Huge Membership Changes for SFWA

This caught me by surprise in the best possible way. On March 23rd, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) voted in favor of changes to the membership eligibility requirements. To become a full member, writers must earn at least $1,000 dollars professionally across all their works. For Associate members, writers only have to earn at least $100 dollars professionally across all their works.

This change makes eligibility far more accessible for writers, especially new writers looking to break into the industry. Lowering the barrier to entry creates new opportunities for writers and creatives to collaborate and network that was previously much more difficult. The price of membership, however, is unchanged at this time. I don’t feel it is a huge barrier at the $100 and $90 a year membership fee, especially when you think about the new opportunities and resources that can be gained.

For more details on the membership requirements, visit the SFWA website.

Another cool note for people who have their science fiction novel out in the world, SWFA does a collaboration with StoryBundle to provide exposure and income for independent and small presses. For more information on how it works, how to qualify, and become a volunteer screener, read the blog post by Sherrie Cronin on the SFWA website.

What great new! I hope you all check it out and I wish you all the best on your writing journey.

Until next time, Read, Write, Edit, Repeat.

- J.J.

Cold Weather, Colder World

I had such high hopes for 2022. The world seemed to be getting back to normal. The pandemic cases were dropping, book sales were rising, and it just felt like life was going to get better. Slowly and cautious, but in the right direction.

Then, the invasion of Ukraine happened. I tried to understand what was going on and, for the most part, I have a general idea. I’m not a historian and to explain the long and complicated relationship between Ukraine and Russia would be difficult, but what isn’t difficult is understanding the need for peace. In America, you see the news and the destruction that is happening over in Ukraine, and you can’t help but feel a bit gutted inside.

Images of innocent people fleeing a fight they didn’t ask for and others fighting in one they didn’t fully understand. It also made me think more on the previous 20+ years of war the United States spent in the Middle East. The situation wasn’t the same, but (regardless of which side you are on) the suffering innocent people experienced was nearly identical. Destruction and displacement of millions of people, people who had no hand in events that caused the fighting, paid the highest price. It’s a timeless, tragically historical tale of non-fiction.

I, like most people, wish there was a way we could end war forever. That violence would stay to the confines of our entertainment. I believe it can, but it requires great work to be done. It requires us to be better and help others. Hating Russians for what their government decided will not help anyone. This goes the same to any person from any country. We could all be better off following the golden rule: “Treat others as you would want to be treated.” Or even better, treat others better than you would want to be treated. It starts with us if we want to see the change and if we can do that, maybe we can get 2022 and beyond back on track as well.

In regard to helping the people of Ukraine (and other countries and people around the world), this can be through donations, volunteering, and through simple well-wishes and conversations. We can underestimate how much a small, polite conversation can impact great change on people’s perspective. Awareness is great for a myriad of reasons, but not every action a person takes needs to be blasted from the tallest tower. Small, quiet work can produce big change too!

I hope this post didn’t come off as a sermon or anything. I just hope it’s more of a reminder to those reading. It’s easy for us to forget the world around us and our own impact in it. A reminder can help us remember what’s important in our own lives and hopefully live a better one.

Again, I know this isn’t a fun post, but I promise to deliver some more writing updates soon.

Until next time, Read, Write, Edit, Repeat.

- J. J.

Note: If you wish to do donations, I suggest doing your research before giving any amounts to make sure your donation is going to the right place.

NaNoWriMo 2021 - The Journey Has Just Begun

National Novel Writing Month is over, but your writing journey has hopefully just begun! I know mine has. I will be slowing down on the Far-Reaching Thread and moving back into my other novels that are in early draft stages. This NaNoWriMo was a fun, creative break for me to try something not connected to a larger series or even a singular book idea.

However, in my attempt to make a collection of short stories, I may have inadvertently created another new novel idea I may pursue in the future. I have other more pressing stories I want to complete. Last month, I promised to get a short story out for everyone to read. It wasn’t when I wanted it out for all of you, but I did get it out this month and can be found under the free story section the website.

It was one of my early attempts at a lighthearted flash fiction for the year and it was sadly rejected by the magazine’s I had in mind that may have taken it. It wasn’t surprising through. I learned that the likelihood of getting published in a professional sci-fi/fantasy magazine was in the realm of 1%. It’s difficult.

There are strict guidelines to follow, manuscript formatting requirements, and ultimately, at the end of the day, the editor that reads the work hasn’t to want it more than the hundreds of other submissions they may receive in a day. It’s a crowded, competitive space and one worth pursuing (at least I feel that way about it).

There is still one month remaining and even if I don’t get any of my other stories published in any magazine this year, I will simply try again next year. Hard work is rewarded to those who continue to work hard…or if they get lucky.

Anyways, my writing journey is not just short stories. I’m working on finishing a science fiction novel, which I would like to make into a series. The first draft (or draft zero as I like to call it) is done and I will be going through a comprehensive review of the work this month.

I’ll be looking at a myriad of items, but the most important will be revolving around characterization consistency and coherent plot. There are a lot of moving pieces and technicalities that I want to get right without stripping away the style and voice of the story and its characters. Once I complete a few rounds of editing, I will at some point have to decide if traditional publication is an option or if I should pursue self-publishing.

They each have their advantages and disadvantages, but finding the right option is going to be the difficult choice. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.

Until next time, Read, Write, Edit, Repeat.

- J.J.

NaNoWriMo 2021 - Weekly Progress

It’s update time! I will be doing a brief update on my work in progress here and you will see an update each week. The title of the science fiction short story collection is called, “A Far-Reaching Thread.”

You can also see my progress at nanowrimo.org.

WRITING PROGRESS*:

Number of Days: 30*

Word Count: 36,201*

Average Words Per Day: 1,167*

Average Writing Speed: 1 word per minute*

*All stats updated as of November 30th

NaNoWriMo 2021 - Writing Progress

Remaining Days (couldn’t fit all on chart):

• Nov 28th - 268 words

• Nov 29th - 438 words

• Nov 30th - 308 words

Now you know where I stand and I got more exciting work to go! How have your WIP’s been going? Are you meeting the goal or going beyond it? Give yourself a pat on the back. You’re awesome! Keep it up!

Falling short? Don’t worry, you’re awesome too! Writing is tough. As you can see, I’ve had my off days as well. Remember, don’t be discouraged if you can’t hit the goal every day. It’s all about the journey. This month is about challenging yourself to start, continue, and/or finish your novel. Remember, you can do it.

I hope you all have an excellent time writing next week and until next time…

Read, Write, Edit, Repeat

- J. J.

National Novel Writing Month - Another Journey Begins

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a pleasant Halloween dressing up, eating candy, and maybe taking in a movie or two (I think this was the first year I did all three!). However, Halloween is done and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is upon us.

I have participated in this event a few times with varying success, but this year I wanted to try something different. As you all know, I’ve been working on editing my novel along with writing some new, yet to be read, flash/short stories. I’ve really been enjoying the writing process of these stories and I hope to have at least one ready for all you readers this November. Yay!

I’ve been enjoying writing them so much, in fact, that I am planning on creating a connected universe flash fiction/short story collection for NaNoWriMo this year. Creating smaller, loosely connected stories into a collection feels like a fun way to make unique stories. It leaves open room for creativity, takes the pressure of completing a single novel away, and also allows me to tackle the page in a more focused manner.

Each novel poses difficult challenges and can be mentally exhausting. As I edited my own novel, I found myself losing focus and energy for the last few months. It became a slog. Writing short stories re-energized me and helped me gain more focus when jumping back to my novel. Additionally, reading other novels assisted in this as well.

Yet, doing a short story collection for NaNoWriMo isn’t the only thing I’m doing different this year. For the first time, I will be using the NaNoWriMo system to record my progress. I haven’t done it before, but I can imagine it will be helpful in keeping me accountable. I will also be giving a weekly update on my progress as well. Hopefully, after the month, I will do a review of my experience and the system they use. Many of you may be intimately familiar with it, so feel free to share your experience in the comments.

Speaking of sharing experiences, I will be sharing more information on my short story magazine submission progress by the end of the year. I have several more stories written and will be submitting a few still this November.

So, as you can guess, I’m going to have a busy November and I have a lot to deliver. Wish me luck and until next time…

Read, Write, Edit, Repeat

- J. J.

Star Wars Day - Happy May The 4th

Happy Star Wars Day!

May the 4th be right around the corner and is a perfect day to geek out and enjoy the wonderous world of Star Wars. Star Wars always brings me back to my childhood and the great memories of saving the galaxy from the evil Empire. I would watch the movies with my brother all the time and we would dream about being brave Jedi’s or smooth bounty hunters. We were also really into the video games. Whether it was conquering the battlefield in Battlefront 2 with my brother or exploring the incredible story of Darth Revan in KOTOR, the world sent our imaginations to a galaxy far, far, away.

It’s the reason I love science fiction and fantasy.

I can’t wait for all the surprises Lucasfilm and Disney are going to present. The big one that I am aware of is the new television series, The Bad Batch.

I don’t know much about it, but the trailer (link above) gives a general idea. If you like animated Star Wars adventures like the Clone Wars or Rebels, then this looks like the droid you’re looking for. There is even a Star Wars Bingo (generously provided by the Star Wars Twitter account.) for the Bad Batch premiere. Pretty cool!

Anyways, play games, read a book, watch a movie or show, or even write a sweet fanfiction. Whatever you choose to do on Star Wars Day, do have fun! There is no try!

Until next time, read, write and May the 4th Be With You!

-J.J.

Writing Update - May & Onward

Hello everyone,

It has been a while since I last posted here and some of you may be wondering what happened to me. Radio silence does not equal dead, at least not in this case. In fact, I have been quite busy. I’ve been working on several short stories and editing a novel.

During January and February, I worked on several different flash fiction and short stories. I always enjoyed creating short stories. It was what got me into writing in the first place. Being able to have fun and write whatever popped into my mind is a great way to relax and improve my writing craft.

I know what you’re going to ask: “Hey, that’s great! Can we read them?”

Not yet. I have been going through all of them, one by one, and editing them. I want to deliver better work every time and if I don’t edit, you don’t get the content you deserve. Also, I have been taking some that I really enjoy, and I’ve been attempting to get them published in a few magazines. My mini goal this year was to get at least three short stories sold to a science fiction or fantasy magazine. It’s an ambitious goal, but even if I got just one story published, that would be incredible!

Now, if I don’t get a short story or flash fiction published, what do I do next? The plan is I will do another round of edits and then put them on the website…for free! Not all the short stories, but the ones I enjoyed the most. Some may be quite a bit different than what you are currently accustomed to, but some may feel familiar.

I’m also planning on doing a small information blog about short fiction magazines. There was a ton I learned when researching short stories and I would love to share what I learned with you. Another blog I would also like to share with you is about editing.

Around the middle of January, I was asked to edit a novel. No, this isn’t a big-name author or ghostwriter. It was my brother. He has a story that he’s been eager to tell, and I’ve been helping him go after it. In a later blog, I may go through the process of what I did and what I learned from the experience. However, this experience is still ongoing and I’m sure I’ll learn more as I go along.

I also plan this year to make some additional changes to the website, but when those happen, I’ll let you know.

Until next time, read, write repeat.

-J.J.

The Future of Our Minds

A mild winter makes the mind wander. Dreams of faraway places and technology that could only be considered fiction jumble around in my head and make me think about what could be possible. However, the one science fiction idea that has been coming to my mind recently has been about the mind itself. What are its limits and how could we go beyond it?

Technology has been advancing at a rapid rate and some ideas are becoming closer to reality, like improving our brain’s processing and storage ability (Neuralink). Still, there are still some ideas that are firmly science fiction, especially when it comes to the mind.

The big one that is being talked about more recently has been transferring one’s mind. I first heard about the concept through a movie called, Chappie, but its been talked about in science fiction for decades and most recently with the release of the video game, Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077, heavily influenced by Neuromancer, is a role-playing video game taking place in a fictional place called, Night City. The people during this time have gone through massive technology advances leading to human technology augmentations. Chips in brains, reinforced legs, blades that can come out of your arms, the sky’s the limit. But neurological advances of transferring the brain is also discussed.

I always found it fascinating what the mind could do, but its even more interesting to learn about what it would take to accomplish the task of transferring one’s mind to either another body or into the internet itself. Desperate to learn more, I stumbled along a video that gives a fun and simple way of approaching a large, complex problem. You can watch the video below:

What I found most interesting about the video were the three layers: Physicalism, Scanability, Computability

I didn’t put much thought into what would be required to actually do the task of moving minds around. Starting at the physical level and being able to construct the proper system to handle the mind would take a tremendous amount of work and require an effective scan of the brain. The scan would have to not only be able to map the mind at the basic structural level, but at a molecular level as well. And then, even if all that was done, there would still be tests to see if it worked properly and efficiently. I mean, were talking about over 2 million petabytes for a single human brain!

This is all under the assumption the mind, the parts that make up you and me, is something we can even replicate. My head’s all over the place when talking about this because I get so excited at all the potential it brings for improvements to humanity.

If you want to read over all of the information that is discussed in the video, I’d highly recommend it.

What are some stories (short story, novels, movies, etc.) that you know talk about mind uploading? There are probably a ton I am just spacing on.

Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, read, write repeat.

-J.J.

Reads for Winter - Book Suggestions

As the holiday season is quickly approaching and the temperatures are dropping, I thought I would give you all a cool list of winter themed books to read during these cold winter days.

You can find the list of books on my Bookshop List called, “Winter Books In Weird Wayward Worlds.” Of the fifteen books on the list, here are the three I am most excited about:

Please note, I am part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and all links on this post go to Bookshop.org. On any purchases made through these links, I will be receiving a 10% commission.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

This thought-provoking story written by legendary sci-fi author, Ursula K. Le Guin, is about a human ambassador sent to an ice planet to facilitate its inclusion in the intergalactic civilization. This book was most well-known for its intellectual approach to psychology and human society, showing a gender fluid world during a time where gender was rarely discussed, examined, or accepted as it is today. If you are looking for a story that challenges you to look at the world, even through a science fiction lens, differently; I suggest this book.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

This book I had not heard of prior to compiling this list, but after reading the description, I am eager to pick this one up soon. The story takes place in a Russian village where they honor the folklore spirits that protect the village. Once Vasya’s father remarries, her stepmother forbids the family from honoring the spirits. The village’s defenses soon worsen, and it is up to Vasya to save her family and the village. If you are looking for a monsters and magic type of a story, this is the one.

Winter World by A.G. Riddle

The truest to winter story is about a coming ice age that is pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. It isn’t until NASA finds a mysterious object drifting toward the sun do they send a team of scientists to make contact, in the hopes, to uncover the secrets it possesses and prevent the coming end to humanity. This feels like a harder science fiction story that is definitely in the realm of possibility. If you enjoy stories about drastic climate change with the fate of the world in the balance, this might be one to check out.

What are your thoughts on these books? Do any of them sound good? Please let me know in the comments. If you can’t afford to purchase these books, always remember to check your local library.

Until next time, read, write, repeat.

J.J.

Bookshop.org - The Amazon Competitor

Hello everyone! I hope your writing is going well this month as we are now at the halfway point. For those who aren’t keeping up with the approx. 1667 words per day, don’t sweat it. Just consistently writing will help you reach your ultimate goal of finishing your story.

Today, I want to talk a little bit about a new bookshop alternative to Amazon. Bookshop.org is an online bookstore that supports local, independent bookstores. For a long time, local and independent bookstores struggled to financially keep up with Amazon. During COVID, it’s even more difficult for local bookstores to stay in business. Less foot traffic means less sales and rent for bookstores don’t just stop because of pandemic.

Many have had to either quickly pivot to online stores to reach customers or be left behind. What Bookshop.org does is help those bookshops with another revenue option. For all books purchased on Bookshop.org, they share about 75% of their profit margin with bookstores, publications, and authors along with a 10% match for independent bookstores on all affiliate link purchases.

By no means does this fix everything, but every little bit does help. The Chicago Tribune said it best when they said:

““Bookshop.org hopes to play Rebel Alliance to Amazon’s Empire.””

— Chicago Tribune

At least, that is what it feels like when you support Bookshop. I don’t actually think Amazon is the evil Empire, but they do have a definite advantage due to their size of operations. Helping support local and independent bookstores, along with your local libraries, is incredibly important to preserving literary options and opportunities for everyone. Low income communities can be especially hard hit by situations such as these and support is often needed.

I have joined the affiliate program and will be doing some posts in the future with affiliate links. I will disclose when I do and if you find a story you really want in your collection, please feel free to purchase. Otherwise, if you don’t have the money, support your local library and check books out. The staff at your local library really enjoy people checking out books.

Until next time, read, write, repeat.

J.J.

Short & Spooky - Two Sentence Story Challenge

Happy Halloween everyone! This is definitely going to be an odd Halloween this year with less Halloween parties, trick or treaters, and other spooky shenanigans’ than ever before. Plus, I get more candy for myself.

Anyways, I wanted to provide you all with a fun Halloween challenge that you could post to social media or exchange with friends and family (if they are into spooky stories).

This was a trend a few years ago, but there is still a page on Reddit dedicated to these simple, two sentence horrors. Be warned, they are scary; so, if it doesn’t interest you, stay clear.

However, it’s a great challenge to tell a condensed story that helps us practice using the building blocks of good stories. Here is an example I found from last year by AtomFarmer:

“I finally found my wife the kidney she needed. It took forever to track down everyone she’d donated organs to after the crash.”

— AtomFarmer

The story told us a lot about the character going on the journey, why they were doing it (at least partially), and the twist of it coming from the perspective of a potential killer. The story also leaves a ton of questions that could be used as a jump off point when developer a longer story.

If you don’t want to do a scary story, that’s fine. I would suggest to try telling any story in two-sentences for this challenge. Here is one of my horror attempts:

“I meet my daughter for the first time. I just wish she were alive for it.”

— J.J.

Spooky? Disturbing? Sad? Yes, to all three, but it says a lot about the character. The character could’ve been an absent parent, arriving to a funeral. It could’ve been a parent that never knew they had a child, then saw them for the first time as a ghost. It could’ve been something else altogether. The possibilities are endless when creating short two-sentence stories.

What does it say about tension? It builds this potentially happy moment and then absolutely flips it on its head. I think twists, especially with short horror stories, can be far more compelling for a reader.

I would like everyone to give it a try and see what you come up with. This challenge is about being economical about creativity. Great stories don’t have to be 60,000+ words long. There is no size requirement for enjoying a story or telling one.

So, what are your thoughts on two sentence stories? Do you like them or are they not your cup of tea?

Let me know in the comments and feel free to put a few of your own there as well.

Until next time, write, read, Happy Halloween!

-J.J.

Ethics in Science Fiction - Why Morals Matter

As I have been preparing for National Novel Writing Month (now only six days away), I had a question that consistently popped up as I prepared my story: “How does ethics affect technology?”

I had taken psychology classes in college where we discussed morals and ethics, but not through the lens of technology. We didn’t debate the ethics behind self-driving cars or proper levels of encryption for computer programs. The ethics we discussed were framed often around laws and non-technology life such as contracts and business operations. However, that doesn’t cover the full scope of this changing world.

Technology is rapidly changing life as we know it and leading to some incredible, yet potentially scary outcomes. Like social credit systems and growing national surveillance, ethical questions around these topics are more mainstream than even five years ago.

It makes sense that debating the moral and ethical stances of these topics will be a long, winding road for common day people and governments for years to come, but, what if, science fiction had the answers?

For my story, I wanted to learn more about the ethics surrounding A.I. technology. During my search, I stumbled upon an article from Journal of Future Studies entitled, “Science Fiction As Moral Allegory.“ Written by Timothy Dolan, the article dove into science fiction in terms of the broad history of the genre, it’s impact on society, and it’s use for building a better future through moral questions the stories can raise. I highly recommend reading the article if this interests you.

One quote that jumped out at me from a writer perspective was:

“Good science fiction is never about building utopias as much as about warning of the dystopias seeded in their attempt.”

— Timothy Dolan

The idea that good science should not be evaluated for potential dangers it could cause in the future is a real risk we run into everyday. For example, self-driving cars are great, but what if I can’t control the car, or worse, the car ends up controlling me and sends me into the river? Is it moral and ethical to allow technology to operate itself when the lives of others both or outside the vehicle could be negatively impacted? It’s a good question to ask. It doesn’t mean that self-driving cars are evil or bad, but with every technological advancement, risks need to be weighed.

I believe this same approach should be applied to science fiction stories. By not looking at and explaining the possible issues with a science fiction world of your creation, it can lose depth in the story and make it more difficult to build a compelling story.

It’s in asking these questions that brings out great stories and helps us all challenge our own ideas and beliefs.

To learn about the morals and ethics in technology, science fiction may be the best place to start. Science fiction tackles these topics in ways many of us fail to think about. That is why I’m researching topics like these for my next story more closely than I had before and I implore you to do the same for your next science fiction story.

What are your thoughts? Do you think ethics and morals matter in science fiction? Should escapism without moral thought be done in science fiction? Do you think all stories contain some moral or ethical lesson?

Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, write, read, repeat.

-J.J.

Fear & Pace: Crafting A Powerful Horror Story

I have been reading through a novella called, Gwendy’s Button Box, written by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar, and while I was reading, I started to realize why so many people enjoy the horror genre of novels. I’ve never been a fan of horror movies (I get scared too easy) and it led me to fear approaching the horror genre of novels as well. I didn’t want to read a story that would give me insomnia and have me constantly checking every lock in the house. However, that changed, at white elephant Christmas party last year. As part of the gift exchange, I received the novella as a gift. I had never heard of the book, let alone knew that legendary Stephen King put out novellas.

After I got home, I didn’t pick up the book. Instead, I placed it on my bookshelf, thinking I would probably never get around to reading it, considering my already atrociously high queue of books waiting patiently for me to read, and moved on.

Then, just this month in fact, my lunchtime was filled with boredom and out of curiosity, I thought I’d give the novella a look. Almost instantly, I was captivated. The story moved with expert pace; not too fast to cause confusion, but not too slow to feel like a drag. Short chapters, comfortable pace, compelling opening, everything you need for success.

As of writing this, I have not finished it. Why? It’s not just because I’m a slow reader, but I’ve only had like 10 minutes each day. I get about chapter done each day, but I might take this weekend and finish.

Yet, it’s what I learned why reading it that made me re-evaluate my own approach to writing and how to better improve my story’s tense moments and build a bit of a thrill. I can boil it down to two points: Fear & Pace.

FEAR: NOT AN BAD FOUR-LETTER WORD

Honestly, those two points seem to be the bread and butter of horror and thriller stories. Without fear, you can’t create tension, build suspense, or have your character make the ill-informed decisions that they do. Fear disorients both the character and reader, warps reality, and can bring an almost suffocating experience to the everyone in and around the pages. Fear is a powerful emotion and when you used right, it gives the first part of a successful horror story equation. Well, maybe not the first part.

PACE: KNOW WHEN TO RACE AND WHEN TO SLOW WITH GRACE

The first part of our horror story equation is more reserved for pace. Pacing a story, any story, is important from the get-go. We don’t want a large fantasy epic to be moving at breakneck speed with short sentences and intense drama if we know nothing about the characters. We also don’t want a long winded, two pages on the description of the killer as they plunge a knife in an innocent character’s back. Proper pacing is appropriate spacing. To do that, for horror stories, it’s important to build characters, give us some time with them in the beginning. We need to get comfortable, at least in the beginning. Maybe sprinkle in some subtle foreshadowing of the events to come. Striking the right balance is key to delivering a killer story.

Obviously, there is a lot more to crafting a horror story. Put if you keep these two ingredients in mind, making your next horror story might just be scary easy. Well, I doubt easy, no story is, but I’m not you. You might be the second coming of Stephen King for all I know, pumping out 2,000 words a day or something crazy. If so, your awesome! If not, your still awesome!

Anyways, what do you think is important in a horror story? Am I completely off base on what is important in a horror story? Please let me know in the comments. Also, remember that NaNoWriMo is less than 10 days away, so get prepared and ready to write!

Until next time, write, read, edit, repeat.

-J.J.

Fantasy Tips: Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is critical to creating incredible, detailed worlds. With NaNoWriMo right around the corner, I thought it would be good to provide some additional resources for fantasy and science fiction writers.

Worldbuilding In Two Tips

Daniel Greene, a YouTuber and aspiring author, released a video yesterday about two awesome tips for worldbuilding. These tips primarily revolve around fantasy worldbuilding but could definitely be applicable to other genres.

Online Classes At No Cost

Another excellent resource is a YouTube channel I have recently discovered and love the content provided. Brandon Sanderson, bestselling sci-fi/fantasy author, teaches creative writing classes at BYU where he covers everything from plot and characters to worldbuilding and getting published. It is a treasure trove of information that I highly encourage you check out.

Please take the time and try some of these tips and resources out. You may be surprised how useful these could be for your story.

What are your thoughts on the video(s)? Did you find these helpful? Please let me know in the comments and I hope you all have a great writing and/or reading weekend.

Until next time, read, write, repeat.

-J.J.

What I Learned From Writing A Story For An Anthology

A few years ago, I got one of my short stories published in a small anthology called, “The Monsters In Your Closet.” I was proud of the work and learned a lot during the process. However, I realized I didn’t really explain much about it.

I first met Madeline Smoot at a writing convention in Minneapolis, MN. She was part of the editing panel for participants who requested to have their first 10 pages reviewed. She had reviewed my piece, and, to my surprise, she thought it was good. We got to talking after the critique and she mentioned in passing that she was doing an anthology.

Long story short, I submitted a piece I worked after the convention and it was accepted. After the excitement died down a bit, we got to business. A contract was provided, and requirements were set for the piece regarding editing. Madeline, along with another editor, reviewed each story and provided editing requests. Some was basic spelling and grammar mistakes, but most of it was about the structure and character. They asked questions such as, “Would a character talk like this?” “Would this character act like that?” The editor asked questions that required some deeper searching in the story to not only challenge you to make the story better, but to make you a better writer.

It was my first experience getting feedback from editors on my stories and I was nervous. I was in a state where I didn’t want to say no to doing an edit. If it was recommended, I did it. Mostly, it was out of fear that if I said no or challenged it, I would be rejected.

It wasn’t until later did I learn that was and never should be the case. You can fight to keep the story how you want it, but it’s important to pick your battles carefully. Don’t ever assume your story is perfect. It would be impossible. Editors are there to help make the story better. They will find things you missed. And that is great! But editors are not here to fix stories. If a story doesn’t work, they can’t fix it. Only the writer can.

Editors find your errors, put them on a pedestal, and say, “You can make this better.” They provide guidance, help make the story refined, and in most cases, champion your work. Editors are invaluable to writers and that was the most valuable takeaway from my experience.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of the anthology and want to give it a try during this Halloween season, pick it up on Amazon and give it a read.

The Monsters In Your Closet

Until next time, read, write, repeat.

-J.J.

How To Prep For NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo, is drawing near and preparation is everything. Well, I mean you don’t have to prep, but it couldn’t to do an outline.

NaNoWriMo, for those who don’t know, is a both an event and an organization. During the month of November, the challenge is put forth to write 50k words in 30 days! It’s the longest writing sprint you will ever be a part of. To put this in perspective, that is writing over 1,666 words every day. No breaks. For a month.

For some that is a daunting task. Writing almost two thousand words a day is a lot of writing. However, it is definitely possible, and you can do it!

But I would recommend to prepping beforehand.

“How can I prep? I don’t even know what I want to write?”

That’s okay. Take a deep breathe, relax, maybe sip a warm beverage. We all start at zero, every story does.

First, determine what genre you want to write? Is it science fiction? Fantasy? Romance? Choose which genre you want the story to be. If you want, feel free to mix several genres. Your story = Your rules.

Next, what kind of story do you want to tell? Are you going to take us on a thrilling adventure across time and space? Do you want to tell a story about two sword experts falling in love? Describe what story you want to tell.

At that point, and maybe before, you might have the next element in your mind. Characters.

Who is/are our protagonist(s)? Our villain’s? Loveable side characters that would make us cry if they were harmed in any way? Discover who your characters are and what they need to do. Good characters can keep a story moving and bring excitement to every page. They are the lifeblood, treat them as such.

Once you have all these needed ingredients, you can start to create the colorful cocktail you will call your story. And a great way to gather your thoughts and organize them is an outline.

Outlines may not be your favorite part, but they can be incredibly helpful in laying out your story and helping you make sense out of every twist and turn.

To recap, determine the following three for an easier time during NaNoWriMo:

• Choose your genre

• Describe your story

• Create your characters

If you can do this, you are well on your way to writing your first book.

Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo website for information on how the organization and event works, as well as find useful tools for your story. For additional preparation resources, visit NaNo Prep.

Are you excited for NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, write, read, repeat.

-J.J.

Writing Update - What To Expect Next

I’ve been trying to find some sort of work-life balance throughout the last two years and I think I’ve finally found it. Stories, like life, require structure. Without it, the sum of the whole comes crashing down. Striking balance is what makes everything work.

This year has had quite a few ups and downs…okay, mostly downs, but I’m determined not to have it end on a low note. From a writing standpoint, here is what I hope to deliver for those viewing my blog:

• More frequent, consistent blog posts about writing, comics, and great stories in general.

• Start an educational blog series based on writing books.

• And a new short story.

So, let’s start at the top. More blogs. I’ve wanted to do more, and I made too many excuses for not doing them. That won’t be happening anymore.

“Wait, does that mean you are going to blog everyday now?”

No, not every day. But it will be more frequent. However, I would like to know what you all would like to read?

• Do you want posts to be more writing advice focused?

• Do you want me to cover upcoming books and authors?

• Do you want reading suggestions?

I will probably do a combination of the three moving forward, but if there is one you prefer, please let me know in the comments. Please note, I will try to cover all genres of books and comics, but I do tend to gravitate toward sci-fi and fantasy.

Next up, an educational series.

I’ve been working on becoming a writer for awhile and I’ve learned a lot throughout the process and I always feel like I need a refresher while I’m working. As the adage goes, “If you want to learn something, teach it.” I would love to share what I learned (and the books I’ve learned than from) with all of you. This educational series may not start right away, but it is something I wanted to try.

I hope to provide an update on it soon.

The last one, of course, is a new short story! I haven’t done one in awhile and I would love to give you all a free one again. My goal is before the middle of December, but it could be sooner. Who knows?

I do have other writing projects I’m working on and I don’t want to neglect them or put them off any longer. I have a novel that I’m nearing completion on (draft zero) and I want to complete another story this year as well. That “other” story is going to be what I will be working on for National Novel Writing Month. I encourage all of you to participate, even if you don’t have a writing project to work on.

That is my update for all of you. I hope everyone’s writing is going well and please leave a comment on what you would like me to cover on the blog.

Until next time, write, read, repeat.

-J.J.

Do Not Fear: How We Work Together And Save Each Other

October is in full gear; a time when spooky stories, festive Halloween decorations, and pumpkin spiced everything are usually the enjoyable norm. Sadly, for many, it feels like the scary doom and gloom of October started months early and still hasn’t let up yet. Between coronavirus, protests, and political dysfunction (at least in America), there is little to be cheery about.

People are scared. There’s no shame in that. I believe everyone is, but it’s about how we respond that will determine our future.

America’s divided and it’s really hard to ignore it. It’s become so fraught with differing opinions that it’s tough to recognize this nation living up to its name. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

For many, there is little that can be done. Some have lost jobs, homes, and most tragically, loved ones during this time of fear and uncertainty. We need to come together and support each other. Whether it be making or buying masks, raising your voice in solidity with another group, or simply being kind to someone, helping each other is how we all move forward.

Not just as a nation, but as a people.

So, I implore you all to look at your situations and see what you can do for one another.

As mentioned earlier, it doesn’t have to be complex and overly grand. Know your limits and search yourself for what you can do. Maybe it’s paying for a service or product at a local business. Maybe it’s attending a rally, protest, or gathering to support a cause you believe in. Or maybe it’s talking with a friend who needs somebody to talk with.

My only ask is to think, “How is what I’m doing or saying helping people, especially people in need?” That is a great question to ask yourself and let it guide at least a piece of your decision-making when you choose to do something.

This all may seem super simple and idealistic, but from what I’ve been seeing, it doesn’t appear we’ve worked real hard at doing that. At least not recently. We need a gut check of our morality, of our ethics. And if we don’t do it now, when will we?

These are just some thoughts scrambling around my head as of recent. I’ll have more writing related content coming your way soon.

Until then, stay safe and be well.

-J.J.

Justice Beyond Dispute - How To Be Better Than Yesterday

Sometimes words just aren’t enough. Odd coming from a writer, but it’s true. Saying, “Black Lives Matter,” doesn’t feel like it’s actually doing enough for black lives. Actions speak louder than words. It is about what we do for black people in this world, to help level the playing field, that can change lives.

What should people like me, white people, be doing? First, get educated. There are plenty of resources available online and through public libraries. Books like, Me and White Supremacy, So You Want to Talk About Race, and many others are great starting points to learn to look internally at ourselves.

Let me tell you right away, it’s not easy. It’s really uncomfortable. However, if you push through and take time to read or listen, really absorb what’s being said and not how you want to interpret it, you can learn a lot.

Learning will be a continuous journey and it won’t stop as we become more knowledgeable or as black lives change for the better. It will have to be a constant, conscious decision we make everyday.

You can also help by giving and/or participating in businesses and organizations. From shopping at black-owned businesses to giving to civil right’s organizations, there are numerous options to choose. I won’t go through every one of them, but I will highlight one that I believe would be a good organization, not just due to their work, but their educational resources.

The Equal Justice initiative is an excellent resource for information about racial injustice. The link will send you to a donation page, but please take the time to learn more about them on their site.

With all organizations that you give to, do research and make sure you feel comfortable with them. You want to make sure the money and support you give is going to the right place.

However, the best support you can give is to your local community members. Ask around and you would be surprised how many black owned business and organizations are in your area.

One last way to support black lives, which does take a collective effort, is through law changes. Reviewing our laws and how they are applied to the people is an important task not just for lawmakers that we elect, but for ourselves as well. We should be evaluating the success and purpose of the laws enacted and see if there is either room for improvement or a need for stricter (and fairer) enforcement.

As we’ve seen today, it should not be controversial to seek out potential changes to the law. The heated issues of today have been part of the past mistakes for longer than many of us care to admit. Changes to law could alleviate and help align the playing field, even if just a little. And yes, I know this is political, something I truly don’t enjoy, but it’s important to mention. If laws like the Civil Rights Act 1964 and changes to the 13th and 15th Amendments were not accomplished, there would still be millions of people still thought of as property to be bought and sold. Issues of civil and social rights must go beyond the political and we must look at people from the lens of a shared humanity, with as much humility as possible.

I hope this helps some people look closer at themselves and how they can help make themselves better as a person and make the world better for everyone.

May we all keep our hearts and ears open to those who need to be heard most.

-J.J.

State of the Industry - A Publishing Whirlwind

The publishing industry has been taking some flak over the past few months for a variety of different controversies. From American Dirt to the Romance Writer’s Guild, there seems to be a problem around every corner.

However, how bad are these issues and can they be avoided? I was listening to a podcast on NPR about the American Dirt controversy and it was quite insightful on how the participants looked at the issues of publishing, authorship, and censorship. If you would like to listen in, I have the podcast embedded below.

Listening to the different perspectives, it creates a clearer picture on how to handle different cultures in stories and how online criticism is not the same as censorship. I wish they would’ve spent more time on the idea of censorship and dive a little deeper into what that would look like today. That topic I found the most interesting and can heard around the 25-minute mark.

It’s obvious that the issues being raised need to be addressed, but I don’t think the controversies are inherently bad. Why? Because it means we have more to learn. To improve. Take the criticism, use it, and be better. That’s what most people want. Criticism is a spotlight on our mistakes and we can use the light to find our way out of the dark. We can also use it to avoid the issues completely.

The podcast really boils down to a simple statement by David Bowles, a Mexican American author, mentioned at the beginning of the podcast:

“It’s just about doing the homework that has to be done.” - David Bowles

So, for those writers out there that want to write unique characters outside of their culture or life experience: Do your homework.

If you would like more short podcast related posts on the website, please let me know in the comments or send me a message.

Until next time,

J.J.