Pre-self-edit Warmup Exercise

I made the exercise its own page on the site.

Have fun. Happy procrastination 8)

What I Cut Today

Cutting-room-floor addition of the day:

I don’t really understand why writers mix narrative point of view types. I guess they feel challenged to try something new, or emulate something else. Maybe they even have a good reason why this must be done, maybe something to do with tension or suspense building, or…something. Like I said, I don’t really understand it. I feel very strongly that writers mucking about with narrative POV are taking an unnecessary risk with their livelihood and their editor’s by association. Might as well whip the reader right across the face with the puppet strings, because poor narrative POV management jolts readers straight off the page.

I will try to act like an adult, however, and describe the combination types, though I still by no means recommend them. And of course I will continue to hope and pray that these writers’ authors will take them out back, Moonstruck them and snap them the heck out of it.

 

Sometimes, I get a little carried away, and this should stand as evidence of ‘editor, edit thyself.’  Anyway, coming up next is a pre-self-edit exercise that hit the cutting-room floor quite a while ago. It still has relevance, but it’s a bit too touchy-feely for the guide.

Tomorrow, probably.

Unforgotten, Unforgiven, Unhealed

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving
hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time
out of mind.
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the
lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not
resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, — but the best is
lost.

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the
laughter, the love, —
They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses.
Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know.
But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all
the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the
grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the
kind.
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the
brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not
resigned.

“Dirge Without Music”
Edna St. Vincent Millay

Because Some Things Bear Repeating

Defense vs. Common Sense

/sigh

I made the mistake this morning of finishing my wordcount early, and spending some time revisiting old haunts.

Imagine my (lack of) surprise to find the same old bullshit drama alive and well.

Here’s a reality check. Everyone loves to demonize “the man”, in this case, publishers or distributors or some form of middleman between authors and their readers, and hey, it’s true. These people are often the perpetrators of dick moves that make SOE look like Achilles.

However (comma) before jumping onto the lynch mob, take a step back and examine who and what you’re joining leagues with. Having been on the inside, I can say that authors have only a very vague understanding of professional conduct. If their behavior was ever held up to the spotlight, there would be a lot less bitching and a lot more writing going on.

Just sayin’.

Update

Quick update on the editing guide:

My supervisor at the day-job inadvertently solved the formatting debate. Even though this cuts through a lot of coding red tape (and trust me, some of you may not agree with the final formatting call I made) the guide still will not go back into the rewrite hut until after school starts.

Meanwhile, testing continues.

Oh Come On, It’s a Spock Meme

Um, what?

Holy crap, it’s almost August. As ever, there’s a lot going on; my efforts to test the self-editing guide before release turned into something I didn’t expect. At all. But for once, this is a good thing.

Meanwhile, Smashwords authors rock. Especially the ones who review The Nuclear Method. Thanks, all. You rock.

(And yes, if you look very closely at the cover, there is an easter egg for which I make absolutely no apologies whatsoever.)

Day Off?

Holy hot outside, Batman. But today I am sitting in air-conditioned comfort, refusing to feel guilty for indulging in the blockety goodness known as Minecraft.

I’ll go chew through a mountain while you go change your passwords, mkay? Unless Yahoo is sending out mass warnings again, I think mine might actually have gotten haxxored this time.

I’m Rushian

If you work in any kind of creative capacity at all, here’s a must-see:

Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage

I won’t get into too many specifics because I think it has to strike a person as it will, if that makes any sense.  I’ll say only that it was the most identifiable, instructive, condemning yet affirming hundred-and-six minutes I’ve had in years.