I was writing a chapter in the fourth Gabby Wells novel, Gods & Martyrs, and, when I was done, was so disturbed by what I had written, I pushed the keyboard away in disgust. Creating characters is a tricky thing. They end up taking on their own lives and making decisions you don’t want them […]
Whether you are independently published or traditionally published, the majority of the ownership for your success falls on your shoulders. It is up to the author to write good stuff, build a fan base, establish beta readers and street teams and marketing plans. It’s why real writers treat writing as a business. It’s where the […]
I’ve been chugging along slowly, but surely. Mostly slowly. I was able to draft almost 7500 words on the Lost & Found novella before I slowed things down. I realized that I knew the end of the story, but some of the middle parts were fuzzy. And, since I was diving head first into writing […]
The first Gabby Wells novella, The Homecoming Incident, is in the hands of my first group of Beta Readers. Can’t wait to hear their responses, make the tweaks and send it to our second group of Beta Readers. I’m about one-third of the way through the first draft of the second novella titled Skyway. Not […]
As I mentioned yesterday, I finished the first draft of the novella The Homecoming Incident. As the first of five novellas as part of the Gabby Wells Chronicles novella series, I’m excited to get that first draft done. Today I started outlining the second novella in the series, tentatively titled Skyway. I’m trying to decide […]
Last night, after a long three days of writing over 10,000 words, I finished the first draft of the Gabby Wells novella called The Homecoming Incident. I’ll let it sit a couple of days so my brain can recover. There are a lot of things I need to add to the beginning in order to […]
I set a goal of writing 1500 words a day during Lent. So far I have lived up to that goal. I’ve written over 10,000 words since last week on the first Gabby Wells prequel called The Homecoming Incident. If things go well, I’ll be able to push myself and complete the first draft over […]
To be published or self-publish, that is the question. Since the advent of the ebook, a slow and constant paradigm shift has been occurring in the publishing world. Much like how Napster and, later, ITunes changed the face of music, Amazon and the Kindle have changed the face of publishing. No longer do authors have […]
1500 words a day. That’s my goal. Having suffered with Crohns disease for 24 years it has created numerous limitations in my life, both in diet and activity. So, whenever Lent rolls around, instead of removing a food from my already small list of approved options, I choose to add something to my spiritual plate. […]
Free is a gateway. In the self-publishing world, giving away the first book in a series for free is one of the ways authors can get people to take a chance on their work. The phrase is called “perma-free,” meaning permanently free and it allows readers to check out a new author or new series […]
Every writer doubts their abilities. It’s the nature of the process. When working on a novel, invariably I will write something of which I am certain is effective that, upon further scrutiny, seems to suck. The reality is none of these are true; it is neither effective or awful. The fact that it can in […]
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a perfect storm of predictability. If you decide to adapt a single novel into a movie trilogy, the middle story, the bridge, is the hardest one to pull off successfully. Having the middle story as part of a prequel makes the project a recipe for failure with The […]
“I have an image of Prim in a white room, strapped to a table, while masked, robed figures elicit those sounds from her. Somewhere they are torturing her, or did torture her, to get those sounds.” In my last podcast I talked about the process of adapting a screenplay to a novel. The opposite path […]
Today’s podcast discusses some tips on how to adapt a screenplay into a novel. Here are a few steps to consider when adapting a screenplay to a novel. Step 1) Overview. Look at the story from a 30,000 foot level. Sketch out the basics of the plot (beginning, middle and end). Also, write down the […]
Does where you write effect how you write? When I was starting out writing screenplays, I read an interview with Patrick Sheane Duncan, screenwriter of the film Courage Under Fire, who said that he taught himself to write anywhere with a pad of paper and a pencil so that he could write whenever he was […]
Video games can make you a better writer. I know what you’re thinking. I’m nuts. My wife would agree with you. She is fond of calling them “stupid little video games.” She’s also fond of calling anything that she thinks is a waste of time as “stupid little.” Like this “stupid little blog entry.” But, […]
Writing can be a painful experience. I spent the majority of my life around, involved in and pursuing a life in film. I studied it, I performed in it, I wrote for it, I directed it and I loved it. Some of my work made it to Hollywood, but most was of the independent nature. […]
Some people will not be denied. I have known Jenni Gold for about 20 years now. She and her husband Jeff Maynard have been fighting the good fight in Hollywood. They’re good people trying to make good films in a tough and unforgiving environment. Jenni was struck with Muscular Dystrophy as a child, but she […]
