I find myself in an internal conflict between projects that reflect my personal beliefs and projects that strive for wide spread popularity. In the past I felt that these two goals were not incompatible, but lately I’ve been focussed on how to attract readers. While I still feel I need to write for a wide audience, I also need to integrate my personal views.
The last few weeks I have considered why some of the viral e-mails that fly around are popular. Although the e-mails were typically presented as factual, I found them unrealistic. Usually when I looked them up on the urban legend websites, there are indeed fictional.
In one typical e-mail story a man turns the tables on street mugger. His actions, as he describes them, would have likely ended with him dead on the ground, rather than the mugger run off in defeat. The impression I was left with was that the author was angry after he was mugged and dreamt up the story to express what he wished he had done.
My conclusion was that many viral e-mails are wish fulfilment fantasies. The stories were of people who faced negative situations, such as a street robbery, but who had the skill and drive to turn them around. Most people in similar situation would freeze up and give in, but would afterwards wish they had acted with more self confidence and effectiveness. These viral e-mail stories allow them to vicariously see their wish come true.
This ties in well with what I have read about how to create sympathetic characters. People like characters that are what they wish they were.
In my past work I have tended to focus on characters who are not anymore capable than a normal person and who would not have the skill and drive needed to succeed where normal people would fail. This reflects the way that I see most people and what I want to say about them. It is to survive and find happiness that is success.
I need to be careful not to draw too broad a conclusion about these observations. However, I do see a conflict between the likeable character and the kind of character I want to work with. I am confident that it is possible to achieve both goals, but I will need to develop my writing skills to bring them together.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Rethinking Self Promotion
I don’t like to blow my horn, but they say you need to self promote to develop a following for your creative work.
Over the last couple months I used Twitter to promote my stories and films on Twitter. Every day I would post a couple of tweets with a link to a story or film. I also post stuff on my blog, MySpace and FaceBook. My FaceBook page is the most successful of these from what I can tell.
It is difficult for me to tell if this promotion is working as well as it could.
Over the last couple of weeks I read a few articles on the internet on self promotion: Social Minefield: How To Self-Promote Without Being A Jerk for example.
One of the bits I read was that if you want to be effective at self promotion, don’t self promote all the time. Keep your self promotion to about 20% of what you post. I’ve modified my promotion plans to do that. I still need to come up with other stuff to post. I do post links to interesting sites. I have a huge collection quotes I could share. I’m not that keen about saying much about myself personally. It feels to egotistical.
Ideally anything you post should get people to think “I want to share this” and send it off to a few friends. If what you are promoting is not interesting, then no amount of promotion is going to work. My more successful posts usually do well without promotion. I suspect that I should put more effort into improving my material than promoting.
The articles I read suggest that you ask people to pass your stuff along to their friends. I don’t really want to do that, but I will.
Please Please Please, share this post with your friends. ;-)
Over the last couple months I used Twitter to promote my stories and films on Twitter. Every day I would post a couple of tweets with a link to a story or film. I also post stuff on my blog, MySpace and FaceBook. My FaceBook page is the most successful of these from what I can tell.
It is difficult for me to tell if this promotion is working as well as it could.
Over the last couple of weeks I read a few articles on the internet on self promotion: Social Minefield: How To Self-Promote Without Being A Jerk for example.
One of the bits I read was that if you want to be effective at self promotion, don’t self promote all the time. Keep your self promotion to about 20% of what you post. I’ve modified my promotion plans to do that. I still need to come up with other stuff to post. I do post links to interesting sites. I have a huge collection quotes I could share. I’m not that keen about saying much about myself personally. It feels to egotistical.
Ideally anything you post should get people to think “I want to share this” and send it off to a few friends. If what you are promoting is not interesting, then no amount of promotion is going to work. My more successful posts usually do well without promotion. I suspect that I should put more effort into improving my material than promoting.
The articles I read suggest that you ask people to pass your stuff along to their friends. I don’t really want to do that, but I will.
Please Please Please, share this post with your friends. ;-)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Transportation Planning Expose
Writers are always told to “write what you know.” I worked for 30 years as a transportation planner, so I thought I should write a story set in that milieu. So far I have found that very hard to do.
About six years ago I started on a script idea set in a transportation planning office. Initially I called it The Thompson Proposal, but changed it to Traffic Collision. I got bogged down because I tried to come up with a good McGuffin before I came up with a good story.
I started a satirical story that I called Tom Swift and his Incredible Traffic Model. I have a draft done, but it just doesn’t work. I need to massively rewrite it. I can’t use the name Tom Swift in the title either.
This week I started to write a review of the book Future Babble: Why Expert Predictions Fail - And Why We Believe Them Anyway. Most of my career was spent in forecasting and I found the book resonated with how I felt about the topic. It has been very hard to write. Maybe it is just that it is that I have to go back and think about the work I used to do before I retired. I want to check and double check everything I say, which takes time. Once I get on the Internet it is so easy to get distracted. Besides that, I can’t seem to find a way to say what I want to say. I’ve tried several different approaches, but none has worked so far. I think I’ll leave it for a time.
After I did The Abattoir Project: A Ken Walker Adventure, I decided I could use that as a template to write a transportation planning story. I made good progress on the outline this week. I need to fill in more details about the plot and the characters before I can start to write. This time I focussed on the story before I developed the background. I think I have enough plot ideas for several more stories. We’ll see how it goes.
I want the story to be a realistic portrayal of transportation planning, but part of me would like to throw in a murder mystery and gun fights. It is easier to catch reader’s attention if your protagonist is likely to be shot, than if he might get a stern talking to from his boss.
I want to get back to work on My Most Difficult Case now, so I’m not sure when I’ll get this story done.
About six years ago I started on a script idea set in a transportation planning office. Initially I called it The Thompson Proposal, but changed it to Traffic Collision. I got bogged down because I tried to come up with a good McGuffin before I came up with a good story.
I started a satirical story that I called Tom Swift and his Incredible Traffic Model. I have a draft done, but it just doesn’t work. I need to massively rewrite it. I can’t use the name Tom Swift in the title either.
This week I started to write a review of the book Future Babble: Why Expert Predictions Fail - And Why We Believe Them Anyway. Most of my career was spent in forecasting and I found the book resonated with how I felt about the topic. It has been very hard to write. Maybe it is just that it is that I have to go back and think about the work I used to do before I retired. I want to check and double check everything I say, which takes time. Once I get on the Internet it is so easy to get distracted. Besides that, I can’t seem to find a way to say what I want to say. I’ve tried several different approaches, but none has worked so far. I think I’ll leave it for a time.
After I did The Abattoir Project: A Ken Walker Adventure, I decided I could use that as a template to write a transportation planning story. I made good progress on the outline this week. I need to fill in more details about the plot and the characters before I can start to write. This time I focussed on the story before I developed the background. I think I have enough plot ideas for several more stories. We’ll see how it goes.
I want the story to be a realistic portrayal of transportation planning, but part of me would like to throw in a murder mystery and gun fights. It is easier to catch reader’s attention if your protagonist is likely to be shot, than if he might get a stern talking to from his boss.
I want to get back to work on My Most Difficult Case now, so I’m not sure when I’ll get this story done.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Abattoir Project: A Ken Walker Adventure
I finished and published my new short story.
A typical management consultant doesn't need to worry that someone will try to kill him, but then, Ken Walker wasn't a typical management consultant.
I used Lester Dent’s writing formula. It isn’t deep and the characters are a little thin, but I think you’ll find it a nice little roller-coaster ride.
If enough people tell me they like the story, I may turn it into a series.
You can read it on one of these sites below. The authspot website pays me more though.
http://authspot.com/short-stories/the-abattoir-project-a-ken-walker-adventure/
http://www.dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/The_Abattoir_Project.php
http://nut.bz/20kv_wad/
A typical management consultant doesn't need to worry that someone will try to kill him, but then, Ken Walker wasn't a typical management consultant.
I used Lester Dent’s writing formula. It isn’t deep and the characters are a little thin, but I think you’ll find it a nice little roller-coaster ride.
If enough people tell me they like the story, I may turn it into a series.
You can read it on one of these sites below. The authspot website pays me more though.
http://authspot.com/short-stories/the-abattoir-project-a-ken-walker-adventure/
http://www.dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/The_Abattoir_Project.php
http://nut.bz/20kv_wad/
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Text to Speech Proof Reading and “The Abattoir Case”
I rewrote my “Lester Dent” story three times this week and I have a new name for it: The Abattoir Case – A Ken Walker Adventure.
I used a text to speech program (Free Natural Reader) to help me with the proof reading. The program reads exactly what I wrote and it is much easier to catch errors. I did two readings, once with a woman’s voice and once with a man’s voice. I found that I caught different problems with each voice.
I found that when I listened, I could hear other problems with the writing that I didn’t notice when I read it. That helped make the whole story better.
The current version runs to 6,000 words, exactly. Not 5,999, not 6,001, but 6,000. I meant to publish it this week, but got onto something else. I have a couple more ideas for changes anyway. I should have it ready this coming week.
I used a text to speech program (Free Natural Reader) to help me with the proof reading. The program reads exactly what I wrote and it is much easier to catch errors. I did two readings, once with a woman’s voice and once with a man’s voice. I found that I caught different problems with each voice.
I found that when I listened, I could hear other problems with the writing that I didn’t notice when I read it. That helped make the whole story better.
The current version runs to 6,000 words, exactly. Not 5,999, not 6,001, but 6,000. I meant to publish it this week, but got onto something else. I have a couple more ideas for changes anyway. I should have it ready this coming week.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
My Goals for 2011
The New Year is a good time to reflect on accomplishments and set new goals for the year.
Feature Scripts
My goal in 2010 was to do three new feature scripts. I finished the first draft of my script Bright Freedom last week. That means I met my goal. They are all just first drafts so far and they are all a little short for features. I think I learnt a lot from writing them. In 2011, I want to rewrite each of them.
I know that I learn more from each script I write and, while I will learn from the rewrites, I want to write some new scripts. I have several in mind: The Crying Woman, The Caregiver, Tick Tick Tick and several I don’t have names for yet. I’d like to do six more, but I think it would be better to have a more modest goal of two. I don’t want to take too much time away from rewrites, after all good writing is really good rewriting.
My First Feature
Last year I decided I wouldn’t try to do a feature until I had a script I felt very good about. So far, the only script I feel I could make into a feature is Then the Phone Rang. I don’t think I’ll set a goal of starting my feature this year.
Short Films
I did plan to do a short film last year, but didn’t even choose a project. I want to do a short about nine minutes long. My idea was to do one in the same style as the feature I want to do. That would get me back into the swing of things. I haven’t started a project of that scale since I started My Most Difficult Case back in 2002! I’ll set the same goal this year.
I want use some of the video I shot in China in 2009 to make a short video. I have a pretty good idea what I want to do. I just need to get down to work on it.
I want to finish My Most Difficult Case and submit it for distribution. That was one of my 2010 goals and I made some progress. There isn’t too much left to do: music, audio and getting releases signed.
Short Stories
In 2010, I finished and published three short stories. I have three short stories in the works now that I want to finish. One of these I wrote using the Lester Dent story formula. It is my longest story so far at over 6,000 words. While I did it mostly as a practice exercise, I could see myself writing a series of stories in that same vein. Depends on the feedback I get on the first one. If I complete 9 or 10 I can publish another book.
Articles
I published 13 articles this year on Triond, Bukisa and Wikinut. I have several article ideas and a couple of drafts, but I want to concentrate on my fiction work. So, for 2011 I have no goal to publish any new articles. I may still do some anyway.
Blog
My 2010 goal was to post at least one blog a week. Other than a week or two, I met that goal. I plan to continue that goal. I had thought I might set a goal to do more, but I don’t want to over do it. Too many posts could drive away people who follow my blog. Most of my posts get over 100 views and some run over 400. I’d like to grow that more.
Writing Skills
Several people have suggested that I need to work on my characterisation and dialogue, so that will be a goal this year. A particular problem is that my protagonists are not easy to like.
Website and Promotion
While I didn’t make a goal of it, I did make a lot of changes to my website and other on-line presences. Until I have some more substantial project to promote, I will just develop skills and tools that I can use later. I have looked at some other places to post my stories and videos and I want to pursue that.
Feature Scripts
My goal in 2010 was to do three new feature scripts. I finished the first draft of my script Bright Freedom last week. That means I met my goal. They are all just first drafts so far and they are all a little short for features. I think I learnt a lot from writing them. In 2011, I want to rewrite each of them.
I know that I learn more from each script I write and, while I will learn from the rewrites, I want to write some new scripts. I have several in mind: The Crying Woman, The Caregiver, Tick Tick Tick and several I don’t have names for yet. I’d like to do six more, but I think it would be better to have a more modest goal of two. I don’t want to take too much time away from rewrites, after all good writing is really good rewriting.
My First Feature
Last year I decided I wouldn’t try to do a feature until I had a script I felt very good about. So far, the only script I feel I could make into a feature is Then the Phone Rang. I don’t think I’ll set a goal of starting my feature this year.
Short Films
I did plan to do a short film last year, but didn’t even choose a project. I want to do a short about nine minutes long. My idea was to do one in the same style as the feature I want to do. That would get me back into the swing of things. I haven’t started a project of that scale since I started My Most Difficult Case back in 2002! I’ll set the same goal this year.
I want use some of the video I shot in China in 2009 to make a short video. I have a pretty good idea what I want to do. I just need to get down to work on it.
I want to finish My Most Difficult Case and submit it for distribution. That was one of my 2010 goals and I made some progress. There isn’t too much left to do: music, audio and getting releases signed.
Short Stories
In 2010, I finished and published three short stories. I have three short stories in the works now that I want to finish. One of these I wrote using the Lester Dent story formula. It is my longest story so far at over 6,000 words. While I did it mostly as a practice exercise, I could see myself writing a series of stories in that same vein. Depends on the feedback I get on the first one. If I complete 9 or 10 I can publish another book.
Articles
I published 13 articles this year on Triond, Bukisa and Wikinut. I have several article ideas and a couple of drafts, but I want to concentrate on my fiction work. So, for 2011 I have no goal to publish any new articles. I may still do some anyway.
Blog
My 2010 goal was to post at least one blog a week. Other than a week or two, I met that goal. I plan to continue that goal. I had thought I might set a goal to do more, but I don’t want to over do it. Too many posts could drive away people who follow my blog. Most of my posts get over 100 views and some run over 400. I’d like to grow that more.
Writing Skills
Several people have suggested that I need to work on my characterisation and dialogue, so that will be a goal this year. A particular problem is that my protagonists are not easy to like.
Website and Promotion
While I didn’t make a goal of it, I did make a lot of changes to my website and other on-line presences. Until I have some more substantial project to promote, I will just develop skills and tools that I can use later. I have looked at some other places to post my stories and videos and I want to pursue that.
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