Category: Blog (Page 18 of 25)

How the Cosmic Eating Contest Went Awry

May 1, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

(Disclaimer: the title of this blog post has nothing to do with its content. Rather, it’s meant to get you to read the piece. Apologies to those interested in cosmic eating contests.)

I went to an art show last week with my mom. She entered a painting of my aunt’s cat (it was the best one there, in my opinion). Before the winners were announced, we browsed through the other paintings. Each had a title, and one in particular caught my eye.

Its name was: “Waiting for the Slutty Nun.” I needed to see this piece.

No, I don’t have a thing for slutty nuns. Rather, the title was so outrageous, so striking, that I couldn’t not be interested in the painting. I wasn’t the only one; people chattered about the piece before they’d even seen it.

For me, this experience reinforced the idea that a good title is essential for any piece of art. An accurate label isn’t enough. If we want to get people excited about our work before they even see it, a good title is essential.

For writers, the title of a book or story is often the first point of contact between the reader and the work. If they’ve never heard of you or your writing before, you want to make a good first impression. A great title sparks that initial interest—which is exactly what we’re looking for.

Furthermore, a good title can help our work stand out from others. For instance, let’s say you wrote a truly outstanding crime novel. It’s suspenseful, unpredictable, and exciting. Plus, it’s unlike other crime novels because it takes place on the moon. Clearly, this is a pretty unusual story. Yet if you give it a generic title like “The Murder,” you’re not showing how your piece is different from others.

Lastly, great titles are perfectly paired with their stories. I’m thinking of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Imagine if that book had a different title, like The Firemen or The Book Burners. Wouldn’t it just not be the same? No other title quite captures the essence of the story so perfectly (451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which paper ignites, by the way). Plus, that title would never fit quite right on any other novel. Fahrenheit 451 is the perfect name for that book, and only that book.

For us writers and artists in general, I think agonizing over the perfect title is well worth it. Let’s not settle for the generic—let’s be inventive. Evocative. Bold. Or, if you’re a nun, maybe even a little slutty?

Scrivener: Disorganization Gets the Boot

April 3, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

If you’ve ever written written a novel, then you’ve probably experienced an especially terrifying organizational nightmare. I’m talking character outlines, story outlines, pages and pages of research, random ideas, maybe even illustrations of people or places—and that’s all before you even start writing the actual draft. While programs like Word and Pages might be just fine for the average writer, you need something with a little more umph.

Enter Scrivener.

Created with long-form writers in mind, Scrivener might be one of the best tools a writer could dream of. I found it more or less on accident (I thank you, almighty Google), and I was happy to purchase it. Let’s take a look at some features.

1. You know those story ideas scattered all over your desktop? Put them in one place.

This is probably my favorite feature of Scrivener: you can consolidate everything in one document. No more flipping between pages to see your research and your working document. You can do a split screen with the manuscript on one half and your overly-detailed character outline on the other.

The research function is also very cool. Let’s say you’re writing a crime novel set in the 20’s, and you’d like to know what sort of forensic capabilities folks had back then. You’ve found your article, but you already know you’ll have to refer back to it many, many times before the book is done. With Scrivener, you can add the web page right to your document and glance at it whenever you want.

2. You can view and rearrange chapters.

I have a pretty lousy memory, but I doubt I’m the only person who can’t remember what happened in chapter one, especially when working on a really long piece.

Scrivener allows you to enter quick details about your chapters in notecard form. You can give yourself a brief summary of what happens in each chapter for quick reference. If you’re juggling multiple POV characters, you can even throw that onto the notecard. It’s a great way to save yourself some time.

Furthermore, Scrivener lets you rearrange entire chapters. Say you have a flashback that you think needs to come sooner. Instead of doing a massive cut and paste in Word (that just sounds dangerous), you can pick the chapter up and place it elsewhere.

3. You can compile your manuscript with ease.

Many authors find it difficult to compile manuscripts into ebook form. I’ve never had to do it, but I can only imagine the struggle of convincing word processors to agree with me. Scrivener compiles your writing into many forms, including regular manuscript form and, yes, ebook form. And it doesn’t fight about it, either.

A program as complex as this has a steep learning curve. I had to take a few hours just to go through the tutorial materials, including text and video, in order to learn how to do some of the fancier features. However, the time you spend on this step will be saved many times over in the future, when you’re not fumbling over formatting.

I really like Scrivener. It helps organize my work, puts everything in one place, and, best of all, makes me look like I actually know what I’m doing.

5 Reasons You Should Be Hyped for Starz’s American Gods

March 27, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

On April 30th, one hell of a TV series comes to Starz. I’m talking about American Gods, based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman. This is my favorite novel ever, and I am hyped for the series. Here’s why you should be, too:

1. The Story is Especially Relevant Today

American Gods is about a stoic man named Shadow Moon (played by Ricky Whittle) who’s released from prison, only to find that his wife Laura (Emily Browning) has tragically died. Lacking direction, Shadow encounters a grifter by the name of Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane), who is far more than he appears. In fact, he’s the Norse god Odin.

Here’s the coolest part: Mr. Wednesday is recruiting forgotten gods for an epic confrontation with modern gods. The old gods consist of deities brought to America from other countries. The new gods represent airplanes, the internet, cell phones, and modern technology in general.

That’s an apt metaphor for how we live today. And though Gaiman first published the novel in 2001, this central premise is even more accurate today. We devote so much time, money, and energy to our tech that it really is almost like worship.

2. The People Behind the Show Are Outstanding

For starters, Bryan Fuller and Michael Green serve as creators. Though you might not recognize their names, they’ve worked on series you know, such as Pushing Daisies, Heroes, Hannibal, and Gotham. These guys are good.

Also, the cast is excellent. In addition to the aforementioned Whittle, Browning, and McShane, the show also features Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black), Crispin Glover (Back to the Future), Cloris Leachman (Young Frankenstein), Peter Stormare (The Big Lebowski), Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), Orlando Jones (Mad TV), Dane Cook (Dan in Real Life), Kristen Chenoweth (Wicked), and Corbin Bernsen (Psych).

Impressed? Me too.

3. Neil Gaiman is “Very Involved”

They’re taking a page from Game of Thrones’s book with this decision. Clearly, the person behind the original story should be the one with heavy input on the project. Plus, Gaiman already has experience in television; he created the BBC series Neverwhere. The guy knows what he’s doing.

4. They’re Expanding on the Original Story

Adaptations are far more interesting when they go beyond the source material, rather than regurgitate it. Good news is, American Gods seems to be doing just that.

The first season will cover the first third of the novel or so. Then, if we get later seasons, they’ll cover later parts of the book. Also, the companion novel Anansi Boys could become part of the show, should popularity allow it. Let’s hope so!

5. The Trailer Looks Sick

I don’t think I need to say much more about this one.

I hope I’ve successfully hyped you up for this show. Check it out on April 30th!

3 Podcasts Writers Will Love

March 13, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

Sound Wave

I love podcasts. I listen to them when I work, when I work out, when I do the dishes, when I drive. I pretty much listen to them all the time. For those who don’t know, they’re kind of like free downloadable radio shows for your phone. In other words, they’re great.

There are tons of podcasts for writers out there. Here are some of the best I’ve heard. They’re all free to download, so check them out!

Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

Geek’s Guide has been my favorite podcast for quite a while. If you like fantasy, science fiction, and geeky stuff in general, it might become your favorite too.

Each week, host David Barr Kirtley interviews writers, movie producers, scientists, theorists, journalists, and more. Some of the show’s more notable guests have included George R.R. Martin, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Simon Pegg, and Michael Chabon.

Recently, author George Saunders joined the show to discuss his new novel Lincoln in the Bardo. This episode will make writers salivate. Saunders goes in-depth on inspiration, speculative elements in fiction, and his origins as a writer. Really good show here.

This American Life

If you loved Serial (of course you did), you’ll love This American Life, too. It’s a similar structure, only instead of one story told for an entire season, each weekly episode examines three to five smaller ones.

Though this show isn’t aimed specifically at writers, this show is sure to inspire you. Depending on the week, you’ll get stories that are amusing, strange, profound, exciting, or tense (plus some other adjectives I can’t think of).

One of my absolute favorite episodes features a story about two comedians who just so happened to appear on Ed Sullivan on a very special night in 1964. I won’t say anything else.

Dissecting Dragons

I discovered this show a few weeks ago, and I already love it. Hosted by authors Madeleine Vaughan and Jules Ironside, the show explores every aspect of writing speculative fiction.

The hosts are well-read and have a tight grasp on what makes stories tick. When they discuss a subject, they go in depth. For example, their episode on dragons covered all sorts of dragon myths from numerous different cultures, as well as more contemporary fiction. They even have a establish the key distinctions between dragons and wyrms, so you know they did their research.

Those are just a few of the podcasts I enjoy. What shows are you listening to? Let me know in the comments below.

Using Duotrope to Publish Your Short Fiction

February 13, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

Writing short stories is tough. Getting them published might be even tougher.

But hey, you’re not alone. Though you might not know it from a quick Google search, online markets for short stories are plentiful. The key is finding the right place for your story.

The best solution I’ve found is a handy little site called Duotrope. If you need help tracking submissions, learning more about publishing tendencies, or discovering brand new markets, you’re gonna dig Duotrope.

Track Those Submissions

When you create your account, here’s what you’ll see first:

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Duotrope shows how many pieces you’ve got out in the wild currently, how many submissions you’ve made in the past 12 months, and your acceptance ratio. Plus, you can get knee-deep in the nitty and the gritty.

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I love this screen because it gives me a quick glance at what stories are where and what’s happening with them. Also, the constant rejections make you feel like a real writer.

Detailed Market Details

Hate waiting? Me too. If you want to know what markets get back with a “yes” or “no” the fastest, this is your screen.

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As you can see, these range from the expedient to the glacial. Honestly, unless I absolutely love a particular market, I won’t submit to them if they’re on the slowest list. By contrast, if they’re on the fast list, I’m much more likely to send them my story.

This next report is one of my favorites. The percentages listed here indicate what portion of submissions are accepted.

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For writers, getting our names out there is essential. Approachable markets allow us to do that, even if they can’t always pay us.

Discover New Markets

Before I found Duotrope, I searched for new markets with search engines. I soon found that though Google is great for finding memes, it’s not so great for finding online fiction magazines. Here’s why:

When you search with Google, their systems prioritize sites with high domain authorities. This means that sites which generate more web traffic and have more content will appear higher on the results list. However, since you’ve probably heard of all these places before (think F&SF, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed), Google probably isn’t helping you find anything new.

Duotrope, on the other hand, allows you to get super specific with your searches. By doing so, you can find far more new destinations for your writing.

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Check out all those criteria. For best results, mark off as many categories as possible. You’ll be amazed at how many as-before unknown markets appear.

In Conclusion

Duotrope is one of the best companions a writer can have. Though there is a $50 yearly subscription fee, I think it’s well worth the small investment. Check it out and decide for yourself!

Should You Publish Your Fiction to Your Website?

February 6, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

A few days ago, I published a piece of flash fiction to my website. It was the first—but not the last—time I’ll do it. The piece I went with is called “Large Coffee, Black.” It’s a quick little tongue-in-cheek horror story for coffee drinkers.

Many folks on the internet think publishing work to your website is a good idea. Just as many think it isn’t. After trying it myself, I’m in the former camp. If you’re debating whether or not to publish your fiction on your website, here are a few things you should consider.

Pick a Piece You Really Like

Put a lot of thought into what you’re going to post. Don’t just share any old story you wrote in high school (unless it’s awesome). Choose a piece that you love and can’t wait to share. Make sure it’s something that represents you as a writer.

I chose “Large Coffee, Black” because it was fun to write. A dude falls in love with coffee, and things go from there. It’s pretty strange, but then, that’s part of the reason I like it so much. Also, I think it was pretty unlikely to be published elsewhere.

That’s not to say the quality is poor (I hope!). It’s just that it’s a very strange piece, not quite mainstream enough for a mainstream audience and not quite speculative enough for a speculative fiction audience. I could shop it around for a while and probably never place it anywhere, or I could share it with people who will (hopefully) enjoy it.

Why couldn’t I publish it on my site and also in other online markets? Glad you asked.

Once It’s Published, It Can’t Be Published Again

This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but a lot of pro-paying online fiction markets don’t accept unsolicited reprints. Which means they won’t take anything that’s already been published—including material on your website.

Sure, some online markets accept reprints. They always take them at a reduced rate, however, and they’d much rather have original work. Therefore, the requirements for acceptance will be much more stringent for you than they will be for someone whose piece hasn’t yet been published.

Of note: if you’re an independent author, none of this matters. Even if you’ve already published your work on your website, you can republish again on Amazon without penalty. A lot of indie authors do this with serial fiction, or with short story collections.

Be Okay with Giving Your Work Away for Free

The purpose of publishing on your website is not to make money—at least, not directly. Once you hit submit, anyone anywhere can read your piece for no cost. Some people use this as a reason not to publish on a personal site, but I think they’re missing the point.

If you’re selling a product, any product, consumers will be less likely to convert if they haven’t seen said product in action. Writing is the same; most people buy books from authors they’ve already read and liked. It takes good reviews and positive word-of-mouth referrals for readers to try new authors. Or, a good sample.

That’s the beauty of giving away a good piece of writing. Readers can read your work at their leisure, and, if they like your sample, they’re far more likely to check out the next thing you write.

So Should You Post Your Fiction to Your Website?

Publishing on my website was the right thing for me. I came to that decision after a lot of thinking and a lot of reading. If you’re considering posting your fiction on your website, I’d recommend doing some research of your own.

Every writer wants his or her work to be read. So why not publish something and get it out there?

…

You’ve already heard so much about “Large Coffee, Black,” so why not read it here?

Computer Imagery, Ethics, and Grand Moff Tarkin

January 23, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

Image from Wikipedia

A while ago, I wrote a story about a future in which all actors are computer generated. In my story, advertisers acquire the rights to the likeness of Marlon Brando, which they subsequently use in an ad for an erectile disfunction pill, thus giving his most famous lines from The Godfather new meaning. For example: “Act like a man!”

I wrote this story thinking that it wouldn’t come true for another few decades, if ever. The funny thing is, it already happened.

If you’ve seen Star Wars: Rogue One, then you know that Grand Moff Tarkin makes an appearance. You also know that he looked a bit off in the film. That’s because Peter Cushing, the actor who pioneered the role in A New Hope, died over two decades ago. The Tarkin of the film is completely computer generated.

This is not the kind of thing Hollywood needs to be doing. Here’s why:

For starters, there was no legitimate reason to recreate this character through CGI (computer-generated imagery). Though he played a somewhat important role in the original Star Wars, it’s not like he was Luke Skywalker. Most casual Star Wars fans wouldn’t know him from Count Dooku.

Why not just recast the role? Any older, gaunt, severe British guy would’ve done the job. In fact, Charles Dance comes to mind as a perfect replacement (the dude who played Tywin Lannister on Game of Thrones). Filmgoers are smart enough to understand that two different actors can play the same role—especially if one of them passed away.

Furthermore, the current technology isn’t even good enough to completely achieve the effect they’re aiming for. The creators of Rogue One tried their damnedest, but human mannerisms are difficult to replicate. We’re all so familiar with human movements that any little deviation makes the whole illusion fall apart.

The Tarkin of Rogue One, for example, looks pretty darn real in still images. But when he walks and especially when he talks, he looks pretty darn artificial. (There’s another CGI cameo at the end that looks even worse, but I won’t spoil it for you.) I mean, come on. K-2SO looked more realistic than this dude.

And another thing: though the Cushing estate signed off on the film, what if Peter Cushing himself had hated it? What if he wouldn’t want to be involved at all? If this film is any indication for the future, studios don’t care. So long as the family agrees to the project (and gets a hefty check for doing so), then it doesn’t really matter what the actor would’ve wanted.

To illustrate, let’s imagine that Studio Whatever is producing their yearly superhero film. They’ve determined that these movies generally skew toward millennials and away from baby boomers. So, in order to increase their viewership among the older age group, they decide to cast Marilyn Monroe in the film.

Now we’ve got a celebrated cultural icon appearing in some stupid DC crossover movie directed by Zac Snyder. And by the way, she wouldn’t even be able to turn the project down, because she’s dead. It would be just as bad as it sounds.

I hope Hollywood considers what they’re doing before they decide to do more. Otherwise, they’re going to put Marlon Brando into an ad for erectile dysfunction. And I don’t think anyone wants to see that.

Cloud Atlas: One of the Best Books I’ve Ever Read

January 16, 2017 / Kyle A. Massa

With one novel, David Mitchell became one of my favorite authors.

But, then again, Cloud Atlas can hardly be considered just one novel. It’s more like six interrelated novellas, five of which are interrupted halfway through. Each has a drastically different setting and style, ranging from a mid-19th century series of journal entries from a South Pacific voyage to an oral account of futuristic, post-apocalyptic Hawaii. Oh, and each character discovers the story of the character from the previous setting in each novella. Also, all but one of the main characters are related, though they are not descendants of one another.

Sound confusing? That’s part of what makes it so awesome.

Cloud Atlas is one of those books where you’ll finish it, put it down, and never stop thinking about it. Mitchell draws parallels across time and space and worlds. He switches from genre to genre like a chameleon changes the color of its skin. And, perhaps best of all, he challenges his readers to piece together an intricate literary puzzle.

Though each narrator has her/his own narrative arc, Cloud Atlas does not have the typical cause-and-effect plot of the average bestseller. I argue that it’s more an exploration of theme and idea than a linear story. The form of the novel reflects these enduring themes, showing that even through changing eras, human nature remains fundamentally constant. It’s tough to get at first, but once you finish the novel, you’ll see it.

Though I absolutely love this novel, some may find certain sections to be less enjoyable than others. I myself find “An Orison of Somni-451” to be rather dry, though a friend of mine likes it very much. That same friend dislikes “The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish.” I, on the other hand, think it’s hilarious. With so many genres in one book, I guess you can’t please everyone…

That said, I think each story is enjoyable because they’ve all been written by the same person. I mean, how many authors out there can say that they combined comedy, drama, suspense, and science-fiction, all in one book?

A work of creative genius. There’s no other way to put it. It’s one of the most innovative, most brilliant, most enjoyable novels I’ve ever read. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 9.5/10

Like this review? I’ve got more where that came from. See them here.

Why Do We Care When Characters Die?

December 12, 2016 / Kyle A. Massa

Why’d you have to take Ned Stark, man?

Did you cry when Bambi’s mom got shot?

It’s okay. You can admit it. Though we know they’re not real, the death of fictional characters evokes real emotion in us. I find that amazing. After all, when fictional character die, we’re essentially mourning the loss of someone who does not, has not, and never will, exist.

The question is: why? Why do we care when a nonexistent character bites the dust?

I don’t claim to know the answer. But I do have some theories.

Here’s the first: we humans can’t help but empathize. When characters feel realistic, when we become invested in them, they become mirrors. We see our own traits reflected back at us, both the good and the bad. We draw parallels between our lives and theirs. So, when one of them dies, we see parts of us dying, too. And nobody likes that.

Here’s another: the more time we spend with characters, the more we become attached to them. Especially in book series, TV series, and film franchises, we watch these characters grow, watch them succeed and fail, watch them change with us. I think this is especially true for something like the Harry Potter series, in which the readers/viewers grow up right alongside the characters. When you’re going through the same experiences with another person at the same time, you’re likely to form a connection with them (even if they’re made up).

My third and most out-there theory: death in fiction reminds us of our own mortality. A popular theory of filmmaking states that we love movies because they solve problems in a matter of hours that are otherwise unsolvable in real life. In The Lord of the Rings, for example, Frodo extinguishes every last shred of evil in the world just by tossing some jewelry into an active volcano. Of course, we know that destroying (or even defining) evil is not that simple. But it’s still satisfying to see it done in fiction.

When characters die, however, it’s a subconscious reminder of the real world. We react so strongly to death in fiction because it reminds us that problems like death can’t be solved, not even in fictional realities.

It’s weird, but as much as they can sometimes upset us, character deaths often shape good fiction. Without people dying left and right, would A Song of Ice and Fire be the compelling series that it is? Definitely not. No matter what the reason, killing beloved characters is an essential part of fiction.

But still. Bambi’s mom was over the line, Disney.

When to Say Goodbye to Your Book

December 5, 2016 / Kyle A. Massa

Manuscript

When we’ve invested time and effort into writing a book, it’s hard to put it on hold. And it’s even harder to shelve it forever. But knowing when to step away is an essential skill. Here’s why.

Think of the first book you ever wrote. My first book was a Lord of the Rings knockoff, only with werewolves, pirates, and minotaurs thrown in. I called it The Realm. (Imaginative title, huh?)

For a few years, I worked on making The Realm the best it could be. I spent hours writing and rewriting chapters, planning prequels and sequels, creating timelines. As a high schooler working on my first official long-form narrative, I convinced myself that The Realm was good. Really good.

But the more I worked on the book, the uglier it got. As I mentioned, it’s a lot like a lot of other fantasy books, right down to the chosen one, the wise old mentor, the shadowy dark lord, and the deranged drug addict in the loin cloth (one of those is a joke).

Maybe if I devoted a ton more time to it, I could salvage The Realm, give it its own identity. But would it be worth all that time?

At some point, I decided the answer to that question was no. So I put the project away and moved on to a new one.

This, I think, is one of the most important and difficult skills to acquire for a writer. Simply deciding when to step away from a project—or even abandon it altogether—is difficult, but necessary.

Truth is, tons of successful writers do this very same thing. They work on many projects that never make it outside their desk drawer, then finally one of them gets published.

Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, for example, wrote seven unpublished manuscripts before his official first book hit the shelves. Even though the guy’s a good author, I’m willing to bet those first seven just weren’t good enough. Sure, he could’ve tried making them better. Instead, he moved ahead to the next project. Seems like it worked out for him.

Deciding when to say goodbye to your book is a constant cost-benefit analysis. If I put in the time to improve this piece, will it ever be outstanding? Or could I be working on a different piece with greater potential?

It’s a tough decision. But if you choose correctly, it can only help your writing.