Tag: Writing

Proofreading

I read through my book another time. Did we catch them all? Time will tell.

Sometimes I just get the feeling there will be a glaring error that we don’t find until after it’s out. We’ve all put a lot of time and effort into it, but nobody’s perfect. It’s so much better than the first draft I put to paper, though sometimes it’s hard to remember back that far.

One day I’ll put together all the things I’ve learned writing novels and tell everyone what not to do.

I just hope people dig the story. I have the acknowledgment, dedication, discussion guide, copyright, and a story that wants to grab attention. The final cover is now available on the Art of Science page. I’m so excited! My proofread copy also has the ISBN numbers, so looks like I’m ready to finish up everything.

Wow. Where does the time go? It’s like it was just yesterday that I was amazed I finished a novel. Not really, but it does feel like this last little bit has just flown by.

Posted on by ransomnoble 1

Universe

Something about building a universe always get me excited. There are worlds to explore, creatures to flesh out, and new things to learn.

I happen to be fairly attached to the creatures. So many things out there use humans, giving them reasonable explanations of why they are so far from home or just letting them explore on their own.

Humans are easy. We understand them so well. Then we change them slightly for this or that – we add magic or abilities or knowledge. Sometimes we approach the beast inside, and sometimes we humanize the creatures.

The question I’m considering lately:
How do you make someone sympathize what’s inherently unhuman to make a worthy protagonist without making them human?

I’m just sure there has to be a way.

Posted on by ransomnoble 2

Book Update!

While I do not have an exact date for the book just yet, I did hear from my publisher today. Sounds like it is coming out this month!

It’s going to be exciting. There are still so many things to be done and planned. It’s hard to believe.

Beginning to work on a list for more research. I think my life has so many lists now.

Everyone is amazed when I say I’m having twins because I’m so small, I bet. Then I clarify one is a book and one is a baby… and they might both debut this month. It really does feel like twins.

I bet only authors and parents understand that, and I bet they could say it better. However, I’m pretty sure one takes more time and determination before the debut, and the other one will require much more later.

Posted on by ransomnoble 3

Do you ever notice?

So many previews, so little time.

The new Star Trek looks cool. It makes me remember so many times I’ve watched them since I was young. So often the aliens looked just – like – us. Not always, but most of the time in the original series. There are small cosmetic changes between us and them, but not enough.

The newer series did better, though most of them seemd based on the same lines. I find it interesting, but we are somewhat limited in film for what we can realistically show. “Realistically” is probably not the right word, since so many things that happen on the silver screen are no more realistic than balancing a Chevy on my little finger. Even those that are not mean to be science fiction get a little hazy, as you’ll notice once you sit next to a literal-minded engineer in a theater during an action feature. (If you haven’t done it, you haven’t lived! Or, lived to be annoyed…)

I still wonder sometimes about the books that do make it to be movies in the science fiction genre. Many of them don’t translate well; others lose too much in translation to the visual art. Do you wonder if you want your creations mangled by a creative mind when it took so much of your time to build the written world? I think and imagine and still don’t have a good answer. Perhaps if I’m ever lucky enough to get an offer like that I’ll figure it out.

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Research

Got sidetracked on research. It’s a wonderful thing, but it can take up a lot of time. I think I got carried away on this one.

It started with a short story I wrote about an intelligent species who flies- and is nearly human sized. A friend and I began debating whether or not it could really happen – well, not in our world – but using the physical laws of our world.

Mostly, we’ve been looking into wingspan versus overall weight. I think I might have gone too far, but there is so much uncertainty, that I justified it that way. Now I’m going to have to look at it and see if I can make a better focus of it.

My engineering background both aids and detracts from my fictional abilities in that every now and again I just try to follow the natural laws of our world. Ah well, I can’t complain.

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Mentors?

I don’t know about how to become one, or necessarily how to find one, but one of my buddies said she thought of me as hers.

Isn’t that just interesting? Forging a path through the field of choice and sharing what you learn is just par for the course, isn’t it? Or is there something more to being a mentor?

I’ve been trying to think if I have one, and I’m not sure I do. That would go with the definition I think of as a mentor of one to look up to as well as learn from. Not that I don’t look up to plenty of writers or try to learn all that I can, but I am not sure I have found the embodiment of those in one person who is around me to impart wisdom.

Then again, I don’t think of myself as the mentoring type. Sure, I’ll help out, share things I’ve learned, but none of that makes what I learn in return less valuable.

Perhaps it’s just to think of myself as a forever-student. Others may apply labels as desired. (Just so long as they’re nice.)

Posted on by ransomnoble 2

Graduate School

I heard today, a little earlier than usual. I didn’t get in.That puts me in with the 817 people who are getting rejected, rather than the 25 who get in to the world-renowned program. I can live with that…

This means I don’t have to worry about how to juggle school with a husband who lives in another town and a baby. I will be able to focus on the family and start the next novel when I get finished rewriting the one I’m working on.

Speaking of rewriting, I finally got a good idea of where i want to go on that last YA novel, so focusing on that one is good. I probably rushed it – it takes me time to get enough distance to really know what I want to say and how I want to say it.

If I ever apply again, I’ll take all the things I learned this time and make a better application. Might even get in. I must remember it isn’t a commentary that I’m a bad writer – I’m just not ready at this point for the program. It’s not a commentary about publishability, either. (Is that even a word?)

On to the next challenge.

Posted on by ransomnoble 3

Thinking about the Future

In more ways than one…

The anthology theme that just began is “Destination: Future” which sounds like a lot of fun. I’m definitely letting that one rumble in my head for awhile. Let’s hope something cool pops out of that!

The other reason I’m thinking about the future is my writing meeting did an exercise on how we wanted to be introduced. There weren’t very many of us, so we went around the room (with microphone in hand) to give a short introduction that we wrote ourselves, but someone else read and sometimes ad-libbed.

Then we handed in the papers with dates for a goals list. Mine might be more realistic than some, but I didn’t hand that in. I made a different goals sheet with about a year’s worth of goals. More than likely I won’t complete all of them, but they are goals I am consistently working toward. I track my progress and keep them defined in terms that are quantifiable and meaningful.

It makes me really want to buckle down and do things to see them printed out in front of me, but these things take time. Somehow, everything takes time!

Posted on by ransomnoble 2

The Love of Paper

I don’t know if all writers feel the same way I do about paper, but I just love the stuff. If I’m not careful, I pick up all kinds of stationery and writing utensils every chance I get.

One of the purchases is legitimate; I had a baby shower and needed thank-you notes. But, I didn’t need the cheap little notebooks for a dollar. I have a bunch of pens unopened in the drawer of my desk, too.

I never travel anywhere without paper and something to write with. Just in case I get a cool idea, I have to be able to write it down. And, in case I’m driving, I also have a digital recorder.

You’d think I could manage with just the recorder, but somehow I don’t seem to be able to let go of the paper.

I think I’ll need paper-lovers anonymous, but is it really so bad?

Posted on by ransomnoble 1

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 by ransomnoble 2