Hi MJ and welcome to my humble abode.
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MJ shares his view on the wacky world of writing. Be sure to check out his book at the bottom and share your favorite drink in the comments!
Seeking the Zen of the Golden Word
“You can write a
million words of s***, before you write one word of gold.”
I don’t
know the origin of this quote exactly, but I heard it from a traditionally
published author. Three years ago, my
first book was only in planning stages with a few pages of the manuscript
written. I was taking a break tooling
around Myspace when I saw Mr. Dolley’s page.
He was kind enough to answer my
email asking which way to publish was better: traditionally, or by “Vanity
Press”. He cited the merits of both,
however, he suggested in the time I spend waiting for answers I should keep
writing. I even titled my weblog page “A
Million Words of $#!t” to keep me in mind of the issue.
So it’s about 3-4 years later, and
here’s me with one book published, book #2 a fifth of the way finished, and a
handful of blog entries to my credit.
That, and doing a guest blog – my first – appreciative of the writing
space I’m graciously allowed. Which
gives me pause for thought: did I ever figure out what my Golden Word was?
What is word 1,000,001? Is it golden by status or is this some sort
of riddle dropped on me that I have to figure out if I want to consider myself
a good author? Are there other authors
in the world that share this Golden Word or do they have their own?
I see it as more of a question one
meditates upon concerning whether or not it’s such a good idea to pick up the
pen. It’s the kind of question that
isn’t answered by thinking, but rather by doing.
I’m not satisfied with calling 3
years of somewhat steady writing (by very loose standards of averaging) my
million words of s***. I don’t factor in
several spotty phases of writing where I thought a good idea should find its
way to the page, but never gave it much thought to write a story around it
(yet). I don’t include social forums
I’ve posted complete twaddle on for the fact that to me it equals striking up a
conversation comprised of small talk with a total stranger. So what shall I count as my million words –
or my Golden Word?
It’s a Zen question for me more
profound than: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” The answer to that one is, of course, completely pointless. It’s so, because a clap is the desired sound
traditionally made from a hand striking another hand to achieve a report. You look like a complete moron to others
waving one hand around trying to hear something.
I suppose the first thing to
consider is what fundamental need clapping with one hand satisfies. I then compare that need with the pursuit of
authorship. You need two hands to create
a clap, just as readers need authors to keep writing.
To achieve authorship we write like
mad until our hands cramp, heads hurt, and fingers callous attempting to fill
several dozen pages with something worthwhile for others to read. We go back over our writing several times to
figure out what we did wrong and try to correct every aggravating mistake. Sometimes, we do such a job that all we have
left is a handful of pages we’re satisfied with while the rest of the manuscript
sits on the recycling pile. We’re then
forced to go write more material that still pertains to the work just to flesh
it out to avoid writing nothing more than a short story.
If we’re inclined, we’ll throw
money at someone who’ll professionally sieve the lot for the good stuff before
handing back roughly the same thing.
Back to the desk to write some more and repeat the cycle. Correct the errors, pick out the bits we like,
and then write some more and that’s just to get the first draft of the manuscript
finished. Don’t get me started on other
aggravations like correcting plot holes, culling out anything and everything
ending with –ly, or changing from one
kind of quotation mark to another…passive voice…show, don’t tell…strike head
soundly against closest wall…
Even after the manuscript is
finished we look to publishing avenues that work for us. Do we go traditional or do we make it quick
and augment the MS to fit the requirements of Print-On-Demand? Do we accept the fact we’ll probably see enough
rejection notices to paper the office walls from floor to ceiling (unless we’re
writing well in a genre that’s the height of fiction fashion at the time)? Do we resort to writing for the readers
instead of ourselves?
Finally, we’ve made our work available
to the public at a price we find is the acceptable norm. We sit and wait for sales not gained from
only friends and family. We scour
library and internet resources pertaining to methods that help sell books.
Some gauge the future of their work
by the numbers. They believe that great
sales ranks or other contrived figures will keep them from languishing in
obscurity. More will spend half their
day – like me – attempting to find the quickest/cheapest ways to advertise so
those contrived numbers shrink to acceptable visibility in the Top
Whatever. Others will blindly follow
every bit of “advice” given about how not to kill your sales and in the process
learn what a good idea that wasn’t.
Please, for the love of all that’s
good in this world, do not get me started on seeking out reviews. That in
itself is an entire blog not worth writing for all the fear it would instill in
the hearts of new authors. The trouble
there is finding people who’ll take the time to tell you what they think. May your personal god(s) help you if you find
the ones who tell you before they’ve
thought at all.
Once the satisfaction has set in we
finally have our works polished as much as possible and in the public view; we have to start thinking about the NEXT
project. I’m guessing it would be at
this point in my work that I’d ask myself, “Is this where I look completely
mental swatting at invisible flies? Will
anyone read what I’ve written? Is this worth
all that effort each time I want to write a book, with or without the aid of a
Publishing House?”
Yes!
I am either completely mental
talking to myself like that or I can look back on it all and find the good in
what I was doing all along. Seeing both
sides of the issue brought me to the conclusion of finding my first Golden Word:
Diligence.
Despite
every disheartening or negative response, every unkind pursuit against the SPA
community in part or whole, writer’s block, data loss, revision after revision
after revision…
The
diligent writers command their pen and do what they must to succeed. They continue to write even though they are
confronted with doubts and uncertainties.
They look past bad reviews, and voting wars. They couldn’t give the southern end of a northbound
rat about who thinks whatever about them.
They don’t have time to; they’ve got a self-appointed deadline to
meet. I for one don’t even have time to
care about deadlines.
I learned I
have to ignore false labels like nuisance, liar, cheat, fraud, and other
adjectives too unsavory to mention. I
learned I must respond to insults, snarks, and What-you-should-have-done-isms
with politeness I surprise myself that I am capable. I understand I’ll be exposed to the kind of
emotional sapping that would normally make me wonder why it is I continue.
The truth is I am writing for
myself. If I write how others say they
think I should I’ll be cheated of the pleasure and the stories I want to
share. I would be cheated of the kind of
fun being completely mental provides.
In
retrospect, my million words is the embodiment of all the work I’ve created to
reach that crazy enlightenment where I can sum the entire experience in one word. Like a cross-referenced database in the
depths of my consciousness, I can see that word for what it represents to
me. It is the sum of my writing so
far. I’ve marred the surface and proved
its worth to be pure and invaluable.
However,
whether I reach this ink-soaked Zen alone or with others, we all know that a
little bit of gold will only get us so far or buy us so much. I’ve completed too much to not continue
slogging through the process, finish writing the next book, write another blog,
and seek the Zen of the (Next) Golden Word…
…because
I’d be f***ing insane if I stopped
now. :-)
-M-
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Book Blurb:
M.J. Holmes sets the stage and narrates the travels of strangely assorted characters in their pursuits to save the post-cataclysmic world of Bu’Kre’Knunkt. Based on a plot written for a Role-Playing Game, in Act 1; Book 1, Holmes lays the foundation of the Scorched Reality Project: Gamma Series, and creates an enigmatic flashback of events.
He begins by introducing the Council of Control (“The 5”) – a shadow government of sorts – as they oversee events. Their watchful eyes follow the pursuits of “The Two”: A Necromancer and a mysteriously disguised Narrator who relates to him the tale of The Dhuras Protectorate.
Quested by Divine Intervention to locate and destroy the source of a threatening instability, “The Otherworlders” begin their trek having neither any knowledge of the world they’ve been transported to nor idea what they should do next. Thrust into one peril after another they struggle to adapt and survive; becoming bounty hunters, exterminators, and conscripts of the city religion on their way to entitlement as a Protectorate. An item found in their questing is identified by a benefactor to be part of an ancient weapon, thus providing them their first concrete lead of the Quest to follow since their arrival.
The Author looks to draw in his readers the same way he draws in players of his Role-Playing Game: characters with individuality, a setting with substance, and a story that leaves the reader wondering what will happen next.
Buy Links:
Book & Blog Site:
Thank you for taking an interest!
-MJ Holmes-
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