Chris AndrewsChris Andrews

The High Concept

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What’s your story’s High Concept?

A man atop a cliffI run a regular Novel Writers Group at the ACT Writers Centre, usually spearheaded by a topic of the month.

This month it was The High Concept.

It’s worth devoting some time to it and figuring out.

During the discussion, the High Concept quite often got confused with Theme and Plot, probably because it’s tied into both.

Phillip Berrie, a member of the group, recently wrote a wonderful novella called The Changeling Detective.

Right there in the title is the basis of the story’s High Concept – a detective who can alter his appearance.

There’s a heck of a lot more going on in the book than that, and the overall series might have a different High Concept compared to the individual book, but as a stand-alone that’s what’s at the heart of it.

Break it down

What happens in the story is Plot, and this will influence the High Concept.

So will the story’s higher meaning – its Theme.

Both Plot and Theme hang off High Concept, not the other way around.

The Changeling Detective centres around a character who can change his appearance – short and simple. Everything’s tied into that. In this case, it’s an origin story – which further influences the High Concept.

Try explaining your High Concept to someone who doesn’t know the story

Practice with something familiar:

  • A family has been lost in space and is trying to find a way home. (Lost in Space)
  • Factions of a galactic empire fight for control of a rare mind and body-altering drug. (Dune)
  • Gods are manipulating people and events to try and win control of a universe. (Prophecy of Power: Quarry. Okay, that’s mine. Couldn’t resist)

The High Concept is your sales pitch, your Big Idea.

It doesn’t encompass your story – it’s the basis for it.

How do you find your own High Concept?

Look to the title.

You may not find it there (Dune, for example, doesn’t encompass it, though the Spice comes from the planet Dune and the story is set there – but the sequels come closer: Children of Dune, Chapter House Dune, etc).

Star Wars, Lost in Space, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – all give you insights into the story’s High Concept.

Consider you’re telling your best friend about a story you’ve just read. What do you say?

Imagine a bunch of robots are trying to destroy their makers, and:  

  • The survivors flee their homeworld looking for a safe haven… Battlestar Galactica.
  • A cyborg is sent back in time to end human resistance before it begins… Terminator.
  • A man has the power to manipulate programmed reality… The Matrix.

Find the basis of your High Concept and expand on it in a single sentence.

Anyone can write a story about a secret agent with a licence to kill, but there’s only one James Bond. That particular High Concept has spawned countless books, movies, games and rip-offs.

To find your own, you’ll need to add a little uniqueness.

Start with the word ‘imagine’ and then lay it out.

What’s mine? Imagine… The Gods are manipulating people and events in order to gain control of an entire universe. The premise of the story? A princess is being hunted by assassins because of a prophecy she wants no part in. They’re tied together – but certainly not the same.

What’s your High Concept? Let me know in the comments.

Guest blogs and the Leibster Award

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Guest Blogging

Lately I’ve been writing more guest blogs than I post here.

Guest blogging is a great idea if you’ve never tried it. Guests get their name out there among new people, and hosts get content they don’t have to produce themselves. Win/win.

So, here’s a shoutout to my most recent guest blog hosts. Please check them out and maybe dig around in the blogs, and leave a comment or two if you have the time.

Dyane Forde interviewed me on her wonderful blog, Dropped Pebbles. Fun and entertaining.

Vashti Quiroz-Vega hosted a post from me about the evolution of my epic fantasy novel.

JW Alden published my guest blog on the future of publishing.

Jen Christopherson asked me some great questions on her blog.

Leibster Blog Award

Liebster Award imageJen also nominated me for the Leibster Blog Award in which you answer eleven questions, state eleven facts about yourself and nominate eleven more people while linking back to the original post.

Jen’s questions for me:

  1. Do you want to be rich and famous?
    Rich? Yes. Famous? Not so much, but I’ll take it if it comes with the rich.
  2. If yes why and if no why?
    Why? I’d love to be able to give away the day job. I’m not so sure I’d want the hassles involved with being famous though.
  3. What is the most important day of the week for you?
    Monday – it’s my writing day.
  4. What is your favourite dessert?
    Ice cream. Vanilla.
  5. How long did it take you to feel good about writing?
    Tough question. I remember my primary school teacher (third grade) criticising my short story about a koala using a branch to save it’s child. Her reason was that they’re animals and not people, so it couldn’t have happened. It really smashed my creativity (it was a kids story, not a reality show). I didn’t write again until late high school. It felt pretty good when I got my first short story published.
  6. What is your favourite time of day?
    I like to write in the mornings.
  7. Who do you depend upon?
    Depends what for. In regards to writing, I depend on everyone who has anything to do with it up to the point of publication – critters, supporters, proof readers, friends and family.
  8. Has anyone ever let you down?
    Yes, but it’s not something I focus on. Best to move on and leave the disappointments behind.
  9. Where on Earth do you think is closest to heaven?
    A chocolate shop.
  10. What was the most valuable advice anyone ever gave you?
    “You can be anything you want to be.” My mother. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but I do now.
  11. What is the most indulgent gift you ever received or gave?
    Personalised number plates.

Even random facts about me:

  1. My hair (though it’s rapidly disappearing) is very curly at the back but barely wavy on top.
  2. My beard is tinged with red. Or was. Lots of salt these days.
  3. I’m naturally shy and have to work hard to overcome it.
  4. The hospital I was born in got blown up and replaced with a museum.
  5. I’ve been to Disneyland. Twice. The first time was when my wife won a competition.
  6. I live within walking distance of a lake.
  7. I work at a government research organisation (sounds more ominous when I say it like that).
  8. I went to university as a mature-aged student.
  9. I’m a pretty good handyman.
  10. I always expect my lotto tickets to win.
  11. I can hear very high pitched sounds like dog whistles.

I’m not sure who I’ll nominate yet or what questions I’ll ask. Stay tuned.

If you want to be nominated, contact me or drop a comment.

Publishing and marketing a novel

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Prophecy of Power - cover imageHere I am at the pointy end of getting a novel to market.

It’s written. It’s been critiqued. It’s been rewritten. It’s been edited. It’s been sent out for further feedback. It’s attracted the attention of an agent. It’s getting a final rewrite.

What now?

Well, that depends on the agent to some extent – I haven’t had that conversation yet. What I do know is that no matter what happens, I’ll be doing almost all the marketing myself.

So, assuming a publisher takes it and actually puts it into bookshops, their marketing campaign will probably include:

  • sending out review copies prior to publication
  • advertising it on their website
  • advertising it in their newsletter.

In addition, this is how I plan to market my novel:

  • blog about it here
  • do guest blogs – at least 20 to 30 if I can manage it
  • contact review websites and try to get it reviewed on them
  • send out extra review copies to any blogger who says they want to review it prior to publication (I’m not sure about the publisher’s take on that – they may not let me)
  • tour bookshops and do book signings
  • attend conventions
  • announce it on social media
  • ask anyone who reads the novel to post an honest review on Amazon (or elsewhere).

Of course, there’s no guarantee a publisher will take it. If that’s the case I’ll publish it myself – electronically and via print on demand.

That’ll mess up my dreams of getting it into bookshops, but at least it’ll get it out there.

Either way, the marketing plan will be pretty similar. What else could I do? What have I missed? What have you done that’s worked?

The top four ways to end a chapter and keep people reading

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The ending of a chapter

The ending of a chapterThere are plenty of ways to finish off a chapter, but not all of them are good.

Try these:

Clear out early

If you happen to wake up with drool seeping into your keyboard and the final words still struggling to bubble to the surface, you’ve probably gone on for too long.

Spare your readers the pain and cut the chapter the moment the scene’s had its moment.

In short, clear out as soon as possible.

Cliffhangers

Gone are the days of television when you’d be asked to ‘tune in next week’ to find out how the hero, dangling from a cliff with no hope of surviving, gets out of their predicament.

Despite being overused, cliffhangers still have a place in a good story.

They’re a great way to build tension and draw the reader on, and are most effective when used sparingly.

A good cliffhanger creates that ‘can’t stop reading’ factor – an irresistible need to know what happens next.

Reveals and twists

Secrets are the lifeblood of a good story, and revealing them at the right time is an art that will ultimately take your story in a new direction or completely alter a reader’s perceptions of it.

Can you imagine how Star Wars would have panned out if Obi Wan, upon first meeting Luke, had said, “Guess what kid – Darth Vader’s your old man!”

It wouldn’t have mattered to anyone then – the significance hadn’t been built up and it would have blown a great reveal later on.

The same goes for your own story.

The more important a secret is, the longer you need to hold it – but don’t hold it forever.

Revealing it at the right moment (preferably at the end of a chapter) is where the magic comes from.

Buttons

Now there’s a term you don’t hear every day.

When you don’t have secret to reveal, there are no obvious twists, and your protagonist is refusing to climb out onto a thin branch above a river full of hungry piranhas, then you need something else.

So use a button.

A button is:

  • a wise-crack
  • a joke
  • a sentence summing up how horrible the situation is
  • an insight into a character’s perspective
  • a hint there are worse things to come
  • a question
  • anything that neatly rounds off a scene (you don’t even have to save them for chapters).

Those are my favourite ways to end a chapter. What works for you?

Writing update – July

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Book cover: Prophecy of Power - quarry, featuring a woman in a dress and a man in leather gear.My blog has been sadly neglected lately. I’ve been writing more guest posts than posts here, and I’m also in the middle of several projects which seem to be taking a lot of my time.

I wanted to blog about Conflux 9, Australia’s 52nd National Science Fiction Convention, but got all enthusiastic with another project and never got around to it. Catch-up time.

In short, Conflux was fantastic. I caught up with a lot of people from out of town (as well as plenty of locals I don’t see enough of), made new friends, rubbed shoulders with publishers and editors, convened a couple of panels, and even gave a workshop.

I purchased far more books than I probably should have too, but hey, if you can’t splurge at a con, when can you? Hopefully I’ll get the time to read them soon.

I’ve also managed to produce several printed copies of my manuscript through CreateSpace. I’ve sent three out to proof-readers, and hopefully I’ll get their feedback soon. The plan is that if I don’t get any joy from the agent and publisher I’ve sent the manuscript to, I’ll publish the book myself.

That decision has freed me up to write the sequels – something I’d avoided previously as being a waste of time. The reason was that if the first book never sold, spending time on the sequels was pointless because they’d never sell until the first one did.

That’s changed with the option of self-publishing.

I’ve also gained some insight into another story I’ve been wanting to tell, but couldn’t find a satisfying way into it. I think I’ve found that now. The entire story arc is beginning to fall into place. I needed to slow the pace a little – show the entire story, not just the end-game.

That’s it for now. Here’s a guest post I wrote for JW Alden’s blog on the dream of publishing books in hardcopy.

Recharging the writerly batteries at Supernova

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Two people
Me with Raymond E Feist at Supernova!

Last weekend I attended Supernova, Australia’s version of Comic Con.

Crowd city!

At times you had to wait for the person next to you to breathe out so you could breathe in.

Firstly though, I’d like to say a big thank you to Mark Mercieca for putting me up for the weekend – I really appreciate it!

At Supernova, I’d hoped to get Carrie Fisher to sign a few things – right up until I realised I’d have to pay $80 for her pen to grace my memorabilia.

I staggered away a bit shell-shocked.

Clearly, I’d failed my first true test of fandom – the lines to most of the celebrities were so thick I couldn’t even see the celebrities themselves. I didn’t chase Carrie’s signature – but a ridiculous number of people did.

Ian, Nicole and R2.
Ian, Nicole and R2.

However!!!

I did redeem my fannish side by queuing for hours to get Raymond E Feist to sign some of my books.

Magician was one of the first big fantasy novels I ever read, and its success inspired me to aim for my own number one international bestseller (still working on that.)

What impressed me the most about Supernova was the fans. It was like a trip back to my childhood where a bunch of old clothes on their way to the op-shop became a gateway to adventure.

In the case of Supernova, fans dressed up as their favourite character – and they looked good!

I could have spent the entire weekend just taking happy snaps of them, while they were more than happy to pose for anyone willing to pull out a camera.moving photo of a person standing beside a stormtrooper

And that’s what it’s about for a writer – inspiring fans to care enough to dress up as one of your characters.

For a writer, it probably takes more than a book though. You’d need a hugely popular graphic novel or a deal with Hollywood to get you over that line, but still – inspirational!

In the end, it’s the dream we chase, and events like Supernova help keep it alive.

That’s also why I had my manuscript printed up as a book. Inspiration. It’s all about the dream.

Me with the copy of my book I printed for inspiration.

Writing Update – I might self-publish my novel

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Book cover: Prophecy of Power - quarry, featuring a woman in a dress and a man in leather gear.Okay, I’ve been a bit slack here lately – but I’ve got an excuse. Several, actually.

Firstly, I’ve been writing (rewriting) the sequel to Prophecy of Power: Quarry, as well as another project.

Secondly, I’ve written two guest blog posts – the first has just gone live on the wonderful Jen Christopherson’s website – a Q&A. The other will go up in a few weeks or so (I’ll post the link when it’s available).

Thirdly, I’m preparing for the possibility of self-publishing. As part of that I’ve been playing with covers and have uploaded my epic fantasy novel to CreateSpace.

It took a lot more work than I’d anticipated, but the end result is that I’ve ordered some proofing copies.

If traditional publishing doesn’t pan out, I’ll publish the book myself.

If you want to know more about the project, I’ve posted several chapters of Prophecy of Power: Quarry online.

What I’ve learned about writing and publishing – Jen Christopherson

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Today I’ve got the amazing Jen Christopherson over for a chat on her writing process and experiences in the publishing game. Please make her feel welcome.

Photo of Jen Christopherson

Howdy!

Before we get started I would like to thank Chris and fandelyon.com for having me! I am very excited to be here!

I would like to say I am one of those writers that has a schedule and writes every day on a project, adding in communicating online on a regular basis (and in all fairness, I’ve tried!!), but I’m not one of those people.

I write and communicate as time permits. I try to keep in touch online at least five days a week, but sometimes… Well, sometimes life just happens!

When I’m writing, I write. I forget about everything else, including eating. My poor boyfriend! He has to remind me to do everything while I am writing!

Editing my work is easier because I have the inclination to “social edit”.

What I mean is that I share what I am working on with my boyfriend and we edit it together. Now, with my momma living with us, there will be three of us editing! LOL

Well, being a “pantser” (I like that term! I have always been a “seat of my pants” kind of gal!), I have a difficult time blogging! Oh! I missed my cover unveiling on Facebook, too! That was humiliating!!! LOL

Tior, by Jen ChristophersonWhen I wrote Tior, I wrote from start to finish. I wrote it in 30 days!

I wasn’t on the internet because I couldn’t afford it. I say that to let you know, I have been so poor I couldn’t afford the down payment on a free sandwich! LOL.

I had no idea about editing or having someone edit it for me. I wanted a second opinion on the book and asked a friend to read it. They liked it and wanted to help me get it published.

Well, I got wrapped up in the excitement of publishing and completely forgot to review the work to make sure it was publisher ready. Oh! I learned so much from that one little book! The story is good, I just want to “finish” it!

Warrior Crone by Jen ChristophersonWarrior Crone was different.

I kept being “visited” by Winaiva (Tar-Reesh’s favorite companion) and she was reading me Tar-Reesh’s journals. I know writers will understand, not sure others would though!

Anyway, I began writing it way back in 2008, but life had a way of putting a bunch of stuff in my way and I didn’t get it finished until now.

I’m thankful for the journey I have had writing it and look forward to what is to come!

My current project, Living Winter (working title), has begun by introducing characters and scenes. I will have to figure out where they all go and how it all works out! It’s an adventure fantasy.

I suppose that would be the “ultimate pantser”, right?

Three books and three different ways to start them! I do not feel that I am an author. I am more like a “ghost writer” who gets all the credit for the characters’ work, ya know?

Writing Tior taught me about writing, publishing and marketing (or the results of the lack of it!).

You should check it to make sure it’s ready, if you don’t want to “read it again”, put it away for a while and come back to it. Make sure you are not excited about the next step when you read it, you’ll miss a lot! Research publishers on Editors and Predators website. You can learn from others before you get into a mess o’ trouble!

When you are writing a book is the best time to start marketing it. Bring others along for the ride! Let them get to know the real you and you will find the people who will enjoy your writing!

Warrior Crone could be two books. The story before Warrior Crone is what taught me a “life lesson”. I learned not to judge a religion based on the actions of the people of the faith. Someone summed it up best, “Church is the one place where people go and not one of them is fit to be there.” In other words, “Principles are the perfection we are seeking.”

Warrior Crone, the book part, has taught me to not only accept criticism, but to embrace it. Without criticism, I cannot grow as a writer and THAT is what life is about, growing. At least, for me it is.

I haven’t tried to put any morals or theme into my books, I generally find them after they are written.

I think, if I tried to put it in there, the book would suck. I would be too focused on the moral and forget about the story.

I have found I love communicating with people about my writing. I love sharing it and hearing what they think of it.

I had people in my life when Tior was published who would only say things like, “It’s ok,” or “It sucks.” When I asked for more they would say, “I dunno.”

Now, I have people who tell me things like, “That’s a terrible place to end it! What happens next?!?” I like those responses much better. I can work with those!

I have one last thing to say before I go. I’ve heard people say, “It’s the journey, not the destination.”

I thought, “Yeah, they ain’t never been where I am, if they think that.”

Well, I have begun to follow my dreams and I can testify that the journey has been the best part. If you don’t believe me, then start following your own dreams and see what happens! I dare ya! I double dog dare you to follow your dreams!!! When you do, be sure to drop by and let me know how it’s going. I don’t care what your dream is, let me know what you’re doing to follow it and what your experiences have been so far.

Alright, that’s all I have for now. Thank you for letting me ramble and rant. I hope ya’ll come on by and visit a spell.

Please leave Jen a comment below or find her at her blog – JC Publishing or on Google Plus.

Read more interviews with authors.

An interview with Maer Wilson – author of The Thulukan Chronicles

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Today I have Maer Wilson over for a chat. She’s found publication with Crescent Moon Press for her new novel, Relics, the first book in The Thalukan Chronicles.

Q. Where did the inspiration for your book come from?Head and shoulders photo of Maer Wilson

Thank you so very much for having me on today, Chris.

This book actually grew out of the main characters, Thulu and La Fi.

I used to play World of Warcraft and made up the names Thulu and La Fi as nicknames for some friends whose names were similar.

Before I could tell them, the characters started clamouring in my head that these were their names.

I had a really good idea who they were pretty fast, so decided to see what came of it.

Q. Is this a stand-alone book or part of a series?

Relics is Book 1 of The Thulukan Chronicles.

Q. Can you talk about your experience of getting your book published?

I did the almost obligatory stint of trying to get an agent, but as I learned more about the publishing industry and saw how things were going, I quickly realised that traditional publishing wasn’t for me.

Years between contract and publication just wasn’t going to cut it.

So, I chose several small presses, with Crescent Moon Press being my first choice.

When I got that first email from them asking for my full manuscript, I was thrilled.

When the contract offer came in a few weeks later, I was over the moon.

It was the best thing that ever happened to me and I’m very lucky I found them.

Q. Did you have your own personal ’darkest hour’ in the process of getting your novels written and published (for example, a moment you thought it would never happen), and how did you get through it to achieve success?

Surprisingly enough, there was a time just a few weeks before my contract offer.

I’d become convinced my book was awful.

I’d already chosen my small presses and had been working on my rewriting my query again when this happened.

So, I sent several queries to my top picks all at once, figuring to get all my rejections over with quickly.

Within two hours I had the first request for the full manuscript in, which was from Crescent Moon.

A few days later I received my second request. I figured maybe my book didn’t suck after all. 🙂

Q. Which character other than your MC is your favourite? Why?

Hmmm…I vacillate between Jones and Reo because I adore them both.

So today, I’ll pick Jones.

I love how enigmatic he is and can’t wait to see what else he’s going to bring to the series.

He has so many layers that aren’t discovered yet in Relics, but I think he is my most fascinating.

He’s also my biggest challenge to write since he’s over 8000 years old.

Q. Who are your favourite authors?

George R. R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, Anne McCaffrey, Isaac Asimov, to name only a very few.

Q. Can you share a bit about your next project?

I’m working on Book 2 of The Thulukan Chronicles, Portals.

I have one more read-through and revision to do before submission.

Q. What advice would you give to a budding writer about developing their craft, the business of writing, and the career of a writer?

Relics cover image of a sword before a vortex.To develop their craft, they need to read as much as they can, especially in their genre.

They also need to write as much as they can. The two go hand in hand, I think.

On the business of writing, they need to take their time and thoroughly polish the manuscript.

I think too often the excitement of actually finishing gets the better of some folks and they send off a manuscript that should have had more beta readers and more revising.

As for their career, once someone decides they are serious about writing they need to establish their presence online.

They should start a website or blog, build up their social media and join writing groups.

And they should always be polite and remember to keep their PR face on at all times.

That’s a lesson I brought with me from my years onstage, but I think it applies to authors as well.

Chris, thanks once again for having me over.

About Maer: After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. She has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. You can visit her website at maerwilson.com. You can find Relics on Amazon.

You might also like Maer’s previous guest post: Maer Wilson – Methods to My Madness.

Conflux, Elevator Pitches and Pitching Sessions

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With Conflux kicking off this Thursday, I thought a post about pitching to agents and editors was in order.

Conflux 9 LogoWhy?

Other than having a good time and catching up with friends at Conflux, I’ll be moderating a panel on pitching (with two agents and an editor), teaching the art of creating elevator pitches during a workshop on Friday morning, and later that day pitching to an editor myself in the hopes of selling my epic fantasy.

So what do I know about pitching? A few things.

The basics…

The best thing you can do is approach a pitching session from agent or editor’s perspective, which means keeping two things in mind:

  1. They want to know that you’re someone they can work with (that you’re not insane).
  2. You have something they can make money from (they’re running a business, not an art-house).

In regard to pleading ‘not insane’:

  • Princess LeiaDon’t turn up in your best Princess Leia slave outfit (I’ve heard of it happening – people trying to be memorable, which they were, but for all the wrong reasons). Go with neat and tidy instead. You want them to remember your story, not your outfit.
  • Be polite and enthusiastic, but not over the top. Think of it as an informal job interview if that helps; keep it casual but on-topic.

In regard to pitching your story:

Your pitch only has one purpose once you get over the insanity hurdle – to get them to request your story. Nothing else.

Therefore:

  • Have a good one-liner that neatly summarises your book and intrigues at the same time (ie, the bulk of what I’ll be teaching at my workshop).
  • Try to get them to care about/empathise with your characters and the situation they’re in (character is story).
  • Give them an overview of the ‘big idea’, particularly if they’re ‘ideas people’.
  • Practice in front of the mirror.

And that’s all you really need to do in five minutes. If you’re attending, I’d love to see you at my workshop. Otherwise, pull me aside for a coffee and a chat.

You can find more details about Conflux and my workshop on the Conflux website. If, however, you’re just looking for a laugh, check out The Top 10 ways to Successfully Pitch to an Agent or Editor – The Cretin’s Guide.

How do you review a friend’s book?

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Following on from last week’s post about self-publishing, another question arose – how do you review a book by a friend or acquaintance without facing some sort of ethical dilemma?

You want to help your friends by spreading the word with a good review, but you don’t want to appear biased, and on the flip side, what if you promote a friend’s book that’s clearly not as good as you say it is? People won’t trust you.

Last week, I commented on three books from authors I don’t know – but I’ve got books in my collection from authors I do know. Lots of them.

Do I review their babies and give an honest opinion? What if I don’t like what I read? What if I do?

Should I just comment on the aspects I like and pretend the stuff I don’t like isn’t there?

What if I only post about the ones I like? That’s an opinion too, and one even more likely to hurt people.

I suspect the best option might be to avoid reviewing books written by people I know, but that’s not helping either.

What’s your take on this problem? Do you review books by friends? Should you? How do you go about it?

If you missed it, you might like to check out last week’s post: Is self publishing a good thing?

Is self-publishing a good thing?

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I’ve come across a lot of free book giveaways by indie authors in the last few years, but I’ve been hesitant to download them for fear of disappointment.

That’s not to suggest that rejection by the major publishers is an indicator of quality, or that bypassing publishers isn’t.

But how does a writer make that call?

Curiosity piqued, I finally downloaded a bunch of indie books and tried three at random – authors I didn’t know.

Hero MetamorphosisThe first was H.E.R.O. –Metamorphosis, by Kevin Gerald Rau. He is clearly promoting the book in the hopes of selling the sequels. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even checking out the five sample chapters that followed.

Despite that, I’m fairly sure a major publisher would reject it, but not by much – Kevin has an easy style and his prose is polished. He drew me in, and that’s what really matters.

The next two books needed some industrial-strength red pens. On a scale of one to five, both would struggle to reach one.

The first was so wordy and bloated I barely made it through a full three chapters, and only succeeded by skipping chunks.

The second was a struggle in an entirely different way – it began with a prologue that did nothing but summarise the story’s world-building and history (classic newbie mistake), and it didn’t get any better after that. I gave up.

My question is, could self-publishing be doing more harm than good by exposing authors to readers before their skills are up to the job?

There are certainly pros and cons to both sides.

What do you think?

If you like this post, you might like to browse through The Craft of Writing.

Is it April already?

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Just a brief update to say I’m still hitting my goals, although the one with the most potential at the moment is that I’ve shipped a query to an agent. Fingers crossed yet again!

Otherwise, I’m about halfway through another proofread of my epic fantasy novel (no matter how many times I go through it I always pick up more mistakes/typos etc.

I’m also about a third of the way through the edit of my urban fantasy novel. Editing isn’t writing unfortunately, but it’s still getting stuff done.

The main news however is that Australia’s Nation, Conflux, is on this month. I’ve been doing lots of preparation for it. I’ve got:

  • a panel on the Thursday afternoon called Elevator Pitches with publisher Marc Gascoigne and agents Tara Wynne and Alex Adsett
  • a workshop on the Friday morning called Distilling Your Story, where I’ll teach people the art of creating elevator pitches/loglines/one-liners.
  • another panel on the Saturday evening called Star Wars, The Rebirth, where we’ll ‘create’ our ideal Star Wars 7. I’m thinking both the Rebellion and the remnants of the Empire should join forces and hunt down Jar Jar Binks. Please tell me you’re with me on that one!

While I’ll admit I’m a little nervous (all this convention participation is way outside my comfort zone), I’m also somewhat excited for the same reasons.

If you see me at Conflux before, after or between my panels please say ‘hello’, or perhaps join me at my workshop on the Friday Morning. If you can’t make it to Conflux, you can always find me Google Plus.

Update on the New Years Resolutions

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Well, it’s been a pretty tough month or so – my wife’s been away studying (the first of four, one-month modules), making it difficult to catch up on writing and blogging while looking after the kids and working and generally trying to carry on without the usual backup. She’ll be back this Saturday (phew!).

Essentially, I’ve got very little writing done, and even less blogging. However, I’ve managed to put a submission together for an agent and I will send it via a giant snail this week (yes, they like snail mail for some reason – probably keeps the half-hearted away).

Earlier this year I posted a list of new year’s resolutions. A brief recap:

  • Keep putting my epic fantasy out there until it finds a home with an agent/publisher.
  • Finish editing my mermaid novel and start sending it out.
  • Write the first draft of my blind swordswoman novel.
  • Give at least two writers workshops.
  • Attend at least two conventions.
  • Firmly establish the Fantasy Writers community on Google+.
  • Write and find a home for at least one short story.
  • Write at least three guest posts on other blogs.

I’ve managed to hit some of those goals:

  • I’m still sending the epic fantasy out.
  • I’ve been editing the mermaid novel irregularly – it’ll take a concentrated effort to finish it this year as there’s another couple of months my wife will be away.
  • I’ll be giving a workshop at Conflux.
  • I’ll be attending two conventions – Conflux and GenreCon.
  • The Fantasy Writers Community on Google+ is firmly established with over 1300 members.
  • I’ve had one guest blog post published, and I’ve just sent another one off. One more to go and I’m all good for the year in that department.

And that’s the update. Here’s fingers crossed for success with the epic fantasy.

Oh yeah, I posted the first four chapters of the epic fantasy, Prophecy of Power: Quarry. Please check it out and leave a comment if you have some time.

The Cretin’s Top Ten Tips to Being the Greatest Writer Ever

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1. Don’t hold back.

Bruce Lee taught martial arts and he was the best at what he did. Words, however, are your weapons, so verbally abuse your competitors with cutting cynicism and bludgeoning sarcasm via book reviews and online critique groups until they quit in despair.

2. Get an agent.

Why? Instant street cred – they look great on your side at writer-type parties and book launches. Avoid marrying them though – marriages never end well and you don’t want to risk children as nappy fumes suffocate creativity.

3. Practice, practice, practice.

The best way to practice, of course, is to teach what you know, so grab yourself a bunch of two-year-olds and go for it. It’s probably best to ask their parents for permission first – parents get a bit antsy when their children disappear from day care centres without notice.

4. Master character development.

The more flaws you find in your friends, the better you’ll get at depicting character. Pick on their looks, hair, physical shape, attitude, intelligence, and anything else that seems appropriate. Hopefully you’ll master character development before your friends master Bruce Lee’s teachings.

5. Read everything.

Use the internet for inspiration – the net has plenty of thinly-disguised D&D adventure stories, authoritarian scrawlings and self-delusional family histories to draw from. Declare your brilliance by showing up all the amateurs via comments on their blog postings.

6. Find a mentor.

Someone supportive, but avoid successful author as they’ll eventually resent your brilliance. Your mother, however, has been putting up with you for ever. Start with her (and she knows how to cook your favourite meal, too).

7. Join a writers’ group.

Every group needs a leader, right? Any writers’ centre should be able to point you at a bunch of feeble-minded cretins waiting to follow a dynamic, brilliant, creative, God-like being such as yourself, all of them willing pawns in your Game of Publishers. Walk in, crack a whip, and tell them who’s boss. That’ll end well.

8. Study the greats.

Pull out all your school essays and assignments for a quick lesson in awesomeness. Why bother looking anywhere but at your own writing?

9. Get all the right tools.

You know – a ghost writer. Why put all that effort in when someone else can do the dull stuff for you? Relax on a beach sipping pina coladas while someone oils your back while writing your masterpiece.

10. Get inspired.

Alcohol works best – and it’s legal. You’ll be surprised at your own genius when you proofread with half a bottle of vodka pickling your brain – typos, continuity errors and illogical character decisions will all become a joy to behold.

Thanks for taking at look at my latest Cretin’s Guide. If you have some additions, please post them in the comments!

 

Otherwise, might also like the Top 10 ways to Successfully Pitch to an Agent or Editor – The Cretin’s Guide, or if you’re in the mood for some epic fantasy, I’ve just posted the first few chapters of my epic fantasy Prophecy of Power: Quarry.

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