NaNoWriMo Episode Three: We Are Never Alone

All throughout NaNoWriMo, I try to find some sense of a recurring theme to my weeks in the hopes of passing on some small nugget of knowledge that I've learned from the past week. As the final day of the week draws to a close and a new one fast approaches, the lesson that these last seven days has taught me is perhaps the most basic, the most obvious, but also the most profound: we are never alone.

The week opened with a very prophetic status update by a friend who I did not know was partaking in NaNoWriMo. In this update, he said that he was considering dropping out this year due to issues with his narrative: how it was coming out cliched and uninspired. At the sight of this update, I found myself leaping in immediately to ask for his reasons in dropping out. Whether he was convinced to stay in or not I do not know, though only time will indeed tell. As I thought about this, and I look back at the week, I begin to wonder if there is more to NaNoWriMo than just birthing a novel in the span of a month. For after all, if this week has taught me anything, it's that while the process of sitting down to write may seem like a lonely endeavor, it is actually quite social.

While I have been keeping my writing rather private from my family - if only because they all have their own things to worry about and are not into writing - my friends are constantly a part of my experience. Almost all of my friends are involved in some form of creative expression: from composing music to creating graphic art or drawing to writing and roleplaying, which is how I met most of this group I am fortunate to be friends with. Some of these people have been actively involved in the creation of both my novel and roleplaying game from the very beginning, and they in turn are the same people I can trust to bounce ideas off of. Ideas, as I've discovered, are like raw, unrefined ore that need to be hammered at over and over again, heated through scrutiny, cooled by time, and then reheated and beaten into shape before they become something salvageable. And sometimes that means sprinkling elements in from other ideas in order to make something stronger or more malleable. It's a long, tiring, and exhausting experience that sometimes requires the stamina and brain power of a thousand aspiring nerdy artists! But in the end, it is so worth it that it makes one want to repeat the process over and over again.

No greater example of this for me happened just a few hours ago, where a very good friend invited me out to spend the evening brainstorming for a roleplay that she wanted to make. Our session today was meant to focus solely on the races, but as we talked it poured into everything: from the classes that would be available and races that would eventually become playable to the potential storylines that would herald such events, the geography of the world and governments and cultures therein. My favorite part was the country known solely as The Ruins, as it is a land littered with the bones of a long-dead empire whose denizens had vanished hundreds of years ago under mysterious and terrifying circumstances.

The joy of writing this, and some of the things that I have been working on, has not been that they were sole endeavors. The reward was in sharing ideas and creating a world with someone who has the same passion and desire to create something unique and fun. Do not ever be afraid to share your ideas with others, to let them grow and change and become something more. You may be pleasantly surprised with the result.

NaNoWriMo Episode Two: A Week of Things

Week One of NaNoWriMo has come and gone, and as I promised both you and myself, I look back at what I have accomplished this week, both with a sense of disappointment that I have not gone further, but with a sense of wonder and hope for the future. For this has been a week full of change, excitement, and renewed purpose.

On the first day, as I was writing, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting up with a creative writing teacher while I was substitute teaching. This teacher and I had met before last school year when I began writing reviews for Fantasy-Faction.com (I was working on my second review at the time), and at the time she had expressed interest in me coming in at some point to discuss writing with her students. Although that had never come to pass, this time around we got to talking about NaNoWriMo, my new method for writing (which has been working very well), and various programs that are available for writers to download for organization purposes (I will possibly discuss these in a later installment). This brought us to the topic of an online creative writing course that she teaches. She expressed distaste for the program, citing it was clunky and not very user-friendly. After seeing it for myself, I have to admit that she was right. To assist her and to also offer a new venue, I decided to start working on a forum for the students. Hopefully this forum will serve as a more inviting place for the students to work and interact. As for the time it will be up, expect a link in the next update.

By the end of the week, I have come to a bit of an epiphany as well, which may as well serve as the epilogue for this part: I have decided to look for a job in publishing in either the literary or gaming mediums. While I love teaching and my heart is still in the subject, I do not know if it is where my destiny lies right now. Things are changing too much for me right now, and I have to go where my heart tells me. I want to teach. I want to write. I want to design games. I want to do a million things, but I have to do what I feel is right, and what I want is to create. With any luck, this month and time will tell if that is what I can do.

So far, I think it is.

NaNoWriMo Episode One: And So It Begins...

Welcome to Part One of a seven-part series of entries revolving around NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month. All the month of November, thousands of aspiring and established writers from around the world will be engaging in a thirty-day creative blitz where they will try to write a novel within said time limit.

I've already discussed what I know about NaNoWriMo in a previous entry, so in this one I would like to state my intentions for not only writing but also how I will go about it.

To start, every Saturday (and on the thirtieth) I will be posting an entry reporting on my progress, triumphs and tribulations. The week after NaNoWriMo I will give a critique of my experience, as well as a report as to if I have continued with my project if I did not finish... which I'm quite sure I will not, but that is for another time.

No journey could be accomplished without the right tools on hand, as well as being prepared for any situation. Since I spend so much time subbing and working, I oftentimes do not get access to a computer until late at night or in between jobs. To counter that, I have decided that most of NaNoWriMo will probably be spent working on a hand-written rough draft that I can then edit and transfer to my computer. To that end, as Alton Brown might say, I have the following hardware:

*One 5-Subject College-Ruled notebook
*Three black pens (For writing the novel)
*Three blue pens (For writing notes)
*Two red pens (They need no introduction)
*One white-out dispenser
*One three-pack of sticky post-it notes (For applying to opposite pages as side notes)

My daily plan of attack is as follows: Write as much as I can during the day, edit during whatever lunch breaks I get, and then either in between jobs or after work transfer everything I've written onto my computer. With any luck this will allow me to not only undergo quality control but also keep me focused and on-task, two things that I seem to have trouble with when writing. I would like to think those times are behind me, but I would never know.

Best of luck to everyone involved in NaNoWriMo, and I'll see you all on Saturday.

NaNoWriMo is Coming!

Today I just signed on for NaNoWriMo, better known as National Novel Writing Month!
The basic idea behind NaNoWriMo is to write a novel within the span of a month - the one in question being that of November - and keep a log of your progress. I had first heard of NaNoWriMo last year in December from a friend (so I naturally had missed it), but upon being introduced to this concept, I knew I had to jump at the next opportunity! ... and so that is why I waited until a week before November to sign up.

NaNoWriMo will be a perfect opportunity to attempt writing the Ghosts of Eternity premier novel: Of Druids of Mages, the first in the planned Hidden History trilogy. The Hidden History series will cover the coming conflict between the Oriel Host and the druids and mages who dwell in the frozen Fringelands and the efforts of a small group to stop the bloodshed before it starts. For as terrible as the war would be, another threat looms on the horizon: one that has set the blood feud in motion to keep its own agenda from being realized. One that will break the laws that all creatures, be they god or mortal, are bound to.

Over the course of NaNoWriMo, I will be posting weekly updates here as to the progress, and once a week I will be posting excerpts as well on a separate day. Although I may not be able to finish, I'm hoping this will help me set up a regimen and give me more of a devoted timetable to go on for my writing. Also, if I hope to achieve the things I want to, I have to get this novel written. I need to get something done.

I've gone past the need for the 500-words-a-day routine. I can type as many as 3,000 or more on days when I can sit down and type without distractions. I just need to cut those distractions out and devote more time. Because I need to. Because the writing deserves it.

Best of luck to everyone working on NaNoWriMo. And thank you all.

Mark Tufo Interview (Special Extended Cut)

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mark Tufo, writer of the self-published Zombie Fallout series to conduct an interview for Fantasy-Faction.com. As the interview ran a bit long in the tooth and went off the rails a few time, the version on Fantasy-Faction is a bit more condensed. Here is a special extended version of our sit-down, where we discuss his series, the trials and tribulations of being an indie writer, and the role that fans, bloggers, and other writers have to help fill the gap left when someone can’t afford traditional advertisements:

Chris – So first of all, would you like to tell the boys and girls about yourself?

Mark Tufo – Um, sure unlike my main character I will try to keep this short. I grew up in a blue collar family, joined the Marine Corps and when I got out I wanted to “move on up” to the white collar field so I went back to school. The damn thing about the white collar world was I kept finding myself getting laid off.  My last lay-off was the reason I wrote Zombie Fallout at all.

Chris – Did you have a McDonalds incident like Mike had after he lost his last job?

Mark Tufo - Not really I thought that whole scene up after my wife and I went to Mickey D's she ordered an unsweetened tea and they messed up and gave her a sweetened one. That hit me as I walked into the store and waited for a new cup. But it would've been funnier if it had!

Chris – Imagine what would have happened if they gave her a Sprite instead.

Mark Tufo – Probably would have tossed hot oil.

Chris - Now, what instantly drew me to the first Zombie Fallout novel was the opening narration involving a timeline of the events up until the dead walk. Was this the first piece of the novel you wrote or did it come about as you were writing it?

Mark Tufo - That was one of the few pieces that I had actually thought about before I decided to write a book (Yeah that's a whole other interview). Just kind of laying in bed going through the whole What If scenarios.

Chris – What was the process for hiring an editor like? Did you have other people proof-read your books beforehand?

Mark Tufo - My first BIGGEST mistake was thinking that myself and my wife could edit. Then I had my brother proof-read, he was an english major, but he had ideas for a very different story. Actually had a fan say that she would like to proof-read my books, she said she'd do the first one for free. And I can honestly say Mo Happy has been an awesome editor for me. I would not recommend anyone publishing without having some sort of professional help. And not THAT kind of help, although I could probably use a few sessions.

Chris – In order to make in this business, you have to be a bit off the meds, I think. As an independent writer, what sort of things do you need to manage in terms of distribution and advertisement?

Mark Tufo - Man my wife has been a huge asset. It's a full time job for the both of us. She's responsible for the marketing and distribution and I pretty much stick with the writing and formatting. Twitter and obviously Facebook have been great vehicles to promote the books, as have been awesome bloggers like yourself.

Chris - So word-of-mouth (or in this case, tweet-of-site) and reviews are vital to getting people to notice your work?

Mark Tufo - Advertising is mostly word of mouth considering I have an operating budget of about 17 bucks. So reviews and word-of-mouth are huge, man. My readers have been great, they always leave reviews and they are always willing to let those around them know about the books.

Reviews have been a key element, without them you can't get folks to take the plunge with their hard earned money, and I can't blame them.

Chris - What sort of support (if any) do you find in the independent community? Are other writers quick to advertise or offer tips to newcomers?

Mark Tufo - There are some who are willing to bend over backwards to help out, but I think others are just so busy with their own works that is very difficult to help out. But if you post on writers boards which I belong to a few of you will always get responses.

Chris - So most of the support comes from the online community?

Mark Tufo - Yeah for me it has to, I moved to the STICKS! The online community is the way of the indie author for sure.

Chris - You've mentioned earlier that your wife has been a huge asset and support to you, and one of the most defining characteristics for Mike is that he is so loyal to his family and puts them before any of his own needs. I imagine much of that comes from your own values.

Mark Tufo - Yeah early Mike was definitely developed with some of my values. You write what you know.

Chris - And do you know any Pop-Tart eating psychics?

Mark Tufo - I do not, and Tommy was never supposed to be in the books, my original design was to have him die on the Wal-Mart roof.

Chris - I actually expected that when I was reading that scene. What changed your mind about his fate?

Mark Tufo - No effen clue, I guess he wanted 'in'. Eliza was another character I never saw coming, she was never part of the story either.

Chris - Speaking of Eliza, ever since her introduction in the series I've wanted to know what nightmare she clawed out of!

Mark Tufo - Dude I was just looking for a character that was the epitome of pure evil, I LOVE zombies stories and I wanted a twist of them being 'directed' to me that sounded pretty freaking scary.

Chris - She was the reason I spent a whole night reading the first one. I was about to put the book down when I saw her make her true introduction and just HAD to finish it that night.

Mark Tufo - Thanks man I appreciate the compliment.

Chris – Anytime, it's a well-deserved one. Speaking of compliments, do you have any plans to try to get ZF into the hands of a publishing company? Or have you tried this route?

Mark Tufo - It was after about my 12th rejection I decided to do the indie route.

Chris - Do you still have hopes of getting it approved by a major publisher, or do you feel comfortable in the indie nitch?

Mark Tufo - Yeah I still have hopes, I look to previous indies like Rhiannon Frater and Amanda Hocking, I mean obviously they are huge successes but I would still, I guess, like the validation of it although the indie market has been a life changer for me.

Chris - Is there any advice you would like to give to aspiring writers with respects to going indie or even submitting?

Mark Tufo - I strongly suggest the indie route, huge publishers are taking fewer and fewer risks with new authors they are almost single handedly making the indie market grow exponentially. Best advice I could offer to an aspiring writer is to make sure the product they put out there is the best possible. Readers will absolutely let you know if you have put out a sub-par product, just check out my early reviews before I got ZF1 edited. Friends and family aren't necessarily the best folks to proof read work they will almost never let you know what they truly think about your work.

Chris - So at the moment, indie would be what you consider is the way to go, but make sure your product is the best out there?

Mark Tufo - Readers will rain all over your parade if they spend their money on what they think is an inferior product no matter the price you're selling at. I know it's difficult especially at first to shell out the money for editing, but if someone is serious about writing it's the way to go.

Chris - But in the end it would definitely pay off more than just putting something on the market people would hate and flame.

Mark Tufo: Besides what it does to your psyche. It's not cool when someone rips you a new one.

Chris - Yeah, especially when the criticism isn't creative. When I critique I try to be as constructive as possible, be it for a friend or if I see the work of a total stranger.

Chris - I'm harshest with myself.

Mark Tufo: Most of my harsher critiques have dealt with editing issues which I can understand, some though, I really think it’s all about the anonymity of it, being rude I mean. By the way, I do not read any of my reviews anymore good, bad or indifferent. I do appreciate folks taking time to write them, because no matter what they wrote they felt strongly enough to do so. My wife will filter though them and give me the constructive criticism which I also greatly appreciate. I never knew as a former Marine that I was such a wuss.

Chris - Bullets and bad guys? No problem. Internet reviewers? Now those are people who instill fear in everyone's hearts.

Mark Tufo - You got that right my friend.

Chris - Can't help its part of the job.

Mark Tufo - Naw dude I can take constructive I can, it’s the ones that just bash the hell out of your stuff just to do it.

Chris – Yeah, I've known plenty of people who do that. I know your series isn't absolutely perfect, but it's been interesting enough for me to buy the current releases and anticipate the fourth, so you must be doing something right

Mark Tufo - Thanks man. October 1st is the release date for ZF4.

ghostsofeternity: It may not provoke questions or be something that'll be studied in school, but it's entertaining and that at the end of the day is what writing is supposed to be

Mark Tufo - Yeah never hinted that I'm Shakespeare, just a guy that loves Zombie stories

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            Mark Tufo’s latest novel, Zombie Fallout Part 4: After the End is out as of the time of this interview.

Introductions and First Impressions

From how we dress for a first date or day on the job to the prologue of a story, the introduction is everything. It is the first blow, the one and only chance to ensnare attention and set the tone for every event that happens after. It is the standard that we will forever be compared to, the razor edge that we can either rise above or stumble and bleed upon.

And yet the most important thing about the introduction, is that be they good or ill, when they are finished that is the end of one part and the beginning of another. 

That being said, hello all and welcome to the first of what I hope to be a long, weekly series of blogs as I work on my first fantasy novel: The Hidden History of Druids and Mages for the Legends of Cinina.

The Hidden History of Druids and Mages is the working title of my first novel, based off a role-playing game that I had created two years ago for my friends. While the world was rather generic and there was little in the way of development, the events of the game inspired me to settle down and put aside an idea that had not worked for ten years in favor of one that I knew would work if I sat down and wrote it. Since then and several rewrites and many pages of backstory later, HHoD&M is well on its way to being completed, though there is still a long way to go, and that's before I can even think of a cover, publishing, and marketing the work. To date, I am about a quarter of the way through the first book, though by the time I finish it may go even further than I intended. Not much that could be done about that now but waiting and seeing.

In addition to Legends of Cinina, I also have a few ideas that I have been working on, which I will detail as time goes on and when there is more of a chance to work on those as well. For now, Legends of Cinina is my priority, though I may dabble in short stories as well.

I am also a staff member of Fantasy-Faction.com, a website dedicated to exploring fantasy and science fiction, as well as a great place for aspiring and published writers to share tips and their latest works, as well as encourage one another to push through creative blocks. I write reviews for the site every other week, although my schedule may be more or less frequent depending on how busy my schedule gets. Depending on the books I'm reading and the whether I feel they're appropriate, I will also be posting reviews for books on this blog as well.

As far as introductions go, I hope that one has done it's job and hooked you in for the long haul. Some will drop away and others will come and go, as is the nature of life and our interests, but that is something that cannot be worried about now.

For now, thank you all, and welcome to the World of Cinina. Wipe your feet on the mat, grab a drink, and enjoy your stay.