Friends and Colleagues, and building an Audience.
- Keep Writing: While all this is going on, you ALSO have to keep writing, produce the next novel and keep everything moving.
So which is better? I don’t know. I don’t think there’s an answer to that. I think there will always be room for Traditional Publishing, because some authors are happy to give up control if it means they don’t have to do anything but write. But by the same token, I think there’s a broad and expanding market for self-publication, for those authors willing to put in the time and effort to develop the necessary skills and make it work. And the authors that don't put the time in, will be weeded out by the market
Before I sign off on this ridiculously long post, I wanted to throw out a couple of links for the blogs that have helped me understand the publishing market.
Dan Blank has a fantastic blog (We Grow Media) about digital media with a focus toward the writer. He’s also offering a course that I’m considering taking called “Build Your Author Platform”. It’s a bit pricey, which is why I haven’t signed up already, but I took an hour long webinar that gave the overview, and it sounded really fantastic. If you’re interested in learning more about digital and social media, check him out.
Jane Friedman is another blogger that I follow religiously. She’s also focused on the publishing industry, with an eye toward the use of social media. One of her recent posts described how the digital generation is shaping publishing and, really, consumer expectations in general.
A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing is one that I just started following a few days ago, but has some great information.
Finally, Pub Rants, written by literary agent Kristen Nelson, is a fantastic resource to learn more about traditional publishing.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
'Pack' Synopsis
Here it is, my first attempt at the back-cover description of 'Pack', by Megan P. Haskell.
Please note that the novel is currently under revision and there are no plans to publish it yet, so don't ask when it's coming out. Otherwise, feel free to post comments!
Hiking the Colorado mountains is a passion Laila Anders shares with her twin brother, Erik. During a regular weekend backpacking trip, Laila is attacked by rogue wolves looking for an easy meal. She's rescued, only to be kidnapped by her savior, a man with a dark secret and more in common with her attackers than she could imagine. While Laila grapples with a new reality and searches for an escape, Erik searches for the sister he knows is still alive. What they discover will test the strength of their bond and their perceptions of the world around them.
Please note that the novel is currently under revision and there are no plans to publish it yet, so don't ask when it's coming out. Otherwise, feel free to post comments!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Hiatus is Over
Hello Again World!
I have been a bad, bad blogger. I could give you a whole bunch of excuses, but really what it came down to is that I didn't want to write blog posts. Things have settled down a bit now, and several people have asked what's going on, so I'm back to blogging and I'll try really hard not to leave you hanging again.
The Update:
Over the holidays, things got a little bit crazy. I didn't have much time to write, but I did manage to create the preliminary ending to the novel. I say "preliminary", because I'm not completely satisfied with the end, but it was good enough to let me go back and start the rewrites. Which I did.
Over the last several weeks, I have been focusing hard on rewriting and polishing the "shitty first draft" that I threw down on the page. For those of you who aren't writers, there's a common piece of advice that says you shouldn't worry about whether your first draft is any good. That's what revisions are for. Instead, you put your ideas down on the page and keep moving as fast as possible. In my case, that wasn't very fast, but hey, working for a major accounting firm limits your free-time a bit!
So I'm now revising, editing, polishing and even getting a few reviews from people. Overall, reactions have been good! I think I've got a good start, and with some more time and a lot more work, I might actually have something publishable. In fact, I had a wonderful opportunity to have my first three pages critiqued by Sara Megibow, an agent with the Nelson Literary Agency, and one of my top picks for potential representation. She gave me some great feedback, which I will be incorporating into all of my edits as I continue forward.
I've set a goal for myself that I will have a finished draft, ready to send to agents, by the end of March. That's two months from today, for those of you counting. Which means that I'm going to become a social recluse over the next two months. So if I don't post as frequently, don't go out as much, avoid your calls and emails...well, I guess you'll know why!
I have been a bad, bad blogger. I could give you a whole bunch of excuses, but really what it came down to is that I didn't want to write blog posts. Things have settled down a bit now, and several people have asked what's going on, so I'm back to blogging and I'll try really hard not to leave you hanging again.
The Update:
Over the holidays, things got a little bit crazy. I didn't have much time to write, but I did manage to create the preliminary ending to the novel. I say "preliminary", because I'm not completely satisfied with the end, but it was good enough to let me go back and start the rewrites. Which I did.
Over the last several weeks, I have been focusing hard on rewriting and polishing the "shitty first draft" that I threw down on the page. For those of you who aren't writers, there's a common piece of advice that says you shouldn't worry about whether your first draft is any good. That's what revisions are for. Instead, you put your ideas down on the page and keep moving as fast as possible. In my case, that wasn't very fast, but hey, working for a major accounting firm limits your free-time a bit!
So I'm now revising, editing, polishing and even getting a few reviews from people. Overall, reactions have been good! I think I've got a good start, and with some more time and a lot more work, I might actually have something publishable. In fact, I had a wonderful opportunity to have my first three pages critiqued by Sara Megibow, an agent with the Nelson Literary Agency, and one of my top picks for potential representation. She gave me some great feedback, which I will be incorporating into all of my edits as I continue forward.
I've set a goal for myself that I will have a finished draft, ready to send to agents, by the end of March. That's two months from today, for those of you counting. Which means that I'm going to become a social recluse over the next two months. So if I don't post as frequently, don't go out as much, avoid your calls and emails...well, I guess you'll know why!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Trouble at the End
I have a problem. I'm nearing the end of the first draft of my novel, but I'm not exactly sure how to end it.
My story has become a trilogy in my head, which complicates my writing a bit. I have an outline of the high points of each book, but I have to find the happy balance between keeping the first book as a stand-alone novel so that it will actually be publishable, and making sure that the second book is appropriately set up to continue the story without becoming boring filler as so many second-in-a-trilogy books tend to be.
So this brings up a good question: what makes a satisfying and complete ending? When you, the author, know that there will be more than one book and know what's going to happen next, how do you keep the story self-contained, while still leaving the right number of loose-ends to bring people back for the next installment?
One of my first posts was about the book Ariel, by Steve Boyett. I hated the ending of that novel. Now, I don't know if he originally intended it to be a multi-book series (a sequel was published just last year, though the original was published in 1983), but regardless, the ending was dissatisfying and now I have no desire to read the sequel. I want to avoid that if at all possible with my own readers.
I also recently read the first two books in a trilogy by Celine Kiernan, and I thought the ending of her first book was wonderful, but I'm pretty sure she sold the books as a trilogy, so the ending of the first book is left wide-open. The heroine is literally walking down a road, beginning a new adventure as she searches for the truth. Unfortunately, I can't really bank on the fact that I can sell all three of my books in one go. From what I understand, as a debut author, it's often easier to sell the first one, see how it does, and then sell the remaining two books. I need the ending of my first book to be a little more conclusive, a little more definite, with just a hint that there could be more to come, in case it ends up being the only one that gets published (sad, but possible).
There are people that will argue that writing is an art and I therefore shouldn't be concerned about the market or whether the books will be published. They will say that I should focus on achieving my own vision, not appeasing "the man". They're right to an extent. I should be focusing on the story, and I should be working toward the vision in my head. I need to make the book as good as it can be before I worry about the business end of things. That's all true. However, those of you who know me, know that I'm too darn practical for that. I was a business major after all.
Writing is a business, whether you like it or not, and I want my books to be published. Yes, I'm working hard to make my novel the best that it can be. Yes, I am striving to achieve the vision in my head and tell a fantastic story. But I want people, beyond my immediate friends and family, to have the opportunity to enjoy that story, and the only way to do that is to get it published. I'm not cutting corners, I'm not pandering to the market, I'm simply trying to consider the business angle while I polish and progress.
Which brings me back to the original point: how am I supposed to end this thing? I suppose I'll figure it out eventually. I'm going to have to. I just have to keep writing, polishing, and perfecting. It'll get there. I promise. Seriously.
My story has become a trilogy in my head, which complicates my writing a bit. I have an outline of the high points of each book, but I have to find the happy balance between keeping the first book as a stand-alone novel so that it will actually be publishable, and making sure that the second book is appropriately set up to continue the story without becoming boring filler as so many second-in-a-trilogy books tend to be.
So this brings up a good question: what makes a satisfying and complete ending? When you, the author, know that there will be more than one book and know what's going to happen next, how do you keep the story self-contained, while still leaving the right number of loose-ends to bring people back for the next installment?
One of my first posts was about the book Ariel, by Steve Boyett. I hated the ending of that novel. Now, I don't know if he originally intended it to be a multi-book series (a sequel was published just last year, though the original was published in 1983), but regardless, the ending was dissatisfying and now I have no desire to read the sequel. I want to avoid that if at all possible with my own readers.
I also recently read the first two books in a trilogy by Celine Kiernan, and I thought the ending of her first book was wonderful, but I'm pretty sure she sold the books as a trilogy, so the ending of the first book is left wide-open. The heroine is literally walking down a road, beginning a new adventure as she searches for the truth. Unfortunately, I can't really bank on the fact that I can sell all three of my books in one go. From what I understand, as a debut author, it's often easier to sell the first one, see how it does, and then sell the remaining two books. I need the ending of my first book to be a little more conclusive, a little more definite, with just a hint that there could be more to come, in case it ends up being the only one that gets published (sad, but possible).
There are people that will argue that writing is an art and I therefore shouldn't be concerned about the market or whether the books will be published. They will say that I should focus on achieving my own vision, not appeasing "the man". They're right to an extent. I should be focusing on the story, and I should be working toward the vision in my head. I need to make the book as good as it can be before I worry about the business end of things. That's all true. However, those of you who know me, know that I'm too darn practical for that. I was a business major after all.
Writing is a business, whether you like it or not, and I want my books to be published. Yes, I'm working hard to make my novel the best that it can be. Yes, I am striving to achieve the vision in my head and tell a fantastic story. But I want people, beyond my immediate friends and family, to have the opportunity to enjoy that story, and the only way to do that is to get it published. I'm not cutting corners, I'm not pandering to the market, I'm simply trying to consider the business angle while I polish and progress.
Which brings me back to the original point: how am I supposed to end this thing? I suppose I'll figure it out eventually. I'm going to have to. I just have to keep writing, polishing, and perfecting. It'll get there. I promise. Seriously.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Laws of the World
World-building is an integral part of any good work of fiction. It is the author's job to make the world feel real, so that the reader can live in it for the period of time that they're reading the work.
Benjamin Tate, author of Well of Sorrows (which I'm currently reading), posted not too long ago on Magical Words, saying that,
I bring this topic up now because of my summer writing class. We were required to submit a final piece, either a complete short story or the first chapter to a novel. During the last two classes, we critiqued each other's work. My final short story was set in the world of my novel, but occurred approximately sixty years prior. Ironically, the short story's protagonist is the antagonist of the novel: Sarah, the current werewolf pack leader. In any case, one of the primary criticisms was that I hadn't provided enough information about the rules of my fictional world.
My goal had been to follow Benjamin's advice. I wanted the reader to slowly become aware that the story was about a single battle in a werewolf war. I tried introduce the rules of the world more or less evenly over the ~5,000 words of the story. Unfortunately, by the end the readers still didn't have enough information to fully understand what was going on or feel satisfied with the conclusion. My classmates asked about the identity of the werewolf pack, the reason for the war, and why the protagonist was so brutal. We ended up talking about my world more than the story itself, which was fine by me since I had so much information to share.
Nearly everyone in the class thought that my short story was part of a longer work. In a way, I suppose it was. It was a piece of back-story for my novel. But it made me realize that world-building is a balancing act. You need to bring the reader into the world slowly and carefully, but you also have to give them enough to chew on or you'll lose them. Every word, every sentence, needs to function on multiple levels to keep the reader interested, entertained, and ultimately satisfied. If you don't give them enough, they feel incomplete, but give them too much and they'll either be overwhelmed or feel patronized. The sweet spot is hard to find.
Now that I'm beginning the revision process for my novel, I'm reading with an eye for the "reality" of the world. I've already noticed spots where I've given an information dump, or areas that need more description. Revision is a wonderful thing.
"But realistic settings constructed from memory or research are only part of the challenge, for an intensely created fantasy world makes new boundaries for the mind...Obviously this does not absolve the writer from the necessity of giving outer space its own characteristics, atmosphere, and logic. If anything, these must be more intensely realized within the fiction, since we have less to borrow from in our own experience."Much of world-building is done in the head of the writer through research and planning prior to the actual writing of the story. The author always knows more about the novel than the words that end up written on the page, especially in science fiction or fantasy. Meanwhile, the reader needs to feel part of the written world without being overwhelmed with information dumped all at once.
Benjamin Tate, author of Well of Sorrows (which I'm currently reading), posted not too long ago on Magical Words, saying that,
"The main goal...is to let the reader settle into the world and live in it without the world itself becoming overwhelming. Make the world familiar enough and expose the differences from our world in slow and steady stages, and the reader won’t even notice that they’ve snuggled deeper into their chair and are turning the pages that much faster."
I bring this topic up now because of my summer writing class. We were required to submit a final piece, either a complete short story or the first chapter to a novel. During the last two classes, we critiqued each other's work. My final short story was set in the world of my novel, but occurred approximately sixty years prior. Ironically, the short story's protagonist is the antagonist of the novel: Sarah, the current werewolf pack leader. In any case, one of the primary criticisms was that I hadn't provided enough information about the rules of my fictional world.
My goal had been to follow Benjamin's advice. I wanted the reader to slowly become aware that the story was about a single battle in a werewolf war. I tried introduce the rules of the world more or less evenly over the ~5,000 words of the story. Unfortunately, by the end the readers still didn't have enough information to fully understand what was going on or feel satisfied with the conclusion. My classmates asked about the identity of the werewolf pack, the reason for the war, and why the protagonist was so brutal. We ended up talking about my world more than the story itself, which was fine by me since I had so much information to share.
Nearly everyone in the class thought that my short story was part of a longer work. In a way, I suppose it was. It was a piece of back-story for my novel. But it made me realize that world-building is a balancing act. You need to bring the reader into the world slowly and carefully, but you also have to give them enough to chew on or you'll lose them. Every word, every sentence, needs to function on multiple levels to keep the reader interested, entertained, and ultimately satisfied. If you don't give them enough, they feel incomplete, but give them too much and they'll either be overwhelmed or feel patronized. The sweet spot is hard to find.
Now that I'm beginning the revision process for my novel, I'm reading with an eye for the "reality" of the world. I've already noticed spots where I've given an information dump, or areas that need more description. Revision is a wonderful thing.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Light at the End of the Tunnel
Last week, as I was writing on the train as usual, I had a real Ah-Ha! moment.
He escapes! Duh! Why didn't I think of that before? It's so simple, so clear - undeniably the right road for my characters to follow. It was the turn I needed to move the plot one step closer to the end of the first novel in my trilogy. (Did I mention that I've decided my story needs to be a trilogy? Yep, lots of work ahead of me.)
I suddenly felt as if a tiny pin-prick of light had appeared before me in the dark tunnel that I've been imperceptibly moving through for the last...nine plus months (ouch).
Don't get me wrong, I'm nowhere near finished. I'm not even ready for serious critique yet. I still have to get to the end of the story, and then I have oodles of edits waiting on the other side. It's a pin-prick, not a beacon. But the story has now opened up for me and I can clearly see the path ahead. I've been muddling through the dark for so long, I'm actually anxious to get to the revision part.
I've learned a lot in 50,000 words, which will help with the revisions. Hopefully I won't have to rewrite too much of the beginning, although I already know I need to start in a different place. But now I'm getting ahead of myself, so I'll leave it there for the moment. I need to get back to writing.
He escapes! Duh! Why didn't I think of that before? It's so simple, so clear - undeniably the right road for my characters to follow. It was the turn I needed to move the plot one step closer to the end of the first novel in my trilogy. (Did I mention that I've decided my story needs to be a trilogy? Yep, lots of work ahead of me.)
I suddenly felt as if a tiny pin-prick of light had appeared before me in the dark tunnel that I've been imperceptibly moving through for the last...nine plus months (ouch).
Don't get me wrong, I'm nowhere near finished. I'm not even ready for serious critique yet. I still have to get to the end of the story, and then I have oodles of edits waiting on the other side. It's a pin-prick, not a beacon. But the story has now opened up for me and I can clearly see the path ahead. I've been muddling through the dark for so long, I'm actually anxious to get to the revision part.
I've learned a lot in 50,000 words, which will help with the revisions. Hopefully I won't have to rewrite too much of the beginning, although I already know I need to start in a different place. But now I'm getting ahead of myself, so I'll leave it there for the moment. I need to get back to writing.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Butt in Chair
Last Friday, Jane Friedman quoted a bit of wisdom from writer and professor, Michael Martone:
This got me thinking: how many people get discouraged by criticism and stop writing? I don't have the answer, but I can tell you that I was one of them.
It was my tenth grade English class that thwarted my own early creative writing. We were given an assignment to write a short story for class. Meanwhile, the twelfth grade creative writing students would edit and critique our work. At the time, I had been reading a lot of fantasy, particularly epic fantasy, so I decided that I would write a story about elves.
Before you ask, I no longer have a copy of the story, nor do I remember what it was about. All I remember was that there were elves and there was a fight scene. I couldn't keep the word count down to a reasonable short story length, and in the end, I'm not sure that I really ever finished it. The story just stopped. It was BAD. But I had to submit it for the class assignment.
The senior that read my long piece of you-know-what absolutely tore it to shreds. I knew it was awful, but she nit-picked through the thing and sent me running home in tears. Okay, not really, but still.
I was absolutely mortified by the experience. In retrospect, the senior was just fulfilling her class assignment as well, so I can hardly blame her for tearing it to bits, but nonetheless it caused me to believe that I was terrible at creative writing in general. Since there were other things that filled my time that I was already good at, like softball and volleyball and piano lessons and jazz band and AP classes...I decided it wasn't worth the effort to get good, even though I'd had a lot of fun with the writing.
I didn't write any other creative works until I got the itch a couple of years ago.
What gave me the itch? I think it was a lack of a creative outlet. There were of course other outlets that I could have turned to -- like playing piano, in which my loving parents invested thousands of dollars from the ages of 6 through 18 -- but I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to give a reader the escape and the enjoyment that I had always received from books. I wanted to write.
So I tried again. The difference is that now I'm choosing to write because it's fun, not some class assignment that's required of me. I'm choosing to learn and develop my creativity. I'm choosing to put in the practice time so that I can become a great writer. Anyone that's read Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers can tell you it will take 10,000 hours of practice to master a complex skill. Well, my butt is in my chair and I'm sticking with it. Practice makes perfect and only time will tell if I'll ever be successful and known.
Of course, I hope to be successful, known and talented.
Only 10% (if that) of writers keep at it, and because they do keep at it, they are successful and known—even if not talented.
This got me thinking: how many people get discouraged by criticism and stop writing? I don't have the answer, but I can tell you that I was one of them.
It was my tenth grade English class that thwarted my own early creative writing. We were given an assignment to write a short story for class. Meanwhile, the twelfth grade creative writing students would edit and critique our work. At the time, I had been reading a lot of fantasy, particularly epic fantasy, so I decided that I would write a story about elves.
Before you ask, I no longer have a copy of the story, nor do I remember what it was about. All I remember was that there were elves and there was a fight scene. I couldn't keep the word count down to a reasonable short story length, and in the end, I'm not sure that I really ever finished it. The story just stopped. It was BAD. But I had to submit it for the class assignment.
The senior that read my long piece of you-know-what absolutely tore it to shreds. I knew it was awful, but she nit-picked through the thing and sent me running home in tears. Okay, not really, but still.
I was absolutely mortified by the experience. In retrospect, the senior was just fulfilling her class assignment as well, so I can hardly blame her for tearing it to bits, but nonetheless it caused me to believe that I was terrible at creative writing in general. Since there were other things that filled my time that I was already good at, like softball and volleyball and piano lessons and jazz band and AP classes...I decided it wasn't worth the effort to get good, even though I'd had a lot of fun with the writing.
I didn't write any other creative works until I got the itch a couple of years ago.
What gave me the itch? I think it was a lack of a creative outlet. There were of course other outlets that I could have turned to -- like playing piano, in which my loving parents invested thousands of dollars from the ages of 6 through 18 -- but I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to give a reader the escape and the enjoyment that I had always received from books. I wanted to write.
So I tried again. The difference is that now I'm choosing to write because it's fun, not some class assignment that's required of me. I'm choosing to learn and develop my creativity. I'm choosing to put in the practice time so that I can become a great writer. Anyone that's read Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers can tell you it will take 10,000 hours of practice to master a complex skill. Well, my butt is in my chair and I'm sticking with it. Practice makes perfect and only time will tell if I'll ever be successful and known.
Of course, I hope to be successful, known and talented.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Chocolate Surprise
I know it's been awhile since my last post, but here's a little treat for you all...
He pulled the red box of chocolates from the cabinet, selecting a few choice pieces and arranging them artfully on a plate. He poured what was rumored to be a fantastic wine into his favorite crystal goblet. It was thick and had a deep red color that looked remarkably like blood. He enjoyed the irony with every pour. He carried the bait back into the living room.
Chocolate Surprise
by Megan P Haskell
He approached from behind, sliding one hand along her long, exposed white neck. The skin beneath his fingers shivered as the tiny hairs on the back of her neck lifted. He loved the first seduction of the last fatal kiss.
“Mmm, that feels nice,” she whispered, her sultry tone asking to be caressed.
She had no idea what he really was. He had picked her up in an exclusive and expensive bar downtown. She had eyed him from across the room, as they all were wont to do, but it was her neck that had made his final decision. He couldn't resist the translucent skin that gently pulsed in long blue lines beneath the surface. They had talked. She was a business woman, far away from home, looking for a little adventure. He had invited her home with him. No woman had ever refused.
“Would you like some dessert? I have some wonderful imported chocolates that would taste lovely with a little red wine,” he whispered into her ear. The chill that shivered down her spine was tantalizing. He almost took her then and there, but decided to make the evening last. At least a little while longer.
“That would be lovely,” she replied turning into his arms.
He let his hands slide down her shoulders, then quickly left the room, moving to the kitchen where he stored his bait. He had no real food, just dessert, liquor and wine. It was all he ever needed.
He pulled the red box of chocolates from the cabinet, selecting a few choice pieces and arranging them artfully on a plate. He poured what was rumored to be a fantastic wine into his favorite crystal goblet. It was thick and had a deep red color that looked remarkably like blood. He enjoyed the irony with every pour. He carried the bait back into the living room.
“Here we are,” he said, offering the plate and the goblet.
“Aren't you going to have any wine?” the woman inquired. “I hate to be the only one drinking.”
“Never mind that,” he replied. “Try the wine with the chocolates. They're truly divine.”
The woman took the plate from him and they sat on the burgundy couch, knees touching lightly. She picked up one of the dark brown morsels and placed it on her tongue. Her eyes closed in pleasure. He let his eyes trail down her light blue dress shirt and black pencil skirt. So proper on the outside, yet clearly so deviant on the inside.
“Here, let me give you a piece,” she said, a chocolate held out toward him.
“No, no. They are all for you, my dear.”
She frowned. “Please, let me feed you.” She leaned forward, her blouse framing that lovely neck and opening wider across the bust. No matter how hard he tried to look away, his eyes were drawn back to that little pulse point. He was hungry. He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent but keeping his desires in check.
“Don't worry. You'll feed me a little later, my darling.”
“I don't think so.”
His eyes flew open. Her voice had changed: no longer warm and sultry, it was cold and hard. But it was the wooden stake that rested between his ribs that was the real surprise. She had much better bait than he did.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Cake
As some of you know, I'm taking a writing class through UCLA Extension this summer. Today's post comes from a twenty minute exercise that we wrote at the beginning of class a few weeks ago. After re-reading it a few days later, I thought to myself, "This is kinda good. Maybe you should keep working on it." I took my own advice, and here it is, an original short short story by Megan P Haskell!
Mary opened the window in the front room. A gentle breeze ruffled the sheer curtains and washed through the house as she finished preparing dinner. The evening would be perfect. Everything was planned down to the tiniest detail.
Earlier in the day, Mary had carefully unwrapped the small frozen wedding cake, unable to believe that an entire year had passed. The sugar flowers still looked lovely. The cake now sat proudly on display as the centerpiece of the table, her grandmother’s prized silver candlesticks framing it with perfect white tapers.
Jacob was due home from work at seven. His favorite dinner was almost ready; the only thing missing was the garlic bread, which would be broiled at the last minute.
At 6:55 Mary lit the candles so that the flame would be big and beautiful, its light dancing on the lace tablecloth, and then returned to the kitchen to finish the last of the dishes before he arrived. She didn't want anything to interrupt their evening.
At 7:02 all the dishes were done. Mary stood looking out the window, hoping every pair of headlights belonged to Jacob’s big pickup truck. She was disappointed each time they passed her by.
At 7:17 Mary paced the room, her little black dress flowing gently around her. She had purchased the dress especially for this evening, spending more than she probably should have. It was a special occasion; their first in what she hoped would be many. Surely Jacob would be home soon. The flash of light sent her running to the window, but it was just the neighbor's red Nissan.
At 7:23 Mary put the bread under the broiler. A late husband was a hungry husband and she didn’t want to make Jacob wait.
At 7:26 the bread was finished, and Jacob still wasn't home. Mary nibbled a small buttery slice while it was still warm before wrapping the rest in a cloth and placing it in the basket. She set the basket on the table and sat, her knee jiggling.
At 7:38 Mary's stomach growled loudly and her arms were riddled with goosebumps. She called the main office, but no one answered. She called his cell. It rang twice, then went to his voicemail. The food was getting cold and Jacob was ignoring her calls.
At 7:51 Mary ate a small serving of the perfect homemade lasagna, but put the rest away. He was an hour late. He hadn’t called. She blew out the candles and put away the unused dishes.
At 8:28 he still wasn't home. Mary stood in the front room, staring at the empty street. Cars no longer passed; all the husbands were home. All but her own. She felt like a peeping tom watching the shadows move behind the blinds of her neighbors' houses.
At 8:39 Mary tried calling his cell phone again. There was still no answer. She decided she might as well get out of her dress. The store might let her return it since she hadn’t spilled anything. She didn’t want to - it was a beautiful dress - but she couldn’t justify the cost. There wouldn’t be another chance to wear it.
At 9:03 Mary returned to the kitchen wearing her oldest and most comfortable pair of pajamas. The beautiful cake taunted her from its seat on the table. She succumbed to the temptation and cut a slice, carrying it with her to the couch. Mary turned on the TV, flipping through the channels until she found a prime-time soap opera that wouldn’t require much thought.
At 9:07 Mary took a bite of the cake, but could barely swallow the small mouthful. It tasted like cardboard and chalk, not the decadent vanilla and sweet butter cream that she remembered. She set the plate on the coffee table, deciding to deal with the rest later.
At 9:19 Mary heard a car approaching the house. Her husband’s blue Ford was finally pulling up the drive. She watched him open the truck door and stumble out onto the cold gray cement; his slurred curses echoed against the house. Mary closed the window and went to bed, pausing only to throw the leftover cake in the trash.
******************************
Cake
By Megan P Haskell
By Megan P Haskell
Mary opened the window in the front room. A gentle breeze ruffled the sheer curtains and washed through the house as she finished preparing dinner. The evening would be perfect. Everything was planned down to the tiniest detail.
Earlier in the day, Mary had carefully unwrapped the small frozen wedding cake, unable to believe that an entire year had passed. The sugar flowers still looked lovely. The cake now sat proudly on display as the centerpiece of the table, her grandmother’s prized silver candlesticks framing it with perfect white tapers.
Jacob was due home from work at seven. His favorite dinner was almost ready; the only thing missing was the garlic bread, which would be broiled at the last minute.
At 6:55 Mary lit the candles so that the flame would be big and beautiful, its light dancing on the lace tablecloth, and then returned to the kitchen to finish the last of the dishes before he arrived. She didn't want anything to interrupt their evening.
At 7:02 all the dishes were done. Mary stood looking out the window, hoping every pair of headlights belonged to Jacob’s big pickup truck. She was disappointed each time they passed her by.
At 7:17 Mary paced the room, her little black dress flowing gently around her. She had purchased the dress especially for this evening, spending more than she probably should have. It was a special occasion; their first in what she hoped would be many. Surely Jacob would be home soon. The flash of light sent her running to the window, but it was just the neighbor's red Nissan.
At 7:23 Mary put the bread under the broiler. A late husband was a hungry husband and she didn’t want to make Jacob wait.
At 7:26 the bread was finished, and Jacob still wasn't home. Mary nibbled a small buttery slice while it was still warm before wrapping the rest in a cloth and placing it in the basket. She set the basket on the table and sat, her knee jiggling.
At 7:38 Mary's stomach growled loudly and her arms were riddled with goosebumps. She called the main office, but no one answered. She called his cell. It rang twice, then went to his voicemail. The food was getting cold and Jacob was ignoring her calls.
At 7:51 Mary ate a small serving of the perfect homemade lasagna, but put the rest away. He was an hour late. He hadn’t called. She blew out the candles and put away the unused dishes.
At 8:28 he still wasn't home. Mary stood in the front room, staring at the empty street. Cars no longer passed; all the husbands were home. All but her own. She felt like a peeping tom watching the shadows move behind the blinds of her neighbors' houses.
At 8:39 Mary tried calling his cell phone again. There was still no answer. She decided she might as well get out of her dress. The store might let her return it since she hadn’t spilled anything. She didn’t want to - it was a beautiful dress - but she couldn’t justify the cost. There wouldn’t be another chance to wear it.
At 9:03 Mary returned to the kitchen wearing her oldest and most comfortable pair of pajamas. The beautiful cake taunted her from its seat on the table. She succumbed to the temptation and cut a slice, carrying it with her to the couch. Mary turned on the TV, flipping through the channels until she found a prime-time soap opera that wouldn’t require much thought.
At 9:07 Mary took a bite of the cake, but could barely swallow the small mouthful. It tasted like cardboard and chalk, not the decadent vanilla and sweet butter cream that she remembered. She set the plate on the coffee table, deciding to deal with the rest later.
At 9:19 Mary heard a car approaching the house. Her husband’s blue Ford was finally pulling up the drive. She watched him open the truck door and stumble out onto the cold gray cement; his slurred curses echoed against the house. Mary closed the window and went to bed, pausing only to throw the leftover cake in the trash.
******************************
I hope you liked it. Please feel free to post comments. I've also posted it up on Scribd, so if you're feeling generous and have the time, please rate it and post a comment there as well.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
False Truth
What is fiction? Well-crafted lies? Imagination run wild? Real-life condensed and amplified? Social or political commentary? Escape from reality?
I think it can be any or all of these, and sometimes all at once. My personal definition is that fiction is a "false truth". The story is false - either entirely made up or exaggerated in some way - but there also has to be some truth to it.
One of my favorite books of the last few years was One Second After, by William R Forstchen. Part of what made this book so fascinating was that it was based on a very real threat to the US: an electromagnetic pulse or EMP. In a nut shell, an EMP kills anything and everything electronic, sending the victim country back to the dark ages with no transportation, no power, and very few means of communicating. The characters in the story were imaginary, but their reactions to the threat and behaviors after it occurred were true. The story is made-up (false) but it's based on reality (truth).
But Megan, you write fantasy! It's all made up, its only point is to provide an escape from reality, so it can't be real and it can't be true.
Just because fantasy isn't real doesn't mean it isn't true. And just because it isn't real doesn't mean that there's no value in it except as an escape. Every great fantasy has truth and meaning.
“Aristotle went so far as to say that a 'probable impossibility' made a better story than an 'improbable possibility,' meaning that a skillful author can sell us glass mountains, UFOs, and hobbits, whereas a less skilled writer may not be able to convince us that Mary Lou has a crush on Sam.”~ Writing Fiction, by Janet Burroway
The characters of the story might belong to a fictional race of elves, trolls, werewolves, vampires, hobbits, orcs, goblins, angels, demons...you get the idea...but their personalities have to be based on something or someone we know or can relate to in some way, even the bad guys. Frodo was the boy next door, forced to step up to a responsibility he didn't really want and wasn't really ready for. And at the most basic level, Sauron was an evil dictator, living far away, that wanted to take over the world. Remind you of anyone?
The key here is that though they weren't human, these characters had personalities, backgrounds, quirks, and pet peeves that defined them and were true to their stories.
Then there's the setting: depending on the subgenre, the setting can be both real and true, or just true. My novel is set in the mountains of Colorado. I've been there. It's real. Promise.
Oh, you want a published example? Look at the Sookie Stackhouse series (or True Blood for those that watch the show but haven't read the books) – Sookie lives in modern day Louisiana, it just so happens that the vampires have come out of the coffin and revealed their existence. So long as Charlaine Harris maintains the rules of her world (vampires allergic to silver, for example), the world she's created feels real.
However, even an epic fantasy adventure can take place on a non-Earth world and feel as real as the suburban neighborhood I live in, so long as the author follows his own rules and stays true to the characters. If the planet has a purple sky, it needs to stay that way (unless there's some kind of catastrophic event that changes the color of the sky for a reason...but I digress). If the protagonist is the daughter of a Duke living in a castle, she probably shouldn't be a weapons expert or inadvertently break the rules of etiquette.
Fantasy is definitely false, but it can also be true too.
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