The Twisting Path

For myself, as a writer, I’ve never really known what direction my career might take. I loved writing novels and I enjoyed creating scripts from the movies in my head.

Yes, I’ve written and published novels; sixteen of them at last count, mostly traditionally published with houses such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Five Star and others, but additionally as an Indie writer.

I’ve also written and optioned a number of screenplays, written blogs (this one included along with being a regular Contributing Editor at TVwriter.net). Be sure to visit. I talk about writing and will be doing a longer, 'how this all started' article there.

But this latest incarnation/twist in my writer’s journey I didn’t see coming. Or, at least it came low on my list. 

Technology certainly has had an impact on what I decided to do. I’ve always thought in pictures. Created my novels from the movie in my head and the same for the screen scripts, but this is a whole new ball game.

NIGHTFIST

Recently I released, with a writing and illustrating partner, Charlene Brash-Sorensen, a new comic series, Planet Of The Eggs. First issue, volume one; Cracked Open.

It’s a true labor of love with a learning curve about as steep as can be imagined. I would have said as steep as Everest or maybe the Empire State building, but I think leaving it to your imagination is probably better.

And yes, technology is a big player. I have ideas, lots of them, and I write, lots of stuff, but putting together a comic series? It seemed impossible only a short time ago unless I wanted to approach a comic house and try to sell my ideas. Since this is a blast and not to be trampled (as can many times happen in a development cycle) in my humble opinion, I wanted to do it Indie. 

SKINK

Then I discovered the software. Yep, lots of software. I’m learning a lot about Photoshop, the ins and outs of Power Point and a comic creator software that is great. Learning, learning, learning. That’s Where I’m at. Still learning, but it’s coming together nicely (again in my own humble opinion) and we were very excited to launch Volume 1, Issue 1 just this past week.

It truly is amazing how technology is leaping forward. Yeah, I know, I kind of give away my age saying that, but it’s the truth. From an era to typewriters to this ever-changing, opportunity-generating time, it is, simply amazing. One whole heckuva lot of fun too!

So, now that I’ve shifted gears into this arena will I still be writing books such as Science Fiction, Romance, Horror or Western?  You bet I will! Screen scripts? Yep! I’ve been accused of being too scattered, but I’m having such a good time I really don’t care. For me it’s always been explore, have fun, and see where it takes you.

Grab a copy of the first adventure in Planet Of The Eggs and be sure to watch for the next installment! And don't forget to stop by and like our Planet Of The Eggs Facebook page. We're going to have discussions, giveaways, and more there.

Planet of the Eggs - new comic series - Launches!

It's true - I've partnered with Charlene Brash-Sorensen and together we've launched the new comic series Planet Of The Eggs - first issue, Cracked Open. 

The eggs arrive as darkness descends on the Planet of The Eggs.

Lost in the mists of time the magic of Eggland reemerges with the arrival of the Anointed Six. Under the guardian wing of Eight Hooter, an owl of great wisdom, the newly laid eggs embark on perilous adventures.

A prophesy kept by the Mystic Council heralds their arrival and predicts their rolls in rescuing Eggland from dark forces.

But our eggs are young and untested and unsure. Will they pass the test in the first skirmish with the evil snake BloodBlink or will they fail?

The Golden Feather has been stolen and the eggs of Eggland are cracking. 

What dangers and treachery lurk? Will the Eggs run out of time before they come into their own magic and solve the intertwined mysteries?

Follow the adventures, engage with the heroic eggs and follow the trail deeper and deeper into betrayal and the unknown.

But the adventures have just begun! The second adventure is in the works, titled Grimoire: Book of Spells and Lost Knowledge. 

Discover you love the characters? There are T-shirts available at Skreened with more on the drawing board!  Be the first to get the book and the T celebrating your favorite character. 

Check out all the designs! at www.Skreened.com/PlanetOfTheEggs

Writers and Readers Websites Wednesday - Natural Reader

Whew, sorry about that - work has been overwhelming the past few weeks. Missed a couple of website posts. 

This week I'm mentioning Natural Reader.  It's a text to speech reader. Great for writers to listen carefully to their manuscript pages to help the editing process. 

Great for readers as well - students who want to listen to their class notes, folks who like to listen to books and many other applications. Check it out. Just paste and let it read to you.

Too Many Words- A Writer's Dilemma

 

Work continues on my latest project, Planet Of  The Eggs – Cracked Open! A new comic series full of heroes, adventures and villainy. But while I work on that project I thought I’d put out a few thoughts on the very lengthy novel, a whole different animal than what I’m currently writing with partner Charlene Brash-Sorensen. Launching very soon now.

There are times when writers go on a little too much – create a tome that’s a little too long.  Perhaps not a problem for a reader engrossed in a really great novel, but for the writer, it can be troublesome. 

There are guidelines put out by publishers as to acceptable length of a novel in a particular genre or in general. And there’s the writing process itself, or more to the point, the aftermath wherein the writer puts the manuscript out there for friends and family to give a bit of feedback. Not much of a problem getting a friend to read an average 70,000 word novel, doesn’t take a whole lot of time. But that 160,000 word manuscript is a bit of a harder sell. 

And don’t forget the length of a novel can get a response from a prospective agent that the manuscript is unmarketable at that length.  Oh, and if you’re paying for professional editing before putting it out there, editors charge by the word or the page. Kind of gives the writer pause. 

So what is the writer to do? There are basically two fundamental options in this case. 

First, it behooves the writer to really think about whether he or she is waaaay over writing. Also up for consideration is how much can be cut and still keep the heart of the manuscript intact. Usually, especially with new writers, there’s a lot that can be cut (sorry, hard to hear, but true). That’s the first consideration. I cut a manuscript by a third at the request of an editor years ago with no guarantee of publication if I did – I did it and it was published – by Doubleday. So it is worth considering. 

There are simply times when massive cuts not only won’t hurt the story, but could well end up helping. An open mind and a willingness to work with others is always an asset. 

Nonetheless, there’s another option. The writer might stop and think about whether he or she has actually written two or three books into one. It’s possible that a Lord of the Rings Trilogy has been written and stuffed into one manuscript. They may not yet show their distinctive breaks, but in the hands of a good writer a series of three, or even more, may be a great alternative to a single epic. And a trilogy can be a great way to pull in readers and keep them coming back for more. 

So if you’re a writer with a really long manuscript you’ve just completed, consider the suggestions above. Really give it some thought. Try not to get caught in the trap of too many words.