Author Archives: fictorians

Fearing to Attempt

Goals Guest Posts The Writing Life No Comments

A guest post by Matt Peterson.

Epic-Tales-of-a-Misfit-HeroThere’s a quote by Shakespeare that I really like to use. I like to use it for a few reasons. Mostly, it makes me sound smart, quoting Shakespeare and all. But it also encapsulates my life’s learning down into one sentence.

Here it is, from Measure for Measure:

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”

I kinda have a history with “fearing to attempt.” At least I used to.

I wrote a blog post awhile back about getting cut from the junior high basketball team. At the time, I didn’t want to attempt anything else, ever. That was enough failure to last several lifetimes.

But then I did something crazy—I went out for the wrestling team. It actually turned out to be a decent success. Not the letter-jacket-and-tons-of-dates-and-a-college-scholarship type success, but something…similar. Ish.

The point is, until I attempted something new, I would have stewed in the same cauldron of mediocrity that got me cut from the basketball team in the first place. And I wouldn’t have gone anywhere. It set me up for success later in life, and I’m forever grateful.

Now, you’d expect fear to dwell with a 12-year-old. “Fearing to attempt” is as rampant in the halls of middle school as too much perfume (girls) or too little deodorant (boys). It’s universal. And that’s normal.

But eventually, we have to move past that mentality (and start taking more showers).

Are we attempting new things often, now that we’re all grown up? And I’m not talking about trying new things. Everyone can plug their nose and try some new piece of sushi, or listen to a new radio station on the drive home, or even read a new book someone recommended. But that’s not really attempting anything.

Attempting something has to include the threat of some good ol’ fashioned fear. And that might keep some of us outside the gate looking in.

But the fear doesn’t have anything to do with the outcome. The beauty of attempting is that it’s always wide-open as far as outcome. Fear won’t change the outcome, just the probability of starting. Anything can happen once the attempt is made.

In fact, all successes at one point were mere attempts, and success can’t come until after an attempt. Hmmm.

Oh yeah, and with attempts, the crazier the better.

Here are some of the things I’ve attempted in my life:

Run a marathon. Publish a book. Marry the girl of my dreams. Start my own business. Replace the alternator in a 98 Nissan Sentra.

Each of these things was scary, crazy, and against my better judgment. There was a decent amount of fear involved before the attempt. But the payoff, or as Shakespeare put it, the “good [I] might win” was worth an attempt. So worth it.

Now is the time to set some goals and make some attempts. Real, honest-to-goodness attempts at something worthwhile. Something crazy. Something big. Something small. Something important. Whatever.

But let’s make 2014 about the things we’ve never done, never thought of doing, or never imagined ourselves doing.

Think of the big attempt you’d like to tackle, then break it down into manageable chunks. If you want to finish a novel as your big attempt, great! How many pages are you going to write each week? When are you going to have an outline done? Are you going to attend any workshops or conferences? What books are you going to read? And so on.

Start big. Dream big.

But plan small. Execute small.

And your attempt will be a success.

Just think of all the good waiting for you in the world. There is so much we can do if we simply attempt something. And there is so much we will miss if we are afraid to try.

Our doubts are traitors, indeed. Sentence them to exile. Never let them back.

And unless you’re attempting to ask Jenny Anderson to the 7th grade dance right after P.E. class, you have nothing to fear.

Guest Writer Bio:
matt peterson Matt Peterson is the author of The Epic Tales of a Misfit Hero (Bonneville, 2012). His day job is running the copy and video department for Infusionsoft’s in-house creative agency. He lives in Mesa, AZ with his wife and 5 kids. He loves the outdoors, sports, movies, books, traveling, and hanging out with his family. He doesn’t like onions, nor make any apologies for disliking them. In his spare time he runs a free neighborhood sports league for kids.

Writing

The Writing Life 1 Comment

A guest post by Brian Edward Malnes

Writing is hard work. The craft involves loneliness and uncertainty. Rejection is part of growth in this tricky business called writing. What’s more, every word written is constantly under revision. And yet, I am writing now, hoping to share one or two thoughts about the art of word.

Writing is everything. That is, everything we know is, or was once, written down. The word is the basic building block of every human emotion. Sentences combine words to articulate thoughts, to breathe life into the mundane environs—bringing clarity, richness, and heart. This is massive, and yet through economy and practice every one of us can turn words into the sum of all things.

Writing is creation. It is putting words on paper to communicate ideas. Naturally, the first thing to do is have an idea. But not just that, one must gather the courage to divulge what is hidden within themselves. Whether it is fiction or poetry, non-fiction or journalism, the writer is a part of everything they create. So, it is frightening to separate what is inside, what is personal, with the rest of the world. I must remind myself that perfection is an impossibility that only resides in my mind. I am writing to socialize with the world. Nothing I write will be perfect, which is great because nothing in the world is perfect either.

Writing is a bridge. The bridge is between the author and the audience. Knowing who the audience is establishes the nature of the writing itself. Who will be reading the words? Diaries and journals are excellent tools to communicate with one’s self. However, the difference between typing and writing is found when an audience is acknowledged. I must tell myself that what I am doing is not secret and will/must be shared. Thus, I take my first step across the bridge. I rejoice in the fact that I am sharing with the world—I am a writer who is writing.

Writing is honest, or it is not. Naturally it is not the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Instead, good writing communicates the truth of the human condition essential truth that enables the reader to suspend disbelief. One of the best methods of conveying truth is via dialog. Good dialog centers the readers. Free moving, natural discourse allows characters to truly exist. And if your characters exist, then there is a truth that creates a positive rhetorical argument in support of one’s writing.

Writing is human. Does your character smell things? Can the reader taste the toothpaste in your character’s mouth? Think about all the things that make us human beings; the little pains and annoyances, Santa’s bell incessantly ringing, or the olfactory awakening as the wind changes, wafting the smells of the turkey slaughterhouse next door. Every moment something is happening, just as every moment a heart is beating, an eye blinks.

Writing is…something different to everyone. There is no template for the great American novel, and thank goodness for that. I wake up everyday knowing I am a writer who is writing. The goal is to write more, to share more, to read more. Writing is my life, and I can say its been worth every page.

Guest Bio

BrianBrian Edward Malnes is currently finishing his PhD in English at the University of Louisiana @ Lafayette. His writing spans several genres to include being a reporter for the Denver Post, editor for several literary magazines to include, The Progenitor and Thin Air, and author of the book of poetry Seven Years’ Bad Luck. Malnes’ work has appeared in numerous literary journals to include most recently Danse Macabre and The Portland Review.

The Terror of Goals

Goals Motivation The Writing Life No Comments

A guest post by Patrick Sullivan.

One of the biggest struggles a writer can face is against oneself. It can lead you to either not write at all, or if you do write a piece, to never let it out into the world to find an audience. When it comes to resolutions, this can lead down one of two paths very easily. Not making them to avoid any chance of failure, or making a resolution so easy that no growth comes from its completion.

With the onset of a new year, there is a chance to look deeper and find where improvement can happen. Has enough time been spent optimizing writing productivity? Or perhaps more time could be devoted to the craft at a sentence level. Unless every word put down gets its turn at being polished and seeing the light of day, there is always room to grow when it comes to seeing your work go out into the world.

Until fears are faced, they can never be overcome. Once the things that are shied away from are known, it is possible to figure out how to face them, defeat them, and grow in the craft, as well as the art of writing. This is why regular introspection is always key, be it as part of a New Year’s resolution or simply a regular part of your growth as an author.

Personally, I know I need to improve my craft at the sentence level a great deal, improve my output by dedicating more time to putting words on the page, and get my work out there so it can have the impact it is meant to. Therefore, I have set a number of goals for myself. Will I fail? Possibly, but I have to have the courage to risk that failure, and to own it.

My first goal: to write three brand new novels this year. The best I’ve done previously is a novel and a half, but that tends to be accomplished over a short period of time. If I dedicate enough time to preparation and putting down words, I can do this, and if I ever intend to reach where I want to with my craft, I have to learn to accomplish this.

Secondly, I will write one screenplay this year. I believe that spending time exploring other types of writing can improve different parts of the craft. Screenplays can allow a strong focus on dialogue and focused scene setting without all the other prose being there to hide those aspects. This means focused practice while gaining another skill.

Thirdly, I will write twelve poems this year, one per month, across multiple styles. This will force me to work on imagery and focused word choice, things that can be applied to novel-writing.

Finally, I will submit my work. There are two parts to this. One is polishing and submitting at least one novel to agents and editors, and thereby facing the fear of letting my work face critique and risk it being found wanting. The other half is writing two short stories and submitting them to Writers of the Future, with its prestige and knowledgeable judges making another excellent test to see where I am in my craft.

Will I fail at some or all of these goals? Possibly, but unless I try, I won’t know what I am capable of, which would be a foolish mistake for me to make. What are your goals for the coming year, and how will they help you grow as a writer?

Guest Writer Bio:
PatrickPatrick Sullivan is an explorer of ideas across many forms, from digital data and code to stories. He grew up in southern Arkansas, but found his true home in Denver, Colorado where he now lives working in the software industry while writing tales he intends to someday share with the masses.

Prioritization is the Key in 2014

The Writing Life No Comments

A guest post by Scott Eder.

As we boldly step forth into a new year, it seems only natural to reflect on the past to plan for the future. 2013 marked a huge milestone for me—the sale and publication of my debut novel, Knight of Flame. It was an amazing experience awash in Awesome sauce. From the editing to the cover art to the initial promotion to the… all of it really, I loved the whole affair. Too much, really. From writing blogs and interviews for virtual book tours, answering comments, and researching new places to write blogs and interview, I let the process consume me and lost valuable writing time greasing the promotion machine. Happily, I might add. It was a choice I made. Everything’s a choice. Now I have to make up for lost time.

Social media is a drug, and I became an addict. “Did I just get a new review? Did someone just add KOF to her to-be read list? Oooh, I got mentioned in a tweet!” Each and every screen refresh brought something new. Even the angry chibi version of Dean Wesley Smith (see the red pound sign on his cheek?) in the back of my brain shouting that the best promotion is my next book didn’t pull me out.

You know what woke me up? Hearing Ryan Seacrest count down to the New Year and knowing that I hadn’t finished my next book. Crap.

So here we are. 2014. I have a lot to do. I’m not going to bore you with my laundry list of projects and how I’m going to get them done. Suffice it to say, I have a lot of work on my plate. What I want to stress is priority. Set your daily priority and stick to it. Here are my priorities:

1. Family—first and foremost. Without them, nothing else is possible. Nothing else matters.

2. Writing—develop new opportunities.

  • Write new words.
  • Edit old words.
  • Outline next story.

3. Promotion—expand reach of author brand.

  • Blogging: new content for Mad Muncle’s Forge, occasional guest blogs.
  • Interviews: radio, blogs.
  • Social media: simple posts to show I’m alive.

Promotion has to be a far distant third. The writing has to get done. I’m not trying to build a promotional career, but one in writing. And that cannot happen unless I write. Simple, right?

Right. But setting out a bulleted list and making a bold statement doesn’t change behavior. I could say that rhinos fly, but that doesn’t make it so. Words stated, even with the best intentions, are only words… not actions.

So I took action:

  • I moved. A new year needed a new view. For me, it just meant moving my writing spot to a different part of my house, but it’s somewhere new, somewhere different.
  • I set measurable writing objectives. Establishing goals helps guide the workday, and sets the tone for a sense of accomplishment. While it doesn’t ensure progress, it helps lead the way.
  • I restricted my use of social media. Other than a quick check of email and social media during breakfast, I don’t touch it until after I hit my daily writing objectives.

Simple changes, but ones that have had a positive effect so far. When struggling with bad habits or productivity, make minor adjustments in your work habits before going crazy. Even a small change can make a big difference.

Guest Writer Bio:
knights_elemntSince he was a kid, Scott wanted to be an author. Through the years, fantastic tales of nobility and strife, honor, and chaos dominated his thoughts. After twenty years mired in the corporate machine, he broke free to bring those stories to life. Scott lives with his wife and two children on the west coast of Florida. Check out Knight of Flame on Scott’s Website www.scotteder.net.