Another discussion on story details / Happenings In The Outhouse 31-July-2020

I recently re-read Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, the book he published before the iconic Silence of the Lambs.

Despite it being published in 1981, the details of the criminal investigations that took place in the novel were mind-blowing.  And all of this was before DNA was introduced as a major player in crime scene analysis in the mid-1990's, thanks to the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.  And of course we are now light years ahead in DNA analysis, with all the advances in just the last few years.

But can details be too much?

My answer: it depends on the story you're telling.

Many of Tom Clancy's books delve into minute details of military equipment, like submarines and ships and tanks, but at its core is the story.  The story is never lost.  Jeffrey Deaver's The Bone Collector is written as close to a textbook in crime scene collection as possible, albeit the story is threaded through it like a skillful weaver.

Are you going to get all details right?  Heavens no!  My youngest daughter and I were watching an episode of Friends, the one where the gang sans Ross go on a trip in Phoebe's cab and get stuck at a rest area with no gas.  Who do they call?  Ross.  Although they have no idea where they are.

My daughter turns to me and asks, "Why don't they look at the map that's on the wall?"

"What map?"

"There's always a map at rest stops that shows 'You are here'.  Why don't they look at that?"

Very astute, for an intelligent fourteen-year-old.  And a level of detail that was either never considered by the show writers.  Or, it was considered, but to move the story along they decided to ignore it.

I am currently past the 10,000 word mark on my latest thriller, and I can assure you I do not have the same level of detail as Deaver or Harris in my crime scene investigation.  But there are many other authors who don't either.  The story is moving along nicely.

And in the end, that's all that matters.  Telling a story.  If you want to read a textbook, read a textbook.  But if you want to read a story, read a story.

It's all in the details / Happenings In The Outhouse 24-July-2020

A funny thing happened earlier this week.  I'm about 8,400 words into the next thriller in the Central Division Series and it dawned on me that I may not have one of the details right.

The detail in question was the day of the week.  The story involved the murder of a religious figure, which occurred right after an evening service.

Now, around here, most religious services occur on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and of course Sundays.  In other areas, it's just Sundays.  For some, services are a daily occurrence.  Even a many-time-a-day thing.

But this was one detail, albeit minor, that could have had greater implications down the road if I didn't get it right.

When I look back at other stories I've enjoyed, it's the small details that make or break it.  I'm knowledgeable about firearms--no, I am not a firearms guru who can rattle off stats and give intricate details about this model of weapon--and it irks me to no end when I see a line that goes something like this: "He cocked back the hammer on his Glock . . ."  Sorry, but Glocks do not have an external hammer to cock back.

Look for the small details in your story.  If the day of the week is important, be specific about it.

The business of art revisited / Happenings In The Outhouse 17-July-2020

Back in 2011, I wrote a series of blog posts on the three aspects of the business of writing:

1) Research and development

2) Production

3) Sales / Publishing

This basic business structure is the same structure for any business, regardless of size, although the last one for most will not have publishing.  Just sales.  Because all businesses sell something, whether you're a Mom and Pop shop who sells only at a local farmer's market or a billion-dollar enterprise.

In these posts I called it the business of writing.  I am re-wording it now to be the business of art, to be more inclusive to other creative endeavors.

With these in mind, I am experimenting with setting up my weekly goals to include aspects of each of these.  No, I won't be publishing something each week--unless I was pushing to write and publish a short story each week--but . . . well, more on that later.

Research and development is learning something new.  For writing, there are online courses (many of them free or inexpensive) one can take--I suggest paying something for these because one learns more when you pay for it.

The production side of your art is actually producing art.  In my case, it's sitting my butt in a chair and writing.  Putting new words on the page.  I have a daily minimum time limit, to see if that will kick my behind into gear.  So far it's working.

The sales/publishing side of the art business can vary according to what art you're creating.  Again, I'm sticking with what I know: writers.  If you don't have anything to publish, look over what you have written and published, to see if a blurb or keyword can be changed/added.  Or look at your cover art.  Can it be changed?  Updated?

The important aspect of these is to do something.  Learn something new.  Produce something.  And sell it.

Is it really that simple?

It can be.  If you let it be simple.

Don't throw out your 2020 goals yet / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-July-2020

2020 is halfway over and what a year it has been!

As far as goals are concerned, I urge you not to throw out your 2020 goals completely.  Or even at all.  If you do, then you aren't setting your goals right in the first place--I've touched on these before but I feel it is time to revisit the subject.  Keep in mind too, setting goals is different for everyone.  It depends on your motivation and life circumstance.

One should always anticipate some degree of turbulence in life.  For me, I could have thrown them out in 2019 but I didn't.  Many of the goals look similar, except on a smaller scale.

Disasters happen.

Okay, I get it, how many people could have predicted the pandemic that ripped across the planet, shutting down many businesses?

Instead of throwing out your 2020 goals, ask yourself what it would take to accomplish them?  Or even a few of them?  I'm talking about a shift in mindset.  When the government started shutting businesses down, many folded up and went away.  But a surprising number took it as an opportunity to thrive.  They looked at how they could serve their customers.

And you are no different.

What can you do differently?  Experiment.  If it doesn't work, so be it.  At least you did something.

What it takes to be better / Happenings In The Outhouse 03-July-2020

Last week, I went on a bit of a rant about being better.

Now it's time for everyone to put it into practice.  It's simple, really.  But at the same time it's not.  Because we're all human, and there has only been One who has walked this planet who has been perfect.  But is that an excuse to not even try?

Nope.

Let's start by being thankful for what we have: life.  Because it could end tomorrow.

Then let's quit being so angry.  At everything!  Seriously, people, if we would just take the time to love your neighbor, many of the problems in our society would go away.

Along with anger is jealousy.  This also needs to go.  I could care less if Jeff Bezos has tons of money and either supports or doesn't support your causes.  Instead, find out what he did, get out and stay out of debt, and create wealth for yourself.  No one on this planet is more privileged than the human being.  We were all created in the image of God, every single one of us.  So what if your environment makes it difficult to achieve success.  The only difficulty is within your own mind.

For now, let's work on these.  It'll still be a battle.  But if we work to better ourselves each day, the world will be better.