There are hundreds of articles and blog postings on the Internet offering advice on how to write, publish, and market your novels. Most of it is positive and encouraging, as it should be. However, once in a while every writer needs to take a cold hard look at his/her career and run it through a sanity check (or, being writers, an insanity check). The two postings I linked below do just that.
You have to respect a blog posting titled How To Keep Writing When No One Gives a Shit. Every writer at some point in their career feels this way. Jennifer Garam sums up those self doubts perfectly, and offers some very sound advice on how to not let the negativity eat away your career.
Over the years I've done a lot of research on marketing techniques, and everyone has a magic formula that they claim made them a best seller. Over the years, I've tried variations on many of these techniques, often with only limited success. I have never read an article on marketing that rings as true to me as Delilah S. Dawson's Please Shut Up: Why Self Promotion as an Author Doesn't Work.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Friday, January 22, 2016
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
An Open Letter to AMC and the Writers of The Walking Dead: Please Stop Taking Your Viewers for Granted
I never bad mouth writers in social media. It's not professional. If I don't like a story, or if I disagree with how the plot plays out or the characters behave, that is a matter of personal preference on the writer's part and should not be criticized by a colleague. I don't even give a bad review on Amazon unless the book is so grammatically unstructured and tedious to read that I feel the need to warn readers not to waste their time and money, and that has happened only twice. However, recently the writers on The Walking Dead have shown a dreadful sloppiness in their craft that I want to bitch about... er, I mean address.
Let me preface this by saying that I think The Walking Dead has some of the best writing on television. My favorite episode from a writing perspective was the mid-season finale for Season 2 ("Pretty Much Dead Already") when Shane, in a show of bravado, opens up the barn on Hershel's farm to release the walkers and discovers that Sophia has been turned into one of the living dead. That scene is brilliantly crafted, with each character having a nuanced reason for his/her response. For example, Glenn looks to Maggie for permission to join in the killing of the barn walkers, showing that he is torn between his loyalty to his group and his love for Maggie, and Maggie grants that permission, indicating she is coming around to the hard reality of the world. It is one of the most emotional episodes from all six seasons. That brilliance has been slipping the past two years.
For me, the flawed writing began at the beginning of Season Five. When we last saw Rick at the end of Season Four, he and his people were trapped in a rail car at Terminus, and Rick issued the warning that the Termites were screwing with the wrong people. Season Five opens ("No Sanctuary") with Rick, Daryl, and Glenn (the baddest asses in the group), tied up and bent over a trough, about to Neganized for food. A good writer never makes a plot promise he can't keep. The only reason Rick and his group survived was because Carol showed up in the nick of time and had terminus look at the flowers.
Jump to the mid-season finale of Season Five ("Coda") and the death of Beth. There was nothing about the situation in the final moments of the episode that would logically lead to Beth's death. Beth was not a violent person and Dawn knew that, which was why Dawn still had her gun holstered when Beth approached. Beth's attack on Dawn, stabbing her in the shoulders with a pair of scissors, was entirely out of character. Beth would never have hurt anyone out of anger, and if she intended to kill Dawn, she knew to aim for the heart or the eyes. Rather than follow logic, the writers had Beth perform a random act of uncharacteristic violence, and suddenly Dawn 's weapon is miraculously unholstered and she reflexively shoots Beth in the head. Beth's death was poorly contrived by The Walking Dead's writers to create a highly-emotional "Holy Shit" moment to end the mid-season. They succeeded, but at the expense of good writing.
Which brings me to Season Six and the main point of my diatribe. I'm all for being creative as long as you keep the plot steady and strong, but this season the writers' attempts seem amateurish. They have allowed too many major plot flaws to seep into their scripts. If I or any other writer had done the same thing in our novels, we would be savaged on Amazon more brutally than Nicholas was by walkers, and rightfully so. Let me cite the three most glaring examples.
The I'm So Glad Everything Fell Into Place Perfectly Device. There was a lot to criticize in "Always Accountable" (S6E6), but I'm referring to the last three minutes after Dwight and Sherry steal Daryl's crossbow and motorcycle and abandon him in the woods. How fortunate for Daryl that he happened to stumble across a well-hidden gas truck that happened to be working, and that he drove his fortunate find to the nearby town where he happened to track down Abraham and Sasha on the first try (who earlier had happened to stumble across several rocket launchers), and now they're all driving back to an Alexandria invaded by walkers. Why do I have a feeling that the gas truck and rocket launchers will be critical to resolving the walker crisis in the latter half of season six?
The Build Your Own Plot Device. At the end of S6E3 ("Thank You"), Rick is trapped in a stalled RV after having gunned down members of the Wolves, and is surrounded by a horde of walkers. At the beginning of S6E5 ("Now"), Rick is running toward Alexandria with the same horde of walkers on his tail yelling for someone to open the gate. This is one of the most pivotal scenes in the plot line and an episode cliff hanger, and somehow The Waking Dead's writers left its resolution out of the script?
The Let's Break Up the Action for a Contemplative Moment Device. I admit that "Here's Not Here" (S6E4) is brilliant writing and beautifully tied together all of Morgan's loose plot points and fleshed out the character, and that this episode sets up the inevitable and awesome confrontation between Morgan and Carol. However, there was no justification for placing that episode in the middle of a multi-episode action sequence and interrupting the flow of the action when it could just as easily been placed after Rick's return to Alexandria. That's Writing 101.
Please don't get me wrong. It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback (or, in my case, a late Sunday night ghost writer). I'm critical of The Walking Dead writers because they are excellent at their craft and have produced some brilliant episodes in the past, and as such they should know better. These are the mistakes a first time writer would make.
What concerns me is that the lapses in writing are merely symptomatic of a much deeper criticism I have with the franchise as a whole. I've watched AMC turn The Walking Dead from a TV phenomenon and cult icon into a cash cow to be milked. In my opinion, AMC created Fear the Walking Dead in the hopes of doubling their profits/viewership, which would be acceptable if the show was of the same quality as The Walking Dead. I am not a fan of Fear the Walking Dead. I think the plot is tedious, the story line drags, and the characters are unlikable. If it was an indie film I had downloaded from Netflix, I never would have sat through it as long as I did. I also think the franchise is taking gross advantage of the fans through the Walker Stalker Conventions. Some of the prices they charge to meet the actors are outrageous. In Atlanta earlier this year, the convention was charging $250 for a photograph with the original TWD cast. At Spooky Empire in Orlando, some of the actors signing autographs were charging $25 for a selfie. What I'm afraid of is that the merchandising of The Walking Dead is taking priority over producing a consistently high quality show.
I really do hope I'm wrong and that these lapses are merely the writers being overworked (how many writers, including myself, have gone back and read one of our own books, and wondered what the Hell we were thinking putting that scene in there). In either case, I urge AMC and The Walking Dead to stop taking the fans for granted. You'll wind up butchering your cash cow, and the fans will wind up losing something very dear to us.
For me, the flawed writing began at the beginning of Season Five. When we last saw Rick at the end of Season Four, he and his people were trapped in a rail car at Terminus, and Rick issued the warning that the Termites were screwing with the wrong people. Season Five opens ("No Sanctuary") with Rick, Daryl, and Glenn (the baddest asses in the group), tied up and bent over a trough, about to Neganized for food. A good writer never makes a plot promise he can't keep. The only reason Rick and his group survived was because Carol showed up in the nick of time and had terminus look at the flowers.
Which brings me to Season Six and the main point of my diatribe. I'm all for being creative as long as you keep the plot steady and strong, but this season the writers' attempts seem amateurish. They have allowed too many major plot flaws to seep into their scripts. If I or any other writer had done the same thing in our novels, we would be savaged on Amazon more brutally than Nicholas was by walkers, and rightfully so. Let me cite the three most glaring examples.
The I'm So Glad Everything Fell Into Place Perfectly Device. There was a lot to criticize in "Always Accountable" (S6E6), but I'm referring to the last three minutes after Dwight and Sherry steal Daryl's crossbow and motorcycle and abandon him in the woods. How fortunate for Daryl that he happened to stumble across a well-hidden gas truck that happened to be working, and that he drove his fortunate find to the nearby town where he happened to track down Abraham and Sasha on the first try (who earlier had happened to stumble across several rocket launchers), and now they're all driving back to an Alexandria invaded by walkers. Why do I have a feeling that the gas truck and rocket launchers will be critical to resolving the walker crisis in the latter half of season six?
The Let's Break Up the Action for a Contemplative Moment Device. I admit that "Here's Not Here" (S6E4) is brilliant writing and beautifully tied together all of Morgan's loose plot points and fleshed out the character, and that this episode sets up the inevitable and awesome confrontation between Morgan and Carol. However, there was no justification for placing that episode in the middle of a multi-episode action sequence and interrupting the flow of the action when it could just as easily been placed after Rick's return to Alexandria. That's Writing 101.
Please don't get me wrong. It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback (or, in my case, a late Sunday night ghost writer). I'm critical of The Walking Dead writers because they are excellent at their craft and have produced some brilliant episodes in the past, and as such they should know better. These are the mistakes a first time writer would make.
What concerns me is that the lapses in writing are merely symptomatic of a much deeper criticism I have with the franchise as a whole. I've watched AMC turn The Walking Dead from a TV phenomenon and cult icon into a cash cow to be milked. In my opinion, AMC created Fear the Walking Dead in the hopes of doubling their profits/viewership, which would be acceptable if the show was of the same quality as The Walking Dead. I am not a fan of Fear the Walking Dead. I think the plot is tedious, the story line drags, and the characters are unlikable. If it was an indie film I had downloaded from Netflix, I never would have sat through it as long as I did. I also think the franchise is taking gross advantage of the fans through the Walker Stalker Conventions. Some of the prices they charge to meet the actors are outrageous. In Atlanta earlier this year, the convention was charging $250 for a photograph with the original TWD cast. At Spooky Empire in Orlando, some of the actors signing autographs were charging $25 for a selfie. What I'm afraid of is that the merchandising of The Walking Dead is taking priority over producing a consistently high quality show.
I really do hope I'm wrong and that these lapses are merely the writers being overworked (how many writers, including myself, have gone back and read one of our own books, and wondered what the Hell we were thinking putting that scene in there). In either case, I urge AMC and The Walking Dead to stop taking the fans for granted. You'll wind up butchering your cash cow, and the fans will wind up losing something very dear to us.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
RIP Jeff Rice
Jeff wrote the novel The Night Stalker, which became the basis for the one-season television show of the same name starring Darren McGavin. The Night Stalker was my favorite TV show when I was a Monster Kid. It never bothered me that the plots were cheesy, the special effects were low grade, and the monsters were not scary. None of that mattered. As a twelve year old, I was mesmerized.
What I really loved about The Night Stalker were the scenes in which Carl Kolchak would move the plot along with his film noir-style excerpts from a column that would never be published, followed by a closing segment that offered a moody cautionary tale about things that go bump in the night. Every week I would hang on those opening and closing words, and every week I wanted to be Kolchak writing about his battles with evil. It's ironic how things turned out. I spent most of my adult life battling a different type of evil, events which I'll probably never put down on paper, and writing about monsters that exist only in my twisted imagination.
I owe much of that to Jeff Rice's street-wise, smart ass reporter in the crumpled suit jacket and straw hat who never saw his stories make the press.
Thank you, Jeff. May you and your inner demons finally be at peace.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Managing Your Expectations If You Self Publish
One of the most important lessons I learned as a branch leader in the CIA was to manage the expectations of our customers and never promise them things we could not deliver. The White House did not like it when I told them we not able to provide first-hand reporting on certain intelligence issues; however, when we did provide information they accepted it as our best unbiased assessment and realized we were not pushing an agenda.
The same can also be said about publishing, except that it is our expectations as writers that need to be managed. Although every writer or aspiring writer I've ever talked with knows the reality of the industry, we all know deep down that if we work hard we'll be the next George R.R. Martin or J.K. Rowling; we'll never be the writer who struggles for years until he/she measure their success by finally becoming a thousandaire. Yet it happens, and every writer needs to understand that the odds are greater they'll have an Amazon ranking down around 900,000 rather than being on a top ten list. It's similar to soldiers who go off to war knowing the risks involved but feeling that they will come back safely; there are numerous military cemeteries across the world testifying to the harsh reality.
I'm no different from any other writer. I'm preparing to self-publish my first novel in the next several weeks, and in the lead up to that have been reading up on the subject and taking courses to hone my marketing skills. Everything I've read or taken always touts the success stories. Which is only natural. We all want to be successful at writing. No one wants to read a blog posting that says "do this and fail anyway." Yet this creates in writers, especially aspiring writers, a sense that following these guidelines means you cannot fail. We go into our next publishing venture with high expectations of success and, if things don't pan out as planned, wind up depressed and wondering if all the effort is really worth it.
This is why I found Amazon Pays $450,000 a Year to This Self-Published Writer to be one of the best postings about the self-publishing industry I have seen in a while. As expected, the posting stresses the success of independent writers such as Mark Dawson and Mel Sherratt, but it also discusses the more realistic results achieved by writers such as Phil Harper and Jack Burroughs. I strongly urge any writer considering self-publishing to read this posting carefully, and not because it will give you any insights into how to succeed in the industry. It will accurately lay out for you what to expect, and will provide a reality check to anyone smart enough to heed it.
The same can also be said about publishing, except that it is our expectations as writers that need to be managed. Although every writer or aspiring writer I've ever talked with knows the reality of the industry, we all know deep down that if we work hard we'll be the next George R.R. Martin or J.K. Rowling; we'll never be the writer who struggles for years until he/she measure their success by finally becoming a thousandaire. Yet it happens, and every writer needs to understand that the odds are greater they'll have an Amazon ranking down around 900,000 rather than being on a top ten list. It's similar to soldiers who go off to war knowing the risks involved but feeling that they will come back safely; there are numerous military cemeteries across the world testifying to the harsh reality.
I'm no different from any other writer. I'm preparing to self-publish my first novel in the next several weeks, and in the lead up to that have been reading up on the subject and taking courses to hone my marketing skills. Everything I've read or taken always touts the success stories. Which is only natural. We all want to be successful at writing. No one wants to read a blog posting that says "do this and fail anyway." Yet this creates in writers, especially aspiring writers, a sense that following these guidelines means you cannot fail. We go into our next publishing venture with high expectations of success and, if things don't pan out as planned, wind up depressed and wondering if all the effort is really worth it.
This is why I found Amazon Pays $450,000 a Year to This Self-Published Writer to be one of the best postings about the self-publishing industry I have seen in a while. As expected, the posting stresses the success of independent writers such as Mark Dawson and Mel Sherratt, but it also discusses the more realistic results achieved by writers such as Phil Harper and Jack Burroughs. I strongly urge any writer considering self-publishing to read this posting carefully, and not because it will give you any insights into how to succeed in the industry. It will accurately lay out for you what to expect, and will provide a reality check to anyone smart enough to heed it.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Interesting Posts From Other Websites
There are two things all writers will have to deal with during their careers--having their e-books pirated and getting negative reviews. D.A. Roberts' Dealing With Negative Reviews offers some very good advice on how to handle the latter. My advice is to ignore the outrageously-bad reviews, like a colleague who received a one-star rating because the reviewer based his assessment on a reading of the jacket blurb. These are not worth getting upset over. If your books are bringing in consistently good reviews and ratings, one bad review of this caliber is not going to have an impact on sales. For those reviews that contain honest and constructive criticism, listen to what the reviewers say and assess accordingly. The number one criticism my books have received is that they contain sex scenes that detract from and slow down the pace of the story, so I've left them out of my newer works. Just always bear in mind that negative reviews are part of being a writer, so don't let them get you down.
39 kickass Facebook marketing tips for socially awkward folks offers excellent pointers on how to more effectively use your Facebook page to connect with readers and build a loyal fan base.
39 kickass Facebook marketing tips for socially awkward folks offers excellent pointers on how to more effectively use your Facebook page to connect with readers and build a loyal fan base.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Interesting Posts From Other Websites
I've been trying to include more writing-related articles in these weekly postings. Whether you're an aspiring writer or have numerous published works under your belt, the one thing we all have in common is that the industry changes rapidly, and the more we know the better prepared we all are to survive it. Plus some of these are helpful hints that every writer should revisit every once in a while.
First, let's touch on the DO's and DON'Ts of writing: Marketing and Sales for Novelists, by Greig Beck offers nine very sound pieces of advice writers should consider to be popular and sell books. On the opposite end of the spectrum, How NOT To Sell Books: Top Ten Social Media Marketing No-Nos for Authors warns writers what activities to avoid so you don't wind up on the readers' shit list. What's really sad is that most of these should be self explanatory, yet they still need to be addressed in a web posting.
4 Zombie Apocalypse Problems No One Is Talking About was intended as a tongue-in-cheek posting, but it does raise issues that writers of zombie fiction need to take into consideration in order to create a more realistic novel. Foremost is the fact that anyone with a chronic illness that required medication (heart patients, people with high blood pressure, diabetics, those on behavioral modification medicines) will be screwed within a few months of the outbreak.The other is the heartbreak of abandoning your pets. Sure, if you have a dog(s) you an take them with you, especially if they're large breeds. But what about smaller animals, like cats or rabbits? You can't lug them around in their carriers, unless you don't mind being weighed down and eaten by a zombie horde. So your choices are let them go free or kill them. It's an emotional issue that, as far as I know, has rarely been dealt within zombie fiction or movies.
First, let's touch on the DO's and DON'Ts of writing: Marketing and Sales for Novelists, by Greig Beck offers nine very sound pieces of advice writers should consider to be popular and sell books. On the opposite end of the spectrum, How NOT To Sell Books: Top Ten Social Media Marketing No-Nos for Authors warns writers what activities to avoid so you don't wind up on the readers' shit list. What's really sad is that most of these should be self explanatory, yet they still need to be addressed in a web posting.
4 Zombie Apocalypse Problems No One Is Talking About was intended as a tongue-in-cheek posting, but it does raise issues that writers of zombie fiction need to take into consideration in order to create a more realistic novel. Foremost is the fact that anyone with a chronic illness that required medication (heart patients, people with high blood pressure, diabetics, those on behavioral modification medicines) will be screwed within a few months of the outbreak.The other is the heartbreak of abandoning your pets. Sure, if you have a dog(s) you an take them with you, especially if they're large breeds. But what about smaller animals, like cats or rabbits? You can't lug them around in their carriers, unless you don't mind being weighed down and eaten by a zombie horde. So your choices are let them go free or kill them. It's an emotional issue that, as far as I know, has rarely been dealt within zombie fiction or movies.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Interesting Posts From Other Websites
I had a very productive week on the writing front, and since I'm in the zone most of the posts this week will be about writing. First, a cautionary tale for those of you lucky enough to sign a contract with Hollywood to have your book adapted into a movie. I recommend every writer read this article about Tess Gerritsen's legal battle with Warner Brothers over their alleged breach of contract when adapting her novel Gravity to the big screen. This can easily happen to any of us.
On a lighter, check out 30 Authors on How To Be Funny if you want to add some humor to your writing.
For those of you who are not writers, but who are fortunate enough/cursed to have one as a friend, here are 14 Rules for Being Friends with a Writer. Note: #2, #4, and #7 are especially true for me.
Horror Geeks has started its Creeping Crawling Cinema series on 1970's bug movies when the danger came not from giant insects but normal-sized ones running amok. This week's installment is about Phase IV.
On a lighter, check out 30 Authors on How To Be Funny if you want to add some humor to your writing.
For those of you who are not writers, but who are fortunate enough/cursed to have one as a friend, here are 14 Rules for Being Friends with a Writer. Note: #2, #4, and #7 are especially true for me.
Horror Geeks has started its Creeping Crawling Cinema series on 1970's bug movies when the danger came not from giant insects but normal-sized ones running amok. This week's installment is about Phase IV.
Monday, September 29, 2014
More Interesting Posts from Other Websites
I've posted a lot of advice for aspiring writers on my blog and my Facebook page, but Chuck Wendig has posted on his blog Terribleminds one of the best "tough love" advice columns for readers I've seen in a while. If you need a good kick in the ass to get your writing going, check out 25 Things I Want To Say to So-Called "Aspiring" Writers.
Sadly, I have to agree with Horror Convention Cult: It Ain't What It Used To Be. The past few years I've attended some of the mega-conventions, and am not impressed. The organizers cram as many people into the showrooms as possible, charge ridiculous prices to meet your celebrity, and then you're lucky if you get five seconds with him/her. I still prefer the more the fan-based venues like Spooky Empire.
Bloody Disgusting has listed their picks for the Top 10 Infectious Horror Movies. I agree with most of them, but have reservations about The Undead.
Postmortem: The Life and Deaths of a Medicolegal Death Investigator is one of the most interesting things I've read this month. Joseph Scott Morgan writes about his career, which includes graphic and detailed descriptions of death scenes and a profile of how he and his police colleagues mentally dealt with such daily tragedies.This is a great resource for anyone who wants to include a medical examiner in their story, or who is looking for for an idea to jump start their writing.
Sadly, I have to agree with Horror Convention Cult: It Ain't What It Used To Be. The past few years I've attended some of the mega-conventions, and am not impressed. The organizers cram as many people into the showrooms as possible, charge ridiculous prices to meet your celebrity, and then you're lucky if you get five seconds with him/her. I still prefer the more the fan-based venues like Spooky Empire.
Bloody Disgusting has listed their picks for the Top 10 Infectious Horror Movies. I agree with most of them, but have reservations about The Undead.
Postmortem: The Life and Deaths of a Medicolegal Death Investigator is one of the most interesting things I've read this month. Joseph Scott Morgan writes about his career, which includes graphic and detailed descriptions of death scenes and a profile of how he and his police colleagues mentally dealt with such daily tragedies.This is a great resource for anyone who wants to include a medical examiner in their story, or who is looking for for an idea to jump start their writing.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Lessens Learned as a Writer: Don't Videotape Your Interview with the Dogs in the House
This past Sunday, I was trying to prepare a video answer to some interview questions for Jaideep Khanduja's website Pebble in the Still Waters. I had chosen a good question/answer that I thought would catch the readers' attention, chosen an appropriate background, and sat down to record my answer. The only thing I hadn't done was make sure the doors to the study were closed. Rather than a one-minute video answer to an interview question, I got several minutes of bloopers. Enjoy.
Take One. Look for Walther's nose at the bottom of the screen.
Take Two: Walther doesn't take no for an answer.
Take Three: Bella gets into the act.
Take Four: It's no better when your wife is behind the camera making you laugh.
Take One. Look for Walther's nose at the bottom of the screen.
Take Two: Walther doesn't take no for an answer.
Take Three: Bella gets into the act.
Take Four: It's no better when your wife is behind the camera making you laugh.
Monday, September 8, 2014
More Interesting Posts From Other Websites
Last week I posted a piece about, Patrick McLaw, the 23-year-old teacher whose rights were blatantly violated for writing a novella about a school terrorist attack nine hundred years in the future. Now 16-year-old Alex Stone has been arrested and suspended from school for writing a fictional story about killing a dinosaur with a gun. I wish the school officials who enforce their Zero Tolerance policies with such zeal would show the same determination in stopping bullying in schools, which is a far more prevalent and destructive activity.
On a more positive note, Penny Sansevieri, author and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, has written a piece for The Huffington Post titled Why (Some) Authors Fail, a very frank discussion of what to do and not to do if you want to succeed in the publishing industry.
And let's end off with some fun stuff. Check out List25's 25 Creepiest Places on Earth. The ones I want to see are Beelitz Military Hospital (#22), Takakonuma Park (#24), and of course Pripyat (#20) and Sighisoara (#17).
On a more positive note, Penny Sansevieri, author and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, has written a piece for The Huffington Post titled Why (Some) Authors Fail, a very frank discussion of what to do and not to do if you want to succeed in the publishing industry.
And let's end off with some fun stuff. Check out List25's 25 Creepiest Places on Earth. The ones I want to see are Beelitz Military Hospital (#22), Takakonuma Park (#24), and of course Pripyat (#20) and Sighisoara (#17).
Monday, September 1, 2014
Interesting Posts From Other Websites
I hate to begin with a depressing article but, as a writer, I find Incarcerated for Writing Science Fiction a very disturbing development. Putting aside the politics surrounding Zero Tolerance policies, if writers can be harassed in such a manner for merely describing such events, then it sets a dangerous Orwellian presence.
On a lighter note, check out 35 Extraordinary "End of the World" Inspired Artwork.
This is a fascinating biography of Johnny Eck. Most of you probably don't know his name, but will recognize his face as the Half-Boy character from Tod Browning's Freaks (1932).
On a lighter note, check out 35 Extraordinary "End of the World" Inspired Artwork.
This is a fascinating biography of Johnny Eck. Most of you probably don't know his name, but will recognize his face as the Half-Boy character from Tod Browning's Freaks (1932).
Monday, August 25, 2014
Interesting Posts From Other Websites
Jason White recently wrote a piece titled Top 10: The Best Horror Flicks of the 1980s. I'm not sure if I agree with numbers 9 and 10 (there may be more worthy entries), but I definitely agree with the top eight picks.
Check out this trailer for Red Snow: Red vs. Dead. It's awesome! I've said there's nothing better than Nazi zombies. I take that back. There's nothing better than Nazi zombies in a Tiger tank.
For the writers among us, paranormal author Jami Gold wrote an interesting article The Character Debate: Strong and Vulnerable? that relates the difficulty in creating a main character that is realistic. Even writers with several books under their belt will find this useful.
And finally, there is The 10 Dark, Gritty Rules of Dystopian Science Fiction, a tongue-in-cheek look at what every writer needs to include in order to write the "perfect" dystopian Sci-Fi story.
Check out this trailer for Red Snow: Red vs. Dead. It's awesome! I've said there's nothing better than Nazi zombies. I take that back. There's nothing better than Nazi zombies in a Tiger tank.
For the writers among us, paranormal author Jami Gold wrote an interesting article The Character Debate: Strong and Vulnerable? that relates the difficulty in creating a main character that is realistic. Even writers with several books under their belt will find this useful.
And finally, there is The 10 Dark, Gritty Rules of Dystopian Science Fiction, a tongue-in-cheek look at what every writer needs to include in order to write the "perfect" dystopian Sci-Fi story.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Interesting Posts from Other Websites
For those of us who know how time consuming writing actually is, and how you are never truly "not working," you have to read Mary Novaria's My Friends Don't Think I Work Because I'm a Writer. Mary said it better than I ever could have.
Also for my fellow writers, some very sound advice from Chris Orcutt. While the title sounds abrasive--To All So-Called Authors: Stop Doing This; You Look Like Idiots--Chris is spot on in applying the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle to your writing.
During San Diego ComicCon this week, AMC released the official trailer for the fifth season of The Walking Dead. It looks like the season is going to be more kick-ass than ever. And it seems as though there will be an interesting turn of events at Terminus.
Anyone who follows my blog or Facebook page knows I'm a huge fan of Dawn of the Dead (2004), so naturally I was excited to see 12 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Dawn of the Dead. And yes, some of these facts were new to me.
Also for my fellow writers, some very sound advice from Chris Orcutt. While the title sounds abrasive--To All So-Called Authors: Stop Doing This; You Look Like Idiots--Chris is spot on in applying the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle to your writing.
During San Diego ComicCon this week, AMC released the official trailer for the fifth season of The Walking Dead. It looks like the season is going to be more kick-ass than ever. And it seems as though there will be an interesting turn of events at Terminus.
Anyone who follows my blog or Facebook page knows I'm a huge fan of Dawn of the Dead (2004), so naturally I was excited to see 12 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Dawn of the Dead. And yes, some of these facts were new to me.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Interesting Posts from Other Websites
This past week, writer Kait Nolan posted a blog Entitlement in Writer Culture
in which she rails against some aspiring writers who feel it's their
right to have their novels published, their right to have blog sites
review their book, and their right to have established writers respond to them and treat them like equals. While I have not experienced
this sense of entitlement, I'm sure it exists. If you are one of them,
please take this posting to heart.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan of zombies and insects, so zombie insects are like the Doublemint of horror. Needless to say, I found Scientists Unlock Secrets of Zombie Cockroaches quite interesting.
And now, for something completely different. For everyone who told me English grammar was boring or too hard to understand, Weird Al Yankovic makes it simple, so your argument is invalid.
And while we're on the subject of videos, I couldn't resist including the Star Wars Edition of Bohemian Rhapsody.
And finally, in a follow-up to one of last week's postings, Vamped has listed The Other 5 Most Popular Vampire Songs on YouTube. Enjoy.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan of zombies and insects, so zombie insects are like the Doublemint of horror. Needless to say, I found Scientists Unlock Secrets of Zombie Cockroaches quite interesting.
And now, for something completely different. For everyone who told me English grammar was boring or too hard to understand, Weird Al Yankovic makes it simple, so your argument is invalid.
And while we're on the subject of videos, I couldn't resist including the Star Wars Edition of Bohemian Rhapsody.
And finally, in a follow-up to one of last week's postings, Vamped has listed The Other 5 Most Popular Vampire Songs on YouTube. Enjoy.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
My Own Cautionary Tale for Aspiring Writers
Confession time. I've been hemming and hawing about posting this piece for over a week now, and had decided against it. However, in the past view days I've seen other writers offering their own warnings about the perils of publishing or advising aspiring authors about becoming overconfident, so I thought I'd grab my cautionary clarinet and jump onto the band wagon.
I recently received a rejection letter that pissed me off, and not because it was a rejection letter. I'm used to those. If I could translate every one I've received into a book sale, my Amazon numbers would be rocking. It was the condescending tone of the letter that irritated me. What the publisher (hopefully) intended as constructive feedback came across as lecturing and, at one point, included a sly insult. The piece was an erotica short story that the publisher derided as pornographic. This made me laugh because the line between the two is so thin, yet the publisher had this attitude that one side of the line was noble and the other shameful. It reminded me of the alcoholic who accuses the stoner of being an addict. The letter also contained an admonition on the exploitation and objectification of women, which I found hypocritical coming from a publisher of erotica.
Why do I bring this up? Because the current state of the publishing industry is a double-edged sword for writers, especially those who are aspiring to the craft. The rapid growth of independent publishing houses has allowed many authors access to the market that they would not normally have had before. That expansion, however, means the industry now contains numerous personalities that were rarely found when a few major publishing houses dominated the field. While most independent publishers are honest and look out for the interests of their writers, sadly there are many examples of those whose goal is to take advantage of new writers or exploit them.
I've been very fortunate in my career. I've never contracted with a publisher who disrespected me or my work, or who tried to cheat me out of royalty or intellectual property rights. However, I have had numerous encounters with so-called professionals who have been sanctimonious (see above), shady, or downright crooked. I want to pass along some of these stories to writers hoping to break into the business as a cautionary tale on not grabbing at the first publishing opportunity that arises. [NOTE: I will not be naming any person or company. My goal isn't to fling accusations or start a flame war, but to offer some sound business advice to the newbies.]
Don't feel like you have to take the first contract that is offered to you. This is especially hard for aspiring writers who have been querying and getting rejected (or ignored) for a year or more. I know. I had pitched The Vampire Hunters for over three years without success, and then one afternoon I received a response to a query saying the editors loved the manuscript and were forwarding me a contract. The contract was ridiculous. The publisher wanted me to give up all rights to the book for ever for a royalty of 10 percent on all sales. In essence, if I became the next Suzanne Collins or J.K Rowlings, 90 percent of all profits from my franchise would have gone to the publisher. The only thing not included in the contract was me having to pledge my soul to Davy Jones for one hundred years. When I rejected the offer, that publisher felt insulted. But I refused to accept a contract that was clearly detrimental to my career. The good news: One month later, I signed The Vampire Hunters with a different publisher.The current publisher of the trilogy, Emby Press, is very supportive and proactive, and the editor and I are constantly exchanging e-mails to discuss marketing ideas that will not only help my sales but the sales of the press' other writers.
Realize that some publishers have a hidden agenda. Unfortunately, most writers don't discover this fact until well after the ink on the contract has dried. I know a writer whom I am close to who signed a three-book deal with a new publisher. In the beginning, the relationship progressed well, until the publisher tried to force this writer to accept cover art that looked remarkably similar to the cover art of another established writer within the house's cache of authors and who wrote in the same genre. This established writer had ended her relationship with that publisher because of undisclosed contract disputes, and brought her series with her to a new publisher. By attempting to force my friend to accept these covers, he ran the risk (or perhaps intended to) deceive readers into thinking my friend's books were a continuation of the popular series to which the publisher no longer had the rights. While this move would have generated sales for the publishing house, it also had the potential of creating distrust between the writer and the readers, thus ruining my friend's career from the outset. My friend eventually convinced the publisher to go with a different cover art design.
Finally, beware of the con artists who troll this industry. These are the parasites who will blatantly take advantage of aspiring writers for the own gain, even at the expense of the writer's career and/or reputation. I encountered one such individual back in 2011. He had read The Vampire Hunters and asked if I would provide a historical piece on vampires for a book he was writing. Being young and naive (well, at least naive) I agreed without first checking into his background. The moment that I announced my intention on my blog, several people contacted me to warn me that this individual was a serial plagiarist who had developed an infamous reputation within the industry, so much so that every few months he had to close shop and re-emerge under a new alias (at last count he had twenty-four aliases I was aware of). Needless to say, I opted out of that arrangement. If I had not been warned by others about this individual, associating with him could have done irreparable damage to my reputation.
So how do aspiring writers (and even established ones) avoid these pitfalls? You can't. Sure, you can do your due diligence, conduct Google searches, ask other writers if they have heard of this publisher, but in the long run you can never be one hundred percent certain. What you can do is rely on your instincts. If you've been offered a contract and your heart is doing a happy dance, but your gut is telling you otherwise, listen to you gut. There are hundreds of independent publishers in the industry. If your work is solid, you'll eventually get picked up by one that is worthy of your talent. Do not sell yourself short.
And a note to those independent publishers who like to flaunt their status: Please remember that there are hundreds of companies like yours out there. If you continue to talk down to authors, take advantage of them, or exploit them for your own personal gain, then best of luck in finding and retaining a cache of good, prolific, successful writers who will sustain your operations in this industry.
I recently received a rejection letter that pissed me off, and not because it was a rejection letter. I'm used to those. If I could translate every one I've received into a book sale, my Amazon numbers would be rocking. It was the condescending tone of the letter that irritated me. What the publisher (hopefully) intended as constructive feedback came across as lecturing and, at one point, included a sly insult. The piece was an erotica short story that the publisher derided as pornographic. This made me laugh because the line between the two is so thin, yet the publisher had this attitude that one side of the line was noble and the other shameful. It reminded me of the alcoholic who accuses the stoner of being an addict. The letter also contained an admonition on the exploitation and objectification of women, which I found hypocritical coming from a publisher of erotica.
Why do I bring this up? Because the current state of the publishing industry is a double-edged sword for writers, especially those who are aspiring to the craft. The rapid growth of independent publishing houses has allowed many authors access to the market that they would not normally have had before. That expansion, however, means the industry now contains numerous personalities that were rarely found when a few major publishing houses dominated the field. While most independent publishers are honest and look out for the interests of their writers, sadly there are many examples of those whose goal is to take advantage of new writers or exploit them.
I've been very fortunate in my career. I've never contracted with a publisher who disrespected me or my work, or who tried to cheat me out of royalty or intellectual property rights. However, I have had numerous encounters with so-called professionals who have been sanctimonious (see above), shady, or downright crooked. I want to pass along some of these stories to writers hoping to break into the business as a cautionary tale on not grabbing at the first publishing opportunity that arises. [NOTE: I will not be naming any person or company. My goal isn't to fling accusations or start a flame war, but to offer some sound business advice to the newbies.]
Don't feel like you have to take the first contract that is offered to you. This is especially hard for aspiring writers who have been querying and getting rejected (or ignored) for a year or more. I know. I had pitched The Vampire Hunters for over three years without success, and then one afternoon I received a response to a query saying the editors loved the manuscript and were forwarding me a contract. The contract was ridiculous. The publisher wanted me to give up all rights to the book for ever for a royalty of 10 percent on all sales. In essence, if I became the next Suzanne Collins or J.K Rowlings, 90 percent of all profits from my franchise would have gone to the publisher. The only thing not included in the contract was me having to pledge my soul to Davy Jones for one hundred years. When I rejected the offer, that publisher felt insulted. But I refused to accept a contract that was clearly detrimental to my career. The good news: One month later, I signed The Vampire Hunters with a different publisher.The current publisher of the trilogy, Emby Press, is very supportive and proactive, and the editor and I are constantly exchanging e-mails to discuss marketing ideas that will not only help my sales but the sales of the press' other writers.
Realize that some publishers have a hidden agenda. Unfortunately, most writers don't discover this fact until well after the ink on the contract has dried. I know a writer whom I am close to who signed a three-book deal with a new publisher. In the beginning, the relationship progressed well, until the publisher tried to force this writer to accept cover art that looked remarkably similar to the cover art of another established writer within the house's cache of authors and who wrote in the same genre. This established writer had ended her relationship with that publisher because of undisclosed contract disputes, and brought her series with her to a new publisher. By attempting to force my friend to accept these covers, he ran the risk (or perhaps intended to) deceive readers into thinking my friend's books were a continuation of the popular series to which the publisher no longer had the rights. While this move would have generated sales for the publishing house, it also had the potential of creating distrust between the writer and the readers, thus ruining my friend's career from the outset. My friend eventually convinced the publisher to go with a different cover art design.
Finally, beware of the con artists who troll this industry. These are the parasites who will blatantly take advantage of aspiring writers for the own gain, even at the expense of the writer's career and/or reputation. I encountered one such individual back in 2011. He had read The Vampire Hunters and asked if I would provide a historical piece on vampires for a book he was writing. Being young and naive (well, at least naive) I agreed without first checking into his background. The moment that I announced my intention on my blog, several people contacted me to warn me that this individual was a serial plagiarist who had developed an infamous reputation within the industry, so much so that every few months he had to close shop and re-emerge under a new alias (at last count he had twenty-four aliases I was aware of). Needless to say, I opted out of that arrangement. If I had not been warned by others about this individual, associating with him could have done irreparable damage to my reputation.
So how do aspiring writers (and even established ones) avoid these pitfalls? You can't. Sure, you can do your due diligence, conduct Google searches, ask other writers if they have heard of this publisher, but in the long run you can never be one hundred percent certain. What you can do is rely on your instincts. If you've been offered a contract and your heart is doing a happy dance, but your gut is telling you otherwise, listen to you gut. There are hundreds of independent publishers in the industry. If your work is solid, you'll eventually get picked up by one that is worthy of your talent. Do not sell yourself short.
And a note to those independent publishers who like to flaunt their status: Please remember that there are hundreds of companies like yours out there. If you continue to talk down to authors, take advantage of them, or exploit them for your own personal gain, then best of luck in finding and retaining a cache of good, prolific, successful writers who will sustain your operations in this industry.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Interesting Posts From Other Websites
I stumbled across this article the other day and thought it was a must-read for anyone who writes about vampires. The Escapist carried this piece by CJ Miozzi titled 8 Ways To Make Vampires Realistic that describes the scientific foundation for the undead. It's fascinating.
True Blood Psychology: Why Audiences Love Vampires is an assessment pulled together by Kaylynne Spauls from articles published by CNN, For Men, and Psychology Today. I don't agree with her conclusions and I'm interested in what my fans, especially my female fans, think.
Nothing is more awesome than a good vampire death. Apparently FearNet agrees because they listed The Top Ten Vampire Death Scenes from the Movies. I definitely agree with the top two picks, but feel like FearNet dropped the stake by not including the scene in Brides of Dracula (1960) when van Helsing turns the blades of a burning windmill so they form the shadow of a cross on the fleeing vampire and kill him.
While this is technically not horror-related, Joe McKinney, a homicide detective with the San Antonio Police Department and noted zombie author, offered this very useful insight on 10 Rules for Writing About Cops. If you're a writer and have the police as characters in your story, you need to check this out.
Finally, Vamped has listed The 5 Most Popular Vampire Songs on YouTube, at least according to vampire scholar J. Gordon Melton.
True Blood Psychology: Why Audiences Love Vampires is an assessment pulled together by Kaylynne Spauls from articles published by CNN, For Men, and Psychology Today. I don't agree with her conclusions and I'm interested in what my fans, especially my female fans, think.
Nothing is more awesome than a good vampire death. Apparently FearNet agrees because they listed The Top Ten Vampire Death Scenes from the Movies. I definitely agree with the top two picks, but feel like FearNet dropped the stake by not including the scene in Brides of Dracula (1960) when van Helsing turns the blades of a burning windmill so they form the shadow of a cross on the fleeing vampire and kill him.
While this is technically not horror-related, Joe McKinney, a homicide detective with the San Antonio Police Department and noted zombie author, offered this very useful insight on 10 Rules for Writing About Cops. If you're a writer and have the police as characters in your story, you need to check this out.
Finally, Vamped has listed The 5 Most Popular Vampire Songs on YouTube, at least according to vampire scholar J. Gordon Melton.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Interiew With Horror Metal Sounds
Horror Metal Sounds interviewed me recently for The Gore Spotlight section. We discussed writing, vampires, zombies, and my upcoming novel Yeitso. You can check out the entire interview here.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Interesting Posts from Other Websites
This week I'll start off with the Zombie Research Society's exclusive interview with George Romero in which the Godfather of the living dead talks about his collaboration with Marvel Comics on the Empire of the Dead graphic novel series and his work with Steven Schlozman to bring The Zombie Autopsies to the big screen. (I hope it pans out because that is an awesome novel. Check out my review of it here.)
If you think writing a novel or short story is hard, try scaring someone with flash fiction. These two-sentence horror stories are among the best. The third one is my favorite.
Even commercials have gotten into the scare game. This is one of the creepiest commercials I've seen--right up until the very end. Enjoy.
If you think writing a novel or short story is hard, try scaring someone with flash fiction. These two-sentence horror stories are among the best. The third one is my favorite.
Even commercials have gotten into the scare game. This is one of the creepiest commercials I've seen--right up until the very end. Enjoy.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Interview With Days of the Undead
I recently did a fun interview with Days of the Undead where we discuss zombies, of course. You can check it out here.
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