Uncategorized posts

VVSG: cover and coverage

The brand new awesome cover!

The brand new awesome cover!

The Vampire Victim Support Group is one of those projects that kinda snuck up on me, tempted me down an alleyway, then ran off with my keys.

I hadn’t intended to dedicate any real time to it. It was supposed to be one of those background things that I poked at when I needed a mental break from whatever I was really working on. It lurked at the bottom of my to-do list and seemed quite happy slumbering there.

Then I got to playing with Inkspired and decided to toss the first vignette up there (Jaime’s story). I had another couple of pieces in the series in various stages of completion, and it didn’t take much more work to get a second one ready to post for everyone to see (Niamh’s story).

Then I got a little excited, chatted with the lovely artist Svenja Gosen*, and commissioned a cover for it. Doesn’t it look awesome? I know I love it.

I planned out the VVSG members and their stories sometime in the last year (I’m not sure when, but it was after I bought my current laptop). I knew I wanted each one to be very distinct, each person very different. As much as it might be reasonable to have multiple survivors of the same vampire attack, I really wanted a diverse set of stories to play with.

Diversity is a theme that I took into the scheming part of this story pretty heavily. It wasn’t just different vampire attacks: I wanted different ages, genders, and backgrounds. Different voices. Different reasons for encountering a vampire, and different reactions to the situation.

Because people are fascinating and there’s nothing more boring than having a group of people sit and nod and agree with each other on every point. Even if they all agree that vampires are nasty, vicious beasts (and I’m not saying they will), they’ll each agree for their own reasons. That’s what interests me, as a writer.

I also love writing about people on the periphery of the big stuff. Those who are touched by something as big and life-changing as the existence of vampires, but who would be side-characters or throwaway cutouts in the story of good vs evil, heroes vs villains. These victims don’t throw punches. They don’t saddle up and go vampire-hunting, armed with all the pop culture lore they can make into hopeful weapons. These are the ones who are hurt and traumatised and bewildered; the people who the heroes step over on their way to punching the Big Bad in the fangy face.

These people are just trying to figure out how to deal with this new element to their lives. These are the ones trying to fit this awful thing into their otherwise normal lives. These are the sorts of people who would start and attend a Support Group as a way to figure out how to get past it.

I’m interested in seeing if I can write all these different voices. Most of them I haven’t tried before, not in a viewpoint character. Part of my reason for building this project was to stretch myself as a writer, and as I get into the pieces, wow, is it doing that.

I’ve currently got three different members’ stories in various stages of drafting. One wandered off on a tangent that is both exciting but not really what I intended it to be, and needs to be pulled back on track. One is from a very different POV than I normally write and is proving to be a bit of a challenge. I think I’m struggling to find his voice. The third is going well and almost done, I think! But again, it’s a different voice and I’m not sure how well I’m pulling it off. I’ve sought a second opinion on that one, but I’m still nervous about it.

It’s fun and I’m enjoying the exercise it’s giving me. There are nine characters in all, and I think each one will have two phases to their story, so it’s going to be fun to get through it all!

In one way, I think I started posting it a little early. I was originally going to frame the vignettes with glimpses of the support group meeting itself, and I’d still like to do that, but I don’t want to write that until I have all the characters fully fleshed-out in my head and I had all the pieces I wanted to put together. The frame of the support group was supposed to tie the stories together.

Now, I’m thinking that I’ll save that part for the ebook version. The plan is to keep posting this story up on Inkspired, build up the full complement of group members, their stories, and a picture of a city’s undead underbelly from the perspective of those who skate close to it but don’t quite fall. After all, they weren’t killed outright, right?

The fun continues. I’m looking forward to getting this next piece finished and posted (it’s due up very soon!). I’ve signed up to post one a month – I think I can stick to that. Fingers crossed!

* Svenja is also responsible for my Starwalker art, and the soon-to-be released new covers for The Apocalypse Blog books.

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (1)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Writers’ Asylum: Colonising Minds: Epilogue

We have reached the end of the Asylum once more.

Congratulations, you have created an entire world today. You gave it purpose and people, you tested it, and you decided its fate. I hope that you had fun, and that maybe you’ve got a world you want to write more about. It’s yours: take it home and do what you will with it.

Thank you for taking part in the 2015 Writers’ Asylum! As always, feedback is welcome; you can email me or leave comments here.

Turn your padded coats in at the door and don’t let anything hit you on the backside as you leave. Stay crazy!

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (0)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Asylum preparations

Wouldn't it be cool to sail off in one of these, for lands unknown?  (Picture: scrimshaw drawing on a sperm whale tooth, courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Wouldn’t it be cool to sail off in one of these, for lands unknown?
(Picture: scrimshaw drawing on a sperm whale tooth, courtesy of Wikipedia.)

It’s almost that time again: time to delve into the Writers’ Asylum, my day of writing challenges. It’s less than a week away now!

(All right, if I’m honest, it’s late this year, falling in May instead of April. This was due to some factors outside of my control and another event that cropped up; more on thay event later. But anyway!)

The pencils are sharpened, the straightjackets have been washed and pressed, and I’ve got the keys to all the doors. I think I’m just about ready!

Okay, I’m kidding. I haven’t really sharpened any pencils. Who gives asylum inmates sharp things to play with? Seriously.

This year, I’m trying something different. Following feedback last year that it might be fun to try linked challenges rather than standalone ones, I have created a series of challenges that builds upon a single, central story. It was both difficult and fun to write.

That’s part of why I love doing the Asylum: I get to write the challenges. It’s my challenge to myself, because they have to hit a particularly difficult line in specificity.

I read them out to a group of people (anything from 10 to 40 people, if previous years are anything to go by) and some people pick them up from this blog, which means that these challenges need to speak to a broad range of writers. They have to allow people to go into a world that they can connect and work with. This means that they can’t lean too heavily in a particular direction; they need to account for different time periods, magic and technology levels, genres, feels, and preferences.

At the same time, the challenges need to be focussed enough to guide the writers towards something that they can write, right there, on the spot. 1,000 words in an hour. So it has to be packed with sparks that can cross all those boundaries above. The challenge has to push them, and also be about something specific.

Broad, but directed. Allowing for different approaches and options, and yet on the same overall topic.

It’s not an easy target to hit. I’m not entirely sure how successful I am, most of the time, but I think I get there. This time, because the challenges are all linked, it’s harder because I can’t make any assumptions about what the previous challenge has set up.

It’s also immensely fun. It makes up for the fact that I’m so busy running the day, I don’t wind up doing the challenges myself.

Which isn’t to say that they don’t give me ideas. They do! Perhaps one day I’ll get around to writing them. Right now, I’m just happy that this year’s Asylum is all set up and ready to go. The challenges are written and scheduled up on this blog, ready to post in tandem with the live event.

What is this linked story going to be about, you ask? I’m not telling except that it has a name: Colonising Minds. Take from that what you will. True answers will emerge on Saturday, 2nd May. Join us!

I’m ready. Are you?

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (0)
  • Interesting (1)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Appreciation

A kitten photo because this is serious, fluffy business.  (Photo: mine)

A kitten photo because this is serious, fluffy business.
(Photo: mine)

This year, January got off to a terrible start (I fell sick on the 1st and was horribly ill for four days). It ended, however, on a high note with my annual work performance review.

This led me to some introspective thinking (a fairly common phenomena for me) and reinforced just how much appreciation means to me.

2014 was a hard year for me. My health was crappy, there were mis-steps in my writing, and I was under a lot of stress for a significant portion of it. (There will be posts on some of this soon; they are under construction!) My day job contributed to at least some of this.

I can’t really go into details, so what follows is going to be a little vague in areas. I’ve mentioned this before: there was a shake-up in the latter part of the year and I shifted to a new team to help sort it out. The timing coincided with the busiest parts of NaNoWriMo, compounding the impact for me, and the project I took on was high-profile in the department (this year, it’s the highest priority in our whole department, so my team is under even more scrutiny, but that’s a different story).

I had a lot of attention on me and how I handled the issues in front of me. It was a chance for me to shine, if I pushed hard enough at the right stuff. (On the plus side, I couldn’t have done worse than my predecessor.) Of course, knowing what that ‘right stuff’ was was half the battle.

It was a lot of work. I had to learn a new technology – actually, several, as the part of the product the new team was working on was new to me, and involved interfaces with a lot of database, server, and network architecture that I’ve never had to deal with before. That was just to get the context of the area we were working in.

Then I had to figure out what the team was trying to achieve in the code they were working on and how to get them to achieve it. Bear in mind that I’m not a developer and I don’t have a developer’s training or background; my degree was in English Literature and Creative Writing, not software, engineering, or science. I’m more of a pick-up-and-run-as-I-go kind of person when it comes to learning this stuff, and I’m pretty good at grabbing the conceptual picture and fleshing it out. I can’t write the code, but I can usually tell you what it’s trying to do and why. As a technical writer and team lead, that’s what I need to be able to do.

On top of that, another part of being a Scrum Master (team lead-type role, in Agile terms) is helping the team work well together, as a team. I only really knew one member of the new team; the rest were faces I had seen around the office and that was about it. And they needed some help in working well together. Figuring out how to do this involves analysing personalities and using this to work out how to encourage them to get along. Understanding your team is essential if you want them to do well, and I was starting with pretty much nothing in that regard.

So I had to lot of catch-up and quick analysis to do when I joined this new team, because we were mid-project and couldn’t waste time. I had to hit the ground running, adjust things as I went, and bring some changes into the team in a way that was collaborative, encouraging, and positive. (Trust me, doing it hamfisted and forceful never works, and would have blown up in my face. I prefer taking the positive route and having the team come along willingly, as much as I can.)

It was a mad scramble. It was a lot of work and pressure. I was tearing my hair out at times, and counselling myself to patience, and pushing hard to get us to where we needed to be.

In the end, though, I fucking did it. 

We got there. We delivered our release with everything we had been asked for, along with a few extra bits we were asked to squeeze in. The team works better together (I still have some work to do there, but it’s coming along). The team all worked hard – I’m not taking credit for everything – but I did everything they needed me to do.

In my performance review for 2014, this was acknowledged and openly appreciated. All the work I put in was worth it.

Cynics may say that this is just a corporate HR thing, that performance reviews don’t mean anything in the scheme of things. Maybe. On the other hand, my manager didn’t have to emphasise this win so strongly, but he did. And it was a win for me. I pulled off something that few others could have done and they thanked me for it.

Sure, sure, monetary compensation would also be nice, but that doesn’t happen for another month or two. Maybe I’ll get a nice surprise then. For now, though, I’m proud of what I achieved, and I’m happy that my managers appreciate it.

This all got me thinking about the power of a simple ‘thank you’. They mean a lot to me. I think it’s because I try not to expect them; I’ve been disappointed a lot in the past. They tend to touch me more than I can rightly express.

It’s not just my day job. There are a few of my writer friends and event attendees who have gone out of their way to thank me, and it always bewilders me a little.

There are a couple of my writers who don’t come along to events and meet-ups very often, but whenever they do, they make a point of thanking me for my effort and time. A couple of thoughtful people have given me gifts as a token of their appreciation. Sometimes, someone buys me a coffee. I have people email me occasionally with glowing comments about my writing.

It’s those small, unexpected things that touch me most, I think. It’s not the gifts or the coffee that mean the most: it’s that someone went out of their way to do something like that for me.

I try to respond gracefully when people do things like this, but more often than not, I’m floored and don’t know what to say. I do my best not to brush it off – that’s just rude – and probably wind up doing something clumsy to express my gratitude for their appreciation. I don’t know if they know how much it means to me.

Honestly, it makes it all worth it: all the work I put in, the time I spend on it, the energy I devote to it. It means a lot more outside of work (after all, the day job is paying me to do what I do there), because compensation isn’t required or asked for. I choose to do what I do because I want to; I love it, and my people, and the things we do together. Knowing that others appreciate it, that I’ve touched someone’s life in a positive way, makes me insanely happy. (And sometimes a little bit misty-eyed.)

So, to all those who have thanked me, however you have done it: thank you. Please know that you have brightened my day and lightened my load.

A little appreciation goes a long way. In the spirit of that, I’m going to make an effort to spread more of my own.

Thank you all for reading. 🙂

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (2)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Awesome gifts for writers

So many gifts, so many choices! (Picture by Stephen Depolo)

So many gifts, so many choices!
(Picture by Stephen Depolo)

After reading a list by Chuck Wendig of 25 gifts for writer, (and his additional 10 ideas, omg!) and seeing as it’s my birthday soon, I thought I’d put together my own list of irresistible shinies for those who like to spin stories in their brains.

#1: Things that mark words on other things

You can’t go wrong with a simple, beautiful implement filled with inky possibilities. The options are endless: ballpoints, fineliners, mechanical pencils, wooden pencils, fountain pens, clicky pens, twisty pens, novelty pens, felt-tip pens, pens with fancy barrels engraved with our (pen)name. Us writer-types will grip it and use it and doodle with it. We’ll chew on it and noodle out nuances on napkins. We might even write words down in a story-like format.

A writer can never have too many pens or pencils. Okay, I might have a pencil case or two brimming full enough to prove otherwise, but the sight of a new pen always makes me happy. It makes me want to create an excuse to use it. I might do all of my actual fiction-writing on a keyboard, but I take notes the old-fashioned way; all of my planning is done on paper or notecard. So pens are always welcome.

#2: Things that make coloured marks on other things

Coloured ink. Coloured pencils. Glitter ink. Paint – okay, paint might be going a bit far, but you never know with some writers (they are creative types, after all). Colour is fun! Help your writer-friend make their words sparkle in a non-sucky way* by giving them a something a little different.

Why is this a different suggestion than the one above? Because it’s optional. But changing up the colour you use to write can be good for shaking loose a fresh perspective. I like to colour-code what I write on my notecards when I’m planning a project. I like glittery ink, because it makes the whole process more fun. And it helps me to pretend my writing is nicer than it is because hey, pretty!

It’s also a fun thing to use to write in other people’s birthday cards, too. Why stick to boring blue or black? Fuck no, I’m an artist. Watch me shine. And sparkle. And glitter.

#3: Things to write words down in

I think I have successfully conveyed the important of pens. It’s also helpful to have something to use them on other than a napkin or a receipt from the bottom of our wallet. Notebooks are always good!

Now, some writers will tell you that they have too many unused notebooks already. This is because it is very hard to walk past a nice one, especially if it’s on sale and calling to us. But I’ve yet to meet a writer who isn’t delighted by getting one as a gift. (All of this paragraph applies to me, by the way.)

I suggest making subtle enquiries of the writer to see what their notebooking preferences are. Do they prefer lined or blank pages? Moleskin covers? Ring-bound ones? Something small enough to tuck into a handbag or is big enough for a backpack okay? Must it be recycled or made from panda poop?**

#4: Sticky notes

Continuing with the stationery theme, sticky notes are wonderful! They capture our thoughts so they don’t escape on us, and we can stick them to any surface for later reference (sometimes, I want to use my forehead, but its adhesive qualities are sub-optimal for retaining reminders).

Be creative. You can go with the standard yellow squares of the stereotypical Post-it Notes, or you can look for different shapes and colours. They exist! They’re fun! Writers like fun. (I know, I know: shocking!)

Every writer needs minions to make them coffee. Preferably to this scale. (Picture by renatomitra)

Every writer needs minions to make them coffee. Preferably to this scale.
(Picture by renatomitra)

#5: Caffeinated goodness

I have yet to meet a writer who didn’t appreciate liquid stimulation of some description. Okay, it’s not always caffeine: it might be tea, or hot chocolate, or smoothies, or alcohol-based internal fire.

For the most part, though, it’s coffee. If you cut us, we only bleed red because we haven’t had enough coffee today. Yet.

So think about how you can best support your writer friend’s essential habit. Coffee beans crapped out by a monkey?** A Starbucks card loaded up with enough credit to caffeinate an elephant? (You may wish to check how discerning your writer friend is before trying this one; some prefer to give the lowly stuff to the elephant.) Funky-flavoured grounds?

So many options, so much caffeine to consume.

#6: A receptacle for caffeinated goodness

Maybe you’re not sure what kind of coffee your friend enjoys, or if they can do anything with beans but wish really hard, because there’s no grinder at home. Never fear! Coffee-drinking has accessories (and essential ones at that), and they all make good gifts. Some of them come in funky colours and patterns, so you might even find something in their chosen geeky area (we all have them, let’s be honest here).

So what might it be? A nice set of matching cups and saucers might be nice, but what about a new coffee press? A mug the size of their head? A travel mug so they can never be parted from their one true love? A coffee press in a travel mug the size of their head?

#7: Writing rewards

Some writers need rewards for reaching milestones. It’s both stick and carrot! Sometimes it’ll be that snack they’ve been wanting but are putting off until they’ve finished a full 1,000 words, usually chocolate or cake. Sometimes it’ll be a trip to the bathroom (not something I do or recommend – that can only get messy, but apparently an overfull bladder can be a wicked encouragement).

What about something that they wouldn’t normally treat themselves with? Like a massage, or a facial. A ticket to that musical they’ve been talking about. A trip to see a movie (or even just the popcorn).

Feel free to wrap it in something that says ‘to be opened when you’ve finished x story’. They’ll love it! And possibly hate you a little bit. Sometimes external encouragement and reward is exactly what we need. Be careful, however, of making them time-dependent (like a ticket), just in case they’re a lazy slacker who never finishes a damned thing. No point wasting a perfectly good ticket.

#8 BOOKS (fiction)

I know, I know: how come books aren’t number 1? Suspense is what keeps people reading, you know.*

Writers love books. They love stories. A gift of a book is always, always a wonderful thing.

But how do you know what they’ve got? What they like? What if you choose something offensive to them? Well, you could always ask. Or just guess; that often works, too.

I saw something recently that I think is an awesome idea: give a writer your favourite book. There are so many reasons why that’s a great thing: it means more to the recipient to know that you’re giving something you love, not just something random you picked up. A joy shared is a joy more than doubled.

#9 BOOKS (non-fiction)

Writers must research things. They can be very random things, or scary things, or downright disturbing things. We are magpies, collecting shiny bits of information that might be useless to most, but are golden nuggets for us.

So when thinking about gifts, maybe think about that project that your writer-friend is researching. Have a look around for potential research material that might be related. Even if it’s tangentially related, it might be useful! If it looks interesting, offers handy morsels of information, and is in book form, chances are, your writer will love it.

#10 BOOKS (other)

Nope, not quite done with the books section of our writery gift-o-rama. But if you’ve done fiction and non-fiction, what else is there, I hear you ask? There’s inspiration: that’s what.

I’m thinking of coffee table books full of gorgeous pictures. I’m thinking of guides to steampunk fashion, fantastical landscapes, strange portraits, or aliens scraped from the inside of an artist’s brain. Inspiration brimming at every turn of the page.

You can match them to your writer’s favourite genre, but entirely random stuff works, too. Don’t underestimate the value of something thought-provoking; it might spark an unexpected idea or even story.

This! I wanna learn to do this! ...or be near this when it's happening! (Pyrotechnics stunt exhibition by "Giant Auto Rodéo", Ciney, Belgium)

This! I wanna learn to do this! …or be near this when it’s happening!
(Pyrotechnics stunt exhibition by “Giant Auto Rodéo”, Ciney, Belgium)

#11 Research activities

Like I mentioned earlier, writers love to do research (and worldbuilding), sometimes to the detriment of ever starting their story. But let’s pretend it’s not getting in the way, for the purposes of this list. Or let’s say that you can help give your writer-friend a kick-start he or she might not be expecting.

So what is the idea here? The idea is to take your writer out to do something they’ve never done before. The more real an experience is, the more research material you’re giving them!

Now, I’m not talking about taking them out to the wilderness and leaving them there for a ‘survival experience’. I’m not talking about hooking them up with drugs or surprising them with a brothel visit (surprise whore! Happy birthday!). Those might be hilarious to contemplate but let’s steer shy of getting ourselves into trouble (or jail).

I’m talking about things like a day at a shooting range, or a stunt-driving course, or flying lessons, or a seminar in medieval blacksmithing, or a lecture on the search for exo-planets. (Incidentally, I would love all of those, and have actually done the last one.)

Some of these will cost a bit; some might cost nothing but time. It’s a good idea to look around to see what’s in your area: for example, universities often offer free lectures for the public. The sky’s the limit! (Though, just so you know, you can buy trips into outer space now. Just saying: the sky’s not actually the limit. But you can go there. Or further. Go further (with me).*)

#12 Inspiration cards

Most of these suggestions have involved some monetary outlay, some more than others. But there are other things that you can do that won’t cost you money. One is inspiration cards: something for your writer friend to pin to the wall above their working area, or carry with them when they’re out and about. Something to look at when they’re searching for words to put down or starting to doubt their abilities. Because as writers, we doubt ourselves a lot. We have crises of faith and convince ourselves that everything we do is shit. Never doubt the value of a reminder that we’re actually pretty crazy (or crazy-good; that would be a nice thing to believe!).

You can probably buy some fun and well-worded cards. I’m sure they exist. They might have pretty pictures on! Or you could print out fun memes from the internet (like the picture of the Avengers with the ‘You should be writing’ caption; that one always works).

But you know what would be even more awesome? If you made the cards out of comments on the writer’s own work. Have a look through places where they might have been reviewed or had comments posted, and note down the ones that are worth waving around like flags. Then make these quotes into the cards, however your skills are best suited.

If their work is not online so much, maybe ask friends who have read their work for quotes. Make some up yourself. Feel free to decorate them. Most of all: make it personal. The more you put in, the more they’ll get out of them.

#13 Stickers!

Writers love stickers. Not just Post-it-style notes: actual stickers with pictures on. Or stars, or letters, or parts of an image. NaNoWriMo has taught me that: above all else, we get great responses for giving out stickers. Not even NaNo-specific ones; any stickers will do. Especially if the writer has to earn them.

Any shape. Any picture. Preferably something fun, but plain is good, too. So go nuts. Get that fun, random set of stickers for your writer friend. Even better: give them a progress chart to stick ’em to.

Because all writers are secretly big kids who like stickering all over the place.

 

Phew. Is that enough? I think I’ve covered all the writer-specific stuff.

What about you? What do you like to receive as a gift? Tell us! Because if you don’t ask, you won’t get.

Now to wait and see what turns up for my birthday. A geeky writer-girl can hope, right?

 

* You see what I did there?

** Yes, this exists. Who thinks ‘hey, this’ll be an awesome idea!’?

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (0)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (1)
Share

Altered Perspectives: Epilogue

Time to close your eyes and return to whatever sanity you call home. (Picture by Pixabay)

Time to close your eyes and return to whatever sanity you call home.
(Picture by Pixabay)

The end of the Asylum is nigh. The locks are opening and doors are ready to release you back into the world.

You have spent the day in inhuman heads, writing from alien perspectives. You’ve given a voice to the silent, and told unlikely stories. It’s time to return to your own head now.

I hope you had fun today. I hope you did something new, maybe gained some inspiration you can take forward into something else. I hope you surprised yourself.

I’d love to hear what you thought of the Asylum. Which one did you find the easiest to write? Which one was the hardest? How would you improve the experience for next time? Is there something you would like to have a go at next time? Any feedback, please let me know.

Thank you for taking part. The Asylum couldn’t happen without you. Feel free to take the madness away with you and have fun with it.

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (0)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Writers’ Asylum: Altered Perspectives

Will it be this clean and beautiful? Probably not. (Picture by Crystal Writer)

Will it be this clean and beautiful? Probably not.
(Picture by Crystal Writer)

Last year, I ran the first ever Writers’ Asylum. It was a crazy day: 6 challenges in 6 hours, each one to write 1,000 words on the prompt that was given.

Afterwards, I solicited feedback, and got loads of useful input. Big thanks to everyone who chipped in their 2 cents! You help me make this event better and I’m always willing to try something out to see how it works.

I don’t do this stuff for me. I do these events so that people will come and have a good time, and hopefully get something useful or positive out of it. That’s what I like to do. I can take a guess at what people will enjoy but input is always useful.

This year’s Asylum is coming along great. I have most of the details sorted out now! Check out the page for the full run-down.

In brief: it’s going to be on Saturday 12th April, running from 11am to 5:30pm (Brisbane / Australian EST time), at the same on- and offline locations as before.

Changes made for this year’s Asylum:

  • It has a theme: Altered Perspectives. Last year was all about a broad spectrum of challenges and subjects. This year, following an attendee’s suggestion, we’re focussing on a single theme: point of view. Each challenge will involve a different kind of POV character, and again the aim is to go for something you probably haven’t tried before. Get out of your comfort zone. Get out of your own head.
  • There are 5 challenges, not 6. Last year, the schedule was very tight and very hectic. This was partly on purpose, but it got tiring towards the end of the day. This year, there is a 10-minute break between each back-to-back challenge.
  • You’re allowed some lunch. Again, to help our poor, challenged writers, I’ve inserted a lunch break into the schedule. You’re welcome!

And that’s it! Everything else is the same. Listen to/read the prompt, then write 1,000 words within an hour on it.

The page is updated with all the info (including the schedule). The Coffee Club tables are booked. The challenges are drafted (I write the challenges myself).

All that’s left to do is polish up the challenges, get the posts scheduled up and ready to go, and finish off some advertising/coordinating tasks.

We’re almost there. Soon, the Asylum doors will open… and eat you.

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (1)
  • Interesting (1)
  • Useful (1)
  • More pls (1)
Share

Theft and other disgusting habits

Get the message? Respect it. (Picture by no3rdw)

Get the message? Respect it.
(Picture by no3rdw)

Or, be awesome, don’t plagiarise

Creators put their work out into the world to share them with everyone. Some charge for it, some don’t. For some, it is a matter of course, a profession, or an act full of enthusiasm. For others, it’s an act of bravery, a moment of daring, or something done with a held breath and tightly-squeezed eyes.

Whatever the motives or feelings that accompany art into the public sphere, I think I speak for the majority of artists when I say that the least they expect is to be acknowledged as the owner of the piece.

Plagiarism is theft. When you plagiarise, you take ownership of something that isn’t yours and pass it off as your own. You take credit for it, you rob the legitimate author of their work and reputation, and you leave an artist who feels violated and wronged in your wake.

Plagiarism has real consequences: it ends careers, gets people expelled from school, and can even lead to court proceedings. It destroys reputations and livelihoods. It’s lying, and fraud, and unacceptable in every circle I can think of.

Whichever way you slice it, plagiarism is a shitty thing to do.

Lately, this came up in writer-type circles that touch the periphery of my awareness. I came across a link, clicked through and read… and then read and clicked and read and kept reading, with a growing sense of anger and frustration.

I won’t recount the whole tale, but here’s the short version: a series of stories posted on a blog by Lilith Saintcrow were plagiarised on Daily Kos (a diary/blog site with a large community); Skyla Dawn Cameron spotted and reported it; a huge furore erupted; the culprit ‘apologised’ (more later on why that is in quote-marks) and removed most of the plagiarised material (but not all of it); and Kos admins banned her from the site. If you want the full tale (and evidence), click through to the links above.

This is a good example of why plagiarism isn’t good for anyone involved. When something like this is reported, there’s an immediate backlash against those who make the crime public. People naturally want to support their friend, who would never do such an awful thing. In this case, the Kos community rose up to defend their friend and gave Lilith a hard time. Later, when the evidence was circulated, they realised that their trust and loyalty had been violated and (largely) moved to support the wronged writer.

Lilith and her supporters had to fight to be heard and believed, and it’s a rare person who enjoys a situation like that, no matter which side they’re on. I have respect for those who stand by their beliefs and fight their corner, and for those involved who were mature enough to change their stance when the truth became apparent.

Let’s be clear: there’s no doubt that there was plagiarism at work here. The culprit’s posts were clearly copies of Lilith’s with the character names and a few words changed. It was blatant and deliberate.

Doing something like this is an insult to everyone involved. It’s lying to everyone who reads it by making them believe it’s your work when it’s not, and abusing the trust of those who call you a friend. It’s an offence to the real creator, who spent time and energy and love in making this thing that you’re so cavalier about passing off as your own. It damages and sours everything it touches.

Let’s face it: you’re incredibly unlikely to get away with plagiarism, particularly on the internet. You are going to get caught. Between search engines like Google and web archives, it’s very easy to find and prove. I know writers who set up Google alerts for phrases in their work to pick up someone misappropriating their material (and have been tempted to do so myself; one day I’ll get around to setting that up). There’s even a website set up specifically to help artists protect themselves and act upon plagiarism. Not to mention that the internet is a pretty small place and word of mouth will bite you in the ass if you’re trying to hide something.

So, if you’re caught, what should you do? Remove the offending material at least, yes. Immediately, in full, and permanently. Apologise to the (rightful) author, and deal with whatever fallout comes your way. And never do it again.

In the Saintcrow debacle, I’ve seen two attempts at apologising, and they don’t count as apologies. These two missives are nothing but lists of excuses about how the plagiarism wasn’t her fault: it was inadvertant, caused by her children, second or third or fourth hand, or accidental. What? No, I’m sorry: you don’t produce verbatim text by accident. You don’t try to hide behind your children (I can’t articulate how low that particular move is). You don’t make excuses. You accept that you’ve done wrong and you apologise for it. At the very least, don’t insult the intelligence of everyone involved by assuming that they’re going to swallow yet more bullshit and lies (as if the plagiarism itself wasn’t bad enough).

I am pleased to see that no-one appears to accept the culprit’s apologies as anything other than excuses and a pathetic attempt to wheedle out of the situation (check the comments on the apology links for the overwhelming sentiments). Because that is just appalling behaviour.

Honestly, the whole subject makes me feel sick. I dread the day when I find someone has done something like this with my work (I’m not saying it’s likely or anything, but it’s a fear that I have). I suspect that it would sour my feelings for the work, knowing it had been abused (from the looks of it, this was Lilith’s response, too). I’d probably also want to blast it out to the world that hey, this is mine, it belongs to me, that’s my name on it because I wrote it, and it’s mine all mine.

I really can’t fathom why someone would want to plagiarise something. Why would they throw their own reputation away like that? Destroy their own credibility with everyone that touches it? And for what? Riding on the back of someone else’s glory? How would that feel good? Don’t they realise that no-one will respect them or their work again? That everything they’ve ever written will be in question?

I really don’t understand the motivations behind something like this. As someone who values honesty highly, it offends me on every level, and makes me so sad.

So I’ll stop here and just say: don’t. It doesn’t do anyone any good.

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (0)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (1)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Apocalypse Blog: cover reimagining

I talked recently about what I can do to revive the flagging sales of the Apocalypse Blog ebooks. (Well, not so recently, but I’ve been sick and now I’m trying to get back on the horse, so to speak. So bear with me.)

One part of the revamp of the ebooks is to get them re-edited and tidied up. I didn’t do a great job with it for the first book and it shows. This is a work in progress.

The next part on my list is to look hard at the covers. Now, I love my Apocalypse Blog covers (check the links under ‘My Books’ on the right to get to the books in stores). I have them printed out and laminated, and one day I’ll get around to sticking them to my wall. But I have to be realistic, and they could be better. There are things that could be improved.

I like that they’re a matched set, but I wonder if that’s not a little dull? What would you think, as a reader and buyer of books? Also, the writing isn’t read very easily in the thumbnails displayed in ebook stores.

And maybe it’s time for a change, something fresh.

So I’ve been looking around at other book covers to see what’s out there in the post-apocalyptic realm. Trying to see what’s attractive and what might make them good covers.

Here are a few that I found:

They are each very different, and appealing in their own way. In no particular order, some thoughts:

  • I like the simple, striking look of The Patient Z Files cover. There’s no doubt that it’s a zombie book and it is just beautiful to boot. Also just as effective as a thumbnail. This is a great example of a good cover, I think.
  • The bleakness of the Dahmer Flu image is very fitting for a post-apocalyptic book, and I like the figure that looks just a bit… wrong.
  • Refuge looks startlingly similar to the existing Apocalypse Blog covers. This is proof that the current covers aren’t a mile away from where they should be, but the clarity of Refuge’s text and the readability in a thumbnail are worth noting here.
  • What I like about the Zombie Apocalypse cover is that it’s so different to everything else. Simple, gorgeous, and weirdly hopeful, which is not what you’d expect from this genre.

Lots of ideas and potential there. But what should I go for in this revamp of the covers? Do I make them another recoloured set, or each one different? I’d like them to be a matched set in one way or another, and my pockets are not deep enough to pay for reams of new artwork.

I would like the covers to reflect the different stages of the story. The crumbling world of Book 1, when Faith and her group are stumbling through the ruins and finding out just how bad things have become; the menace of the sickness and the shambling dead of Book 2; the determination of Book 3 when the group tries to forge a new life in the rubble and the acid.

I’ve always said that I didn’t want Faith’s face on the covers (or in any other graphics for AB). I want her to stay the voice in the reader’s head, so it’s shots from behind for her, or silhouettes (I like silhouettes). I adore the silhouette with the laptop on the current covers – it is exactly Faith. But I’m also open to options.

These are the thoughts in my head so far. I want something that will grab readers browsing through an online store by the eyeballs and make them click through to the book’s page. So what do you think?

What do you think I should put on the covers?

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (0)
  • Interesting (2)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share

Reader entitlement

When readers abuse authors, a dragon makes this face before it dies. (Picture by CarbonNYC)

When readers abuse authors, a dragon makes this face before it dies.
(Picture by CarbonNYC)

If you don’t like a writer’s choices, respect them

The beauty of the internet means that, as writers, we can more easily interact with our readers. The ugly side of the internet is that, as writers, our readers can more easily tell us exactly what they think.

I love my readers very much, and I love hearing from them. I encourage feedback and I take it on board… but I make no promises about addressing it. Because it’s my story to tell and I have to make my own choices about how to make it the best story that I can. I am grateful that I have never received abusive feedback and dread the day that I do. That sort of thing hurts.

Recently in the wide world of writing, this subject took a particularly awful turn when someone leaked the ending to Charlaine Harris’s last Sookie Stackhouse book. The end of a popular series is always going to be a hot topic with fans, and the reaction to the ending has been loud, obnoxious, and objectionable. The abuse being hurled about is disgusting, and has even descended into personal threats against the author. Seriously, fans? Threats? It’s a fucking story.

It is natural that some fans will be upset with decisions made about a story, because there’s no way to please everyone (if there was, a whole lot of fanfiction wouldn’t exist, would it?). People are going to form opinions about how they think the story should go, who should end up with whom, and where it should all end up (Jacob vs Edward, anyone? Yes, I made a Twilight reference. Yes, you may shoot me now.).

But abusing the author because she didn’t write the ending you wanted is not okay. Yes, you’ve invested time and emotional energy into the story. Yes, you care deeply about it. Yes, you’ve even spent money on it. We understand that. But the author is the one who has created this gift for you. She has put the time and love into crafting the story you enjoy so much. And at the end of the day, it is her story to tell, not yours. She doesn’t owe you anything.

So if you don’t like it? Tough. You’re entitled to your opinion, and you’re entitled to express it. But you’re not entitled to make demands that an author change her work just because you don’t like it. You’re not entitled to abuse her, and you’re certainly not justified in making threats against her.

Go write fanfiction if you feel that strongly about it. Write your own ending. Write your own awesome, bestselling series that ends exactly the way you want it to (if only it was that easy), and then see how many fans agree with your choices.

At the very least, have a little respect for someone else’s work.

I talk a lot on this blog about readers, expectations, and being aware of the impact that your choices and work as a writer can have. But I don’t dictate what I think writers should choose to do. I believe that people should understand the impacts of their actions and make their own choices, in life and in writing. If someone chooses to do something stupid, or wrong, or objectionable, I’ll say so, but it’s still their choice to do it. Does it make their writing suck? In my opinion, yes. Does that mean I’ll read more of their work? Probably not. Does that mean they should change it? That’s completely up to them.

Neil Gaiman put it far more succinctly than me when responding to a reader’s question about George R.R. Martin’s obligation to them: “George R.R. Martin is not your bitch.” (The rest of the post is pretty awesome, too.)

Reader entitlement does not exist. It’s a unicorn dancing on the rainbows in certain readers’ minds. Let’s leave it where it belongs and let writers do what they do best: write stories to share with the world.

Edit: Changed the strapline. It really wasn’t what I was going for in the end.

What do you think of this post?
  • Awesome (2)
  • Interesting (0)
  • Useful (0)
  • More pls (0)
Share