Here’s an article from The Atlantic, “Writers in Hollywood,” written by Raymond Chandler and originally published in 1945. Almost seventy years later, it’s amazing to see how much of it still rings true.
Hollywood long ago ran out of ideas. Look at next year’s slate of theater releases if you need any convincing. How many are sequels? Or remakes? Reboots? American translations of foreign film? And television isn’t much better, sadly, particularly network TV.
With the advent of the digital revolution, the long-standing definition of what a book is seems to be shifting. No longer is it just printed pages glued, bound and set on a bookshelf. It can be an e-book as well, yes, but even that is being experimented with.
Take Medallion Press and their new TREE books, which stands for Timed Reading Experience E-book. Think of those choose-your-own-adventure books you read when you were a kid. Except you don’t choose which direction the story goes, so much as the book decides for you based on your reading habits. Does anyone else think that sounds unnecessarily complicated and vaguely creepy? You don’t read the book; the book reads you.
In a writing capacity, every book becomes choose your own adventure. Each novel is a collection of decisions, major and minor, numbering into the thousands. The biggest are foundational: Who is the protagonist? Where and when is the story set? What obstacles prevent the main character from achieving his or her goal? The smallest (though still significant) usually involve syntax or word choice.
When I sit down to plot a book — I always plot first, never write from the seat of my pants — these are the questions I ask myself. Then chapter by chapter, scene by scene, I mentally work my way through all the options at my disposal. Some will work, many are boring and most lead to dead ends. Each has repercussions, ripple effects that will affect the rest of the story. By the time I’m ready to write the rough draft, I’ve already worked out all the worst kinks. Before I’m able to tell someone else the story, I must be able to tell myself. Every one of my books started in my head as multiple choice. It’s the author’s job to decide which options make the story most suspenseful or dramatic, so that the final product is the best of all possible outcomes.
How about a printed book published with disappearing ink instead? This sounds downright asinine. After two months, the letters begin to fade until all you’re left with is a blank book to use as a journal. I figure if you bought a book, it should be yours forever. This strikes me as a promotional gimmick, as I can’t see this catching on in any meaningful way.
Good interview posted this morning with author Jonathan Maberry. Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, asks an array of questions about publishing’s current tribulations.
And a lengthy (albeit low quality) Q&A with Joss Whedon from the San Diego Comic Con:
Anyone who follows this blog knows that I always try to do something special for Friday the 13th. Today’s no exception, as I wanted this to be my official announcement that Blackstone is now available. The ebook has been on sale since the beginning of June (see sidebar), but the print version just went online this week. It takes up to six weeks for a new title to make it through all distribution channels, so it’ll be a short time before it pops up at third-party retailers. Until then you can snag a copy from Amazon, or direct from me at THE SHOP.
Authors rely on word-of-mouth to sell books, so I ask you to please share this news with friends, relatives or strangers on the street. Like on Facebook, tweet, link, blog: whatever your preferred mode of Spreading the Word happens to be. I’m most grateful for your help and support. Send the uninitiated to www.jaredsandman.com or my author pages at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
In related news, this morning my shipment of Blackstone preorders arrived. For those who ordered earlier, rest assured they will be signed and boxed tonight then shipped tomorrow. Expect your copy in the mail sometime next week.
And if you haven’t heard about the new book:
WELCOME TO BLACKSTONE
Designed by a madman, built with inmate labor and home to the nation’s worst criminals, Blackstone Penitentiary was considered the Alcatraz of the Midwest. Over a one-hundred-year history, it amassed the more odious distinction of being the most haunted location in America.
PAROLE WILL BE GRANTED
No longer in operation and left abandoned, it awaits renovation for inclusion to the National Register of Historic Places. Spearheading the ambitious restoration project is Anthony Creighton, a caretaker seeking to unlock the reformatory’s long-buried secrets. He enlists four strangers to help in that mission, individuals who possess extraordinary psychic abilities. Along with a skeptical scientist, the group embarks on the first full-scale paranormal investigation of the notorious prison. Their goal: to confirm the existence of life after death.
TO ANYONE WHO SURVIVES THE NIGHT
Six guests. Ten thousand ghosts. And all of them fighting to escape.
Here’s a list of the top ten writing manuals I’ve come across. Many of them are horror-centric, so if you’re a not a genre writer you likely won’t get as much out of them. I’m including books on screenwriting as well, which I’ve found equally useful. This list is in no particular order, by the way.
One book I have not read is Richard Laymon’s Writer’s Tale, about which I’ve only heard positive things. Perhaps one day an affordable version will be released, unlike the rare copies that sell on the secondhand market for several hundred bucks . . .
10) Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing, by David Morrell
As the creator of John Rambo, Morrell knows action writing. I had him sign my copy at Necon some years past, which I read cover to cover at the Columbus airport. This book was recently re-released as The Successful Novelist, so don’t be confused that he’s written two writing books. He hasn’t.
9) The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing A Novel, by Thomas F. Monteleone
This is probably the best entrance guide on the market. It’s the book I’ll reread before embarking on any new manuscript of my own. The advice is basic, the author’s anecdotes amusing. I must’ve read it four or five times by now
8) How to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction, edited by J.N. Williamson
This was originally published in the ‘80s, so some of the information is dated. Most of the advice, however, is still as relevant today as it was a generation ago. Stand out essays include, “How to Write Horribly for Fun and Profit” by Robert Bloch and R.C. Matheson’s “They Laughed When I Howled at the Moon.”
7) Writing Horror, edited by Mort Castle
This was a writing manual put out by the Horror Writers Association, updated a few years back. I have a copy of the original, so I don’t know how it differs from the revised version. Favorite essays include Jack Ketchum’s “Splat Goes the Hero” and “Dr. Frankenstein’s Secrets of Style” by Norman Partridge.
6) Writers’ Workshop of Horror, edited by Michael Knost
This is a more recent release, and the third book of essays specifically related to horror writing. Pay special attention to Tom Piccirilli’s “Exploring Personal Themes” and Ramsey Campbell’s “The Height of Horror.”
5) Zen in the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury
Many of the essays in this collection are reprints from introductions of Bradbury’s other novels, showcasing how each book came to be written. Two in particular — “How to Keep and Feed a Muse” and “The Joy of Writing” — are worth the price of admission. Great book if you’re looking for motivation to write.
4) On Writing, by Stephen King
Ironically, the weakest part of this book is the middle section that’s actually on writing. King presents pretty standard advice, the same you’ll get from any of these other books. If you’ve never read a writing manual, it’s a good place to start. The first segment (about King’s writing journey up to the publication of his first novel) and the third (about the car accident that nearly killed him and the painful rehabilitation that followed) were far more engaging, in my opinion.
3) Writing Movies for Fun and Profit, by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant
Another recent addition to the list. This book is entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny and depressing as hell — all at the same time. Two comedy writers/actors skewer Hollywood while explaining how to write screenplays that pander to mediocrity (and that will make a billion dollars at the box office).
2) The Complete Book of Scriptwriting, by J. Michael Straczynski
A more serious take on screenwriting. The author updates it every ten years or so, and my copy isn’t the most up to date. The great thing about this book is that it touches all the bases, not just features and teleplays. Animation, theatrical plays and radio programs are also covered.
1) The Elements of Style, edited by Strunk and White
This slim volume is still the gold standard by which all other writing manuals are compared. If you only buy one book on this list, make it this one. It’s dry in places, and the writers can be a bit professorial at times, but the advice is spot on. Follow the rules in this book and you will be a better writer.
Honorable Mentions
Dark Dreamers, edited by Stanley Wiater
This is a book of interviews conducted with the biggest names in the genre. It doesn’t explain how to write, but it illuminates the creative processes of the writers involved. Mix and match their routines or quirks to find out what works for you.
The Writer’s Tale, by Russell T. Davies
This 700-page book encompasses voluminous e-mail correspondence between then-showrunner of “Doctor Who” and a journalist. A fantastic, unfolding account of his breaking the stories and scripts throughout Series 4. Plus, if you’re a Doctor Who fan (which I am), then it’s doubly entertaining to read about the backstage shenanigans.
Word Work, by Bruce Holland Rogers
This is the only book I know that deals with the writer rather than the writing. It covers such sticking points as what it’s like to live with a writer, and how to coax the most creativity out of yourself while being optimally productive.
Couple of interesting tidbits:
The first comes courtesy of an animator at Pixar, who tweeted twenty-two rules of storytelling that the company follows for their movies. If it’s good enough for Wall-E, it’s good enough for you. Pay special attention to #14 and #19.
Author Terence Blacker posted an amusing list of writer quirks. There are some great nuggets here, and a few of them I find uncomfortably true.
Just a reminder that I’m still taking Blackstone preorders for the print version. Order now for a 20% discount. The ebook went on sale about a month ago; I expected print copies to be available by now, but there was a snag from the printer in regard to the cover. The color scheme came out a bit skewed, an easy fix. The issue has been ironed out, so look for physical copies to go on sale any day now.
Anyway, I wanted to draw your attention to this article in Forbes. It’s a cautionary warning against rushing to publication, especially for first-time writers. I largely agree with the article’s author.
One of the more frequent questions writers are asked: If you’re new to writing, should you start with short stories or a novel? My advice is always short fiction. I wrote shorts for five years before I felt comfortable enough to tackle a whole book. Shorts allow more leeway and variety in technique, voice and style. That phase of experimentation is vital to cultivate a writer’s toolbox. Once you’ve gotten your footing with shorter pieces, you can feel confident enough to try a novel.
And fail miserably.
Here’s a secret about your first book . . . It sucks. No, really. I promise, it does. I know you think it’s a genre-shattering work of genius for the ages — it’s not. But the most important secret is this: Everybody’s first book sucks. The sooner you can accept that, the sooner you can move on to your second book. And the third. And the fourth . . .
That initial book isn’t going to pay out financially; you’re not going to make any money on it. What dividends it does pay, however, come in education. You’re gonna learn more from that novel, both about yourself and the craft of storytelling, than any other book you’ll ever write. And it’s imperative to finish. A half-written first novel doesn’t count as a first novel. If you use the experience as a learning exercise, then it can’t be a failure.
I’ve heard that a debut novel is like the one pancake at the bottom of the flapjack stack. Although it came off the griddle first, no one wants it because it’s sweaty and soggy and unpalatable. That’s your trunk novel. I have one too, Blood Money, which I wrote when I was 18. No doubt I’ll write about that book at some point in the future, so I won’t spoil much here.
My next novel, Leviathan, I wrote when I was 20. It languished on my bookshelf for two or three years, until I found my first literary agent (this would’ve been late-2008). Editors from Tor to Viking to Bantam gave the book solid reviews yet no one made an offer, making my manuscript (along with God knows how many others) a likely victim of the global recession. I went on to publish the book in 2010, and it’s been my best selling title ever since. The difference between that first and second novel is astonishing to me, everything from plot to pacing. I took the lessons learned from Blood Money and applied them to Leviathan, which made that second book much stronger.
Sometimes authors sell their first novels. I know a couple of writers who did that. Chances are, that person worked in the industry beforehand. As an agent or an editor, as a journalist or an English teacher — some kind of profession that had to do with storytelling or publishing. It’s much rarer for someone to come to writing “cold” and write a publishable manuscript from the start.
As evidenced by Fox News and CNN jumping the gun about the “unconstitutionality” of the recent healthcare law, it’s much better to be right than it is to be first. So take the extra time to make sure your book is worth publishing before you send it out into the world.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, from which it has already emerged. Schools are buying fewer textbooks, which has hit the company hard.
NewsCorp is splitting its entertainment and publishing properties into separate companies. Newspaper circulation is in a nosedive, and this is before Rupert Murdoch’s empire got embroiled in the recent hacking scandal. Rather than risk that sullied reputation dragging down the entire corporation, Murdoch seeks to mitigate its impact by effectively keeping it in quarantine. Of course, losing money on news operations is exactly what NewsCorp deserves, after bribing cops and hacking a dead girl’s phone. As HarperCollins will be part of this new company, the book publisher’s financial performance will be even more important to make up the difference. In short, it looks like Harper just got thrown under the bus.
And it finally seems like Dorchester Publishing may have a buyer — Amazon. I think it’s a smart move on Amazon’s part. If the deal goes through, Amazon has promised to honor all the debts incurred by Dorchester. Hopefully this means all those authors who got screwed over in the Leisure debacle will at last receive the royalties for which they’ve waited years.
Last week a 91-year-old boy died: his name, Ray Bradbury. His was a world populated with dinosaur safaris and sinister carnivals, murderous newborns and robot grandmothers. The obituaries are calling him a science fiction author, but he penned far more than sci-fi. He wrote horror, fantasy, mystery, literary stories, essays, screenplays and poetry as well. Bradbury’s version of sci-fi was science fiction rather than science fiction, which may explain why he achieved a wider audience than more technical writers like Arthur C. Clarke or Isaac Asimov.
This photograph was taken in early 2000, so I would’ve been fourteen or fifteen years old. Taken at the after-party of the Fahrenheit 451 premiere (the theatrical version) staged by the University of Akron. This was shortly after he’d suffered a stroke and lost a lot of weight, the reason he appears so gaunt. Many attendees brought grocery bags and suitcases full of books to have signed (which I’m sure you can find on eBay this very day). The only book I wanted autographed was my dog-eared copy of “The October Country.” The stories in that collection, his first book, knocked me flat on my ass, particularly “The Jar,” “The Small Assassin,” “The Crowd” and “The Scythe.”
At that time I’d been writing for about eighteen months and had only just started submitting stories for publication (without success). Talking to Mr. Bradbury about writing was a huge shot in the arm for a nascent author like myself, and I sold my first short story to a pro-paying anthology a few months later.
Some rare genius is so inspirational that it draws other talents to it, like moons orbiting a planet; the gravity is simply too great, the pull too strong. In terms of speculative fiction, Ray Bradbury was a gas giant, the Jupiter of our literary solar system. Most writers are fortunate to be remembered after death for a single short story, maybe one classic book if he or she is very lucky. Bradbury wrote no fewer than four such novels, plus dozens of short stories that will be anthologized for decades to come.
Here’s probably the best obituary that I came across, in his local newspaper of the LA Times.
I found a couple of pictures from this past Halloween that I’d forgotten about. These are two jack o’lanterns I created last October, the first pumpkins I have carved in the better part of a decade. The experience was gratifying, in an odd sort of way.
This first one is two-in-one. The smaller green head is a grapefruit I plucked from a citrus tree out back and cut lengthwise. It didn’t want to stay nestled between the larger pumpkin’s fangs, so I had to pin it in place with broken toothpicks. The second one is a violently ill jack o’lantern, vomiting up its pumpkin guts.
I thought both came out fairly well, and I set them on the porch so trick-or-treaters could appreciate them as well.
