North Carolina must be bringing me good luck because I write to you again this week with more publishing news!
My short story The Eastern Route is being published in the August 1st issue of Vitality magazine.
You can pre-order now on www.readvitality.com for the issue coming out this Saturday, and if that's not exciting enough, my story was used as the Sneak Peek on their homepage.
If you haven't heard of Vitality magazine know that they are entirely online, so your issue will be sent directly to your email if you pre-order or subscribe. Vitality is unique in the fact that they publish stories, poetry, and artwork with casually integrated LGBTQ+ protagonists. This means they publish pieces that are fun and "escape" fiction rather than pieces that deal with the stresses of transition, bullying, homophobia, rape, or the martyrdom or death of LGBTQ peoples.
In their About section on their website, they describe themselves. "[Vitality is] a safe place full of wonder and awesome where the reader can see characters like themselves doing things like battling dragons, solving crimes, acting in a circus, or traveling the world. All genres and styles can be found in Vitality. The only limit is your imagination." from: http://www.readvitality.com/about-vitality/
This is an extremely exciting proposition for writers because you can literally write close to anything. Have a fantastic space opera idea? Send it to Vitality! Want to write about sailors and sirens? Do it! Feel the need to dive into the realm of pixies or ghosts or time-hopping two-headed warriors? Now you can with the knowledge that a market exists. Just like they say, your imagination is the limit.
For me, this meant that I was able to write in one of my favorite genres: Steampunk. I'm really excited to present my transgender airship pilot and his love interest at the start of next month.
I hope you take a look at The Eastern Route if you get a chance, and please research Vitality. Not only is a great market with endless possibilities for creativity, but it also promotes diversity in fiction. What could possibly be better than that?
PS> check out that gorgeous artwork Rebecca Schauer did to bring my story to life! Can't wait to see the whole image!
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
The Power of Negotiation in Dialogue (Late Post)
Two years ago, I started a job at a medical facility in appointing. I'd lived my entire professional career in customer service, so I figured it'd be nothing new. However, I was now not only dealing with ornery doctors and overworked nursing staff, but angry, upset, and sick patients. I knew to expect that people would be short-tempered (we all are when we feel crappy, am I right?) but I didn't know just how volatile people could get. If I didn't diffuse their anger at having to wait 45 minutes to get through to me on the phone, or their frustration that they didn't get a refill of pain pills, or their downright pessimism onto how likely it would be for them to get to a doctor's appointment prior to two in the afternoon, then I was often called terrible names or even found myself dodging pens and other throwable objects.
I joked with my coworkers then that I needed a course in hostage negotiation to get through my day.
It seems that when it comes to writing, the same course would be very beneficial.
And I'm not just writing this post to those who write thrillers or detective novels. I'm talking to all you picture book authors, sci-fi scribes, and inspirational writers, too.
All of us need to better hone our negotiation skills to write one of the most important aspects of a story or novel: Dialogue.
Think about why dialogue exists in fiction. Yes, it's to spice it up so we're not only reading narration. Yes, it exists so readers better understand your protagonist's (and antagonist's) voice and inner thoughts. But what is common in the most effective dialogue? Answer: it allows characters to negotiate.
A child will talk to their mother in order to obtain the cookie they so desperately want.
A terrorist will talk to his victim in order to explain his side of the story.
A new love interest will talk to the shy girl in class in order to better understand her.
And why do the other characters respond?
The mother will want the child to do a chore to help her workload before the cookie is eaten.
The victim will try to talk the terrorist out of killing him so he can go home and see his family.
The shy girl will talk because she likes the attention she's getting from another human being and doesn't want it to end.
All of these stories, and all of these characters produce dialogue so that they can negotiate something. Characters want the outcome they've been hoping for. They want to convince everyone else that their way of viewing the world is the way that makes the most sense. It's the same motivation behind why we talk to our family members or roommates.
I remind my roommate before she leaves to get the cruelty-free dish detergent because it is the one that I want. She tells me to get it myself because she doesn't want to go out of her way just for that item. I offer in a free home-cooked meal in return. She reluctantly accepts.
It's negotiation through and through.
And it never fails. We communicate to negotiate our way. Your characters should be doing the same.
Homework: Go through your work-in-progress and reread your dialogue. Ask yourself what is being negotiated in each scene. Cut any dialogue that doesn't further each side's case towards that end negotiation.
I joked with my coworkers then that I needed a course in hostage negotiation to get through my day.
It seems that when it comes to writing, the same course would be very beneficial.
And I'm not just writing this post to those who write thrillers or detective novels. I'm talking to all you picture book authors, sci-fi scribes, and inspirational writers, too.
All of us need to better hone our negotiation skills to write one of the most important aspects of a story or novel: Dialogue.
Think about why dialogue exists in fiction. Yes, it's to spice it up so we're not only reading narration. Yes, it exists so readers better understand your protagonist's (and antagonist's) voice and inner thoughts. But what is common in the most effective dialogue? Answer: it allows characters to negotiate.
A child will talk to their mother in order to obtain the cookie they so desperately want.
A terrorist will talk to his victim in order to explain his side of the story.
A new love interest will talk to the shy girl in class in order to better understand her.
And why do the other characters respond?
The mother will want the child to do a chore to help her workload before the cookie is eaten.
The victim will try to talk the terrorist out of killing him so he can go home and see his family.
The shy girl will talk because she likes the attention she's getting from another human being and doesn't want it to end.
All of these stories, and all of these characters produce dialogue so that they can negotiate something. Characters want the outcome they've been hoping for. They want to convince everyone else that their way of viewing the world is the way that makes the most sense. It's the same motivation behind why we talk to our family members or roommates.
I remind my roommate before she leaves to get the cruelty-free dish detergent because it is the one that I want. She tells me to get it myself because she doesn't want to go out of her way just for that item. I offer in a free home-cooked meal in return. She reluctantly accepts.
It's negotiation through and through.
And it never fails. We communicate to negotiate our way. Your characters should be doing the same.
Homework: Go through your work-in-progress and reread your dialogue. Ask yourself what is being negotiated in each scene. Cut any dialogue that doesn't further each side's case towards that end negotiation.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Poem Publication News
Hey, y'all.
I feel like I can (or should/have to?) say that now that I'm a southerner. The move went as smoothly as you can hope it to. Dem Bunnies and I are doing well in the air conditioning because it is HOT-T-T here.
And for my first week back in the blogging seat post-move, I have exciting news to share with you:
My poem, The Fortune Cookie Writer, is being published in Volume 4 Issue 1 of Parody magazine.
I've known about this publication for awhile, but they've just posted the cover image and table of contents on their website, so I feel like it's officially official now. You should be able to read the issue and/or buy the printed copy soon.
Until then, I'm basking in the good vibes of seeing my name as a poet.
I'm taking this as a good omen for my life in a new region. I hope the luck transfers onto you, my faithful blog readers, and that you see success in your own writing endeavors.
Check out Parody Magazine here.
I feel like I can (or should/have to?) say that now that I'm a southerner. The move went as smoothly as you can hope it to. Dem Bunnies and I are doing well in the air conditioning because it is HOT-T-T here.
And for my first week back in the blogging seat post-move, I have exciting news to share with you:
My poem, The Fortune Cookie Writer, is being published in Volume 4 Issue 1 of Parody magazine.
I've known about this publication for awhile, but they've just posted the cover image and table of contents on their website, so I feel like it's officially official now. You should be able to read the issue and/or buy the printed copy soon.
Until then, I'm basking in the good vibes of seeing my name as a poet.
I'm taking this as a good omen for my life in a new region. I hope the luck transfers onto you, my faithful blog readers, and that you see success in your own writing endeavors.
Check out Parody Magazine here.
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