Yeah, I wrote a book. But where is it? Well, let's give you a status update on that and other stuff.
Since last time: got busy with a bunch of other stuff. Good stuff, productive stuff, but not stuff you need to (or probably want to) hear about.
The Babysitter (Working title) AKA The Book or Most Recent Book
First Draft: complete
Reader comments: received
Editing: Starting soon
Publication: Before end of 2015
This was the last thing I posted about. I've had some great feedback from my 'trusted circle' of early readers and I'm ready to start editing and revising. Once that's done, I'll start formatting for publication.
I'm aiming to publish this in two parts, probably. Bought together, both books will roughly equal the cost of Practice to Deceive (which went on sale originally at $8.99). Yes, each book will be shorter than PtD was, but this means their individual cost will be more in-line with usual Kindle pricing and arguably, I've got more chance at more sales.
I'm also hoping to do a paperback version of this, if I can. If that works out, I'll also go back and do a paperback version of Practice to Deceive as well, and of course, paperbacks going forward. Hint: the ebook version will still be cheapest.
Secret Book That's Secret (Umm, working title)
First draft: about 65% complete
Reader comments: in progress
Publication: Early 2016
I'm pretty sure I've never spoken about this. I don't want to spoil it, but it's probably not what you'd expect. It IS what you'd expect in that it's M2F masking... but I doubt you'll see it coming. There's a reason this has come together quick. Fingers crossed I want to finish the first draft this month.
Practice to Deceive sequel
First draft: about 25% complete
Publication: before end of 2016
The continuing adventures of Billy and friends, on the road to Comic-Con. Sequel to this, if you came in late. M2F masking, primarily, from the protagonist's PoV.
Back in 2013 I was ready to dive into this, but for various reasons I didn't. The good news on this one is that it's pretty tightly plotted all the way to the end (and I think it makes sense, which is a bonus) so I really just need to get the time and sit down and knock it out. That time, however, probably won't be available to me until early next year, and that's assuming I don't see any other major bumps. I won't forget about it though. There's way too much good stuff in this book to forget...
Anyway, that's that. I appreciate your ongoing patience and hope you stick with me. More stuff to come.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Sunday, June 07, 2015
The last two years and oh hey I finished a book
No, not that one. No the other one. Yeah, that.
Alright, I forgive you for having no freaking clue what I'm talking about. Let's recap:
Last week - in the same cafe I'm writing at now, as it happens - I finished the first draft of what I've previously referred to as 'The Babysitter' (which is not the title). From the looks of it, it took about six years to complete, from first words to last. Of course, plenty of distractions along the way.
But more importantly, it's done. Finally. To say this thing felt like a millstone around my neck - wait, let's back up again.
In the summer of 2013 I finished Practice to Deceive, which had long been also known as 'Housesitting' in proto-form. I published it then too. I had been storing ideas up for a sequel (in fact, sequels, plural) but when the dust settled on it, I decided I wanted to finish off one of my other half-done projects instead of starting fresh on said sequel.
Eventually I settled on 'Babysitter' and started hacking away. And then, as usual, my world turned upside down. For not the first time in the last few years, I experienced a layoff, had to get temporary work, then job-hunt, get a new job, move house and then start said new job. Nothing like that to stop you writing for a while.
Unfortunately for me things didn't get much better. Over the course of 2014 I began, I now recognize, to slip into serious depression. Near the end of the year I left new job behind, and at last, got professional help for the depression. Starting 2015 I was in a better place in a lot of ways, but I still wasn't writing much.
It's taken a few more months to get anywhere close to an even keel. If you've ever heard me expound on this previously - I don't really believe in writer's block. However I now do believe that there can be legitimate and very real reasons that prevent you from writing. It's not the lack of muse, or lack of ideas, or whatever romantic reasons you attach to it. It's just the inability to write, and in my case, it was very much linked to depression.
I make you read this boring summary of my life for the past two years, give or take, to get you to this point.
So as I said, I finished a book. And it's not that one - the sequel to Practice to Deceive - it's the other one, 'The Babysitter'. (Which I previously published a sort of 'teaser' of, which really doesn't have jack-all to do with the actual book, so don't take it as a real preview.)
And like I say, it was a millstone. For those of you not into medieval allegory, it was a struggle, as you might have noticed before. A pain. Especially in the last section, and especially the fucking ending, not to mince my fucking words. I'm still not sure about it. Like the last book, now it's done I'm letting it sit. I'm letting it marinate. After all this is a first draft. It might be total bollocks.
By the way I say 'book' but it might end up being 'books'. I have a feeling it may be separated into two or even three. Partially that's because it's actually longer than Practice to Deceive. In normal paperback terms it's about two books in length. Partially it's also because of the self-publishing market (see my previous post on that) but also partially it's because I'm not convinced this will be everyone's cup of tea, so I want to give you an 'out' if you don't like it. It's pretty different from Practice to Deceive. Yes of course it still involves female masking and disguise and sex, but of course, however it's still quite a different story with a different couple of protagonists.
Hey for all I know, I might show the cleaned up draft to my test readers and they may tell me to lock it in a (digital) drawer for a decade and never reveal it to anyone. In which case this prick tease will have been for naught.
Anyway, the millstoney-struggle of this book has been partially why it's taken so long to do, although see also layoff, depression, job hunting and so on. It's definitely been part of why I've been so silent. But I'm hoping to be slightly less silent from now on. A promise I'll probably break.
What next? I'm not sure. In part I know I have to work harder on 'other' writing. My years are advancing (alright, I'm not exactly ancient but it has been - gulp - about 16 years since I started publicly writing this stuff) and I'm getting cranky about only being able to talk about my work with, well, you, you anonymous faceless (kinky) crowd, you. So I'll be taking time to write Real Stuff.
However, the masked mistress, she is a sly seductress. Even the other day, thinking about what I've scribbled on Practice to Deceive 2 - Electric Boogaloo, I wanted to keep going. Wanted to see what I could come up with next for Billy and friends. (Spoiler: I totally know. The whole book's plotted. Then again, so was Babysitter for a while and look at that bitch.)
My rambling point is probably; I won't stop writing entirely. That is, as long as you keep buying stuff occasionally.
Right. That'll do. I finished my lunch ages ago. I recommend this place. Wherever I may be.
Alright, I forgive you for having no freaking clue what I'm talking about. Let's recap:
Last week - in the same cafe I'm writing at now, as it happens - I finished the first draft of what I've previously referred to as 'The Babysitter' (which is not the title). From the looks of it, it took about six years to complete, from first words to last. Of course, plenty of distractions along the way.
But more importantly, it's done. Finally. To say this thing felt like a millstone around my neck - wait, let's back up again.
In the summer of 2013 I finished Practice to Deceive, which had long been also known as 'Housesitting' in proto-form. I published it then too. I had been storing ideas up for a sequel (in fact, sequels, plural) but when the dust settled on it, I decided I wanted to finish off one of my other half-done projects instead of starting fresh on said sequel.
Eventually I settled on 'Babysitter' and started hacking away. And then, as usual, my world turned upside down. For not the first time in the last few years, I experienced a layoff, had to get temporary work, then job-hunt, get a new job, move house and then start said new job. Nothing like that to stop you writing for a while.
Unfortunately for me things didn't get much better. Over the course of 2014 I began, I now recognize, to slip into serious depression. Near the end of the year I left new job behind, and at last, got professional help for the depression. Starting 2015 I was in a better place in a lot of ways, but I still wasn't writing much.
It's taken a few more months to get anywhere close to an even keel. If you've ever heard me expound on this previously - I don't really believe in writer's block. However I now do believe that there can be legitimate and very real reasons that prevent you from writing. It's not the lack of muse, or lack of ideas, or whatever romantic reasons you attach to it. It's just the inability to write, and in my case, it was very much linked to depression.
I make you read this boring summary of my life for the past two years, give or take, to get you to this point.
So as I said, I finished a book. And it's not that one - the sequel to Practice to Deceive - it's the other one, 'The Babysitter'. (Which I previously published a sort of 'teaser' of, which really doesn't have jack-all to do with the actual book, so don't take it as a real preview.)
And like I say, it was a millstone. For those of you not into medieval allegory, it was a struggle, as you might have noticed before. A pain. Especially in the last section, and especially the fucking ending, not to mince my fucking words. I'm still not sure about it. Like the last book, now it's done I'm letting it sit. I'm letting it marinate. After all this is a first draft. It might be total bollocks.
By the way I say 'book' but it might end up being 'books'. I have a feeling it may be separated into two or even three. Partially that's because it's actually longer than Practice to Deceive. In normal paperback terms it's about two books in length. Partially it's also because of the self-publishing market (see my previous post on that) but also partially it's because I'm not convinced this will be everyone's cup of tea, so I want to give you an 'out' if you don't like it. It's pretty different from Practice to Deceive. Yes of course it still involves female masking and disguise and sex, but of course, however it's still quite a different story with a different couple of protagonists.
Hey for all I know, I might show the cleaned up draft to my test readers and they may tell me to lock it in a (digital) drawer for a decade and never reveal it to anyone. In which case this prick tease will have been for naught.
Anyway, the millstoney-struggle of this book has been partially why it's taken so long to do, although see also layoff, depression, job hunting and so on. It's definitely been part of why I've been so silent. But I'm hoping to be slightly less silent from now on. A promise I'll probably break.
What next? I'm not sure. In part I know I have to work harder on 'other' writing. My years are advancing (alright, I'm not exactly ancient but it has been - gulp - about 16 years since I started publicly writing this stuff) and I'm getting cranky about only being able to talk about my work with, well, you, you anonymous faceless (kinky) crowd, you. So I'll be taking time to write Real Stuff.
However, the masked mistress, she is a sly seductress. Even the other day, thinking about what I've scribbled on Practice to Deceive 2 - Electric Boogaloo, I wanted to keep going. Wanted to see what I could come up with next for Billy and friends. (Spoiler: I totally know. The whole book's plotted. Then again, so was Babysitter for a while and look at that bitch.)
My rambling point is probably; I won't stop writing entirely. That is, as long as you keep buying stuff occasionally.
Right. That'll do. I finished my lunch ages ago. I recommend this place. Wherever I may be.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sex scenes are hard
And I don't mean in the nudge-nudge, wink-wink, innuendo laden way either. Although that is part of the point of sex scenes, I guess.
Sex scenes are hard to write. Really hard. There's a reason why a lot of writers just draw a veil over sex scenes and skip to the post-coital bliss; getting a sex scene to feel right is difficult. Getting a sex scene to feel erotic, as in erotic fiction, is even more difficult - you're trying to get a very specific reaction out of the reader.
And those sex scenes get even harder when they're not 'normal' sex, too - when you're trying to encapsulate thoughts and feelings and, well, urges about someone's fetishes. You've got to imagine yourself in a situation that many of us may have never even been in, or indeed, could never be in.
All this leads me here, to a sentence from a plot summary I wrote, probably about four years ago:
"At hotel, they check in and have rampant sex, all that pent-up tension."
Sounds simple, right? Two consenting adults getting it on. But for some reason (and if I'm being honest, it probably has very little to do with the sex) this scene has blocked me for months. Tonight, I finally finished it. And now, I hope, I can get back to writing the rest of the book. Let's hope.
PS: The book in question isn't the sequel to Practice to Deceive. That's on hold for now. In my foolish wisdom, I told myself last year that I could just 'finish off' The Babysitter. So that's what I've been trying to do. For about nine months.
Sex scenes are hard to write. Really hard. There's a reason why a lot of writers just draw a veil over sex scenes and skip to the post-coital bliss; getting a sex scene to feel right is difficult. Getting a sex scene to feel erotic, as in erotic fiction, is even more difficult - you're trying to get a very specific reaction out of the reader.
And those sex scenes get even harder when they're not 'normal' sex, too - when you're trying to encapsulate thoughts and feelings and, well, urges about someone's fetishes. You've got to imagine yourself in a situation that many of us may have never even been in, or indeed, could never be in.
All this leads me here, to a sentence from a plot summary I wrote, probably about four years ago:
"At hotel, they check in and have rampant sex, all that pent-up tension."
Sounds simple, right? Two consenting adults getting it on. But for some reason (and if I'm being honest, it probably has very little to do with the sex) this scene has blocked me for months. Tonight, I finally finished it. And now, I hope, I can get back to writing the rest of the book. Let's hope.
PS: The book in question isn't the sequel to Practice to Deceive. That's on hold for now. In my foolish wisdom, I told myself last year that I could just 'finish off' The Babysitter. So that's what I've been trying to do. For about nine months.
Monday, May 06, 2013
Editing, he thought, is tricky
Editing Housesitting has been an on-off task the last couple of months, but now I'm trying to get serious.
For me, editing involves re-reading what I've written (which is pretty obvious I guess, but it's step one) and then usually seeing if anything jumps out at me as being grammatically shoddy or just clumsy. Bad habits are easy to get into while writing, and it's hard to see this stuff in the heat of the moment.
Housesitting contains a lot of inner thoughts, as it's a very personal story, told almost entirely from one point of view. Because of that, I guess I felt it was necessary to delineate the main character's thoughts a lot. In some novels, writers use stylistic tropes to indicate thoughts. Frank Herbert, for example, famously had all of his characters think in italics. As there were lots of telepathic conversations in the Dune series, it made some sense.
I've done the italics thing myself, but I'm not a fan of it. I'm also not a fan of consistent 'muttering under the breath' or actual sentences being quoted as thoughts. So while writing, I found myself using the words 'he thought' a lot; but over time, and especially while re-reading, I discovered that I'd started to use it as punctuation, almost. Looking over the 'final' draft it's apparent now that frankly, most of the time when I use the phrase 'he thought' it's not needed.
So now, I'm editing the whole thing to try and remove it wherever it doesn't seem to be necessary. Take this random example with 'he thought' included. Billy is fantasizing about being exposed to... well, you'll find out:
It's easy to miss, but somehow, subtly, that he thought breaks the flow of the paragraph. It's also completely unneeded; I've already established, through words like 'knew' and 'fantasy scenario' that we're inside his head. So the same para without the 'he thought':
For me, editing involves re-reading what I've written (which is pretty obvious I guess, but it's step one) and then usually seeing if anything jumps out at me as being grammatically shoddy or just clumsy. Bad habits are easy to get into while writing, and it's hard to see this stuff in the heat of the moment.
Housesitting contains a lot of inner thoughts, as it's a very personal story, told almost entirely from one point of view. Because of that, I guess I felt it was necessary to delineate the main character's thoughts a lot. In some novels, writers use stylistic tropes to indicate thoughts. Frank Herbert, for example, famously had all of his characters think in italics. As there were lots of telepathic conversations in the Dune series, it made some sense.
I've done the italics thing myself, but I'm not a fan of it. I'm also not a fan of consistent 'muttering under the breath' or actual sentences being quoted as thoughts. So while writing, I found myself using the words 'he thought' a lot; but over time, and especially while re-reading, I discovered that I'd started to use it as punctuation, almost. Looking over the 'final' draft it's apparent now that frankly, most of the time when I use the phrase 'he thought' it's not needed.
So now, I'm editing the whole thing to try and remove it wherever it doesn't seem to be necessary. Take this random example with 'he thought' included. Billy is fantasizing about being exposed to... well, you'll find out:
He knew this was dangerous too, foolish even, but the idea of being exposed here somehow fitted with his fantasy scenario, where in front of Kate, his deception known, he would reach up and strip away his wig. She would gasp, he thought, her hand raised to her face in shock, but he wouldn’t stop there, he would dig his fingertips into his scalp, and find the edge of his mask... and pull downwards. Kate’s eyes would widen even further, she couldn’t possibly believe what she was seeing - and then the mask would be off, Linda would be gone, Billy would be exposed -
It's easy to miss, but somehow, subtly, that he thought breaks the flow of the paragraph. It's also completely unneeded; I've already established, through words like 'knew' and 'fantasy scenario' that we're inside his head. So the same para without the 'he thought':
He knew this was dangerous too, foolish even, but the idea of being exposed here somehow fitted with his fantasy scenario, where in front of Kate, his deception known, he would reach up and strip away his wig. She would gasp, her hand raised to her face in shock, but he wouldn’t stop there, he would dig his fingertips into his scalp, and find the edge of his mask... and pull downwards. Kate’s eyes would widen even further, she couldn’t possibly believe what she was seeing - and then the mask would be off, Linda would be gone, Billy would be exposed -
... works a lot better, no? It's subtle, for sure... but it helps. Of course, this doesn't mean every instance of 'he thought' is being cut from the book. There's plenty of places it's required. But, hopefully, by making sure through good writing that the reader knows we're inside the character's head... I can stop telling them that's the case every few paragraphs.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Slow progress
Writing has not been going great.
It's still going, but at a snail's pace. Less than 500 words a day, some days. It's mostly a lack of time - although, you can always make time - but also a few other distracting factors. Not good ones. I want to write, I really do. So I will get back into the groove eventually.
Around 55K on Housesitting now, so there is progress. I have no concerns about passing my word count well before my self-imposed deadline - although whether the book is done by then, who knows. I don't think I'll be wrapped in 20K more words, but then, that's a good thing. Fingers crossed I'll be close.
Christmas, for me, usually involves family and in-laws, so writing will be curtailed if not killed entirely. Doesn't mean I cannot generate ideas, however, and hopefully that will bring me back fresh in the New Year.
In case you don't hear from me, have a great Christmas celebrating whatever you want to celebrate.
Oh and if the world ends tomorrow, think kindly of me so I secure a place in masking heaven....
It's still going, but at a snail's pace. Less than 500 words a day, some days. It's mostly a lack of time - although, you can always make time - but also a few other distracting factors. Not good ones. I want to write, I really do. So I will get back into the groove eventually.
Around 55K on Housesitting now, so there is progress. I have no concerns about passing my word count well before my self-imposed deadline - although whether the book is done by then, who knows. I don't think I'll be wrapped in 20K more words, but then, that's a good thing. Fingers crossed I'll be close.
Christmas, for me, usually involves family and in-laws, so writing will be curtailed if not killed entirely. Doesn't mean I cannot generate ideas, however, and hopefully that will bring me back fresh in the New Year.
In case you don't hear from me, have a great Christmas celebrating whatever you want to celebrate.
Oh and if the world ends tomorrow, think kindly of me so I secure a place in masking heaven....
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Market research
You may have missed my previous mention of this, so let's recap: almost any* piece of writing I release in future is going to be sold, not given away.
Thanks to the meteoric rise of ebook publishing, this is a hell of a lot easier to accomplish than it might have been even five years ago. It's almost literally click-and-publish now. That's great news for folk like me. All my efforts, all my hours and days of writing can be easily converted into a format that can be sold to you directly and discreetly. Heck, if you want a paperback book, you can get one.
Apparently though, I'm late to the party - real late. I went for a casual search on Amazon tonight and found absolutely boatloads of Kindle books with tags like 'transgender', 'crossdressing', 'erotica', 'hardcore'... and so on.
Here's what I find interesting though: a lot of these 'books' aren't even that. They're barely short stories. Many of them are less than 5,000 words in length - I've written multiple chapters in Housesitting that are more than 5,000 words in length. The first chapter is over 5,000 words! I've got transformation scenes that are almost 2,500 long!
And many of these 'books'... are selling at 99c each.
That's not my plan. I plan to complete a novel (arguably, I already have) and I plan to sell it at a similar price to what you'd pay for a paperback (of a similar size) in a bookstore. I aim to give you damn good value for money. Trust me, there's very little 'fluff' in what I'm writing.
But I'll tell you this; it's damn likely I'll put some of my earlier, shorter pieces (Beneath the Veil, Psych, maybe Her Smile) online for sale soon. Why wait? Time to dip my toe in.
I would love to hear your opinions on this. Are all of us just chumps? Should every mask fiction author be selling their work, rather than just giving it away? Let me know here in a comment or by email.
* Anything that doesn't involve characters created by others. In other words, none of my fan fiction (which is, ultimately, is what BBSSG is) will be sold.
Thanks to the meteoric rise of ebook publishing, this is a hell of a lot easier to accomplish than it might have been even five years ago. It's almost literally click-and-publish now. That's great news for folk like me. All my efforts, all my hours and days of writing can be easily converted into a format that can be sold to you directly and discreetly. Heck, if you want a paperback book, you can get one.
Apparently though, I'm late to the party - real late. I went for a casual search on Amazon tonight and found absolutely boatloads of Kindle books with tags like 'transgender', 'crossdressing', 'erotica', 'hardcore'... and so on.
Here's what I find interesting though: a lot of these 'books' aren't even that. They're barely short stories. Many of them are less than 5,000 words in length - I've written multiple chapters in Housesitting that are more than 5,000 words in length. The first chapter is over 5,000 words! I've got transformation scenes that are almost 2,500 long!
And many of these 'books'... are selling at 99c each.
That's not my plan. I plan to complete a novel (arguably, I already have) and I plan to sell it at a similar price to what you'd pay for a paperback (of a similar size) in a bookstore. I aim to give you damn good value for money. Trust me, there's very little 'fluff' in what I'm writing.
But I'll tell you this; it's damn likely I'll put some of my earlier, shorter pieces (Beneath the Veil, Psych, maybe Her Smile) online for sale soon. Why wait? Time to dip my toe in.
I would love to hear your opinions on this. Are all of us just chumps? Should every mask fiction author be selling their work, rather than just giving it away? Let me know here in a comment or by email.
* Anything that doesn't involve characters created by others. In other words, none of my fan fiction (which is, ultimately, is what BBSSG is) will be sold.
Thursday, December 06, 2012
A glance at my writing space today
Here's my writing layout in Scrivener today:
Yes, I deliberately made the image small. No spoilers! If you could see the left hand pane you'd see my entire outline for most of Chapters 4-8 of Housesitting. With important key words like 'unmasks', 'fantasies', 'sex' and 'costume'. To pick them randomly.
The image reference is kind of obvious, though, even at this size. It's just one scene, but I strive for authenticity....
A pretty good morning
Small scene ended up being something a little more. This isn't core stuff for Housesitting, but still fun to write, and explores a bit more for Billy, the central character:
1,355 today so far.
Oh, and that mask is not what you're thinking.With a sweaty, sucking sound the mask came away. Billy moved it upwards just enough to expose Rich’s lips, stood on the tips of his heels to reach him, and allowed their lips to touch.
1,355 today so far.
Monday, December 03, 2012
Project target: Housesitting
This is a screenshot of today's project target for Housesitting:
Good day (well, morning) writing wise. I subscribe to the theory that when you sit down to write, it's a 'good session' if you manage to complete 1,000 words or more. That might sound like a lot, but when you're 'in the zone' it's pretty easy to churn them out. Today was one of those days, so that felt good.
You might have noticed something else: my deadline, as well as my projected word count. While it started as a short story, Housesitting has expanded, and about a month ago I decided to make it a full-fledged project - a novel, in the strictest definition of the term. I added a few plot twists and some other fun stuff to my overall plan, and now I feel pretty confident I can get to that word count without it feeling stretched. If I'm lucky, it'll go longer than that.
I share this with you because I've decided enough is enough. I'm fed up of my inner critic preventing me from finishing stuff and I'm fed up of complaining about it. So this is what I'm pledging to myself and also to you, as a potential consumer: Housesitting will be complete (at least in first draft) by March 1st, 2013. It'll be available to buy (yes, buy - it will not be free) sometime shortly after that.
More soon.
Good day (well, morning) writing wise. I subscribe to the theory that when you sit down to write, it's a 'good session' if you manage to complete 1,000 words or more. That might sound like a lot, but when you're 'in the zone' it's pretty easy to churn them out. Today was one of those days, so that felt good.
You might have noticed something else: my deadline, as well as my projected word count. While it started as a short story, Housesitting has expanded, and about a month ago I decided to make it a full-fledged project - a novel, in the strictest definition of the term. I added a few plot twists and some other fun stuff to my overall plan, and now I feel pretty confident I can get to that word count without it feeling stretched. If I'm lucky, it'll go longer than that.
I share this with you because I've decided enough is enough. I'm fed up of my inner critic preventing me from finishing stuff and I'm fed up of complaining about it. So this is what I'm pledging to myself and also to you, as a potential consumer: Housesitting will be complete (at least in first draft) by March 1st, 2013. It'll be available to buy (yes, buy - it will not be free) sometime shortly after that.
More soon.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
A rare jawdropper moment
The best moments when writing are the flashes of inspiration that come mid-writing - where a character does something you didn't expect ("Of course she should kiss him here").
The better moments are when that inspiration suddenly coalesces into a future plot event... and your jaw drops open at the sheer audacity and excitement of it.
(And as a bonus, when that moment actually wraps up your story in a climax that is completely perfect for what you had planned.)
Just had one of those moments while working on Housesitting. Wow oh wow.
Let's hope I get to write it....
The better moments are when that inspiration suddenly coalesces into a future plot event... and your jaw drops open at the sheer audacity and excitement of it.
(And as a bonus, when that moment actually wraps up your story in a climax that is completely perfect for what you had planned.)
Just had one of those moments while working on Housesitting. Wow oh wow.
Let's hope I get to write it....
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The real reason for a four month gap
Yep, still haven't released the 'missing' SG issues I mentioned last time. I have a pretty good excuse. Excuses, actually.
First the big one. Some time after I wrote the last post, I was laid off from my job. Unexpectedly, as tends to be the case with layoffs. It's not a good feeling and it tends to throw your life into disarray. I was lucky to find another job not too long afterwards, but that came with a lot of life changes. Needless to say I didn't want to sit in front of the keyboard much after that.
Second. The truth is when I dashed off that post in May I wasn't actually done with 25. I was really close. In fact I'm still not done; there's one last scene. It's probably 30 minutes of work. I also need to edit and rewrite 23, 24 and 25 itself, although I'm almost done with that process. So, bit of work still to be done. But why haven't I done it in the last few months?
Ah, excuse the third. Truth is, I have no damn idea what I'm doing any more, and not much of a clue why I'm doing it, either.
The series could run indefinitely. I know that now. I have plotlines that could run forever. I have major arcs, minor arcs and all sorts of crazy ideas. I have long term plans. I could even throw in a 'Brand New Day' or a 'Marvel Knights' style reboot (or even, as I contemplated a while back, a MAX version of the series - AKA 'all the sex, swearing and violence I want').
Here's the problem: right now, I gain nothing from this. Absolutely zero. Allow me to get very 'real' for the rest of this post.
First the big one. Some time after I wrote the last post, I was laid off from my job. Unexpectedly, as tends to be the case with layoffs. It's not a good feeling and it tends to throw your life into disarray. I was lucky to find another job not too long afterwards, but that came with a lot of life changes. Needless to say I didn't want to sit in front of the keyboard much after that.
Second. The truth is when I dashed off that post in May I wasn't actually done with 25. I was really close. In fact I'm still not done; there's one last scene. It's probably 30 minutes of work. I also need to edit and rewrite 23, 24 and 25 itself, although I'm almost done with that process. So, bit of work still to be done. But why haven't I done it in the last few months?
Ah, excuse the third. Truth is, I have no damn idea what I'm doing any more, and not much of a clue why I'm doing it, either.
The series could run indefinitely. I know that now. I have plotlines that could run forever. I have major arcs, minor arcs and all sorts of crazy ideas. I have long term plans. I could even throw in a 'Brand New Day' or a 'Marvel Knights' style reboot (or even, as I contemplated a while back, a MAX version of the series - AKA 'all the sex, swearing and violence I want').
Here's the problem: right now, I gain nothing from this. Absolutely zero. Allow me to get very 'real' for the rest of this post.
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Only took six months or so
Issue 25 is finished. The arc is done, finally. I have no excuses for how long it's taken, but it's done.
I may even release it at some point.
I may even release it at some point.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Cracked it... I think
The reason you haven't seen the remaining issues of Spider-Girl? Well it's because my plot tied itself in knots.
I think I just figured it out. That said, I've thought I've had it figured out before. Let's hope.
I think I just figured it out. That said, I've thought I've had it figured out before. Let's hope.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Fave Betty bits?
I'm writing issue #23 of BBSSG* right now, and for reasons I won't go into for fear of spoiling it, I'm referring to a lot of the previous issues to make sure I get details right.
One of the pleasures for me of having, well, quite a lot of issues behind me is that I get to revisit favorite pieces of writing and, usually to my surprise, find they don't suck. I've written so much of this stuff I genuinely forget whole scenes.
Got me to wondering: what are some of your fave bits of the series? (This is of course, assuming you've even read it. If for some strange reason you tuned in during the last two years - which we'll refer to as the Great GW Drought from now on - then this might not make any sense. And if you do intend to read the series over at Maskingwriter, well, huge spoilers below.)
Some of mine?
- The Chameleon becoming Betty, in issue #1
- Betty and Susan getting it on for the first time in issue #3
- Betty's gradual transformation into Gwen, as she seduces Peter, in issue #6
- Betty and Susan getting it on for the second time in issue #7
- The Green Goblin's defeat in issue #8
- Betty becoming Gwen full-time in issue #9
- Betty becoming her brother, Bennett, in issue #11
- Betty invoking the Chameleon in issue #12
- The Chameleon becoming Catwoman in issue #15
- Betty becoming Batgirl in issue #17
- Catwoman's seduction of Barbara Wayne in issue #18
... and as they say on the commercials, many, many more. Any of these ring bells? Any other scenes you particularly enjoyed?
* BBSSG = Betty Brant, the Sensational Spider-Girl. I'm careful in referring to the series by acronym, mostly, because frankly I don't need the Google traffic.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Two random cuttings
I was hit by inspiration on Spider-Girl a couple of weeks ago, so Babysitter is currently on hold while I try and finish this arc. As I've said before this arc has been a merciless bitch to plot, so I'm really glad it's coming together (and even more glad that I'm getting to include all of the kinky shit I wanted to...).
Anyway here are two pieces of random text that have been cut from the final issues - ie, these scenes won't be in the final version. First one is from issue #22, which is finished, and the second is from issue #23, which I'm about two-thirds done with.
Just so you know, both of these excerpts contain fairly major spoilers - even though these pieces won't be in the final issues, they still contain plot details. So if you don't want to be spoiled... stop reading!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Interested in advice?
I am a conceited ass sometimes. I state this up-front, for those of you who read this and think "Who the hell does this guy think he is?" Let's just be clear: I think I'm full of myself. Sometimes.
With that out of the way...
I've thought for a while that, if people are interested, I could potentially do a series of articles giving out advice for how to write mask fiction. (Or, more specifically - and this is the 'ass' part -how to write better mask fiction.)
Would anyone care? Is anyone even interested in the advice? Is anyone reading who's thinking "I'm interested in writing this stuff but I don't know where to begin?"
If not, no problem. I've got plenty of other things to occupy my time. But if you are interested, speak up....
Monday, August 10, 2009
Update, sorta, and an idea
Hey, at least it's only been a month or so.
My 'big changes' are behind me now, well not entirely but they're mostly dealt with, so slowly I'm starting to try and write a bit more often. I'm nowhere near the output level that will yield new stuff any time soon though, so don't get over-excited.
One thing I have been kicking around in my head - in truth, for months now - is the possibility of a different superheroine series. I may have even mentioned it on here before actually, but to be honest I can't be bothered to go back and check my own archives. I'd like your thoughts on it.
Anyway my thinking is potentially it would be something involving a male-to-female transformation at the heart of the story; a man who turns into a woman to be a superheroine. (This, I should point out, would be a disguise, not a magic transformation. I think you know me well enough by now to realise that's not what I write, but I want to be clear.)
This actually isn't that original an idea - Holly Fairfa, if I remember right, did a short story with exactly that idea waaay back on the original MaskFiction.com.
My thinking on why I'd do this is several-fold as my thinking usually is:
(Your answer would preferably run to more detail than 'Catwoman is the sexiest'.)
I will admit, if pressed, to having something of a preference for the first idea (the original series). Mostly because while I know it'd be easy for me to write Option 2, and fun to write Option 3, I keep telling myself that if I'm going to commit the inevitable amount of huge effort required to produce something, I should really do that for my own original creation, right?
Hmm. Oh by the way, I know a lot of you will shrug and say "Whatever, just write something, please God I need a fix" the more feedback I get in any particular direction, the more likely I am to... errr... do something.
Maybe...
My 'big changes' are behind me now, well not entirely but they're mostly dealt with, so slowly I'm starting to try and write a bit more often. I'm nowhere near the output level that will yield new stuff any time soon though, so don't get over-excited.
One thing I have been kicking around in my head - in truth, for months now - is the possibility of a different superheroine series. I may have even mentioned it on here before actually, but to be honest I can't be bothered to go back and check my own archives. I'd like your thoughts on it.
Anyway my thinking is potentially it would be something involving a male-to-female transformation at the heart of the story; a man who turns into a woman to be a superheroine. (This, I should point out, would be a disguise, not a magic transformation. I think you know me well enough by now to realise that's not what I write, but I want to be clear.)
This actually isn't that original an idea - Holly Fairfa, if I remember right, did a short story with exactly that idea waaay back on the original MaskFiction.com.
My thinking on why I'd do this is several-fold as my thinking usually is:
- It would, obviously, be massively kinky. Man disguised as woman disguised as superheroine? I think you can imagine all the kinds of fun I'd have.
- It could be an original character, but still a superheroine. That means more potential for me - in all sorts of ways.
- I'm getting just a teeny bit bored with Betty... but still want to write super-stuff. (What can I say, it's the spandex lover in me.)
- An original story/series with all-new characters. I have the 'origin' plotted out, roughly. It makes some sort of sense, to me anyway...!
- A spin-off series (or mini-series) featuring Batgirl, set after the Spider-Girl 'Crossover' arc... in other words (SPOILER!) with Dick Grayson under the mask(s).
- My 'Project AC' concept, which... well alright, might as well spill, can be neatly summarised as 'Catwoman is actually a guy'. (There's more to it than that; a lot more in fact... but you get the idea.)
(Your answer would preferably run to more detail than 'Catwoman is the sexiest'.)
I will admit, if pressed, to having something of a preference for the first idea (the original series). Mostly because while I know it'd be easy for me to write Option 2, and fun to write Option 3, I keep telling myself that if I'm going to commit the inevitable amount of huge effort required to produce something, I should really do that for my own original creation, right?
Hmm. Oh by the way, I know a lot of you will shrug and say "Whatever, just write something, please God I need a fix" the more feedback I get in any particular direction, the more likely I am to... errr... do something.
Maybe...
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Going around and around in circles
For those keeping track, I'm trying to write. And it's proving tough.
At the moment I've got a few things on the go. I've actually started writing The Babysitter, which is now very much a working title, after I was inspired randomly one day to put down the thoughts of the main character. That turned into a sort-of prologue which will probably never be used, but established what I wanted to do in the story early on, which has led to a productive streak... that's now hit a bit of a wall, as I've come to A Big Scene and seem a bit scared to write it. What a wuss, eh? For those who like to dig around, I talked about the origins of this (gulp) over a year ago.
Second, I'm trying to move Betty Brant's adventures onwards, but man oh man, that's proving tough. I have been plotting and re-plotting and re-plotting the next issue forever; I have almost 6,000 words of it written, but have probably thrown away half of that. It's driving me kind of nuts. I can't even tell you why it's driving me nuts - half because it'll spoil it, and half because I don't know why!! Still, I think the destination I have in mind is worth getting to, so, I continue to slam my head against this particular wall.
At the moment I've got a few things on the go. I've actually started writing The Babysitter, which is now very much a working title, after I was inspired randomly one day to put down the thoughts of the main character. That turned into a sort-of prologue which will probably never be used, but established what I wanted to do in the story early on, which has led to a productive streak... that's now hit a bit of a wall, as I've come to A Big Scene and seem a bit scared to write it. What a wuss, eh? For those who like to dig around, I talked about the origins of this (gulp) over a year ago.
Second, I'm trying to move Betty Brant's adventures onwards, but man oh man, that's proving tough. I have been plotting and re-plotting and re-plotting the next issue forever; I have almost 6,000 words of it written, but have probably thrown away half of that. It's driving me kind of nuts. I can't even tell you why it's driving me nuts - half because it'll spoil it, and half because I don't know why!! Still, I think the destination I have in mind is worth getting to, so, I continue to slam my head against this particular wall.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The problems with plotting
I like to plot, but simultaneously, I hate to plot. Let me try and explain.
Before I embark on any long piece of writing - erm, which will be all of them, I guess - I like to try and get some sort of plot written down. That way I have some sort of idea where things are going. Essentially, it's an insurance policy. If I'm sitting at the keyboard wondering where to go next, I can look at the plot and go "Okay, that's the objective - now I just have to get there".
This is especially important in serialised fiction (ie Spider-Girl), as if you have no idea where things might be going to, you can't throw in clues or foreshadowing - and believe me, I like to do that where I can. I also really, really want internal consistency in any series; the world needs to make sense, even if it's a fantastic one, and there needs to be continuity. (That I can later retcon. Joke for the comics fans.)
Having said this, in the process of writing, I frequently go off-plot. In other words, the plot changes as I write it, usually because I have some sort of brainwave that is just too good to ignore. When that happens I usually end up re-writing my plot notes to accommodate the idea, just so I can basically tell myself the story and make sure it all makes sense. (Believe me, it often doesn't. I've rewritten the plot for the Spider-Girl Crossover arc about five times since the first draft. Looking at those original notes, there are plot holes big enough to drive a truck through.)
So I like to have the roadmap, I like to have the plot written down. It can be nightmarish to actually create that plot though, hence my hating to plot, too. Sometimes I will just not have any idea where the plot needs to go, or worse, I have an idea but it just seems too lame for words. Even worse than that, sometimes I have a plot and it's written down and... it still sucks.
This is the worse situation a still-to-be-written story can find itself in, because honestly, once I have the skeleton of a plot down I find it hard to throw that away. Why? Because the process is so tough. Believe it or not, getting ideas is easy (Especially in this 'genre' where essentially all I'm doing is writing down fantasies...). It's having those ideas make sense, and putting them into a story where the characters act in a (reasonably) believable manner, that's the hard part.
Sometimes, the really damn hard part. This is what leads to having loads of half-finished stories, or stories that are plotted but aren't written. In the former case, I usually haven't plotted to the conclusion in a way I like. The latter, I don't like the plot enough to write it - or I haven't plotted to the end, either.
Like opposable thumbs being what separates man from animal, I think plotting is what separates 'erotic fiction' from just 'porn'. While I often jokingly refer to my writing as porn (Hey there, Mr. High Self-Esteem!) in reality it's just fiction... that happens to be erotic in a very specific way. Whereas your average porn movie has zero plot (unless you call 'will the studly handyman fix the broken appliance' a plot) I like to think that everything I write has a definite plot, hopefully with decent dramatic tension, some character development and yeah, plenty of eroticism.
And that, I hope, is why it's worth reading what I write. That and you getting off, naturally. (Just couldn't exit without a dick joke, could I....)
Before I embark on any long piece of writing - erm, which will be all of them, I guess - I like to try and get some sort of plot written down. That way I have some sort of idea where things are going. Essentially, it's an insurance policy. If I'm sitting at the keyboard wondering where to go next, I can look at the plot and go "Okay, that's the objective - now I just have to get there".
This is especially important in serialised fiction (ie Spider-Girl), as if you have no idea where things might be going to, you can't throw in clues or foreshadowing - and believe me, I like to do that where I can. I also really, really want internal consistency in any series; the world needs to make sense, even if it's a fantastic one, and there needs to be continuity. (That I can later retcon. Joke for the comics fans.)
Having said this, in the process of writing, I frequently go off-plot. In other words, the plot changes as I write it, usually because I have some sort of brainwave that is just too good to ignore. When that happens I usually end up re-writing my plot notes to accommodate the idea, just so I can basically tell myself the story and make sure it all makes sense. (Believe me, it often doesn't. I've rewritten the plot for the Spider-Girl Crossover arc about five times since the first draft. Looking at those original notes, there are plot holes big enough to drive a truck through.)
So I like to have the roadmap, I like to have the plot written down. It can be nightmarish to actually create that plot though, hence my hating to plot, too. Sometimes I will just not have any idea where the plot needs to go, or worse, I have an idea but it just seems too lame for words. Even worse than that, sometimes I have a plot and it's written down and... it still sucks.
This is the worse situation a still-to-be-written story can find itself in, because honestly, once I have the skeleton of a plot down I find it hard to throw that away. Why? Because the process is so tough. Believe it or not, getting ideas is easy (Especially in this 'genre' where essentially all I'm doing is writing down fantasies...). It's having those ideas make sense, and putting them into a story where the characters act in a (reasonably) believable manner, that's the hard part.
Sometimes, the really damn hard part. This is what leads to having loads of half-finished stories, or stories that are plotted but aren't written. In the former case, I usually haven't plotted to the conclusion in a way I like. The latter, I don't like the plot enough to write it - or I haven't plotted to the end, either.
Like opposable thumbs being what separates man from animal, I think plotting is what separates 'erotic fiction' from just 'porn'. While I often jokingly refer to my writing as porn (Hey there, Mr. High Self-Esteem!) in reality it's just fiction... that happens to be erotic in a very specific way. Whereas your average porn movie has zero plot (unless you call 'will the studly handyman fix the broken appliance' a plot) I like to think that everything I write has a definite plot, hopefully with decent dramatic tension, some character development and yeah, plenty of eroticism.
And that, I hope, is why it's worth reading what I write. That and you getting off, naturally. (Just couldn't exit without a dick joke, could I....)
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Finished an ish. Maybe.
Might have just finished Spider-Girl 14. Not sure. Gonna sleep on it. Unsure whether the scene break I just came to is a good issue break, or whether I should go on a little further... but then, it's over 10,000 words (just) and I'm thinking the next natural break is several thousand words away.
Hence: may have just finished the issue.
Had a lovely "Oh, wait, wait WAIT - this would be SO MUCH BETTER if I did it this way" moment earlier, right in the middle of a scene which I already had completed in my head. The change was so blindingly obvious, but at the same time led so naturally to some other stuff that I want to do, that I just had to make it. It's funny (Well, to me) but I was so excited I wrote the 'revelation' down underneath the text as I typed, as if I was going to forget it. Not likely. Still, three words can change a lot of stuff, especially when those words are '[CENSORED] AS [CENSORED]!!'
(You didn't think I was going to spoil it, did you? Especially when the payoff isn't going to happen until issue 15... at least. I'm not that cruel.)
I have to say, these are the bits you live for as a writer - or at least I do. Not the moments when the characters 'talk to you' (because I don't feel they do; wanky as it sounds, I feel like they just talk, I listen and transcribe) but when the character's actions suddenly skew the plot in a new and altogether better direction than the way you were already travelling. That's when you give thanks to The Muse.
Well, I am knackered, as we say in England; I think I've written over 7,000 words of this issue in the last couple of days. Don't get too excited yet but I think the groove may be back. Shhhh! I said don't get excited....
Hence: may have just finished the issue.
Had a lovely "Oh, wait, wait WAIT - this would be SO MUCH BETTER if I did it this way" moment earlier, right in the middle of a scene which I already had completed in my head. The change was so blindingly obvious, but at the same time led so naturally to some other stuff that I want to do, that I just had to make it. It's funny (Well, to me) but I was so excited I wrote the 'revelation' down underneath the text as I typed, as if I was going to forget it. Not likely. Still, three words can change a lot of stuff, especially when those words are '[CENSORED] AS [CENSORED]!!'
(You didn't think I was going to spoil it, did you? Especially when the payoff isn't going to happen until issue 15... at least. I'm not that cruel.)
I have to say, these are the bits you live for as a writer - or at least I do. Not the moments when the characters 'talk to you' (because I don't feel they do; wanky as it sounds, I feel like they just talk, I listen and transcribe) but when the character's actions suddenly skew the plot in a new and altogether better direction than the way you were already travelling. That's when you give thanks to The Muse.
Well, I am knackered, as we say in England; I think I've written over 7,000 words of this issue in the last couple of days. Don't get too excited yet but I think the groove may be back. Shhhh! I said don't get excited....
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