tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71886736393403728172024-03-14T02:00:56.616-07:00Book BrouhahaA blog by an independent author with a particular interest in short stories.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.comBlogger442125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-55349298694111745302017-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:002017-09-27T00:00:20.898-07:00One Hundred EyesThere is a "Netflix Original" tv series called Marco Polo. I'm a sucker for historical shows, especially if they feature martial arts. Since this show had both I couldn't resist!<br />
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As a short story writer, I really love this day and age we live in with TV series. I <i>love</i> how so many of them now tell sprawling tales with complex character development serial style. This style of storytelling is something that short story readers have known about since forever but only now does it seem to really be hitting the mainstream media.<br />
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Marco Polo took that serial style one step further by creating a spin off short film (about 30 minutes long) that told the backstory of one of the reoccurring side characters, One Hundred Eyes. In the series, One Hundred Eyes is the kick butt martial arts master. What makes him even more hard core is that he's blind. Nothing is cooler than a blind kung fu master who can hear the enemy coming from a mile awhile. The short spin off film explores how he came into the service of the Mongolian court and, even better, finally explains how he was blinded.<br />
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I'm biased but I feel like stories told in this way provide a much deeper experience than a standalone full-length movie or book. Told at the same time, backstory like One Hundred Eyes would seem like a pointless tangent as it would detract from the the Marco Polo plot. But presented as its own story, the two combined create a much richer tale.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-18459641347877528012017-07-26T13:55:00.000-07:002017-07-26T13:55:00.160-07:00Common Writing Mistake: Presenting Strangers When We Wanted FriendsHere's a harsh publishing reality: the reader does not have to care about your book.<br />
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Yes, it's your book. Your brain child. The thing you spent hours on every day for years trying to perfect. But you know what? There are millions and millions and millions of books out there. If your goal is to <i>sell</i> this brain child then it is now your job as the author to <i>make</i> the reader care about your book.<br />
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The best books are the ones that trigger an emotional response in the reader. This is a tough pill to swallow because of said mentioned reasons. You as the author already have an emotional response to the book because you are invested in it. But when someone reads your story for the first time every single character is a stranger. The goal is to turn those strangers into friends.<br />
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"Well, if they get through the whole story then of course the reader will be friends with my characters!"<br />
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Not true.<br />
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Consider a news article about a horrible freak accident. You may read the entire article to get all the details. You may feel bad for the people involved. But if you are reading about strangers then the article will not have the same kind of impact on you than, say, getting a call that a loved one has passed away in his sleep. You are emotionally invested in your family member. You were not emotionally invested in the story about the strangers, <i>despite the accident being a more interesting story</i>.<br />
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This is a grim example but I think it very correctly illustrates the issue. Presenting an interesting story is not enough. If the reader does not care if the bad guys get taken down and if the good guys save the day then you still have work to do as an author.<br />
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So how do the characters become friends?<br />
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There are lots of ways to accomplish this but I think the best one to keep in mind is to make each character's motivation clear. You must constantly answer the question "why?" Good guy wants to take down the bad guy... why? Bad guy needs to be stopped... why?<br />
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The "whys" give the reader something to connect with and form an attachment. Bad guy killed good guy's entire family and made him watch? Ok, now we have a very good reason for wanting to see bad guy brought to justice. By just knowing that simple fact it makes me <i>want</i> to see the good guy win.<br />
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<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-67244745148852653752017-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:002017-06-28T00:00:08.195-07:00Review of "Room for Rent," a short story by David Toth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
With a marriage and business gone bust, Allen is left with one option––rent out the basement of his isolated house in the Adirondacks to help pay the bills. At first, Greg Shaw is the ideal tenant: quiet, respectful and always pays his rent in cash. His paranoid insistence that dangerous people are after him seems like a harmless quirk. But when a household accident leaves Greg with a broken neck, Allen finds more than just old music records among Greg’s belongings. A large sum of money sits in a local bank and Allen, (a former child-actor) is faced with a decision: report the accident, or impersonate Greg to retrieve the money.<br />
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<b>Review:</b><br />
A classic tale of betrayal and greed. I really enjoyed this story. Despite the length the cast of characters were very fleshed out and memorable. The former child-actor going rogue was absolutely perfect. <br />
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The twists and turns were interesting but done concisely, which kept the pace of the story moving forward in a way that was fitting for a novelette. If you love a good crime story then Room for Rent is definitely worth picking up a copy.<br />
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<i>4.5/5 stars</i></div>
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<i>Reviewed by Alain Gomez</i><br />
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<b>Buy this story on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Room-Rent-short-story-Empire-ebook/dp/B01ED7Z7MQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498195636&sr=8-1&keywords=ROOM+FOR+RENT+by+David+Toth">Amazon</a>.</b></div>
Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-20224492229396136972017-05-17T14:05:00.002-07:002017-05-17T14:05:38.916-07:00Reassessing what makes writing funMy "real life" work has changed slightly. I took on a new position (in addition to doing the jobs of my old one). Overall, this has been a good thing. It was a career move and I welcome the opportunities this new position will open up for me.<br />
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But as with all life changes it has forced me to rebalance other areas of my life, which includes writing. I have become less and less focused on the business of writing and more viewing it as I used to view it before I got into publishing: as a hobby. While I do suffer from the occasional pang of regret from not being able to publish as often as I used to, I have found that my enjoyment of writing <i>and</i> just my general free time has increased.<br />
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This has made me reassess what it was/is that actually makes writing fun for me. I've come up with a list:<br />
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<li>I enjoy getting lost in the world I've created.</li>
<li>I enjoy drawing story inspiration from daily experiences.</li>
<li>I enjoy thinking about the story I'm writing and contemplating plot challenges.</li>
<li>I enjoy the satisfaction of finishing a project.</li>
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I do enjoy making some side money from my writing. That does make it feel rewarding. But I think I've finally come to terms with the fact that a writing income truly is "passive income." Yes, it helps to publish constantly. But you'll make sales when you make sales. Working an extra hour or two each day won't change anything.</div>
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But thinking over the rest of my list I realized that the rest of the things I like about writing are unrelated to money. I am now focused on making writing "fun" again. Not that it ever wasn't fun. But just approaching it less like a business and going back to the roots.</div>
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So I've gone full circle, it seems! I went from starting as a hobby writer to putting myself through the paces in order to become more business-like to going back to the hobby state. But I think that's actually what makes writing so cool. It is a lifelong learning process. How you see the world during one decade may not be how you see the world in the next.</div>
Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-43224782298188018992017-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:002017-02-22T00:00:21.067-08:00Review of "The Truth about Rebecca," a short story by E.M. Youman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Summary:</b></div>
She's a banshee screaming, sugar-starved monster, and her zookeeper has left you all alone with her. <br />
That's what's running through twenty-nine-year-old Henry Dalton's mind, when his five-year-old stepdaughter, Rebecca, enters the room and utters these fatal words. "Where's Mommy?"<br />
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<b>Review:</b></div>
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This is a touching story about two people in need of love and forming an unlikely family. Henry Dalton, the protagonist, is your very typical bachelor that has absolutely no interest in having a family. He's just "a guy" that wants to date Rebecca's mom.</div>
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The circumstances of Dalton taking on Rebecca as his charge <i>border</i> on unrealistic by how fast everything occurs. I felt like more time could have been spent exploring Rebecca's mother. It wouldn't necessarily change the result of the story but perhaps add more emotional depth to the events that follow.</div>
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Still, the story has a good pace to it. I enjoyed seeing Dalton's progression as a character. He really sees Rebecca for her all her faults and, initially, doesn't like her at all. I thought this was a nice, very human touch. It explores the idea that you don't always get to choose your family.</div>
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Definitely worth picking up a copy.</div>
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<i>3.5/5 stars</i></div>
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<i>Reviewed by Alain Gomez</i></div>
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<b>Buy this story on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Truth-about-Sugar-E-Youman-ebook/dp/B0190MWXLC/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Amazon</a>.</b></div>
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<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-82410053799743630622017-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:002017-01-25T00:00:15.231-08:00Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Filmmaker Andrew Stanton ("Toy Story," "WALL-E") shares what he knows about storytelling -- starting at the end and working back to the beginning. (Contains graphic language ...)Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-49765180156707261082016-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:002016-12-28T00:00:07.656-08:00Common Writing Mistake: Directionless PlotPlot, by definition, is the main events in a story or play. A key thing to note here is that plot shapes the story like the framework for a house. Details should be filled in but without logical framework the structure will collapse.<br />
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Something that I see during the beta reading process is the trap of directionless plot. To continue the construction metaphor, the author gets so fixated on putting <i>one</i> piece of framing in a particular space that he fails to notice how it might affect the entire structure.<br />
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Every piece of plot should build off each other. Do the characters <i>really</i> need to explore that mysterious tomb? Or do you just want to have a scene where it might be cool to fight the living dead? How does exploring that tomb add to the <i>other</i> plot points?<br />
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Now, this is not to say that there cannot be subplots that veer away from the main plot. In longer stories, subplots and character development are what make a story memorable. But the main framework should always be in focus. A reader should not have to read 75% of a book in order to finally figure out what it is that the characters are trying to accomplish.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-75715943782366389712016-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:002016-11-30T00:00:13.510-08:006 Years Writing.... and I forgot my own writing anniversary.<br />
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But that's ok. I don't think that's a bad thing. I've stopped thinking about writing milestones, to be honest. Writing is now something that I do as part of my day, no questions asked. <br />
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This is interesting because it's the same for music, I've found. When first learning a musical instrument we are very goal-oriented. I'm on "the next" piece in a book. But if you tough it out long enough you lose track of how many pieces you know and it just becomes a thing.<br />
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Over the past two writing years I've noticed that I've become less profit-driven with writing. Getting more sales was highly motivating to me when I first started on this publishing journey. But I noticed that my mindset has switched from <i>needing</i> to get sales to "Oh, look at that I got a sale. How nice."<br />
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My mindset right now I think would have frustrated freshly-published me a few years ago. But something I've realized from existing with my husband is that I put a lot of arbitrary pressure on myself. I give all goal/deadlines equal priority in my brain whether it's an important project that needs doing or something as simple as a dinner reservation. My husband is the opposite. He has absolutely no sense of schedules or deadlines whatsoever.<br />
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But as we've learned to have middle ground with each other it has taught me to really think about which of my priorities actually <i>need</i> deadlines. For me, writing needs deadlines or I would forget to do it. So I do like that I put enough pressure on myself to doggedly continue writing every day. But something that I have disliked about my publishing schedule is that it has made it difficult to keep up with other writing projects such as blogging. And I enjoy blogging.<br />
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So, in a nutshell, I think the lesson I have learned as I wrap up year six is to write but write what I enjoy. This means finding middle ground. I keep to a writing schedule and I keep track of my royalties as a business should but, in the end, this is still a hobby for me. So splitting my writing time between beta reading or blogging or fiction is not a failure. It's what makes it fun.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-37203876622961019302016-10-26T00:00:00.000-07:002016-10-26T00:00:39.913-07:00Why I Write about Elves: Terry Brooks at TEDxRainier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Prolific bestselling author of epic fantasy literature, Terry Brooks shares what inspires him to write, discusses what writers and readers bring to written works, and explores how fantasy literature can be a domain for resolving challenging questions and issues.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-73615035600270748252016-09-28T00:00:00.000-07:002016-09-28T00:00:08.579-07:00Common Writing Mistake: World BuildingWorld building is a tricky subject because there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problem. Ask ten writers how they attempt to make their fantasy world rich and immersive and you will probably get ten different answers. And this is not necessarily a bad thing! World building is what gives a story its flavor.<br />
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When I work on beta reading projects I would say that world building issues usually falls under one of two categories:<br />
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1) The Information Dump<br />
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2) The Assumption<br />
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The information dump is exactly how it sounds. Instead of creating a rich, sensory experience for the reader in gradual pieces, the author dumps everything the reader needs to know about a character/place into one huge blob of text. Why is this a problem? It's boring for one thing. For another, a huge blob of text does not necessarily enhance the reading experience. Just because the reader received the explanation once does not mean that he/she will retain all that information.<br />
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Readers need to be carefully and constantly reminded of details. A character who constantly displays a certain mannerism is more memorable than one who had an epic backstory presented once. With environments the impression the area gives is usually more important than knowing the exact layout. Having a house feel creepy and abandoned vs. warm and inviting is more relatable information than knowing a house has three rooms, two of them upstairs.<br />
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The second category is a little trickier to fix. "The assumption" is when the author forgets the reader is not in his head. The result ends up reading something like this:<br />
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"Watch out for those zortong. Everybody knows why we should avoid them."<br />
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So while the author gets points for trying to immerse the reader with new terms, the reader is still left confused because there's not enough contextual information to figure out what the heck a zortong is. The author knows what a zortong is and <i>assumed</i> the reader knows as well.<br />
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The reader needs to be clued in to fix the assumption BUT the reader also doesn't need an information dump. Both evils need to be avoided. Often assumptions can be fixed with a few choice words. For example:<br />
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"Watch out for those zortongs. Those animals have a nasty temper. There's a reason why everyone avoids them."<br />
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No information dump, no assuming. The reader now knows the critical information in order to keep going with the plot without being bogged down by questions. <br />
<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-37500364305806165092016-08-31T00:00:00.000-07:002016-08-31T00:00:04.588-07:00Review of "Never Chase Space Potatoes with Teenage Girls," a short story by Mack Moyer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41-cWStibVL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41-cWStibVL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Summary:</b></div>
Mike takes his dying mother to a desolate island resort, eagerly awaiting his inheritance once the old gal kicks the bucket, then finds himself in the company of a beautiful teenage girl. Naturally, Mike and his new friend are visited by what could only be described as the cutest space potato of all time. <br />
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<b>Review:</b></div>
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Moyer's short could be summarized with one word: trippy. Whether or not this works entirely boils down to taste. A reader could find this story amusing just as easily as he could find it ridiculous.</div>
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I found myself favoring the amused side of the spectrum. It was weird and random but I couldn't help but smile as I read about killer potatoes. My only gripe was the the story felt just a tad too fluffy. It would have been nice if it was a little bit more about a bitter son waiting for his mom to die and less about a drug trip. I feel like it would have made the twist at the end more profound.</div>
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Regardless, it's a fun, fast read.</div>
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<i>3.5/5 stars</i></div>
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<i>Reviewed by Alain Gomez</i></div>
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<b>Buy this story on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Never-Chase-Space-Potatoes-Teenage-ebook/dp/B01563OG5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467394651&sr=8-1&keywords=mack+moyer#navbar">Amazon</a>.</b></div>
<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-63637872143937158792016-07-27T00:00:00.000-07:002016-07-27T00:00:10.904-07:00Creative Writing Lessons: Bestselling, award winning author Neil Gaiman on writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-23733120190662783192016-06-29T00:00:00.000-07:002016-06-30T10:33:57.337-07:00Common Writing Mistake: Spacial AwarenessI brought up in a previous post the idea that writing is like an <a href="http://bookbrouhaha.blogspot.com/2016/05/common-writing-mistake-illogical.html">RPG game</a>. For me, I like the Role Playing Game comparison because it uses numbers and strict rules. Numbers and rules are not ambiguous like plot.<br />
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This idea of strict rules continues when it comes to spacial awareness. If a character can only move three spaces per turn then it would take two turns to move six spaces. This is a limit to movement and actions.<br />
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The same is true for characters in a book. Unless a character has magical abilities or super powers, there is a limit to what the standard human can do. If the character is on one side of the planet in one chapter, that same character cannot suddenly appear on the other side of the planet that same day. Enough story time must pass that allows for the character to travel that journey.<br />
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This is a trap that I see authors fall into quite a bit while beta reading. All too often I see the movement and actions of characters dictated by the plot <i>because it's convenient</i>. The easiest way to solve a conflict is have a particular character present so the logic of movement is ignored. While this is convenient for the author, it's jarring for the reader.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-70696452154546956032016-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:002016-05-18T00:00:08.802-07:00Common Writing Mistake: Illogical CharactersCreating characters is like playing a role playing game. In fact, now that I think about it, games like Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder <i>are</i> fantasy writing. The point being that you have to create your characters with abilities and limitations and then adhere to them in order to create a believable adventure.<br />
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Continuing with the RPG (Role Playing Game) example, if a character has 20 health left and a sword with 5 attack, that's all that character gets. It's very straightforward. It means that once that character's health gets below 20, he's dead. If that character is facing a monster, the maximum amount of damage that he can inflict with one hit is 5. So a monster with 10 health would require two hits.<br />
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I'm using the RPG example because it involves numbers. Numbers are simple and creating an immersive world for readers is not. However, the "environmental logic" is the same. Characters must adhere to a set of rules--that are created by the author--that allow for them to interact with the environment in a certain way.<br />
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Illogical characters are something that I see a lot while beta reading. To me, it's a very natural mistake for inexperienced writers. A book is born from an idea. And ideas for books usually hinge on large scale plot rather than character. The writer fixates on this idea, which is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. The trap is that the idea becomes all-consuming. Certain plot elements MUST happen (so the writer thinks) or else the entire idea is ruined.<br />
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What this leads to is illogical characters. By being fixated on plot, the writer forces the environment to dictate the characters' actions <i>rather</i> than the characters' reactions being a natural result of the environment.<br />
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To continue with the RPG example, if the hero with 5 attack is facing a monster with 5,000 health one of two things must happen in order for the story to continue is a logical fashion:<br />
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1) The hero must acquire a new skill or weapon that allows him to have a much higher attack<br />
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OR<br />
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2) Something must happen to the monster that makes the monster's health much lower<br />
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In other words, the options available to the writer must be dictated by the stated limitations and not "just because I said so." All too often the following sequence of events take place is stories:<br />
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<li>The super powerful monster is presented with no prior mention of any weakness.</li>
<li>The hero must face the monster but nothing is mentioned earlier in the story that will make him more powerful.</li>
<li>Writer inserts random event (such as a random character never seen before or a random power never before mentioned) in order to resolve the story</li>
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The reason why this is an issue is because, as I just mentioned, it comes across as random. Everything previously mentioned about the characters comes across as pointless to the reader. Why did the character go through all those adventures only to have a random event solve everything in the end anyway?</div>
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In order to create a satisfying reading experience, the solution to the story's conflict must be presented <i>before</i> the final resolution (aka the end fight scene). This doesn't mean spoil the ending. It means lay the groundwork for the story to resolve in a logical fashion.</div>
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Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-3581479574107834762016-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:002016-06-30T10:34:48.557-07:00Review of "The Suspect and other tales," a collection of short stories by K. Morris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41aDxxAYPgL._SX312_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41aDxxAYPgL._SX312_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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<b>Summary:</b></div>
Tales of the unexpected, ranging from stories of crime and vengeance through to ghostly happenings in an ancient mansion.<br />
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<b>Review:</b><br />
A pleasant collection of flash fiction length pieces. The stories are engaging and fun to read, though a bit simplistic with their twist endings. Most veteran crime readers will be able to predict the ending of each story before it happens. With some polish I could see Morris' style becoming quite thought-provoking.<br />
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Still, the flash fiction was written well. Each story was a complete experience and didn't feel rushed, which I appreciated. It's worth picking up a copy if you want an easy afternoon read.<br />
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<i>3/5 stars</i><br />
<i>Reviewed by Alain Gomez</i></div>
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<b>Buy this collection on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Suspect-other-tales-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00PKPTQ0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458769003&sr=8-1&keywords=%22The+Suspect+And+Other+Tales%22">Amazon</a>.</b><br />
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Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-12548645371688677532016-04-06T00:00:00.000-07:002016-04-06T00:00:16.758-07:00Common Writing Mistake: Show, Don't TellThey say that more than half of our communication comes from non-verbal cues. Naturally, this has led to a hundred studies trying to figure out <i>exactly</i> how much communication is verbal. But you get the idea. Suffice to say that if you were to watch a movie and put the sound on mute you could still generally tell what sorts of emotions the characters are experiencing.<br />
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Unfortunately, this is something that tends to get easily lost during the writing process. Writing is about words... the verbal part of communication, right? <br />
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Wrong.</div>
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To me, the most memorable books are the ones that create a world for you to become lost in. You love the characters because they seem real even if the setting is in an alternate universe. In order for that setting to become real the writer must give the reader non-verbal details to latch on to.</div>
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For example, <i>telling</i> the reader that a character is angry doesn't create much of an impact. How angry is angry? Forcing the character to stand by and watch his farm burn to the ground <i>shows</i> the injustice. The writer doesn't even have to say that the character is angry if the setting is done correctly. The farm was the character's home. Anyone would be angry if their home was burned to the ground for no reason.<br />
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Show the reader, don't tell the reader.<br />
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I believe that new writers tell details because it's easier than showing. Saying that the Lord of Darkness is evil is much easier than writing out a scene describing his ruthless distribution of justice. But the end result for the reader will be completely different. Telling me what emotions I am supposed to feel creates detachment from the story. Remember that a reader does not <i>have</i> to care about your characters just because you, the writer, care. Readers must be <i>made</i> to care, which means that empathy must be created.<br />
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Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-85095481497798941692016-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:002016-03-16T00:00:28.189-07:00Common Writing Mistakes Seen During Beta ReadingI've been beta reading for authors for quite some time now. It has been an interesting process, to say the least. I love that it allows me to meet fellow authors that are all in a different stage of their writing career. The process of helping them has, in turn, helped me a great deal. Beta reading forces me to take a much closer look at the flaws in my own writing and to try and figure out ways to fix these issues.<br />
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What's interesting to me is that many writers suffer from the same mistakes while working through that first novel or short story. I've done enough of these beta projects to now see patterns in what I come across. So I thought it would be useful to do a blog series on these common mistakes.<br />
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In each blog post in this series I'll address the mistake and a possible solution to this type of mistake. However, I feel the need to add a small disclaimer: I'm not a best selling author that makes millions of dollars from my writing. Like countless others, I too struggle with this art. My advice stems solely from personal experience and nothing more.<br />
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That said, stay tuned for more articles!Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-10941729012654866722016-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-24T00:00:12.905-08:00Canceling Out the DistractionsMy new favorite thing is noise canceling headphones. I've had a pair for years but lately I've been using them to write. Game changer!<br />
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I'm generally very focused once I get into a focusing zone. However, everything about my brain requires long stretches of start up/shut down. It takes me at least an hour to fully wake up in the morning (and that's <i>with </i>coffee) and when I go to sleep it's a several hour long process. The same goes for focusing. I can work for long stretches of time but calming down enough to actually get into the focusing zone can require some work.<br />
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So I took the advice of a friend and tried headphones with music. I made myself a playlist of classic music--no words! It took some getting used to. I'm a musician so my first instinct when I hear music is to focus on it. But I kept the volume turned down low and I made a point of having the music on <i>only when I'm writing</i>. If I turned away to look at my phone or check my email, I paused the music.<br />
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Basically, I Pavlovian dog trained myself.<br />
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It's been hugely successful for me though. The noise canceling headphones helped to cut down on the number of extraneous sounds I heard that could prove to be a distraction. While I'm not necessarily writing any more per day, I am using my time more efficiently. Once I sit down the music helps to put me in an "instant focus zone." I now spend less time putzing around online trying to get myself into the proper frame of mind.<br />
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Next step: increase word counts! Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-13478001880407876882016-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:002016-02-03T00:00:02.608-08:00Review of "This Long Vigil," short story by Rhett C. Bruno<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51c48MKPmDL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51c48MKPmDL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Summary: </b></div>
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After twenty five years serving as the lone human Monitor of the Interstellar Ark, Hermes, Orion is scheduled to be placed back in his hibernation chamber with the other members of the crew. Knowing that he will die there and be replaced before the ship’s voyage is over, he decides that he won’t accept that fate. Whatever it takes he will escape Hermes and see space again, even if it means defying the regulations of his only friend -- the ship-wide artificial intelligence known as Dan.</div>
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<b>Review:</b></div>
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Turning fifty is a mental milestone for most people. But it's a bit more than that for Bruno's main character, Dan. Fifty marks the end of his life.</div>
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This is a phenomenal short story. Bruno cleverly touches on a number of everyday life and aging issues in a very short space of time. The setting of the space ark traveling for 200 years to the next closest inhabited planet was brilliant. Dan literally has nowhere he can go but forward, a perfect metaphor for life itself.</div>
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"The Long Vigil" is provoking but doesn't weight you down with questions. It's sad but also hopeful. And the best part was that the story left me thinking about it for hours after I finished reading. Highly recommended.</div>
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<i>5/5 stars</i></div>
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<i>Reviewed by Alain Gomez</i></div>
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<b>Buy this short story on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Long-Vigil-Rhett-Bruno-ebook/dp/B019LZJ5H8/">Amazon</a>.</b></div>
<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-52102855862494510002016-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:002016-01-13T00:00:13.081-08:00Getting Back Into the Word Count SaddleNow that the wedding chaos has finally died down, I'm forcing myself back into a more intense writing schedule. To my credit, I did keep up my daily writing! How many words I got down on the page fluctuated greatly but Monday through Friday I would sit my butt in the chair and do something.<br />
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It was actually a nice way to spend the year. I mentioned this before in earlier blogs but it allowed me the freedom to enjoy writing again. I wasn't adding words for the word count sake, I was writing them because I liked the way they connected to each other. Given everything else that was going on, it was perfect for the time.<br />
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But now it's not so perfect.<br />
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I have finally reached the mental state where publisher me has resurfaced. Author me reigned supreme for too long! The slowness in which I complete stories is now starting to bother me because it feels like I have too much to tell and never enough time to write.<br />
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So I'm forcing myself back into daily word counts again. It feels good, actually. I learned my lesson from my past writing schedule attempts: I kept the word count goal small. Even though I had worked my way up to 800 words a day by the end of 2014, there is no way I would be able to just jump back into that without feeling frustrated.<br />
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As with everything, consistency is key. Here's hoping that 2016 will see an uptick in Alain Gomez publications!Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-63190723096681591712015-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:002015-12-23T00:00:00.146-08:00Concept Behind "Tempered Flight" by Alain Gomez<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gEanISC0L._SX348_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gEanISC0L._SX348_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
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So after a loooooong hiatus I finally resurrected the Calen Natari Saga with a second installment. I admit that I had a bit of writer's block when it came to Calen's character. I created her because I liked the initial, shallow idea of a bounty hunter/assassin. That profession is always romanticized in science fiction because, let's be honest, it's ripe for adventures. The scenario possibilities that the character can be placed in are literally endless.</div>
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But that is what caused the block. I was fixated scenarios, which was the focus of book one. I realized that scenarios are quickly going to become redundant if I don't go deeper. I started to question who Calen really was as a character other than just a killing machine.</div>
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<i>Tempered Flight </i>was the result of those pondering. Calen's weaknesses are delved into more. She has flaws. I'm liking the way this particular saga is headed. It will be interesting to see her develop more.</div>
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<b>Buy this story on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Muzik-Chronicles-Tempered-Flight-Natari-ebook/dp/B0101A17DC/ref=la_B004LI8VP8_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448491433&sr=1-2">Amazon</a>.</b></div>
<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-22694395300109125562015-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:002015-12-12T11:23:20.299-08:00Review of "In the Dust," flash fiction by Tony Rauch<b>Review:</b><br />
This piece was whimsical but I enjoyed it. It's charming in a "crazy" sort of way. The main character is clearly out of his mind but that's part of the appeal.<br />
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I hate putting words in the author's mouth but I really wished the ending had a bit more punch. The idea of an eccentric artist is just so funny that I couldn't help but feel that the ending deserved a touch of irony or something to make the story linger just a little longer than it did.<br />
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But I'm nitpicking. It's a fun, short piece. Well worth going over to Rauch's website and spending five minutes reading it yourself.<br />
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<i>3.5/5 stars</i><br />
<i>Reviewed by Alain Gomez</i><br />
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<b>Story may be read on the author's <a href="https://trauch.wordpress.com/books/whatifigotdown/">website</a>.</b>Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-33481507616212504502015-11-13T15:04:00.001-08:002015-11-13T15:04:42.050-08:00Getting back into the swing of thingsI have been remiss with my blogging. I apologize. I have a very good excuse, however. I got married. And if anyone has ever attempted to plan for a wedding involving more than two people, you will know what I'm talking about. It just has this way of occupying all of your spare time. And I was a very low maintenance bride!<br />
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Anyway, it's done. And I finally feel like I have recovered from the events along with the eight hour time difference of our honeymoon destination. I can be in sync with the planet once more.<br />
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I'm looking forward to being a writer again. During all the hubbub I made a point to keep writing a little each day but nothing else. I was out of the loop and I missed it. I enjoy staying on top changes to the publishing world and blogging. I like the satisfaction I glean from regularly producing new work.<br />
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So I'm back! And hopefully I'll be able to start hammering out some reviews for those of you who are waiting on one.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-60105432307175491792015-10-14T10:12:00.000-07:002015-10-14T10:12:21.480-07:00Half Decade AnniversaryI did it! I hit five years of being a self-published author. I feel especially proud of this milestone. If you can say you did five years of anything it's significant. A five year relationship is definitely long-term. Writing for me at this point has just become a way of life. It's a part of my work day that I do no matter what. <br />
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Earlier this year I got engaged and wedding planning activities have a way of just consuming free time and mental energy. I couldn't keep up with my strict, daily word count anymore. But you know what? I needed the break in the schedule. I switched from daily word counts to just writing daily and it did wonders for me mentally. I'm making less because I'm publishing less but I'm enjoying the process more now.<br />
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Coupled to all this, my beta reading business has been increasing. Beta reading really helps me to learn and process the dos and don'ts of writing. I think it's because while I'm writing I'm in the creative zone. But really examining someone else's writing gives me new perspective.<br />
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I feel like this past publishing year was a time of learning. I don't think I've made any writing technique breakthroughs yet but I can feel like I'm getting close to that point. Backing off a little from my grueling word counts let me examine what I was writing more and beta reading has made me more sensitive to things like cliches, plot holes and stale characters. I just haven't quite figured yet <i>how</i> to 100% avoid all those things.<br />
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I'm excited about my learning process. I feel like I'm approaching the end of my "generic story" phase. I think every writer has to go through this. You feel a need to write but lack the skills to tell the story in your head so it comes out sounding like every other story you've read before. It takes time to insert that unique twist.Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188673639340372817.post-77232885865559836562015-09-16T12:13:00.003-07:002015-09-16T12:13:31.113-07:00Elements of a Short Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Alain Gomezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17531540414270057688noreply@blogger.com1