Books that make you feel something.
Hi, Guys!
Doing a blog two days in a row isn’t exactly normal for me, so clearly it’s something special.
Here’s a video of me reading the prologue. 🙂
(I stumble a bit through the intro, but bear with me. Lol. I’ve never done this before.)
🙂
Obviously, I hope you like it.
Lol.
Keep reading. Keep writing.
Later.
Hi, guys!
So, we all read, right?
I mean, that’s the big unifier here. We’re readers and writers. Books are kinda the entire point of this blog and this website.
In one of the writing groups I’m in though, there have been several posts over the past month or so asking if you HAVE to read in order to be a writer…
And it just blows my mind.
Like…
How?
I mean, I guess you don’t HAVE to, but…
*shakes head*
I guess I just don’t get it.
On the one hand it’s as if they think they’re too good to bother reading anyone else’s work. Or too good to have anything to learn from another writer.
On the other hand…Don’t these people love stories? I mean…that’s the point of writing fiction.
Without a love of stories…why write?
And if you have a love for stories, why wouldn’t you want to read?
I’ve always loved reading. Seeing different worlds in my mind, living a million different lives, experiencing magic and dragon fights and run-ins with serial killers and secret societies…I just love it.
And it’s so deeply connected to writing. It’s literally the other side of the coin.
So, while it isn’t technically a requirement to be an avid reader in order to write, here’s why you probably should read.
A lot.
Now, of course there are the super obvious reasons.
First and foremost, reading is fucking awesome.
But also, it helps you see other perspectives and worlds and experiences. It opens your mind to other lifestyles. It allows for an escape when the real world is too much and an adventure when real life feels stagnant.
Reading sparks creativity and stirs the imagination.
But for writers, it also teaches us more about the thing we’re trying to do.
You’d be amazed just how much you can learn through osmosis.
Flow is massively important. You don’t want your readers to feel like they have to drag themselves through your book.
Guess what can show you what makes a book drag on?
Fucking reading a book, that’s what.
It shows you how to vary your sentence lengths to make your prose feel musical. It sounds better in your head, or read aloud, if you switch that shit up.
But if you never read…
How the hell will you know that?
You’ll turn out a whole book with all the damn sentences structured the same way and no one will want to read it.
Story structure can also be absorbed organically, just by reading. If you read a lot, you know that there will be a certain progression in a book, even if the author has taken it upon themselves to jump around in the timeline. You know that there will be a lot of build up, some twists, a big climactic event, and then a little bit more to tidy things up.
Naturally, you just know that most of the book takes place before the big Big BIG scene.
Reading also teaches you what you like and don’t like in a book. It shows you what’s common in your genre.
Which tropes work for your audience and which ones don’t?
What variations of those tropes have been tried?
Why were they successful? Why did they fail?
What would have made them better?
Wanna know how to learn that stuff? Open a damn book.
Reading teaches you little nuances of grammar.
It also teaches you that sometimes it’s okay to break grammar rules (hell, it’s okay to break pretty much any writing rule) if it’s appropriate for the style of writing or makes some sort of point in the story.
Stephen King’s short story, The End of the Whole Mess, illustrates this perfectly. I won’t say how/why/when he does it because spoilers, but he abandons spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, EVERYTHING in the name of the story, and it MAKES the story. I would’ve forgotten it in a heartbeat if not for this stroke of genius.
But reading doesn’t just make for a bunch of rule-breaking, outlaw writers. The only way you learn when it’s okay to break rules is by learning the rules.
Books do that! They teach you the rules, and show you why certain things are done the way they are.
When you read a book with 25 main characters and start losing track, you know not to do that. When you read a book that switches perspectives mid-paragraph and you have to stop and go back to sort out who’s talking…you know not to do that. It’s so much easier for the reader if you switch at the start of a new chapter.
The first time you read a 79 page chapter, you’ll see why things are usually broken up a bit more than that. So readers can find stopping points if they need to. To keep readers on their toes. To stop scenes in the middle and keep people turning pages.
Even if you read like me (aka slow as fuck), you’re still going to pick up on stuff.
So go read.
Stop asking if you should or if you have to read to be a writer.
Just read, already.
And speaking of reading…
Soul Bearer releases in just over a week!!!! Holy freaking crap!
Okay. So, I’m pretty excited. Obviously.
And you should be, too. I’ll be hosting a giveaway, in which TEN people will get a free, signed hardback copy of Soul Bearer. And some freaking awesome swag…designed by yours truly.
And one of those winners (this one chosen exclusively from my email subscriber list…hint hint) will also get a free, signed copy of my novella, Annabelle.
I’ll be posting the official rules, as well as pictures of the awesome prizes, Tuesday.
I have yet to decide whether it’ll be international or strictly in the United States (sorry). I’ll announce that with the rules, obviously, so keep an eye out for my posts on IG and FB.
International shipping is expensive as fuck and so are veterinary bills. And I’m a broke bitch from way back. So we’ll see how expensive it turns out to be when we pick up Mr. Pickles, today or tomorrow.
If you can’t tell from the fact that I’ve posted updates every day since he went to the vet, he’s kinda important to me. Lol. Plus, he’s my writing buddy and usually climbs all over me while I do my blog posts or edit or write.
So not having him on my lap right now is weird…
Anyway, I also have some special things planned for release day (Oct. 22nd). I’m going to try to record a reading of the prologue of Soul Bearer for all of you. I also intend to do my very first live on IG and FB, talking about the book and answering questions.
I just have to learn how to do both of those things…Lol.
If you saw the picture I posted on IG and FB of the guy laughing maniacally with his parachute on fire…Yeah, that’s my mind, a lot of the time.
Chaos and literally just doing things.
Anyway though.
Keep reading. (Seriously. Keep reading.) Keep writing.
Later.
Hey, guys!
So, I’m in several writing groups, and the big one on facebook (Fiction Writing, 90,000+ members) has had a lot of posts asking a pretty similar question, here lately. “I have an idea for a story, but there are already so many stories like this out there. Should I even bother writing it?”
Such a loaded question, but a very simple answer.
As long as you’re not just straight up stealing someone’s work, write your story. It won’t be like the other stories, because it’ll be yours, written with your voice, in your style.
Who gives a fuck how many werewolf stories there are, or how many accidental baby with a billionaire stories have been written. If you have an idea about an accidental baby with a billionaire werewolf, fucking go for it.
Because your individual writing style and voice will change it, and make it unique.
Individual writing styles vary so much that it’s insane. Some writers even use different styles for different types of stories.
So, as long as you have a clear style and voice, you can write whatever you want.
Seriously.
Whatever you want.
Writing style let’s you get away with some serious shit.
Hell, at one point in his short story, “The End of the Whole Mess,” Stephen King forsakes spelling, punctuation, and every rule of grammar. And without that section, the story would’ve been…meh.
With it?
The story was phenomenal. I think back to it frequently, even though I read it like 5 months ago.
I’m not going say why he does it, or when, because it’s a pretty major plot device. It MAKES the story.
But it happens. Every basic writing rule…gone. And because of the style the story was written in, not spelling anything properly or bothering with punctuation…it enhances the story rather than taking away from it.
Side note…the shit you want to get away with has to be intentional. Don’t just bury your head in the sand, and refuse to learn about writing. Don’t pretend rules don’t exist or apply to you.
Don’t be that cocky.
If you’re gonna break a rule, don’t just say, “That’s how I write,” and expect everyone to think it’s awesome. Lol. You need to have a reason, and an understanding of how it affects the story.
Now, if you want an example that doesn’t seem so unattainable (because Stephen King is pretty high up there), my personal writing style is meant to be like you’re in the mind of the character. It reads sorta like a mixture of thought and direct experience, even when I write in third person for the sake of clarity when switching points of view.
Therefore, it’s rife with sentence fragments and occasional repetition. Because people don’t think or experience things in perfectly composed sentences.
I use curse words and sarcasm. Since I write very naturally, it makes sense. People curse. People get snarky sometimes. It happens.
I use enough description to get the point across, but no more, and only stuff the character would notice. Writing the scenes in such a direct way means that the character isn’t going to pay attention to the type of fabric every other person’s clothes are made of, or the type of trees in the careful landscaping at someone else’s house. Not unless they’re a seamstress or landscaper. Maybe not even then, if their mind is otherwise occupied.
And I pack the stories with emotion and dark subjects. If the story calls for gore or violence, well, it’s gonna be in there.
Not everyone wants to focus on trauma or battle scenes. Not everyone wants curse words. (Clearly, I don’t mind them. Lol.)
The book I’m currently reading (Winterhued by E. H. Alger) is in a genre that I write in a lot (fantasy romance), but is nothing like my books.
It begs to be read in an old English accent. It’s got beautiful, flowery writing and rich description. So far, it’s stayed away from heavy battle scenes, and focused more on the interpersonal goings-on of a besieged castle.
Had I written about a besieged castle with knights and a princess and ladies-in-waiting, it would have been a very different book aimed at a different audience. But Alger wrote it, using a different style, and a different voice, and different ideas.
Not writing it because other people have written about castles and knights would’ve been silly and sad.
It’s beautiful, and there’s no substitute. The author’s voice, the author’s style, and individual spin on things are what make the book unique.
So, to sum up, if someone else wrote about a vampire that used to be a viking and is also an angel (yeah, seriously, it’s been done. It’s a seven book series by Sandra Hill) that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t.
Because it won’t be the same story.
Write what you want, even if someone else wrote a story about the same general principal.
So. Keep reading. Keep writing.
Later.
P.S.- I haven’t read that series by Sandra Hill, but I love the title for the last book. “The Angel Wore Fangs” is catchy as fuck.
Hi, guys!
So, we all know music is awesome, and lots of writers like to listen to music when they write or edit. It isn’t exactly rare for songs to inspire stories or complete novels.
I’m certainly not an exception to these rules/happenings.
One of my short stories (Vivification, currently on submission for an anthology) was inspired by a song by Phaeleh. The Regonia Chronicles was inspired by a conversation with my husband and the song “Turtle Ship” by Ghasper. “Various Storms and Saints” by Florence and the Machine inspired the rewrite of Salt and Silver (soon to go into another round of edits, then be sent to beta readers).
Not to mention the new story idea I got a couple days ago, thanks to a song called “BFF” by Leah Kate, not that I know when I’ll get to actually write that one. Lol. Too many irons in the fire.
Anyway…
I almost always have music on when I write. Each story gets its own playlist, full of songs handpicked from the 100+ gb of music on my phone. (I’m one of those people that gets every single penny (and then some) of the monthly subscription for Google play music. Lol.)
I hop genres often, typically just putting stuff on shuffle, and seeing what comes up. There’s just too much music out there to limit yourself to one or two genres.
Plus, you never know what genre will resonate with a character or a scene. Some of my characters like blues metal, and others prefer electronic. Some like classical, others like grungy folk.
And sometimes you stumble across a song that just fits a certain ambiance. I have a playlist on my phone comprised of songs that are perfect for a 90’s vampire nightclub. The beats are slower than your average club song, more trance-inducing and sensual than beat-your-brains-out-with-your-eardrums. The vocals are almost…bored. Like, if the singer could be somewhere else, they would be. But they have to be there, so they may as well do the song. And there’s just enough of an industrial feel to make it seem a little dangerous, because, lets face it, vampires were more dangerous back then. Lol.
(I have a scene in my head for that playlist, and eventually I’ll write it, but that’s a journey for another day.)
Sometimes, thanks to my OCD and the luck of finding the perfect song, I put a single song on repeat for the duration of a scene. Whether it takes me thirty minutes to write it or an hour and a half, it doesn’t matter. Then, every time I hear the song, I’m taken right back to that book, that scene.
And I love that.
So, today, I thought I’d share my playlist for Soul Bearer with you all. Not all of them seem fitting for a fantasy romance, but each one fits a character or a scene.
And each song comes with my wholehearted recommendation that you listen to it, because, well, they’re all awesome. Lol.
First and foremost, my MCs’ songs:
Aurisye’s theme song, of sorts, is “Gold” by SHELLS. She’s always felt kind of…out of place. Showing her true colors has never really worked out for her, and she wants to just be seen as normal. More than that, she wants to be loved.
Rafnor’s theme is “Simple” by The Moth and The Flame. Rafnor wants a simple life. He wants a wife who loves him and a huge family. But, getting a simple life is difficult with the return of…dun dun dun…dragons. Lmao.
The rest of these are in the order that I found them, and thought, “This would be perfect for Soul Bearer!”
“Say it” by Blue October
“Tell me lies” by Deorro (feat. Lesley Roy)…Btw, her voice sounds like the vocal equivalent of a pan flute. Just saying.
“100 years” by Serj Tankian (feat. a lot of people with really long names, and lets be honest here, its 2:00am and I’m tired. Lol. By the way, this one is perfect for scenes showcasing utter devastation.)
“Lover, Please Stay” (Live) by Nothing But Thieves
“Outside” (Explicit) by The Weeknd (I told you not all of them seemed appropriate for the genre. Lol. But it fit a scene, very well.)
“Fingertips” by OneRepublic
“Hear Me” by Kelly Clarkson
“Should be Higher” by Depeche Mode
“Shiva” (Live at La Finca Venado Volando) by The Human Experience
“Another Word for Beautiful” by Sundara Karma
“Cherry” by Lana Del Rey
“Notions” by Lovedrug
“Light” by Sleeping At Last
“Kettering” by The Antlers (This one is good for romance scenes, and leads very well into the next one…)
“Wolf Like Howls from the Bathhouse” by Sonny Smith (Excellent for scenes of sexual tension.)
“Nothing” by Vessbroz (feat. Kyle Davis)
“Can You Hold Me” by NF (feat. Britt Nicole) (The scene this one is associated with…Oh my god…I cried when I wrote it, and every time I edited it. Lol. Good luck, guys.)
“Clouds” by BØRNS
“You’re Special” by NF
“Do You Feel It?” by Chaos Chaos
“Round” by The Moth and The Flame
“The Flood” by Cyrus Reynolds and Gregg Lehrman (There’s a drop in this one that is amazing.)
“Synthetic Love” by Sarah Jaffe (This one is also in my Regonia playlist, and is very strongly associated with a scene in the first book.)
“Lux” by Cyrus Reynolds and Gregg Lehrman
“Can You Feel My Heart” by Bring Me The Horizon
“My Neighborhood” by Lovedrug
“You’ll Be Fine” by Alex Clare
“Angel” by Tokio Meyers (Breathtaking song.)
“The Warden” by Chelsea Wolfe (Perfect for magic/casting scenes)
“Running For Your Life” by UNSECRET
“Nobody Else Will Be There” by The National (Another good one for romantic tension.)
“Sour Breath” by The Devil Wears Prada
“Riverside” by Agnes Obel
“Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch” by Alasdair Fraser
(This one…oh my god…the scene it goes with…it hurts.)
“Healing” (Original mix) by Phaeleh
“Burn the Witch” by Shawn James
“A Different Time” by Phaeleh
“VÃðbláinn” by Peter Gundry
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” (DARK) By Tommee Proffitt (feat. brooke) (Super intense build up, good for gathering courage and slaying dragons…)
“Onward and Upward” by Tommee Proffitt (feat. Fleurie) (Another excellent build up song. Think fire and smoke everywhere, with the roars of a massive beast vibrating your chest as you run, sword aloft, into battle…)
“Finale” by Michael Abels
Whether you’re excited for Soul Bearer (which I hope you are) or whether you just want music recommendations, this is a pretty good list, in my opinion.
Update time! I got all my formatting done this week! It was a mind-numbing, infuriating, blur of tedium, and I’m not quite looking forward to doing that again. Lol.
Now, I’m on to copyright stuff and ISBNs and uploading and swag and proof copies and ARC readers. But first, I’m beta reading a friend’s novel.
For the time being, though, I think I’m going to sign off.
Keep reading. Keep writing.
Happy listening.
Later.
Note…I don’t have rights to these songs, and I’m not being paid by them or Google play (though wouldn’t that be nice?) to promote them. I just really like music. Lol.