Calendar updates

ByJohn Brown

I’ve added a number of entries to the calendar, including three conferences I plan on attending.

I know I’ll be presenting at the first two. The title and description of the League of Utah Writers presentation are:

TITLE: The Secret to Getting Story Ideas

DESCRIPTION: How to stop generating great story ideas by accident and start generating them on purpose, whenever you need them.

I don’t know what I’ll do for LTUE. I might do a repeat of the “The Secret to Getting Story Ideas,” or I might do something on how to write scenes or how genre is the key to plot. Stay tuned!

Date & Time Event Location Notes
Right now Writing Office It’s all for you, Dear Reader
2015, Summer Release of Awful Intent, a Frank Shaw novel All major online retail venues The date is not firm.
2015, Aug 28-29 League of Utah Writers Fall Conference Logan, UT League of Utah Writers
2016, Winter Release of Hard Target, a Frank Shaw novel All major online retail venues The date is not firm.
2016, Feb 11-13 Life, the Universe & Everything Provo, UT LTUE website
2016, May LDStorymakers Conference Provo, UT LDStorymakers website
2016, Summer Release of Glory: The Dark God Book 4 All major online retail venues The date is not firm.
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    How to Write a Story that Rocks

    ByJohn Brown

    Folks, a huge thanks goes to Stephen Nelson for putting all this together. You may kiss his hand when you see him.

    This is a recording of “How to Write a Story that Rocks,” a two-hour seminar Larry Correia and I just put on at the annual BYU’s Life, The Universe, & Everything symposium. I think we had 130-140 people attend. This symposium is focused on writing fiction. And while the panels and presentations do include things specific to the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres (both adult and young adult), a lot of time is also spent on story writing fundamentals that apply to ALL genres. So when I developed this workshop, I made sure I took the fundamental approach.

    The two-hour seminar has been broken down into 12 segments. To switch between the segments:

    • Hover your mouse pointer over the YouTube below
    • Click the forward and back arrows that appear on the right and left sides to move to the next or previous segment, OR 
    • Scroll through all 12 segments and select the one you want using the playlist control at the bottom

    If you prefer, you can watch all 12 on the How to Write a Story that Rocks YouTube playlist page.

    I’ve found whenever I develop any presentation or training that it takes a few iterations and revisions before it’s the best it can be. This is the first iteration of this seminar. And so below this video I’ve provided additional comments on each segment explaining key concepts, principles, and techniques that we might have failed to discuss or convey as clearly as we’d hoped. Enjoy!

    Handout

    How to Write a Story That Rocks – Handout

    Segment 1

    It’s documented–right-wing gun nut Larry Correia sang “Kumbaya.” What’s next? The hugging of small trees? Oh, Larry, the disilluion. The disillusion.

    The reason why I had Larry sing was not for his mellifluous performance, but to demonstrate the difference in reactions between him and our happy volunteer (“Country Road” by John Denver–this really was a love fest). The volunteer balked because he hadn’t taken any thought to know what to sing before he was commanded to do so. On the other hand, Larry and I had spoken before the seminar. So Larry had something to sing BEFORE he sang it. It’s a simple demonstration, but it illustrates a principle a lot of new writers forget. Writing is a performance. It helps to know what it is you’re going to perform before you perform it.

    It’s one thing for you to tell yourself to write. It’s much easier to tell yourself to write the scene where the rancher finds out one of his illegal ranch hands has been kidnapped.

    Now this doesn’t mean that you have to know everything. Or that you can’t write exploratory drafts to figure out what it is you want to write. But it does illustrate that whatever techniques you use, you’ll be a lot more effective in your writing when you have something to say first.

    But what do you develop? What are the things that bring the story to life? How do you go about getting those things to say? That’s precisely what I wanted to address in the seminar. In the segments that follow, I try to:

    1. Explain what I’ve found are the most important things to develop, the things that define the essence of story, that make the story come alive in the writer’s mind–the things that really matter
    2. Demonstrate techniques to develop those things so you have something to say

    Segment 2

    I think this segment went fairly well. What rocks will different from person to person, even though there will often be a huge overlap between people. So it’s important for authors to seek to develop the kinds of stories that rouse their passion. Watch this interview with best seller Debbie Macomber to see what I mean. So I can’t tell you what to write about. Or if whath you think rocks will resonate with a large number of people. However, what I can do is share the techniques I use that have been most productive in helping me develop initial ideas into something that has much more power.

    You can use the techniques to juice up any of the four parts of story. However, I will say that I find that the most productive, the most important parts, are character and problem. Plot and setting are important. I love them and work to juice them up. But when I get a good character and problem, that’s when the writing seems to flow the easiest.

    And no, I don’t list theme as a part of story. Everyone talks about theme, but when I read what they have to say or press them for examples, it seems that it always either boils down to (1) a story element or topic that’s repeated, (2) a story problem/issue stated in an abstract manner, or (3) some moral situation. Les Miserables is about the “theme” of mercy versus justice. But saying justice versus mercy is just an abstraction of the story problem and dilemmas the story deals with. So, no theme. 

    Segment 3

    Loved this bit about scenes from David Mamet: http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/03/23/a-letter-from-david-mamet-to-the-writers-of-the-unit/ 

    Segment 4

    I’ll be adding my comments to the rest of these segments over the next few days.

    Segment 5

    Segment 6

    Segment 7

    Segment 8

    Segment 9

    Segment 10

    Segment 11

    Segment 12

    Dan Wells on Story Structure

    Check it out: Dan Wells on How to Build a Story (story structure). I find Dan’s “start with the ending” technique helpful as well as thinking about a worst fears realized moment. Watch the videos and see if there isn’t something there that can help you develop your story idea.

    You can get the PowerPoint of How to Build a Story on Dan’s site.

    If you find this approach useful, you might want to check out what novelist Larry Brooks has written about the same material on StoryFix.com.

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  • If you liked “From the Clay of His Heart” you can nominate for Hugo

    ByJohn Brown

    You may nominate works for the 2009 Hugo award if you either:

    • were an attending or supporting member of Denvention 3 (the 2008 World Science Fiction Convention); OR
    • are an attending or supporting member of Anticipation (the 2009 World Science Fiction Convention) before January 31, 2009

    If you liked “From the Clay of His Heart” and want to nominate it in the novelette category, all you need to do is go here and fill out this form before Saturday, February 28, 2009. You can nominate up to 5 stories in each category.

    If you want to read it, you can do so online if you have an IGMS vol 8 subscription ($2.50). If you don’t plan on subscribing to that issue, post a comment, and I’ll make sure you get a copy.

    Here are nomination numbers for last year’s awards. What this shows is that 40 nominations puts a novel on the final ballot. 17 nominations put a short story there.

    Best Novel (382 nominating ballots cast):
    65 – Brasyl by Ian McDonald
    58 – The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
    58 – Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer
    41 – The Last Colony by John Scalzi
    40 – Halting State by Charles Stross

    Best Novella (220 nominating ballots cast):
    52 – “Memorare” by Gene Wolfe
    50 – “Recovering Apollo 8” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
    49 – “All Seated on the Ground” by Connie Willis
    39 – “The Fountain of Age” by Nancy Kress
    34 – “Stars Seen Through Stone” by Lucius Shepard

    Best Novelette (243 nominating ballots cast):
    69 – “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” by Ted Chiang
    45 – “Dark Integers” by Greg Egan
    24 – “Finisterra” by David Moles
    22 – “The Cambist and Lord Iron” Daniel Abraham

    Best Short Story (270 nominating ballots cast):
    46 – “Tideline” by Elizabeth Bear
    29 – “Last Contact” by Stephen Baster
    28 – “Distant Replay” by Mike Resnick
    25 – “A Small Room in Koboldtown” by Michael Swanwick
    17 – “Who’s Afraid of Wolf 359?” by Ken MacLeod

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  • John and Larry do Phoenix this Thurs & Fri

    ByJohn Brown

    Just a reminder. Larry and I will be in the Phoenix area this week on book tour. If you’re available, we’d love to see you Thursday night at the Poisoned Pen or earlier that day at the informal Barnes & Noble meet-n-greet!

    Thursday,
    November 19
    3 pm – 5 pm    		 Meet public, discuss book, signing. This is informal, just chatting in the cafe–Brown & Correia Mesa, AZ Barnes & Noble
    Dana Park Village Square
    1758 South Val Vista Drive
    Mesa, AZ 85204
    (480) 545-8507
    Thursday,
    November 19
    7 pm – 9 pm    		 Meet public, discuss book, signing–Brown & Correia Scottsdale, AZ The Poisoned Pen
    4014 N Goldwater Blvd. Suite 101
    Scottsdale, AZ 85251
    (480) 947-2974
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  • Denver: fire, snow snakes, and farty beef jerky

    ByJohn Brown

    Here’s the report of what happend on the Larry and John tour of Denver.

    On the way out:

    1. We met in Evanston, WY at 8:00 AM
    2. On a lonely stretch of I-80 we passed a semi that was on FIRE. Didn’t stop because Larry and I wanted to see the driver burn.
    3. Was freeze-dried in a parking lot in Rawlins by Arctic winds in the four seconds it took to open the car door, say “Holy schnitzel! It’s freezing,” and then run to the Subway. It was cold. COLD!
    4. On another lonely stretch of I-80 we passed a truck driver out in that wind with a knife. He was down in the median trying to hack off the antlers of a bull elk that had obviously been hit by a vehicle.  His truck was slowly rolling forward. Someone had to be driving, but I didn’t see anyone.
    5. Because it was soooo cold the snow didn’t stick. So in various stretches the wind would blow the snow across the road in long trails that looked like ribbons of fire or snakes. Totally awesome!
    6. Then we started hitting stores all the way down to Denver–Cheyenne, Fort Collins, Boulder, etc. I can’t tell you how much I like Barnes & Noble booksellers. Everyone was happy to see us and nice to work with.
    7. Oh, and Larry bought treats. Wal-Mart trail mix, cookies, and beef jerky. When he opened the beef jerky, he said, “Holy cow, did you just fart?” I had not. It was the jerky. You have been forewarned.

    Other highlights:

    1. A number of the stores ordered extra copies of our books for our driveby signings. But the Barnes & Noble in the Aurora Southlands Town Center beat them all hands down. They rolled out a hand truck stacked with books.
    2. Had a great time in Loveland at the B&N there. Vivian Tapp was a peach with a Santa’s hat to boot.
    3. We had a bunch of folks show up at the Lone Tree signing. Thanks to everyone there. I’ve forgotten all the names except that of James, the store’s fantasy nut.
    4. Then we went out to dinner with a great crowd. Larry had a bunch of his interesting friends. I got to hang out at the other end of the table with my sister and her man Mark, Rachel Dryden, and Ken and Rachel Kao (who both do parkour–cool!!).

    On the way back:

    1. We almost died. You can read Larry’s version of the story here.
    2. More of that fine smelling jerky and road crawling with snow snakes.
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  • NEWS: Curse of a Dark God has a release date!

    ByJohn Brown

    Curse of a Dark God, book 2 of the Dark God series, can now be published!

    That’s the short version.

    Here’s the long version that will probably not be what you expect.  A little over nine months ago I initiated a contract termination with my publisher Tor Books.  A few days ago Tor reverted the rights. This means I have all the rights to all the books in the series back.

    But why would I initiate such a thing? Tor’s like THE publisher of science fiction and fantasy.

    There are a couple of factors, but I think the biggest issue is that we had differences in our vision for the story. This meant there were things I didn’t like about where the project was going and how it was progressing. It also meant there were things Tor didn’t like about the project and how it was progressing. This translated into some big delays. 

    We could have hung together–Tor never raised the idea of termination. But I saw no benefit in limping along. If things aren’t working, I tend to want them fixed. So after I raised the issue, all involved agreed that a termination of the agreement would be the best option.

    And although all of us were disappointed it didn’t work out, this was an amicable parting. Tor went to bat for me with Macmillan, their overlord, to get this thing done. And we ended up with, I feel, a fair agreement. Of course, my agent was a valuable resource every step of the way.

    I don’t look at these last years as a loss. The series was introduced to thousands of readers. And I learned a number of valuable things about the business and craft working on this project with the folks at Tor. We’re farther along now that we were, even if we didn’t take the rocket ship to the stars.

    Most importantly, the good news is that for those of you who have been waiting, I can now move forward! The series will be published by Blacksword Books, my own imprint. We’ll start with e-book and trade paperback formats. Both will be available online from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other retailers. Once that’s rolling, we’ll look to see if audio is feasible.

    I’m very excited about CURSE. My agent loved it. I loved it. My early readers have loved it. I think all of you who enjoyed SERVANT will enjoy this just as much if not more.

    Mokad is coming.  And bringing all its might to root out and obliterate the sleth in the New Lands.  And they’re not alone.  You’re going to meet a Guardian of awesome and cunning power who leads Mokad ‘s dreadmen army.  You’re going to meet the Dogmen of Toth.  And sleth who have rallied to Argoth’s call.  And a fearsome ally who lives in the Wilds.  All the main characters are back with Sugar and Talen learning new magic, facing new creatures, and discovering unsettling insights into what’s really going on.

    I love this book. I can’t wait to get it into your hands.

    But there’s a lot to do to get it out the door.

    I need to make some edits to SERVANT. There are a number of maddening typos that crept into the manuscript. I’ll also be changing the sequence of the first eight chapters back to my original sequence, starting with Sugar and Legs and then moving to Talen. I know some readers like the sequence my Tor editors requested that starts the book with Talen sitting around in his under pants, but I structured it for him to follow Sugar for specific reasons, and starting with Talen undermines a number of those things. Finally, because I don’t have a word limit, I’m going to be adding some clarity to the ending that wasn’t in the Tor version. I also need to make some revisions to the last draft of CURSE, which has been done for almost two years, and then put it through a rigorous copy edit. And then there’s cover design, interior formatting for the print versions, and the publishing part.

    So lots of work. But I think it’s going to be worth it. At the very least I will satisfy the young woman, soon to be a mother, dining at a pizza place I went to this last week who told me she loved SERVANT, thought it was awesome, and was angry at me because there’s no book two!

    I’ll post a schedule soon. My hope is to have both books up sometime in August.

    Oh, and when they do come out, please know that both the e-book and trade paper versions will be on sale for two weeks.  I’m going to put SERVANT on for a massive discount so those of you wanting the author’s cut can get it cheap. I don’t want you to have to buy the book twice at full price. And I’m going to put CURSE on sale as well because those of you who have stuck with me deserve a reward.  

    Then it’s on to DARK GOD’S GLORY which I’ve already completed the working outline for. There might be another book in the same world about a team of fell-maidens (the female version of dreadmen) given a difficult task. And then there’s a whole other series—different world, different awesome magic—waiting in the wings. The first one in that series is tentatively titled LORD OF BONES.

    Get zinged, Baby!  The Dark God is back in action.

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