When I set to revise my first novel, A Mage's Power, I resolved that I would do my own editing. I didn't want to pay hundreds of dollars for someone to do something that I could do myself. It made me feel lazy. Also, I didn't want to wait for them to get to and then finish my manuscript. Finally, I notice story elements that can be improved when I edit myself which is something an editor would not notice because they lack my background on the story. (See my post on "Useful Problems" for more information). As I do a third "Absolutely the Last Revision" I'm considering changing my policy for the sequel.
Time and again I am amazed by the errors I can miss. Double Double words; words in places the wrong; words that (are) missing, and words that the are unnecessary. It truly blows my mind when I find such errors in my manuscript and confirm that such errors exist in earlier copies of the same chapters. I don't know if it's my familiarity with the material that is the problem, my tendency to skip along so I can continue writing or both. It makes me want to pull my hair out.
After I publish A Mage's Power (it will published no latter than New Year's, by the way) I will begin revision work on the sequel, "Looming Shadow". Once I get the story where I want it I will likely find an editor to correct the errors listed above.
One thing is for sure: I will be aware of sticky keys, especially the 't'.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
"The Iron Ring" of Adventure and Deconstruction
I finished "The Iron Ring" by Lloyd Alexander the other day. It's about this Indian King who has a dream where he bets his life to a stranger and losses it. Thus begins his adventure to this stranger's kingdom to make good on his debt. On the way his ideas about karma and honor are deconstructed and he has to adjust what he's believed all his life.
The book has a great opening; the stranger arriving in extravagant style. The clashing of egos as the game begins and escalates is page turning. I was hooked by the time it ended. This is crucial for any book; if the reader doesn't like the first pages or (if they're generous) the first chapter, they're not going to finish the book.
The rest of the book is equally engaging. Tamar is an honorable and straight-forward king; his companions couldn't be more different and their dialogue is a wonder. One is a wise old scholar and another is an eccentric scholar of a vague age because of his mysticism. A third is a cowherd with a sharp tongue and a fourth is a mischievous monkey. Then there are others like a fellow king whose tragedy makes him a foil for Tamar.
The main action of the plot is Tamar's group aiding this prince against the villainous Nanusha who stole his throne. Despite being of the warrior's caste he follows none of its rules and this is the reason for the deconstruction mentioned above. Tamar follows all the rules as if they were physical laws; his repeated humiliation at Nanusha's hands shows how this is foolishness. Eventually his pragmatic love interest shows him reason; the only way to win is to beat him at his own game. Tamar emerges victorious by distinguishing the difference between honor and naivety.
I can only find one thing wrong with this book; the red gem that Garuda looks for and the reason he joins Tamar's group. At the end it's revealed to be a magic item that can kill anyone or raise the dead, and that the stranger cast it away because he felt himself tempted by it's power. There are two issues I have with this.
1. Unnecessary
For the bulk of the story it is simply a beautiful rock. Also, aside from talking animals there are few fantasy elements up to his point. Adding such power to the gem at such a late point is like sticking a plane's wing on a car; it looks weird.
2. Dangerous
Why throw it away if it was so dangerous? A demon almost gets their hands on it. The internal logic would run smoother if the stranger had simply asked Garuda to find a gem that was already out there.
Other than that it's an outstanding book.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Iron Ring" an A.
The book has a great opening; the stranger arriving in extravagant style. The clashing of egos as the game begins and escalates is page turning. I was hooked by the time it ended. This is crucial for any book; if the reader doesn't like the first pages or (if they're generous) the first chapter, they're not going to finish the book.
The rest of the book is equally engaging. Tamar is an honorable and straight-forward king; his companions couldn't be more different and their dialogue is a wonder. One is a wise old scholar and another is an eccentric scholar of a vague age because of his mysticism. A third is a cowherd with a sharp tongue and a fourth is a mischievous monkey. Then there are others like a fellow king whose tragedy makes him a foil for Tamar.
The main action of the plot is Tamar's group aiding this prince against the villainous Nanusha who stole his throne. Despite being of the warrior's caste he follows none of its rules and this is the reason for the deconstruction mentioned above. Tamar follows all the rules as if they were physical laws; his repeated humiliation at Nanusha's hands shows how this is foolishness. Eventually his pragmatic love interest shows him reason; the only way to win is to beat him at his own game. Tamar emerges victorious by distinguishing the difference between honor and naivety.
I can only find one thing wrong with this book; the red gem that Garuda looks for and the reason he joins Tamar's group. At the end it's revealed to be a magic item that can kill anyone or raise the dead, and that the stranger cast it away because he felt himself tempted by it's power. There are two issues I have with this.
1. Unnecessary
For the bulk of the story it is simply a beautiful rock. Also, aside from talking animals there are few fantasy elements up to his point. Adding such power to the gem at such a late point is like sticking a plane's wing on a car; it looks weird.
2. Dangerous
Why throw it away if it was so dangerous? A demon almost gets their hands on it. The internal logic would run smoother if the stranger had simply asked Garuda to find a gem that was already out there.
Other than that it's an outstanding book.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Iron Ring" an A.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Answering Review Request "Tainted Dawn"
Barbara Peacock asked me to read her novel "Tainted Dawn" which takes place in Europe during the yeas 1792-1815. It stars Edward, an English bastard of a ship captain, Jemmy, the only son of a poor English family, and Louis, a french revolutionary and son of a tailor.
It starts out well enough but sours quickly. Since I became a volunteer book reviewer there has only been one book that I had to force myself to finish. This is the second one.
2. Edward thinks of nothing but making his late father (who has never seen, let alone met) proud and later projects this relationship onto the captain of the Blanche. In between he is mistreated by a third captain. That section might as well read 'Edward is insulted and hit with a stick' over and over again because that is all that happens. There is no further plot or character development. It didn't need to go on for so many chapters.
3. Jemmy runs away from home to get away from an unappreciative father but runs back to him because he had a dream of him being hung. This means deserting the royal navy and bringing more trouble to an already troubled family which makes his father even more dismissive of him. Everything this boy does relates to his father in some way.
Miss Peacock confuses character arc for story arc for there is no over-arching plot or plot thread connecting her three protagonists. There is only the three of them and their daddy issues. The chapters are spliced together without rhyme or reason other than 'alternate every time'. This destroys the purpose of cliff hangers because the suspense is gone. It breaks the build up and disperses the development of story. It's like taking a bite from a hamburger only to have it pulled away and given something else which is also pulled away after a bite. It's frustrating. More than that, it leads to confusion about what's going on because three separate stories are intertwined. Some chapters are about different people entirely and only peripherially related to the three.
1. Edward and Jemmy overlap at first because they're on the same ship but have nothing to do with each other. After Jemmy leaves, they do not reunite nor influence each other.
2. Edward and Louis do not meet again until the last arc of the book. It breaks my suspension of disbelief that they could remember each other after months of separation and difficult times because they had a brief over a petty incident.
3. Jemmy and Louis never met after the first chapter. Their stories are entirely separate. They might have seen each other if Jemmy was indeed part of the pirate group at the end but one would think Peacook would bridge such a jump from 'running from the law in the English countryside' to 'priating ships near Spanish colonies'. Louis could have done his 'all men are equal' spiel to the boy who just got burned by 'the quality' to justify the piracy and in the process learn that not all Englishmen are evil.
It starts out well enough but sours quickly. Since I became a volunteer book reviewer there has only been one book that I had to force myself to finish. This is the second one.
A better name would be "Tainted Daddy Issues". All the protagonists are dominated by bad relationships with their fathers and since there is no plot these issues dominate the story.
1. Louis participates in the October Days and his father's servant blackmails him for silence. After he losses everything, his dad finds out and disowns him. With nothing left but his ideals he runs to his mentor/father figure and quarrels with him. Then he's pulled by friends to the Indies and projects his father onto the plantation owner he works for, seeing him as another 'little big shot'. He defies him and is punished by him for the same reason; ramble rousing. Instead of advocating equality he advocates hatred of Englishmen.
1. Louis participates in the October Days and his father's servant blackmails him for silence. After he losses everything, his dad finds out and disowns him. With nothing left but his ideals he runs to his mentor/father figure and quarrels with him. Then he's pulled by friends to the Indies and projects his father onto the plantation owner he works for, seeing him as another 'little big shot'. He defies him and is punished by him for the same reason; ramble rousing. Instead of advocating equality he advocates hatred of Englishmen.
2. Edward thinks of nothing but making his late father (who has never seen, let alone met) proud and later projects this relationship onto the captain of the Blanche. In between he is mistreated by a third captain. That section might as well read 'Edward is insulted and hit with a stick' over and over again because that is all that happens. There is no further plot or character development. It didn't need to go on for so many chapters.
3. Jemmy runs away from home to get away from an unappreciative father but runs back to him because he had a dream of him being hung. This means deserting the royal navy and bringing more trouble to an already troubled family which makes his father even more dismissive of him. Everything this boy does relates to his father in some way.
1. Edward and Jemmy overlap at first because they're on the same ship but have nothing to do with each other. After Jemmy leaves, they do not reunite nor influence each other.
2. Edward and Louis do not meet again until the last arc of the book. It breaks my suspension of disbelief that they could remember each other after months of separation and difficult times because they had a brief over a petty incident.
3. Jemmy and Louis never met after the first chapter. Their stories are entirely separate. They might have seen each other if Jemmy was indeed part of the pirate group at the end but one would think Peacook would bridge such a jump from 'running from the law in the English countryside' to 'priating ships near Spanish colonies'. Louis could have done his 'all men are equal' spiel to the boy who just got burned by 'the quality' to justify the piracy and in the process learn that not all Englishmen are evil.
I feel as though she wrote three separate stories and then shuffled the chapters together to increase the work's length. She would have been wiser to write an anthology.
There is no resolution. Even though all three of them are fictional characters none of them get a resolution. Louis is shipped back to France with the same ideals and mindset; no change. Edward is still in a precarious 'sent/forced home' situation because his mother doesn't want him at sea. Jemmy is last seen running through the countryside with Nan; a fugitive from the law. He plans to go to New York but Edward's section says he died in a Spanish colony helping pirates. Does Beacook mean to imply that he was doing pirate work to pay for passage? If so, what about Nan?
One special note. This is a historical novel but Jemmy's 'future seeing dreams' are vital to his third of the story. Without it he never would have gone home and instead stayed on the ship and so he wouldn't serve as the unwitting cause of his father's death. I cannot tolerate such a plot device, especially when there aren't any other supernatural elements. The sailors don't mention Davvy Jones or mermaids or sailor superstitions!
There is one redeeming aspect; history. If one considers these not characters, presay, but instead character-actors playing for the time period than their personalities and their stories are less important than the events they witness and the ideas they represent. I am a history buff, indeed, that's the reason I decided to read this book in the first place. Seeing the history on the ground level, so to speak, is a different perspective than historical texts and can justify some of the stupider things the characters do.
Unless you are a history buff you will not like this book.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Tainted Dawn" a D
Click here for the next review request: Song at Dawn
Click here for the previous review request: Jake Johnson and the Halfbloods
Unless you are a history buff you will not like this book.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Tainted Dawn" a D
Click here for the next review request: Song at Dawn
Click here for the previous review request: Jake Johnson and the Halfbloods
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Literary Innovation Is Not Always Good
"Innovation for its own sake will run you into a tree"
-Me
I have little patience for writers who think they are original. If you've been following my blog recently you'll know that I don't believe in literary originality (not the 100 percent kind anyway) so I've come to see it as a novice trait to claim originality. If you believe you are original, TV Tropes will prove how wrong you are. Every once in a while I see someone desperate to prove they are original by doing something weird. To illustrate this I will use a book I started last night and stopped after twenty pages.
I won't say what it's called because this post is going to be negative and I believe one must earn the right to trash a book by finishing it. I could not finish it. I could not stand it. I put it away and started a new book that night. The praise on the front page should have sent red flags, "brave, original" when the premise sounded like straight forward fantasy fare.
The summary in a nutshell: "A supernatural force invades a small town that is a supernaturally special place. A girl with the power to revive the dead is tested morally and logically." Not too terribly original now is it? The book opened with some girls finding a dead body on the beach; good so far. The chapter ended with a girl saying something mystical in 'the language of flowers'; also good. I expected some exposition in the next chapter but that's where it got weird.
The second chapter is a different setting and different characters; a housewife complaining about not having a career like her teacher friend while parts of a journal (which she may or may not be restoring) are spliced in between the paragraphs. The third chapter cuts off again; a police report. It looked like the following
8:38 Crime X
8:50 Event C
9:24 Person A arrives for shift
It was one page and the next chapter began. It was another single page that sounded more like a leaf from a philosopher's journal than a third person narration novel. The next chapter was about a bear and the man who left a jar of honey in his trash can for the bear to eat.
It was incomprehensible. It reminded me of the modernist works I had to read when I was in college. Those were so pretentious and absurd I yanked my hair plowing through them. Yet I was determined to reach page twenty because I wanted to give this author the benefit of the doubt. It was misplaced. The events of the opening pages were forgotten. I can only assume that this author was going for a 'sum is greater than the whole of its parts' thing with all the disjointed events and themes. To me it was a disorganized mess.
In my opinion, the author would have been wiser to follow a conventional route. Action Prologue (finding the guy on the beach) followed by the introduction and development of The Protagonist (who is she is, the origin of her powers, etc) and then some form of conflict (the outsider mentioned on the back cover premise). I would have liked that. After reading I would have used this post to say how much I liked it. Instead I'm using it to illustrate the problem of meaningless innovation.
Whatever you choose to do with your book is fine but at some point it has to match what is on the back cover/inside flap. Otherwise you will confuse readers. They will become angry at the waste of time and money. I thought twenty pages was plenty generous so I put it back on the shelf.
-Me
I have little patience for writers who think they are original. If you've been following my blog recently you'll know that I don't believe in literary originality (not the 100 percent kind anyway) so I've come to see it as a novice trait to claim originality. If you believe you are original, TV Tropes will prove how wrong you are. Every once in a while I see someone desperate to prove they are original by doing something weird. To illustrate this I will use a book I started last night and stopped after twenty pages.
I won't say what it's called because this post is going to be negative and I believe one must earn the right to trash a book by finishing it. I could not finish it. I could not stand it. I put it away and started a new book that night. The praise on the front page should have sent red flags, "brave, original" when the premise sounded like straight forward fantasy fare.
The summary in a nutshell: "A supernatural force invades a small town that is a supernaturally special place. A girl with the power to revive the dead is tested morally and logically." Not too terribly original now is it? The book opened with some girls finding a dead body on the beach; good so far. The chapter ended with a girl saying something mystical in 'the language of flowers'; also good. I expected some exposition in the next chapter but that's where it got weird.
The second chapter is a different setting and different characters; a housewife complaining about not having a career like her teacher friend while parts of a journal (which she may or may not be restoring) are spliced in between the paragraphs. The third chapter cuts off again; a police report. It looked like the following
8:38 Crime X
8:50 Event C
9:24 Person A arrives for shift
It was one page and the next chapter began. It was another single page that sounded more like a leaf from a philosopher's journal than a third person narration novel. The next chapter was about a bear and the man who left a jar of honey in his trash can for the bear to eat.
It was incomprehensible. It reminded me of the modernist works I had to read when I was in college. Those were so pretentious and absurd I yanked my hair plowing through them. Yet I was determined to reach page twenty because I wanted to give this author the benefit of the doubt. It was misplaced. The events of the opening pages were forgotten. I can only assume that this author was going for a 'sum is greater than the whole of its parts' thing with all the disjointed events and themes. To me it was a disorganized mess.
In my opinion, the author would have been wiser to follow a conventional route. Action Prologue (finding the guy on the beach) followed by the introduction and development of The Protagonist (who is she is, the origin of her powers, etc) and then some form of conflict (the outsider mentioned on the back cover premise). I would have liked that. After reading I would have used this post to say how much I liked it. Instead I'm using it to illustrate the problem of meaningless innovation.
Whatever you choose to do with your book is fine but at some point it has to match what is on the back cover/inside flap. Otherwise you will confuse readers. They will become angry at the waste of time and money. I thought twenty pages was plenty generous so I put it back on the shelf.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Inspirational Monday: Tvtropes
The first monday of every month is Inspirational Monday and today I'm going to share TvTropes. It's a wiki that catalogues and analyzes conventions in storytelling. Despite that description it's "boatloads" more informal than Wikipedia. I have something of a love/hate relationship with it. On the love side it provides lots of information in a engaging way and can help a writer build ideas. On the hate side, it sucks up my free time and I feel compelled to revise it because it is a wiki and I can.
TvTropes has an infinity of tropes (even after years of going there I haven't seen them all) and new ones are still being crafted. Along with those tropes are an infinity of works across all mediums. It will dispel any illusion you have to originality. This is why I believe it is a site that every writer should visit at least once; never again will you believe you are original. This is something every writer must learn. You are not original; you are standing on the shoulders of giants. (which, by the way, is not an original phrase but I like it so I used it.) With the limited time one has to write and watch, etc, one may think that 'Oh this idea must be original because I've never seen it before!' Then you go to Tvtropes and see a 200+ works (depending on the trope) that have that same idea. It may not be exactly the same idea but it will be so close that you can't claim to be original. This is a liberating feeling because you don't have to worry about being original and can instead have fun playing with the tropes and inserting shout outs.
TvTropes is a community of storytelling. It has authors and readers gushing and complaining about works and tropes. This is fun to read but also practical; one can see what readers like and dislike. It's also a great place to proof read without having to write something first. Not that there's major spelling or grammar errors but more about being concise. There is a problem on TvTropes about exaggeration and word cruft etc and therefore practice for being concise in one's own work.
TvTropes is a gateway drug. It will point you towards new shows/books/games etc that you might not know of otherwise. I've found more than a few great series this way that are now on my shelf. A well developed works page is a sign of a large fan base, or at least, one dedicated fan. I may be that one for I am a Book Reviewing Troper.
TvTropes has an infinity of tropes (even after years of going there I haven't seen them all) and new ones are still being crafted. Along with those tropes are an infinity of works across all mediums. It will dispel any illusion you have to originality. This is why I believe it is a site that every writer should visit at least once; never again will you believe you are original. This is something every writer must learn. You are not original; you are standing on the shoulders of giants. (which, by the way, is not an original phrase but I like it so I used it.) With the limited time one has to write and watch, etc, one may think that 'Oh this idea must be original because I've never seen it before!' Then you go to Tvtropes and see a 200+ works (depending on the trope) that have that same idea. It may not be exactly the same idea but it will be so close that you can't claim to be original. This is a liberating feeling because you don't have to worry about being original and can instead have fun playing with the tropes and inserting shout outs.
TvTropes is a community of storytelling. It has authors and readers gushing and complaining about works and tropes. This is fun to read but also practical; one can see what readers like and dislike. It's also a great place to proof read without having to write something first. Not that there's major spelling or grammar errors but more about being concise. There is a problem on TvTropes about exaggeration and word cruft etc and therefore practice for being concise in one's own work.
TvTropes is a gateway drug. It will point you towards new shows/books/games etc that you might not know of otherwise. I've found more than a few great series this way that are now on my shelf. A well developed works page is a sign of a large fan base, or at least, one dedicated fan. I may be that one for I am a Book Reviewing Troper.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Answering Review Request: 'Jake Johnson and the Half Bloods"
James Warburton's mother asked me to read her son's book: Jake Johnson and the Half Bloods. His mother had to do because he is nine years old. This is likely his first attempt at writing fiction and so I will score it as such.
"Jake Johnson and the Half Bloods" is old school high fantasy. There are semi divine children who use magic weapons to fight monsters and smite evil. I've read that sort of thing before but who cares? It's remarkably engaging. More importantly, there are no pretensions to originality which I find refreshing. Too many authors strive for a myth like 'originality' instead of making use of classical myths like this one.
On another level I enjoyed it because it's nostalgic. It reminds me of the kind of thing I'd write about when I was that age. Reading it made me smile. The biggest difference is grammar and spelling; at that age mine weren't as good.
It is twenty one pages long. This makes it compact and lays a bigger claim to 'fast paced' and 'action packed' than others I've read as a volunteer book reviewer. Also, there is a beginning, middle, and end. One would think that would be self-evident but some want to be 'innovative' by leaving cliffhangers when all it does is irritate. The ending here is what we call on TvTropes 'The Adventures Continues": the book ends with the start of Jake's next mission.
Considering this is a nine year old's first effort, it's amazing. If he refines his skill he'll become a splendid author.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Jake Johnson and the Half Bloods" an A
Click here for the next review request: Tainted Dawn
Click here for the previous review request: Predation
"Jake Johnson and the Half Bloods" is old school high fantasy. There are semi divine children who use magic weapons to fight monsters and smite evil. I've read that sort of thing before but who cares? It's remarkably engaging. More importantly, there are no pretensions to originality which I find refreshing. Too many authors strive for a myth like 'originality' instead of making use of classical myths like this one.
On another level I enjoyed it because it's nostalgic. It reminds me of the kind of thing I'd write about when I was that age. Reading it made me smile. The biggest difference is grammar and spelling; at that age mine weren't as good.
It is twenty one pages long. This makes it compact and lays a bigger claim to 'fast paced' and 'action packed' than others I've read as a volunteer book reviewer. Also, there is a beginning, middle, and end. One would think that would be self-evident but some want to be 'innovative' by leaving cliffhangers when all it does is irritate. The ending here is what we call on TvTropes 'The Adventures Continues": the book ends with the start of Jake's next mission.
Considering this is a nine year old's first effort, it's amazing. If he refines his skill he'll become a splendid author.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Jake Johnson and the Half Bloods" an A
Click here for the next review request: Tainted Dawn
Click here for the previous review request: Predation
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Trapped On Draconica blog tour: The Geography of Draconica
Hello all and welcome to the next stop on the Trapped On Draconica blog tour! If you've been following my blog you'll know I've reviewed this book before. You can read it here but for now I have something else for your enjoyment. Today Dan Wright is here to talk about the geography of Draconica.
1. Did the dragons name the world 'Draconica' or did the humans name it that in honor of the god-like role the dragons served in shaping it?
Good question! The early versions of the humans on Draconica were actually fairly primitive creatures (similar to cavemen or similar), so the dragons named it Draconica, kinda out of arrogance. But it made sense that they would name it as they created it.
2. According to the map, Draconica is a cluster of Island Nations but in the story flight and teleportation are used more often than boats. Is this because humans relied on dragons for transportation?
Not really. It just so happens that in Trapped on Draconica, we mainly focus on the Dragonkin and the Baalarian Empire (who have the powers you mention). Boats and ships do exist and are the primary form of travel – but some countries also have zeppelins that act as a sort of airport for some countries (this was created by the Republic of Garmany, who are a technologically advanced culture). So boats and that lot do exist as transportation, it’s just not talked about much in Trapped on Draconica.
3. Daniar says that 'the only memories we have of that once great race are of brutality and bloodshed.' Are the dragons the reason that Draconica is a cluster of islands?
You’re not actually too far off with this. There used to be this sea dragon called Nar-Gar, who was known for violent temper tantrums and attacking lands for no reason. Draconica was originally just one big island, but Nar-Gar would launch ferocious attacks against it, splitting the land into many pieces. Eventually, the other dragons had Nar-Gar killed so that he could not do much more damage, but the land had been split because of it. That’s how the islands came to be.
4. Baalaria was named after the dragon Baala, correct? Did he serve any other role in shaping the region and/or the country?
Yes that is correct. In actual fact, Baala was the dragon that taught Draconica about warfare after visiting Earth during the time of the Roman Empire. He created the Baalarian Empire and taught Draconica about warfare – but he was by no means an evil dragon. His teachings explained that war should be about honour and discipline, not killing in cold blood. In fact, for many years, Baala was an ambassador for war and no country could go to war without his say so – and without just cause.
This changed when his brother Leoni (founder of the Leonidan Kingdom) challenged his rule as he had conflicting opinions about warfare. They started a bloody war (known on Draconica as The War of the Brothers), which ended in both of their deaths. However their followers have continued this war for several years. Sadly, there is now no ambassador for war in Draconica, so countries can go to war without needing permission.
5. Is there a swamp dragon responsible for the Venomac Swamp? Or the vortex mentioned on the map? Is the answer to either of these spoilers for the next book in the series?
I think I can give you answers to this without too many spoilers.
For Venomac Swamp, it was actually created by Venomac, a dragon who was reviled by even his own kind. He was an ugly and deformed creature that everyone was cruel to, but Arkana, The Forest Wyvern, took pity on him and became his friend. However, Venomac mistook this for love and ended up stalking her, until Arkana became frightened for her own life and rejected him. Infuriated, Venomac breathed poisoned breath over her most beautiful forest land, corrupting it and turning into a vile swamp. Arkana was so devastated by this that she took her own life. What happened to Venomac isn’t clear, but the swamp is a grim reminder of his terrible wrath.
The creation of The Vortex is a little long-winded but I’ll try and cut it down. Essentially, when life of Draconica first existed, they used magic in their everyday life, as a suggestion by the dragon Kerrigal (who first discovered magic). However, magic in its rawest form is unpredictable and not easy to control, so Dronor taught the people of Draconica about science, helping them to use the resources of the planet and not rely on powers they did not understand. But Kerrigal became angry at his teachings being challenged and fought with Dronor. During a battle over the sea, he used his powers to create The Vortex in the hope that it would destroy his enemy – but it backfired and he got sucked in, presumably destroyed.
From then on, The Vortex was like a "no-go" area of the planet, as if you get too close you get sucked in. No one knows exactly where The Vortex leads to – but without giving too much away it will play an important part in a later Draconica novel.
6. Tell us about Skycrack Mountain. It is described as the most unreachable place in the world yet one can hear of events on other islands from the wind. There one can enjoy perfect solitude and yet stay informed of current events. Has it ever been used as a hermitage?
In actual fact, only Rana can do this because she has extraordinary hearing. Because the mountain she lives up is so high up in the air, she can hear the whispers carried in the wind. She is the only one to really take hermitage there.
Skycrack as a mountain range is unreachable due to the violent thunderstorms and heavy winds that constantly barrage the area. It’s a dangerous place to live and only the hyppagryphs of Draconica can seem to live there without any danger. Originally, it was the home of Karana The Storm Drake, and many believe that a part of his soul still lingers there, hence why the storms are so violent on that part of the world.
You can find out more info about the world of Draconica on the Trapped On Draconica Wiki.
Author Bio
Dan lives in the UK, his hometown being Canterbury, Kent. A huge fan of both Fantasy and Manga, he has a style that combines both within his writing, which lets him tell stories that are both dramatic and tongue-in-cheek at the same time. Dan also runs his own website, blog and even a wiki page that goes into detail of the world of Draconica. He is also a book reviewer, which he does independantly and on his website Read2Review. Authors who have inspired Dan are Douglas Adams, J.R.R Tolkien, Harlan Ellison, Alan Moore, Joss Whedon and Hiromu Arakawa.
Contact Dan via the following links:
WEBSITE: www.pandragondan.co.uk
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/PandragonDanWright
TWITTER: @PandragonDan
EMAIL: pandragonpublishing@gmail.com
Where to buy Trapped on Draconica;
Amazon US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Trapped-on-Draconica-ebook/dp/B004OA6EN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333498&sr=8-1&keywords=Trapped+on+Draconica
Amazon US Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Trapped-Draconica-Dan-Wright/dp/0956823025/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333498&sr=8-2&keywords=Trapped+on+Draconica
Amazon UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trapped-on-Draconica-ebook/dp/B004OA6EN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333447&sr=8-1
Amazon UK Paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trapped-Draconica-1-Dan-Wright/dp/0956823025/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333447&sr=8-2
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/45498
1. Did the dragons name the world 'Draconica' or did the humans name it that in honor of the god-like role the dragons served in shaping it?
Good question! The early versions of the humans on Draconica were actually fairly primitive creatures (similar to cavemen or similar), so the dragons named it Draconica, kinda out of arrogance. But it made sense that they would name it as they created it.
2. According to the map, Draconica is a cluster of Island Nations but in the story flight and teleportation are used more often than boats. Is this because humans relied on dragons for transportation?
Not really. It just so happens that in Trapped on Draconica, we mainly focus on the Dragonkin and the Baalarian Empire (who have the powers you mention). Boats and ships do exist and are the primary form of travel – but some countries also have zeppelins that act as a sort of airport for some countries (this was created by the Republic of Garmany, who are a technologically advanced culture). So boats and that lot do exist as transportation, it’s just not talked about much in Trapped on Draconica.
3. Daniar says that 'the only memories we have of that once great race are of brutality and bloodshed.' Are the dragons the reason that Draconica is a cluster of islands?
You’re not actually too far off with this. There used to be this sea dragon called Nar-Gar, who was known for violent temper tantrums and attacking lands for no reason. Draconica was originally just one big island, but Nar-Gar would launch ferocious attacks against it, splitting the land into many pieces. Eventually, the other dragons had Nar-Gar killed so that he could not do much more damage, but the land had been split because of it. That’s how the islands came to be.
4. Baalaria was named after the dragon Baala, correct? Did he serve any other role in shaping the region and/or the country?
Yes that is correct. In actual fact, Baala was the dragon that taught Draconica about warfare after visiting Earth during the time of the Roman Empire. He created the Baalarian Empire and taught Draconica about warfare – but he was by no means an evil dragon. His teachings explained that war should be about honour and discipline, not killing in cold blood. In fact, for many years, Baala was an ambassador for war and no country could go to war without his say so – and without just cause.
This changed when his brother Leoni (founder of the Leonidan Kingdom) challenged his rule as he had conflicting opinions about warfare. They started a bloody war (known on Draconica as The War of the Brothers), which ended in both of their deaths. However their followers have continued this war for several years. Sadly, there is now no ambassador for war in Draconica, so countries can go to war without needing permission.
5. Is there a swamp dragon responsible for the Venomac Swamp? Or the vortex mentioned on the map? Is the answer to either of these spoilers for the next book in the series?
I think I can give you answers to this without too many spoilers.
For Venomac Swamp, it was actually created by Venomac, a dragon who was reviled by even his own kind. He was an ugly and deformed creature that everyone was cruel to, but Arkana, The Forest Wyvern, took pity on him and became his friend. However, Venomac mistook this for love and ended up stalking her, until Arkana became frightened for her own life and rejected him. Infuriated, Venomac breathed poisoned breath over her most beautiful forest land, corrupting it and turning into a vile swamp. Arkana was so devastated by this that she took her own life. What happened to Venomac isn’t clear, but the swamp is a grim reminder of his terrible wrath.
The creation of The Vortex is a little long-winded but I’ll try and cut it down. Essentially, when life of Draconica first existed, they used magic in their everyday life, as a suggestion by the dragon Kerrigal (who first discovered magic). However, magic in its rawest form is unpredictable and not easy to control, so Dronor taught the people of Draconica about science, helping them to use the resources of the planet and not rely on powers they did not understand. But Kerrigal became angry at his teachings being challenged and fought with Dronor. During a battle over the sea, he used his powers to create The Vortex in the hope that it would destroy his enemy – but it backfired and he got sucked in, presumably destroyed.
From then on, The Vortex was like a "no-go" area of the planet, as if you get too close you get sucked in. No one knows exactly where The Vortex leads to – but without giving too much away it will play an important part in a later Draconica novel.
6. Tell us about Skycrack Mountain. It is described as the most unreachable place in the world yet one can hear of events on other islands from the wind. There one can enjoy perfect solitude and yet stay informed of current events. Has it ever been used as a hermitage?
In actual fact, only Rana can do this because she has extraordinary hearing. Because the mountain she lives up is so high up in the air, she can hear the whispers carried in the wind. She is the only one to really take hermitage there.
Skycrack as a mountain range is unreachable due to the violent thunderstorms and heavy winds that constantly barrage the area. It’s a dangerous place to live and only the hyppagryphs of Draconica can seem to live there without any danger. Originally, it was the home of Karana The Storm Drake, and many believe that a part of his soul still lingers there, hence why the storms are so violent on that part of the world.
You can find out more info about the world of Draconica on the Trapped On Draconica Wiki.
Author Bio
Dan lives in the UK, his hometown being Canterbury, Kent. A huge fan of both Fantasy and Manga, he has a style that combines both within his writing, which lets him tell stories that are both dramatic and tongue-in-cheek at the same time. Dan also runs his own website, blog and even a wiki page that goes into detail of the world of Draconica. He is also a book reviewer, which he does independantly and on his website Read2Review. Authors who have inspired Dan are Douglas Adams, J.R.R Tolkien, Harlan Ellison, Alan Moore, Joss Whedon and Hiromu Arakawa.
Contact Dan via the following links:
WEBSITE: www.pandragondan.co.uk
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/PandragonDanWright
TWITTER: @PandragonDan
EMAIL: pandragonpublishing@gmail.com
Where to buy Trapped on Draconica;
Amazon US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Trapped-on-Draconica-ebook/dp/B004OA6EN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333498&sr=8-1&keywords=Trapped+on+Draconica
Amazon US Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Trapped-Draconica-Dan-Wright/dp/0956823025/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333498&sr=8-2&keywords=Trapped+on+Draconica
Amazon UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trapped-on-Draconica-ebook/dp/B004OA6EN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333447&sr=8-1
Amazon UK Paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trapped-Draconica-1-Dan-Wright/dp/0956823025/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351333447&sr=8-2
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/45498
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Answering Review Request: "Predation"
Simon Parkinson asked me to review his novel "Predation" and I've spent the last two weeks or so reading it. It's a hard science fiction space opera that pits the human Federation Space Fleet Nine against the lizard-like Drakk'Har Alliance on the planet Mindon-2. I had difficulty rating this book because its strengths and weaknesses are the same things. What follows is the pro and con of World Building, Characters, and Plot and how I both liked and disliked all three.
World Building: Pro
I've said it once and I'll say it again; I love world building. Creating a fictional reality that the reader can immerse themselves in requires thought and detail and research. No one can accuss Mr. Parkinson of not including those in his story. He will explain how the ships work, the support system behind the military, the reasoning for the weapons, the enviorment in full sensory detail, etc. I particularly enjoyed the Drakk'Har society from a anthropolgic point of view. While other stories have some Always Chaotic Evil race that everyone acknowledges as such with nothing more to it, Mr. Parkinson addresses this view point in Geneva Convention level detail.
World Building: Con
There is a reason why tropes such as Techno Babble and It Runs On Nonsensoleum exist: the author wants to get to the meat of the plot without dragging down the plot. Most of "Predation" is mechanics and protocol and other things delivered via Omniscient Narration. A space battle is interrupted so Mr.Parkinson can give a several page history of the human's development of hyperspace technology and why ships must travel to the edge of solar systems before using it. While the point of the lecture is relevant to the event it interrupts, it didn't have to be so long and frankly it sounds arrogant because it calls a number of real life theories wrong and posists its own. If it were my novel I would have put it at the back of the book in a 'notes' section.
Characters
"Predation" has a ensemble cast; there is no main character. On TvTropes we call these kinds of characters 'mauve shirts' because they have enough characterization to avoid a meaningless death in the name of action and instead receive a meaningful death in the name of tragedy.
Characters Pro
Despite being mauve shirts, the humans of the Fredation have enough sustanance to stand on their own. Jefferson, for instance, is a sneaky soldier, a calm sniper and also a prankster. Compared to other characters, she gets enough screen time to be a 'semi-main character'. She, alongside Perkins, is my favorite character.
Also, because of the ensemble nature, Mr. Parkinson can move to all areas of Space Fleet Nine. There are scenes with the Marshal on the command deck, with squad/platoon officiers talking to the men under their responsibility, with the engineers in the landing bay, with the field commanders in their special moving HQ, and with Special Forces doing their intel thing. In this way, Space Fleet Nine itself becomes a composite character.
Like I said earlier, I liked learning about the Drakk'Har culture. The ritualized arrogance, differences in living, and other culturel nodes were more interesting than the humans and their stoic protocols.
Characters Con
Because they are mauve shirts it's hard to get attached to characters and if one doesn't care about the characters than one doesn't care about what happens too them i.e. the plot. A ship crash that doomed a couple guys is a downer but with the focus spread over the entire fleet the effect is minimized vs a decoy main character. In a sense they're like chess pieces; one does not mourn a pawn unless its loss endangers the rest. I didn't have any big concern during the battles unless a handful of characters, like Jefferson for instance, were involved and even she took one hundred pages or so to get to that point.
While the Drakk'Har culture is interesting, its characters are not. They are so similar (because of their Always Chaotic Evil nature) that they bleed together. The only way I could tell them apart was by their rank. Grunts did not have names or roles; they're mooks. More importantly, their culture as a whole is so steeped in treachery I couldn't believe they worked together long enough to create a galaxy spanning empire and if they could, why it didn't implode in on itself.
Plot Pro
Space Fleet Nine's mission is laid out near the start: a clear and straight forward military expedition. I apperciate that Mr.Parkinson didn't include any intrigue or late game twist in accordance with the Unspoken Plan Guarante; that would have made the book dreadful. The humans go there, have some excitement along the way, and then implement the plan as described at the start of the book. The plot picks up here because the action starts up and there is little exposition left. Indeed, the second half of the book is much better than the first. The plot focuses on Hill 170 so the characters there get more focus and by now have coalest into engaging characters. When he's not explaining the Hawking Zone, Mr. Parkinson can write a suspensful battle. Ch.22 "Swarm" is amazing in this regard. Most important of all, the initial conflict is resolved. There is no cliff hanger. The war goes on but this particular mission is resolved.
Plot Con
Two major problems: 1.) exposition and 2.) Suspension of Disbelief.
From the time Space Fleet Nine enters the Mindon system to their arrival at Mindon-2 the plot is bogged down in exposition and protocols and general minutia of military life. This is addressed with the phrase "hurry up and wait" and the saying that military life is 'hours of boredom separated by seconds of intense fear' but I don't want to read about bored soldiers. Unless it's a comedy but that's another issue.
As I said in 'Characters Con' the Drakk'Har spend more time and energy scheming against each other than fighting the humans. Whenever they encounter humans they are defeated or outwitted. It was hard for me to believe that the humans had been fighting a lossing war for the last three years because of this. While it is to some extent justified by the humans not knowing exactly how to fight them (for instance, they didn't know the Drakk'Har grew their ships in giant tubes instead of building in factories and so their early raids did little damage to the Drakk'Har war machine) I expected something more for such an important target. This breaks my suspension of disbelief which cheapens the human victory and denigrades the plot as a whole.
Without a doubt Mr.Parkinson gets an A for effort but an overall score is more difficult. For the problems listed above I'm tempted to give it a D but for the successes listed above I'm tempted to give it a B. I'll settle in the middle.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Predation" a C+
Click here for the next review request: Jake Johnson and the HalfBloods
Click here for the previous review request: Cloaks of Vermin and Fish
World Building: Pro
I've said it once and I'll say it again; I love world building. Creating a fictional reality that the reader can immerse themselves in requires thought and detail and research. No one can accuss Mr. Parkinson of not including those in his story. He will explain how the ships work, the support system behind the military, the reasoning for the weapons, the enviorment in full sensory detail, etc. I particularly enjoyed the Drakk'Har society from a anthropolgic point of view. While other stories have some Always Chaotic Evil race that everyone acknowledges as such with nothing more to it, Mr. Parkinson addresses this view point in Geneva Convention level detail.
World Building: Con
There is a reason why tropes such as Techno Babble and It Runs On Nonsensoleum exist: the author wants to get to the meat of the plot without dragging down the plot. Most of "Predation" is mechanics and protocol and other things delivered via Omniscient Narration. A space battle is interrupted so Mr.Parkinson can give a several page history of the human's development of hyperspace technology and why ships must travel to the edge of solar systems before using it. While the point of the lecture is relevant to the event it interrupts, it didn't have to be so long and frankly it sounds arrogant because it calls a number of real life theories wrong and posists its own. If it were my novel I would have put it at the back of the book in a 'notes' section.
Characters
"Predation" has a ensemble cast; there is no main character. On TvTropes we call these kinds of characters 'mauve shirts' because they have enough characterization to avoid a meaningless death in the name of action and instead receive a meaningful death in the name of tragedy.
Characters Pro
Despite being mauve shirts, the humans of the Fredation have enough sustanance to stand on their own. Jefferson, for instance, is a sneaky soldier, a calm sniper and also a prankster. Compared to other characters, she gets enough screen time to be a 'semi-main character'. She, alongside Perkins, is my favorite character.
Also, because of the ensemble nature, Mr. Parkinson can move to all areas of Space Fleet Nine. There are scenes with the Marshal on the command deck, with squad/platoon officiers talking to the men under their responsibility, with the engineers in the landing bay, with the field commanders in their special moving HQ, and with Special Forces doing their intel thing. In this way, Space Fleet Nine itself becomes a composite character.
Like I said earlier, I liked learning about the Drakk'Har culture. The ritualized arrogance, differences in living, and other culturel nodes were more interesting than the humans and their stoic protocols.
Characters Con
Because they are mauve shirts it's hard to get attached to characters and if one doesn't care about the characters than one doesn't care about what happens too them i.e. the plot. A ship crash that doomed a couple guys is a downer but with the focus spread over the entire fleet the effect is minimized vs a decoy main character. In a sense they're like chess pieces; one does not mourn a pawn unless its loss endangers the rest. I didn't have any big concern during the battles unless a handful of characters, like Jefferson for instance, were involved and even she took one hundred pages or so to get to that point.
While the Drakk'Har culture is interesting, its characters are not. They are so similar (because of their Always Chaotic Evil nature) that they bleed together. The only way I could tell them apart was by their rank. Grunts did not have names or roles; they're mooks. More importantly, their culture as a whole is so steeped in treachery I couldn't believe they worked together long enough to create a galaxy spanning empire and if they could, why it didn't implode in on itself.
Plot Pro
Space Fleet Nine's mission is laid out near the start: a clear and straight forward military expedition. I apperciate that Mr.Parkinson didn't include any intrigue or late game twist in accordance with the Unspoken Plan Guarante; that would have made the book dreadful. The humans go there, have some excitement along the way, and then implement the plan as described at the start of the book. The plot picks up here because the action starts up and there is little exposition left. Indeed, the second half of the book is much better than the first. The plot focuses on Hill 170 so the characters there get more focus and by now have coalest into engaging characters. When he's not explaining the Hawking Zone, Mr. Parkinson can write a suspensful battle. Ch.22 "Swarm" is amazing in this regard. Most important of all, the initial conflict is resolved. There is no cliff hanger. The war goes on but this particular mission is resolved.
Plot Con
Two major problems: 1.) exposition and 2.) Suspension of Disbelief.
From the time Space Fleet Nine enters the Mindon system to their arrival at Mindon-2 the plot is bogged down in exposition and protocols and general minutia of military life. This is addressed with the phrase "hurry up and wait" and the saying that military life is 'hours of boredom separated by seconds of intense fear' but I don't want to read about bored soldiers. Unless it's a comedy but that's another issue.
As I said in 'Characters Con' the Drakk'Har spend more time and energy scheming against each other than fighting the humans. Whenever they encounter humans they are defeated or outwitted. It was hard for me to believe that the humans had been fighting a lossing war for the last three years because of this. While it is to some extent justified by the humans not knowing exactly how to fight them (for instance, they didn't know the Drakk'Har grew their ships in giant tubes instead of building in factories and so their early raids did little damage to the Drakk'Har war machine) I expected something more for such an important target. This breaks my suspension of disbelief which cheapens the human victory and denigrades the plot as a whole.
Without a doubt Mr.Parkinson gets an A for effort but an overall score is more difficult. For the problems listed above I'm tempted to give it a D but for the successes listed above I'm tempted to give it a B. I'll settle in the middle.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Predation" a C+
Click here for the next review request: Jake Johnson and the HalfBloods
Click here for the previous review request: Cloaks of Vermin and Fish
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Avengers Asemble!
I'm finally getting around to reviewing this movie. It's the reason I watched the others: The Incredible Hulk, THOR, Iron Man 2, (but not the original) and Captain America. The first time I watched it it was my birthday back in July. Now, in November, I'm finally reviewing it. I will consider the points of 1.) Epic 2.) Humor. 3). Character and 4). Plot.
1. Epic
The very first live action super hero team movie. No one else has tried to make individual superhero movies and then bring them all together into one adventure. This film is action packed coolness from the time Loki zaps into Earth through Iron Man's trademark big entrances to HULK SMASH and the big alien invasion and how the avengers counter it.
More than eye candy; Joss Whedon made sure there were personal conflicts underlying the undeniably awesome battles. Loki and Thor as the classic Cain and Abel but also the conflicts between avengers like Iron Man vs Thor and other philosophical conflicts involving SHIELD and other people and/or groups.
2. Humor
There are multiple kinds of humor. First of all there's pop culture jokes but what makes them funny is how Captain America, being a freshly thawed WWII veteran, doesn't get them. Coulson's fanboying him is also funny; a stoic and professional MiB with vintage trading cards. Robert Downey Jr truly does a terrific job playing Tony Stark; his smug sarcasm and odd behavior is always fun to watch.
3. Characters
The characters do a fantastic job playing off each other. Tony rubs everyone wrong and is delightfully arrogant and hammy. Fury stays on the border of morality in his manipulation. Coulson has met everyone except Banner; there's great history there. Tom Hiddleston had way too much fun playing Loki but also shows the depth of the character. Mark Ruffalo is my favorite actor for Bruce Banner so far; angsts about the Hulk but not to the point of wangst and with a dry sense of (often self deprecating) humor.
4. Plot
One would think with a plot centered on a powerful item like the Tesseract it would follow a basic maguffin hunt, right? Wrong! Loki acquires the Tesseract in the first act. He's captured in the third out of five. It's a dynamic plot structure. I don't detect idiot balls or anything of the sort which makes the plot so much better. One of my favorite instances comes just before the climax. I won't spoil it (though anyone reading this likely already knows) but it involves Stark and it's something the audience can figure out at the same time he does.
I can't think of anything bad to say about it.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Avengers" an A+
Review for Age of Ultron can be found here.
1. Epic
The very first live action super hero team movie. No one else has tried to make individual superhero movies and then bring them all together into one adventure. This film is action packed coolness from the time Loki zaps into Earth through Iron Man's trademark big entrances to HULK SMASH and the big alien invasion and how the avengers counter it.
More than eye candy; Joss Whedon made sure there were personal conflicts underlying the undeniably awesome battles. Loki and Thor as the classic Cain and Abel but also the conflicts between avengers like Iron Man vs Thor and other philosophical conflicts involving SHIELD and other people and/or groups.
2. Humor
There are multiple kinds of humor. First of all there's pop culture jokes but what makes them funny is how Captain America, being a freshly thawed WWII veteran, doesn't get them. Coulson's fanboying him is also funny; a stoic and professional MiB with vintage trading cards. Robert Downey Jr truly does a terrific job playing Tony Stark; his smug sarcasm and odd behavior is always fun to watch.
3. Characters
The characters do a fantastic job playing off each other. Tony rubs everyone wrong and is delightfully arrogant and hammy. Fury stays on the border of morality in his manipulation. Coulson has met everyone except Banner; there's great history there. Tom Hiddleston had way too much fun playing Loki but also shows the depth of the character. Mark Ruffalo is my favorite actor for Bruce Banner so far; angsts about the Hulk but not to the point of wangst and with a dry sense of (often self deprecating) humor.
4. Plot
One would think with a plot centered on a powerful item like the Tesseract it would follow a basic maguffin hunt, right? Wrong! Loki acquires the Tesseract in the first act. He's captured in the third out of five. It's a dynamic plot structure. I don't detect idiot balls or anything of the sort which makes the plot so much better. One of my favorite instances comes just before the climax. I won't spoil it (though anyone reading this likely already knows) but it involves Stark and it's something the audience can figure out at the same time he does.
I can't think of anything bad to say about it.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Avengers" an A+
Review for Age of Ultron can be found here.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Inspirational Monday (for real this time) Whedon Editing
My first one was early and I found this fantastic quote the other day and one can't have enough inspiration right?
"There are certain things you accept going in that you're going to do a little too much to make sure you do enough."
I watched The Avengers for the second time yesterday, and then, because I liked it so much, I watched it again with Joss Whedon's audio commentary. When he said the above quote it struck me as everything a writer needs to know about editing in a single sentence.
He's talking about one of the introductory scenes were the avengers are being introduced to the audience one by one. It's about exposition and scenes that were cut because they were redundant. In the first draft and first shooting etc, one doesn't know where everything goes and affects other scenes; 'the domino effect' is the phrase he used. You want to explain everything as often as you think is necessary to make sure that it is in there in the first draft.
The first draft is called a 'rough draft' for a reason; IT'S ROUGH. There will be scenes that need to be expanded, scenes that need to be removed, the pacing could be too slow or too fast, characters will not be as developed as they will be in the final version, etc. When writing the first draft of anything (a novel, a paper, a blog post) I console myself with 'the first draft is always crap'. This way I am not crushed by the awfulness I created and lose confidence in myself as a writer. The fourth draft could be drastically different. The quote is about acknowledging that; you're going to do a lot of editing. "It's the nature of the beast."
The take away from the quote and this blog post is that an author should not get attached to the first draft because it will change by the final draft. It might be radically different from the first draft and an author should not be afraid to make those changes in order to make the story better.
P.S. I found so much good advice in the rest of the commentary, I'll probably make a few more posts with them. Make a series of it.
"There are certain things you accept going in that you're going to do a little too much to make sure you do enough."
I watched The Avengers for the second time yesterday, and then, because I liked it so much, I watched it again with Joss Whedon's audio commentary. When he said the above quote it struck me as everything a writer needs to know about editing in a single sentence.
He's talking about one of the introductory scenes were the avengers are being introduced to the audience one by one. It's about exposition and scenes that were cut because they were redundant. In the first draft and first shooting etc, one doesn't know where everything goes and affects other scenes; 'the domino effect' is the phrase he used. You want to explain everything as often as you think is necessary to make sure that it is in there in the first draft.
The first draft is called a 'rough draft' for a reason; IT'S ROUGH. There will be scenes that need to be expanded, scenes that need to be removed, the pacing could be too slow or too fast, characters will not be as developed as they will be in the final version, etc. When writing the first draft of anything (a novel, a paper, a blog post) I console myself with 'the first draft is always crap'. This way I am not crushed by the awfulness I created and lose confidence in myself as a writer. The fourth draft could be drastically different. The quote is about acknowledging that; you're going to do a lot of editing. "It's the nature of the beast."
The take away from the quote and this blog post is that an author should not get attached to the first draft because it will change by the final draft. It might be radically different from the first draft and an author should not be afraid to make those changes in order to make the story better.
P.S. I found so much good advice in the rest of the commentary, I'll probably make a few more posts with them. Make a series of it.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Writer Quirks and Community
The first Monday of every month is inspirational Monday. Share something that inspires you so it can inspire the rest of us. This, while I hope it is inspiring, is not my post for the month.
Today I'd like to share a blog post I read the other day, "How To Know You're A Writer". It was one of those 'quirk lists' that one can find in many places on the Internet and while most of them are simply a moment's amusement this one stuck with me.
It spoke of how writers bring notepads everywhere in case they're struck with inspiration or internally correct the grammar of others. Without thinking about it I've been doing all those things. It was like this 'community thing' where only another writer could understand that sort of thing on an emotional level. More than 'How to Know You're A Writer' but how to know you are a writer. Writers could recognize each other by the books under their arms.
"DREAMS ARE PLOT-FODDER AND STORY-FODDER."
Is one of my two favorites because it's true. Whenever I'm fortunate enough to remember a dream, and awake enough to get up and write it down, my first thought is not 'how weird was that'? but 'how can I use this in a book?' Dreaming is fishing in primordial soup. There's some great stuff in there if you can find it and write it down before it vanishes like so much smoke
"YOUR FOOD GROUPS ARE TEA, COFFEE, ESPRESSO, AND CHOCOLATE."
My second favorite. While I don't drink coffee I do drink Five Hour Energy and Gatorade and this new Neuro Sonic stuff. Whatever it is, writers need their fuel. Again, a community thing. Sharing food and drink is perhaps the oldest social ritual we have. I imagine writing groups go through a lot of the stuff.
Speaking of writer community, the author of the "How To Know You're A Writer" post started NaNoWriMo today. She could use a little inspiration.
Today I'd like to share a blog post I read the other day, "How To Know You're A Writer". It was one of those 'quirk lists' that one can find in many places on the Internet and while most of them are simply a moment's amusement this one stuck with me.
It spoke of how writers bring notepads everywhere in case they're struck with inspiration or internally correct the grammar of others. Without thinking about it I've been doing all those things. It was like this 'community thing' where only another writer could understand that sort of thing on an emotional level. More than 'How to Know You're A Writer' but how to know you are a writer. Writers could recognize each other by the books under their arms.
"DREAMS ARE PLOT-FODDER AND STORY-FODDER."
Is one of my two favorites because it's true. Whenever I'm fortunate enough to remember a dream, and awake enough to get up and write it down, my first thought is not 'how weird was that'? but 'how can I use this in a book?' Dreaming is fishing in primordial soup. There's some great stuff in there if you can find it and write it down before it vanishes like so much smoke
"YOUR FOOD GROUPS ARE TEA, COFFEE, ESPRESSO, AND CHOCOLATE."
My second favorite. While I don't drink coffee I do drink Five Hour Energy and Gatorade and this new Neuro Sonic stuff. Whatever it is, writers need their fuel. Again, a community thing. Sharing food and drink is perhaps the oldest social ritual we have. I imagine writing groups go through a lot of the stuff.
Speaking of writer community, the author of the "How To Know You're A Writer" post started NaNoWriMo today. She could use a little inspiration.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Outlines; Character Action List
I've been reading a lot of posts about outlines over at Crimson League and it's got me thinking about how I use outlines when writing A Mage's Power. Most of the time I don't use them. I just think about what the characters involved would do next and follow that. When I get stuck or lost I use an outline I call the Character Action List (CAL) .
I create a list of events: '1. Bob does x. 2. Alice does y. 3. Charles does z. 4'. etc and I flesh out those actions when I do the true writing. One point can spiral out into several paragraphs because it is a general idea. It expands like unpacking a suitcase. This is enough to get the ball rolling and move on to the next scene.
This practice of CAL flows out of the idea that stories should be driven by their characters instead of their plots. A plot is nothing more than characters interacting with each other and their world; creating a list of the actions characters take in that world can do wonders for writer's block. When it comes time to write you have something to hold onto and push from. It also serves as a check against Idiot Balls.
If the plot demands something of a character then a plot outline can hide how out-of-character it could be. The Character Action List reveals the sequence of actions taken by the character and so it isolates the weak link where the character behaves differently than normal. Spotting this sort of thing is the difference between leaving a reader in awe and providing them with snark bait.
Don't forget that the CAL is a short term thing. It maps a small area that you're stuck in and no more. Bigger outlines don't take organic growth into account and so they are too limiting. The characters are ignored in favor of what the author wants to do. Use the CAL to listen to them and your story will be better for it.
I create a list of events: '1. Bob does x. 2. Alice does y. 3. Charles does z. 4'. etc and I flesh out those actions when I do the true writing. One point can spiral out into several paragraphs because it is a general idea. It expands like unpacking a suitcase. This is enough to get the ball rolling and move on to the next scene.
This practice of CAL flows out of the idea that stories should be driven by their characters instead of their plots. A plot is nothing more than characters interacting with each other and their world; creating a list of the actions characters take in that world can do wonders for writer's block. When it comes time to write you have something to hold onto and push from. It also serves as a check against Idiot Balls.
If the plot demands something of a character then a plot outline can hide how out-of-character it could be. The Character Action List reveals the sequence of actions taken by the character and so it isolates the weak link where the character behaves differently than normal. Spotting this sort of thing is the difference between leaving a reader in awe and providing them with snark bait.
Don't forget that the CAL is a short term thing. It maps a small area that you're stuck in and no more. Bigger outlines don't take organic growth into account and so they are too limiting. The characters are ignored in favor of what the author wants to do. Use the CAL to listen to them and your story will be better for it.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
A "Incredible Hulk" trumps a mere "Hulk"
Continuing my exploration of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I watched "The Incredible Hulk". I was skeptical when I bought it because "Hulk" was such a disapointment but I am a skeptic no more. In addition to having a plot this time, the reboot veers away from the human melodrama that killed the first by including plenty of action and occasional humor.
The story begins long after the experiment that transformed Bruce Banner into the Hulk. It focuses on a cure. Every action Bruce takes is towards a cure and leads the plot. On the other side of the coin, Blonsky's drive to progressively upgrade himself into the next Hulk. Thus we have passive and peaceful Banner vs aggressive and war-like Blonsky melding like yin and yang; a fascinating cinematic device. This is the sort of thing that was missing in the last Hulk movie.
Considering the poetential for action inherent in such a superhero there was little of in "Hulk". In contrast, the "Incredible Hulk" tells the origin story briefly durring the opening credits and fills the audience in after a five month time skip. This allows it to go right to the HULK SMASH and give Bruce enough time to come to terms with initial angst. Furthermore, instead of whinning about it, this Bruce is proactive. He studies soft-handed martial arts, practices meditation, and wears a watch that monitors how close he is to hulking out. Living in a shared Marvel universe is also a bonus.
I love shared universes. Each story in the shared universe adds to all the others; a 'whole is greater than the sum of its parts', sort of thing. General Ross wants to weaponize Banner's DNA; why he wants to do this is not stated directly but inferred by the wider universe. First of all, The US government wants to recreate the super soldier serum (Captain America) to match the power of hostiles that can drop out of the sky (Thor) or wear powered armor (Iron Man). Thinking about these elements provides a higher level of enjoyment.
The film is not perfect. There is a contrived coinicidence where the plot could have gone in a completely different direction. Then there's an idiot ball that I could have been avoided but is understandable. Every time Banner hulks out it's in response to Ross attacking him but this is only pointed out by people who can't stop him anyway. On the whole, these issues are minor.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Incredible Hulk" an A-
The story begins long after the experiment that transformed Bruce Banner into the Hulk. It focuses on a cure. Every action Bruce takes is towards a cure and leads the plot. On the other side of the coin, Blonsky's drive to progressively upgrade himself into the next Hulk. Thus we have passive and peaceful Banner vs aggressive and war-like Blonsky melding like yin and yang; a fascinating cinematic device. This is the sort of thing that was missing in the last Hulk movie.
Considering the poetential for action inherent in such a superhero there was little of in "Hulk". In contrast, the "Incredible Hulk" tells the origin story briefly durring the opening credits and fills the audience in after a five month time skip. This allows it to go right to the HULK SMASH and give Bruce enough time to come to terms with initial angst. Furthermore, instead of whinning about it, this Bruce is proactive. He studies soft-handed martial arts, practices meditation, and wears a watch that monitors how close he is to hulking out. Living in a shared Marvel universe is also a bonus.
I love shared universes. Each story in the shared universe adds to all the others; a 'whole is greater than the sum of its parts', sort of thing. General Ross wants to weaponize Banner's DNA; why he wants to do this is not stated directly but inferred by the wider universe. First of all, The US government wants to recreate the super soldier serum (Captain America) to match the power of hostiles that can drop out of the sky (Thor) or wear powered armor (Iron Man). Thinking about these elements provides a higher level of enjoyment.
The film is not perfect. There is a contrived coinicidence where the plot could have gone in a completely different direction. Then there's an idiot ball that I could have been avoided but is understandable. Every time Banner hulks out it's in response to Ross attacking him but this is only pointed out by people who can't stop him anyway. On the whole, these issues are minor.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Incredible Hulk" an A-
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The Power of THOR
Yes, late I know, but life happened. Anyway, THOR is a great movie but not for the usual reasons one would think of in the Super Hero genre. Yes, the battles are great. Yes, the special effects are impressive. However, the real pull for me was the twist on the usual villains that would inhabit this genre. They are are not (completely) evil and their minions are not cannon fodder.
The plot is notable is it's lack of a traditional "Big Bad" villain. They are the best part of the film from a story telling perspective. There are two and neither of them is the 'pure evil take over the world and laugh evily' sort.
The first villain Laufey who is introduced as a villainous character but doesn't do anything until Thor invades his world and kills a bunch of his people. This makes him an anti-villain because he is justified in his actions. One cannot dismiss him as 'pure evil monster to be smitten by the hero'.
The second is Loki. He is Thor's best friend and truly cares about him. It's only after a certain mind-shattering Revelation that he decisively moves like a villain but even then one can argue that this action was secretly to help Thor. His motivation becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses and even at the end it's hard to call him a true villain.
Both of them lack evil plans at the story's beginning and so any evil they commit is more 'take advantage of an opportunity' than pre-meditated villainy. What's more, one can (and certainly my fellow tropers have) argue that their actions are justified, or at least understandable, given the context. The villains and their minions too.
On TvTropes we have a trope called "What Measure is a Non-Human" that states non-humans will always be treated worse than humans and when it does happen it's alright. It's okay for the hero to massacre a group of monstrous looking creature because they're evil or something. One of the reasons THOR is such a great movie is because the hero thought this was the case and was exiled for being a 'vain greedy boy'. Thor spends a great deal of the movie learning the opposite. The Frost Giants look monstrous and did indeed invade Midgard (Earth) in ages past to create a new ice age but they are not at all threatening in the main story line.
On a lighter note, humor. There's great humor. Thor and Selvig get drunk and sing. Thor and Loki have amusing brotherly moments. Darcy's role is Plucky Comedy Relief. My personal favorite involves Agent Coulson, the Destroyer, and Iron Man technology.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "THOR" an A+.
The plot is notable is it's lack of a traditional "Big Bad" villain. They are the best part of the film from a story telling perspective. There are two and neither of them is the 'pure evil take over the world and laugh evily' sort.
The first villain Laufey who is introduced as a villainous character but doesn't do anything until Thor invades his world and kills a bunch of his people. This makes him an anti-villain because he is justified in his actions. One cannot dismiss him as 'pure evil monster to be smitten by the hero'.
The second is Loki. He is Thor's best friend and truly cares about him. It's only after a certain mind-shattering Revelation that he decisively moves like a villain but even then one can argue that this action was secretly to help Thor. His motivation becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses and even at the end it's hard to call him a true villain.
Both of them lack evil plans at the story's beginning and so any evil they commit is more 'take advantage of an opportunity' than pre-meditated villainy. What's more, one can (and certainly my fellow tropers have) argue that their actions are justified, or at least understandable, given the context. The villains and their minions too.
On TvTropes we have a trope called "What Measure is a Non-Human" that states non-humans will always be treated worse than humans and when it does happen it's alright. It's okay for the hero to massacre a group of monstrous looking creature because they're evil or something. One of the reasons THOR is such a great movie is because the hero thought this was the case and was exiled for being a 'vain greedy boy'. Thor spends a great deal of the movie learning the opposite. The Frost Giants look monstrous and did indeed invade Midgard (Earth) in ages past to create a new ice age but they are not at all threatening in the main story line.
On a lighter note, humor. There's great humor. Thor and Selvig get drunk and sing. Thor and Loki have amusing brotherly moments. Darcy's role is Plucky Comedy Relief. My personal favorite involves Agent Coulson, the Destroyer, and Iron Man technology.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "THOR" an A+.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Answering Review Request: "Cloaks of Vermin and Fish" by Forrest Aguire
Forrest Aguire asked me to read his novella "Cloaks of Vermin and Fish" the other day. It takes place in Renaissance Venice and stars twin apprentices in the Thieves Guild, Italo and Vinecenzo, as they track down a relic for their boss. In the process they get tangled up with the assassin's guild, a wizard, and a cult that worships a fish god.
First off I'll say this the best opening scene I've ever read as a voluntary book reviewer. "Spoglio had wondered many times what it might feel like to die". That's the first line. Something like that draws attention. Spoglio is in the process of a robbery; an Action Prologue which also helps hold attention. It certainly had mine. It also provides world building. Finally, Spoglio is a decoy protagonist. These three factors got me interested in the story and flipping the pages. A crucial factor for the first few pages of any book. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is not so engaging.
The first twenty pages or so are a comedy. The two thieves are comical fools and the butt of jokes and amusing injuries. Even the death of their grandmother, as revealed in flashback, is treated as black comedy. Though the narration states the twins feel bad, the nature of the death and the tone of the story so far makes it hard to take seriously. Then a gruesome and horrific death occurs and the rest of the story is not so funny.
The death of their grandmother is only the tip of a horrible childhood. Without the humorous tone they become less endearing fools and more tragic victims. This itself is not bad but it occurs at the same time that the twins are demoted to someone else's sidekick. They follow this person from one informant to the next on their way to the climax. One of them performs a single significant action before the ending and the other is just....there. These two aspects drain the light hearted appeal of the story that grabbed my interest in the first place.
With a different tone, a different (for all intents and purposes) protagonist, and a shift from thievery to occult mystery it feels as though Mr.Aguire wanted to write a different story and attached it to the first. The change left a bad taste in my mouth.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Cloaks of Vermin and Fish" a C
Click here for the next review request: Predation
Click here for the previous review request: The Trouble Shooter
First off I'll say this the best opening scene I've ever read as a voluntary book reviewer. "Spoglio had wondered many times what it might feel like to die". That's the first line. Something like that draws attention. Spoglio is in the process of a robbery; an Action Prologue which also helps hold attention. It certainly had mine. It also provides world building. Finally, Spoglio is a decoy protagonist. These three factors got me interested in the story and flipping the pages. A crucial factor for the first few pages of any book. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is not so engaging.
The first twenty pages or so are a comedy. The two thieves are comical fools and the butt of jokes and amusing injuries. Even the death of their grandmother, as revealed in flashback, is treated as black comedy. Though the narration states the twins feel bad, the nature of the death and the tone of the story so far makes it hard to take seriously. Then a gruesome and horrific death occurs and the rest of the story is not so funny.
The death of their grandmother is only the tip of a horrible childhood. Without the humorous tone they become less endearing fools and more tragic victims. This itself is not bad but it occurs at the same time that the twins are demoted to someone else's sidekick. They follow this person from one informant to the next on their way to the climax. One of them performs a single significant action before the ending and the other is just....there. These two aspects drain the light hearted appeal of the story that grabbed my interest in the first place.
With a different tone, a different (for all intents and purposes) protagonist, and a shift from thievery to occult mystery it feels as though Mr.Aguire wanted to write a different story and attached it to the first. The change left a bad taste in my mouth.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "Cloaks of Vermin and Fish" a C
Click here for the next review request: Predation
Click here for the previous review request: The Trouble Shooter
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