Beginning the Writer's Journey
Hi folks. In preparation for pending action this year, I am reposting my last entry, which I intend to update in the near future.
So you want to write and publish a fantasy or science fiction novel?
It's a huge undertaking that will be a labor of love, demand enormous quantities of coffee, strain your family life, and if you truly want to acheive your goals, should include as much information gathering and strategic planning as possible. I know. I am smack dab on the back end of the equation, and I hope to help others by sharing the perils, pitfalls and positives of my experience. Okay, I admit that Blogging may also help keep my sanity in check and manage the rollercoaster of highs and lows that are married to the writer's fate.
So, despite your tempting rush for me to address "help me publish" questions, I think it's vital to start at the beginning. Though I do promise that this Blog will cover the gamut in due time.
Inspiration:
Curiosity and a sense of wonder have been my companions from as far back as I can remember. Magic was afoot and monsters were under the bed. There had to be more to this world, this existence, than we as mere mortals could see. Combine this early foundation (my brothers will tell you mom dropped me as a baby a few times too many) with a keen interest in reading and writing, and the seeds sown long ago were bound to reach for sunlight.
How long did it take to feel the sun you ask? The short answer is unfortunately decades. However, there's much more to this response. Throughout school - middle, junior, high and college - I had my share of book reports, creative writing essays, literary critiques, etc. For whatever reason, it never really occurred to me to write my own fantasy novel. Had a gifted teacher or early mentor pushed me in that direction, perhaps I would have taken the lead. Then again, maybe I wasn't ready... growing up is so consuming. I certainly encourage all of the younger would-be authors to take the plunge. But along with the will to compose, there must be a vision. Don't worry that you lack worldly or other-worldy experience, your stories will evolve as you do.
When did I cross the threshold from reader to the dream of writer? Indeed, it was a dream. My unconscious life has always been fun. Monsters chasing me, me chasing them, battles, mysteries, magic, light and darkness waging the eternal war in my Id. I have vivid dreams, rational and irrational, and sharp recollection even after the morning fog of life descends. In the case of my fantasy series, The Soulstealer War (see Links on the right for the Website), it was a remarkable dream during an episode in my life when I was beseiged by the logic of legal theory and the inevitable outcome of a legal career - Law School.
My first four weeks of law school were harder than four years of college. I absorbed voluminous data on a daily basis and had the law's stiff formula of precedent and analysis drilled into my consciousness. I have since realized that there is room for creativity in law, but back then, something had to give. And so it did. My reading of fantasy and sci-fi books was voracious, and in protest of the regimented path before me, my nightly dreams found realms far beyond the old wanderings. Thus, was born my fantasy world and the core storyline. I made notes to help me commit the dream to memory, and between legal briefs of my judicial clerkship in Washington, I penned the first chapter. However, thereafter things sat idle. I was working 80 + hours a week at a law firm, enjoying my marriage, and living life fast. It was only after I left my law practice, and my mind truly opened to other possibilities, including pondering the meaning of existence (credit my restless soul, my spiritually minded wifey and the amazing homebirth of our first daughter), that I finally chose to dedicate the effort to my other world and its denizens.
The bulk of the writing occurred in the wee hours of the night, after work was pushed aside and the kids were tucked in bed. Here's where the coffee comes into play. I don't recommend it, if you can do without the caffeine, but it's part of my journey. Of course, during the daylight I also had my share of inspiration, notes, and brainstorming sessions. It's just that the mundane world - the one that feeds my family and pays our mortgage - had priority, and rightly so. I wistfully recall the days gone by when I had hours in the day to "idle," but let me be clear, I have no regrets. The wonder of parenthood is beyond my expectations. Still, one of the insights I can provide is to tell you to start writing before other priorities accumulate. My wife, as supportive as she can be, has not always understood the need of the moment - when you have found your way to the writer's zone and leaving equates to opportunity lost. There's also the vacations where I simply stayed home for a week and labored on Book I. Forget the Caribbean, kiss Club Med goodbye - okay, honey, we can take the kids to the park for an hour. I need a break anyway. Make no mistake, writing anything other than dribble is hard work. If you create a shell world that lacks richness and depth, your readers will never suspend reality long enough to turn the pages. I'll cover this aspect later.
Do you start writing your manuscript before you market the concept to agents and publishers?
Let's assume that your inspiration has struck, and that you have the framework for a fantasy or science fiction novel. Should you just begin writing or is there a secret shortcut waiting to be discovered? In some genres and with some topics, you can actually test the waters with your idea. You will have to identify those agents and editors who will accept such proposals, and then prepare a thrilling but concise Synopsis, draft a compelling Query Letter, and possibly go so far as to organize an Outline, but "concepts" alone do sell. Is there a greater likelihood of someone stealing your concept - perhaps. It's a lot harder (both in theory and practice) to copyright and legally protect a concept, as opposed to a full manuscript. But then again, if you are a geologist proposing a collaborative novel on the technical argument supporting alien induced extinction of the dinosaurs, odds are that few people can run with your baby. Returning to fantasy and science fiction, in my opinion the chances are slim on being able to sell a unique story or gimmick concept without the finished manuscript. So, while acknowledging that miracles can happen under certain circumstances, you should plan on having the next best seller in hand to ultimately present on demand to agents and editors. Don't jump to the topic of how to send in a submission, we are not there yet by a long shot.
So you want to write and publish a fantasy or science fiction novel?
It's a huge undertaking that will be a labor of love, demand enormous quantities of coffee, strain your family life, and if you truly want to acheive your goals, should include as much information gathering and strategic planning as possible. I know. I am smack dab on the back end of the equation, and I hope to help others by sharing the perils, pitfalls and positives of my experience. Okay, I admit that Blogging may also help keep my sanity in check and manage the rollercoaster of highs and lows that are married to the writer's fate.
So, despite your tempting rush for me to address "help me publish" questions, I think it's vital to start at the beginning. Though I do promise that this Blog will cover the gamut in due time.
Inspiration:
Curiosity and a sense of wonder have been my companions from as far back as I can remember. Magic was afoot and monsters were under the bed. There had to be more to this world, this existence, than we as mere mortals could see. Combine this early foundation (my brothers will tell you mom dropped me as a baby a few times too many) with a keen interest in reading and writing, and the seeds sown long ago were bound to reach for sunlight.
How long did it take to feel the sun you ask? The short answer is unfortunately decades. However, there's much more to this response. Throughout school - middle, junior, high and college - I had my share of book reports, creative writing essays, literary critiques, etc. For whatever reason, it never really occurred to me to write my own fantasy novel. Had a gifted teacher or early mentor pushed me in that direction, perhaps I would have taken the lead. Then again, maybe I wasn't ready... growing up is so consuming. I certainly encourage all of the younger would-be authors to take the plunge. But along with the will to compose, there must be a vision. Don't worry that you lack worldly or other-worldy experience, your stories will evolve as you do.
When did I cross the threshold from reader to the dream of writer? Indeed, it was a dream. My unconscious life has always been fun. Monsters chasing me, me chasing them, battles, mysteries, magic, light and darkness waging the eternal war in my Id. I have vivid dreams, rational and irrational, and sharp recollection even after the morning fog of life descends. In the case of my fantasy series, The Soulstealer War (see Links on the right for the Website), it was a remarkable dream during an episode in my life when I was beseiged by the logic of legal theory and the inevitable outcome of a legal career - Law School.
My first four weeks of law school were harder than four years of college. I absorbed voluminous data on a daily basis and had the law's stiff formula of precedent and analysis drilled into my consciousness. I have since realized that there is room for creativity in law, but back then, something had to give. And so it did. My reading of fantasy and sci-fi books was voracious, and in protest of the regimented path before me, my nightly dreams found realms far beyond the old wanderings. Thus, was born my fantasy world and the core storyline. I made notes to help me commit the dream to memory, and between legal briefs of my judicial clerkship in Washington, I penned the first chapter. However, thereafter things sat idle. I was working 80 + hours a week at a law firm, enjoying my marriage, and living life fast. It was only after I left my law practice, and my mind truly opened to other possibilities, including pondering the meaning of existence (credit my restless soul, my spiritually minded wifey and the amazing homebirth of our first daughter), that I finally chose to dedicate the effort to my other world and its denizens.
The bulk of the writing occurred in the wee hours of the night, after work was pushed aside and the kids were tucked in bed. Here's where the coffee comes into play. I don't recommend it, if you can do without the caffeine, but it's part of my journey. Of course, during the daylight I also had my share of inspiration, notes, and brainstorming sessions. It's just that the mundane world - the one that feeds my family and pays our mortgage - had priority, and rightly so. I wistfully recall the days gone by when I had hours in the day to "idle," but let me be clear, I have no regrets. The wonder of parenthood is beyond my expectations. Still, one of the insights I can provide is to tell you to start writing before other priorities accumulate. My wife, as supportive as she can be, has not always understood the need of the moment - when you have found your way to the writer's zone and leaving equates to opportunity lost. There's also the vacations where I simply stayed home for a week and labored on Book I. Forget the Caribbean, kiss Club Med goodbye - okay, honey, we can take the kids to the park for an hour. I need a break anyway. Make no mistake, writing anything other than dribble is hard work. If you create a shell world that lacks richness and depth, your readers will never suspend reality long enough to turn the pages. I'll cover this aspect later.
Do you start writing your manuscript before you market the concept to agents and publishers?
Let's assume that your inspiration has struck, and that you have the framework for a fantasy or science fiction novel. Should you just begin writing or is there a secret shortcut waiting to be discovered? In some genres and with some topics, you can actually test the waters with your idea. You will have to identify those agents and editors who will accept such proposals, and then prepare a thrilling but concise Synopsis, draft a compelling Query Letter, and possibly go so far as to organize an Outline, but "concepts" alone do sell. Is there a greater likelihood of someone stealing your concept - perhaps. It's a lot harder (both in theory and practice) to copyright and legally protect a concept, as opposed to a full manuscript. But then again, if you are a geologist proposing a collaborative novel on the technical argument supporting alien induced extinction of the dinosaurs, odds are that few people can run with your baby. Returning to fantasy and science fiction, in my opinion the chances are slim on being able to sell a unique story or gimmick concept without the finished manuscript. So, while acknowledging that miracles can happen under certain circumstances, you should plan on having the next best seller in hand to ultimately present on demand to agents and editors. Don't jump to the topic of how to send in a submission, we are not there yet by a long shot.
posted by W.L. Hoffman at 10:15 AM
3 comments
