Writer's Weekly World Review - Plus our First CONTEST! - Day 31

Before the Writer's Weekly World Review, Let The Contests Begin!

The Prize: Two All Natural, Hand-Crafted Bath Bombs!*^

How To Enter: Each time you comment on this blog (any post) between now and next Friday, June 17, you will receive an entry. IF someone you know becomes an official follower of the blog (as in, I can see them in the follower's box), AND states in a comment that they were referred by you, BOTH of you earn two entries. If you bring at least two new people to this fabulous blog and you win the prize, you will receive four Bath Bombs. Only one comment per day per person counts towards entries. A comment and someone you pointed to the blog joining still count separately, netting you three entries for that day. So what are you waiting for? Get posting!



* Some of you may be wondering what a bath bomb is. Put simply, it's what makes bath time fun again, even for guys. They are balls or half spheres of compacted dry material which, when placed in water, begins to fizz rapidly across the surface and dissolve. They always release a mild to strong scent that lingers for a couple of minutes (rose, lilac, cinnamon, tangerine, pine, etc) and helps you to relax. Guys generally prefer citrus and wood smells, women of course like floral and berry scents. Children like anything. Most also release a water or skin softening product into the water as it dissolves, such as Zea Maize (corn starch), grape-seed oil, Shea butter, etc. Some low quality versions use fillers such as sand. Bath Bombs are non-toxic and are designed to not stain your tub or skin. They are completely harmless and can be held in the hand while they fizz. The fizzing action is from a chemical conversion of two natural elements to water and oxygen. The most well known maker of bath bombs is Lush. The bath bombs for the contest are generously being made and donated by Serendipity Gourmet Bath. Each bath bomb is valued at $5 per bomb.

^ Don't have a tub or don't like baths at all? You can swap out a bath bomb for a 5-pack of shower tablets. Place them in a corner where they will receive light, indirect shower spray and enjoy incredible scents lasting for 10-15 minutes per tablet!

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I am short on time today, but here is the round-up!

1) So it seems that the coming of age of graphic realism and hyper-fantasy in YA has started quite the debate. Myself and several others at Author's Incognito jumped in to the beginning mark of a heavy debate a few weeks ago when QueryTracker awarded 2nd place for a first chapter contest in YA to a highly sexual but well written piece. This is in fact led me to create the Morals in Writing series, which you can find on my blog and is one of the featured items.

It wasn't over. Megan Cox Gurdon with the Wall Street Journal, who is quite prominent in the publishing and review world, weighed in on this exact topic last Saturday. You can read her piece here.


2) Unsurprisingly, it led to massive controversy and complete misrepresentation of what she said, similar to how one person on the QueryTracker.com blog tried to do with mine and other words (and for which I decimated their arguments). Now it seems Publisher's weekly has weighed in. While they appear on the surface to take a neutral news stance, it is very apparent they feel that it's an anything goes world. Read their response here.


3) Another pairing is that of the explosion of online advertising. It increased a whopping 20% this year!


4) And why am I mentioning that? Because online advertising is going to massively effect income streams for eBook reader services and possibly even the eBook author. This is news from two months ago, but it was applicable with story #3: Kindle Now Cheaper With Advertising. Yes, if you haven't heard it, advertising is being used to push the cost of the Kindle down even further. You will see all other eReaders offer this. Additionally, within 1 year I predict that authors will have the opportunity to insert targeted banner ads into their books (top or bottom of page). Readers will be able to purchase more expensive add free versions or cheaper (even free) add-supported editions. I expect that some publishers will shaft the author, take all profits this, and make all of their editions have the advertising. Others will give a small percentage to the author even though the publisher did absolutely no work for the extra funds. This may happen in the next 4-6 months, but definitely within a year.


5) The cost of eBooks via competitive marketing is being driven down daily it seems. Want the best-sellers in any category? Whether it's thrillers and mystery or science fiction you will notice one thing: at least 50%-80% of the top 10 are priced below $5, with most of those at $2 or less. With the smaller costs, it is more important than ever to ensure that you are getting a good deal with your agent or publisher on eBook profits. If you are self-published, then this just means the door is wide open for your work to shine through.

Day 30! - Hard Knocks - 30 Days of Dedication!

Happy Thirty Days to Me!!!

30 days ago, I started a blog after having come home from a writer's conference my dad signed up for but couldn't make. Having attempted writing before but being unaware of certain techniques, marketing, and more, and generally lacking real determination, I never lasted more than a few days. And now... I made a month!

Okay, I know. For those who have been working on this for longer (which is most everyone), a month may seem insignificant. But for me, this month has been one of the busiest for work, my father in the hospital and transferring due to near malpractice, Blogger causing multiple headaches, being very sick myself, and more.It's been a rough month.

I have two goals: Write at least one sentence a day in my novel, and blog daily. I am pleased to say that I have kept both of those goals!

I've reached some other significant milestones:

1) I wrote at least a sentence a day for the last 30 days in my novel.

2) I blogged every single day.

3) I entered a blog contest.

4) I modified my blog's appearance using a template and many modifications via HTML that required me to relearn some coding. It looks pretty awesome if I do say so myself!

5) I now have 31 followers! That means I have added one blogger every single day I have had this blog! Wow! This is both soothing to me vanity as well as encouraging since it means I am not writing to the void of the nethernet (I just made that word up... sounds like it might be good in a book...).

6) In 30 days, I feel I have integrated into an awesome writing group, Author's Incognito. They come from diverse backgrounds, ages, and interests, but all love writing and all are extremely supportive of each other in both the good and the bad times. They have been invaluable in helping me stay motivated.

7) I learned about GoodReads, multiple useful author websites, sprint writing, and a lot about networking with social media.

8) And... most awesomely... I've reached over 10% novel completion!!!! That's right, 10%+! A few days ago I was lamenting my slow progress for the past week in writing, and privately made the goal to hit 10% by today, rain or shine. I scheduled a time for myself to do a sprinting session, held to it, and two days ago crossed the threshold! I honestly wasn't thinking I would make it until today, but I haven't even written yet (I'll do that  right after this post). It was all about the sprinting. I began 30 days ago with 3,035 words I had written mostly overnight the day before Writing Boot Camp at the LDS Storymaker's conference (See Day 1 or 2 for more info if you don't know the story). That was 3.79%. Today, I stand at 8,093 words, or 10.12%!!! Okay, again, I know, for many this may not seem like a lot written overall, but for the timeframe and for myself, I think it's pure awesomeness!

Thank you everyone for your support and your reading There are fantastic things on the horizon this next month for the blog! You'll see interviews, greater implementation of other media and social networking tools, contests, writing samples, and more!

Oh, and you'll want to check in tomorrow... there will be a contest. You have to be a follower to enter this one, so if you are reading and not following, better change that (or you can simply leave a comment letting me know you follow from a different tool).

Thanks again!

Matt Tandy

Day 29 - Writing Wisdom - The Role of Morals in Writing - Part IV: Hyper-Fantasy

For those who were wondering, I did not forget this series! I shifted it to the Wednesday Writing Wisdom section, so it's a mini-series in the actual framework. Part V: How Morals Affects Our Use of Technique will be out next Wednesday and will likely conclude the set. I will then link them all into one easily accessible form for your convenience.
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Hyper-Fantasy is a writing concept I completely made up out of thin air and gave a term to in order to describe something I had not seen really described before. So what is it then?

Hyper-Fantasy goes beyond just the imaginary. It is intense, surreal, and even garish at times. Everyday events and feelings are heightened and enhanced. It would be like painting the scene of a park in neon pinks and greens and yellows and reds. Here is an image that roughly gives the idea:

 


This surrealism meets intensity and imagination gone wild can be used in numerous capacities and combined with methods similar to graphic realism. The important difference is that in graphic realism, you are scrutinizing something as it is, more than may be realistic in the setting, such as obsessing over gory details of a decapitated body in the middle of an intense fight where you can't slow down at all. With Hyper-Fantasy, you are changing reality and focusing on what in your writing ultimately comes across as raw emotion.

So what are some examples?

In a fantasy novel, hyper-fantasy can be used to describe not just the visual setting of a fantastical, magical, and alien world, but also the feelings, the scents, the awe and the wonder.

In an action novel, it can be employed in heightening a character's intense emotions in the heat of the moment. It can be used to also express delirium.

It can also be used in horror, violence, and sexual encounters.

In horror and violence, it is where the author doesn't just obsess over the details of a violent encounter, but unrealistically portrays the actual violence. It is often over the top, gory, bloody, and so incredibly distorted that it sickens, repulses, and turns off those with normal sensibilities. There is a difference between noting you shot an enemy, versus describing it in detail. Similarly, there is a difference between describing it in detail and crafting exceptionally disturbing and impossible imagery that is intense (hyper) fantasy of a twisted mind.

In sexual encounters, this is where the author doesn't just hint at the situation or even describes it in detail. Instead they paint an unrealistic picture of what sex is like, what is possible, and what emotions are felt. In hyper-fantasy versions, we're not talking about elf meets goblin and they hook up for some kinky times. Instead, it distorts what the sexual experience is so much it can only exist in the fantasy of the author's mind and is intense to a point not possible in reality. I think porn to some degree is like this, but in writing you can also get peoples thoughts tossed in and noticing aspects that no one could ever notice in real life.

As can be seen, hyper-fantasy has many applications. Like other techniques, you can use it for love or violence, fantasy worlds or enhanced experiences in our world. More than just the visual image, it includes all the sensations heightened to new levels. As adults we can more easily recognize this intensity of distortion, but for children we would not teach them about what love is by showing them hardcore pornography. We would not show them House of 1,000 Corpses. Thus, there are social and societal norms for what is acceptable.

Some would push those boundaries and call it "edgy". To some degree, some may be. But there is a grey line wherein if you go too far you are now closer to obscene and simply evil or sinful, most especially when marketing it specifically to younger audiences.

Next week I will discuss how I view the moral writer's use of these levels of detail.  

Day 28 - Interesting Interviews - Preparation

Today is the first interview Tuesday, which I am naming Interesting Interviews for now. It's not just authors, it's bloggers, unpublished writers, and perhaps even random but interesting people who I feel may be helpful to everyone for one reason or another. The title may change if I think of anything less corny.

I technically do not have an interview for you to read today. As you know, it has been a crazy week, and I simply forgot to arrange one, think of questions, figure out format, or anything else. I tried to tell myself this morning I would get one somehow, but then my father was accepted into the Huntsman Cancer Institute and I was arranging for his transfer, which is tomorrow hopefully. So I don't feel guilt, because I was doing something good.

That said, let me give you an idea of how I plan to conduct interviews:

1) I will have spent at least some time researching the person to be interviewed: readings some of their books or articles, their blog, and any other legitimate methods of stocking or study.

2) Prepare a short list of questions. These are for guiding the conversation and are not meant to act as the actual interview itself.

3) Interview will ideally be conducted in a chat setting. If the interviewee has Google Chat, we will use that, or any other handy chat system. In the future, I will set it up for live author chats wherein everyone can ask questions at the appropriate time I open up the room and release my silencing  power.

4) Should a chat interview not be available due to time constraints on either my part or the interviewee, it will be done by email exchange and edited to move follow up questions in line with their appropriate starting question.

5) If you have someone you would like me to interview, or would like to be interviewed yourself, drop me a line and we'll see what we can arrange.

Questions will not be limited to strictly book or writing questions, but will also include meet the author type inquiries about favorite foods, books, implements of doom, and similar mundane topics.

So next week, rain or shine, look for the first actual author interview!

Day 27 - Matt's Monday Musings - Slow Going

This last week has been busy to say the least. I finished planting my garden, discovered my tenants are moving out of my basement a few months earlier than I has wrongly assumed (their lease was up, I just thought they would stay to the end of the summer) and so I've had to work harder at my actual job to try and generate more funds to cover the loss of income. I mowed out yard, hauled out an old clothesline pole from the 1940's that had a couple hundred pounds of cement on it (when pulled it out of the ground with my truck, it bent the super-thick steel 70 degrees before I was able to move it...). I've had a terrible sinus and throat infection for the past few weeks that has made extended speaking difficult. My dad is still in the hospital with leukemia and I spent a considerable amount of time researching other doctors and facilities versus his current location. Thankfully, we found an outstanding option there with Huntsman, who just accepted him into their program, and we'll be transferring him next week. While visiting my dad this evening, my wife called and said my infant son had fallen off the couch and put his two front teeth through the middle of his tongue, and there was a lot of blood.

So I know that was a disjointed paragraph, but it got the information out. I am exhausted. Days like this make me want to just say "Tonight, don't worry about writing or blogging." In the future perhaps I will schedule a weekly break. But not now. Not while I am solidifying habits.

Habits then is the key to success as a writer. I could take a break, and be completely justified. Yet I realize that with my personality, I could then more easily justify breaks for lesser things. Before I knew what was happening, I would be taking more break days than writing days. I am working now on improving that aspect of me. Even though the going has definitely become tough, I keep on going. This way I know that when I really cannot blog or write one or multiple days, I will have the mental fortitude, perhaps even the craving, to get back on the horse as soon as possible.

As a consequence of my busy week, I have written very little, but I have written daily. Not a day has gone by where a few sentences weren't written. And I have a goal: 10% of my novel written by day 30. It's ambitious. I'll need to do some sprint writing. I may not make it, but by golly, I am going to shoot for the stars.