NO TV FOR ME

I don’t watch TV.  Back when they did that analog to digital switcheroo I just gave it up.

I don’t miss television at all.  Sure, sometimes someone mentions a TV show or a TV star and I give them the deer-in-the-headlights look, but those moments pass.  But all the time people waste watching television is time they will never get back.

If you really want to watch something that comes on or came on TV, you can always YouTube it.  Most of that junk is there.

If you like the news, you can get that off the internet.

The big advantage of not watching TV on a regular basis is that your mind is not irradiated into submission.  I really think people zombify if they watch too much TV.

If you want to catch a movie, go to the theater and enjoy the experience.  Movies on demand in your home theater is okay, but don’t treat the event like the typical TV watching event where it just blares while you barely pay attention.

I like well-made movies.  And I have no qualms with good stuff on TV.

But a steady diet of the box is not good for your brain.

It is better to pick up a book and use your imagination as the author leads you through a story.  Reading is a superior way to share imagery and to pose thought-provoking questions.  When you read, you become part of the story.

The Look For Me series was written like a screen play and it reads like a movie.  But it needs to end up on the silver screen not the box.  If it ends up on the box someday, I won’t get to see it.  No TV for me.

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WRITE FOR MONEY OR THE LOVE OF WRITING?

I suppose there are a lot of reasons people write.  One of the biggest factors, I think, is because certain people feel they have something to say and they do it through their creative writing.  Whether they are writing a piece of fiction (short story, novel, play, movie script) or a work of fact (a biography, history, how to, political commentary) putting pen to paper is a way to express oneself.

Some people write for money.  They will write anything as long as they get paid.  I don’t and I won’t.  I’ve turned down paying jobs because my heart was not in it.

Sure, it is nice to get paid and I have made my living as a working writer for many years, but money is not the driving factor for me.

Whether selling nationally distributed magazine articles, a motion picture screenplay, or a weekly local newspaper, it is nice to have the cash flow.  In fact, I’ve earned more than a million dollars in my lifetime as a result of my writing.  But, aside from the fact that I don’t have any of that money any more, it never was the money that made me write.  It was the belief that I could share ideas and maybe change the way people think.

The Look For Me series has some powerful ideas and I have already been amply rewarded by those who have read the books and told me that the story gave them a new perspective on life.  I’ll take that compliment any day and every day.  If what you write can change a person for the better, then it is worth writing—to me at least.  If the money comes after that, fine.  If not, that’s okay too.

Of course there is one advantage in getting paid for your writing.  If you are earning money doing what you love, then you will be put in the wonderful position of continuing to do it.

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HE SAID SHE SAID

Fiction writers often use flowery language when it comes to dialogue attribution.

“That sure was a big explosion!” yelled the police Captain.

“Who do you suppose did it?” smiled the investigator with surprise.

“I don’t know,” commented the Captain.

And so on.

I don’t like dialogue that is attributed with lines like “smiled”, “commented,” or other words that just clutter up what is being said.  The Captain can yell, yes, but the smiling and the commenting is overkill.

I prefer he said, she said.

In journalism, using the word “said” is plain and simple.  You don’t add any editorial bent by saying, “smiled the investigator…”  You just kill the dialogue with editorial judgment when you overdo the attribution.

I like to use the word “said,” and, in most dialogue exchanges, I don’t do any attribution at all.  If the reader is paying attention and has the scene in his head, he can follow along with just the dialogue—just like in real life.  (People don’t stop to attribute in real life and for dialogue to move along quickly, you cannot clutter it up with too much attribution.  Some is good, too much is bad.)

Here is a passage from Book Six (Knew You Before):

“Can you describe her?”

                “She’s young, like I said, in her twenties.  Her skin is flawless.  She has a very slender nose and she’s very pretty.  Her eyebrows accent her eyes and her eyes are large and piercing.”

                “What color?” 

                “Brown.”

                “And I see her mouth in a circle, when she screams, ‘Jacob’.  It’s burned into my brain.”

                “Who is she?” asked Wallace slowly.

                “I don’t know,” said Lauri.

                “You ever see her before?”

                “No.”

                “This is totally strange.  Two nights in a row,” said Wallace.  “Race?”

                “She’s American.”

                “No, I mean what ethnic race?”

                “She’s caucasian.”

                “What about Jacob?”

                “He’s a white man.  They’re both white.”

    “And her hair is brown?”

                “Yes, and his is sandy brown.”

                “This whole dream was in color?”

                “Totally.  Vivid.  Like it was real.  Like it was a movie and I was in it.  Seeing it through her eyes except at the very end where I see her face as she screams.”

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WHY SHORT PARAGRAPHS?

I write short paragraphs because of my training in journalism.  It is well known that people loathe big blocks of type and they are less likely to read something that is not broken up with white space.

In journalism, paragraphs are kept short (sometimes even only one sentence) because when the material is typeset in a newspaper with narrow columns, a few sentences in a single paragraph seems like a lot.

English teachers don’t like the journalism style.

But there is another advantage to writing short paragraphs in a novel.  Novels should be fun to read, and realizing.  If a reader has to struggle to get through a paragraph then his eyes tend to wander or may even get tired.

One of the comments I have heard over and over with respect to the Look For Me series is that once a reader gets going he finds it hard to put the books down.  As a writer, that is music to the ears.  If a book is put down, it may not be picked up again.

The Look For Me series is an easy read, but, it is an intellectual read.  You have to pay attention and you have to remember what you read in order to fully appreciate how the events unfold and how they interconnect.  That is one quality of the series that a lot of readers actually seem to like.  It is not boring when there are kinds of things going on at different levels.

To me, it is just a style.  But the style comes from having been in the newspaper business pretty much most of my life.

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Now, this same blog entry without paragraph breaks and you will readily see what I mean…

I write short paragraphs because of my training in journalism.  It is well known that people loathe big blocks of type and they are less likely to read something that is not broken up with white space. In journalism, paragraphs are kept short (sometimes even only one sentence) because when the material is typeset in a newspaper with narrow columns, a few sentences in a single paragraph seems like a lot. English teachers don’t like the journalism style. But there is another advantage to writing short paragraphs in a novel.  Novels should be fun to read, and realizing.  If a reader has to struggle to get through a paragraph then his eyes tend to wander or may even get tired. One of the comments I have heard over and over with respect to the Look For Me series is that once a reader gets going he finds it hard to put the books down.  As a writer, that is music to the ears.  If a book is put down, it may not be picked up again.  The Look For Me series is an easy read, but, it is an intellectual read.  You have to pay attention and you have to remember what you read in order to fully appreciate how the events unfold and how they interconnect.  That is one quality of the series that a lot of readers actually seem to like.  It is not boring when there are kinds of things going on at different levels. To me, it is just a style.  But the style comes from having been in the newspaper business pretty much most of my life.

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PHYSICAL WORK AND WRITING

I’m sure there are many different styles of writing but in my case I like to let the brain do the work while I’m off doing something else.

The human brain is an amazing computer.  When you input a bunch of data and let that stir around in your head for a while, interesting things happen.  The brain has a way of making plots work, creating dialogue, telling a story.

My technique is to get an idea, input some facts, and then let the brain cook on it.  I find that if I go do some physical work, the brain seems to take that story and put it on simmer and by the end of the day a small idea has often grown into a big idea.

Writers who sit at the typewriter (aka computer) and try to force a story tend to complain of “writers’ block.”  I never get writers’ block. The reason is that I don’t start writing until the story is already jelled in my mind.  Then, the writing process is just mechanical.

Think of fiction as telling your best friend a story.  If you are good at relating stories in person then writing is just another mechanical approach to something that you already do.

The Look For Me series was written with this technique and this very second, a scene in Book 7 (Return For You) is cooking in my mind.

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YOU NEVER KNOW

You just never know what each day will bring.  As a writer, everything is an adventure.  Today I was out mowing the lawn when a buddy of mine called and asked if he could drop by.  Okay.  Let’s grab a bite. 

So we went to one of the local restaurants and proceeded to carry on a conversation that included my telling him about a historical figure I had recently discovered who I said I wanted to incorporate into my latest writing, Book 7 (Return For You).  In fact, last night I wrote a scene in which I named her and my fictional character talked about her and wanted to be like her.  That device worked well in her effort to learn something about the bad guy—gaining access to a private meeting—she posing as a photographer for a big New York newspaper.  The date was September 26, 1899.

While we were having this conversation a fellow came over and said that it did not sound like a normal conversation and he introduced himself.  We chatted and laughed and eventually I wrote my contact information on an index card and slid it across the table to him.  He wrote his information on another card and handed it to me.

When I read his name, I said, “You’re the storyteller!”  He was surprised  and asked how I knew.  I lied and told him because I was smart.  Fact is, I’ve known of him for many years because of my newspaper.  He has a reputation for presenting his stories to live audiences at libraries and other gatherings.

Turns out, Tim Tingle is a successful writer, lives locally, and we agreed to get together to share some writing war stories.  I don’t know that I can teach Tim all the much, but I can certainly learn some stuff from him.

The bottom line is this:  You never know what is going to happen on a daily basis.  You have to be open to the things that come your way and you have to embrace the intricate web that surrounds each of us.

Tim writes historical fiction and said he wants to read the Look For Me series.  By all means, we will make that happen.

Tim is an Oklahoma Choctaw and his fiction has historically accurate backdrops just like the Look For Me series.  He has books where his characters time travel, just like the Look For Me series.  He talks about ghosts, just like the Look For Me series.  (I don’t call them ghosts.  Rather, I think of them as Guardian Angels or Spirits.)  I think Tim is going to love the series.

Go look at his stuff on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Tim-Tingle/e/B001JS76KY   

And Tim, when you read this, comment below and share with us your impressions of a chance encounter.

It was a pleasure meeting you.

GETTING ADVICE

I needed to write a scene where I wanted one of my characters to come across as really depraved.  I was looking for just one line that he could say that would seriously offend the female character and yet not offend readers. 

Some writers don’t mind offending readers, but I like my readers and I don’t want them slamming the book shut because I said something that reaches them personally.

But I do want them to hate certain characters.

So coming up with the right line in such circumstances is a little tricky.

After I had thought about it awhile I picked up the telephone and I called the most depraved person I know.  We had a good talk, and a good laugh, and at the end of the conversation the perfect line was hammered out.  He was flattered that I called for his advice and to be known as my favorite depraved human being.

What a delight.

The key is this:  Sometimes if you can’t think of what a character might say, ask someone.  Give a thumbnail description of the scene and just ask, “What would this guy say?”

I won’t tell you the line now, but it is in Book 7 (Return For You).

You will recognize it when you read it.  The line is perfect.

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MAKING TIME TO WRITE

One of the biggest problems of being a working writer who has not quite “made it” is the fact that you have to make a living while you are working on that Great American Novel.  You have to keep your day job, so to speak.

So how in the world will you ever have time to write?

Start by turning off the TV and shutting down all the useless input that bombards the typical household every day.  You don’t need these electronic devices blaring when you are trying to find time to write.

Next, try to schedule  your writing—an hour per day, or even a half-hour per day will work wonders.

Writers often work early in the morning or late at night when the phone stops ringing.

The key is to decide that writing is a priority and to push other things out of the way so that you will have time to do it.

In writing the Look For Me series I have to fight to have free time in which to work.  That has always been a problem for me.  That’s one reason that I do my thinking in advance and once I start writing it comes out pretty quickly.  If I didn’t write fast, I’d never have time to get it done.

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PUBLICITY

Publicity for your writing projects is essential to spread the word about your work.

I’ve done a fair number of radio programs over the years and I enjoy the format.  You can either go to the studio and sit with the host or you can call in and be interviewed over the telephone.

I was invited one time to speak on a book I had written called Merchants of Ignorance, about the public school system, and the host was so enthralled with the topic that he kept me on the air for two straight hours.  This was WOAI Radio in San Antonio, 50,000 watts, so we boomed across America.

You can’t buy publicity like that.

The trick is that the writer has to really know his topic, and, he has to be an engaging guest.  I do well at talking off the cuff, so I’ve always totally filled the time of any program I’ve been on.  In fact, normally the half-hour or hour goes so fast that the hosts often invite me back.

If you are good at something—radio, TV, internet programs—then make yourself available for interviews.  

This publicity is worth its weight in gold.

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USING FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN DIALOGUE

The Look For Me series has a smattering of foreign language.  I use other languages to add depth and color to some of my characters.  So far in the series I have included Dutch, French, Chinese and German.

Realizing that most English speaking readers will not be fluent in other languages, I use a technique that I think keeps the color but allows the reader to sail through the passages without running to the dictionary.

The trick is to say what you want to say in the foreign language and then paraphrase it within the context of the passage.  Here is an example from Knew You Before:

As she approached, Clemmens heard her coming and stood up.  He held a stein high into the air.

                “Meta!”

                Meta kicked Mope gently and she speeded up a little hill where Clemmons had built his fire.

                “Wie geht es Dir?”

                “Jetzt, da ich bei Dir bin, geht es mir sehr gut,” he replied with a smile.

                Meta loved to be flattered.  Now that she was there he was very well, he told her.  But she was nervous, too. She felt her heart beating wildly in her chest.

                “Lass mich Dir runter helfen,” said Clemmens as he reached up to help Meta down off the horse.

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EDITORIAL SUPPORT

It is essential as a writer that you have good editorial support.  No matter how much you think you get it all right, it is easy to make mistakes that you don’t notice when you are so close to something.

A good editor will catch your errors before they are published and make you look good.

The most recent project, which is Book 6 of the Look For Me series, titled Knew You Before, has some German dialogue that is intermixed with the English.

My general editor is a retired emergency room nurse from Canada.  She’s very thorough and does a great job of finding my errors.  But she does not speak German.

So fortunately I have a friend who was born in Germany and was able to rework my German dialogue so that it would sound right.

She said that the way I wrote some of the German sounded like a foreigner writing it.  Just as in English, there are ways of saying things that you can’t simply translate literally. 

The bonus is that she is a fan of the series and so getting her to study the German passages for grammar was not difficult.

People who like your work are your best supporters!

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ACCURATE IMAGINATION

HORSEMANSHIP.  The sixth book in the Look For Me series is called Knew You Before and there is a wonderful scene in which one of the characters is a young, beautiful, innocent, vulnerable woman who is covered over with responsibilities.  The setting is 19th Century and she takes a chance and rides her horse at full gallop across a wide open field.

The experience is so exhilarating for both her and her horse that she releases the reins and puts her hands out as though she is flying.  If you can imagine the scene on the motion picture screen, here is this big, powerful animal with all his muscles flexing, hot with sweat, charging ahead totally free, hooves just pounding the ground and the character is hanging on with just her legs, dress flying in the wind (yes, she’s in a dress), hair trailing behind—if you can imagine that—then you will have an understanding of the character and how she feels at that moment in time.  Of course, then, the horse leaps over something and we see this magnificent image in slow motion.  Wow.  Can’t wait.

But what about reality?  What about accuracy?  Originally I had the character release the reins and hold onto the saddle horn with one hand.  But, I sent the scene to a young lady I know—because I knew she had ridden horses all her life—and she said, no, you would never hold on to the saddle horn as I described it.  Instead, what you’d do is loop the reins around the horn so they don’t cause a problem, and then, if you are an experienced rider, you can put your hands out and pretend you are flying.  So, I made adjustments in the scene and there you have it. 

Fiction is a matter of imagining things, but, you have to imagine them accurately.

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WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW

Many writers will tell you that you should “write what you know.”  While I agree with that to some extent and even use that as one of the tips to writing fiction, it bears emphasis that you don’t have to draw from personal experience in order to write an engaging scene.

For example, you can write a space capsule scene without ever having flown in space.  However, to do a credible job of that you have to really understand what it is like to fly in space.  How do you do that?  Research, of course.  Talk to people who have done it.  Study what’s been written about it, look at films and photographs.

I have a unique perspective since I am both a psychologist and a journalist.  My mom used to say that I could ask more questions than anyone she’d ever met.  (I learned that from her when I was a teenager.)

When you ask questions, you learn.  But you also have to pay attention to the answers and you have to be able to put yourself inside the emotional  ether that surrounds those situations.  What did it look like?  How did it feel?  What were the fears?

So yes, you “write what you know” but you also “write what you research.”  The Look For Me series is a product of that.

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HISTORICALLY ACCURATE FICTION

HISTORICALLY ACCURATE FICTION.

The fun thing about writing historically accurate fiction is that you can interject your fictional characters into settings that really did happen.  Then, with the license that comes with authorship, you can alter reality, or, use your characters to explain how and why things “really” went down.

The key is to have a solid understanding of history as it was reported (knowing full well that whoever wins the war gets to write the history books.)

In the Look For Me series I alter time and space and that’s the element that makes the books so entertaining.  Even though you may know your history and even though you think you know what the characters did in the pages you’ve already read, ha, ha, what you believe to be true may not always turn out that way. 

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OSWALD DIDN'T DO IT

OSWALD DIDN'T DO IT.  If you want to know who killed JFK, my opinion is in Book 5 of the Look
For Me series, title, Without You.

A lot of researchers agree that Lee Harvey Oswald was more than likely just a patsy as he announced to the world on one of those famous Dallas Police perp walks.

Kennedy was set-up for extermination and Oswald was set-up to take the fall.  Nov. 22, 1963.

The world would have been a very different place had JFK not been murdered.  The CIA would have been dismantled.  The Federal Reserve would have been shut down and, the US would have pulled out of Viet Nam.

Today, the military industrial complex runs the show, along with the corporations and their banksters.  The more you learn about what really goes on behind the scenes, the more your head will explode.

What is the saying?  Deal with reality or reality will deal with you.

There is an alternative.  The Look For Me series is a nice escape from the realities of everyday existence. It's a fun and thought-provoking read.  That's one of the reasons I started writing the series.

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INTRODUCTION TO BLOG.

The CIA, NSA, FBI and all the other cereal companies have their work cut out for them.  I know who I am, but with all the computer passwords, login names and virtual identities, sometimes I'm not even sure.  So good luck, guys, sorting this all out.

I hate passwords.  Loathe them.  I can't remember them and they are supposed to be hard to guess so I use really complicated things and then have to constantly get help figuring out how to break in to my own stuff.

In the social networking world, there is no standardization and for a mere mortal, this stuff is just too complicated.  I miss the Big Chief Tablet and the No. 2 pencil.

That's how writers used to write.  But not anymore.  Oh, no, everything has to be "secure."

So welcome, and goodbye.  If you want to know what a writer / photographer faces every day when he wakes up with a creative mind and if you would like to join the journey from imagination to silver screen, come back.

It all started in 2008... ah, more of that later.

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