A Word on People

Do you wonder how the expectation of the words we use as writers?

Take people, for instance. Normally it means humans, but is that only because we haven’t met other species yet? Sometimes I find I need new words, or at least new connotations, in my science fiction.

We have limitations in our language because of our experiences. Other species, other creatures, other intelligences inhabit the imagination, but until they’re actually found, or someone writes a convincing story from another point of view, we lack words to describe some things. Making do seems the only good course.

Heinlein created a word in his book, Stranger in a Strange Land. I can’t say everyone knows it today, the word ‘grok‘ that the Martians had, but it is in the dictionary as the link shows. That’s a sign of success, influencing enough of the population to change language in that way.

To think, most people measure success by dollar signs.

Posted on 27 February 200926 February 2009 by ransomnoble 2

Translation to the Page

It’s always something about real life that doesn’t translate well to the page. Ever tried translating an actual conversation word for word? How about giving someone a blow-by-blow of something that happened?

Readers don’t want all the details. There is a point where you have to speed things up to make it – or keep it – interesting.

On the phone with someone you know, you ask about others to be polite or because you’re interested. In a story, your reader is going to wonder what the heck is up with Aunt Edna. If it doesn’t advance the plot, it shouldn’t be included.

Sometimes writers get so caught up in the characters, we see the whole thing about Aunt Edna, but we forget that it isn’t part of the story where Judy meets Robert and they save a dragon from the hunters.

I’m sure it’d be different if we needed Aunt Edna starting in Chapter 7 with a hideout or some other plot device. Always a good thing to check for during a rewrite to see if some of those things run away with you. They always seem to run away with me in the first draft(s).

Posted on 26 February 200925 February 2009 by ransomnoble 2

Short vs. Long

Every reader has a preference on what she likes to read, but what about the length?

What do you think about the length of a story? Some stories take longer than others to tell. Shouldn’t that be the determining factor? Sometimes it isn’t.

I don’t know any guideline that says this amount of conflict is that amount of story. Is there a limit to what I can show in a flash fiction piece? In a novel? I’m sure, but each author treats things differently. You can overstay your welcome in a scene, or you can gloss over too much and enter the dreaded realm of ‘telling’.

All of us have our own ideas about what length the story should be. Isn’t the adage to always leave them wanting more? Not a lot more, surely, but something has to keep those pages turning.

Posted on 25 February 200924 February 2009 by ransomnoble 2

A Question of Character

Do you know what makes some characters memorable and some not?

Everyone seems to be looking for character-oriented stories. It’s about being memorable, getting the reader to identify, and having a unique voice. Sounds easy when you state it that way, doesn’t it?

But some characters grab us from the first page and don’t let go. Something is the missing link – the part that really hooks a reader. There are actually four types of stories out there – Milieu, Idea, and Event often take the backstage with publishers.

I suppose it makes sense. When we discuss stories, we talk about the characters. We look into the minds of the characters when we read. As readers, we talk about who’s interesting, what’s happening, and sometimes why.

As an author, I struggle to show my characters as well on paper as I see them in my head. I do notice the more I like my characters the worse I make it for them. Poor characters… Not really. As important as the characters are, there must be a plot, and nothing drives a plot like the conflict of giving them such trouble.

Posted on 24 February 200923 February 2009 by ransomnoble 1

Geek Appeal

But – I might want this to be Geek Unappeal…

Rejected-

Happens to all of us sometimes. Just got the notice, I didn’t get into Footprints. The editor said I made the final list, but not into the book. I suppose that’s something.

I liked the submission guidelines on that piece, and I stretched myself to meet them. I seem to write novel-length stories, or almost flash fiction short stories. That anthology required something in between, which I should strive for more often.

The editor also mentioned when the next submission call would be posted. That has to be a good sign, right? I’ll have to check it out. Even if I don’t get accepted, the writing and planning of these stories is good for me.

Next time might be different, though. I’ll only know if I try. Time to get another piece out there – or more if I can manage it.

Posted on 22 February 2009 by ransomnoble 3

While reading…

Do you wonder how many people notice small errors? It’s one thing to misspell a word here or there, but what about a consistent misspelling? Or when you use the wrong word entirely?

I know authors and editors all comb through books several times to make sure things are error-free, but I also know sometimes things sneak in at the last moment.

Readers, I hear, mark out the wrong words and spell them correctly if it bothers them. I’m actually not one to do that. I don’t usually mark up books at all. If I read them often they begin to get soft on the bindings. (I’m a paperback sort of girl – I only get hardcovers on sale.) Still, I enjoy the story even if a typo sneaks in. When something becomes riddled with errors it becomes painful to sort out the story, which is why we proofread at all.

The weirdest thing I ran into with books I’ve purchased – I have one book that repeats about 50 pages. I don’t have 50 pages, and I have yet to call the publisher and ask after them. (Shame on me.) I don’t read it often enough to wonder what happened in the missing section, but it intrigued me that the book made it to the shelves that way.

Posted on 21 February 2009 by ransomnoble 4

Truth is stranger than Fiction

Or, at least so I’ve heard so many times with this common adage. There are so many strange stories out there, but I find if I write them as fiction they’re too far out there to be believed.

Isn’t that amazing? You can find patents for crazy inventions, but use those inventions in science fiction (sometimes) and you lose the reader. You can observe behavior in people, but unless you really flesh out the true shadings of the individual the feedback from the average reader is ‘this person could never exist’. You can witness bizarre events, but describe them in detail without the ‘this actually happened’ banner and no one follows your creative path.

I can’t say I’m different than anyone else in that regard, but the observations are interesting. Until something changes, I’ll write on the believable side. Well, except for the suspended belief part of speculative fiction.

Posted on 20 February 200919 February 2009 by ransomnoble 1

Oh, Random Thought!

I walked up the stairs in my house today, probably for the tenth time, and I randomly thought to myself, “I could start a magazine.”

Some days I dont have a clue where these thoughts come from. Obviously my focus is to be a published author, and not to self-publish in any way, but the thought of finding cool pieces to put together into a magazine and share with others has some appeal.

Then I remember I don’t have any money to do a project like this and all my available time is spent writing and promoting and attempting to publish.

Still, it might be fun.

Oh, the questions are still there:
Print or online?
Who would be the staff?
Focus/target audience?
Am I insane?

Links:

Start a magazine (the glossy kind with pictures)

Start a magazine (more generic and mentions online stuff)

While both of these are Helium articles, I found 2 and 3 of the 4 listed articles to not be so helpful for the information I seek. If this is something I’d proceed with, I may have to chat up some editors. It’s thankless work, but someone has to do it. (And Kudos to all of those who do, even if you reject me!)

Posted on 19 February 200918 February 2009 by ransomnoble 2

Submissions

Now and then, I re-evaluate my current submissions and look for what I could send out.

I’m still waiting to hear from an anthology that I submitted to last November. I know I made it through the slush pile; I’m hoping I made it through the rest, but I don’t want to bug the editor.

I sent a flash fiction piece out for another anthology today.

Later this week I’ll send out a short story to a magazine. Just little tweaks here and there, but it’s better to let it sit a few extra days than to bang your face against the desk when it comes back rejected and you found you hadn’t looked it over that one last time. Or worse, you sent the older version of a file.

Also finishing up a title for Helium. Looks like a productive day.

Posted on 18 February 200917 February 2009 by ransomnoble 2

Ransom Noble

Science Fiction Writer