+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Opinion, Reading, Science Fiction, Writing

Character Redemption

by Unknown's avatar

What does redemption mean in literature?

Well… for starters, what does redemption mean, period? The dictionary has two definitions:

re·demp·tion
rəˈdem(p)SH(ə)n/
noun
  1. 1.
    the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
    “God’s plans for the redemption of his world”
    synonyms: saving, freeing from sin, absolution

    “God’s redemption of his people”
  2. 2.
    the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.
    synonyms: retrieval, recovery, reclamation, repossession, returnMore

So what does this mean for the characters that we write? Is redemption turning good and working to undo the damage they’ve done? For an evil character to truly be redeemed, must they completely repair the damage that they’ve done? What if the character’s crime is too extreme for them to ever pay it back?

So to answer our original question, we must then also satisfy the question of whether or redemption is possible.

There are varying opinions on this. Some would say that a dark character, depending on the level of crime cannot be redeemed. Others might say that yes a character can be redeemed, but it would require a major act of goodness which usually means self-sacrifice to save another. Then there’s a small group that would argue that the self-sacrifice, while noble, would not solve the problem, nor would it redeem the character because it wouldn’t give them a chance to undo any of the damage they’ve done.

So is it possible for a character to redeem themselves. Well the answer is, simply put, that depends. Most people would say that a character who is responsible for the genocide of innocent people would be completely beyond redemption… that said, many of those same people would argue that characters like Darth Vader, responsible for the deaths many Jedi, including younglings, and the Dark Phoenix, who destroyed a solar system, rendering an entire species extinct, are able to be redeemed.
Think about it, those of us who read comics, how many of us were hoping the the X-Men would defeat the Shi’ar in defense of the Phoenix?

So perhaps in the end, you only have one or two answers:

1. If you have done enough to redeem yourself in the eyes of God (which I’m not saintly enough to speak to his requirements)

or (in most cases, if you don’t believe in God)

2. If you have done enough to redeem yourself in the eyes of the people you’ve hurt.

In these cases, redemption is in the eye of the beholder. So there is no really clear cut answer. In the end, it depends on you, the writer. Blasphemous as it might be, when it comes to the world you are creating, YOU are God and only you can decide if a character has, or can, do enough to redeem themselves.

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, Help, homeless, Urban Fantasy, Writing

Heartbreaking…

by Unknown's avatar

So I recently saw a video online that shot me right through the heart, both as a parent and as someone who used to work with children like this…

When we see so many people homeless in the city, it’s easy to walk on by and do nothing. I myself have been guilty of it countless times. It wears on me because I know that I can’t help everyone. I donate what time and money I can, but even that is not enough.

I remember when I was younger though, I knew a woman who would have given the shirt off of her back for the asking. We were hanging out in Boston one day when she saw a homeless man on the street corner. It moved me so much that I eventually added it as part of one of my books. So I’ll share this excerpt with you all now as a reminder to remember those less fortunate and in serious need.

(From Magnifica: Tears of the Fallen, Chapter III)
974374_534668136633277_415762542_n
Lia’na smiled as they turned left out of Cheers. Toby and Lia’na walked up Beacon Street past several old brown stone buildings. They crossed River Street a moment later and were ready cross Beacon Street to get to the bike when Lia’na’s ears picked up a sad sound.

A decrepit old man was sitting in his own squalor on the corner. His clothes were tattered and filthy and it looked like the only thing of value he owned was his cane. Dirt covered his face, but Lia’na could still make out the pain in his eyes.

The man raised his hand and pleaded his case every time someone passed by, “Spare change for the homeless, please help us get something to eat?”

Lia’na stared at him for a moment. A look of sadness came over her and a tear formed in her right eye. Most of the people who walked by just ignored the man like they didn’t see him. Others crossed the street at another point to avoid dealing with him or even acknowledging that he existed. It was more than Lia’na could bear and it broke her heart.

Toby put his hand gently on her shoulder, “Come on, we should go.”

“No.” Lia’na replied in a stern voice, pushing his hand off.

Her eyes darted up and down the street for a moment. Toby wasn’t certain what she was looking for until her eyes caught a black and gold sign across Charles Street from where they were standing. It was a Starbucks and they appeared to be open.

Lia’na waited for the light to turn red and darted across the street before Toby could say anything. She disappeared inside the coffee house for a moment before reappearing with a wrapped sandwich and a bottle of juice. What is she doing? Toby thought to himself.

She came back across to the corner of Beacon and Charles Street and knelt down next to the old man, “Sir, piele take these.”

The man looked at the food for a moment before grabbing them from Lia’na’s hands. He tore open the sandwich and greedily began eating. Between bites he looked up at Lia’na, “Bless you child!”

Toby stood there watching for a few moments before fishing through his pockets until he wrapped his fingers around a five dollar bill. He pulled it out and knelt down next to Lia’na, “There are a couple of nearby shelters, use this to get to one of them and find yourself a warm place to sleep.”

The man looked at Toby for a moment before accepting the money, “I will, thank you.”

The man horded what little was left of the sandwich into his pocket and stood up. He didn’t speak another word as he took off down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. Lia’na watched for a few moments until the city engulfed him and he was no longer visible.

Toby put his hand on Lia’na’s shoulder once again. She turned to him, smiled, and nodded, “Lien ni, I know you went against your better judgment in doing that for me, but I’m glad you did.”

Toby nodded, “Well by the time I figured out what you were doing, I thought I might as well play along.”

Lia’na looked at Toby apologetically, “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stand seeing that. Watching someone suffer like that… hurts, but we can go now.”

Toby nodded and led Lia’na across the street to the bike. The look of sadness on her face had been replaced with content. Toby really didn’t want to ruin that for her as he knew her intentions were good, but she needed to know what could have happened, “Lia’na, I know you meant well by what you did, but you may have put yourself in danger by helping that man. You don’t know if he was right in the head or armed. Also, what do you think he’s going to do with the $5 I gave him? Most likely he’ll go buy a nip of booze with it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Lia’na replied, “it was the right thing to do, and I can tell from your eyes that you agree with me.”

Toby shrugged, “Maybe…”

Lia’na smiled at Toby as they continued walking, “You know the city a lot better than I do, Toby, and maybe I can be a little naive, but I can’t stand seeing someone suffer like that. The sound of suffering and pain resonates like the sound of the forest, but unlike the forest, that sound is agonizing. If the price of doing the right thing is being deceived now and then… well then call me a fool.”

Toby smiled at her, “That’s why I love you. You have a kind heart, but next time will you tell me what you’re doing beforehand?”

Lia’na nodded, “It’s a deal, ta arshana.”

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+

+ fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Religion, Science Fiction

Damnation Q&A

by Unknown's avatar

So I know that this may be a little premature given that Damnation is beginning the process of editing, but given the level of interest, I thought I’d provide everyone a little bit of info as to exactly what Divinity’s sequel will entail.

Spoiler Alert for those who have not finished Divinity, read no further!!!

Q: What can we expect from Giovanni and Adalyn in the next adventure.

A: Not much. Their story is over. This story is set in the same reality, during the same time period and many of the plot points from Divinity will directly affect what happens in Damnation, but this is almost a totally new cast with new character development and new obstacles to overcome.

Q: What!? So you’re cutting out your main characters!?

A: Not cutting them out, some of them will make appearances, but it will only be one or two scenes in the story to help further the plot. They’ll pretty much be restricted to cameos.

Q: Your first story was named Divinity, and this one is Damnation… is that any indication of what the tone of the story will be?

A:  Pretty much. I intended for this story to be far darker than the original. This story is going to take you places the first one did not and it will definitely be outside of what people got used to with Divinity. I don’t want to give too much away, but many might not consider the ending a happy one. It will be left open to interpretation.

Q: Will you be using the same cover artist?

A: I hope so. I haven’t officially asked him yet because I don’t want him to start working until I can pay him, but when the time comes, I really would like to see what he comes up with.

Q: Can you give us anything on your main characters?

A: I really don’t want to give too much away, but here’s what I can say.
Main characters:
Piero is a Florentine Soldier during the War of the League of Cognac.
Xaphan was a soldier in the army of the Most High who defected to Lucifer’s forces. She became Lucifer’s general and led his armies against the Most High, fighting a stalemate war of attrition for countless ages.

Untitled

Q: Divinity featured historical characters, can we expect the same here?

A: To a significantly lesser extent, yes. It takes a lot to research the characters to try to ‘get them right.’ However, you will see appearances by Emperor Charles V, the Pope, and Captain Francesco Ferruccio. How and will remain secret for now though.

+

+ fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Religion, Writing

Divinity Sequel?

by Unknown's avatar

So I’ve gotten a few people asking about it. Honestly this is one of the few times people have actually asked me whether or not I’d be writing a sequel, so tickle me humble.

Thanks to everyone who bought, shared, and enjoyed my book! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it.

Well to put your questions to rest, yes there will absolutely be a sequel to Divinity. I’ve actually posted a few times describing how difficult it was to entertain the idea of writing one, but thankfully I’ve been slowly polishing one for a while that is now ready for review.

Synopsis:

“A soldier fighting a hopeless war, a broken angel torn between three worlds, and the fate of a nation hanging in the balance.
Piero Lorenzi was used to danger. He’d been a soldier since was old enough to handle a sword, but nothing could have prepared him for the journey to come. As the army helps to evacuate a city being overrun by revolutionaries, Piero happens upon a mysterious young woman lying unconscious in the remains of a destroyed building.

This woman holds a dark secret that will lead Piero to gates of Hell itself. Surrounded by enemies waiting in the shadows, he may be forced to make a choice between the nation he fought for his whole life and the one he loves the most.”

 

More updates to follow soon!

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+ advice, Author, fantasy, Fiction, Nonfiction, Writing

Author’s Advice Pt. 16

by Unknown's avatar

If you’re good at something, don’t do it for free!

Okay, let me start off by saying that I’m aware a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this, and I am aware that there are exceptions to this rule. If you want to donate copies of your book to a local shelter, library, or even just throw a few sample copies in public places to get the word out, that’s fine. I do that every now and again.

My issue comes when I see people posting professional writing on here or when you publish on nook or kindle for free. Even if it’s just a hobby, you put in a lot of time and energy into that work that could have been donated to other endeavors. You deserve to be compensated for that even if said compensation isn’t much (your writing, it won’t be). If you think putting your book out for free is a good way to get your name out there and give yourself exposure, while giving the writers an idea of what your write, then post a chapter, or a direct quote from your book, but the entire thing?

I know a lot of authors who have tried to justify that by giving away a book, readers will buy a copy later or will buy the next book that comes out. Admittedly, I haven’t been in the writing circle that long, but I have been here long enough to know that this rarely works unless you have the devil’s own luck. People in this day and age like to cling to their money as if their lives depend on it. Why would they pay for a book when they can get another for free? They wouldn’t. Unless you somehow managed to develop a die-hard fan base, in most cases, they’ll just move on to the next freebie.

“Well it’s not about the money.”

That’s fine, I understand it’s not about the money, it’s not about the money for me either… I’d find a different talent if it was.
But what are you doing by giving it away? You’re devaluing your work for one. In writing circles, it often comes across as you don’t think you’re writing is good enough unless your giving it away. I’ve actually spoken to people about it and they actually believe that no one would read their work UNLESS it’s free. So now we’ve basically given writers an inferiority complex. If you don’t want the money, then put it to good use in some way other than profiting.

Think about it, do you see businesses giving away their products for free? Maybe one or two as a promotional gimmick in a contest, or as a bonus when you buy something else, but never just give it away. You’ll never go into a store and have someone hand you a full product for free. They may give you a sample, or offer you a discount, or even free with the purchase of (insert product), but they’ll never just hand it over to you.

Anyway, that’s all for this round, feel free to post a comment below if you disagree, I would actually like to hear differing opinions on this one and maybe even some success stories.

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+ Uncategorized

Ahir, Guardian of Malor, Chapter 11: Ahir Arrested

by Unknown's avatar

redwallwarrior88's avatarTales of the Imagination

Tor’jahd swooped down and landed on Milton’s arm as he watched Ahir jogged toward him. Tor’jahd glared at Ahir. “What are you doing back so fast boy? Have you already slain those of my kin who came to your city?”

Ahir looked down at the sidewalk. “No, the portal closed before we could get to it.” Ahir looked up and met Milton’s gaze. “We need to work together so we can make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Milton grunted. “If the Aureus’Aevum want to leave on their own, I don’t see why that is a problem. As far as I am concerned, this means that we don’t have to see each other ever again.”

View original post 4,240 more words

+ advice, Author, Fairy Tale, fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Writing

All Things Must End

by Unknown's avatar

“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Zahir

How long can you continue a story before it has to come to an end? It’s a tough question to answer. Some end their stories when they run out of steam and tire of writing while others end when the story has completely run its course.

Unfortunately, there are those who try to force the story to continue long after it has run its course. Either due to monetary gain or because they simply can’t let the characters go. We see this today, mainly in movies, but also in some literature as well.

Perhaps the most classic version of a forced sequel was the Aeneid. It was a second sequel to the Iliad that, at least in my opinion, did not need to be written. So why then did it happen? Well for starters, this wasn’t written by the same person. The Iliad was Homer’s work while the Aeneid was that of Virgil. It was written during a time of major reforms in the Roman Empire and the poem was meant to reflect that.

So we have several reasons now for forced sequels, and we’ve seen what bad can happen when characters are called back into action from their happily ever after. (See my post about Sequels for more info.)

So when do you let a story end? Well that really depends on what type of story it is, how many characters your plan on introducing, over how long do you plan on introducing these characters, and how much do you plan on putting them through?

Let’s explore each of these, shall we?

First off, the type of story…

If you’re writing a story that’s meant to take place over the span of a few days to a few weeks of time and not proceed outside of that, then it may be best to let it end at that point. It tends to be considered bad form to push it further by creating yet another obstacle at the last-minute when every other loose end has been tied up.

In another instance if this is a story that’s meant to span several years and perhaps different lifetimes, you’re probably not going to have much trouble keeping it going for quite a while.

So when do you end it? Well the answer is simply, when it feels right to you. Once you feel that you’ve tied up all the loose ends and everything is right (or wrong) with the world, then you should have no problem ending it.

I would caution going back after the fact, however. Once everything is complete and all is as it should be, going back with new plot lines that you just thought up can be ill-advised.

If you are tempted to do this, ask yourself this first… Is it necessary to drag out the old characters whose plot lines are complete? Is it necessary to violate relationships that two minutes ago were solid? Would it not be better to create new characters in new walks of life and new stories to unfold rather than taking the easy route?

If you can answer these questions to your satisfaction and keep the storyline going, then go for it. If not, it might be time to start anew.

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+

+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, non-fiction, violence, Writing

How Far is Too Far?

by Unknown's avatar

“Hey, I’m curious… I’m starting a new story and I was wondering how far you can take things? Like do you have any opinion on how dark you make subjects? Would you write about murder, rape, torture, etc, and would you limit how much detail or what goes on? At what point does it go too far?”
-(Asked to remain anonymous)

Well reader, it really depends…

(I actually sat staring at the screen for 10 minutes trying to figure out what to write.)

I’m sorry reader… I’m afraid I can’t help you. I’m neither saintly nor scholarly enough to make the determination on what’s going too far, nor would I want the job if I were. Honestly, I’m not sure there is an answer. There really isn’t a rule for that.

Given today’s society and what modern literature is, it seems that the level of sadistic themes and neurotic narcissism throughout keeps getting pushed. As I said in a previous thread, being edgy sells. So if you want to write about someone being tortured and feel the need to drag your reader through every single cut, every drip of blood, every… well all power to you.

That said, there should be a few guidelines. Firstly, refer to topic on Writing Characters You Hate and make sure you’re being edgy for the right reasons. Second look at your target audience. If you’re going with the young adult readers, it’s probably advisable to stay away from anything too edgy.

After that, it really depends on you. In Magnifica wrote about racism and a character being tormented and nearly raped because of that character’s race, but my main character stepped in before it happened. I was willing to bring up and examine the topic, but I saw no need to take it any further. For you, perhaps violence will be a pathway to realism depending on what you’re writing about.

So that’s it. That’s really all I can say, your only limits are how far you’re willing to go and what your readers can stomach. The only piece of advice I can offer is that you ask yourself why. Why am I making this gory, violent, or sadistic? Is it necessary and will it make the story more captivating? If the answer is yes, then have at it. If not, then perhaps a little more thought to the makeup of the story is in order.

Anyway, I hope that was helpful and good luck on your endeavor. I hope to see it in print soon!

What does everyone else think? Should he limit himself, and if so, by what standard?

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+

+ advice, Author, Fiction, literature, non-fiction, Science Fiction, Writing

Planning Your Book

by Unknown's avatar

“I would be very interested to know how you personally plan a book. I’m writing my first one and started in a very haphazard way. I’m normally quite good at holding information in my head but since I’ve started writing my book discovered I’m not as good as I thought I was. To begin with a wrote a few notes and launched straight in very quickly realizing I need a chapter plan, which I’ve done and revised a lot. By the second chapter I started losing track of my characters so I started writing character notes. To cut a long story short I now have maps, place notes and details of my magic system I’ve produced all these as I have progressed with the book, I’m getting close to 50k words. I now need a timeline as I found myself losing track where everyone is. I can’t help feeling I should have done this before I started writing!”

–Eric Klingenberg

Hi Eric,

Good question… and I’m sorry to disappoint, but when I start writing, there is actually very little planning involved. See when I get an idea for a book, I either select character types from a ‘character bank’ I created with several different character personalities, or I make them up on the spot. Then I start writing.
I think you’re putting the cart before the horse a little bit here. There is such a thing as too much planning. If you put all your eggs into the plan basket, you’ll quickly run out of creative eggs.

Try this:
Put your chapter structure and revisions on the back burner. Leave the plot flaws, misspellings et al for later. Now, you’ve got your story idea? START WRITING!!! Get your ideas down on paper before you do anything else. Write out your story ideas so that you have them etched in stone FIRST. When I first sit down to write, I don’t plan everything out. I don’t even necessarily write my scenes in order. If I have an awesome idea for a climax or an ending, I write those first. If I have a great idea for a romantic encounter, I’ll write that. Feel free to use placeholder character names if you haven’t decided on the characters yet. You can always fill in the blanks and change the names later.

Don’t be concerned with what it looks like or how coherent it is on the first run through. You’re not getting the first draft published. More than likely, you’re going to have at least 2 more drafts (sometimes as much as 6 for me) before you’re done. Once you have your ideas down and you’ve filled in the blanks, then go back and worry about chapter structure and fixing plot holes. Be sure to reread your story a couple of times as making sure the whole thing makes sense should be the priority. See my steps below:

How I write:

So now you’ve got your bare bones down. Your characters have a beginning, climax, and ending. Awesome! You may or may not have loosely decided where chapters go, but that doesn’t matter at this point.

Now add your subplots, character and location descriptions, developments, and character relationships. This is the meat that needs to be added to the bare bones to change it from a draft into an actual story. You’re getting there.

Now start separating the books into chapters and perspective change markers (if you use them). This is where you need to start planning the book structure.

By now you should be on your second or third draft. Be sure to reread your story a couple of times. This is where you fix plot holes and by the third or fourth read-through you should be fixing your run-ons and spelling/grammar errors.

So now you’ve got your story. If you’re trying to write a novel, it should be somewhere in the realm of 80k words (my rule). Anything less is a novella or short story. Now, have someone else read it. In fact, have 2-3 people read it. They’ll each catch plot holes or grammar errors that you may not have.

Once you’ve corrected their mistakes, do one more read through. Polish up anything that you feel is weak and put the final touches on. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO ADD SCENES OR SUBPLOTS! If you really must, you’re going to need to go through all that proofing again, so make sure your book is completely done before handing it off. At this point, you should only be fixing minor errors and weak points.

And… that’s it. Once the final revisions have been made, you’re done. You’re book should be complete and good to go.

Hope this helps Eric, and feel free to email me if you need me to elaborate on any of these points!

Readers, what do you think? Do you think Eric is planning way too much, too early, or is this a reasonable thing to do early on? Leave a comment below!

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+ Fiction, literature, Philosophy, Psycology, Reading, Science Fiction, Writing

Author’s Advice Pt. 15

by Unknown's avatar

Learning Separation

So you’ve created the perfect character or characters. They’re everything you wanted them to be. Their personalities are perfect, they’re well-liked by your audience, and everything is going well. Then as you get deeper and deeper into your writing, you begin to feel like you’re living through their experiences with them. Suddenly, you’re protective of that character and your writing becomes far more cautious.

I’ve had this happen to me and wound up having to go back and rewrite a lot. At first I thought I was the only one, but over time, I’ve seen it a lot in young adult writers, and a lot of fantasy work. It get’s fairly obvious as the story goes on how the author feels over a particular character, either they aren’t allowed to grow as much as they could, or they’re coddled in the story.

Writers, if this is happening to you, stop. Back away for a moment and reread your work. It’s okay to let bad things happen to a character, even if that character is one you really like. You’re not going to hurt anyone because that character is just that, a character. You didn’t create a real living person as much as it my feel like you did. Trust me, after actually having children of my own, I’ve seen the difference.

Learning to detach yourself from the story and be the author, instead of a participant is very hard to do, especially when it’s a story that you really enjoy, but to a point, it is necessary. Otherwise, the story will be too safe, and trust me, that’s not what you want.

They say that sex sells… well… it does… to a point, but lately sex hasn’t been selling as well as edge has. What do I mean by edge? Well specifically the amount of unorthodox risks a writer is willing to take. Some dark realm that no one else has visited and the joy of seeing just how far you can get away with pushing things before people say you’ve gone too far. That’s what readers like in this day and age. Protecting you characters and writing a safe story for today’s YA and adult populace won’t be well received.

If you have any questions or need further elaboration, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thanks friends, catch you on the flip side,
Jim

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

+ advice, Classical, Inspiration, literature, Metal, Music, Rock

Top 10 Musical Numbers

by Unknown's avatar

So you’ve all heard me talk about what inspires me to write. You’ve heard about how I draw my characters’ moods and scenic tones from music, and what part the melodies play in terms of the emotional direction of an individual scene.

Given that, it seems inevitable that I would do a top ten list. Now keep in mind, this is all personal preference and it’s what inspires me to write, so if you don’t agree with me and don’t get why I draw inspiration from these tunes… well tell me why! Leave a comment.

Let’s begin.

10. Loretta Mckennitt – The Mummer’s Dance.

So this song hold the #10 spot as… well I just recently discovered this one. However, patron readers of my blog will understand why it sits on my list. I have a very sordid history with this song that just came to a conclusion a few weeks ago. Since then, I’ve been listening to it so frequently that my wife had to shut it off before it drove her insane (sorry hun ):) I find this song very mystical, which when writing a fantasy world, is something you want. Especially later in the song when it almost sounds like they’re whispering.

9. Stratovarius – Destiny

This song should come as a surprise to no one who knows me. This song was my gateway into the world of Epic/Power Metal. It’s long and by the end you’re not certain that you’re still listening to the same song. It has everything, ups, downs, an entire choir, an orchestra, a harpsichord, etc.
The singing could be a little better and they don’t harmonize as well as they could, but other than that, this song is definitely key for me. I usually listen to it when writing a battle scene.

8. Rhapsody of Fire – Magic of the Wizard’s Dream

Always been a fan of Luca Turilli’s work. So when I found out that he was doing something with one of my all-time idols, Christopher Lee… Let’s just say that I was overly excited.
I was, thankfully, not disappointed. This song is hauntingly beautiful and one I mostly listen to when writing ominous scenes of a story, but will sometimes listen to at other points as well. By nature, Christopher Lee has a very imposing voice, but he does seem to struggle a little bit keeping pace, even so, this song is definitely a major source of inspiration.

7. Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven

This should really be of surprise to no one. Set aside the controversy surrounding this song, it still remains perhaps the greatest rock song of all time.

6. Dragonforce – City of Gold

So this one was a tough call. I listen to a lot of Dragonforce when I write. Songs like the Warrior Inside, Starfire, Heroes of Our TIme, etc. may have all at one time filled a spot on this list. However, this is the one I’ve been listening to the most as of late and it is… admittedly… one of the few really good songs off of DF’s most recent album. This helped me put the final touches on Divinity and is still one I listen to when I write. I don’t have a particular piece of writing that I really focus on when listening to this. This is one that is sort of all-encompassing.

5. The Beast Dies / Transformation / Finale – Beauty and the Beast OST

Yup, Disney made it on to this list, and really, why not? Some of the best classical musical numbers came from Disney movies and this one is no exception. Paw Dugan, the Music Guru called this one ‘the most fantastic musical number that no one remembers’ and frankly, I agree with him. This is victory in the face of tragedy music. This is what you listen to when you think all is lost, but yet there is still a glimmer of hope. This is what you write before your main hero’s final triumph (if they have one). Everything about this piece is epic, it goes from low and solemn to upbeat and lively. When someone talks about classical music, THIS is what I think of.

4. Fairyland – Score to a New Beginning

Think Stratovarius Destiny, and then increase everything by 10. This is something I listen to at pretty much any point during my writing. This song is like watching a musical. It tells a story in itself and the change-ups are very well done. This song is an omni piece that can be listened to whenever inspiration is needed, regardless of scene, mood, or what the characters are experiencing.

3. Avantasia – Forever is a Long Time

Another tough call and honestly, I was going to go with something off of Avantasia’s Metal Opera, but I couldn’t decide which song. So I went with none. This is the song I listen to the most that isn’t part of that album, but really any of their music will work. Tobias Sammet, the lead singer of Edguy is the creative genius behind this music and he does not disappoint.

2. The Lion King Soundtrack – King of Pride Rock

Yet another one that should really not be of any surprise. Lion King was one of my favorite Disney movies of all time and this song embodies everything that is right with that movie. They couldn’t have chosen a better note to end on. As it is in the movie, this is the song you listen to at the end, or rather right before it. When the final battle is over and the smoke slowly begins to clear to expose the tattered ramparts that remain. When it may still be unclear who won. Before the final reveal, THIS is what you listen to.

1. Shaman – Blind Spell 

This is a song that has never failed to cheer me up. EVER. It remains my #1 favorite of all time and it’s something I listen to after accomplishing something I never thought I could, or I’m just very happy. This is, I guess you could say, my victory song. I love everything about it. The tempo is great, the uplifting melody is incredible, and the voices are right on. The amount of power behind this song is through the roof and it comes highly recommended by me.

So that is my list, hope you all find something awesome to listen to from reading this, and if not, feel free to post your own sources of inspiration in the comment section below.

Thanks Friends, catch you on the flip side,

Jim.

+ advice, Author, literature, Publishing, Writing

Marketing Your Book

by Unknown's avatar

“Marketing is a big one! I’d love to know more about that. My book will be free for all, so I’m trying to figure out how best to handle that. But that’s a very specific situation.”

-Thesarahdoughty

Excellent question.

So you mentioned that your book is going to be free… personally I always say that if you’re good at something, don’t do it for free, but that’s up to you. If your goal is simply to get your name out there and your first work is the sacrificial lamb to accomplish this goal, all power to you. Just remember that once it’s out there, it’s out there permanently and if you change your mind, it could hurt your sales.

But that’s not the advice you came here for, is it?

So marketing… well since your book is free, I’d suggest going the free route. As any good economist would tell you ‘an investment with no return is a poor investment.’ (Which is probably why people hate paying taxes so much these days!)

In the book industry, there are 5 words that sum up marketing; Word of Mouth is Everything.

So how do you spread the word? Well the good news is that you’re already halfway home. You’ve got your blog going. Refer back to My Interesting Blog on how to help spread that around. Other than that, if you’ve noticed, on the left hand side of my blog page, there is a link to my books’ Facebook page, The Creative Works of James Harrington.  On that page are links to where to buy my books as well as links to this page and my twitter account. You’ll want to link any page you create so that what appears on one will appear on them all. Personally, I use this blog as my flagship page because it’s easiest to create posts here and have them flow to places like Facebook and Twitter. In addition, you want to link every page you create to where your book is available.

A site that has helped me gain a following is known as Copromote . There, I use my twitter account to spread word about other people’s work and they do the same with mine. It is a way to get your book a much wider exposure. Also, ask that your readers leave reviews about your book. The more positive reviews, the more appealing your book will be.

BookCrossing.com is another site to help advertise your book. I have tried it, though with not a ton of success, but I have heard that others make it work.

Make sure to create yourself a profile either here, amazon, or somewhere else. You’ll notice that my books’ Facebook page, in a way is my profile. It has info about me up there as well.

What to avoid:

Well… really I’d be careful about any paid advertising, there are many out there that are reputable, but also many that aren’t. I’d also recommend avoiding using the paid promotion Facebook offers. Many people have said this before, and I feel the same way; using that tool will get your page a lot of likes, but few sales.

Finally, start early, like before you’ve published your book tell people about it, what to expect from it, but keep your audience as bay. Some people say 1-3 years, but I’d say 6-8 months would suffice. People don’t have very long attention spans these days.

I hope that this was helpful, Sarah! If you have any further questions on marketing or would like me to elaborate on anything a little more, don’t hesitate to send me an email.

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

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