10-04-2006, 04:34 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 438
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Well, I didn't quite "jump right in"... it took me a while to find a story I thought I could write, but I happened on one a lot sooner than I expected I would. Then I started developing my characters and plot, and I announced my intentions only once I'd started actually writing. There was every possibility that I would have gotten back to you all in a month, and said, "Forget it. This is garbage, and I'm flushing it now. So, who wants a new Kestral story?" Fortunately, the story developed without any major problems.
I always try to fully develop the characters, take notes on the basic plot, then work up a detailed synopsis/outline, before I begin writing. I've discovered too many times in the past that, without those elements, my writing projects quickly grind to a halt or self-destruct after the intro! As I write, little things will come to me, and some of them will cause me to revise the outline as I work. But usually, the outline fairly accurately reflects the final story.
In fact, this story deviated from the outline more than most. The story's original emphasis was supposed to be on the mystery and the missing girl. But about halfway through, I decided to establish the emphasis on the investigator, and rewrote and reshuffled things for the new emphasis. In the process, the story was transformed from mystery to psychological drama, but I don't think it suffered for it.
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10-04-2006, 04:50 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 694
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I have always got the impression that making up believable and at the same time exciting characters was a very difficut job. Do you visit coffeeshops and get ideas when seeing people around you? (I noticed in London that there often were someone sitting looking around and making fast notes). Or do you make them up inside your head?
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10-04-2006, 04:55 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 438
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Just thought I'd add this:
Though this is my first non-SF story, I have not actively avoided writing one before. In fact, I've wanted to write something mainstream for years. I just never came up with the story I wanted to do. The fact that this one came to me, not long after I was asked to consider a mystery, is pure serendipity.
And will I write another non-SF story? It all depends on whether I come up with another non-SF story to write! For the record, the next one in the queue is SF. But after that... who knows?
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10-04-2006, 05:24 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 438
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jorgen
Do you visit coffeeshops and get ideas when seeing people around you? Or do you make them up inside your head?
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So far, my characters have been out of my head. For me, creating characters is like acting: You develop them, then try to get into their head to figure out what they will do in a given situation. I've never tried copying my characters on anyone I know (you never know who you might tick off that way!), and I rarely take the trouble to jot down interesting characters or characteristics when I'm out and about. |
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10-18-2006, 03:43 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 553
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steve,
is there a place where i can write a commentary on your book?
i just finished reading it, and i have to say, i'm really impressed.
at first, i found the language to be somewhat awkward, a few old expressions thrown in that totally contrast to the modern setting.
but once i met "uh-lane", i could hardly put the smartphone down.
i think, in retrospect, the first chapter does not do the book justice, because after chapter one, the story just flies!
great, great, GREAT book.
excellent story, really enjoyable characters, and the way you throw in things that us geeks enjoy, like gps, pdas, ebooks etc is really cool.
oh, and i actually cracked up a few times.
definately up to par with my previous literary enjoyment (james ellroy, david baldacci, vince flynn)
steve ... keep going. you're an excellent writer and i hope you will be able to make a name for yourself.
i suppose this means expanding to non-digital-publishing (a.k.a. paper books)
:werenotworthy:
__________________
www.untitled.at - my companywww.mores.cc - my private site / moblog |
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10-18-2006, 09:42 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 438
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8O
Damn... really? Thanks a lot!
I have been collecting what reviews I can gather, and I usually include a blurb on the Novels page. Since yours is the first to come in... and a pretty decent set of comments, I must say... I'll surely put a blurb in from you. And again, thanks!
I haven't gotten any paper publishers interested in my work yet, of course, but maybe if Lambs takes off... who knows...  |
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10-19-2006, 12:05 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 438
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Oh, by the way... I see that you mentioned the book on your blog site... thanks for that, too! (Wish I spoke the language!)
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10-19-2006, 04:25 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 694
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Yes, again a great book: good plot, good characters - in short a very good read! And thanks for selling it at such a low price!
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10-19-2006, 05:58 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 438
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Mmm... I'm looking for a good "blush" emoticon...
I'm grateful to be getting such good comments from my first mainstream story! After so many years of writing Sci-Fi, and not coming up with a non-SF story I considered suitable to write, I was beginning to think I'd never pull it off. I'll have to make sure I work harder to develop more non-SF material in the future (and especially if it turns out to generate better sales!).
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10-21-2006, 01:01 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,672
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Hey Steve, I really like your sensible approach to eBooks and I hope you do well.
I've just downloaded Lions/Tigers and looking forward to a good read this weekend.
Edit - well the book was good enough to read without a break.
I'll have to check out some of the others now.
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