Blog It to Me!

I enjoy reading a lot of Medium articles (the freebies because I'm still a starving artist) in the Writing category. I've thought about contributing my own experiences but since I enjoy the freedom of unplanned prose in blogs, I end up rambling over here. Needless to say, I've been on a blogging rampage because of some empowering advice between a Medium article on keeping a writer's blog and the almost insane level of creativity in some rare Quora articles. If I had the time, I might frequent both but my social media visits are brief, sometimes days apart and I utilize most of my time in the big projects lined up in my queue.

That being said, what was the magic article about? The Medium writer said that a blog is somewhere in between professional and personal. While keeping in mind that it is public, it should still maintain the honesty of a diary entry. To censor your experiences for fear of offense will not only inhibit you as a writer but it will wall you off from the person your audience is looking for. As I've said in my previous entry, no one is entitled to your life story but don't be afraid to offer real pieces of what moves and repels you. Those visceral things are where your words become most passionate. Don't treat your words like low hanging fruit. If they are petty, don't sweep them off apologetically or with passive aggression, dig at why it made you vulnerable or why it doesn't work for you. Don't fear offending other writers when you have already considered your words.

Publishing my first book was a crushing lesson there. I had edited that book several times over in the span of many years-- it wasn't an emotional response to say that it is a great and well-planned story. I'm not a person given to acting on emotion and I'm no different creatively. I was well aware it wasn't for everyone but somehow just making it official created a huge chink in the armor that I hadn't prepared for. I wanted everyone to read it but it was met with jaded reviews and criticisms that made me suspect they hadn't even given it a chance. I questioned my gender, my ability, my worth and once I knocked some sense back into myself, I found clarity. I needed to be told I wasn't a one-hit wonder. I needed the motivation to keep going to prove I would only get better. 

This blog is not just a portal towards understanding myself or saying all the right things. Just like my writing, I aim for visceral examples to practice what I preach. How can I tell people to go for it when I'm too obsessed with holding back? 

So I won't. Like it or not, I want to be honest. If you think I'm pulling punches, set me straight. My challenge is to always be diplomatic about it, never calling an approach stupid but just as well calling out what isn't working and why. Don't tell me to ease up though. My advice is only going to be worth a damn if I'm using the business end of the shovel.

You mad, bro? Good. Now write.

Writer vs. Stockholm Syndrome

As writers, our passions are double-edged. We are often hostage to our muses and it is always our burden to attempt to describe it. We are warring egos struggling to be unique. There are also behaviors that border on mass hysteria that I... Avoid like the plague. I use that phrase a lot but when I wade through writers' communities populated by the thousands, there are some attitudes that make me quick to retreat to the villages and wash the city stink off. Might as well get some things out of the way.

1) most writers are depressed and/or disabled

I don't make this statement lightly because I'm not excluded. I don't however use it to try to win arguments or garner sympathy. I stumbled onto a conversation where the guy was clearly being elitist about why people should write and he was firmly put into place but didn't continue to argue, just explain what he meant. It didn't exactly strengthen his argument but it was clearly an opinion, unpopular or not, and harmless to have. The girl continued to argue and even insult him, all the while reiterating over and over that she was mentally ill and insinuating that he was insensitive if he hurt her feelings. Writers' support groups are full of people working out mental health challenges and this girl turned hers into a hypocritical argument using the very elitism she was supposedly against. May it be said now and over and over again; if you use your perceived disadvantages as a way to silence others, you are no longer the oppressed but the oppressor. You are not unique among writers to have some such issue and it is quite possible he has his own demons but he also wasn't required to defend himself by telling a hostile stranger his life story.

There's an article I've been meaning to read on Medium that says just that-- no one is entitled to your life story.

2) sometimes the fruit is just a fruit

Among novelists, you will always find people who should have warned you that they are really writing epic poems. Oy, the purple prose. If you know me you know I don't have the patience to sit through four pages of describing the beauty of a rose. I've been personally accused of even being telling. There are certainly times were I don't want to waste chapters telling backstories that will never ever become relevant again.

Don't get me wrong-- I enjoy a good back story but I'm also able to recognize when my character's back story wouldn't be that interesting. Most first person story telling is already tedious because the ego of the character assumes that every sensation they have is something you haven't properly considered until they've described it in painstaking detail.

I don't mind a smidgeon of creative writing but I draw the line at a colorful scene that does absolutely nothing to move a story. B-b-but it fleshes out the character! Does it though? Or is it just the narration of a writer that desperately begs you to love everything about how they see the character? What makes reading a piece so captivating isn't the bias of the writer, it's the strength of the story. Your beloved MC may be widely hated so if you, as the writer, are constantly insisting that they are the most loved, you only force the reader out of your story with insecurities on why they would prefer a different character. Belabor a scene with too much flowery detail and your pacing goes with it.

Sean Penn is getting a lot of heat from his novel Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff (a title that always makes me giggle with genuine glee). He uses a lot of large flowery words that come out to so much garbled nonsense. When you use those big money words, be damned sure it's making the scene crystal clear. He could take a page from from friend Antonio, who uses descriptive words with the perfect amount of context. Describe the quirks of a scene but don't linger too long. I promise, if done well, those vivid adjectives in small doses are still lingering in their vision and you don't need to constantly remind them. Even the most clueless people are better at understanding context than you think.

Let's assume a character blushes after taking a bite after someone. If you're not aware that the cultural upbringing of this character means that this is considered a second hand kiss, how do you convey it quickly without coming straight out with 'she blushes because her upbringing means this act is considered a second hand kiss. How would you write it? I might approach it like this.

He sees the color of her skin rise to the challenge of matching the skin of the fruit.

"You're not allergic, are you?"

Her eyes widen but a flash of understanding cuts through on a nervous giggle.

"I told you where I'm from, right? We don't share food unless..."

"Unless?" He urges her to finish, no sign of teasing in that curious tone.

She sighs heavily, frustration making the task less daunting.

"Unless you're very close. Family. Lovers. Children."

She shifts the cool fruit between her hands, feeling the juices turn dry in her mouth. She tosses it back with more force than necessary. He catches it and the slow smile on his face smacks her with the realization that he had teased that confession out of her. He takes a triumphant bite directly over the spot he had taken a more conservative nibble. A traitorous smile pulls at her lips, but she makes a show of pretending to wipe at her mouth.

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Keep in mind, this is skeletal, but it does pull in the fruit and the psychological components of the character development. This isn't a deep scene and it's even cliche. We see a blushing girl and a seemingly oblivious guy. He urges her to say a thing that she realizes he already knows and in her humiliation she lashes out. She does like him and at this point probably doesn't want to. It's a short scene but it uses simple dialogue and gestures to both shed some light on her past and develop their relationship.

But does this scene become relevant again? If I write a scene like this, I would make a note. At some point later in the story, there could come a point where he has to betray her and they become enemies. There's a storm brewing and the sky is black but they stand next to a tree bobbing with the weight of overripe blood red apples. He takes one, his eyes cold as he takes a bite and tosses it at her. She catches it on instinct but makes a show of letting it fall from her hands and kicking it away. Or maybe his eyes are sad and when he tosses the apple, her heart still holds some hope and her bite covers his this time. This is the beauty of storytelling. Simple subtleties change everything.

Don't keep a scene because it's sweet and sentimental. What made my short scene useful was how loaded it became later. If the fruit is just a fruit, let it be eaten and forgotten. You can use objects to color a scene but don't make it the star. Maybe the apple feels cold and hard because the character is bitter. Maybe it's bright and shining because the character is hopeful. Just like you don't describe every bite, remember it is a tool and not a feature.

3.) My characters don't do whatever they want

Back to the gripes, a necessary evil. Many writers will claim they are in distress because their characters are hiding things from them or not cooperating. I went through this same stingy inclusionary thinking as a doll enthusiast and I'm going to say the same thing here that comedians say about identity politics: how far are outside observers supposed to go to protect your identity? Hey, I can relate in a sense. I dream about my characters, have a place in my head where they seem to develop on their own, but ultimately I am not a vessel for people far more interesting than me. I am not the whisperer of jealous ghosts begging me to give them a platform to be liked in this world. These characters are pieces of my experiences and observations and they are mine to command.

As a personal example, I'll bring up UnNamed again. When I was consciously planning the characters I had a very specific relationship in mind and one I was rather set on. I had a vivid dream that night that made them very very different from that idea and it heavily conflicted with a rather huge main plot. I was heavily conflicted but I didn't think it was particularly cute to hop on the 'my character is being stubborn' bandwagon. Even when I was younger and laden with quirks, this thinking was repulsive to me. I should explain that this isn't an exaggeration since we writers are prone to those. By way of comparison, I've met quite a few religious zealots in my life, people who have made me feel less than dirt for being a faithless doubter (to understate what was really being said). These are people who never accept blame or guilt because their god is a forgiving god. These are people that pretend they don't feel pride or vanity because it was their god that did it, not them. All glory goes to God, after all.

One such person was even convinced that their god gave them a sign that they were meant to have an expensive Coach bag.

I don't deny people their beliefs or even their delusions, but when you use different vocabulary or attempt to assert your point of view, they often counter with a personal attack-- that you aren't imaginative, compassionate or even moral. The real problem is only when you can see an underlying arrogance and the person is actually avoiding any real virtue, be it humility, guilt, etc. there is a lack of ownership for one's actions to the tune of 'the devil made me do it.' As with the personal attack, when they attempt to make it about them and their worlds, they virtue signal but fall short, deciding to attack on their assumptions of your flawed logic, not theirs. As you can see there are general parallels with zealots of all kinds, but I'm not pretending to have all of the answers nor am I smug with superiority.

It's never really worth the confrontation. It's precisely why I don't ever bring up I'm an atheist unless someone assumes I'm going to play into their belief system. I'm really okay with people playing hostage to their imaginary friends when it's harmless and inspiring, but just like with religion, I'm also not going to play along. One thing I did learn from the Bible was in the story of the deniers where Jesus told his disciple that he would deny him x amount of times before they met again and the great guilt that disciple felt when the prediction came true. To me, there is no amount of acceptance worth denying my own ideas and logic. Unpopular or not, I'm going to be the anti-denier. I can also understand why the denier would lack the faith to speak up. He was asked to operate on blind faith and even intelligent people are led astray by false prophets. The lessons there at least hold logic. I'm not going to argue schizophrenia with stubborn writers because, well, see point 1. It's par for the course.

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A few points I had to get off of my chest. I'm often immersed in my ambitions so when I scour social media, it's imperative that I analyze what I'm getting out of it. I can admit, I've always been stubborn, bossy and that's off-putting to a lot of people, but this is largely BECAUSE I've humbled myself to learning from others, not because I'm shouting endlessly from the same high ground. I've wavered on labels, my own identity, my own mental and physical health challenges. I've pissed people off and made some amazing friends. Ive been pegged as a bimbo and shamed as a nerd. If I took too much time being offended, I'd never get anything done.

 And yes, I've had my writing kicked in the dirt. My blog is about my tastes, not about what should be mainstream or hailed as absolute. I consider it a blessing that everyone who reads my work is not a yes-man. I don't intend to be hostage to an echo chamber or a hug box.

I want you to be offended, or not, and keep writing regardless. Make your own standards and set out to break a few. We're all in a craft that no one masters after all.

How to Be an Awesome (Professional) Reviewer

Up to this point, I have usually focused my blogs on personal anecdotes, updates and tips for writers. However, writers are also readers, sometimes even exchanging stories with other writers; a beta reading swap, for any who are unfamiliar. You may also be picked as an ARC reader (Advance Review/Reading Copy). Now, ARCs were traditionally sent out prior to a release, but these copies are also used by self-pubbers to pass out to reviewers-- a free copy and crossing your fingers that they won't just run off, basically. The reason a lot of self-pubbers do this is because they don't have the money to shell out for copyright protection and there is automatic protection once published. Some don't shell out for professional editors or cover designers so they use other resources to try to get their work up to speed and noticed.

I won't go into the ongoing controversy that led to the inspiration for this post (I've brought it up in prior posts-- the tendency for bisexual women to be attacked for writing male/male romance), only that a fellow writer and published author, Sarah Beth James, ran into a legitimate concern with an ARC reader and it brought up some great points.

Writers are certainly not excluded from being diplomatic. When we seek out ARC/beta readers or reviewers, editors or cover designers, we certainly must observe simple rules of professionalism. We cannot demand performance, whether we pay or not. Before you go up in arms (but I paid to get these results!) understand that you do have a duty to research prior to this. You can't tie up a designer's time, scrapping all of their ideas just because their style doesn't match your vision. You have to look at the work or recommendations from former customers to see what you're getting into. There are reasonable expectations of professionalism on both sides.

I would be happy to go into the relationship for other writer/professional relationships, but for today. We're aiming at reviewers.

So how can you be an awesome reviewer?

1) You are a professional.

I don't care if you're a housewife from Vermont, you are a professional. If you are in any way an influencer or prolific reviewer, you are a professional. Don't use the excuse that you only do it on your free time or your spouse is the breadwinner. Even published writers have the tendency to downgrade their importance-- 'I'm just a writer, not a best seller.' I will not fault anyone for humility, but I don't ever want to hear it as a defense when you're challenged to explain quality. If you put yourself out there as a reviewer, you are expected to be professional. If not, you may get blacklisted by writers who see your work as damaging and unprofessional and the requests will stop coming in.

2) Don't make it about you.

When someone asks you to review their work, be careful that you aren't using their platform to self-promote. Don't go on and on about how you are the expert in a genre. In the reading/writing world, that's called gatekeeping. In fiction, you should understand that facts are often skewed to explore new ideas. Writers often delve into unexplored areas and are not making an attempt to tackle real-world issues. Fiction is largely the territory of escapism. You may very well find hidden agendas but I can assure you that there are just as many unconscious biases or intentional straying that is done as well. When in doubt, ask the writer. That being said, nonfiction writers ARE expecting to be challenged on their facts or opinions. Feel free to do so, but take it outside of a review. Give them the opportunity to elaborate and you may improve future editions.

Absolutely do NOT inject your political, social or religious agendas or virtue-signal that you are the righteous and the author is wrong. It is a guaranteed way to get yourself blacklisted. Authors talk to each other, share screenshots, provide proof and discuss. We generally know to avoid engaging with reviewers on review sites (at least publicly), but it doesn't mean we don't warn each other away from unprofessional betas/ARCs. You are also entitled to screenshot author harassment if you feel they are not being professional. Usually, it's better to move on, but there are exceptions, especially with multi-platform offenders.

Feel free to brag about your ARC experiences on your blog or website. That is certainly your platform and a good place to elaborate.

3) Offer a clear distinction between taste and technicality

I have mentioned before that my friend Joe Maley is extremely adept at this in his movie reviews. Not only is he able to tell you what he liked and didn't like, but he can compare it to other work and even recommend similar movies if you did like it and he didn't. What makes him so successful is the language he uses. Facts are often worded appropriately-- 'this is a movie about this and this.' Opinions are not disguised as fact 'I liked this character because...' It sounds simple but deceptively so because novices will often slip into unhelpful language, going so far as to assuming no one will like something because of their strong aversion to it, or even that it shouldn't exist at all. Those opinions are important but your feelings are not central to the intended audience and you must be aware of that. Once you've stated your tastes, remember to go back to reviewing the quality of the story, making it clear what audience it might appeal to. Even if you have to struggle with that part, it will make you a more intuitive reviewer if you offer that information.

4) Size matters

... and bigger is not always better. Yup, I said it. A well-thought out review shouldn't be a five paragraph essay and too much information may be tantamount to spoiling the content. Instead, start with a synopsis that states the facts. Help the audience find it-- genre, a couple of the main characters, the main plot and the tone/mood (dark, happy, etc). Follow it up with your strongest impressions, good and bad (I'm going into this more on the next point). Again, steer clear of spoilers like "I didn't like when the main villain turned out to be an ally." The same goes for trigger warnings. Take care that you aren't vague enough to create a bias or detailed enough to spoil. When in doubt, leave it out. As an ARC reader, you are invited to connect with the writer on these concerns before posting your review. Use the privilege.

5) Bullet point pros and cons

Formatting can be tricky on review sites so, as a reviewer, take the time to see what options are available to maximize the presentation. Gain basic knowledge of HTML, to start. Most form boxes on review sites use some variation of HTML. If at all possible, use the bullet point format to clean up your pros/cons section. If you don't already, you may want to develop an order or system. Your first point in pros and cons is for the characters, the second point is for the style, etc. There's no right format here, but this is a good way to offer a fair assessment on taste and technicality. 'This character was too whiny for me, but not for lack of being well-written' or 'I might have liked this character if the author had used them more like this.' Again, steer clear of spoilers.

6) Don't include remarks on errors

This goes double if you're reviewing an indie author. This isn't because you should let lower standards slide. Most indie authors want to be held to the same (or better) standards than traditional publishing. (Better, because you can't tell me Twilight, 50 Shades of Grey, or anything by Dan Brown was professionally edited.) The point here is that self-pubbers have full control at all times and they can correct grammatical or continuity errors any time they damn well please. Again, if you have the privilege to correspond with them privately, do it. As an ARC reader, you may not have time to point out every error or how you would fix it. Whether you can or will or not, you can be as vague as 'if you fix the grammatical errors in these stories/chapters, it would improve the star rating by one star.' That might sound like an ultimatum by itself, so maybe add that you can withhold the review as a courtesy until contacted about the change. A professional writer will not pitch a fit.

I'll give the reviewers this much-- some authors will not take criticism or pushback at all, but if you considered your position carefully and observed diplomacy, you don't lose points as an awesome reviewer. Being an awesome reviewer does not mean that you are passing out 4 and 5 star reviews. While that certainly helps, ARC reading is a good opportunity for both author and reviewer to educate the other and build a rapport. Become a valuable ARC and it may put you first on their list for secret promotions, future copies and other perks.

7) Your copy is for your use only

I've seen that there are people who believe that since they volunteered their precious time towards the task, they are entitled to give away or even sell hard copies to whoever they want. No. Just no. Not only is an ARC not the same as the final version in many cases, you are violating the confidence of the role and profiting from that. But it's the same as selling it to a used book store or giving it as a gift! Then why won't bookstores accept ARCs? Go ahead and try. And yes, internet piracy happens, but it's also highly frowned upon, especially for new authors. Being trusted with a free copy IS the reward, whether you like it or not. You can't eat free ice cream then return to the counter and say you didn't like it and you wanted a different flavor instead. You consumed and now you either delete it or destroy the copy. An ARC is a step above the average reader, given access to the author as well as the privilege. I don't say this from a position of entitlement; I don't feel as if an author's work, my own included, is above reproach. However, it is certainly my work and there are proper channels and expectations. As a side note, I have seen several groups on FB closed for violation of ARC use. If you are profiting on a large scale, you can incur much heavier legal penalties.

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I have to reiterate at this point that these ARE NOT RULES. You can be as blunt as you like, but you are going to lose opportunities to connect if you eschew diplomacy in order to sound 'real.' Don't know if you've noticed, but people are getting sick of 'real.' Value your opinions enough to communicate them well. Anyone can lay down a rant, so take the time to be the rebel that maximizes the efficacy of communication. You don't have to use big words (I know I tend to do that, but I have certain feelings about dumbing down, just as surely as thesaurus-hugging), just use plain language that shows a consideration for what you actually read. You may use your own voice, but how you do it will separate you from being a respected reviewer or a blow-hard.

Keep these things in mind and it will certainly benefit everyone's experience. Yes, you and the author are important cogs in the wheel, but the audience, the zeitgeist is tricky enough without interference. Be honest, be involved, but above all, be professional. You ARE a professional, even if it's your first ARC. Every résumé starts somewhere. 

For the writers in the audience, keep it up and take precautions. Above all, enjoy your work. I hope readers and writers (and those who are both) build valuable relationships. As always, I'm here to help!

Death to the Humble Brag

I know it works so as long as it does, it will never die, but let's be honest-- most of us are sick of it.

It's one thing when you are able to see the good and bad in your work. Sometimes I will post something I am proud of and will say so, but add what I'd like to improve. I feel like it gives people permission to say what they like or don't like about it.

That's not what irritates me.

I'm referring to the tendency for people to downgrade their abilities, post a passive positive comment someone else told them, or some other attempt to avoid just directly avoiding putting a spotlight on their massive ego but still constantly needing people to stroke it. Writers, we all have it. Creatives in general. If you didn't love what you do, you wouldn't do it. I'll be real with you though-- if I catch someone doing it, especially on the regular, I will avoid their work like the plague. If there's one thing I don't like, it's being manipulated. I like GoT because a good friend who knows what I'm into recommended it and they were right. I also can't stand The Hunger Games because Battle Royale did it better. I sometimes agree with the bandwagon, I sometimes take the long route to avoid it. There are a lot of reasons I'll try something, neither of them involve internet Like Whoring.

One thing I can agree with in current news is the intense feeling of freedom I get from cutting out social media for chunks at a time. I used to enjoy it more when it was jokes and sharing interests, but it has since become ad spamming, constant debating, passive aggression, and public masturbation. I love using it as a tool, but it's really lost its flavor otherwise. All the better that I'm not dumping time into it recreationally.

My only real point here is that I would love to see more honesty in people's work. You don't have to trick me into being interested in you or if you're really that interesting. Writing as really helped me meet some amazing people, but there's a downside too. Then again, I'm not the biggest people person. I could make a nice long curmudgeonly list that gets longer by the day.

In the spirit of honesty, I'm glad to say I have the ball rolling on my own projects again. If you haven't already, give my excerpts a readthrough on my site HERE. Keep in mind that these are adult stories (or at least late teen-- I've been reading this sort of thing since I was 12 so that's where my compass is). Feel free to give feedback. The first series is set in stone, but I love to interact and know what parts are working for people for future projects.

Pick up the fourth book in my first series, A World Reborn: Children of Heroes, or start from The Truth about Heroes and work your way up. If you're looking for a darker read, check out the UnQuadrilogy. Keep in mind that purchasing the print copy guarantees the ebook copy for free. I know print is pricy for PoD so I like to make things as affordable as possible.

Book 4 is COMING!

Finally, brain and weather signed a peace treaty in favor of me actually getting some work done, so it's time to share. The fourth book of the Heroes, World, Universe Chronicles, A World Reborn: Children of Heroes, is on its way! I still have some minor work to do-- checking formatting, making a marketing flier, fun stuff, but I'm setting the release date for April 20th and will have pre-orders available soon.

Print Cover Design

Once more I'm aiming for $15 for the print and $3.99 for the ebook. I'd love to make cheaper print options and hardbacks available someday, but the trade paperbacks are beautiful and very sturdy so well worth the price.

I'll leave it at this since I'd like to jump into updating my website and the bits and pieces to set it all up. I really enjoy the work and hope to keep bringing you even better options, stories and characters as I go. Thanks to everyone for the amazing support as I grow with each new experience!

Keep writing!

Updates and Debates

Or maybe I should have said Debates and Updates, but really I'd rather just get something out of the way.

I hate emotional debates. There, I said it. I will gladly discuss something based on facts and even throw a few opinions at it, but the tendency for people to devolve into speculating what rock you've crawled out from under, your level of intelligence or the need for you to see things their way at any cost? Nah, sorry, not interested. I am well aware that I am a passive sort but it is also my policy to attempt to be respectful and find humor whenever possible. 

I've come to realize I'm not very liberal and I'm definitely not conservative so being called moderate, neutral, Switzerland-- all of those suit me just fine. I'd never deny that each person faces issues that are unique to their gender, race,etc, but it's just as likely that the way the world reacts to you is also directly related to your attitude towards it. There are assholes and white knights and 'nice guys' and it's not my job to go around slapping labels on any of them. I've taken to making my life my business and doing my best to sympathize with someone's personal struggle, provided I at least like them and they're not antagonizing me. I do not care for someone's Internet 101 assessment on how fucked up the world is. The world only seems more violent, more sick and more unfair because we have every story, opinion and spin at out fingertips. The world has always been fucked up, a fact I learned since I was barely out of diapers. Can we please stop pretending that it's cold to pick your battles? I've finally chosen my contribution to this world and it's not politics, hair pulling and paralysis from being pulled in a million directions. Most of you have really good points but even then, sometimes a personal bias keeps even a well thought argument from missing the mark when omitting that your opposition can actually relate to you on a different level. No, it's not the same but at least admit you can't feel their pain anymore than you can theirs and sometimes it's just words against words. The path to being everything to everyone though; that was tantamount to insanity for me.

That being said, let's get to updates. The Apocalypse seems to still be sweeping through with its unadaptable weather patterns. It's slowed me a bit but I've been poking at the fourth cover and disciplining myself away from peeking at UnSung. In case you've missed my take on this before, I do find it valuable to tuck away a story, let it simmer for a bit, then tackle it again. Once I do look at it again, I'm going to break it up into some chunks and ask a few people to read it but I decided against rushing it. In the meantime, I've been adding notes here and there to what I want to do for the second part. I did some feathering work on my character (not really a spoiler here but I designed a male character to have these feather sleeves).

I do like to do a lot by hand but this time I drew feathers in vector to resize them and arrange them on the drawing in Photoshop. I plan on texturing them by hand but I often like the task of arranging objects. One of the reasons that working at a floral shop is still one of my favorite jobs to date. Anyways, duplicating objects comes in handy for elements like leaves, feathers, buttons, beading and I don't mind customizing brushes or creating objects to duplicate. The first time I recall doing this was for a school project and I drew three different Sakura flowers and arranged them on a branch. For objects with multiple elements (the flowers had separate petals and centers), I like to ungroup them to really personalize the shape sometimes before moving on.

Personally, I want to play the devil's advocate here and tell authors, against all popular advice, to go ahead and attempt your own cover art if that is what you enjoy. Regardless of how well it does, self-publishing does not put a limit on what you can change. I would definitely suggest researching successful design or asking for opinions as part of the learning experience, but go ahead and indulge that curiosity and learn what you can from it. I've seen a fair amount of writers that aren't just writers. By all means, develop skills and take risks. Publishing can be an expensive undertaking if you need to outsource. Self-publishing is the wave of the future and as it picks up you'll find that more and more multitalented creatives are taking on the work themselves.

As always, keep writing. And no, that's not my catchphrase. No matter what you do with it, I encourage everyone to write and I won't let you forget it.

Interest Piece: The Basics of Crochet

While my blog usually combines personal anecdotes with writing tips, I do like to mix things up and enhance my abilities with the occasional writing challenge. I am not exactly a master crocheter, at least not in terms of fame, pure dedication, YouTube, etc. but I am adept enough to follow any skill level of pattern and even make my own. I'd love to do a video tutorial on how to do a dragon neck warmer pattern someday, but I won't jump too far ahead right now.

First off, I'm going to assume you know nothing about crochet to start. As far as supplies goes, it's more complex than you might think. Yarn comes in many different blends, types, lengths, weights and varieties. Blends can include acrylic, animal hair/fur, bamboo, silk, cotton, even paper. Aside from your yarn selection, you can also choose to use finer threads for more delicate work. Thin threads are much more durable that thin yarns. As far as lengths go, you can buy them in tiny bonbons or giant cakes and you'll run into different winding methods as well like hanks, balls, skeins, cones, etc. These all give you an indication of how you will need to work with them to unwind them. Skeins are the most popular since most let you neatly pull the center thread, keeping it compact while you work with it. A yarn's weight is actually another name for its thickness. A 1 is the thinnest, while 7 or even 8 is nearly a rope. The standard weight in most projects usually falls between 3-4, with 5-6 being bulky or super bulky. I won't bother with the exact names here because this isn't universal (much like the US is the only country that even calls it yarn, since most countries favor calling all yarn 'wool' whether it has any wool in the blend or not). With regard to variety, you'll run into some funky types like boucle, balloon, tufted, eyelash and so on. These are designer types and generally pretty difficult for beginners to work with.

A little history before I lead into the next basic and that is that 'crochet' is a French term meaning 'to hook'. The 'hooks' were originally very organic-- the first crocheters used bent fingers to make the knots that make up the craft. Nowadays, we have quite the selection, ranging from wood, plastic, bamboo, polymer clay, aluminum and steel. As with many aspects of crochet, there are differences between US/UK standards in size. UK uses the diameter in millimeters where the US system often uses a letter and/or number rating (I think it runs from A to S. There might be a bigger gauge than S but I personally haven't worked with anything bigger than P). My personal collection uses both systems since I've bought them from many countries. It's important to note that delicate projects often use a different hook type, typically known as thread or steel hooks. These are thinner and have a different numbering system. If you don't have your hooks sorted, you may grab a crochet hook that says 3.0, which is bigger than the 3.0 of your steel hook set.

I'll go ahead and insert an optional section here concerning gauge. If you're a beginner, this might sound like gibberish, but the takeaway here is that you might not need it at all. Gauge is something you typically only need when making clothing. Most patterns meant to be made to a certain size will include a gauge chart which will let you know how many stitches should cover a certain length (usually per 3-4 inches). This will mean starting a swatch to make sure your yarn and tension (the term used for how tight or loose your stitches are) will fit the gauge or if you'll have to use less or more stitches to get the size you want. Once more, this is something more intermediate or advanced. To avoid running into sizing issues, stick to the recommended yarns. Most patterns have them. If you're going to stick to potholders or dolls or doilies, it's not something you often need. It's worth noting that a lot of novices make the mistake of ignoring it when making cardigans or shirts and end up with something way too big or small. You can get away without gauging hats in most cases, but keep this in mind if you're feeling brave enough to get out of basics.

The basics of usage are not something you'll want to try to figure out through words or even pictures. Scour through some videos on holds (what is the most comfortable way for you to hold the hook) and tension (how you thread the yarn through your fingers while working). This is a personal choice part of the craft and one thing a good teacher will explain before teaching a single stitch. From there, you will want to learn the slipknot. Again, no one way to do this. I personally like doing the pretzel method. You will do it at the start of every project without fail. Your next move will be chains and single crochets. For years, I never did more than single crochet and there are many projects that can be made from that alone.

I have to add here that I am once again using US terms. UK calls chains the single crochet and the single is a double for them. The rationale with the US system is that the chain is not a complete stitch where the single is the simplest secured stitch. The UK system's rationale is how many times you hook the yarn onto the hook (chains use one, the next uses two, etc.). I wouldn't worry too much about the why each time, just pay note of whether you're using a US/UK pattern. I learned US first so I think down single is a chain, double is single, triple is double. I've never done more than a triple treble which basically just looks like a chain. The basic stitches are single, double, half-double, treble, double treble, triple treble. Once you start looking for more difficult techniques, you'll run into types like crocodile, moss, butterfly, spike, puff, etc. that often resemble what they sound like. Many of them skip traditional looping steps you learn in basics or are simply a combination of basic steps (a standard crocodile is just a chain, three doubles, a chain, three doubles and a chain-- the effect resembles a reptile's scale. Be warned that you have to set up a lattice row of V-stitches to arrange them on. Please note this was the first stitch I learned outside of basics so it's not quite as confusing as it sounds-- it's just some new terms you pick up).

Beyond this point, you're branching out of basics. I was very experimental rather than procedural when it came to learning stitches, not minding the skill level. I ran into a lot of terms that meant nothing to me, but if you're learning via the internet, you can search terms very easily. Just by way of example, I've learned terms like third-loop crochet. Once you know the anatomy of your stitches, you'll get curious about what happens when you work around or behind a stitch and yes, they give vastly different visual results. The third-loop actually gives a very knit-like stitch that I love using on hats. Back and front post stitches are entirely used on the waffle stitch, a great stitch for thick warm hats and blankets. Cable stitching was once a knit-only technique but you can emulate the look by alternating long cross/X stitches in each rows. I've done basketweave and chevron stitches that use the same concept. The point here is to rouse some curiosity in your creative possibilities-- there are tons of stitches in crochet design! If you want to see some truly amazing freeform work, Russian crocheters are amazing at this.

As for patterns, you'll want to learn the acronyms/abbreviations and possibly charting. Russian patterns are notorious for using visual symbols rather than word directions. I find this more generous since it creates a universal language for sharing, but they are difficult to use for many crocheters since you have to think right to left then left to right for flipping rows. Make charting your intermediate curiosity since most patterns are written out. If ch, sc, hdc, dc, tc, dtc, ttc aren't second nature, that's okay. Almost every pattern regardless of skill level will have a key that explains ch = chain and so on. The key may be introducing new stitches and may or may not be included in the instructions. The hardest patterns will expect you to already know how to do most stitches and will only include stitch instructions if they aren't commonly used or if they themselves have invented the technique. If a pattern is lacking a skill level ranking or some details, you can often find comments where you downloaded it that will clarify or the pattern maker will have contact information otherwise. Be polite but don't worry about 'bothering' them. If they overlooked something, you are doing them a favor by spotting something they can update their pattern with that will help someone else. It will help them make more thorough patterns and better quality means better paid patterns.

As with all creative efforts, enjoy free patterns, but don't expect them. The most unique projects will often require you to pay and please, please, do not download pirated patterns to save a buck. Crochet designers will not stick to making innovative patterns if they can't afford to spend the time doing it. Not all of them are well-cared-for hoursewives or sitting on a cushy retirement incomes. Many are single women and men with other jobs because it's hard for a lucrative career to be had in creative jobs. People will haggle, undervalue you, expect you to treat it like a hobby or a passion and tell you that expecting to be paid is greedy or deceptive. I can't stress enough that people who do it as a 'hobby' are also often wealthy through marriage or lack of financial responsibilities and can afford to not take it seriously (just like the people you can't stand at your job who coast by doing little to nothing, they just don't value it the same way. Not less or more, exactly, but it's different). People who do things as a hobby also tend to feel they are novices. Here's another big one- they also tend to be doing it solely for themselves. They are making what they want, when they want, with little concern for the audience. 

Custom orders can be fun but they come with the added challenge of unknown supply costs and availability and unpredictable labor times. It also means they aren't making new innovative ideas and might be bored with making it for the 50th time. Yes, when making gifts, you often consider who you are making it for. But just like you selectively decide who takes priority on holidays, a friend of a friend is hardly someone who gets free or even discounted handmade gifts, let alone everyone else who wants to complain that you sold a $30 for $10 to a family member. Trying to haggle with a crafter's price is often how you'll end up being politely told to find someone else. A crafter is not a wholesaler. We have to evaluate what cost will make it worth the time and effort. It's not a matter of missing out on money. A skilled crafter has way more to consider than a lost sale. How many people would show up at their job if they were told you need to work for the next three weeks nonstop but they could only pay you the $50 it cost you in gas to get there? Yet that's exactly what some people's logic is towards artists. Yes, supplies ARE expensive (like gas) but if you're going to monopolize someone's time, there's no mutual satisfaction unless they are paid adequately for their time. When you contract someone for a freelance job, expect to pay at least minimum wage. Freelancers often have to charge you a 30% mark-up for taxes (because that is what the government forces freelancers to pay if you make more than $3000 in a year), supply costs, and if freelancing is their only job, they have to somehow manage upkeep expenses, insurance, as well. Wonder why freelancers are so 'greedy'? Well, because they have to make a living wage. You want convenience and quality, you get what you pay for. Go after corporate greed all you want, but don't take high prices out on freelancers.

In any case, there are your basics. Supplies/tools, things to learn, considerations for what you will do with the skill. I absolutely loathed turning crochet into a business and it didn't last. It's not something I ever want to do again. I can take the abuse when it comes to drawing and writing because it is what it is and I don't mind being accused of being selfish. I am and I'm not-- I might write what I want to read, but I also consider making it interesting for more than myself. Crochet is something I somehow take more personally so I don't take criticism on its worth as easily. I know what time I put into it and if I let any of it go, I don't bargain with it. I want to be sure that whoever I give it to will treat it well and treasure it. You can't mass produce crochet as you can with knitting. Every stitch has to be done by hand. I spent countless years learning it and it's the closest thing to mastering anything as I have come. Most of my creative pursuits make you aware that mastery isn't really possible. You can be really good at something, successful and considered an expert and still have things to learn. With crochet, there is absolutely nothing I have not been able to learn almost instantly. I have absolute confidence in it. All the more reason I don't tolerate underselling it. I will adjust any other skill I have to market it better because it's subjective. Crochet is a one-off piece and you like it or you don't, so you'll pay what it's worth or not at all. 

I could keep rambling. That's only the tip of the iceberg but my only general rant. I'd like to continue writing about the more technical aspects of crochet, but I may use a separate forum than my writing blog for that. There are many apps and sites that look for experts in special areas that might serve better. Blogs are hard to develop traffic for too. Much better to go to a site like Quora or Medium.

If you're here for the writer's blog, keep writing! For the crochet part, I'll update on this later.