I read through a bunch of my old blog entries the other day and decided that instead of waiting to have a story to post, I'd just write a little blip. Maybe add some links. Tragically this is just filler since no one reads this. The IDEA is one day someone will hear something and say "hey that John guy.. he's alright. I should google that guy!" and BAM! This blog pops up and there you go, at least someplace I have writing for people to read.
Apparently writing is more about marketing than writing unless your pen drips pure genius. For those of us with moderate genius, we need to spend as much time promoting as we do writing / reading to stay current on the craft. It brings to mind the old addage, "if a writer writes and no one reads it, does he actually exist?" Maybe not. Depends for the reason you're writing I guess. If it's personal than you could happily spend years writing a massive epic and upon completion, set the whole deal on fire. If a writer writes for basically ANY OTHER REASON then he wants someone to read what he's got.
I think the key to this is with any craft, it needs to be supported by a community. Thinking back, the last time I had something like that was when I was posting on elfwood (it still exists! I think my account still has material on it actually...) but that was ages and lifetimes ago. I know I've grown alot as a writer and hopefully as a person as well. Maybe it's time to start taking this writing thing a little more seriously. Maybe it's time to take this writing thing ALOT more seriosuly.
That means getting the name out. That means getting people interested. In a world where fan bases are whimsical and treacherous things, how? I have a plan. It's not even manical. I'm goi g to read and give honest comments. Wattpad is crazy active. Most of the comments I've posted thus far have resulted in replies within minutes of my posting. I blame iPhones. My story has as of yet no comments and four reads, each of them mine. I'll be posting something a little longer there soon. From what I've seen, people like things with chapters in them. I HAVE that. I have alot of that.
Signing off for now, will post with updates on this little marketting adventure pans out,
John, The Writer.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Winning and Losing.
I entered a contest here: http://www.writersunion.ca/cn_shortprose.asp and didn't place. The part of me that had dillussions of a winning entery springboarding my career as a writer is a little sad. But, as that plucky little frog says from the storks gullet "Never Give Up!" The problem, likely, is that I'm not good enough. I can fix that, I can get better!
I started a wattpad account and posted teh story there. I think that makes more sense than posting it here. For one, the formatting isn't completely nuked by blogger, whihch is a useful feature in a writing site. http://www.wattpad.com/3395374-life-plus?p=1
I started reading a few science fiction pieces on wattpad and just have to say, to any writers that MIGHT come across this post: vulgar language does not immediantly make your story more mature and respectable. If anything, it shows a lack of expression that a writer can't get that specific mood set by any other means. I should ellaborate.
I see this in books, comics, movies, TV shows... every concievable creative media. There's a pattern, a formula that is used that, while works to a degree, is not always optimal. It's more than vulgar language, it's mature content in general. Sex is thrown into media to make a scene more exciting, it works because sex is exciting (reguardless of your opinions on the matter, it is) but it is often a crass use of it. A cheap trick to get cheap results. There are times when it's used expertly, read The Watchmen to see what I mean (don't settle for the movie, the original TPB lead-up, background and execution of this scene is superior to the silver screen rendition). Here it means something more than a cheap thrill. It means something because, to the characters, it is actually meaningful.
Vulgar language, when used for shock value, should be used sparcely. I can't say I'm a fan of crass words, but I understand their effect. to quote C.S. Lewis on the same type of subject "Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite." It's the boy that cried wolf syndrome, use something too much and your readers will become accostmed to it. Then, when you really want some shock value, it doesn't hit as hard since that same character cursed similarily wether their sports team missed a play or their wife has been kidnapped by terrorists. See what I mean?
In closing and on the same subject, I've seen movies and read books that built up more charge and more expectations, and therefor more satisfaction, from two characters kssing than from the steamiest sex scene. Think on that.
John.
I started a wattpad account and posted teh story there. I think that makes more sense than posting it here. For one, the formatting isn't completely nuked by blogger, whihch is a useful feature in a writing site. http://www.wattpad.com/3395374-life-plus?p=1
I started reading a few science fiction pieces on wattpad and just have to say, to any writers that MIGHT come across this post: vulgar language does not immediantly make your story more mature and respectable. If anything, it shows a lack of expression that a writer can't get that specific mood set by any other means. I should ellaborate.
I see this in books, comics, movies, TV shows... every concievable creative media. There's a pattern, a formula that is used that, while works to a degree, is not always optimal. It's more than vulgar language, it's mature content in general. Sex is thrown into media to make a scene more exciting, it works because sex is exciting (reguardless of your opinions on the matter, it is) but it is often a crass use of it. A cheap trick to get cheap results. There are times when it's used expertly, read The Watchmen to see what I mean (don't settle for the movie, the original TPB lead-up, background and execution of this scene is superior to the silver screen rendition). Here it means something more than a cheap thrill. It means something because, to the characters, it is actually meaningful.
Vulgar language, when used for shock value, should be used sparcely. I can't say I'm a fan of crass words, but I understand their effect. to quote C.S. Lewis on the same type of subject "Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite." It's the boy that cried wolf syndrome, use something too much and your readers will become accostmed to it. Then, when you really want some shock value, it doesn't hit as hard since that same character cursed similarily wether their sports team missed a play or their wife has been kidnapped by terrorists. See what I mean?
In closing and on the same subject, I've seen movies and read books that built up more charge and more expectations, and therefor more satisfaction, from two characters kssing than from the steamiest sex scene. Think on that.
John.
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