Tag: Real Life

For the Non-Chatty Commuter

I’ve always been very jealous of anyone who could read in the car. I got motion sickness when trying to focus on anything in a moving vehicle. As I’ve gotten older, I listened to music in the car and eventually podcasts. I’m not what people would call a “chatty commuter”.

Recently, I’ve started listening to audiobooks that I’ve borrowed from the library while on my commute to downtown. Altogether, my normal commute takes an hour each day either way. The library here in Seattle uses the Overdrive program, so I can download books and keep them on my phone and enjoy listening to a novel as I’m coming or going from work. Most recently, I’ve listened to The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and it was wonderful (a good choice since it reads so much like an adult fairytale). As of right now, I’m listening to Fledgling by Octavia Butler.

I don’t know which I retain better, but I certainly feel like I’m doing more reading during the week. When I only have 30-40 minutes on my lunch break or a few minutes as I’m drifting off to bed, I feel like I’m enjoying more stories on a regular basis. I’ve heard that there’s no real difference between reading a paper book versus listening to audiobooks. but there are those who argue there’s a difference. Either way, for me, audiobooks make the commute in the morning one of the better parts of my day.

Terry Pratchett, An Author’s Legacy and The Steamroller

Recently, fantasy fans around the world cried out in agony as Terry Pratchett’s hard drive (containing 10 unfinished novels) was destroyed as per his will. As was his wish, the hard drive was crushed by a steamroller and, honestly, I can think of no better send off. But reading the news got me thinking about other authors and what it means for a work in progress when it’s creator, for whatever reason, ceases to be able to work on it. Is death really the end for an author?

Despite his death in 1973, J.R.R. Tolkien’s works are still published regularly with revivals of legends of Middle Earth or companion guides to his world. Easily the most recognizable name in fantasy today, Tolkien’s impact on the realm of fantasy cannot go unnoticed, his stories still fresh and new 44 years after he died. His world and words live on by those who tell his stories and build upon them either on the page or the big screen. The Children of Hurin or The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, for example, were both published within the last ten years, drawing on the influences from the legends in Tolkien’s The Silmarillion.

Douglas Adams, on the other hand, was continued with the best intentions. However, And Another Thing… didn’t quite have the same feel as the previous iterations as the rest of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series did. It was written with the best intentions to honor Adams and his legacy, but it fell flat, in my opinion. It’s a nice, neat continuation of the world of Douglas Adams, but it failed to have that same charm that I had grown to love while reading the books.

I feel that an author’s world doesn’t have to continue after their death. But the unfinished worlds, defined only by the author’s own imagination and intent, should be left. I respect and agree with Mr. Pratchett’s final wish, though I am sad to know we will never read them. But if that’s the end of his unfinished novels, I can think of no end more fitting than what he asked.

Burnout Recovery

Man this month, I tell ya.

After a thorough (counts on hands) three weeks of being understaffed and overworked, the day job really starts getting to you. When I’m not on my feet, most of my time is going to writing or errands (with the occasional bout of D&D mixed in for flavor). I’ll be very glad when this month is over and things make sense again. But I’m still trying to keep dedicated to my writing work.

Writing while combatting burnout is, to say the least, stressful. But I find myself doing a lot of plotting/planning while riding the bus or during my almost daily run. Sometimes though, I need to step away from the keyboard and lay on my couch, letting my mind wander.

Tea helps a lot. I find a great deal of relaxation in the actual tea making process. It’s a very sensory process: the smell of tea, the milk spiraling in as it mixes or honey dripping down into the mug, the sound of the boiling water, the warmth that fills the cup and (of course) the taste. It gives me a break to stop focusing on what I’m working on a difficult scene because I focus on the process. And then, once it’s finished, I have a nice cup of something hot to regain my focus.

Burnout happens. A lot. Writing is a very solitary profession and it’s not like you can pass it off to someone else and take a break. So, it’s important to say “Five Minute Break” when you’re fighting a scene. But it’s even more important to come back recharged for round two when you’ve finished making your tea. Just don’t forget it’s there. Nothing worse than cold tea.

Getting Motivated!

I hate alarm clocks. I hate the sounds they make. I hate the “Is it snoozed or is it off?” uncertainty. I hate how they always seem to go off right as you’re getting to a good part in your dream. But, I’ve recently decided to embrace my alarm clock and let it be my ally in my writing (so far, it’s an uneasy alliance but has promise for strong relations).

These last few days/weeks have been kind of rough. Work has been extra stressful and things have been kind of tricky to work out in other areas. My writing, sadly, has suffered because of this. So, I’ve decided to try a new approach. Screw inspiration, embrace the motivation and dedication. There are a few things that I’ve done in the past and will continue to do to make this a reality.

Firstly, I need a schedule again. This has been an issue for me in the past. I get flustered through out the week with a sporadic work schedule and weird morning shifts. So, I’m going to start using my time more efficiently. The blue is the time that I set aside for writing task: Querying Agents, working on a new project and writing blog posts (like this one here). It’s mostly and an attempt to stay in the mode of writing. Doing it first thing in the morning means I won’t be out of energy to do it when I come home at 6:30 or 8:00 at night. By making this schedule and keeping it, I’ll be able to establish a better sense of dedication to my work by sectioning off time at the beginning of the day to write something. I’m using iCal, but Google Calendars and other free apps are also good options.

The next big struggle is motivation. I find that seeing my progress is really helpful. Part of what makes Nanowrimo work really well for me is the accountability and daily goals that make is so much easier. A friend recently recommended the site Pacemaker (pacemaker.press) for developing and keeping a Writing Plan. You put in your goal, your timeframe, your pace preferences and it helps develop daily goals for you to aim for with writing (or any other goal). You can upload these goals directly into your calendar and update the site as you go along. As you can see, it’s pretty hit and miss for me (last month in particular, but yesterday was a great day).

Any art is a matter of habit. The more you do it, the better you get, the easier it is. The problem is waiting for inspiration, for those beautiful moments when the words come pouring out in a string of eloquence and elegance. But that only happens about 10% of the time you sit down to write. If you’re lucky. So, screw inspiration. If it comes it comes, but it’s up to the artist to be waiting for it when it arrives.

A More Mindful TBR

So…my To-Be-Read pile is out of control.

I’m not the fastest reader. I’d say I’ve read maybe…25% of the books I own (and I moved to a smaller place, so most of my books are in storage across the country for now). And between work, my writing, and this blog, it’s easy to forget I have a stack of books waiting on my nightstand. I need to be a better reader (surprising, I know), but I feel like I also need to read better. I don’t always pay attention to authors as I read, but occasionally an author sticks out for me more than most. Yet, when it comes time to pick up a new book to read, I never think of them.

So, here is a list of authors I’ve read and why I want to read more books by them:

  • Naomi Novik- This is an author that I really like, both Uprooted and the Temeraire series (which I can never spell correctly on the first turn). I’ve read a good chunk of the Temeraire series, but it’s one that I don’t normally think of when I’m looking through my TBR pile. So I’d like to finish her series because I love her style and her work is very unique, with rules governing her fantasy worlds and the mythical creatures that populate her worlds.
  • V.E. Schwab- I loved A Darker Shade of Magic. Admittedly, I don’t think I own any of her other books. However, I had the pleasure of hearing her speak when she visited the bookstore (I lurked in the back, hiding my nametag) and she was funny and genuine, like her writing. I’d like to read the rest of that series, but also want to branch out to more authors.
  • Ursula K. Le Guin- I know, I know. I am way behind on this one. Le Guin is one of the best known and most renowned writers of fantasy and science fiction. But hear me out. I’m currently reading The Left Hand of Darkness and I’m loving it. So I plan on reading a lot more Le Guin in the very near future.
  • Malcolm Gladwell- My first experience with Gladwell was in college, reading Outliers for an intro psychology class. It was probably one of the coolest nonfiction books I had the chance to read in college. He takes on a unique view of the world, our minds, and the questions that you might not think about.
  • Brandon Sanderson- Again, I know, I know. Sanderson is another huge name in the realm of fantasy. The books and stories by him that I have read have always been very entertaining, but I have trouble keeping up with buying his books when I do finally get a chance. But I intend to seek him out and find more of his books in the future.

I’m sure there are names that I’m missing and names that I should add, but there’s only so much reading a person can do at a time!

What are some writers that you’ve read, but haven’t gotten the opportunity to add? Do you sometimes forget writers you really like or do you only read one writer at a time? Leave it in the comments below.

You can follow my reading habits and more by following me on Twitter using the links to the right!

Man’s Best Friend(s)

When I was about…let’s say 5 or 6, we got a dog. It was the first dog I’d ever had of my own. We got Rex as a puppy from my Dad’s Friend. His introduction to the family was oddly timed, as we moved and changed towns/schools shortly after getting him. Through that transition, Rex was a big help when it came to friends (like many introverts, I was a shy child) and probably my best friend for most of my elementary school days (or primary school or grade school or whatever makes you most comfortable). Since that point, I guess I’ve always been interested in the relationships between humans and animals. It comes up a lot in real life and also plays a part in my writing.

And I’m talking about the non-mystical relationships that people form with animals. The kind of relationship formed when two individuals share a strong and powerful bond. Like Chito and Pocho, from Costa Rica, a man who swims with his seventeen-foot crocodile and plays with him like a dog. Or in 1969, the story of Christian the lion, raised by humans and still recognized them after he had been introduced to a new pride. Kevin Richardson, an animal behaviorist, was able to integrate himself into a pack of hyenas. Seriously, go Google any of those and you’ll be aching for an African big cat of your very own (But please don’t, they’re wild animals).

Through all these examples, we see a few commonalities: Trust, Respect, and Patience. I think that’s partly why I like these relationships so much and feel the need to include them in my writing. As human as we can be sometimes, it takes an animal for us to really see what we’re like when faced with a challenge. Rex was my dog and my best pal for years (he was thirteen when he finally passed) and he made me a better person for it.

Stagnant

There’s a magical force in the writing world known as “Writer’s Block.” There are many arguments to say this isn’t a real thing. Sometimes it can be boiled down to laziness and inaction (because let’s be honest, even if you love your job, everyone needs a break). But there are some days when, no matter how hard I try, I can’t get words on the page I like. I don’t like to think of this as Writer’s Block.I prefer to think of this as stagnation as opposed to a block. Sometimes, to get the juices flowing, you have to shake things up to get it going again. I like to think of it as Stagnant Writer Syndrome.

Here’s the thing: I have lots of creative ideas bouncing around in my head. However, I get burned out trying to make it into something readable if I don’t have enough energy after work (which happens a lot). On these days, nothing would make me happier than kicking back on the couch and breezing through a series on Netflix.

Still, it’s a writer’s obligation to write. And when the ideas aren’t flowing, I have a couple tricks I like to do in order to get things flowing again.

  1. A lot of times, I can’t focus on what I’m working with because I’m thinking about a later section. So, I take the opportunity to write a future segment. I work better by connecting things (usually, I know the ending before most of the middle section when I’m plotting), so having a sooner connecting point helps me figure out what’s going to happen.
  2. Writing from a different character’s perspective can help realize their motivations in the story a little differently. I like doing this for my own benefit, but these segments sometimes work into the novel to shake the reader up as well.
  3. Moving on to a completely different story/subject helps as well. Getting my mind off focusing on the current story problem usually helps me get my mind refocused when I come back to the main project. I have little 1,000 word drabbles that I like doing and sometimes share these or revisit them for later projects.

So, those are the main things I do to get out of Stagnant Writer’s Syndrome. What do you do when you’re stuck on a Writer’s Block? How do you shake yourself free?

Music, Distractions and Avoiding the Internet

One of the modern writer’s greatest challenges is avoiding the myriad of distractions available online. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Wikipedia, various writer blogs…it’s a long, dangerous black hole when you go searching for one fact or a name. Even just finding a good soundtrack to write to is a hazard on the edge of a productivity collapse.

So, how do I stay focused? Honestly, it’s tricky. I do have an active brain, so it’s important for me to focus on my project, whether that’s editing a current story or working on some new writing.

The first thing I do? I shut off the wifi on my computer. Unless I absolutely need to check a fact, my computer doesn’t even get wifi. My phone gives me important notifications, but I know if I open the internet on my computer, I’m just going to spiral into the deep, dark corners of the internet.

After the internet distractions are appropriately removed, I find a good piece of music to work to. I like movie soundtracks a lot because I get distracted from my work if it’s a song with too many lyrics. I also find that movie soundtracks are a really easy way to get into the mood that I’m looking for. One of the ways I plot out stories is by listening to various movie scores until I find something that gives me the right mood.

Recently, I’ve gotten into Spotify and Pandora for moods. When working on Moon of the Huntress, I like writing to Celtic fiddle music because it reflects really strongly on the elf culture I’ve built. As far as composers, I love John Williams, Harry Gregson-Williams and Hans Zimmer for the epic, sweeping scores they provide (as well as a variety of moods, from peppy and happy to dark and brooding).

Editing, I like to limit as much as possible. It’s usually just me and some music. Using the tablet gives me the same limitations as page-by-page editing, by giving me one thing to focus on. For music, I try to keep it simple with Pandora or Spotify. Occasionally, I’ll listen to Podcasts while I’m working, but that depends on how well my brain is cooperating.

What do you like to listen to when you feel the need to focus? Do you listen to music? Put on some movie you’ve seen a million times? Do you only work in absolute silence? What is your preference?

Writing Spaces

Every writer has a workspace. For some, it’s a glamorous library with reference books and a massive desk. For some, it’s a busy coffee shop or a study carrel at the local library. But I don’t quite have the budget for the glamorous library office or the focus to work in a coffee shop on a regular basis. For me, my workspace is a kitchen table.

I have dreams of having an office or some other workspace. But for now, when I sit down to write, I have my kitchen table. Hardly glamorous, but it keeps me focused. I’ll come home after a full day, drop my work stuff on the couch and settle in for some writing. I have a nice view of the tree behind my building, a nice comfortable chair (which I got for free) and space to spread out with any references I need.

Plus, I have a foolproof way to keep my table from getting cluttered in the day to day mail.

Yeah, it’s a folding table (for those wondering, the other side can also unfold). I tend to get distracted easily while editing, so I’ve started editing the PDFs on a really simple iPad app. It acts like printed paper and makes me look at each page carefully instead of scrolling too quickly and missing something (it’s also great for bringing to the breakroom at work). I’ll fold the table up for this process and basically use the remaining table real estate to hold my tea/phone while I work. It keeps my computer out of reach and internet distractions aren’t as easy to give in to.

I keep lots of random things in the drawers: pens, stress balls, my dice for D&D. Generally, the drawers are too small for anything especially useful. There are a couple of books there on craft and style, one or two notebooks of ideas for when things feel a little stale and I need to shake off the dust. I also have a couple of fantasy specific books. The contents of this will change as needed, depending on what I’m working on.

Most importantly, like any ace stereotype, it gives a good space for my plants.

The little one in the coffee cup is a ponytail plant named Millie. The big snake plant next in the squared pot is Merlin. The bamboo plant goes by Sully and the little succulent I call Brioche (like the bread). They’re good support and attentive listeners when I’m talking out the dialogue.

Seattle Kitchen-Part 2

So, I had mentioned in an earlier post that I had taken part in an episode of the podcast Seattle Kitchen (my friend, Sarah, assistant produces the show). As promised, here is a link where you can stream the podcast. We try to cook a Dutch Baby with…results. I recommend listening to the whole thing if you’re interested in cooking at all, but if you’re only interested in hearing me speak, the segment I’m in is at around the 17-minute mark (It says 14 minutes, but it loops back to zero after the hour).

(For those who haven’t guessed, I’m the very deep, male voice)

Seattle Kitchen (Special thanks to Kiro Radio)

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