One writer's resolutions for 2017

I do this every year and yes looking back I don’t always follow all my resolutions.  However, at the beginning of the year it’s not a bad idea to review what you did last year (my last blog) and think of what you might like to change / achieve / try in the coming year.  For me writing them down, whether you call them resolutions or not, makes them more than just a passing thought.  So here are mine for 2017

Finish and implement the Slight Edge.

I mentioned this in my 2016 round-up.  It’s a book by Jeff Olsen which is all about doing to those small things consistently over a long period of time that will make a big difference.  Also not giving up on them.  Obviously there is more to it than that, after all it is a book.  However, I admit that over the holidays I have let it slip.  For me it’s all about my profile as a writer and of course selling more books.  I need to decide which of those “small actions” are the ones that are going to make the difference and then stick to them for long enough to tell if I’m right.  At least if I follow the advice I will be taking positive steps and not just letting things drift.

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What this writer has learnt in 2016

Another year has almost been and gone, zoomed past. I’m sure someone is stealing days and weeks from me and replacing them with vague memories (perhaps there’s a story there.)  Anyway, as 2016 draws to a close it’s time to look back, before looking forward.  So, what have I learnt?  What sage nuggets of wisdom (and some not so sage) will I be taking forward into 2017.  Here goes:

1)  Planning

Earlier this year I paid some money and took part in the James Patterson master class series.  Was it worth it?  Yes, I think it was and one of the main things I learnt is the art of planning.  I use the Scrivener writing program, which is a good start and makes planning a lot easier.  Also, I already had an idea for a novel based on a few short stories featuring (my now) main character.  This was a great opportunity to apply James Patterson’s regime.  So, I spent more time on detailed planning than I have before.  I divided the story into many more chapters than I do normally which worked well.  I played with them, moved some a round, added others and took some out.  All this meant that by the time I came to writing I was confident with the plot.  Reaction by some early readers has been great and I will be publishing early in the New Year.  If you want to read more on the James Patterson methods I wrote a number of blogs on my experience, starting with this one: My writing - I'm going back to basics.

2)  I knew there had to be a reason:  Farting helps reduce high blood pressure and is good for your health.

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Writing - location,location, location.

Recently I’ve been completing my latest project, working title:  Inspector Kirby and Harold Longcoat, a Northumbrian mystery.  The comments from beta readers are good and although there are a couple more to feedback I’ve sent it for proofreading/editing.  Now, if you’re familiar with my other books you’ll know that I write science fiction and as the title of my latest creation suggests, it isn’t.  Yes, it’s a detective story with, as I hope again is hinted at by the title, a supernatural/magical edge to it (it can’t be that straightforward).

This presented me with an interesting challenge.  It is the first time I have used a contemporary location that some people at least will be familiar with.  It also set me thinking that the location is as much a character, as important, in the book as are the people. 

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The fantasy fiction chicken and egg question?

In the UK there have been an interesting series of programs (on the BBC) by Andrew Marr looking in-depth at why we love reading fiction.  The first program concerned the genre of detective stories and the second Fantasy (I haven’t watched the third yet).  Now, as a science fiction writer I found the discussion on fantasy the most interesting as, in many ways, much of it could apply to sci-fi as well.  There was some talk about the escapism etc. and that so much of fantasy is set in almost an alternative middle ages (obviously does not apply to sci-fi), usually with magic added in, in some form or other.  This to me was all pretty standard.  However, what I found most interesting was the concept of deeper meanings in fantasy fiction.

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Science round-up inspiration - 13

Welcome to my end of month round-up of science items that have piqued my interest as they’ve flowed across my social media stream.  As a science fiction writer (and scientist) I keep track of these for both a personal fascination and writing inspiration.  I never cease to be amazed at the advances and discoveries that are happening around the world and I know I’m only aware of a small minority.  Anyway, here’s this month’s selection:

Mars

Every month there are new plans/ideas as to how we will reach and colonise the red planet.  Although it seems the most notable event this month was the failure of the European Space Agency ExoMars lander.  It appears that it’s parachutes did not open early enough and it crash landed into the surface.  Helpfully NASA has released images of the disaster (follow this link – it’s the fourth item down).  This is on the Popular Science site – well worth a look if you don’t know it.

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Is it just me? - Adverbs

I don‘t know maybe it’s an allergy I have, or perhaps it’s more like a food intolerance i.e. when I see a liberal sprinkling of adverbs I become intolerant to them.

For example I began reading a science fiction book two weeks ago.  It started well, I liked the premise and the writing was good.  It soon became apparent that it was going to be a long book (even by scifi standards).  But hey, if it was good, so what?  However, by the time I got 20% in I was becoming irritated with it and by 30% I gave up.  Now there were several reasons behind this.  First was that the story seemed to be going round in circles with people repeating the same arguments and hence the story not getting very far.  Then there were some plot elements that didn’t really make sense to me.  Finally, I had issues with the writing.

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Meet "Bleak" - a human shapeshifter

One of the interesting things about writing any book is how the characters develop.  In some cases they become "friends", no matter how strange they might be.

So let me introduce the title character from 'Bleak - The story of a shapeshifter'.  He's complex and saddled with more than his share of hang-ups.

My latest blog: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-1p9