One of the hardest questions to answer, and one I usually cannot answer when put on the spot by a fan is “Where do you get the ideas for this?”

My answer: everywhere.

The world around us is such a diverse and amazing place, how can you not get ideas for stories to tell? This is something that “non-writers” don’t understand, and probably never will. They experience life passively, while we see the world and other peoples’ creations with a more creative eye. The problem for us, as I see it, is what do we do to keep those creative ideas flowing.

Mathew Hemming has a post on “Getting Lost” which really set me going. He centered on the “Maze” phenomenon, and how getting lost, either figuratively or literally, can be a bit of a brain refresher, or self identifying experience.

Me, I go sailing, but that’s just me.

The point of it is, find something you love and get lost in it. It could be a game, a novel, a craft, riding a bike or driving… The possibilities are endless.

Another blog I stumbled upon at the All Kinds of Writing site went into art, and all the places we find it in the world. The article started out on the subject of whale song, and was it not only a language, but poetry. Seems there is rhyme and meter to whale song… Who knew. But if that is not inspiring, I don’t know what is! We can find beauty in nature, and beauty in art, and beauty in people, all good, and all inspiring.

Now, stop staring at that caterpillar and go write!!

Hey, maybe that’s where Frank Herbert got the idea for the sand worms of Dune!

Cheers!

Chris

In a comment on my first post, Jim Bowers brought up an important point about cover art, which ties in with my Point 3: Writing is a business. As the old adage says, you only get one chance to make a first impression. A bad cover makes a bad impression. A boring cover is worse; it won’t even be noticed. You’re a writer, so write. Get a pro to do the art work. It’s worth the extra time and expense.

Many POD and small presses offer to create the cover art. My response to this is: let me see your stuff.

• Check out covers they have produced. If they employ professional artists to create specific artwork for their clients, great. But looking at some covers, it appears to me that many of these companies employ “artists” who are simply graphic designers. While some of these covers are okay, none that I have seen really grabbed me. In the worst cases they are cut-and-paste clip art.
• Contact previous clients. The publisher should be willing to put you in contact with some. See how they liked the service and if they would use it again.
• Make sure the cover art is done to your specifications before you pay for it. When I was researching cover art for my first book, I heard from a writer who had specified that the cover of his book should be a phoenix flying up from the flames of a fire. What he got (thankfully in a galley proof) was a pheasant flying up from a campfire. He decided to get a pro to do the work.

Where to find a cover artist? I found Noah on the web, specifically in the art section of the Elfwood site. I liked his work, emailed him to ask if he’d to a book cover, and it took off from there. He is a pro in every sense of the word. Settle for nothing less.

Finally, let the cover art work for you. I have posters of my book covers that I set up at conventions and appearances (see pics in my Photo Galleries). They sell books, believe me. Many folks who initially just stop by to admire Noah’s creations end up buying my books.

Also important is artwork on the insides of the book, which I’ll discuss in my next post.

This, my first blog entry, is more to set the tone and generate some interaction than anything else, but for you new writers, there should be some points here to take home. First, I do not profess to know everything there is to know about writing, publishing, marketing, but I do have some experience, so learn from my mistakes and successes.

I’ve been asked a lot for advice over the years, and could go on for many pages on all the things I’ve learned, but for now, I’ve broken things down into five main points.

1) To thine own self be true: This is my mantra for reminding myself to write what I like and write what I know. I once wrote a book in a genre that I don’t generally read and had no experience with, simply because my agent said it was “the hot thing”. The result: six months of work and no sale. Very frustrating.

2) Get the details right: Be thorough and detail-oriented. If you love SF but don’t have a technical background, don’t write a bunch of high-tech details and assume it will fly. You can be sure that a reader (or editor) who does have a tech background will shoot you down. Do the research, and be consistent.

3) Writing is a business: This is often the most difficult fact for new writers to accept. I’m not suggesting that literature is not art, but getting those words into print, then convincing others that they are worthy of their hard-earned cash, is business. You are a commodity, and your work is product: Editors will treat your treasured work like product, so do NOT take that personally. Also, be ready to market your work. Why should a publisher or agent take on someone who won’t go out there and do appearances, signings, lectures, talks, and autograph parties when there are thousands of hungry, brilliant writers who will?

4) Watch out for yourself: There are a lot of people out there who want your money but have no interest in publishing your work. NEVER take on an agent who charges a reading fee, or offers to “edit” or “doctor” your work for cash. Agents make money from royalties AFTER the sale. There are other businesses that offer to edit your work who will charge you very high fees and may or may not improve your work, but we can discuss “Book Doctors” for days… Maybe we will…

5) Keep the day job: Unless you are rich, or have someone to support your writing habit, don’t quit your job when you get your first book deal. The vast majority of published authors have day jobs. Manage your time and keep writing.

Well, that should generate some discussion. I’ll address each of these issues in this blog in the future, so if you have a specific question you’d like to see covered, or your own relevant experience, fire away and let’s get this thing rolling.

Read on ~

Chris