#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 1: Intro: Shameless Self Promotion.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 23. Subplots> Does your WIP contain any subplots, perhaps between secondary characters? Share a snippet.
Yup! That romantic subplot I mentioned yesterday? It's between two SCs. There's a whole nother subplot involving one of the romance SCs resolving a conflict he's had with a third SC, going from enemies to friends.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 24. Pace> What's the mix of character, description, dialogue and action in this WIP? Is this your usual style?
I have no idea yet what my "usual" style is, this being my first work. But I plan for this one to be a mix of all of those. Character-driven, but with a fair bit of action. Lots of dialogue, but also descriptions of place — this work is *very* rooted in its setting, and I'm not going to skimp on that!
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 24. Pace> What's the mix of character, description, dialogue and action in this WIP? Is this your usual style?
I have no idea yet what my "usual" style is, this being my first work. But I plan for this one to be a mix of all of those. Character-driven, but with a fair bit of action. Lots of dialogue, but also descriptions of place — this work is *very* rooted in its setting, and I'm not going to skimp on that!
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 25. Process> Thinking about your WIP, have you changed anything in your process from earlier work? What/how?
I don't have any earlier work; the only "change" I've made is to start writing instead of not-writing.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 25. Process> Thinking about your WIP, have you changed anything in your process from earlier work? What/how?
I don't have any earlier work; the only "change" I've made is to start writing instead of not-writing.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 26. Favourite Scene> Share a snippet of a favourite scene in your WIP.
I only have one scene written so far, and I'm not ready to share it yet.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 26. Favourite Scene> Share a snippet of a favourite scene in your WIP.
I only have one scene written so far, and I'm not ready to share it yet.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 27. Denouement> Is everything tied up at the end, or are there questions remaining? Can you give us a hint/clue/cryptic clue?
I plan to *mostly* tie things up, with one big, unresolved question remaining. My model for this particular one is the end of John Brunner's _The Shockwave Rider_, where (spoilers for a 49-year-old book)... 1/2
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 27. Denouement> Is everything tied up at the end, or are there questions remaining? Can you give us a hint/clue/cryptic clue?
I plan to *mostly* tie things up, with one big, unresolved question remaining. My model for this particular one is the end of John Brunner's _The Shockwave Rider_, where (spoilers for a 49-year-old book)... 1/2
We know that Precipice is saved, Nick has a happy ending with Kate, etc. But the outcome of the vote Nick set up is unknown; the last words are "Well, how did *you* vote?"
(I don't plan to hammer the point home quite so bluntly or preachily! But the general template, of an election whose outcome isn't resolved until after the book closes, is what I'm looking at.) 2/2
-
We know that Precipice is saved, Nick has a happy ending with Kate, etc. But the outcome of the vote Nick set up is unknown; the last words are "Well, how did *you* vote?"
(I don't plan to hammer the point home quite so bluntly or preachily! But the general template, of an election whose outcome isn't resolved until after the book closes, is what I'm looking at.) 2/2
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 28. Epilogue> Does your WIP have an Epilogue? Share a snippet. How do you feel about Epilogues?
I don't plan on having an epilogue, but when I finish the first draft, I do plan to take a look and see if any of the denouement would work better in an epilogue than in a full, standard chapter.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 28. Epilogue> Does your WIP have an Epilogue? Share a snippet. How do you feel about Epilogues?
I don't plan on having an epilogue, but when I finish the first draft, I do plan to take a look and see if any of the denouement would work better in an epilogue than in a full, standard chapter.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 29. Acknowledgements> Will you acknowledge anyone for this work. Who? You don't need to be too specific.
I'll definitely acknowledge my partner, who has given me so much love, support, and encouragement. It's possible there'll be other people or entities that I might also want to acknowledge, depending on how much help I get from other people besides my sweetie.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 29. Acknowledgements> Will you acknowledge anyone for this work. Who? You don't need to be too specific.
I'll definitely acknowledge my partner, who has given me so much love, support, and encouragement. It's possible there'll be other people or entities that I might also want to acknowledge, depending on how much help I get from other people besides my sweetie.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 30. Rear Cover> How might you summarise your WIP for the blurb? Do you have an idea?
I've said many times before that marketing is other people's forte, not mine. But just this once, okay, I do at least have a concept...
This is *100% NOT* what will actually go on my back cover. I will leave it to my publishing company to hire someone who knows how to write *marketing copy* (which is what blurbs are), not novels. But here's a general thought I have:
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 30. Rear Cover> How might you summarise your WIP for the blurb? Do you have an idea?
I've said many times before that marketing is other people's forte, not mine. But just this once, okay, I do at least have a concept...
This is *100% NOT* what will actually go on my back cover. I will leave it to my publishing company to hire someone who knows how to write *marketing copy* (which is what blurbs are), not novels. But here's a general thought I have:
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 31. Next> Many writers have a wealth of ideas. What will you write after your WIP? Let us know.
Ooooh! I *do* have ideas! But I want to be a little cagey about them until I get this first thing out into the world, because I don't want to be "a guy with lots of ideas that never come to fruition." 1/2
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 31. Next> Many writers have a wealth of ideas. What will you write after your WIP? Let us know.
Ooooh! I *do* have ideas! But I want to be a little cagey about them until I get this first thing out into the world, because I don't want to be "a guy with lots of ideas that never come to fruition." 1/2
So, for now, I'll just describe them as:
* The sequel to the WIP, and the 3rd book that would make it a trilogy
* The hopepunk near-/alternate-future space exploration one
* The dreampunk one (https://wandering.shop/@kagan/112304682877417674)
* The multi-species linguacore space opera one2/2
-
So, for now, I'll just describe them as:
* The sequel to the WIP, and the 3rd book that would make it a trilogy
* The hopepunk near-/alternate-future space exploration one
* The dreampunk one (https://wandering.shop/@kagan/112304682877417674)
* The multi-species linguacore space opera one2/2
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 1: Can you foresee any circumstance where you might use AI to compose part of a story?
Maybe if someone held a gun to my head.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 1: Can you foresee any circumstance where you might use AI to compose part of a story?
Maybe if someone held a gun to my head.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 2: Is there a person in your life who encouraged you to write?
My partner *does* encourage me to write, present tense (and continuative or even habitual aspect).
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 2: Is there a person in your life who encouraged you to write?
My partner *does* encourage me to write, present tense (and continuative or even habitual aspect).
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 3: Do you agree with George Orwell, who said you should never use foreign, scientific or jargon words and phrases?
Absolutely not. Hell, individual people sometimes use any or all of those *in their daily speech!* My techie characters wouldn't sound right if they didn't occasionally mention a server or a code repository. My multilingual characters will use phrases from languages besides English.
The important thing is to make sure the reader can understand anyway.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 3: Do you agree with George Orwell, who said you should never use foreign, scientific or jargon words and phrases?
Absolutely not. Hell, individual people sometimes use any or all of those *in their daily speech!* My techie characters wouldn't sound right if they didn't occasionally mention a server or a code repository. My multilingual characters will use phrases from languages besides English.
The important thing is to make sure the reader can understand anyway.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 4: What else competes for your time, and what strategies do you use to secure time for writing?
Work or the job-hunt, a little. Much more: Desire to goof off and watch videos or play games.
The strategy that seems to work best for me: sit down with a nice, big Manhattan at my side, plus a shot of Irish whiskey, turn on my writing playlist, and do what I can. The drinks make me feel like, "Hey, since I took the time to make that, I'd better actually write!"
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 4: What else competes for your time, and what strategies do you use to secure time for writing?
Work or the job-hunt, a little. Much more: Desire to goof off and watch videos or play games.
The strategy that seems to work best for me: sit down with a nice, big Manhattan at my side, plus a shot of Irish whiskey, turn on my writing playlist, and do what I can. The drinks make me feel like, "Hey, since I took the time to make that, I'd better actually write!"
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 5: If AI created a genuinely good story, would you read it?
Probably not. I have way too many things by humans that I want to read and not enough time. It would be almost impossible for something AI-written, regardless of quality, to jump the line and get ahead of all those other things on my TBR list.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 5: If AI created a genuinely good story, would you read it?
Probably not. I have way too many things by humans that I want to read and not enough time. It would be almost impossible for something AI-written, regardless of quality, to jump the line and get ahead of all those other things on my TBR list.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 6: In your writing, what location has inspired you the most?
San Francisco. My WIP is entirely about San Francisco.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 6: In your writing, what location has inspired you the most?
San Francisco. My WIP is entirely about San Francisco.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 7: In your writing, what is the best thing you've done (or might do) to a reader's state of mind?
Open their mind to new ways of thinking, give them joy and hope, and lift their spirits.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 7: In your writing, what is the best thing you've done (or might do) to a reader's state of mind?
Open their mind to new ways of thinking, give them joy and hope, and lift their spirits.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 8: Authors love to show off a book stack. Post an image of your stack or a collage of your digital work.
I haven't completed anything yet. 😢
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 8: Authors love to show off a book stack. Post an image of your stack or a collage of your digital work.
I haven't completed anything yet. 😢
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 9: In your work, do you include short sections in languages other than the primary language?
Some of my characters are multilingual, and sometimes speak in languages other than English.
-
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 9: In your work, do you include short sections in languages other than the primary language?
Some of my characters are multilingual, and sometimes speak in languages other than English.
#WritersCoffeeClub Day 10: What's your favourite summer read for a getaway/holiday/vacation?
I've got to be honest, when I go on vacation, I'm generally scheduled up to my eyeballs. I don't have any time left over for reading. So, after a bunch of trips where I came home and said, "Wow, those books were a waste of luggage space and weight allowance," I don't bring them anymore.
(Fallback answer: whatever's already in my Kindle account and hence accessible on my phone.)