Author Archives: Roland Clarke

Makeover Time

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English: Male long hair in Western culture. To...

English: Male long hair in Western culture. Totnes, UK 2008 (Saturday afternoon, about tea time) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

During the last century long hair was part of a rebellious image along with a shaggy beard, or so the Saga of the Silver Scribbler began. I grew older and the hair turned silver and thinned but I persisted in keeping my image – it was me, it was my individuality, even if I was told repeatedly that it made me look old. Then came the transformation, the day when my wife helped me to cast off that past and discover what I could become – with some scissors. And I haven’t looked back … although I’m probably due for another trim as I write this.

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As we move into 2013, it’s my website undergoing the transformation and I’m sure that my readers will agree that the layout is brighter, clearer and easier to navigate, without so much scrolling down a thin column of black and red. Does anybody remember what’s black and white, and read all over?

The wonderful thing about WordPress is that a Blog-meister can try dozens of themes without losing their original material. Great to see what it could look like if you are tempted by Garishmod or Enhancedcyber or in my case Sunspot. Select what you want and you have an instant makeover.

Okay, there will be tweaks to make – like reducing the size of the Blog awards – but it’s not like starting again. I left that for my poor wife to do on our new website at www.duskweald.wordpress.com. Our old site at www.duskweald.co.uk was becoming impossible to update so we have decided to move it or rather build an improved version. Once again we have experimented with themes, and hopefully found a suitable one.

Thus Writing Wings evolves, at least in my mind where the inspiration to continue scribbling emerges. Hopefully I can inspire words and images for others but I am always open to suggestions for future blogs that provide the motivation to create. Ideas please.

As the Saga of the Silver Scribbler unfolds, there is a niggling fear growing in my head, one that has plagued me for a while. The Work In Progress, does it lead anywhere? How?

 IMG_3993

Spiral of Hooves should be published as an e-book sometime this year by Spectacle Publishing Media Group. There is a sequel planned but could this be a dead end? I’m a writer all-but-housebound by my MS, unable to get out easily and sell myself. MS takes a toll on my energy and ability to devote time to writing, social media, self-promotion and all the work required to be a writer. Self-publishing takes all that and money. Traditional publishing requires an agent, which means approaching them then getting out there and meeting them … but how?

Or am I writing merely to share with family and friends? In many ways the writing is my way of putting the images in my head on paper or screen. The satisfaction begins when at least one person – my precious wife – can share the images. That is the moment when it begins to feel worth doing. A labour of love.

At least in this life perhaps the options have ended and that is just my karma, plus a legacy for those left behind. Reincarnation?

You Want Me To Go Down Where?!

You Want Me To Go Down Where?! (Photo credit: tobym)

A sequel of questions or opportunities?

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Well I’ve finished my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel, or rather the first draft of another outpouring of words – Wyrm Blood. Hopefully it makes more than a bit of sense as I had a detailed outline to work to, although I made a few changes as I got further into the story and discovered extra sub plots. Some of those will require a new draft, which will perhaps be Draft 1.5 rather than Draft 2.

Wyrm Blood is the sequel to Wyrm Bait and as such the central characters are the same, other than the antagonists. However that throws up a question:

Cover of "Darkspell"

Cover of Darkspell

How does a writer ensure a new reader learns about the characters from Volume 1?

I realised that I needed to supply some indications and I have attempted to build it into dialogue as much as possible. I have also tried to reference Volume 1 in passing but not as info dump type exposition. At the moment I am reading Darkspell, Volume II of Katherine Kerr’s Deverry epic fantasy series. I read Volume 1 in the summer so I know where she is referring to events in that book but I am grateful for the reminders and realise how well she blends them in.

Obviously this doesn’t just apply to characters but to events, although they should arise from well-crafted characters. However there is a danger in erring on writing less and leaving new readers with unanswered questions – loose strings in a way. That is something that I will have to address in editing Wyrm Blood.

 

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is it possible to foreshadow the sequel in any way?

Once I started working on the outline for Wyrm Blood there were elements that were ripe for inclusion in the opening novel Wyrm Bait, so these were worked into the draft at that point and I will ensure that both novels are linked in this way. However once the opening novel is committed for publication that will stop. Whenever Volume III becomes a reality the option will not be there, although I will be able to amend Volume II, Wyrm Blood.

As I am playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, an online MMORPG, with my wife at the moment, the Star Wars universe and story development has lessons in terms of sequels, not least that prequels can undermine the freshness and the novelty of the original. In many ways those writers and film-makers that have re-visited the setting of their initial product successfully, have done so be creating a new tale, albeit set against the same background. Terry Pratchett is a prime example in my mind and an inspiration to us all in so many ways.

 Terry Pratchett enjoying a Guinness at honorar...

 

How should a writer tackle a sequel to a first published novel?

I am in the process of having my first novel Spiral of Hooves published as an e-book and my contract allows for them to publish other books in the Chasseur series. As I was writing Spiral of Hooves there were elements that I felt could be developed and there are places where these were added so future events could occur. I have a rough outline for Tortuous Terrain which shifts the setting from Europe to North America but still involves two of the central characters. How the novel pans out may depend on the success of Spiral of Hooves, which does create a slight deterrent to writing the story. Yet there is a part of me that wants to revisit my created equine world where I started, especially as there has been time to let everything marinade.

Talking of marinading there are other novels either in my bottom drawer – The Last Leaf and Fates Maelstrom – or in some sort of outline – Eighth Passenger, a novel about love across boundaries and war, that began life as the idea for a TV series. Where I go in 2013 will have a bearing on which WIP receives the necessary input of energy required to move it ahead of the queue.

 

Until next time the Silver Scribbler wishes you all Good Writing.

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How hard are the Three Rs?

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A foggy evening 01

A foggy evening 01 (Photo credit: AnneCN)

Happy New Year to one and all whether ye be avid readers, passing travelers or fledgling writers like me. May 2013 be filled with purpose, inspiration, endeavor and fulfillment.

Before you delete this page as a return to school or education, please believe me that the Three Rs are not ‘reading, writing and arithmetic’ but some profound observations – well at least my take on my plans for the year ahead, along with a glance at the twisting road traveled in 2012.

Hence the Three Rs become: reaching realistic resolutions. WARNING: I’ve never been much good at sticking to New Year Resolutions but here goes.

Published Novel:     In 2012 I managed to get Spiral of Hooves accepted by a US e-publisher, Spectacle Publishing Media Group and hopefully this year the novel will become readable by more than a handful of inspirational mentors. However my intent/resolution is to get at least one more novel published in 2013, possibly Wyrm Bait which is the most progressed. But that requires me to produce a draft that will lead to Resolutions 2, 3 and 4.

Beta Readers:     I realize that finding willing Readers for a Work In Progress is not easy, neither is learning to apply their constructive critiques wisely [ADVERB!!!]. I was lucky on Spiral of Hooves to have colleagues from the Tunbridge Wells Writers Circle who were willing to read the manuscript and make valuable comments. However I feel that I will have to cast my net wider [CLICHÉ!!!] for the next WIPs, in part because I need some comments from typical readers of the genre and of MMORPGs – the setting for much of Wyrm Bait. Once the manuscript is ready for constructive criticism, I will be making a plea for volunteers. Resolution 2 – find willing Beta Readers.

Editor:    Editing has to be both essential and tough. It is part frustrating slog and part chance to rediscover and remould the words. In 2012 – and before that – there were some days when I enjoyed editing but others when I got lost in the forest of errors and stragglers. I don’t expect that to change over-year. Once I have re-drafted a manuscript then I know that I will have to turn to a professional if the work is ever to be seen by the buying audience. I’m not sure where to look but I have some ideas, although money is an issue at this stage. So resolution 3 is to find an editor that is both constructively critical and sympathetic.

edit on the go

edit on the go (Photo credit: fensterbme)

Publisher:     When I have passed Resolutions 2 & 3 then I will have reach a firm decision on how I intend to get published. Back in 2011/2012 there were periods in which I seriously considered finding an agent and even compiled detailed lists of which ones to approach; list that I still have. Then I began to realize that I would need to travel to anyone that expressed interest and wanted a face-to-face interview/assessment. Being disabled in a wheelchair and restricted by my MS as to the where I go, that got ruled out. Or are there agents out there that will use online conferencing to assess clients? What about mainstream publishers? Can I tread a conventional route in my wheelchair? And then there is self-publishing, an option I considered pursuing when I got a winner’s prize from CreateSpace completing NaNoWriMo in 2011. Problem = money. Any spare would go to the editor, so then where? Resolution 4 is my Catch 22 – decide how to get published.

Final Drafts:     I need to ensure that I finish 2013 with at least two final drafts of my current WIPs, including whatever that publisher-ready novel. There needs to be something in the pipeline [CLICHÉ!!!] that takes the pressure off [CLICHÉ] when the publisher/readers/conscience tells me another creation needs to find a place on some other tables/hard-drives/e-readers/old-fashioned parchment or whatever. So Resolution 5 is produce at least TWO final drafts.

First Drafts:     When those final drafts are passed on to their next incarnation, it will be essential that some of the ideas that are churning around inside my head or gathering dust under my computer desk have become First Drafts = by the end of 2013. Mathematically, applying the arithmetic that I learnt decades ago, I know that if I keep subtracting 2 from 6 there will be zero. As I write this blog, I have six novels at various stages from Spiral of Hooves, which should be available soon as with e-publisher, to its sequel Tortuous Terrain, which is an outline idea with characters and opening scribbled in its own notebook awaiting more. In between are four WIPs all at least first draft so in theory I can relax for 2013 as far as creating more is concerned, concentrating on the editing. But that ignores the urge to created, to explore new ideas and the future … and NaNoWriMo 2013, which should yield another first draft. Resolution 6 – write two + more first drafts.

100k in 100 Days:    During November and NaNoWriMo my daily word count was between 1,750 and 2,500 words but that was a drain on the rest of my life. I need to have some realistic target and with the 100k in 100 days challenge I have a new target, one that might be achievable as it allows for more than just novel words. This Blog post counts and basically all but not the shopping list. As a result I will attempt to post more often during the challenge: This is my more leisurely version of NaNoWriMo, where you have from 1st January 2013 until 10th April 2013 in which to write 100k words. That’s just 1000 words a day. There are some, not very strict rules. See: http://www.facebook.com/groups/125279004297437/  Resolution 7 is to write at least 1,000 words per day indefinitely.

Hard Read:    Reading has always been a part of my life but TV, gaming and writing have always proved to be distractions from this essential pastime. At the moment I am reading various crime/mystery/thrillers that I bought but there are books in my bookshelf that are definitely Fantasy plus ones that I never got round to reading after buying them second-hand to complete sets. One book usually takes 4- 6 weeks as I spend so much time on the computer, but I need to reduce the time online – delete more emails perhaps. Resolution 8 is read at least 12 books in 2013 and vary the genre so not boxing-in my mind.

MMORPG:    TV is no longer the escape nor cinema. When I can put the writing aside then I escape to another world. Playing games – MMORPGs ~ Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Games – with my wife is our wind-down even if we get frustrated sometimes. Unfortunately even restricting gaming time to evenings we have a variety-seeking habit of changing games after a while and I keep creating new characters. We were playing LOTRO – Lord of the Rings Online – but are now in SWTOR – Star Wars The Old Republic … and we met online in Perfect World. Resolution 9 is to reach the maximum level on at least one character in SWTOR by the Spring.

AirTravel

USA:     For those who hadn’t realized, my wife was born in the USA and her family are mostly in Idaho and Utah but it will be two years in April since we saw any of them. Although Juanita talks to her kids, her mum and an aunt on the phone that is not the same as physical contact. Money is tight but getting over to see at least some of them has to be the priority – after covering essentials on both sides of the Atlantic BUT before luxuries. So Resolution 10 should be No 1 as it’s getting over to the States and spending time with the family in 2013.

Looking back over this Blog post I realize that to earn my Writing Wings I need to focus and the Three Rs that I have to concentrate on should be: reading, research and writing.

Whatever your poison [CLICHÉ], good writing – The Silver Scribbler

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LIFE BEYOND NaNoWriMo

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UK biometric passport on pile of Euro currency

UK biometric passport on pile of Euro currency (Photo credit: Christopher Elison)

Well November has disappeared and the hectic pace of NaNoWriMo has slowed to that of my walking-staggering. But there were two highlights: first and most important was my wife getting her Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, until 2022 when her US passport expires. However she aims to have UK citizenship and to be a member of the maroon passport club by then. Will take more money of course, and she has to learn the National Anthem, plus swear to vote Conservative at every election and doff her hat to every policeman – last two might be exaggerations.

Winner-180x180

The second highlight was completing 50k+ of my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel, Wyrm Blood, before the end of the month. However I have to admit that I was unable to keep up my daily word count in the final few days or in the last few weeks. Wyrm Blood Draft 1 is still incomplete with about eight chapters to go and two sub-plots to build into it. These sub-plots are new ideas that I stumbled upon while writing scenes following – kind of – the outline that I’d written in October. I have attempted to write them into the last third of the WIP but I know that there are a lot of extra scenes to insert.

But is that a new draft or just add-ons to draft one?

I also feel that the antagonist needs scenes but I already have four POV’s and feel a fifth would be too much. Any thoughts as to whether even four is too much?

Trying to finish Wyrm Blood in December was the intended plan but that could be messed up. I’ve come out of the fervour of November torn between needing a break and wanting to finish. I also have a 2011-2012 Tax Return hanging over me, although it should be simple as I don’t really earn much – not that Inland Revenue believe me. Maybe I’m just putting it off as I always do.

If I do finish Wyrm Blood before Christmas then the New Year brings other options such as 100k in 100 days 2013 and the 2013 Debut Dagger competition. My original intention, back in the autumn, was to focus on an entry in the Debut Dagger, either Wyrm Bait (first part of Wyrm series), which is in its 2.5 draft stage, or the stand-alone Fates Maelstrom, which is still first draft. I can still choose to enter the openings for both of them, re-written and edited for the competition – entries close on Saturday 2 February 2013.

Wyrm

Wyrm (Photo credit: Jon_Tucker)

The rules for 100k in 100 days 2013 are quite flexible as it’s more about the incentive and taking part than winning anything. Less pressure than NaNoWriMo and wider selection of what counts towards the 100k. So it will be an incentive to write more blogs, although I have to resist boring the select readership with verbal garbage. If I re-write the first 3,000 words of my two chosen novels plus 500-1,000 word synopses of them, that will also count – but not shopping lists. Drawback is that I suspect that editing in terms of hacking and honing doesn’t count and that has to be my priority with four WIPs needing work.

The ultimate objective is to have at least one novel totally finished and the others much further advanced by the Spring.

English: First rays of the rising winter solst...

English: First rays of the rising winter solstice sun light up the countryside 296447 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However for now I want to wish you all good writing and if the next blog hits the delay-button, then Happy Winter Solstice and Merry Christmas.

The Silver Scribbler

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Black Cats Or Black Hats At Halloween?

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All Hallows greetings from the fastness of the Duskweald, in the fog of England. If there are monsters lurking outside, we have our ninja kitties on full alert – oops, make that on cat nap duty.

Our Halloween kittie, Kefira, has fur as dark, and talons and fangs as sharp, as obsidian. In the US I believe that black cats are bad luck and can fall prey to those with evil in their hearts. Would we be burnt as witches? Here in England a black cat can be as lucky as a horseshoe or shamrock; except when it crosses your path the wrong was. But that’s an old wives tale and I’m only here for trick or treat.

Halloween is a time when our world is close to the spirit world, offering a bridge both ways; and in one of my stories, it is celebrated as the Veles. Today my writing is crossing a bridge, the transition between one mystery to another journey into the unknown, albeit with a rough map.

The Last Leaf will never fall

The Last Leaf will never fall (Photo credit: Behrooz Nobakht)

Yesterday I finished another edit of Wyrm Bait, a crime mystery set against the world of computer gaming, where the monsters lurking are black hats – but not wearing witches hats. This is the realm of computer hackers and gold farmers. The edit gave me draft 2, or maybe it was 2.5 as I scribbled in red over a printed manuscript first and devised key changes like protagonist 2’s POV.

I’ll leave the draft to ‘marinade’ for about six weeks, then tackle the crucial polish-edit, honing each word and phrase into jewels fit for my beta readers.

If you would like to be a beta reader please contact me. I have some gaming experts but need the writer input.

NaNoWriMo 2012

So on to November and NaNoWriMo 2012, which will be my second attempt at the challenge having completed a 50k first draft of The Last Leaf, a fantasy mystery, last year. The theoretical strategy this time is to write the first draft of Wyrm Blood, the sequel to Wyrm Bait and again linked to cyber-crime. I have done an outline, some of the characters are the same, although the ones driving some of the main plot are newcomers. I aim to do 50k during November but the first draft will be more like 80k and take six weeks.

I’m fearful of the pressure from writing 1,600-2,000 words per day, as other priorities loom including the crucial time needed to ensure my wife gets her ILR – her leave as a US citizen to settle in the UK. There are also the vagaries of my MS (Multiple Sclerosis): although the pain of the spasms is finally under control with Gabapentin, the spasms still continue and there are days when even checking emails is impossible. But it all makes for a greater challenge.

The-black-cat

Here’s hoping that black cats bring us all luck, and the black hats remain fictional in our books and get tackled by the gals in white; witches to those computer-challenged.

In the Lair of the White Witch 2

In the Lair of the White Witch 2 (Photo credit: chrisjfry)

Good writing and screaming from The Silver Scribbler.

Versatile Blogger Award + WIP Update

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Versatile Blogger Award

Many thanks to Fel Wetzig at The Peasants Revolt! (http://www.scotzig.com) for my first Versatile Blogger Award – totally amazed and very grateful.  The Award is really surprising as I struggle to blog as often as Fel and many others.

Anyway the rules are to nominate 15 more bloggers that I either follow or have recently discovered and find excellent. Then to give 7 facts about myself. (Further info on the Virtual Blogger Awards: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/about/)

My 15 nominations in no particular order are:

Finally, 7 things about myself (which aren’t in my Bio or obvious):

  1. First Award: when I was about twelve I entered an essay competition that came with a model aircraft kit. My entry – A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot – was among the winners. We all won three days with the Royal Navy visiting submarine base, fleet air arm and sailing on a destroyer in English channel.

    HMS Dolphin

     

  2. J.R.R.Tolkien: Tolkien was the major influence on me as a reader and writer. I first discovered the Professor when I was age 16 in 1969. While exploring library for Anglo-Saxon and Old English literature, I found Tolkien’s seminal Beowulf: the Monsters & the Critics. Lord of the Rings followed in one long weekend without rest and I still have the books. I read anything else of his that I could find. After years of re-reading the films were as I imagined the epic and I currently escape to Middle Earth (see 7.).

    The Monsters and the Critics

    The Monsters and the Critics (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  3. Beaver River Expedition: while at college in Canada – early 1970s – I went on white water expedition with teachers, a marine, rugby players, and various other friends.  It was the first recorded descent of the Beaver River – although sure native Canadians beat us to it by a few hundred years.  
  4. Magazine editing: Other than mowing lawns, my first job was as a sub-editor on The Field. But this wasn’t my only magazine editing experience as at college I created a Sci-Fi-Fantasy fanzine, in mid 1980s edited a green-socialist journal (New Ground), and before retired edited & assembled a carriage driving newsletter.

     

  5. Organic Food: In late 1970s set up Celandine Foods, one of the earliest wholesale organic fruit & vegetable companies in the UK and we tried to co-ordinate organic & bio-dynamic production in area of South East England. It proved better if growers and outlets traded direct, but one of the shops re-established business with my ex-partner who still continues to wholesale as well as retail bio-dynamic & organic produce. 
  6. Clothworkers: As a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers I at one time believed that I could take my sheep across London Bridge.  Sadly this is no longer true – for obvious reasons – but it’s a great fantasy even if the Congestion Charge would be hefty.  (See http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/sheep-across-london-bridge-the-freedom-of-the-city-of-london for further details including amusing anecdote about Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams).
    The Livery Hall of the Clothworkers' Company i...
  7.  Perfect World: I met my wife Juanita in Perfect World (http://www.perfectworld.com/), an MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game aka mainly men online role playing girls) set in a fantasy world. Even though divided by five thousand miles we met in real life and now are happily together and still gaming although in Lord of the Rings Online – http://www.lotro.com/ ). Some of course is ‘serious research’ but rest is welcome escape – when the kittens aren’t on the keyboard ‘helping’. Dogs are so much easier to train but what choice do two dog lovers have in a No Dog park home estate.

Once again thank you Fel Wetzig at The Peasants Revolt! (http://www.scotzig.com) for my first Versatile Blogger Award.

WIP Update

Spiral of Hooves:       I’m still keeping my options open as I had queries on the draft contract from Spectacle.  I’m waiting to see what they say in their clarifications before I shut other doors or avenues.  My primary intent has always been to get published but not be trapped into a tight deal or a drawn-out process.

Wyrm Bait:    I’ve done the first read-through/red-pen revision and have thousands of red scribbles, slash marks, and notes on the manuscript. But I have a much better idea of where the novel is going, how to improve the plot and how to bring my characters more to life.  Now for the rewrite which I aim to finish during October before NaNoWriMo starts.

Wyrm Blood: This is my intended writing target for NaNoWriMo 2012 (http://www.nanowrimo.org) and I already have the scribbled outline and character sketches to guide my journey.

So until the next time I find time to Blog, this is the Silver Scribbler wishing everyone Good Writing & Good health.