Down and out in the Outhouse 08-June-2012

This week saw the completion of not one, but three chapters: 25-27.  This brings the completion percentage up to 62%

Chapters 26-27 were a bit of a challenge because they were short--three pages each to start with.  In working through each one, making sure I was showing where I could show, and expanding a few passages, 26 ended up with still 3 pages (but they're full pages whereas before it was a few sentences into the 3rd page) and 27 was at 4.

Here's something for fun--a catchy tune by Toby Keith, which has probably caused a huge sales spike in these little red drink containers.  I caught it one night when he was on Jay Leno, not knowing it was already a viral hit.

Violence in thrillers - how much is too much

How much is too much violence in thrillers?

This is completely subjective, and will vary from author to author.  The use of violence is a tool.  Some writers (and this is not just with thrillers writers) have to show every blow-by-blow, every punch or kick or knife strike.  Then, there are others who show virtually no such specific action.

In order to do it right, violence must serve a purpose.  But, do not underestimate the power of the reader's imagination.  I recently came to grips with this on chapter 25 of my thriller Beholder's Eye.  The chapter centers around a teenage girl, who is kidnapped by a serial killer.  The chapter ends with her death.  During the first draft, I showed her very violent, very bloody death.  After thinking about it, I ended with the butcher knife being raised above the killer's head.  It would serve no purpose to show her death because we actually see a similar death in chapter 2--I don't need to show it again.

Also, I liked the way the chapter ended, because it leaves the reader wanting more.

Read some of your favorite authors.  How do they deal with violence?

Writing Prompt Wednesday - Episode #26

Imagine you're given a choice of a superpower for one 24-hour day.  Write a scene in which it backfires on you.

Happy writing!

Showing vs. Telling - the conclusion

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog regarding an example of showing vs. telling from my thriller novel Beholder's Eye.  What I'm about to show you here--no pun intended--is the final edit to it.  This is the opening paragraph from chapter 25:

            Paulette Sampson pulls on the leather bindings securing her wrists and ankles, praying for any sign of give.  It’s no use.  No matter how many times she tries, thinking that this time it just has to work, that if she can just twist her wrists in such a way she could slip out, she finds the bindings are just too tight.

Much better, in my opinion, because it shows how Paulette is struggling to free herself, showing the action instead of telling you what the action is.

A spouse can help an artist have a life

Last year, with my wife down in Rochester, MN, battling acute myeloid leukemia, and me back at home taking care of our three children, I didn't do much except work, write, visit my wife every 2-3 weeks on the weekends (a 7-8 hour trip, one-way, mind you), and take care of my children.

When the kids were in bed, I wrote.  A lot.  Aside from that, I didn't do much else in the way of extra-curricular activities (okay, we did end up remodeling some of the house by taking out the carpet, etc, so that ate up much of the weekend time, and I also did the housework too--of what the kids weren't able to do).  One chore I got out of was mowing the lawn; our local boy scout troop helped us out in this regard, and kept our lawn neat and trimmed all summer long.  I usually like mowing, but then, with all the other chores to do, that was one job I was deeply thankful for the scout troop and leaders that they did.

The one thing I notice now that my wife is home is this: she helps me to have a life outside of my writing.

Spouses know when you need to work, and know when it's time to take a break.  It's good to have a break, because it rejuvenates your mental batteries.  And, sure, there are times when I'm diligently writing and I'm interrupted by my wife asking to solve some problem with the kids or to help her find something or to help wash clothes or vacuum the living room rug . . . or any number of things.  I'm usually irritated by the cessation of my work, but it's funny that during my assistance, I work out mentally the problem I'm writing about . . . and a new insight is shown.  Not all the time, but more times than not, I'm blessed by this vision.

Spouses, and children, also serve a deeper purpose for the artist.  They serve as the reason you are doing it.  If I didn't have a wife and family, and was living off somewhere all by myself, I'd be writing all the time.  But what would I be writing?  Even before we got married, my writing took on a life of its own, because I knew that I wanted to provide a better life than what a normal job could entail.  Prior to this, I didn't have any purpose, other than wanting to be rich and famous.

Where are the readers of my blog?

Today, I'm going to digress to thank everyone who's been reading this blog so far.  I must confess, I do scan the analytics quite often, and I'm utterly amazed at how widespread my messages have gone.  The top two countries--yes, I said countries--for readers is the United States of America and Russia.  Some weeks, Russia has more readers, the other week it's the USA.

Other countries I've noticed with a growing audience are:

United Kingdom

Australia

Germany

Phillippines

Ukraine

Turkey

Columbia

Canada

United Arab Emirates

Brazil

And many more . . .

A huge shout-out and thanks to all of you.

Happenings In The Outhouse 01-June-2012 / Swordplay against procrastination

I'm probably like most people who battle the war against procrastination.  It's an ugly beast I work hard to defeat day-in and day-out.  This past weekend--a long weekend with the Memorial Day holiday thrown in for good measure--the only writing I accomplished were my blogs.

I did start reading two nonfiction books, however: the first is titled Willow in a Storm: A Memoir by James and Kathleen Taylor.  This book was published by Scarletta Press, and the publisher, Ian Graham Leask, actually visited our little library 2 years ago.  Oddly enough, the book resulted from a bank robbery that occurred in 1955 in a town about 20 miles from where I live, in Thief River Falls, MN.  It's a very good book, chronicling the life of Mr. Taylor and how he turned to a life of crime late in life.  Some chapters are a bit long and detailed but there are plenty of injustices done to Taylor that make you just shake your head at our justice system.  The second book is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.  This one deals with those inner demons that us artists face everyday--he calls it Resistance.  Procrastination is my Resistance.

And it is one I fight with all the time--sometimes I win, sometimes the demons win.

Chapters 25 is on its final leg of editing, as well as the short chapters 26-27.  By next week, these three will be done.

Wednesday night was our writers' group meeting.  Even though there were only two of us, the conversation was very inspiring.  I read chapters 12-13 of Beholder's Eye.  Evelyn read one of her pieces she is inquiring about publishing.