Author Alden

Forging a Universe: Worldbuilding Religion (A Guest Post by Melinda Moore)

2013-06-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

While I'm out of town, toiling away at Odyssey Writing Workshop, I've decided to open up the blog to guest posts. Author Melinda Moore is kind enough to stop by today and contribute an entry to my worldbuilding series. When I'm back and defragged, I'll pick up where I left off in the series. Thanks very much, Melinda!

~ J.W.

World Building Religion

by Melinda Moore

Over a decade ago I played in a Dungeons and Dragons game run by my husband using a pantheon that he had created. Most of the players understood and embraced the variations from real world religions, but one player could never quite get it. He played a cleric of a goddess who raised education above all else, but every time the player filled us in on what the character was doing during his down time, the character would be polishing candlesticks or reciting something similar to hail marys--- something from the real world Catholic church. It never occurred to him maybe his goddess would want him copying texts or tutoring orphans. He could not or would not buy in to this different religion created for the game.

When writing, reader's buy in is essential. How do you get them to accept a different religion for the time it takes to read your story? Start with the idea that gods are people too. They need to have their own motivations and histories. The Greek and Nordic gods are wonderful examples. They have alliances, enemies, petty brawling and humans caught in the middle. In the fantasy world I'm currently writing I have my gods united in the same end goal, but they all have different ways of getting there. One reveres education, one reveres sorcery, and one reveres strife.

Which brings me to my next point: the people should reflect the desires of the gods. The people in the country of the goddess who upholds education are governed by women, teaching is a prestigious occupation and science is far more important than magic. Their next door neighbor worships the god who holds magic above all else. They mostly are governed by men, but a woman sorceress isn't that unusual. But on the other side is chaos because their god holds up strife as the essential ingredient to the progression of the soul.

The trickle down from gods to people ends in the details. What are the religious leaders called? What do the structures look like where they worship? Do the gods intervene regularly? For my world, I've tried to find neutral words that people can still connect to. I use “mystic” for the religious leaders though for a long time I was using “sage.” I think both those words have real world religious neutrality but still imply spirituality. The structures for the goddess look a lot like Greek temples because the ancient Greeks had a love for knowledge and I'm hoping that will subconsciously work its way to the reader. It's been much harder figuring out the structures for the god of strife. For now I've settled on the very back of the cavern the people dwell in as opposed to making a special structure out in the open. The darkness seems to fit better.

But what about stories set in an alternate universe of our own? I think in that case continuity and balance are essential. I know everybody loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but that world seems really off balance to me. The demons and vampires had structure and hierarchy, whereas “The Powers that Be” for the good just seemed to cross their fingers and close their eyes and hope that Buffy and Angel would save the day again. It never rang true to me that Buffy would never seek out any of the real world religions available to her. A better example for writers to follow is Xena. While it's ridiculous to think about the amount of miles Xena and Gabrielle walked in the short amount of time they had, at least they made the effort to seek out help from gods outside of Greece. They covered India, Israel and China and a bit of Amazon religions thrown in for good measure.

Outside of good/evil balance, when writing stories about religions in our own world where the gods make material gestures seen or felt by the human characters, realistic reactions are important. In my novella “A Sunset Finish” being published by JupiterGardens Press, my protagonist perceives the Tao or the Watercourse way inside herself while her love interest has lived all his life seeing the Sunset People--- guides to the afterlife for his pueblo. The protagonist always feels like she's drowning in the Tao and is constantly on the verge of suicide, making a rocky journey with her love interest who's been taught by the Sunset People the sanctity of life. The push and pull of their religious experiences provides part of the tension of the story. I think one of the reasons it got accepted for publication is the believable reactions to each other and the religious experiences.

So don't shy away from religion when world building. Embrace it. For three hundred pages make your reader a believer in Xanton God of Treasure of Kyra Goddess of Light. Just remember: Gods are people too.

Thanks to J.W. Alden for allowing me to guest blog here while he's away at Odyssey. If you enjoyed my post please visit enchantedspark.com. I talk about what inspires stories and host a monthly writing contest for a $30 prize.

Adventures in Serialized Fiction Writing (A Guest Post by Zachary Bonelli)

2013-06-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

While I'm out of town, toiling away at Odyssey Writing Workshop, I've decided to open up the blog to guest posts. Today's entry comes from author Zachary Bonelli. I'd like to send a big thanks his way for offering some insight into the world of serialized fiction, a form that seems to be making a comeback these days. If you like what you read, consider supporting his endeavors!

~ J.W.

Adventures in Serialized Fiction Writing

by Zachary Bonelli

In 2000, I sat down to write a novel. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure I had the concept of ‘novel’ in my head. I think I sat down to write whatever happened to flow out of my mind and onto the page. Anyway, I started writing about this guy who was travelling between alternate reality versions of Earth. What started out as random vignettes turned into a fully realized novel.

I struggled for many years to complete that novel to no avail. I straggled behind and slacked, focusing on other areas of my life for many years. The ideas piled up, and I wrote them down as notes, occasionally as small vignettes, and the “novel” remained stalled.

Last year, when I began working anew, I came to a very important realization. My novel was not a novel, at least not in the traditional sense, but a sequence of short stories, internally consistent and coherent individually, but which tell a bigger, more epic story when you add them all up together.

This was not a traditional novel, or even a trilogy of novels, but a series. The short stories I had come up with were not chapters, but episodes. Those names are not arbitrary. Episodes of a serial have important distinguishing features from chapters of novel.

Chapters & Episodes: Distinguishing Characteristics

1. Completeness

In a novel, a chapter does not necessarily tell a complete story. An episode does. An episode has a rising arc of action, conflict of some sort, and a resolution. Chapters may accomplish these too, but they don’t have to. A chapter usually only produces momentum toward one of them, and it doesn’t have to even do that.

2. Marketing

Chapters are never marketed to readers individually, only as part of a complete story. Episodes are sold individually, and may be collected up into groups, though it’s not necessity.

3. Length

Since episodes tell a complete story, it’s difficult for an episode to be as short as a chapter. Depending on your style, a chapter can be as short as a couple hundred words. Even expert writers will have a hard time telling a complete story at that length, and since episodes are marketed individually, they will need to be at a length that will be palatable to readers. At the time of this writing, the minimum price for an ebook on many vendors, most importantly Amazon, is $0.99 USD. At this price, I recommend your episodes be at least 4,000 words long (that’s about 15 pages) at minimum. Optimally, I would recommend an episode be about 8,000.

4. Time

It is unusual for each chapter in a story to be separated by an enormous section of “missing” time. Perhaps the author skips over a couple of hours of the characters’ lives that would be uninteresting to the reader, or occasionally a couple of days of time, but temporality remains largely consistent (unless the whole point is that it doesn’t, ala The Time Traveler’s Wife).

In serials, each episode of the adventure can begin presuming that any number of major events occurred since we saw that character last. The scene movements and transitions inside the episode follow the rules of chapters in a book, telling a coherent story by leaving out only uninteresting bits of time. But episodes themselves have the potential to be more “distinct” and “separate” from one another than chapters in a book are from one another.

Many serials utilize this technique, but many others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s a technique that’s very difficult to do with chapters of a novel.

It took a lot of energy for me to realize that I was writing a serial at all. However, recent technological advances have made production in the serialized format more practical than ever, and we are poised for a resurgence of this style of narrative.

Now is a great time to experiment with the format, come up with something new and original, and discover what style works best for you.

Zachary Bonelli is the author of the ongoing Voyage Along the Catastrophe of Notions series. It is currently in the middle of its first sequence, Embarkation. He is active on the Google+ Science Fiction Writers community, and muses about serialized fiction, and randomly as well, on his blog.

Insomnium, Zachary’s second serial, is due out this October. He is currently attempting to raise money for the series’ cover art on Kickstarter.

IWSG: Dream, Doubt, Determination (A Guest Post by Henry J. Olsen)

2013-06-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm just a few days away from my trip to Odyssey Writing Workshop, which unfortunately means I won't be able to visit any other IWSG blogs today as I make my final preparations. I have, however, opened the blog to guest posts while I'm away, and author Henry J. Olsen was gracious enough to write an inspirational piece for the Insecure Writer's Support Group on my behalf. If you like what you read, consider checking out his website for more. Better yet, buy his book!

~ J.W.

Dream, Doubt, Determination

by Henry J. Olsen

There is no single blueprint one can follow in his or her quest toward becoming a secure, confident writer. Yet for many, there are three phases in the journey: the dream, the doubt, and the determination, as I've laid out below.

The Dream

For most of us writing begins as a dream, in which we envision ourselves churning out page after page of gripping, tension-filled literary drama. We imagine that the stories inside of our heads will flow out from our brains, through our hands, and into our notebooks or computers in a smooth and seamless fashion, requiring only a bare minimum of rewriting and editing.

Many people never venture beyond the dream, and thus their desire to write remains forever an unblemished fantasy. And perhaps that's just as well, for as with most dreams, the dream of being a writer is far more idyllic than the reality. Those who proceed forward may be surprised at what awaits.

The Doubt

One day, you take a leap of faith and begin to write. Suddenly, the dream becomes reality, but not in the way that you'd expected. Though you do in fact type page after page of text, you quickly realize that your work is nowhere near as intriguing as it seemed while the ideas were still brewing in your head. You reread your sophomoric prose and wonder how real writers craft sentences that are concise yet full of vivid imagery. You begin to wonder why you ever chose to write at all, and worry that perhaps never will you create a story that you, much less anyone else, will enjoy and appreciate.

What's worse is that you often can't keep your doubts to yourself. When friends and family ask what you're writing about, you struggle to describe your story in a way that piques their interest. When new acquaintances ask you what you do, you meekly tell them that you're a writer, finding the look of doubt in their eyes regardless of whether it truly exists or not.

What you don't yet realize is that the doubt you see in others is merely a reflection of the unease within yourself. No writer can exist in this state forever, yet how best can you escape it? One option is to give up. Few will fault you if you do. The other option is to push through the doubt, accepting that you may never escape it completely, and to write and create with a renewed determination.

The Determination

The determination isn't a thing you discover overnight. Rather, it's a feeling that grows as you push through your doubts and continue to write, eventually finding that despite your doubts, you do possess a certain pride in your abilities as a writer. It's the belief that with effort you can improve, and that it is possible to blossom into the writer that you've always dreamed of becoming.

Each day you come closer to understanding what it truly means to be a writer and not merely a doubt-filled impostor, frantically pounding away at the keyboard. With each chapter written you come a little closer to realizing that your voice as a writer isn't something you find, but rather a property that you develop over time. And finally, you come to see that if in your interpersonal interactions you express yourself with confidence, the people you describe your work to are often legitimately curious as to what you're writing about.

Determination can't completely replace doubt, yet in my experience I've found that adopting the right mindset is 90% of the battle against insecurity.

How do I know this? I know because my name is Henry J. Olsen, and I too am an insecure writer. Yet as of today, June 5th, I am not just a writer — I am also a freshly minted indie author. And though my book, The Northland Chronicles: A Stranger North, isn't likely to be mentioned alongside The Caves of Steel or Stranger in a Strange Land anytime soon, I'm still extremely proud of it, and I'd love if you could join me for a post-apocalyptic romp through the Northwoods.

In closing, I'd like to extend a big thanks to J.W. for allowing me the opportunity to share my thoughts with you

Keep writing,

-Henry J. Olsen

simplyunbound.com

I Want to Write Like... (A Guest Post by Cas Webb)

2013-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, there was no blog entry last week. While I'm gearing up for my trip to Odyssey Writing Workshop (and while I'm there toiling away), my schedule may be a little irregular. Posts will always go up on Wednesdays, but I may miss a week here or there.

And starting today, I've decided to open up the blog to guest posts so I can devote all of my energy to Odyssey. Writer and artist Cas Webb is kicking things off with today's entry. A big thanks to Cas for stopping by. Be sure and visit her site if you enjoy her post.

~ J.W.

I want to write like . . .

by Cas Webb

Last week I happened across a library flyer that announced Kate Forsyth was coming to town. After sitting up till midnight devouring her latest work I am still only a small chunk into ‘The Wild Girl’ and I can’t stop saying wow. I write fantasy, very often set in a medieval world where there needs to be some description of places readers have never been to, kings and queens and distant royal family. As I read passages from Kate’s work I am loving the way she is doing all of these things.

So who do you want to write like?

Now let’s get technical. I want to break down a passage of Kate’s work. Here she introduces a large family of 6 and gives them all personalities in a short paragraph. As a writer I can look up to her work, learn from it and grow. In my book via blog my protagonist befriends a family of 7 children.

From page 16-17 of ‘The Wild Girl’

In the glow of the lamp, she saw two young men, both thin and dark and shabbily dressed. The elder of the two had a straight face, with straight hair hanging past his ears. The younger was the more handsome with pale skin, hollow cheeks and wavy dark curls…

… Ferdinand said. He was the fourth of the five Grimm sons, seventeen years old, with the families dark hair and thin, sensitive face.

‘I guess he’s changed his mind,’ Jakob replied drily.

‘Do they march against Austria?’ eighteen-year-old Karl demanded.

‘I suppose it was to be expected,’ nineteen-year-old Whilhelm said.

…Ludwig asked. At fifteen, he was the youngest Grimm brother and three years older than Lotte.

As you can see I have edited out a bit. But essentially we’re given this over two half pages.

In contrast I’ve grabbed an extract from my current book via blog, NEW. Here’s how my readers are introduced to the Meadowsblade family.

“Kemla, these are my children. Laura and Remy yu’ve already met,” Sara explains pointing to the two youths that were in the yard grooming horses earlier.

With a smile the two nod and take seats opposite Sara and I.

My gaze remains locked on the two men.

“The little one’s Alex.” The baby giggles at the mention of his name and the twins also take seats on the opposite side of the table. “The twins names are Zara and Zoe.”

“Don’t worry if y’ can’t tell them apart, they never leave each others side anyway,” Laura laughs.

The twins give her angry stares, but offer warm smiles in my direction.

“And I apologise for my over defensive boys,” Sara starts.

“Hello, my name’s Wilf,” the younger boy smiles, letting his arm fall away from his sword. I examine his smile carefully - it doesn’t seem to harbor any malice or false pretences. Wilf walks around the table and extends his hand.

...The last person, the eldest with striking dark eyes and he’s almost a head taller than I am. I’d have to use the table to my advantage. The room’s quite crowded now, would he risk drawing his sword? I’m at an advantage with my dagger. My racing heart doesn’t agree with me.

He walks around the table. Kicking my pulse into a quicker rhythm. I’d step back, but backwards is a cowards direction, so I force my feet to stay put.

“Orin,” he extends his hand.

The main difference is that Kate’s extract is in third person from the perspective of Dortchen. The extract from my work is in tight first person. And I realized only as I was thinking about writing this piece that the main flaw of a tight first person perspective is that EVERYTHING my reader discovers essentially must be told to my main character in some way if it is not existing knowledge for my main character. So I’ve discovered that after my first few chapters when my reader knows everything about my characters current situation and something dramatic has happened to change that situation I need to create a lot of opportunities for dialogue for my story to move forwards.

This insight only came to me as I was thinking critically about my work and consciously trying to learn from the achievements of others. What can you learn from your favorite writer? What can you learn from the excerpts above?

I guess another way we can view this is by saying, ‘I want my work to read like . . .’

When someone new reads our work what level of imagery or poetry or elegance do we want them to be elevated to?

I’d like to leave you with a writing prompt. Grab a character, your own or one you love, and introduce them to a family of six in less than a page.

Cheers,

Cas Webb
of Lifefamilymagic.wordpress.com and Caswebb.wordpress.com

Speculative Fiction Tropes: Deflector Shields

2013-05-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

This post (and many this month) will be a little shorter than my usual fare, as I'm devoting an increasing amount of time to preparation for my trip to Odyssey Writing Workshop. Speaking of which, I still have a few spots left for guest bloggers while I'm gone, so take a look at that link if you're interested. Sadly, this will likely be the last Speculative Fiction Tropes entry until I get back.

Deflector shields are not only one of the oldest tropes in sci-fi, but they've become synonymous with space opera. The use of energy-based shielding can get a story around a number of problems that arise in a setting with lots of space travel, from the danger of micrometeoroids penetrating the hull of the ship to the harsh radiation of space that might otherwise cook the crew. In addition, if your ship's combat defense systems are primarily dependent on these shields, you have a dramatic element already built-in when it comes time for a little ship to ship warfare. This is something that every incarnation of Star Trek has taken great advantage of over the years. Everyone say it with me now: "Raise shields!"

Now, this is the part of the article where I usually look as far back into history and mythology as I can to find the roots and early examples of the trope under discussion. And I know what you're thinking. "You'd have to be stretching on this one, Alden. This trope is about as pure a product of modern genre fiction as you can possibly get. There couldn't have been any deflector shields in the epics of yore."

And if that is what you're thinking, I find your lack of faith disturbing. Clearly, you've underestimated my nerdry. And more importantly, you've clearly never heard of Svalinn. In Norse mythology, Svalinn was the magical shield that stood between Sol and the nine worlds, protecting them from the destructive rays of the sun. According to Grímnismál, of the Poetic Edda, were it not for Svalinn, "mountains and sea would be set in flames." Of course, it's hard to read those ancient descriptions of Svalinn without drawing a connection to Earth's magnetic field and ozone layer, which protect us from solar wind and ultraviolet radiation, respectively. In many ways, these components of the atmosphere are Earth's personal deflector shield, and we'd all be toast without them. So thanks, Svalinn.

It's difficult to point out the earliest use of the trope in modern fiction, however. Many early authors of science fiction used concepts similar to the deflector shield, from Isaac Asimov to E.E. "Doc" Smith. But the first use may have been a novel called The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson. In this classic sci-fi/horror tale about a future in which the sun has gone dark (written at a time when we knew far less about the lifespan of stars), Hodgson describes a great pyramid called The Last Redoubt. The enormous city is surrounded by an "air clog"—a circle of energy that protects it from the unspeakable creatures lurking in the darkness outside.

Regardless of who made it there first, deflector shields have become one of the most common tropes at work in science fiction. And considering we're doing our damnedest to make this trope a reality, I don't think we've heard the last of it anytime soon.

Recommended Reading:
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Have Space Suit—Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein

Recommended Viewing:
Star Trek
Star Wars
Independence Day

Recommended Gaming:
FTL: Faster Than Light
Mass Effect
Halo

IWSG: Relax

2013-05-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

This post (and many this month) will be a little shorter than my usual fare, as I'm devoting an increasing amount of time to preparation for my trip to Odyssey Writing Workshop. Speaking of which, I'm still looking for guest bloggers to avoid taking a blog hiatus while I'm gone, so take a look at that link if you're interested.

Meanwhile, it's the first Wednesday of May, which hails the regular arrival of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. The group offers a place for writers of all kinds to support each other in those ever-present moments of insecurity.

While many use this as an opportunity to vent their frustrations, I realized early on that if I keep posting about my own insecurities, these posts will start sounding very similar. So I decided to move away from "woe is me" and focus on motivation and encouragement, centering my IWSG posts on inspirational quotes from people I admire.

Today's quote comes from an author who's work has won or been nominated for practically every major industry award in speculative fiction, from the Hugo to the Bram Stoker to the World Fantasy Award. His most well known work is undoubtedly The Hyperion Cantos, which is currently being adapted to film by Warner Bros. I'm talking about American author Dan Simmons, who observed the following about the odd flavor of burnout that writers tend to experience:

"It's one of the strangest attributes of this profession that when we writers get exhausted writing one thing, we relax by writing another."

As the reality of my Odyssey acceptance begins to sink in, burnout is something I've been thinking a lot about. By all reports from past graduates, I've got an enormous amount of work ahead of me. By the end of that six weeks, I'll probably be exhausted. But I'll mostly be pumping out new material while I'm there, so as tiring as it might be, that exhilarating feeling of creating something new will most likely never leave, and I imagine I'll be very grateful for that.

Of course, I'm no stranger to that feeling of exhaustion that long ventures into the written word can bring. It most likely played a part in the failed novels of my early writing exploits. Most of us experience this from time to time, especially when it comes to longer works. And though part of me is glad I never finished those novels because I've improved by leaps and bounds as a writer since then, another large part of me wonders what might have happened if I'd just taken a little break to work on something else for a while. I wonder if I'd have two completed novels to my name?

I'll never know the answer to that question, but having since experienced the rejuvenation that Dan Simmons is referring to in this quote with other projects, I know it's something I'll be trying the next time burnout rears its ugly head. And if you find yourself in a similar situation (and considering the A to Z Challenge just ended, some of you probably are), why not give it a try? Instead of giving up on that novel because of an exhausting "block," try relaxing for a change. Take a break and work on a short story, or perhaps a flash piece. Experiment a little. One short trip into another world might be all the cure you need for the burnout blues.

Speculative Spotlight: Knights of Pen & Paper

2013-04-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another installment of the Speculative Spotlight, in which I scour the multiverse for hefty chunks of speculative fiction awesomeness. This month, the spotlight falls on a charming mobile game called Knights of Pen & Paper.

What Is It?

Knights of Pen & Paper comes from Brazilian developer Behold Studios, and it's garnered a lot of attention for a small indie game in the crowded mobile space. Upon its release in October last year, the game found its way into the hands of the popular gaming press, earning a few prominent feature articles. From there word of mouth propelled it toward success and acclaim, earning a nomination for the "Student Showcase" award at the 2013 Independent Games Festival awards.

Essentially, Knights of Pen & Paper is a roleplaying game about playing roleplaying games. Rather than imagining that you're a mighty warrior saving the world, this game asks you to imagine that you're part of a group of tabletop gamers pretending they are mighty warriors saving the world. Very meta, yes? You control both the party and the dungeon master as the game progresses, and you get to watch as the humble living room they've gathered in comes to life around them, transforming to reflect the imaginary creatures and quests from their game, most of which are pulled straight out of the classic fantasy tropes at play in books and RPGs. If you're anything like me, you're already sold. If not, read on.

What's So Awesome About It?

This game is made of pure nostalgia. But unlike other retro games that aim to rekindle fond memories of your gaming past, Knights of Pen & Paper manages to hit you from two angles at once. It does a great job conveying the atmosphere of a group of friends nerding out around a tabletop, while also capturing the look and feel of a classic console RPG. At every turn, the game hits you with awesome chiptunes and pixel art straight out of the 8-bit era. If someone had showed me footage of this game and told me it was running on an old NES, I probably would have believed them. More than anything, the epic battles that you lead your party of adventurers through hark back to games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior.

Speaking of those battles, if you're an old-school RPG fan, the gameplay itself will hit your nostalgia buttons as well. The battle sequences are turn-based affairs, with your party gaining experience points as you progress through the game, allowing you to increase the attributes of each character as they level up and grow more powerful. There's a huge world map to explore, towns and castles to visit, multistage quests to follow, and item vendors to spend your loot on. In the middle of all this goodness, you also get surprisingly clever writing, with little nods to gamers and fantasy fans sprinkled throughout.

And while you're managing the armor and inventory of your party's characters, you can also upgrade various aspects of the "real world" side of the game. For instance, you can buy accessories and eye candy for your gaming table, or even a brand new table altogether. You can also keep your party members well fed with snacks and beverages. Don't like your dungeon master? Hire a new one that looks like Yoda! And these items aren't just ornamental; they come with all kinds of effects and buffers that will boost your dungeon-clearing abilities in the game.

As of right now, I'd say that Knights of Pen & Paper is easily my favorite mobile game. If it sounds like your cup of tea as well, you can grab it in the Apple app store for iOS devices or on Google Play for Android devices. If you're not a fan of playing games on your tablet or phone, don't worry. Behold Studios recently announced they're working on a "+1" edition of the game for Windows, Mac, and Linux that will be here soon.

Accepted to Odyssey Writing Workshop (and Seeking Guest Bloggers)

2013-04-22T04:00:00.000-04:00

I'm delighted to share the news that I've been accepted to the 2013 Odyssey Writing Workshop. As you might imagine, this is a pretty big deal for me. Since I started writing seriously almost three years ago now, I've been committed to growth every step of the way, and the intensive experience that Odyssey offers is just what I need to take the next step on that journey. For six long weeks, I will be pulled out of my comfort zone and immersed in the craft, toiling with a small group of peers and learning the ropes from authors and editors that have walked the path ahead of us. I'm excited, to say the least.

There is a down side, however. Since I'm going to be out of town and swamped with work for six weeks starting in June (and spending most of the month leading up to it preparing), I'm not going to have the proper amount of time and energy to keep up with my blog. I toyed with the idea of pre-writing a bunch of entries to post while I'm away, but that's not really feasible either considering the amount of preparation I'd like to put in before the big day arrives. So as of just a couple of days ago, I was certain this would mean a long blog hiatus. But I'd really like to avoid having to do that, if I can.

You can help with that, if you're up for it.

Seeking Guest Bloggers

In an effort to avoid a blog hiatus, I'm opening up my blog to guest posts. I update the blog every Wednesday, and I'd like to stick to that schedule if I can, so I'll need at least six guest posts for the time I'll be away. As I said earlier though, I'll also be spending a lot of time on preparation work before I leave, so I'll gladly take more than six if enough people are interested. I don't know if I'll get that many, as I've never really opened the blog up like this before. But even if I don't get enough people to fill the amount of time I need, a short hiatus is better than a long one.

The only real requirement I have for a potential guest post is that the subject have something to do with writing or speculative fiction (this could mean books, movies, video games—anything related to science fiction, fantasy, or horror). If you can combine the two in some way, even better. Self-promotion is fine, as long as the work you're promoting is speculative fiction. I'd also be willing to let you write a piece for my Speculative Spotlight series, if that sounds like something you'd enjoy (please read a couple of them beforehand, so you know what I'd be expecting in that case).

If you're interested at all, shoot me an email at JWAlden[at]AuthorAlden[dot]com and let me know what you have in mind. And if guest blogging isn't your thing, but you know someone who might be interested, I'd very much appreciate it if you'd share this with them.

Any questions? Feel free to leave a comment.

Forging a Universe: Worldbuilding Physics

2013-04-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is the second installment in a continuous series on worldbuilding for speculative fiction. Throughout the series, I'll be making my way through the primary elements we use to construct a universe. I'll attempt to keep things broad enough to apply to both sides of the sci-fi/fantasy coin, but some topics will undoubtedly lean more toward one genre than the other. I should also say before we get underway that most entries will assume the top-down method, primarily for the sake of ordering them in a coherent way. If you're not sure what I mean by that, check out my introductory post.

We're starting with what I consider the most basic step on the ladder of worldbuilding: defining the physics of your universe. This might seem like a small step, a simple precursor to the big decisions you'll be making down the road, but it's actually a very important one. Acknowledging how your setting will reconcile with real-world physics can dramatically alter the events that take place in your story, even if you're writing in a genre that comes with a high expectation that the reader will be willing to suspend disbelief at the door. In many ways, this decision can set the tone of your entire story.

Fantasy: Degrees of Magic

In a fantasy story, the question of physics is one that revolves around the amount of magical elements present in your story, since these elements don't generally adhere to the laws of our universe. Many fantasy stories present a world with the same basic physical properties as ours on the surface, whether it's set on an unnamed planet with a perpetually pseudo-medieval culture, or present-day New York. For the most part, it will be a world we recognize and can identify with. Then a wizard shows up, and all hell breaks loose. With a flick of his wand, a tilt of his staff, or a mutter under his breath, the laws of physics as we know them bend and break at his command. Depending on the style of magic employed by the author (something we'll get into in another entry down the road), there may not even be any explanation for how or why the magic does what it does; it just is. It's a force of nature all to itself, and can do whatever the author needs it to (within reason).

Of course, it's not just your sorcerers and mages that dictate how faithful you are to real-world science. It's also a good idea to keep physics in mind when populating the imaginative flora and fauna of your world. For instance, I love dragons . . . but the sad truth is that physics is not on their side. The enormous dragons we've seen soaring through the air in movies and books would never make it off the ground in the real world; their wings would be purely for decoration. The same goes for a ton of other fantastic creatures, from giant crustaceans to insect people. No matter how awesome and exciting they may be, they just don't measure up to a higher standard of realism. In physics, size matters.

Does this mean you can't have dragons in your story? Of course not! That's where suspension of disbelief comes in. But make sure this is a conscious decision on your part, because it will have a big effect on reader expectation. I don't think anyone wrote J.K. Rowling angry letters about snakes not having vocal chords in real life. But she undoubtedly knew the kind of signal she was sending when she put a talking animal in her book. She was saying to the reader, "This is the kind of story you're reading; don't act too surprised when people start flying around on broomsticks."

Science Fiction: Degrees of Hardness

For obvious reasons, physics is often a much more conscious element in a science fiction story, especially if there is space travel involved. There are exceptions, but for the most part, the standard of realism is going to be much higher in a science fiction story than in a fantasy story. For instance, if you have a story or setting that hinges on the existence of some kind of faster-than-light travel, you must address the problem of physics in some way, even if your way of addressing it is the equivalent of saying, "I'm not going to address this, so deal with it. Hyperspace."

Again, it largely has to do with reader expectation. In science fiction there is a "hardness scale" that determines how rigorous the author's application of real-world science has been. As the genre has grown and evolved over the years, a large, vocal camp has risen within science fiction fandom (especially literary SF) that seeks hard science and loves to criticize works that fling too much phlebotinum. This is why it's important to address how you will be handling physics in your story, and to make it clear to the reader. Much like J.K. Rowling's talking snake in our fantasy scenario above, it's important to send the proper signals. As a reader, I enjoy both soft SF and hard SF (as long as the physics lectures aren't too long), but even I get frustrated if everything is nice and plausible for most of the book, then the science takes an inexplicable left turn into crazy-town for the convenience of the author's limitations on research.

It should be noted that there are certain sub-genre conventions that come with their own set of expectations. If you're writing a space opera, chances are readers aren't going to take you to task for violating physics every time your pilot presses the big red button. In these kinds of stories, things like faster-than-light travel are expected, to the point where a novel idea of getting around the natural limitations involved will net you cool points, even if the idea itself involves breaking yet more laws. Most sci-fi fans are rad that way. Give them something really cool, and they won't yell at you about science.

Next month, the series continues as we take a look at the cosmology of your fictional universe.

photo credit: placbo via cc

Speculative Fiction Tropes: Magitech

2013-04-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

Most science fiction fans are aware of Arthur C. Clarke's famous "third law," which states that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Many writers apply this logic to the universes they craft, even those who build their stories on hard science. After all, if you were to present an iPhone to someone who lived a few hundred years ago, you would probably have an easier time telling them it was a magical artifact than trying to explain integrated circuits and liquid crystal displays. According to Doctor Who, however, the reverse can also be true. Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology. And who are we to argue with a Time Lord?

Indeed, speculative fiction is filled with examples of technology powered by magical means. From spaceborne shipyards powered by magical energy fields to cameras that house imps who literally paint pictures on demand. The name of this entry comes partially from one of my favorite video games of all time, Final Fantasy VI, which features an antagonistic empire that forcibly extracts the magical properties of beings called Espers and applies them to mechanized suits of battle armor. They call this process Magitek, the fusion of magic and technology.

As with most tropes, if you peer back far enough into the myths and legends that inspire much of our modern fiction, you can find the early seeds of magitech. For instance, you have the Greek deity Hephaestus, who was worshiped by blacksmiths and stoneworkers as the god of fire and craftsmanship. According to Greek mythology, he crafted many of the weapons and armor of the Olympians, which were almost always imbued with magical properties of some kind. He also built magical automatons out of metal that served him in his craft, including tripods that would travel to and from Mount Olympus at his beck and call.

Works of fantasy are the most obvious place to look for magitech artifacts these days. Many stories within this broad genre envision worlds in which the use of both magic and technology have progressed on an even plane, resulting in societies that use the forces of magic the same way we use electricity, or combustion.

The wizards of the Harry Potter universe tend to frown upon the use of "muggle" technology, using a magical equivalent instead, like self-writing quills that serve as word processors. In The Chamber of Secrets, however, we see an otherwise ordinary automobile enhanced with magical properties—most notably, the ability to fly.

Thus far, my own fantasy has yet to approach the use of magitech. My fantasy world is light on magic altogether, but when it does appear it stays firmly in the realm of the other, seldomly intersecting with that of the mundane. That being said, I'd love to play around with the concept one day. As someone who adores both science fiction and fantasy, the magitech trope can be an awesome opportunity to bring both realms together in interesting ways, depending how you play it.

And I think that gets to the heart of the appeal of tropes like this one. Magitech brings the real and the unreal within the same plane, at once making the forces of the supernatural and metaphysical far more relatable. Your traditional crystal ball or magic wand is still very capable as a plot element in the hands of a skilled writer, but let's face it: that stuff can also be pretty boring. It's been done. Give me a bazooka that shoots fire elementals instead, and you have my attention.

Recommended Reading:

Magic, Inc. by Robert A. Heinlein
The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
The God Engines by John Scalzi

Recommended Viewing:
Harry Potter
Thor
The Avengers

Recommended Gaming:
Final Fantasy VI
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Lost Odyssey

IWSG: Star Wars and the General Public

2013-04-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

It's the first Wednesday of March, which hails the regular arrival of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. The group offers a place for writers of all kinds to support each other in those ever-present moments of insecurity.

While many use this as an opportunity to vent their frustrations, I realized early on that if I keep posting about my own insecurities, these posts will start sounding very similar. So I decided to move away from "woe is me" and focus on motivation and encouragement, centering my IWSG posts on inspirational quotes from people I admire.

This month's quote comes from a man who needs no introduction. But since that sentence is almost always followed by just that, allow me. He's a filmmaker behind one of the most iconic and influential franchises in the history of speculative fiction. His work is so beloved that the very fans who deify him stand at the ready to crucify him whenever he makes the slightest misstep. If you didn't click any of those links, and therefor have no idea who I'm talking about, it's the creator of Star Wars, George Lucas.

It would be easy to look at the mammoth success that Star Wars has had and call Lucas a visionary. But would that be accurate? Did he know he had something so monumental on his hands before he set to work on it? Consider that the project started out as a failed Flash Gordon remake (an influence that can still be seen in many of its hallmarks). If he knew from the beginning what a golden goose he had, chances are he would've wanted to keep it to himself from the get go instead of working with someone else's property. But if that's not enough evidence that even Lucas was surprised by the success of the franchise, check out what the man himself said when asked if he saw it coming:

"I thought Star Wars was too wacky for the general public."

So there you have it. Lucas thought he was making something for a niche audience, and it blew up in his face, making him a multimillionaire and a pop culture icon in the process. He didn't set out to create a global phenomenon; he just wanted to pay tribute to the space opera serials of his childhood. He made the movie that he wanted to see, without knowing if it would ever see success. He took a gamble on his dreams.

What does this have to do with insecure writers? Well, I can't speak for all of you, but personally, I'm driven by a pretty intense fear of failure. And while at times that fear can be very motivating, it can also lead to some fierce bouts of insecurity. It's hard not to question every aspect of the projects I spend my time on. Every step of the way, the temptation to scrutinize your work is there, from the foundational idea at its core, to the method of execution that brings it to the page. And this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Attention to detail often separates the pros from the amateurs.

But we have to be careful of the temptation to chase the trends and fads of the publishing world in pursuit of success. Trying to anticipate the ebb and flow of the mainstream can be a maddening, futile process. It's one thing to weigh the merit of a work in progress in hopes of gauging eventual reception, but its another thing entirely to let your enthusiasm for something hinge on the potential for dollar signs in your eyes. When it comes to artistic pursuits, great success—while often hoped for—is rarely planned and executed down to the letter. There's a reason no one saw Fifty Shades of Grey coming.

So the next time you're worrying over the salability of that shiny idea you can't wait to get started on, think of Uncle George and give yourself a good slap. If it's an idea that you love, that should be enough of an impetus to pour yourself into it. Does that mean you can't draw inspiration from those big bestsellers that are making waves out there? That you shouldn't pay attention to the goings on of the mainstream? Or even that you shouldn't write with an audience in mind? Of course not. Knowledge is power. I'm a huge advocate of the cerebral approach. But don't let the crowd dictate your output. Cross your fingers and tell the story you want to tell. And for heaven's sake, don't drive yourself nuts thinking about marketability until you have something tangible to market.

Who knows? That little seed of an idea you have might grow up to be the Next Big Thing. You might even have the next Star Wars on your hands. But you won't know until the moment of truth. And that will never arrive if you don't let yourself write it.

Speculative Spotlight: Moon

2013-03-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

In case you missed my notice earlier this week, my weekly posting schedule has officially moved to Wednesdays. And since today is the last Wednesday of the month, that means it's time for the Speculative Spotlight, in which I scour the multiverse for hefty chunks of speculative fiction awesomeness. Today, the spotlight falls on a science fiction film called Moon.

What Is It?

Moon is the 2009 directorial debut of ~~Zowie Bowie~~ Duncan Jones, who went on to direct Source Code in 2011, and has recently been tapped for the upcoming film adaptation of Warcraft. It was the winner of two BAFTA awards, two British Independent Film Awards, two Fantastic'Arts Prizes, and the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (beating out heavyweight blockbusters like Avatar, Star Trek, and District 9).

On the surface, Moon is a story about isolation. The film introduces us to Sam Bell (played by Sam Rockwell), an astronaut at the tail end of a three-year contract with a company called Lunar Industries. The job sees him taking up the sole residency of a base on the dark side of the moon, where he oversees the automated mining of Helium-3. In the near future, this isotope has become the answer to the world's energy crises thanks to breakthroughs in nuclear fusion (a scenario that might become reality one day). As his contract winds down and his ticket home is just a couple weeks away, strange things begin to happen to Sam Bell. At first, it all seems to be a side effect of his prolonged seclusion, but it soon becomes clear that something else might be going on up there.

What's So Awesome About It?

Unfortunately, it becomes difficult to describe the plot much further without spoiling some of the turns for those who've yet to see it. For me, discovering what was really happening on the dark side of the moon was one of the most enjoyable parts of the movie. In fact, I was originally going to embed a video in this post, but the official trailer actually reveals one of the story's biggest plot twists. It's a revelation that comes fairly early in the film, but I still think my enjoyment would have been lessened if I'd known about it ahead of time. If spoilers don't bother you, however, you can watch the trailer here.

With Moon, Duncan Jones clearly sought to pay homage to the influential science fiction movies of the 1970s and '80s, and with a budget of only $5 million and a primary cast of just two actors, he manages to do exactly that. From the get go, every scene recalls classic films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, THX-1138, Solaris, and Logan's Run, and that's undoubtedly one of the reasons I liked it so much. It hits all of the right nostalgia buttons for me, and yet still manages to pack a few neat surprises.

In fact, one of my favorite things about Moon is that it deliberately toys with viewer expectation. Take Sam's assistant on the mining base, an artificially intelligent robot named GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey) that sees to his every need, from bringing his morning coffee to providing a haircut when he needs to look sharp for a video transmission. When things start to get weird on the base, it's hard to avoid implicating GERTY, as it's made clear that he knows much more than he lets on. But rather than play Sam's companion as yet another cookie-cutter HAL 9000 ripoff, Moon treats GERTY to a satisfying character arc as he struggles with the growing conflict between his role on the base and his primary objective of helping Sam Bell. GERTY subverts the malevolent AI trope beautifully, and becomes one of my favorite movie robots in the process. His awesome emoticon expressions don't hurt either.

That's just one example of how Moon manages to play with genre convention to enhance the character drama at the heart of its story. If it sounds like your cup of tea, and your curiosity has been piqued by all of these spoilers I'm dancing around to avoid ruining the movie, I'd highly recommend picking it up. It's out on Blu-ray if you'd like to own it, or you can stream it on Amazon instant video.

Images courtesy of Stage 6 Films

Saying Goodbye to Mondays

2013-03-25T10:41:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to post a little FYI for anyone who's wondering where today's blog entry is.

Starting this week, I'm moving my weekly posts to Wednesdays. I've been playing around with my schedule a bit this past month, but I think I've found the sweet spot now. So come back around in a couple of days for this month's Speculative Spotlight feature.

Until then, have a great Monday. Try not to strangle your coworkers.

photo credit: vermegrigio via cc

Forging a Universe: The Whats and Whys of Worldbuilding

2013-03-18T04:00:00.000-04:00

For a long while now (hell, since I started this thing), I've been wanting to do a blog series on worldbuilding. It's easily one of my favorite parts of writing speculative fiction, and depending on the genre you're working with, it's also one of the most important. In fact, just about every author of fiction employs worldbuilding to some degree, even those who frame their stories in the real world. It's just that science fiction and fantasy writers have done a little more to quantify the process, given that it permeates our work so obviously.

Starting with this entry, I'm going to embark on a monthly journey into the process of crafting a universe. I'm going to break down what I (and many others) consider to be key elements of building a believable world, giving you a few glimpses into my creative process along the way. Since this is far too much ground to cover in one post, this series will last as long as I need it to. But before jumping into the deep end, I'm going to use this introductory post to cover the simple whats and whys of the process.

What is Worldbuilding?

It's widely believed that the term itself was coined sometime in the 1970s, conjured up at one of the various workshops and conventions where science fiction writers would gather, make merry, and discuss the craft. For the most part, it means exactly what it sounds like. It's the construction of the world (or universe) in which your story takes place. It's the process of filling in the details of setting and backstory that make up the playground you toss your characters into, then weaving these elements into a coherent backdrop that frames and complements your narrative.

That sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? Generally, it is. But before an author can break the process down into manageable bits and pieces, he must decide which approach to take, as there are essentially two methods of worldbuilding: the "top-down" method and the "bottom-up" method. Those of you who've spent time as Dungeon Masters in the tabletop roleplaying world might recognize these as the same "outside-in" and "inside-out" methods that Dungeons and Dragons encourages for designing adventures.

Top-down worldbuilding is what I think of as "the mapmaker's approach." It begins with as broad a perspective as possible on your world and its inhabitants, defining things like physics, ecology, and geography first and foremost (assuming you're working with a single planet—if your story spans galaxies, you may be plotting cosmology at this stage as well), then building your way toward the culture and history of the civilizations therein, before finally working out the background of the main characters and their plight. This method is usually favored by outliners, since it involves a lot of work prior to writing the story itself. Some famous examples that were likely born of this approach include:

Middle-earth, from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
The world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series
The interstellar society of Frank Herbert's Dune
The Mass Effect universe

As it sounds, bottom-up worldbuilding is pretty much the opposite, and I tend to think of it as "the Columbus method." Here, you begin with the story itself, crafting characters and plot at the outset and essentially filling in the rest along the way. The writer doesn't bother building the greater world their characters inhabit until it becomes essential knowledge for the reader. In this way, it's possible to avoid the dangerous temptation of worldbuilder's disease (in which one spends more time working on the backstory than the actual story) and focus on moving the plot forward. However, it also comes with the danger of in-world inconsistency and plot holes, which become easy to fall into if you're making things up as you go, and will require backtracking to correct. As you may have guessed, this type of worldbuilding is usually favored by discovery writers. Famous examples that likely came from this approach include:

Ursula K. Leguin's Earthsea realm
The greater multiverse of Stephen King's Dark Tower saga
The Star Trek universe
The mysterious island of Lost

It's also very possible to use a mix of both approaches, though it's less common. This is often the result of multiple creators working within a shared universe, such as the Star Wars Expanded Universe. I've used both methods myself, though I tend to use the former for novel-length work and the latter for short stories. Ultimately, which approach you take will depend entirely on you, your story, and your writing style.

Why Worldbuild?

In a work of science fiction or fantasy, particularly the sprawling realms of epic fantasy or the infinite worlds of space opera, worldbuilding is the glue that holds your setting together. If plot and character is the meat of a story, worldbuilding is the fire you cook it over. The stronger a fire you build, the better that meat will taste when you're done. Good worldbuilding enriches the reader's experience, teasing and tapping that hunger for more that every good book gives you, even while you're reading it. It pulls you in and makes you forget that you're sitting on a couch with a book in your hand.

Obviously, this is all just one part of what makes a compelling story. There are many elements that help to transport the reader into your universe. But good worldbuilding will make that universe feel real. If you don't spend the time and effort necessary to flesh out your world, readers will notice. No matter how good the rest of your story is, if you try to pass flimsy worldbuilding in front of their eyes, chances are it will pull them out of your work the same way poor special effects can detract from an otherwise good movie (here's looking at you, cartoon wolf from 300).

Knowing all that, the question then becomes why wouldn't you worldbuild, at least to some degree? We certainly have enough things competing for reader attention without giving them an unnecessary reason to put the book down. So take advantage of this fantastic medium and grow some flesh on your story's bones. Use the awesome powers at your disposal. Forge a universe. Craft a realm. Build a world.

photo credit: Pensiero via cc

Speculative Fiction Tropes: The Mundane Masquerade

2013-03-11T04:00:00.000-04:00

It's a fair wager to say there is much we take for granted in this world. These things may vary depending on your location, personality, or station in life; perhaps you take for granted that there will always be a roof over your head, or food in the fridge. Perhaps you take for granted that the trains always run on time, or that the sun will rise each morning. The more regular and commonplace something seems, the more likely we are to assume that's exactly what is: ordinary, boring, mundane. But what if that wasn't the case? What if it was all a masquerade, calculated strictly for the benefit of your unseeing eyes—and that little old lady sitting next to you at the bus stop was not quite a little old lady at all?

That's the basic premise of the mundane masquerade: your world is not what it seems, and someone is going to great lengths to keep that from you. There exists another layer to reality hidden in plain sight that, if revealed, would alter the very foundation of your day-to-day beliefs.

This trope is an old one, but its history is a little harder to nail down than most of those I've tackled before. While folklore and mythology are running over with examples of human beings conducting their affairs without realizing there's a whole other supernatural world right beneath their noses, the nature of this unawareness differs from source to source. Many of the creatures and entities in those kinds of stories escape notice due to pure human ignorance or an unwillingness to believe in fairies (so to speak). As such, they're not really examples of a mundane masquerade, since there is no outright deception at play.

There are some tales of supernatural mischief that fit the bill quite nicely on the surface. For instance, the selkie, a mythological shapeshifter that lives in the sea, but occasionally sheds its seal-like skin to take human form. Selkies were often said to have taken on unsuspecting human lovers, hiding their true nature until their return to the sea. Another example is the changeling—stories in which a fairy, elf, or some other entity swaps its own offspring with that of a human being, usually with the child's unfortunate mother and father none the wiser. These and many other tales involve supernatural deception of a sort, but still don't quite offer instances of true masquerade, since it's not the existence of the otherworldly itself that is being hidden, but the evil deeds thereof.

For a better example of the mundane masquerade in fiction, we can point to an excellent modern use of the trope: Men in Black. The eponymous organization of the movie series (and the comic books that inspired them) is shown to have worked for centuries to keep mind-shattering secrets from the public at large—specifically, the existence (and earthside residence) of extraterrestrial beings. In the comics their mandate even extends to supernatural creatures such as werewolves and demons, as well. The MiB's web of intergalactic espionage and secrecy is so far-reaching that they use their acquired alien technology to erase the memories of anyone unfortunate enough to witness extraterrestrial events.

One of the reasons I point to Men In Black as an excellent example of the mundane masquerade, aside from its rigorous adherence to the trope itself, is because I think it really gets to the heart of just why it has persisted in fiction and popular culture for so long. The secret organization depicted in the MiB franchise is based on an actual real-world mythos that has surrounded conspiracy theorists and UFO enthusiasts since the 1950s. Following the Roswell incident and the subsequent explosion of popular interest in UFOs, stories began to emerge of mysterious men in nondescript black suits interviewing and harassing people involved in UFO sightings. They were usually said to have identified themselves as government agents of some kind, but over the years the various stories have spread from one end of the rationality spectrum to the other, depicting them as everything from Air Force OSI officers to telepathic crossbred alien hybrids with multiple sets of eyelids.

The point is, there are people in this world who believe that many aspects of this trope exist in the realm of cold, hard fact. And in some respects, they're right. Virtually every major government in the world maintains various operations at a certain level of secrecy, hidden from the very public they serve, from the CIA to MI6. But some believe that this extends much further than foreign intelligence or national security. Some believe that the government may well be hiding something else from us—something otherworldly, perhaps.

Whether you count yourself among the conspiracy theorists or not, I think it's plain to see the relationship this trope has with that aspect of our culture. It's simple human nature to assign malevolence when someone in a position of authority decides whether or not you "need to know" something, especially when your tax dollars paid for the stationary they printed it on.

Recommended Reading:
Methuselah's Children by Robert A. Heinlein
The Adjustment Team by Philip K. Dick
The City in the City by China Miéville

Recommended Viewing:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Harry Potter
Hellboy

Recommended Gaming:
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Assassin's Creed
Thief

IWSG: The Sound of Whooshing Deadlines

2013-03-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

The subject of this month's entry is oddly appropriate, I think. Some of you might be wondering why there wasn't a Speculative Fiction Tropes entry this past Monday. To accommodate more writing time, I've decided to stick to a strict once-per-week blog schedule from here on out, including the first week of the month. Since I really enjoy taking part in IWSG every first Wednesday, that means I'll be moving the tropes series entries to the second Monday of each month. This month's entry will come next week.

So in the interest of a little continuity, I thought I'd share one of my favorite quotes from the legendary Douglas Adams. If you're not familiar with his work, Adams was a celebrated humorist, best known for the comedic science fiction of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as well as the series it spawned. In The Salmon of Doubt, he had the following to say about deadlines:

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

You can see why this is relevant, no? Unfortunately, I don't share Mr. Adams's love for that sound. I happen to find that whooshing noise extremely discouraging. That being said, the drive never to hear that sound again motivates me to work twice as hard the next time around.

Deadlines have long been the bane of the writerly ilk, but they're an absolutely necessary evil in the larger publishing world. In fact, they're not evil at all. They're downright good for us. Not only because it's hard to become a successful writer if you never actually, you know, finish anything, but because that loud red-alert klaxon we hear in our heads when zero hour approaches can often serve as the kick in the pants we need. I can only speak for myself, of course, but my gears naturally start turning faster when I know I have a deadline coming up. Sometimes I surprise myself at just how much more productive I can be when there's a big, bold date hanging over my head. Every writer is different, but I'd be willing to bet that many of you might find similar results.

So why not harness the positive side of this white-knuckled phenomena? You don't have to be a bestselling author with a six-figure contract to feel the drive of a strict deadline. You don't have to be published at all. All you need is a little self-imposed discipline. Don't wait for an agent or a publisher to set your deadlines for you. Set them yourself! Open that calendar and set a realistic goal for your work. It doesn't have to be something broad and long-term—in fact, it probably shouldn't be. Focus on the short-term and the immediately measurable. "I will write 5000 words by Saturday" is a much more effective deadline than "I will finish my novel by December." This lets you feel that rush on a regular basis, and allows you to tweak and adjust as you learn how best to push yourself against your goals. The first time one of your deadlines passes and you have nothing to show for it, you'll be ready to chastise yourself in the mirror like a naughty toddler caught with sprinkles on his face.

But don't beat yourself up too hard. Instead, knuckle up and prepare for war. Meet the next one with sword in hand, and vow never to hear that whooshing sound again.

Speculative Spotlight: The Sandman

2013-02-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

It's the last Monday of February, which means it's time for this month's Speculative Spotlight, in which I share a hefty chunk of awesomeness from one of the many mediums of speculative fiction. Today, we're going to be talking about one of the most revered comic book series of all time, The Sandman.

What Is It?

If you've been reading this blog for any great length of time, you've probably ascertained the fact that comic books are one of the larger measuring beacons on my particular spectrum of nerdry. When done well, I think the graphic form can be one of the most effective methods of storytelling. I say that not out of any particular bias toward the medium (having never attempted to write one myself), but because I can honestly say that some of the greatest stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading were comics.

Easily counted among those is The Sandman, a series penned by eminent author Neil Gaiman. In fact, it was this series (along with others like Watchmen and Maus) that really opened my eyes to the power of the form, instilling a love for comic books that eventually had me arguing their artistic merit with high school teachers growing up. And long after my old comic book collection has been woefully lost and unaccounted for, I still cherish this series as one of my favorite reads. As I write this, I'm in the middle of a complete reread, and it's just as good as I remember it.

What's So Awesome About It?

The Sandman is ostensibly about Dream of the Endless, lord and embodiment of his namesake. His story begins with decades of imprisonment at the hands of unwitting occultists, who sought to ensnare and conquer Death herself. Upon realizing they've captured her brother instead, they leave him to rot in a crystal prison, too greedy and afraid to set him free. Much of that first arc involves the repercussions brought thereof, as Dream escapes and sets about repairing his realm and abode, which have fallen to ruin in his absence. Along the way, we see how this experience has changed the Lord of the Dreaming and his outlook on existence.

At its heart, though, The Sandman is a story about stories. After all, what are stories if not dreams? It's this hidden premise that Neil Gaiman uses to spin tale after tale as the series progresses, weaving elements of some of the oldest stories known to man together into one tapestry. One such story involves Norse gods Odin and Thor arguing with Egyptian deities Anubis and Bast (among others) over who will claim Hell upon Lucifer's retirement. Another sees famed dramatist William Shakespeare premiering A Midsummer Night's Dream for an audience of faerie creatures, including the subjects of the play itself: Titania and Auberon (to varying levels of amusement).

In this way, Gaiman manages to construct a cherry-picked cannon from the vastness of human history and mythology, giving us glimpses of the interconnectedness of dreams and that which they inspire. All the while, the framework of his own story runs alongside, and the reader bears witness to one of the most enjoyable character arcs of any graphic work ever set to paper (in this humble writer's opinion)—that of Dream of the Endless, who is also called Morpheus, who is also called Oneiros, who is also called The Sandman.

So if you're a fan of mythology, history, and the ethereal qualities of storytelling, you would be well served to give The Sandman a read. And if you're a fan of Neil Gaiman's, well, why on Earth haven't you read it yet? You can see bits and pieces of much of his later work, American Gods especially, throughout the series. And now is a great time to dive in, as it was recently announced that Gaiman will be penning a new entry in the series later this year to mark its 25th anniversary.

image credit: Anáryawe via cc

Ruthless Writing: Exploit Your Fears

2013-02-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last year, I began a pseudo-series here on the blog called "Ruthless Writing," with entries on torturing your characters and murdering your darlings. I use the word "pseudo" because the entries in this series are largely spontaneous and unplanned, but a great deal of topics fit under the umbrella of writing ruthlessly. And as I've said in those past entries, I think the term perfectly describes the mindset I aim for every time I sit down to write. The path to success is paved with ruthless habits.

That doesn't just mean leaving creator's bias at the door when attacking your manuscript, though. That same ruthlessness can also be put to work when it's time to reach inside yourself and pull that story out to begin with. It's been said that our dreams fuel the stories we tell, but I think a good old fashioned nightmare can be just as compelling if you're willing to delve therein.

You might assume I'm talking about writing horror, but it's actually much broader than that. While nightmares can be an obvious source of inspiration for scary stories, your inner fears can be put to work in just about any genre, if you can find a way to harness them.

What Are You Afraid Of?

The first step, of course, is shining a powerful spotlight into the recesses of your mind, finding out where those innermost fears of yours are hiding. It might not be as easy as you think; while most of us probably have no problem identifying the obvious surface fears—like the squicky feeling you get when faced with something that creeps or crawls—some things lurk much deeper within the psyche. That's why it's useful to make a distinction between fear and anxiety, as they often come from two very different places. But in my (mostly uneducated) opinion, they are two sides of the same coin.

The raw, instinctive emotion that we tend to think of when discussing fear is generally caused by an outside threat or force of some kind. This external stimulus usually triggers the fight-or-flight response, and a whole host of physical reactions occur, from adrenaline dumps to accelerated heart and breath rates. This is what you feel when you're threatened by physical danger of some kind, and it kept your ancestors alive when they had to worry about being eaten by giant cats if they got too sloppy.

Anxiety, on the other hand, generally involves a broader spectrum of psychological and physiological responses, depending on the person and the circumstances. It usually means a general feeling of concern and unease, but can run the gamut from simple nervousness all the way into a genuine fear response. Causes range anywhere from the daily stresses and demands of life to the deeply ingrained insecurities brought on by external factors like social pressure. There's a good chance you know someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, as it's one of the more common forms of mental illness. These feelings kept your ancestors alive too, but it was because they were worrying whether or not they'd gathered enough twigs and berries to make it through the winter.

Put Your Id to Work

Once you've acknowledged the existence of your fears and anxieties, as well as the differences that comprise each, you can get to the work of injecting them into your stories. Both can be employed to great effect, depending on the kind of story you're telling. Let's take a look at those two (admittedly broad) categories we've carved out.

Fear with a capital "F" is the most obviously applicable of the two, since it relies almost wholly on external stimuli. This is where your antagonistic force comes in, threatening the well-being of your protagonist (and by extension, the reader) in some way. If you're writing horror, this might be a supernatural force out for aimless vengeance, menacing your poor protagonist with the threat of the unknown. Or perhaps it's a homicidal maniac that stalks them throughout the course of the book, building up to one terrifying confrontation in which the axe is finally raised.

If it's a fantasy world you're toiling in, you might tap into your inner arachnophobia when it's time for your hero to battle it out with the giant spider that stands in their way, transferring your own disturbed state onto the character as you envision every frightening, arachnid feature. How will your characters react to the fight-or-flight response when it kicks in? Will they run the other way or draw their sword and plant their feet? What will the reader learn from this, both of the characters themselves and of the antagonists? Think about these questions, and how best you can use the answers to manipulate reader reaction. Having your characters face their fear is a great way to reveal what makes them tick.

Anxieties are an even better avenue for revealing character, however, since so much of it involves inner struggle of some kind. More importantly, almost every one of us knows what it's like to engage those kinds of problems at some point in our lives. Whether it's stress or insecurity, we've all been there, and we all know how powerless those emotions can make you feel if you let them get the better of you. You might have your romantic protagonist falter in the presence of a love interest, for example, because he or she is insecure about their appearance in the same way you are. Or perhaps the personal stakes they're facing threaten to outweigh the perceived importance of the task at hand, forcing them to make a tough decision. These kinds of internal dilemmas can make a compelling character instantly identifiable, even if the circumstances aren't quite the same for the reader as they are for you. If portrayed well, conflicts like these can even serve a therapeutic end, for reader and writer alike.

So the next time you're tugging at that brain of yours, trying to shape the conflict in your work into something compelling and gut-wrenching, don't be afraid to look in the mirror first. Take a long, honest assessment of yourself, and take inventory of the dark things that lurk in the back of your mind. Not only will you get a better story out of it, but you might be better off having faced that part of yourself down. And don't just conquer that Cimmerian part of your id; put it to work. Exploit it.

photo credit: h.koppdelaney via cc

7 Effective Martial Arts Traits Every Writer Should Have

2013-02-11T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last year, I wrote an entry called "10 Bruce Lee Quotes That Can Improve Your Writing," divulging my lifelong interest in the martial arts and how it influences my approach to writing. It ended up being the most popular thing I've written, and to this day it brings me more Google traffic than anything else on the site. It was an experience that taught me a few things; chiefly that it was okay to delve into my obsessions from time to time, especially when they converge with writerly pursuits.

And as it turns out, the paths of the dedicated martial artist and the successful writer intersect quite a bit, when approached from the right angles. This should come as no surprise, seeing as both endeavors require a person to reach inside themselves and (hopefully) come back with something they didn't know they had in them. Many of the qualities that propel the titans of combat sport are also found in champions of the written word. Here are some of the traits they share:

#1. Discipline

Ask any coach or instructor and they'll tell you discipline is the cornerstone of a successful martial arts training regimen. From day one, most martial artists are taught to maintain a strict routine and to avoid any temptation to stray from the path. It might seem like the most basic of principles, but it often separates the weekend warriors from the world champions.

And like many of the items to follow, this is an ethic that's directly applicable to writing. I've spoken at length before about the power of a writing routine, but I'll keep shouting it to the heavens: don't just sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. We all come from different walks of life and tangle with different demands and obligations, but if you can manage to set a writing schedule for yourself—and stick to it, come hell or high water—your creative output will benefit tremendously.

#2. Ever-Improving Technique

In the combat sports world, a champion's work is never done. When a fighter reaches the pinnacle of his sport, he doesn't stop learning because he's the best in the world—he works even harder to improve his arsenal. And that doesn't just go for combat athletes; walk into any respectable gym and there's a good chance you'll see lifelong black belts drilling the basics with the rest of the class (even great masters like Al Bundy).

In the same way, a serious writer never stops learning what he and the muse are capable of. Treat every book you open as a potential learning experience (even if it's learning what not to do). Pick up the odd book on writing or grammar to keep your tools of the trade sharp and well-maintained. Seek feedback, whether it's through a writing group or beta readers. And most importantly: write as much as you can and read as much as you can.

#3. Versatility

Whether training for a professional fight or just general self-defense, martial artists do their best to prepare for every eventuality. They try to see every angle and anticipate whatever their opponent throws, so they can be ready with a counter attack. Often a combat athlete will organize their entire training camp around their opponent's strengths or their own weaknesses, all in hopes of becoming a "complete fighter," ready for anything.

Writers would do well to follow suit, identifying our own strengths and weaknesses as we grow. It's always good to know what part of your story will shine the brightest, so you can emphasize those parts if you need to. But don't just write to your strengths; dive into your weak areas and do your best to cut them away. Build yourself up. Become a complete writer.

#4. Patience and Stamina

In 2010, Anderson Silva—the consensus number one fighter on the planet—defended his UFC title against a human wrecking machine named Chael Sonnen. It was the toughest fight of Silva's career, as Sonnen proceeded to beat the champion up for twenty-three minutes straight. But Anderson hung in there, and with only two minutes remaining in the fight, he capitalized on a tiny window of opportunity to submit Chael with a triangle choke, retaining his title. His patience and stamina paid off.

A writer's path to success may very well be just as long and grueling as those five rounds were for Anderson Silva. The odds of being an overnight success in the publishing world are like hitting the lotto. In fact, many of the authors who get tagged with that label built their "overnight" success over the course of several years. Take Brandon Sanderson for instance, who wrote six novels before seeing publication. So flex your knuckles and be patient. Your window of opportunity will come.

#5. A Sense of Progression

Most people know what it means to receive a black belt, even those who don't know the first thing about martial arts. It's a symbol of the years of hard work that person has put into learning and perfecting their style. The belt system varies depending on the discipline, but a practitioner generally starts out as a white belt, and is then awarded a new color at marked levels of proficiency (usually going from white to blue, purple, brown, and black). This gives the dedicated martial artist a clear, goal-based sense of progression in their art.

I think setting goals for your writing is one of the most effective practices you can adhere to as a writer. Think hard and realistically about where you'd like to see yourself a year from now, break down the steps it would take to get there, and reward yourself for every goal you cross off that list. Don't be vague and lofty (I want to be published is not good enough); be specific and immediate. How many words would you like to write this year? This month? This week? Write these things down, then go do it. Earn your black belt in writing.

#6. Confidence

As I found out at the age of seven years old when I took my first Karate class, a martial arts gym is one of the best places in the world to build confidence in yourself. All of the fancy moves in the world aren't going to serve you well if you step onto a mat with no confidence, and a good instructor can turn a scrappy kid with low self-esteem into a dauntless competitor. Confidence is one of the most effective weapons in a martial artist's repertoire.

A writer should be equally as confident in the work they've poured their souls into, even with the knowledge that they still have much to learn. If you're serious about realizing your writing dream, at some point you're going to have to send that precious manuscript of yours out into the world to be judged by complete strangers. If that doesn't take the confidence and bravery of a champion, I don't know what does.

#7. Humility

Humility is the other side of the coin. The amount of hard work (and painful butt-kickings) necessary to forge a successful martial artist usually keeps that unyielding confidence from turning into outright arrogance. A true champion doesn't let his ego warp the sensibilities at the core of his training, no matter what color his belt is, and no matter how famous his skills make him.

We writers have egos too, and complimentary feedback can become intoxicating if you let it. But be careful not to fall prey to "golden word syndrome." Even the most successful among us still have something to learn every time they contend with the empty page. And the toughest, most callous feedback you receive on your work will often be the most valuable. We are never above criticism, and the day we forget that is the day we stop learning.

photo credit: Sebastian Hillig via cc

IWSG: A Thousand Ideas

2013-02-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

It's the first Wednesday of the month, which hails the regular arrival of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. The group offers a place for writers of all kinds to support each other in those ever-present moments of insecurity.

While many use this as an opportunity to vent their frustrations, I realized early on that if I keep posting about my own insecurities, these posts will start sounding very similar. So I decided to move away from "woe is me" and focus on motivation and encouragement, centering my IWSG posts on inspirational quotes from people I admire.

Today's words of wisdom come from Orson Scott Card, one of the most popular science fiction authors of the last thirty years. He is perhaps best known for Ender's Game, in which the titular child protagonist is trained for interplanetary war with a race of insectoid aliens. This Hugo and Nebula award-winning novel has spawned an entire franchise, including a comic book series and an upcoming motion picture adaptation (which I can't wait for). Card has made a career of molding worlds, shaping universes, and influencing authors. On the topic of creative inspiration, he had the following to say, and it's one of those quotes that I try to carry around with me every day, not necessarily for motivation or encouragement, but simply as a reminder:

"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any."

This is something that every writer probably gets around to worrying about at some point or another, and it's easily one of the most common questions I've seen posed by beginners: Where do you get all of your ideas? What if I don't have another good one? What if I've only got one good story in me? A lot of us tend to leap head first into a good idea when we've found one that's worth a commitment, immersing ourselves in the ins and outs of the story as it grows from the spark that inspired it. While this laser beam focus is generally a good thing, it can lead to those insecure thoughts and doubts when you're deep into a project and you know the end is just around the corner (particularly if we're talking about a longer work, like a novel). By indulging these thoughts, we make the Next Great Idea out to be some rare, mythical entity that only comes out when the moon is full and the planets have aligned.

I throw the word "muse" around a lot, which might give some of you the impression that I'm one of those folks who thinks you've got to attune yourself to the right ethereal frequency to make good art. Rest assured I am not. When I refer to the muse, I'm really talking about the subconscious, the "muse-brain," if you will. I don't sit around waiting for the next epiphany when the current idea has run it's course, and I don't let my insecurities get the best of me. If the sponge has been squeezed to the last drop, that just means it's time to go back to the well.

What well? Take your pick. They're all around you! Every facet of your life can be a wellspring of creativity if you look from the right angles. What's been on your mind lately? What problems are you tangling with? Does your job have you down? Have there been any wild developments in one of your personal relationships? If it's compelling enough to hold your attention, or better yet, steal your attention when you're trying to focus on something else, chances are it can become story fodder. It might even be a little therapeutic.

If that still doesn't work, then turn your gaze from within to without. If you can learn to keep your writer hat on at all times, wherever you go, the world might begin to look a little different to you. What's that couple at the other table whispering about? How did that man get such a pronounced limp? Why is that dog off his leash? Before you know it, those whats, hows, and whys will level up and become what ifs. And the land of What If is where stories are born. You might be standing next to a great story idea while waiting in line at the grocery store, but you'd completely miss it if you were more concerned with arranging your groceries in the proper bagging order on the checkout counter. Let yourself look at the world, and you might be surprised what you find.

So the next time you find yourself wondering how you'll be able to pull another good idea out of thin air, don't worry yourself too hard about it. Instead, take Orson Scott Card's advice. Get about the business of your life, preferably with your eyes open a little wider than they were the day before.

Speculative Fiction Tropes: The Eldritch

2013-02-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

It's the first Monday of February, which means it's time for another entry in the speculative fiction tropes series. This month, we're delving into that which is beyond us, as we discuss the Eldritch.

People have always held a certain fascination with the old things that came before, especially those that might still be hanging around. It's only natural that this interest bleeds into the stories we tell, where our imagination is the only limit to the strange and wonderful ideas we can explore. And of course, some of them have been a little . . . well, dark. Such is the eldritch, inconceivable beings and creatures (if they can even be described as such) whose scope of power and mere existence is beyond mortal comprehension. Simply witnessing the alien majesty of these Old Things may be enough to drive the minds of men toward blithering insanity. Their very presence warps the fabric of the reality we think we understand.

Like most of these tropes (I sound like a broken record at this point) eldritch creatures abound in some of the oldest stories known to man. The various folklore and mythologies of the world are chock-full of them. Ancient Greeks spoke of Typhon, the last son of Gaia, who was known in Greek mythology as "the father of all monsters." Descriptions of him vary, but in one text or another he is said to have a hundred dragon heads with eyes of fire, a body draped in wings, and legs made of viper coils. As tall as the stars themselves, he was feared by all of the gods but Zeus, who he defeated in their first battle.

Norse mythology has Níðhöggr, a titanic dragon that gnaws at the roots of the World Tree between meals, which consist mainly of human corpses. To give you an idea of his size, our world is said to rest at the end of one small branch of Yggdrasil, which he lives beneath. He is described as so immense and powerful that the Ragnarök itself will not destroy him.

Even the Judeo-Christian texts of the bible describe great creatures like the sea-dwelling Leviathan and the elephantine Behemoth. These monstrous animals were cited as examples to Job to demonstrate the futility of questioning God, who alone created these terrible creatures, and who alone could tame them. We won't even go into the Lovecraftian beasts of Revelation—we'd be here all day.

Speaking of H.P. Lovecraft, this entry would be a big fat fail without him. Lovecraft literally wrote the book on eldritch terror. His tales of cosmic horror describe a reality teeming with otherworldly undercurrents, even the smallest glimpse of which can destroy the psyche of the unwittingly curious. Most of the eldritch creatures in his works were literal aliens, though often worshiped as gods by those who stumbled upon whispers of their existence. The most famous of these Great Old Ones is undoubtedly Cthulhu, who has become a strange cultural icon in recent years, mainly among übernerden like myself. Cthulhu patiently dreams at the bottom of the South Pacific, awaiting the conditions for his return.

Though I've never considered myself much of a horror writer, Lovecraft is definitely a big influence on me, and I've flirted with the eldritch a time or two in my own work. One of the unpublished stories I'm shopping around now delves pretty deep into Lovecraftian territory, though to reveal exactly how and why would be giving too much away. Hopefully it will see publication one day soon, and won't drive any of you too mad when you get a glimpse of it. My first published story, A Giant Mess of Darkness, also flirts with eldritch concepts, though it's left to the reader to decide whether the Old One in this story is the cause of madness or the product.

These kinds of stories are the perfect meeting place of the horror fan and science fiction nerd within me, and I love the idea that there might exist a form of cosmic life out there so great and terrible, so alien and incomprehensible, that just catching a glance of it would rend your mind like a meat grinder. The fear of the unknown is a powerful human instinct, and when done well, this kind of fiction plays that facet of the ego like a drum. As a reader, I can't get enough of it, no matter how cute and cuddly Cthulhu becomes over the years.

Recommended Reading:
H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Collection
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
It by Stephen King

Recommended Viewing:
Event Horizon
In the Mouth of Madness
Cast a Deadly Spell

Recommended Gaming:
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

Speculative Spotlight: To The Moon

2013-01-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

It's the last Monday of January, which means it's time for this month's Speculative Spotlight, in which I share something that I deem to be a worthy representation of awesomeness in the world of speculative fiction. Today, I'm going to be talking about To The Moon, a fantastic indie game for Windows PCs.

What's the Story?

Today's entry came about in kind of an interesting way. When I initially sat down to write this, the "spotlight" was going to be on something else entirely. I got about half of the article done at the tail end of a writing session, then decided to call it quits for the day. Later that night, the video game addiction centers of my brain began churning and marched me over to the computer to satisfy the cravings. Being in between games at the time meant it was time to try something new, and my game of choice for the night was chosen randomly from a swelling list of games on my hard drive that I've gathered from sales and bundles over the last couple of years but for some reason never got around to playing. The one I ultimately chose was a little adventure by Freebird Games called To The Moon.

As soon as I finished playing, I came back to my blog and shelved everything I'd written previously so that I could write about this game instead.

Why It's Awesome

To The Moon is a point and click adventure game at its heart, but its visuals and overall feel also hark back to the old school Japanese role-playing games of the Super Nintendo era. The music, graphical style, and text-based dialogue are all straight from the golden age of 16-bit gaming. If, like me, games of yesteryear like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy were a prime source of enjoyment for you as a child, then this one will be striking at your nostalgia chords from the moment you boot it up. But its real magic lies much deeper than the surface trappings of presentation; what will reach out and take hold of you is the charming story.

You play as Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts, who work for a company that specializes in memory implants, fulfilling the dying wishes of unfortunate people on their deathbeds. Using a special machine, they're able to replace the patient's existing memories with a new choice or desire, allowing them to die free of regret. They do this by "entering" the subject's memory and traveling as far back as they can to implant the desire at a very young age. Their technology simulates the results of that single choice, thereby altering an entire lifetime of memories. The catch is they're not able to jump all the way back to the patient's childhood in one leap. They have to start with his most recent memories and work their way back, experiencing several significant moments in his life, but in reverse.

You join Rosalene and Watts in their attempt to grant the dying wish of a man named John Wyles. With his life nearing its end, Johnny wants to go to the moon—but doesn't know why. As you travel through the highs and lows of this man's life, you unravel that mysterious desire, learning more about him and the choices he's made with every leap backward in time. I must admit I'm struggling to describe the story any further than that, as I fear I'd spoil the magic, but you eventually come to know Johnny even better than he knows himself, as you witness the things he's loved and lost over a lifetime.

I can say with confidence that To The Moon has one of the best storylines of any game I've ever played, and I believe it can be enjoyed by gamers and non-gamers alike. Seriously! There's no complex control scheme to wrap your head and hands around, no hand eye coordination required. For the most part, the whole thing can be played with just the click of a mouse. Also, its retro graphical style means pretty much any machine should be able to run it. And it will only cost you ten bucks. So what are you waiting for? Play this game.

Image courtesy of Freebird Games

The My Favorite Martian Bloghop

2013-01-21T04:00:00.001-05:00

It's been quite some time since I participated in a bloghop around these parts (unless you count the Insecure Writers Support Group), but this one seemed right up my alley, so I thought I'd join in the fun. Hosted by The Geek Twins, the My Favorite Martian bloghop asks its participants to delve deep into the collective mind of the science fiction genre, grasping across literature, film, comic books, video games, or any other medium home to alien reverie. Thus, I am tasked with the practically inconceivable burden of choosing one alien character from the entire genre that I feel embodies the awesomeness it has on offer.

Worse yet, the alien being of my choosing does not actually have to be a Martian. This widens my pool of characters to choose from considerably. I mean, the Star Trek universe alone contains something like four hundred (!) different species of alien life. How am I ever going to choose one race, let alone one character within that race, from all of science fiction as my favorite alien? Impossible, I say! It cannot be done! And yet, I must. Toward which corner of the multiverse should I cast my gaze?

Warp Speed, Engage

We've already mentioned the wide selection that Star Trek has on offer, and I am definitely a fan of Gene Roddenberry's universe. Who doesn't love Mr. Spock, after all? He's more than just a pointy-eared space elf; he's a walking battlefield. Beneath his cool exterior, his human and Vulcan halves are constantly at war with each other, an endless struggle between logic and emotion. If that's not fascinating, what is? Then again, that might actually be a good reason not to choose our favorite Vulcan science officer for this entry, as I'm sure someone else will.

So who else among the Trekian droves? Klingons are an interesting species, if not a little Orcish. The "proud warrior race" thing has grown a little stale these days, but our Klingon friends were one of the early archetype examples, so they get a perpetual pass, in my book. And then you have Lt. Worf, who has his own duality conflict going on, having been raised by puny humans. But you know, he's just not doing it for me today either—afraid not, Mr. Worf. Your mating rituals intimidate me.

Damn you for being human, Picard! You'd have made this so much easier if you'd had a rubber forehead like the rest of the cast. I'm afraid I must turn my search to another universe.

May The Force Be With You

The next obvious choice would have to be Star Wars then, wouldn't it? Like our previous candidate, Lucas's universe comes ready-made with hundreds of alien species to choose from. And having rejected Trek, it's only right that I give the galaxy far, far away equal consideration, since they've been at each other's throats for decades. Can the rebel forces sway my heart in their battle against the Sith?

As diverse as the Star Wars cast of aliens is (technically every character is an alien, even the humans), there's really only a couple of characters that spring immediately to mind as worthy candidates for this bloghop. The first would have to be Yoda. I'm pretty sure this Jedi Master was responsible for the entire development of my moral compass as a child. But alas, I'm afraid he suffers from the same problem that keeps Spock from taking it home. You're just too popular, little guy.

Then you have my next favorite alien in the Star Wars universe, Chewbacca, whose Wookie language I make a point in practicing every morning as I get out of bed. He, too, comes dangerously close to "obvious choice" territory though. And on top of that, as cool as it would be to have a giant man-bear-dog-thing in your company, a large part of Chewy's appeal is dependent on his proximity to Han Solo. Take his scoundrel buddy status away, and he's just a speck of fluff amidst a sea of furballs.

There Can Be Only One

I'm running out of options here, not to mention reaching the upper limits of my length threshold on this blog, and still I've yet to choose my favorite alien! If the overpopulated galaxies of Star Trek and Star Wars don't yield results, where can I turn? Alien? Stargate? The Thing? Mass Effect? Argh!

That's it, I can tarry no longer. There has to be an alien out there that represents a worthy pinnacle of awesomeness—one alien character who outshines all the rest in every way. I must choose! The answer is just outside my grasp. Yes! I can feel it!

The winner is . . .

PIZZA THE HUT!

I can't believe it took me so long. Has a more tragic, compelling character ever been written? May we all aspire to such greatness.

Submitomancy: Not Just a Copy Cat

2013-01-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, following the announcement that Duotrope was going paid, I shared a list of free alternatives that might suit the needs of writers who'd ultimately decided not to pony up the cash they were asking for. The reception I got was awesome, as that entry ended up becoming the second most popular thing I've ever posted (thanks in no small part to Jim McDonald sharing the link on Making Light/Diffraction and all of you intelligent, attractive, generally good-smelling people tweeting it around). But there was one unfortunate downside that I noticed while compiling that list: while all of the sites I'd gathered were fantastic resources, none of them could serve as an all-in-one stop for market listings, response stats, and manuscript tracking. You'd have to mix and match a handful of them for that, which obviously isn't as convenient.

Fortunately, I was able to make a couple of additions to that list after I posted it, as new projects were brought to my attention that can serve as the one-stop-shop we all hoped would come along. One of them is an intriguing proposal currently seeking funding on IndieGoGo called Submitomancy, but it aims to be more than just a replication of the familiar model. To learn more about this ambitious project, I invited Sylvia Spruck Wrigley to stop by and tell us about Submitomancy, and what makes it more than just a carbon copy of other manuscript tracking sites.

Take it away, Sylvia!

Manuscript Tracking Is More Than Just Submissions

Submitomancy’s basic service is quite similar to existing submission tracking systems. The free service has to give users a reason to submit their data and share the results, so that was an easy decision. But when it comes to the subscription services, I knew I wanted to provide manuscript tracking, which goes a step further.

Here’s two key points: My interest in a manuscript begins before it is completed. My interest in a manuscript does not end because it has had a single sale.

Obviously, a manuscript has to have some meat to it before it’s worth paying attention to; I’m not going to enter every bizarre idea I’ve ever had. But once I’ve taken the time to outline a story and start drafting, if I have a real feeling for the plot and how long it will be, then for me, the manuscript exists in potential. I may not finish it on the spot, but I want to find it again when the time is right.

Now honestly, if there’s a call for submission for lusty pirate zombie stories under 5k, I pretty much know without looking if I have anything that fits the bill. I don’t need software to help me do that.

However a lot of anthologies and magazines have much vaguer themes. And I have a lot of stories that I might finish, if there was an exciting opportunity for them.

Ignoring stories on submission, I probably have 20 that are trunked which could be rewritten, and probably another dozen that are unfinished. The point is that if there’s a call for novellas about near-future science fiction, I want to be able to quickly narrow down my current manuscripts by genre (science fiction) and length to see if I have anything that looks like it might be a match. I want to see those trunked stories and unfinished stories because if one seems like a good match, then that’s what I should be working on next. It’s giving me motivation to finish.

For finished stories looking for a home, I just really want the process to be as painless as possible. A search engine can only give near matches: there’s no accounting for style or language for a specific market. For the first search on a new story of a popular length, I’ll get a number of markets that aren't quite right. With Submitomancy, I can place a star next to the best matches, markets where I really feel the story has a chance. The next time I search to see where that manuscript can go, I’ll see the stars I placed last time. This means that having spent five minutes initially considering which markets are best, I don’t have to think about it again, they are right there for me. But because I’m not just working my way down a list, I’m also seeing new markets and additional opportunities where my filters have changed.

Once I’ve chosen a market to submit to, my manuscript data means that it is easy to create a cover letter. At a click of a button, a basic letter is created which includes the market name, the manuscript title, wordcount, genre and my most recent (or favorite) three sales. This is available for me to copy and paste into a form or email where I can customise the letter or send it straight out - but the repetitive bit is taken care of.

If I receive an acceptance, then we explode fireworks and space kittens for everyone. But that’s not the end of the story. There’s a whole new set of information that needs tracking: pay rate, contract received, payment received, publication date, exclusivity clause. I can set up a notification to alert me when I can send the story to reprint markets which I can find using a new filtered search.

I’ll also be able to see at a glance which sales are completed and whether I received my money. And at the end of the year, I can see exactly how much money I made from short fiction. OK, I don’t need that function, actually. $43.72 not including the free cupcake I got at Eastercon. But THEORETICALLY, it might be important.

I’d like Submitomancy to add value with alerts and badges and social networking between writers but at it’s core, it’s about manuscripts and how to make them work harder.

If there’s enough interest in Submitomancy then I’ll be refining the details with the Early Access subscribers. But the way I've designed the system, it is only as good as the people who use it. That’s why I’m exploring this with you as a no-risk project for all of us. If you think you’d enjoy being a part of Submitomancy, then please support the campaign and tell your friends.

http://www.indiegogo.com/submitomancy/

A big thanks to Sylvia for stopping by. The more I read about Submitomancy, the more anxious I am to try it out when it goes live. It honestly sounds like a dream come true for short fiction writers. If you agree, consider visiting the link above and supporting the campaign.

Speculative Fiction Tropes: Dwarves

2013-01-07T04:00:00.000-05:00

It's the first Monday of the ~~month~~ year, which means it's time for another entry in the speculative fiction tropes series. This month, you have my axe. We're talking about Dwarves.

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The myriad realms of fantasy that authors have populated over the decades have introduced readers to all sorts of otherworldly beings and creatures. But dwarves, much like their elvish rivals, have become something of a cliche calling card for the genre, from lighthearted fairy tales like Snow White to sprawling Tolkien-esque epics.

While many of their charms and quirks can vary wildly from story to story and author to author, it's usually pretty easy to recognize a dwarf when you see one, as these short, beard-sporting, pickaxe-wielding mountain folk often steal the show.

Their boiler plate status in the genre isn't the only thing dwarves have in common with elves. They also share similar roots in Germanic folklore. Many of the traits we identify with typical depictions of dwarves in fiction are lifted straight from the dvergar of Norse mythology, who were skilled miners and metal-workers. These Norse dwarves lived underground, and were said to have forged the magical weapons of the Æsir and the Vanir, including Thor's famous hammer, Mjölnir.

It was from these old tales that J.R.R. Tolkien drew inspiration when crafting the races of Middle-earth. His dwarves clearly wear this lineage on their sleeves, forging great halls beneath mountains, where they mine for precious metals and horde the spoils of their efforts. He also infused his dwarven race with cultural markers influenced by the reading of modern and medieval texts regarding the Jewish peoples, chiefly their diasporic history and the struggle to reclaim their ancestral home. He even created a dwarven language that is largely analogous to the Semitic languages of our world, especially Hebrew. Makes you wonder why they all have Scottish accents in the movies, eh?

I'll try not to go on and on, but then what would an entry on dwarves be without ad nauseum reference to Tolkien? As I've pointed out again and again in this series, it was his work that forged a great deal of the perennial tropes at play in epic fantasy. When he passed away, the authors he influenced were not content leaving the ideas he left behind unexplored.

Beginning with the colorful cast of The Hobbit and continuing in The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien's dwarves set the mold. If there is any one archetypal dwarf toward which all others in the genre strive, his name would have to be Gimli, son of Glóin.

I've done a bit of my own toiling in fantasy, but I've tried to stay away from most of the typical tropes of the genre, especially fantasy races like elves and dwarves. As such, I have no Gimli spawn to my name thus far. I'd certainly never rule anything out though. One of the fun parts about fictional archetypes is the opportunity they provide to play around in a genre you love, twisting and turning well worn cliches into something exciting and new.

In the mean time, most of my interaction with the dwarvish folk happens in video games these days. As a medium, games have always been more forgiving of genre cliches, and many RPGs lovingly embrace the cheesy paradigms of their tabletop roots. And that's just fine with me. As tiring as it can be to read the same characters over and over again in books, booting up a video game and driving an axe into an orc or two will never get old.

Recommended Reading:
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams
Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Recommended Viewing:
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings
Snow White and the Huntsman

Recommended Gaming:
Dragon Age: Origins
The Elder Scrolls series
Dwarf Fortress