March 29, 2015

 I published my first novel eight years ago today, and my life changed forever.

22 Tips from Pixar

These rules were originally tweeted by Emma Coates, Pixar’s Story Artist. Number 9 on the list - When you’re stuck, make a list of what wouldn’t happen next – is a great one and can apply to writers in all genres.

1.You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

2.You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.

3.Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite.

4.Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

5.Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

6.What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

7.Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

8.Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

9.When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

10.Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.

11.Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.

12.Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

13.Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.

14.Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.

15.If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

16.What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.

17.No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.

18.You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

19.Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

20.Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?

21.You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?

22.What’s the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

Been kinda quiet... January kinda sucked for me.

I don't recommend This Old Guy Camping Adventure...

On January 18th, 2023, I was solo Camping in Shenandoah River State Park.

When I crashed my mountain bike, I was wearing my GoPro when I went over the handlebars and got busted up. I dislocated my should, shattered my collarbone, cracked two ribs, and bruised a lung. It all happened so fast...

 

Quotes of the Week

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.

—Katherine Hepburn

You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.

—Robin Williams

Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but most of all, endurance.

—James Baldwin

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.

—Stephen King

If a writer falls in love with you, you'll never die.

—Unknown

Imagine that you are dying. If you had a terminal disease would you finish this book? Why not? And no one had to die.

—Anne Enright

Coming Soon!

 This collection will contain my short story: Justice in the Mist

Now available for eBook Pre-Order on Amazon!!

I'm back.

Hey everyone. I took a month off for Christmas and now that the decorations are down, I'm back to work. 

It should be a good writing year if I don't encounter too many monkey wrenches.

First up is a short story submission, that I will send out today. I have three novels in the queue for this year, two writers' Retreats, my podcast season 3, and a lot of adventures planned.

But only after I get this cat off my lap...