Kyle A. Massa

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The Perks of Keeping a Notebook

June 25, 2018 /

Ideas are the fuel that keep writers going. Without them, we find ourselves with an empty tank on the side of the road.

Notebooks are great at refueling that creative need. Here’s why you’ll love having one:

Record What Inspires You

Everyone has ideas every day. Ideas for businesses, solutions to problems at work, new ways to reconfigure the living room furniture—ideas are everywhere.

Notebooks

The thing is, ideas tend to flutter away in the wind if you let them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a cool story while drifting off to sleep, only to awaken having completely forgotten it.

That’s what your notebook is for. At the very least, it preserves your ideas. At best, your notebook will provide you inspiration when you need it most.

Take Your Notebook Everywhere

What kind of notebook should you get? A small one. Your notebook is for snippets, not entire stories. Get something light, portable, and pastel (that last part is optional).

Every idea you have, no matter how inconsequential, should go into your notebook. When you think of something, write it down. When you hear a turn of phrase you enjoy, write it down. If you hear a name that might go well on that protagonist you’re working on, write it down. You never know what might inspire you a week, a year, or even decades later.

Whatever you do, make sure your notebook is portable. It’s important to keep it on-hand at all times, so you never miss an idea.

Refer Back to Your Ideas When You Need Them Most

I woke up the other day to do some writing and found that I had nothing to write about. Really, I couldn’t think of a thing. So, I turned to my notebook. I found the following line, which I’d written on December 19th, 2012: “The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman.”

That’s a line from William Shakespeare’s King Lear. I don’t think he was referring to Ozzy Osbourne there, but whatever. It’s a cool line, and it helped inspire an entire short story.

Your notebook is only as powerful as you make it. Take it with you wherever you go; give it your thoughts and interests. And next time you find yourself out of creative fuel, refer back to it. You never know where those ideas might take you.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

Celebrating Father’s Day with 4 Famous Dads of Sci-Fi & Fantasy

June 17, 2018 /

Happy Father’s Day! Since today is the day of the dads, the timing’s perfect to give shoutouts to some famous fathers. And since I’m a science fiction and fantasy fan, I’ve chosen four dads from those genres. Take a look!

1. Ned Stark, A Song of Ice and Fire

Ned Stark

Illustrated by Michael Komarck, from awoiaf.westeros.org

Does your dad give you a dire wolf, chop off fugitives’ heads with a gigantic sword, and serve as the vice president of his kingdom? Eddard Stark of Winterfell did, and that’s why he’s first on our list.

Ned makes his first (and tragically, last) appearance in A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. He’s an all-around good guy, known throughout Westeros as an honorable warrior, a just ruler, and yes, a good dad. It’s not easy ruling a kingdom while raising five kids (plus a bastard son), but Ned and his wife Catelyn make it work.

But what makes Ned such a great dad is everything he does for his children. He offers his son Bran guidance for being a lord. He offers his daughter Arya a sword and a fencing instructor, even though Westerosi girls aren’t usually given such gifts. And when he dies, he does so to save his daughter Sansa. Ned’s relationships with all six of his children are carefully developed.

Anyway, I’m still bummed about his death. Let’s move on, before I start tearing up.

2. Darth Vader, Star Wars

“What did you do at work today, Dad?”

“Oh, not much. Just force choked a guy for not following orders.”

It’s probably a good thing Darth Vader isn’t your dad. He’s certainly not the typical father, what with his proclivity to the dark side and all. And though we don’t know exactly what Vader looks like under all that armor, I’d say it’s safe to assume he doesn’t have a dad bod.

Of course, Vader is perhaps best known for uttering one of the most famous lines in movie history: “Luke, I am your father.” He was clearly looking for a Father’s Day gift and got irked when he didn’t receive one. Understandable.

On a more sentimental note, Vader’s reconciliation with his son Luke in Return of the Jedi is what earns him a spot on this list. It shows us that deep down, he truly does love his son. I mean, if you hurl an electrified old weirdo in a hoodie down a mineshaft, that totally qualifies you for father of the year.

3. Thanos, Avengers: Infinity War

Thanos

Okay, this is probably a bad joke. Thanos makes is a great villain, but he’s pretty much the worst dad in the universe, Marvel Cinematic or otherwise. A short list of his deeds: he sends three of his kids to get killed by the Avengers, pits his daughters against each other to see who can kill more, then hurls his favorite kid off a cliff. Come on, man.

4. Mr. Wednesday/Odin, American Gods

Mr. Wednesday is Odin, and Odin is the All-Father. So if he’s everybody’s dad, I suppose there’s no way to justify not having him on this list.

More specifically, Shadow Moon, main character of Neil Gaiman’s classic novel American Gods, is Mr. Wednesday’s biological son. And perhaps their best father-son moment is when Wednesday and Shadow pull off a two-man con together. It’s a weirdly heartwarming moment, especially if you read it knowing that they’re related. After all, there’s nothing like working on a project with your dad (even if it is stealing cash from the unsuspecting).

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads of the world, and especially my dad. Hope it’s an awesome day!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.



3 Mistakes Writers Make When Writing Dialogue (And How to Fix Them)

June 11, 2018 /

Good dialogue is a pleasure to read. However, writing dialogue is not always a pleasure to create. As with any difficult task, sometimes we make mistakes.

DialogueFortunately for you, I make mistakes all the time. So here are three mistakes I’ve made when writing dialogue, along with some thoughts on how to avoid them. Hope you can learn something from it!

1. Overdoing Voice

Conventional wisdom states that every character should have a unique voice. While this is true, sometimes we writers make the mistake of taking this tip too far. For instance, I remember writing a character whose every other line ended with the word “chief.” Some examples:

“You gonna finish that, chief?”

“That’s it, chief, go that way.”

“Chief, you better listen to me. I’m about to lose it.”

Don’t worry, I’m laughing at it, too. Unintentional comedy is often the funniest kind.

Anyway, we definitely want our characters to have unique voices. But we also want them to sound like real people, not repetitive weirdos. Some writers overpack their characters’ dialogue with “ums” and “you knows.” Others overdo accents, turning every “your” into “yer” and every “isn’t” into “ain’t.” To be clear, I’m not calling these techniques useless. Let’s just remember that a little goes a long way.

Of note: I think it’s useful to exaggerate dialogue in early drafts. Doing so oftentimes helps us get a strong grasp of the character. In the first draft, put in as many “chiefs” as you like. Just don’t forget to scale it back to a reasonable level.

2. Being Expository

“I’m feeling so conflicted right now,” said Solara. “I could get the vanilla, but I really like chocolate. I only have enough for one scoop. Such a dilemma!”

This dialogue is just as bad as the guy who says chief all the time—maybe worse. Dialogue is at its best when it’s subtle rather than heavy-handed. When characters state exactly what they think, it feels inauthentic. People rarely say exactly what’s on their minds. Rather, they more often hint at it through subtext.

When I feel like my dialogue is too expository, I often define the information I’m trying to impart, then decide how to show that information without stating it. In the above example, Solara might instead ask her friends, “Have you had the vanilla here before?” Or maybe she asks for sample of both flavors, thinks a moment then says, “Wait. Sorry. Can I try them one more time? Please?” There are plenty of ways to show that the character’s conflicted without injecting that exact message into our dialogue.

3. Relying Too Heavily on Dialogue

People talkingI studied screenwriting in college. Afterward, I switched over to prose. I’ve stayed there ever since. The funny thing is, sometimes you might read my manuscripts and think you’re reading a movie script. Sometimes I get into a mode where my scenes are all dialogue and no description.

If you’re writing prose, using too much dialogue is like buying a tool kit and only using the hammer. The novel form grants us access to the authorial voice, so we should use it. If we try to develop everything with dialogue (character, backstory, plot, setting, conflict), we run the risk of committing mistake number two.

Of course, there are exceptions. Dave Eggers’s Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever? is a novel written entirely as dialogue. But this is an outlier. And let’s not forget that it was written by a guy who wrote seven other novels.

For those writing prose, dialogue is a tasty steak—but only when seasoned correctly. Think of non-dialogue sentences as your spices.

In Conclusion

Yes, writing dialogue is sometimes a pain. But that only means it’s a worthwhile pursuit. Let’s avoid these mistakes. Let’s stay determined. And please, let’s not write any characters who call people “chief.” Sorry for that.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.



Sympathy for the Titan: Thanos & How to Create a Good Bad Guy

May 29, 2018 /

In Avengers: Infinity War, Peter Quill calls Thanos “Grimace.” Funny insult, but Thanos is anything but a cartoon character.

Thanos

Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, is the central villain of Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster. If you’ve seen the movie already (I’m assuming you have, otherwise, why are you reading this?), then you know he’s an excellent villain. In fact, people all over the internet are raving about him. Some have even called him the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s best villain, full stop. (I think that distinction belongs to the Mandarin, but that’s just me.)

Thanos is indeed an excellent villain. Why is he so compelling? Why are audiences responding so well to such a bad dude? And for writers like you and me, what can we borrow from Thanos and share with our own villains?

Thanos is Tragic

Thanos’s life is a sad story. He’s an outsider with no home, and he’s pretty much the worst dad ever. He believes half the universe must die so the other half may live; this mission has left him utterly alone. Imagine having a calling for your entire life, which no one has ever agreed with or understood. That’s Thanos. His life is a tragedy. This is a significant reason why audiences respond so well to him.

Furthermore, the events of the film hit Thanos harder than any other character. Just after he’s collected all the Infinity Stones and his plan is finally set in motion, there’s a brief, somewhat hallucinogenic scene in which Thanos approaches a young Gamora, his adopted daughter who he sacrificed earlier in the film (told you not to read this). She asks if he accomplished what he said out to do; he answers yes. And when Gamora asks what it cost him, he says, “Everything.”

It’s these moments of humanity that make the character so resonant. It’s easy to write villains who commit terrible acts simply because the plot demands it. What is much more difficult, and ultimately more compelling, is a villain who earns our sympathy. Thanos does exactly that.

Thanos is Actually Kind of Right

Remember when I mentioned that Thanos has no home? It’s not because he’s been evicted. Rather, it’s because his home planet of Titan is dead. The cause of said death: overpopulation. In Thanos’s estimation, the resources of the planet could never sustain its demands. As a result, everybody went the way of the dodo.

Titan’s fate is essential to justifying Thanos’s evil plan. He’s not only claiming overpopulation is an issue—he’s actually witnessed its consequences. Likewise, the audience needs to see this as well. By observing the ruin of his home world, we as the viewers understand why he does what he does.

Furthermore, there’s a certain logic to his plan beyond the world of the film. Sadly, overpopulation is a real problem in the real world, as we know. Resources are not unlimited, at least not right now. So the film touches on a real issue, and works off a real problem.

Thanos is Positioned as the Film’s Protagonist

Thanos

Classic storytelling structure dictates a story’s protagonist strives to achieve a central goal. The antagonist, on the other hand, must prevent the protagonist from accomplishing said goal. We usually see protagonists portrayed as heroes and antagonists portrayed as villains.

Now let’s apply that framework to Avengers: Infinity War. The central goal of the film is Thanos’s pursuit of the Infinity Stones—which would then make him the protagonist of the film. And that would therefore make the Avengers the antagonists, since they want to prevent the protagonist from achieving his goal. Co-director Anthony Russo confirmed this notion by stating, “The moment I felt like we had cracked the movie creatively, was when we started to think about Thanos as the lead character of the movie.”

There you have it. Thanos is a great villain because in many ways, he’s not a villain. In many ways, he’s actually the film’s protagonist.

In my opinion, Thanos’s reputation as one of the MCU’s greatest villains is spot on. A great deal of care, time, and thought went into this character, and it shows. Who knew a big, buff purple guy could be so deep?

 

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.



Why the “This Meets That” Pitch Doesn’t Work

April 23, 2018 /

“It’s Star Wars meets Weekend at Bernie’s.”

“It’s Birdman meets Serial.”

“It’s Dashiell Hammett meets Kelly Link.”

Have you seen this style of pitch before? I have. I call it the “this meets that” pitch. I’m sick of it, and today I’d like to tell you why. Okay, here goes. I have a feeling this is going to be a controversial post…

“This Meets That” is Simplistic

Every work of art is unique, and yours is no exception. You’ve worked hard on it. You’ve rearranged, refined, iterated, and improved your story, likely over the course of months (or even years). The “this meets that” pitch oversimplifies all your hard work.

To put it another way, imagine someone pitched the sport of volleyball as “basketball meets tennis.” Not a bad comparison; Spiking a volleyball is similar to blocking a shot in basketball, and both volleyball and tennis involve hitting a ball over a net. But volleyball is about way more than spiking and a net. “This meets that” omits the subtleties that make the sport its own. It does the same to your story.

“This Meets That” is Risky

You know that picture of a young woman and an old woman combined? At first, you might only see one of the two. Yet when someone points out the other figure, you’ll likely notice it every time you see the picture. Once you see it, you can’t un-see it.

The same principle applies to your story. When you use “this meets that,” readers will constantly conflate your work with two others. What if your readers detest the stories you mentioned? What if your readers never heard of them? What if they feel your story doesn’t live up to the comparison? Describing your work in terms of others exposes it to unnecessary risk. And pitching a story should not be like rolling a dice.

“This Meets That” Doesn’t Age Well

At the risk of sounding like an old dude, storytelling is way different than it was back in my day. Modern books, movies, and TV shows spawn at an incredible rate. This hyper-production places greater importance on the new and the current. In 2008, “The Hunger Games meets Paper Towns“ might’ve made for a decent pitch. But 10 years later, that same description won’t carry the meaning it once did.

Similarly, if I pitched “Stranger Things meets A Quiet Place” today, that might get readers’ attention. But let’s say someone comes across that same pitch a few years from now. Stranger Things might be off the air and A Quiet Place might only exist on select streaming services. In other words, your “this meets that pitch” might become meaningless sooner than you think.

In Conclusion

The Mona Lisa is so much more than “paint meets canvas.” Likewise, our works are more than amalgams of others. Instead of focusing on how our stories are similar to previous stories, I believe we should highlight what makes them different. That, in my opinion, is the key to a great pitch.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.



The Infinity Draft: 3 Questions That Can Help End the Endless

April 16, 2018 /

There are novels in the world which do not end. This is not necessarily as cool as it sounds.

I’m talking about that novel you’ve been working on for five (or more) years. The one you enjoy for 50 pages, enjoy a little less for the next 50, then ultimately start over from the beginning. It’s the novel you rejigger again and again, endlessly. In honor of the new Avengers movie, I’m calling it the Infinity Draft. Plus it sounds cool.

I’m here to tell you that the Infinity Draft need not take up all your writing time. These three questions might help you finally put your project to rest.

1. Will Restarting Really Make It Better?

Before remodeling a kitchen, interior designers must seriously consider whether or not the project will actually improve the space. Likewise, as writers, we must only start over if we’re completely convinced doing so will make our book better. (Okay, I admit the kitchen metaphor breaks down somewhat when we’re talking about HGTV or the like. Whatever, I’m keeping it.)

Before rebooting your Infinity Draft, take a serious moment to consider why you’re doing it. Starting from scratch is serious stuff; it means a lot of added hours tacked onto what you’ve already done. Instead, I recommend doing your best to finish your Infinity Draft, even if you feel like it’s not working. Give yourself a few extra days to rediscover that passion you had for the project when you first imagined it.

2. What’s Not Working Here?

My Infinity Draft was an epic fantasy novel I started in high school. At first it was super fun, but the further I got into the story, the less I knew what to do. So I started over. Again, everything was going great…until I got lost in the plot. When I didn’t know how to proceed, I started over again. And again. And again.

When I look back on it, the book itself wasn’t the issue—it was my approach. I’d start with a handful of characters and a vague idea for an opening scene, then I’d write myself into a corner. I needed direction. Though I’m not really an architect (a writer who works strictly off an outline), I need to know where my story’s taking me. Otherwise, it goes nowhere.

This might be the cause of your Infinity Draft. Does your manuscript need more structure? Do you know your characters well enough to write an entire book about them? You might find that the solution isn’t just starting over completely. You might be better served developing an outline or focusing on your structure.

3. Are You Meant to Wait on This Story?

It’s difficult to admit, but it’s certainly a possibility. Your Infinity Draft might be plaguing you because it’s just not the right story for you at this point in your life.

Stephen King, for instance, conceived of the idea for 11/22/63 way back in the 70s. Yet the novel wasn’t published until 2011. That’s because he felt that as a young writer, he simply wasn’t equipped to write such an ambitious work. He shelved the idea for decades until he felt he was finally ready to come back to it.

Again, this is a really hard decision to make for any writer, but sometimes it’s the right one. Imagine if King just tried to write 11/22/63 over and over again. He may never have written Carrie, ‘Salem’s Lot, The Shining, or his other classics.

If you do indeed decide to shelve your novel, remind yourself that this isn’t goodbye. It’s just see you later, Infinity Draft.

In Conclusion

I hope these thoughts help you sort out your Infinity Draft. They can be a pain in the ol’ keister sometimes, but I do hope these thoughts help. Turn those Infinity Drafts into finished works of art!

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.



Story Ideas: Where Do They Come From and Where Can We Find More?

April 9, 2018 /
Lightbulb

It’s never this easy.

I’ve heard it said that great ideas are easy to come by—it’s the writing that’s the hard part. I don’t buy it!

On the contrary, I think when you start with a great idea, the writing blossoms from there. So the question is, how do we come by those great ideas?

Man, I wish I knew. I’m no more of an idea factory than anyone else. What I can say is, I’m always trying new methods. Some work, some don’t, but here are a few of my favorite idea generators.

Keep a Notebook

My mom encouraged me to do this, and I’m glad she did. Writer or not, everyone has a hundred ideas every day—it’s just that we remember few of them. That’s where the notebook comes in.

This thing should be the Robin to your Batman, so make sure it’s small enough to fit in your pocket. Whenever you have an idea, any idea, jot it down. It’s perfect for those thoughts that just need to gestate a bit, or perhaps an overheard conversation that would make a great scene of dialogue, or maybe a solution to that complex conflict between your central characters.

If you’re interested, Joan Didion’s essay “On Keeping a Notebook“ explores this topic with much more eloquence than I can. Check it out!

Focus on the Fun Ideas

This one seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of writers (including myself) seem to forget it.

I remember working on a manuscript for far longer than I should have, forcing my way through and groaning whenever it was time to write. Truth was, the initial idea turned out to be far more interesting than the piece itself.

Two months in, I realized I wasn’t having fun anymore. So I put the manuscript away, all 40,000 words of it.

I didn’t throw it away (more on that later), but I didn’t force it, either. Not every piece will be like eating ice cream, but fun should be an essential part of your writing process. After all, if you don’t have fun writing a piece, no one’s going to have fun reading it.

Don’t Abandon Anything

Even if you think you’ve just written the literary equivalent of Plan 9 from Outer Space, keep it! Every idea is like a seed. Some never grow. Some grow into shrubs and die in their first winter. But some flourish and grow tall. Pretty soon, you’ll have yourself one mighty fine-looking tree.

George R.R. Martin encourages young writers to never throw away anything, and here’s a good example why. In his introduction for Dreamsongs, Volume I, Martin describes one of his first forays into the epic fantasy genre. (Remember—this was a long time before A Song of Ice and Fire.)

“Dark Gods of Kor-Yuban” I called it, and yes, my version of Mordor sounds like a brand of coffee. My heroes were the usual pair of mismatched adventurers, the melancholy exile prince R’hllor of Raugg and his boisterous, swaggering companion, Argilac the Arrogant.

And later…

In the sequel, my exile prince finds himself in the Dothrak Empire, where he joins Barron of the Bloody Blade to fight the winged demons who slew his grandsire, King Barristan the Bold.

If you’ve read A Song of Ice and Fire, then you probably recognize the names R’hllor, Argilac the Arrogant, Barristan the Bold, and the Dothrak Empire. All those names reappear in his series!

So what does it take to make a great story idea? It takes hard work, deep thought, and perseverance. Truth is, ideas don’t always come to us—sometimes, we need to go find them.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. To stay current with Kyle’s work, subscribe to his email newsletter. He promises not to spam you.

Enter Late, Leave Early

April 2, 2018 /

No, the title of this post is not a reference to party etiquette. Rather, it’s a writing principle you might’ve heard before. When composing a scene, it’s often best to begin that scene as late as possible, then end it as early as possible.

Want to bring this concept to your own writing? Here are some thoughts on how to do it.

Entering Late

Dialogue should sound like real people talking, but only to a certain extent. One of my professors described good dialogue as, “The way people would talk if they had time to think of the perfect words.” This makes perfect sense to me. Because if our dialgoue sounds exactly like everyday speech, we’re going to get an annoyingly high percentage of “ums,” “uhs,” and “you knows.”

Now how does entering late/leaving early apply to writing fiction? Well, just think of all the pleasantries we exchange at the beginning and end of most conversations. They’re perfectly acceptable in a casual chat—less so in fiction. For example…

“Hey Marcel, how you doing?”

“Craig, what’s up, man? I’m doing alright. Yourself?”

“Good man, good. Just watching some X-Files. You busy right now?”

“I can talk for a second. What’s up?”

“Well, I uh, I heard the bad news. That’s tough man. People gotta stay off their cell phones when they drive.”

There. We finally arrived at the subject of Marcel and Craig’s discussion: a car accident. Problem is, we entered this conversation too late; the first four lines of dialogue really don’t do anything relevant (although one has to wonder what X-Files episode Craig is watching).

Here’s what it might look like if we start the conversation a bit later:

“Hello?”

“Tell me it isn’t totaled.”

“Hey Craig. Haven’t heard from the auto shop yet. Fingers crossed.”

Since we entered the scene later, we’re thrown right into the action. No messing around with inane chatter at the beginning. This leads to better scenes, better dialogue, and better stories.

Leaving Early

When you reach the end of an article, do you skip over the conclusion? Writing a scene is no different. Once you’ve made your point, people are less interested in anything that comes after. As writers, we should strive to end our scenes before that happens. Here’s another example using the characters from the previous scene:

“I’m just lucky to be alive.”

“Totally Marcel, totally. It was like a super bad wreck. But hey, you’re here now, and that’s what matters.”

“You said it, man.”

“Well, I better get going. The smoking dude just showed up.”

“Oh snap. Alright, later Craig.”

“See ya, Marcel.”

Though I haven’t written the whole scene, let’s presume Marcel and Craig have been discussing the accident. When we leave conversations too late, characters tend to restate what’s been said before. It’s super boring. This scene probably should’ve ended after that first sentence.

And another thing: I mentioned this in a previous post about line breaks, but I think it deserves repeating here. Statements are most profound when they come before a break. So the final sentence before your scene ends should be a good one. Which sounds better to you: “I’m just lucky to be alive,” or “See ya, Marcel”? The answer’s pretty clear.

Conclusion

In an effort to follow my own advice, I’m going to keep things short. Enter late, leave early. You’ll love the results.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. To stay current with Kyle’s work, subscribe to his email newsletter. He promises not to spam you.

Originality is Overrated

March 26, 2018 /

There, I said it. This is a thought I’ve had for a while now, though it’s been difficult to find the right words to express it. I hope I’ve found them here.

As writers, the works of other writers are equal parts inspiration and limitation. Stephen King might inspire you to become a horror writer, yet you might avoid writing a novel set in a haunted hotel. That would be too much like The Shining, right? It wouldn’t be original.

You know what? Screw originality. Write what you want!

So many writers decide not to pursue ideas simply because they believe it’s already been done. But so what? If your idea’s been done before, do it differently. Do it better. Do it with that personal touch only you can provide.

I’ll give you an example. One of my best friends told me he always had this idea for a story. You know the theory that humans only use a small percentage of their brain power? In my friend’s story, he imagined a character who takes experimental drugs which grant him access to the rest of his brain. This character develops hyper intelligence and extrasensory perception.

However, my friend told me he’d never write this story. Why? Because of the film Limitless. If you haven’t seen it, it’s almost exactly the same idea my friend had.

Hearing this really bummed me out. My friend was so excited about this story, yet the film killed his dream of writing it. I’m sure you’ve observed (or even personally experienced) a similar phenomenon.

Want my opinion (even though it’s not entirely original)? A similar existing work should never, ever stop you from working on a great idea.

The film Limitless, by the way, is based on a novel called The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn. But did you know that Ted Chiang published a similar story a decade earlier entitled Understand? His was also about a normal guy who took a drug that granted supernatural intelligence. And if we go back even further to 1959, we’ll find Daniel Keyes’s Flowers for Algernon, yet another story about a scientifically sharpened intellect.

Though the methods and general mechanics might vary from story to story, each bears a core similarity to the others. I don’t necessarily agree with those who claim there are no original ideas. I just think writers can always find ways to take existing ideas and make them their own.

We see this all the time in fiction. People say dragons are overdone in fantasy, yet George R.R. Martin writes A Song of Ice and Fire and suddenly they’re resurrected. People say you can’t do anything original with zombies anymore, and then The Girl with All the Gifts becomes a hit.

Don’t let an existing story preclude you from writing something amazing. If your idea is similar to another, make it your own. Put your personal spin on it. Most important of all, write it.

Originality is overrated. But individual creativity—now that’s something to strive for.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. To stay current with Kyle’s work, subscribe to his email newsletter. He promises not to spam you.

Should You Lie to Your Fellow Writers?

March 12, 2018 /

Imagine this. You just read a fellow writer’s work. Maybe this is a friend, a member of your writer’s group, a classmate. Whoever it is, you read their writing with the objective of giving them honest feedback.

One problem: you hated the piece you just read.

Okay, I know Mom always said hate is a strong word. But this is going to happen. Even if your fellow writers are very talented, you’re unlikely to enjoy their each and every work. Our preferences and interests don’t always line up with everyone else’s. At any rate, you’ve just read a piece you didn’t particularly care for. And now you’ve got to give feedback on it.

Now what? Should you tell your fellow writer the truth? That you think what they wrote just wasn’t very good? Or worse, that you thought it was plain bad?

You will almost certainly have these thoughts about other people’s writing. When you do, I strongly believe you should simply lie to your fellow writers.

As we all know, writing is a pain in the ass. It takes years to get good at, and even then there’s always something left to improve upon. It’s a process of drafts, revisions, meticulous editing, feedback collection, then repetition. Writing is hard. It requires a constant stream of dedication and positivity.

So when a reader reviews a written work in a preliminary stage and tells the author they hated it, such negative feedback can destroy the author’s confidence. It’s these kinds of comments that make writers quit on their projects, completely restructure their work, or say to themselves, “I guess I’ll never be a very good author.” There is, after all, such a thing as being too honest.

The basic gist: If our objective is to help a fellow writer get better at writing, sometimes it’s necessary to lie.

I’m not advocating an “It’s perfect!” approach, whereby authors simply pat each other on the back at every turn, pretending everything’s amazing and every page is publishable. This kind of attitude won’t help anyone achieve their potential. Rather, I’m advocating a balanced approach. If you can’t find anything you like about a particular piece, make something up. There are glimmers of success to be found in all writing, no matter how much we dislike it.

Also, I want to make it clear that I’m talking about writing in its preliminary stages here, not finished writing. If you read a published book and hate it, you’re certainly entitled to share your opinion. But a published book is finished, and therefore open to any kind of feedback, negative or otherwise. (Just try to be respectful.)

On the other hand, for unfinished manuscripts and the people working on them, one-star ratings are useless. In the nascent stages of development, writers need equal amounts of praise and constructive criticism. It helps us stay motivated and finish projects.

Yes, all comments on a work in progress should be constructive in nature. Simply saying, “I didn’t like it” does nothing to help a writer improve their work. The best readers offer solutions rather than only point out problems.

For example, imagine you just read a really bad manuscript. Here’s an example of some honest, yet constructive feedback you might provide:

I think this piece has a lot of potential. One place where I think you could concentrate additional time is on your protagonist. I don’t dislike her, but I don’t really like her, either. In this draft, she’s just sort of there. I have a very hard time connecting with her, I think because I don’t know enough about her. If you provide additional details into her past which explain why she behaves the way she does, I think it might be easier to identify with her.

Here we’ve started on a positive: “I think this piece has a lot of potential.” We’re acknowledging that the piece isn’t quite there yet, but that it can get there with the proper improvements. It’s also useful to start on a positive note because we writers are often sensitive folk. We want people to like our writing!

Next, we delve into specifics rather than generalities. Even if the entire piece really is a prolonged snore, lie to the author. Get specific about the boringness. Here we’ve highlighted an important element: the main character. Notice that we didn’t just write, “I don’t like her.” We’re communicating exactly what we think isn’t working. In our opinion, we don’t know enough about her. And then, finally, we offer a solution to the specific problem we’ve identified.

This is where we should be totally honest. Remember, the primary reason an author asks you to read their work is so they can make it better. Your general opinions on the quality of the work are often secondary. Because the truth is, first drafts are always bad. Writers know this. They just want to make them better.

So if a writer you know asks for feedback on a draft and you simply hate that draft, lie to them. Find something, anything you think they did right. Identify specific points where they can improve, rather than making sweeping, and ultimately unhelpful, negative statements.

Think of it as a fib if you have to. It’ll help your fellow writers very much.

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his fiancee and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction. To stay current with Kyle’s work, subscribe to his email newsletter. He promises not to spam you.

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