Creating Creativity

Creating Creativity

Perhaps one of the most frustrating elements of creative writing is creating creativity. If you’ve ever tried, you know what I’m talking about. More than one entire class has been devoted to nothing but helping the eager young minds spark or stimulate their creativity. These classes, of course, don’t work. There’s nothing that really stifles creativity worse than a classroom, after all. (But you will hear lots of the standardized methods such as, “Go to a thrift store and find a pair of shoes. Now, imagine the type of person who used those shoes.” Or, another jaw-dropper, “Make a little square with your fingers and look through it at something. Imagine what you’re seeing is a world…”)

The ironic part is, the stimulating part is easy! There are a wide variety of illegal hallucinogens that make the creation of twisted, abstract ideas more than second nature. (Don’t believe me? Just look where it got Edgar Allan Poe!) However, most of the writing world views this as cheating - something more offensive to the writing process than using cheat codes is to video gaming.

So that means you’ll have to rely on a very un-stimulated mind to create your creativity. When that doesn’t work well, it also means more un-stimulating classes will follow.

Over the vast expanse of history, nearly every possible form of creativity has been used to spark creativity. Early in the history of writing (I believe it was sometime back when cavemen ruled the caves) these methods were more primitive. Reading didn’t work (they didn’t yet have a written language), beating each other with clubs had the opposite effect, and putting poisonous spiders in the “girls” part of the cave proved too dangerous. Especially once the girls caught up with the creative individual.

For them, the world-altering, history-changing, mankind-evolving stroke came with the invention of fire. No doubt, they danced around it, worshiped it, and more than once, caught their hair on fire when trying to drink it. This strange, but ultimate breakthrough obviously is what so captured their imagination, and so inspired their minds, that they began to draw stick-figures dancing around fires on the walls of nearly every cave. (Let’s not contemplate about where we would be had they not undergone this evolutionary breakthrough.)

The point is, they had fire! They had something to obsess over. It caught every faculty of their imagination (all four of them) and encouraged them to express it through creation. And I doubt you can argue that since the cavemen, no one has been able to write on cave walls in the same manner.

So we can conclude that the creative feel of a story doesn’t come from the rarity of its use, as much it does from the fire burning inside the author. The point at which an idea truly becomes unique and authoritative, is when it penetrates so deeply into the author that it meshes with his feelings and messes with his perception of reality. At this point, the story will begin to take on its own, personal, or creative flavor. It will feel authentic, even if the setting or premise has been used before. (That said, if you go and write another book with Elves and Dwarves, I will seriously hunt you down!)

Write about what captivates you, write about the story, the characters; write whatever the fire inside you wants to express! It’s not hard, after writing a plot-draft of some hot new story-idea, to enhance the background (the idea, setting, or world behind the story), using a flaming imagination. It is hard, on the other hand, to try to create the unique idea without the story and without the fire. Logic never was inspiringly creative, although it can lay out a pretty dry set of twists and turns.

This sounds so amazing, so what could possibly be the bad news? Well, getting that deep into a story takes a real effort, one that has to be made whole-heartedly. If all of this proves too much for you, and you can’t stomach the thought of another class on creativity, there is still hope! You can always write another vampire novel!

My book is on AMAZON!!!

I just had to share that link with everyone! There are certain times in everyone's life - having a first child, buying a first house, getting a first ticket, maybe a first girlfriend - that are all meant to prepare us for the ultimate accomplishment in life, which is of course, getting a book published! I, unfortunately, haven't experienced a majority of those, which is why I am utterly unable to contain my excitement to any degree of rationality!

In said spirit, I hereby declare this day a national holiday! And of course, you are all invited to celebrate it with me. I would suggest starting off by taking a few minutes to enjoy the weather, if it's nice out, appreciate the value of some of your closest friends and where you'd be without them, maybe treat yourself to a guilty pleasure such as chocolate for you women, or an action movie for you guys. And then once you are warmed up, you should definitely click the link above and visit the site to see the new cover art, and how cool the book looks on Amazon!

Happy celebrations!

Manuscript Revision

The secret to revision is all in the attitude. And the first step is learning to challenge the basic premise. I have a cousin, after having read my completed manuscripts, who is fond of saying things like, “Why don’t you take the theme and scene structure leading to the climax, and then invert it?" This, obviously, is not the most welcome type of suggestion to one who has spent the past few months writing a several-hundred-page manuscript. The only thing worse, is when the labor-implicit idea rings true, as it almost always does. (If they didn’t, where would the headache come from?)

The second secret is to fear not, thy story is with thee. Perhaps the biggest thing that can stop or stunt our manuscripts in their evolution toward greatness, is our fear that tampering with them will somehow throw off the magical balance we hope they have somehow attained, taking them from the lofty pinnacle of “as good as it can get” and plunging them downward to the depths of “listless mediocrity.” I, however, would suggest that “as good as it can get” and “mediocrity” are actually not that far apart. Most of the difference between the two is caused by wishful thinking on the part of the author. Take that away, a process more painful than pealing scabs, and one will mostly likely reveal a manuscript with high potential and desperate need of revision. Wishing for the manuscript to be great, and hesitancy to touch it will not actually take it there. But fearless revision, and courageous implementation of new, startling ideas, on the other hand, will.

Third, adopt the motto, “He who says it can’t be done is usually interrupted by the guy who just did it.” Don’t be afraid to get out the red pencil or marker, and have at the manuscript like any four-year-old would with that same marker, and his daddy’s business planner. Editors won’t be afraid, so if you don’t mark it up, they WILL!.
Read through the manuscript page by page and flag anything that stands out to you, for whatever reason. You don’t have to know why at the time. Shrugging and letting a phrase or paragraph go unmarked, with the wishful rationalization that it is “probably good enough” or, “no one will probably notice” is basically the same as saying, “mediocrity for me, please, and super-size it!”

“But, what of those picturesque combinations of conversation and poetic supporting detail?” you ask in horror. “Right now, it pierces straight to the heart! How do I react to the heinous suggestion that it isn’t expressive or concise enough?”

Simple. First, take a shot of rubbing alcohol in the eye, and then face the fact that your glorious prose probably doesn’t connect with the reader as strongly as it does to you. If it did, they wouldn’t be suggesting that you strengthen it, or tighten it, or clarify it to some degree. On the bright side, if one can summon the courage to try, to rewrite, he/she will almost always find that the different approach was in fact beneficial to the story’s overall integrity. Instead of bemoaning the pain of change, learn to admit that deep down, that you know they’re right, and then say to yourself that you can do it. Most of my friends who write, have already learned to adopt this attitude. As for myself, I’m still working on it. (No negative comments about revisions to this article, please.)

There are numerous techniques for sparking creativity in the revision process. If I feel charitable, and someday run into a great deal of more time than I have now, I might even list some of them. It is, however, unnecessary, for I have repeatedly seen that revision techniques do nothing without the correct attitude. Make a fresh attack on your manuscript with the approach I’ve mentioned above, and you will discover the techniques for yourself. Your welcome. Anytime.

The Silent Stalker - Update

I finished the first draft in a grand flurry, sometime between midnight and one A.M. this Tuesday. The complete manuscript turned out to be just over 80,000 words, which is perfect, since I was saying from the beginning that it would range from 75 - 80,000 words.

The Manuscript's Current Condition

I put the most thought into the ending, out of any part of the book. The original ending I had planned, turned out being inconsistent under a careful examination. Since that is a pet peeve of mine, that wouldn't do! The end result - my new favorite piece of literature of anything I have ever written! Even though I was still recovering from the flu, the following day was still the best day of the week.

Right now, comprising the second draft, I have a list of things I need to research, implement, or change. For example, during the writing of the book, several character traits emerged on their own, and I need to go and integrate them into the first half of the manuscript as well. Also, I have a list of scenes that need to be changed. For a first draft, I'm pleasantly surprised, but that doesn't mean it doesn't still need a fair amount of work.

The second draft will be MUCH quicker than usual - several times quicker than the one I did for Vengeance, which added almost 50,000 words to it's completed word count. I expect to make good headway on it, and be done in a matter of weeks. Then, I promise, I will finish Vengeance.

Writing query letters

If injustices happen in the writing world, I personally think that at least 90% of them have to do with query letters—writing query letters, depending on query letters, or just the fact that they exist at all. Professors and classroom teachers will gladly tell you the basics that haven’t worked for them either—1 inch margins, white paper with brightness of 100, standard font, personal information in the top left corner, research and mention the publishing house’s interests and policies, etc.

And of course, there are always the "don’ts"—don’t go over one page, don’t beg, don’t send your manuscript until they request it, don’t try to be clever or do something unique like adding illustrations or handmade doodles, no tear drops or food stains on the page, don’t bad-talk your abilities, etc. Don’t, don’t, don’t!

But let’s take a realistic look at this. So you’ve just spent the last ten months working every kink and flaw out of your manuscript which now boarders more closely on perfection than Michael Jordan shooting hoops, and you’re proud of it, as well you should be. It has a unique idea you’re just sure will hit the big time. So you spend all of ten minutes, or even ten days, on your query letter, knowing that months, or even years worth of work will now be represented by whatever you can fit on one page. Query letters not your thing? But writing is? Tough!

Your manuscript, worth more than gold, will now be judged completely off its query letter, which, following the "do’s" of conformity, and the "don’ts" of originality, will blend in seamlessly with the thousands of other query letters pilling up in virtually every editor’s office. Inspiring, isn’t it? (The point is, you need more than just well put words on the page…most of the time, because the evaluation system isn’t fair.)

It’s like getting all the greatest long-distance runners and awarding the golden prize to whoever can hold their breath the longest. But why do I need to be telling you that? If you were one of the three people this year who got signed using query letters, you certainly wouldn’t be reading this!

So what is the answer, then? Connections. Establishing contacts eliminates the need to shoot in the dark. You can then send your query, or future manuscript proposal, with a much higher return rate. First time authors need a claim to fame, or at least authenticity. Second time authors too. Third time authors? They already have enough claim, and more importantly, connections.

My advice is, get something to show for yourself that will add weight to your query letter. You want it to slam the editor’s hand down, when he/she picks it up, and not let him/her get out from under it until he/she’s agreed and promised to contact you. For example, get a website, get a blog, publish a few articles, put up your short stories or even long ones online for people to look at (the internet’s still free.) Better yet, get a book published, even if you have to do it through joint venture, or print on demand publishing.

The good news is, you can do it! Three people a year is more than none, and if you have something to show for yourself, then maybe they’ll look at the actual manuscript.

How To Be An Author - Introduction

There are so many things to be learned when entering a career of writing. Challenges, obstacles, and such lie around (and in front of) every corner. Many lose heart before the journey is through—some before it ever started.

But fear not, as good news is here! For those who are authors, and those who wish to be authors, this bold, decisive statement of ultimate importance will make all the difference: The world of being a writer is just as glamorous, exciting, and every bit as fulfilling as rumor makes it out to be. That is, of course, made possible by the fact that it doesn’t exist. But what good are fictitious creations if we can’t say with certainty that they are, in fact, just as we created them? And why would we want to create a world so vivid unless we could use it to eat our hearts out, or to convince others that it’s actually the world we live in? (The possibilities are literally endless!)

There is a reason why 90% of all fiction books published never sell more than a thousand copies. There’s also a reason why this race is such a dangerous, risky one to get into. With social media mutating the rules like Darwin’s theory on steroids, and the demands on authors accelerating beyond breaking point, getting established and acquiring a fan base requires more than just one or two strong points - it requires a broad understanding of the entire process, time, devotion, originality, and a cool slogan like, “Rights for one-celled organisms!”
Having your friends invite their friends to join you on facebook and myspace just doesn’t cut it. (Although it does help. Like, it really helps a lot.) (No seriously…it really helps a ton!)

This flyer series of lectures will briefly cover each of the various elements of writing, from drafting query letters to handling immense fame. Hopefully, you’ll learn most of what NOT to do. (I assure you that anything you actually learn TO do is merely coincidental, and the author is not responsible.)

Until next week, remember: Our luck at something completely depends at how much work we put into it. (And you always wanted to know why some guys have so much luck with girls…)