Robbie Taylor(.net)

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Changed plans

I had planned on releasing a new science fantasy novel this last week. It’s one I’ve been working on for some time, based largely on the universe I created for a role-playing game I’ve been playing since I was 12, Epilogue. Epilogue, as I played it, was a mixture of science fiction (it was set on an Alderson Disk a million years in the future) and fantasy (there was magic). The magic may have had a pseudo-scientific explanation, but it was still magic, and therefore not usually mixed with far-future adventures in space. 

So, this novel is about a woman performing a mythical feat to speak to the gods for her dying people, and there are parts of it I really like - a really well-turned phrase or two, several of the characters - but the whole is just not working for me. As I work through this edit, there is less and less that interests me and makes me think of this as a story I want to tell. It’s discouraging.

I’m thinking about a more extensive rewrite than I was initially going to give it, so I’m moving it out of its place in my publishing order. That means that my next book up is going to be The Lascaux Nightmare (title may change), which will be coming out at the beginning of May. Summer should see the mainstream novel Chrysalis, about an evangelical Christian woman facing doubts about her faith and curiosity about atheism, and then the fall will be spent concentrating on getting out book 2 of the Chelsea Perkins Trilogy, The Ring Of Stones. At the end of the year, I’ll either release this book, tentatively titled Wall, or else I will release either a magical police procedural (The Res) or my neo-Nazi time-travel thriller (Protocols of the Elders of Zion). 

There may be a few extra projects sprinkled here and there - I have an idea for an audiobook or two that I will be releasing on Podiobooks as I write them, and even though my Kickstarter didn’t fund, I’ll try to release the Today In Alternate History collection this year. 

I’ll be busy. It would be nice if my books started selling well enough to where I could just write full-time - then I could get these out the door and maybe some more besides. (Hint, hint). I’ll have a new job probably this time next week, and I hope it doesn’t interfere with my schedule; we’ll see. In  the meantime, hope y’all will take a look at what I’ve got going on, and tell your friends!

Robbie on Amazon

Robbie on Smashwords

Filed under writing process writing

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I’m everywhere!

After my long rant, I figured I’d give you guys direct links, because searching is useless until I come up with a nom de plume… Zygote Z. Zzygomorph? Aaaanton A. Aaalcatraz? I’ll think about it.

THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE (Book 1 of the Chelsea Perkins Trilogy): When your father shows up 12 years after abandoning you as a baby and tells you that he has something important for you to do, the last thing you expect to have to do is kill him. If you’re Chelsea Perkins, your day is only going to get stranger from there… 

Amazon (Kindle)  Barnes & Noble (Nook)  Createspace (Print, small form factor)  Lulu (Print, large form factor)  Smashwords (Any ereader) Kobo (Kobo eReader)

WARP: When the alien Mlosh landed on earth in the 18th century, the human world warped around their presence. Now, some humans want them gone - and they are using the Mlosh’s own tools against them.

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Smashwords  iTunes  Lulu Kobo

HOPE: What if you could have fame, fortune or love - but each was mutually exclusive? Johnny Crane is a young Texan living in New York City in the 1990’s, trying to break into the worlds of publishing and acting and trying to navigate the world of love without breaking his heart. But his walls are papered with rejection, and his loneliness is only eased by his best friend, a fellow Texan in the big city. He floats at the edge of success, but finds himself unable to land. When he is tempted with the culmination of each of his dreams, he sees no way to combine them. Can he hope to find a way, or must he choose?

Barnes & Noble (Nook)   Amazon (Kindle)   Smashwords (Any ereader) Lulu (print edition) Kobo

BEFORE/AFTER: A lottery winner, a divorcee and a conspiracy theorist awaken after the unexpected victory of John Kerry in the 2004 election to a world that has changed drastically. Together, they will fight to do what is right.

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Smashwords  Lulu

3rd M: The talk show of the 3rd Millennium! Meet aliens, matter transportation accidents, over-assertive clones and more in this sitcom pilot screenplay

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Smashwords

Filed under nom de plume writing fantasy action romance

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Ultimate Writing Resource List

petermorwood:

acousticwindow:

a massively extended version of ruthlesscalculus’ post

General Tips

Character Development

Female Characters

Male Characters

Tips for Specific Characters

Dialogue

Point of View

Plot, Conflict, Structure and Outline

Setting & Worldbuilding

Creativity Boosters* denotes prompts

Revision & Grammar

Tools & Software

Specific Help

Reblogging for myself

Reblogging for myself. I’m also going to save the ones that really interest me off-line, because things happen.

Thanks for sharing this!

(via dduane)

Filed under writing

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Chelsea Perkins & The Bechdel Test

Once upon a time, a comic strip by Alison Bechdel popularized a rule by her friend Liz Wallace, that she only saw a movie if it 1) had two named/significant female characters who 2) talked to each other about 3) something other than a man.

It doesn’t seem like too hard a hurdle to jump, right? Weeeeeelllll…

According to bechdeltest.com, which was set up specifically to find out the answer to that question, a majority - 53% - of movies do pass, although many times it is because the women are talking about marriage or babies. Still, a pass is a pass, and even if it is a slim majority, most films let their female characters have some kind of life outside of their men.

Read more …

Filed under bechdel test fantasy feminism writing

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amandaonwriting: Light Bulb Jokes for Writers Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: I can’t tell whether you mean ‘change a light bulb’ or ‘have sex in a light bulb.’ Can we reword it to remove the ambiguity? Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: Only one. But first they have to rewire the entire building. Q: How many managing editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: You were supposed to have changed that light bulb last week! Q: How many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: Does it HAVE to be a light bulb? Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: The last time this question was asked, it involved art directors. Is the difference intentional? Should one or the other instance be changed? It seems inconsistent. Q: How many marketing directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: It isn’t too late to make this neon instead, is it? Q: How many proofreaders does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: Proofreaders aren’t supposed to change light bulbs. They should just query them. Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: But why do we have to CHANGE it? Q: How many publishers does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: Three. One to screw it in, and two to hold down the author. Q: How many booksellers does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: Only one, and they’ll be glad to do it too, except no one shipped them any. Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: You’ve already screwed in too many light bulbs. Repetition! Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: One, and they like to give it a good twist at the end. Q: How many writers does it take to change a light bulb?A: Just one, but the light bulb has to endure a series of conflicts and challenges before it finally changes. Q: How many reviewers does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: None. They just stand back and critique while you do it. Q: How many netgilantes does it take to screw in a lightbulb?A: Did he use an English word? Must be a writer! Let’s lynch him!!!! Q: How many reviewers does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: Only one, but first they have to tell you why they didn’t like how you did it. Q: How many Kindleboards authors does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: One, followed by a 12-page, passionately-argued thread about how much the light bulb should cost. Q: How many forum users does it take to screw in a light bulb?A: One, but in the following ten-page discussion, someone will invoke a comparison to Nazis. Q: How many authors does it take to change a light bulb?A: Only one but you also need an editor, proof reader, cover artist, and an agent to be there at the same time. Originally reblogged from Tyson Adams Source for Image Posted on Writers Write

amandaonwriting:

Light Bulb Jokes for Writers

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: I can’t tell whether you mean ‘change a light bulb’ or ‘have sex in a light bulb.’ Can we reword it to remove the ambiguity?

Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one. But first they have to rewire the entire building.

Q: How many managing editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: You were supposed to have changed that light bulb last week!

Q: How many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Does it HAVE to be a light bulb?

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: The last time this question was asked, it involved art directors. Is the difference intentional? Should one or the other instance be changed? It seems inconsistent.

Q: How many marketing directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: It isn’t too late to make this neon instead, is it?

Q: How many proofreaders does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Proofreaders aren’t supposed to change light bulbs. They should just query them.

Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: But why do we have to CHANGE it?

Q: How many publishers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Three. One to screw it in, and two to hold down the author.

Q: How many booksellers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one, and they’ll be glad to do it too, except no one shipped them any.

Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: You’ve already screwed in too many light bulbs. Repetition!

Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One, and they like to give it a good twist at the end.

Q: How many writers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Just one, but the light bulb has to endure a series of conflicts and challenges before it finally changes.

Q: How many reviewers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None. They just stand back and critique while you do it.

Q: How many netgilantes does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Did he use an English word? Must be a writer! Let’s lynch him!!!!

Q: How many reviewers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one, but first they have to tell you why they didn’t like how you did it.

Q: How many Kindleboards authors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One, followed by a 12-page, passionately-argued thread about how much the light bulb should cost.

Q: How many forum users does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One, but in the following ten-page discussion, someone will invoke a comparison to Nazis.

Q: How many authors does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Only one but you also need an editor, proof reader, cover artist, and an agent to be there at the same time.

Originally reblogged from Tyson Adams

Source for Image

Posted on Writers Write

Filed under writing

2,251 notes

amandaonwriting: 10 Ways To Get Out Of Your Writer’s Rut There is no such thing as writer’s block. I don’t believe in Writer’s Block. I believe writers simply get stuck when they’re writing. There are many reasons why this happens. At Writers Write, we always encourage writers to plot their book before they start writing. You need to know where you’re going before you begin. I have also interviewed more than 100 authors. Most of these writers have a plan, they have a writing routing, they are open to learning, and they know how their book is going to end. They don’t believe in waiting for the muse. They believe in hard work. These are the most common reasons why writers stop writing. 10 things writers struggle with when writing a book They avoid writing uncomfortable or difficult scenes. They can’t get beyond the synopsis. They can’t seem to finish anything. They don’t know how to start the book, the next scene, the next chapter. They enrol for new courses but they take the same old ideas with them. They haven’t written a synopsis. They keep on repeating what they’ve already written. They talk about writing but never start. They write their characters into corners.  They write, edit, rewrite, and edit the same scene instead of moving on. Once we identify these problems, I am able to help my students. Here are 10 simple ways to solve these problems Change the sex of your protagonist or antagonist. Change viewpoints if you’re stuck. Write it from another character’s perspective. Try writing in a different viewpoint. Write in first person if you always write in third person. Commit to the writing life. Writers write. Enrol in a writing class. Leave your old, tired ideas at home.  Make to do lists for your character. Or send your character shopping for a character he hates. Play the what if? game for your character. Rewind and get the story back to a point where your character can move on with the action. Promise yourself a meaningful reward when you finish. Stop editing. Carry on writing. You can fix the draft later. You’re looking at a minimum of eight rewrites anyway - plenty of time for editing. Use a timer for the scenes you find difficult to write. Just do it. Write a synopsis. Set up a daily writing routine. Set aside a minimum amount of time or commit to writing a number of words. by Amanda Patterson From Writers Write

amandaonwriting:

10 Ways To Get Out Of Your Writer’s Rut

There is no such thing as writer’s block.

I don’t believe in Writer’s Block. I believe writers simply get stuck when they’re writing. There are many reasons why this happens. At Writers Write, we always encourage writers to plot their book before they start writing. You need to know where you’re going before you begin.

I have also interviewed more than 100 authors. Most of these writers have a plan, they have a writing routing, they are open to learning, and they know how their book is going to end. They don’t believe in waiting for the muse. They believe in hard work.

These are the most common reasons why writers stop writing.

10 things writers struggle with when writing a book

  1. They avoid writing uncomfortable or difficult scenes.
  2. They can’t get beyond the synopsis.
  3. They can’t seem to finish anything.
  4. They don’t know how to start the book, the next scene, the next chapter.
  5. They enrol for new courses but they take the same old ideas with them.
  6. They haven’t written a synopsis.
  7. They keep on repeating what they’ve already written.
  8. They talk about writing but never start.
  9. They write their characters into corners. 
  10. They write, edit, rewrite, and edit the same scene instead of moving on.

Once we identify these problems, I am able to help my students.

Here are 10 simple ways to solve these problems

  1. Change the sex of your protagonist or antagonist.
  2. Change viewpoints if you’re stuck. Write it from another character’s perspective. Try writing in a different viewpoint. Write in first person if you always write in third person.
  3. Commit to the writing life. Writers write.
  4. Enrol in a writing class. Leave your old, tired ideas at home. 
  5. Make to do lists for your character. Or send your character shopping for a character he hates.
  6. Play the what if? game for your character. Rewind and get the story back to a point where your character can move on with the action.
  7. Promise yourself a meaningful reward when you finish.
  8. Stop editing. Carry on writing. You can fix the draft later. You’re looking at a minimum of eight rewrites anyway - plenty of time for editing.
  9. Use a timer for the scenes you find difficult to write. Just do it.
  10. Write a synopsis. Set up a daily writing routine. Set aside a minimum amount of time or commit to writing a number of words.

by Amanda Patterson

From Writers Write

Filed under writing