It's the NOOLER BLOG!

Deliberation- To Self Publish or Not to Self Pubblish

2011-11-17T21:30:00.013-05:00

((Just a little look into the traffic I sit in everyday. Sorry it's not a great pic, took it with my cell phone & there was nothing better to post.))

So I've been thinking really hard lately on what I want to do about my novel. I've been looking into finding myself a Literary Agent, but so far I have come up empty or disappointed with my findings. The suggestion of "why not self publish?" seems to be coming up more and more often lately and I feel myself slowly turning to the side of giving in to temptation. I had been told many times that if you self publish the chances of being picked up by an actual publisher are slim but I have heard great tales of those who have succeeded through self publishing and been picked up by a major publishing house. I think the young man who wrote Eragon would be one example, correct me if I am wrong. But in that comes my concerns.

1) What can I do to promote myself?
Social Networking sites. That is the key, or so I've been told, yet I see my twitter page and the sparse number of followers and wonder, gee is this really supposed to help? (though I do get helpful/interesting links from time to time) Then Facebook, no I still refuse to use facebook. Youtube? Unless I use copy written material, which now may or may not be legal depending on the law they presently want to pass online)can I really get my message across to people willing to listen? How do I get your attention? I have this blog, should I get another web page? Publish the first chapter of my novel to get more interest?
I could always go around to libraries and hand off free copies of my book with hopes of people picking them up and spreading the word, but that is a hope and there are books I have seen on the shelves of my local library I don't think have ever been touched. I don't want to see that as my own, not to mention that I'm horribly self conscious that my novel is not up to par, material/editing wise, with sponsored publications.

2)What should I chose as cover art?
I know. Never judge a book by its cover, but the cover still stands as a visual testament to what the story pertains to. Do I draw my own cover art, commission someone? And then what do I chose? Do I go for simplistic (i.e. A pair of watchful eyes; a pattern described on a semi-important object); A setting of some sort like a bland yet mentioned landscape, or something like my original cover design (partially seen in my banner); Just feature a character(s); Or a scene of action from the body of the story itself & if so which scene? You don't want to give away too much.
There are so many choices to choose from.

3) what if my editing isn't up to par?
Do I add an authors note apologising for any mistakes one may find grammatically or otherwise?

There is still so much to think about, concerns to be had and work to be done & I don't even know where to begin. But I hope with the new coming year that I will come to a decision, especially with so much being changed in the lit world (real books VS e-books & the massive closure of book stores) I feel my options dwindling.

But as I keep finding stories like this online: http://selfpublishingteam.com/guest-post-why-i-self-published-my-novel-after-saying-i-never-would/
Perhaps it is in my best interest to just self publish.

In other news:
The other day I was playing around with the web site Written, Kitten! http://writtenkitten.net/ which rewards you with a "kitten" (aka a picture of a kitty)each time you type/write 100 words on their page. Curious I began randomly typing and this is what I came up with. Its nonsense of course, but perhaps something interesting to read, and like all rough draft ideas I come up with, it begins as one big run on sentence.
(surprisingly the web site saves your work so each time you go back -so far- what you have written is still there, however without a kitten. I think I may have gotten up to four or five kittens)

~~~~~
"Well there we were, that's all it was, but in the end when we really think about it, it was just that, it was a whole lot more. Not just a little bit but a story that could have filled another two life times each. But we'll get back to that, the end, after I return you to the beginning. The beginning when things were so easy they were hard, before hard was so hard it was the next thing before death. The time where youth was innocent and age was wise. Where the air was clean, water ran and stomach were filled with food, delectable sweets and seasoned meats. But that was before the sky fell. Before the air turned to haze, the water ran dry and the food soured... Before the innocent had to wisen up before their years; the wise went before their time, and hope wavered that tomorrow would be another day. There are no roads left for us to take, no shelters left for us to make. We were left on our own with none to turn to but each other as we were found, battered, scared and lost without a future, without hope. If I think back, far back to where it all seems like a lost dream I can remember the past. I used to push back all the time as my tears warmed my face on cold, lonely, fearful nights but now I don't push, I don't think, I don't want to know because that past, that dream is what makes a nightmare of our present. Many call this "new beginning" a gift. This is our world and there was no other and though I know better, I believe it because the end of the world is no place for dreams, its just a place for renewal for those left behind, striving for life. We believed that. We believed it because there was nothing else, no sun to look up to, no grass or bug to look down upon. Not that this belief filled our stomachs or cured our pains, or gave us back what no longer was. It just gave us something to think about, something to fill our minds when it came to the silence, the vast and emotional emptiness left in the wake of the fall. Yet it wasn't the ideal that gave us strength to go on. No, it was the voices who chanted it, the determined faces of those who held it firm and true, the voices that silenced after the Second Fall, where our numbers decreased and new life came to those without it. This was life. Life for us, death for them. This was the world over and there was no turning back. Just sluggishly moving forward, side by side, weapon in hand and one goal in mind. Survive. -..."

Ps: A little numerical history- Make a wish.

Lights Out

2011-09-05T13:45:00.019-04:00

((Ever seen a cloud with a shadow... in the sky? I know I haven't... Until now, of course. Took the photo myself, it is in no way photoshoped, I assure you.))

Sorry folks. I've been having trouble posting to Blogger lately so entries I meant to post, never made it up. Honestly I'm kinda glad 'cause while I found some comedy in my time spent in the dark after Hurricane Irene, I find myself lucky & have nothing to complain about when it come to others whose homes have been destroyed by recent floods, tornadoes, and fires.

So in short- My power went off after Irene blew through and stayed off for an entire week, for unknown reasons. It took a crew from Iowa & North Carolina to get us back online and I am thankful for lights and a good hot shower.

((This was the only real damage in my neighborhood, thankfully no one was hurt, but there is still some cleanup to be finished))

Otherwise nothing has really been going on. Novel progress is going at a snails pace still, but I'm trying not to get discouraged... Luckily there are people out there who are supportive and its little gestures like this that make my day and keep me working:

FAN ART!!!

Thanks Sinsyne. (To see more of her art go here)

Oh yes, and I've decided not to post about my research trip because honestly... I don't have much to say. So, I'll share some of my photos instead (some random and some that may hint towards events in Volume 2, if I ever get to it)
Sorry the pictures are kind of all over the place I'm still not sure how to get them to line up accordingly.

Enjoy.

Chapter Titles; Alternate Universes; Allegories & More

2011-06-23T23:53:00.003-04:00

((This is still how I'm feeling, take it as you will...))
((Note- The picture was taken by me and this hatchling's momma was not happy to have me standing beneath her baby taking pictures >_<))

Slowly but surely I'm coming off my hiatus though I'm still not feeling 100% with my writing. While I've gotten past the area that had been irking me so badly, I still find myself with lacking support and with more questions than I do answers, which could put me at ease. As troubling as it all might be, I've had some time to think and while I don't plan on giving my chapters titles, I'd have to say this latest chapter (which is three shortened to one) would/should be called "Cursed". It's an ironic yet good fit.

The only other chapter that I have given a "title" to takes place earlier on in the story & introduces one of the secondary main characters. Just always felt "The Wolf in Woman's Clothing" was a very apropos, if not comical name for it, if one needed to be given. But that's me. ^_^'''

Another thought that bided my time over this hiatus (and even a few before it) was: "What would my characters be like if they were placed in another setting/ an alternate universe?"
The responce to this question comes in many forms. While the real story takes place in a Medieval/Renaissance styled era, my characters have found themselves put in settings that vary from anime/school life/slice of life (a few times with a bit of magic); an alien invasion (on earth); a western; to even modern day (or something like it), where I realised how easily my novel can be an allegory for such things as the military and medicare, if I really put some thought into it. I won't, however, for several reasons including the fact that I just don't want to go there. I have my plans/ ideas and I'm sticking to them. mmyup. Keeping it more light-hearted that way.
None the less its always interesting to see what positions my characters take in these settings and how they react to their given circumstances.
((There was a doodle I was going to post of one of my chars dressed in military fatigues here but the scanner I borrowed no longer wants to scan and digital imaging with a camera is not an option... oooh the horrid blurr & shadows >_< so maybe another time... maybe))

Otherwise that's how things are standing, I guess. It's been suggested to me that I should really start looking into self publishing but at the moment I think I'm a little too self conscious for that.
In due time however I'm sure I'll come around...

Just gotta keep editing; figure out the best title for the novel(s); decide if the first book will remain as a whole rather than be split in two; and choose what the cover art will be (something simple or something more complex/detailed)

Any ideas?

oh and maybe work on the tag/synopsis/ pitch a little more.

Till next time folks...

(P.S. if any previous posts have disapeared... I'm having issues with Blogger right now)

The War Within- Hiatus

2011-05-10T19:19:00.005-04:00

I think I'll be going on Hiatus for a little while. Things havn't been improving much and just when I thought things were starting to look up... I took a nose dive right back into the depth I had just risen from.

As a creative soul its not uncommon to have these feelings where one moment you're so inspired you may burst with ideas & then the next day, week, month you reach a low point where your muse abandons you, leaving you dry while sinking into the depths of despair, frustration, what have you...

So while for a while I was trudging along like this:

I can't help but now feel this: ((in the sense that I want to give up but I just can't bring myself to do it))

its not that I'm stuck or throwing the whole novel away... its just I've lost the motivation to move on. Suddenly the one thing that meant something to me, seems pointless... so until I find reason and/or purpous... I can't bring myself to half ass my work... and frankly... I don't know what I'm going to do

Learn from my mistakes...

2011-04-21T00:02:00.004-04:00

((Unfortunately I don't have much to show for myself lately but to keep up with posting at least one pic a post- Meet Erin McNafferty. A character I created with Smoludozerka from DeviantArt & the web comic Demonade for part of a "Lets Create a Story Contest" in which we were given a plot and had to create a character based on the 6 types given. She made up what our character looked like and drew him up while I created his back story. For more information go here. Sadly this will be all anyone will probably see of Erin, but it was fun while it lasted & we did get second place ^_^''))

Okay. I know it's been a long while since my last post but to be honest things have not been well for me. I wont go into personal particulars but I will go into the computer problems I've been faced with recently with hopes that I can help someone avoid the same issues in the future.

Firstly my computer, though not all that old, is starting to go. I've had to replace the back light at least three times but now the problem is with the battery. I'm waiting on a replacement but there is no guarantee on how long that one will last me.

Secondly- I had the misfortune to experience loosing an entire days worth of editing when I accidentally saved over my files with an older file from my flash drive. Sadly I was not able to recover my lost work but I did learn how to set up a backup for my Word Files. Apparently this can help if something like that should ever, forbid it to ever, happen again.
If you go into Word, click on the Tools tab and scroll down and click on Options. In options click the Save tab and make sure the "Always Create Backup Copy" button is checked. That way every time you save, the file gets backed up and you even get a few extra saves that linger until the program is closed. I don't know how well it really works and I hope I never have to find out, but its always good to have an extra safety, just in case. (this is for Microsoft office word 2003) for 2007 you can probably find something usefull here

Loosing that work was a real setback for my novel but I managed to trudge on, only to find myself stuck again when I decided to sum up three chapters into one. I'm still trying to work but due to circumstances, it hasn't been easy sailing and I've been getting really frustrated. It doesn't help much either that I don't have much of a support team rooting me on... Can't even find someone to give me an opinion on my re-edited pitch *sigh* but that's another story for another time.

Back to computers!

I must warn anyone reading this of anther virus going around. At first it seems innocent enough, pops up like a normal virus scan but it will really mess you up, especially if you let it linger too long. Microsoft Recover. Looks legit but its not. For one relative it wiped out all his files. For another it was a big inconvenience and kept him from getting work done. For me... it was just a pain. Aside from trying to download random files it hid all the ones I already had and made me believe they had all been deleted though they were just made "invisible". For my brother, since we knew what it was the moment his background picture went missing we were able to capture and remove it before it could do any harm. (malwarebites might be a helpful program to get rid of this sort of pesky virus)

So dear readers learn from my mistakes- Always back up your files on and off your computer. Even save it twice if you must (a normal copy and a second under a different name)on and off your computer for extra safety. And always make sure your computer's virus scans are up to date and running, always seeking out threats and keeping you from accidentally opening malware disguised as something else.

well that's all from me for now.
Night!

ps- sent a co-worker who's kid really loves the Warriors series to a book signing with the cheif writer of the series (Sorry I don't know her name since the books are a collaboration of different minds under one name- Erin Hunter)because I thought her kid would have a blast. Apparently it was a great time had by all and she said she'd never seen her kid smile as much as she did that evening. So thank you Cheif Warriors writer for visiting us and making so many children's day.

A little Fun

2011-03-01T12:25:00.008-05:00

Once again I wish I had some really great news to report but after months of planning a exciting trip overseas, my plans seem to have fallen through. I am disappointed but not as much as the last time I attempted to set this trip. That time hurt like a spear through the heart. This time I saw the signs telling me it wasn't meant to be, not yet anyway, and though I'd still like to go, I know now is not the time. None the less I do have one more trip up my sleeve, a research trip for a future chapter(s) of my novel series. More on that another time.

Today I'm going to do something unusual, a few Shout Outs starting with the lovely duo: Melissa & Brittany Ann Zayas of the web serial:
Three of Swords
I wanted to first thank them for the lovely drawing featured above. I love it!
Secondly I wanted to commend them for their wonderful story. Set in the late 19th century, each chapter is full of mystery, magic and intrigue and written so that you feel as though you are within the time period, not to forget the fabulous illustrations, drawn with such style that they accentuate the feeling that you are indeed within the century presented. While its not 100% appropriate for all ages due to sexual situations and violence, I would still recommend anyone interested to take a stop on by the Three of Swords!

Next is for a new friend who goes by the name Smoludozerka. Recently she began a web comic:

While there isn't much up to go on yet I still look forward to finding out what she has planned for Demonade. The comic can also be found in polish here and more of her art can be found here
Together we created this nonsense. I've never done a Meme before but I think things worked out. (My part is to the right, hers to the left. My comp died so most of it had to be hand drawn and scanned in) And in case you were wondering, here's a little more on one of the main characters from "Journey"
CAUTION: BEWARE! AHEAD THERE BE SPOILERS! (sorta ^_^'' )

Otherwise there really isn't much else going on. I'm still working on editing but have also been working on a few other side projects, including working on that pile of books I need to read >_< haha.

Till next time folks!

Enter Title Here

2011-02-20T22:38:00.004-05:00

((Ah, spring is in the air... despite the forecast for snow tomorrow, after a day of 60+ deg.F weather, there is no turning back till the end of the new year.))

I honestly must admit that this is an impromptu blog post. I have nothing really special to write about though I have a few minor topics now on my mind.

I recently had a phone consultation with one of the Book DR's from Pitchapalooza which I feel went fairly well. I got some good insight and help on how to spruce up my pitch letter, but work on that can wait till after I've fixed up the novel itself. The biggest item which had been pointed out was characterization of my main "villain". He seems to be too vague at the moment but since he doesn't make an appearance for a while yet I still have some time to figure what makes him more of a man than a mere figure head.

Otherwise editing is going slow. While planning ahead for the future of my novel excites me, where I am now in editing leaves me at a loss. Due to changes I've made I found myself stuck within ch 29 with no where to turn and in my mess I discovered that things I had been surrounding myself with had been harming my cause rather than helping. Troubles at work, marathoning a mind numbing tv show and reading a book I was not enjoying are and were a recipe for disaster. But now that I have finished that show and picked up something I enjoy reading more, editing has come a little easier and things are finally piecing back together after being so horribly broken.

I think at this pace I may finish ch 29 by the end of the week. *crosses fingers*
And then the fun stuff will finally begin!

Now for something random/ a sample of my writing (which may or may not get edited in the future).
Often I have very odd but interesting dreams. When that happens I usually write them down for use in future stories. Last night however I had a dream in which I could never use due to the fact it was based on a copyrighted idea. I have no idea why Sherlock Holmes would grace my waking dreams but that was how it was. (Thus the reason I woke with an urge to watch Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes as noted on my twitter.)

The dream went a little something like this: (the woman had no name)

London, year 18XX

Earlier that morning Watson and Holmes had gotten into a tiff of sorts that resulted in the team making a bet that for just one day, a full 24 hours, Holmes wouldn't be so "Holmes-y". That he would just for once try to be average and not so... above average. Of course Holmes denied such a claim. If anything he breathed, dressed, ate and drank like the best of the average blokes out in the dingy London streets but to humor Watson he accepted his companions wager and was left to his means.
Things were easy going at first for being alone in his loft was easy enough. He slept, smoke, read the paper and then she showed up.
Lead in by the landlady she was dressed in the finest, her dress a purple hue and her brown hair done up in a bun with ringlets framing her face.
"Sherlock Holmes I presume..." She spoke as a school teacher would a child and slowly Holmes lifted himself up from his lounge as she continued. "Your name comes to me with great recommendation, from a great many." She stepped further into the room from the doorway, her gaze remained steadfast and unconvinced as she gazed upon him and his mess of living space.
"Does it..." Holmes replied, eyeing her, picking out bits and pieces of her person from how she adorned and addressed herself physically. Make up, wedding ring, broach, hair, strict stance with feet pointed straight ahead, everything pointed to something.
"Indeed." She replied. "I believe I may have a case for you... however..." She turned each cheek before returning her skeptical gaze back to Holmes. "I remain unconvinced of the claims surrounding your name and your powers of deduction."
"I assure you Misses..." He began, halting as a sly smirk crossed her lips and Watson's words echoed in his mind.
'Be Average'
"One slip" He thought "Surely that can be overlooked."
"Misses? Why Mr. Holmes I have not yet introduced myself. Do I appear so matronly that you would immediately assume that I am wed?"
Holmes eyed her and held his tongue.
"Well... I..." He stammered, glancing aside with a grimace. "How a lovely creature such as yourself could not be..."
Again the woman seemed unamused by what she witnessed and pressed on so as not to waste either or their time.
"Either way, Mr. Holmes, and you were correct in your assumption that I am indeed wed, I have brought with me evidence from my case..." From a bag held firmly at her side she pulled out a porcelain plate, french in style with a form and shape that could only be dated from XXXX by the late artist XXXX. The piece was fascinating, incredible and quickly Holmes' eyes were drawn to the intricate details; cracks in the glaze, the color and intricate line of the design along the border, the imagery within the center of a female field worker in a blue dress. How she could so frivolously pull such a piece from a bag as if it were nothing more than a baguette bought at the corner bakers shop, he could just barely deduce, just barely. This piece meant little to her but why and what its significance...
"Mr. Holmes!" Her voice rang loudly and swiftly he looked up to her realizing he'd nearly lost himself again. Drooling over an artifact as a common man might over the buxom bosom of a street walker, yet his interest seemed to have caught her in the right way and she forgave him by asking "What do you deduce from this piece."
Again his eyes strayed and just as he was ready to speak of money, import and business Watson's words caught him in a net or triviality. Dare he prove himself and gain a case, loosing him his bet or dare he do the unthinkable and play the average man's game, giving in to petty pride while loosing both an intriguing case and another commendation. There had to be a way around it.
"What-do-you-see, Mr. Holmes?" Her patience were running thin and as Watson's words again rung in his mind, he spoke as he felt an average man, like Watson, might speak.
"What I see is a woman in a blue dress."

-and that's where the dream ended-

Ok, yes I did add a little there and yes it is quite lame (When I told someone of the dream they just stared at me blankly) but it was a fun scenario, so I went with it ^_^'' None the less I think I will leave anything to do with Sherlock Holmes to the proper professionals...

Now time for sleep because I'm already half way there!

Happy Belated New Year

2011-01-11T20:55:00.005-05:00

((It took me a while to come up with a holiday picture because of the varying religious beliefs of my characters. So I decided to settled for something neutral. The majority of characters in my novel are some kind of Catholic/Christian but there are many who also believe in different things/nothing at all so to be fair I went with a "warm wishes for a grand new year" type image. There are a few things off with the pic, especially with the colors but I'll over look them for now. Still getting the hang of photoshop >_< If you notice that one of the main chars is missing it's because he's probably at the local pub ringing in the winter solstice with everyone else trying to warm up with a pint. Yup that's my story and I'm sticking with it... I totally didn't forget about him, nooo.. ^_^''))

Hello all and welcome to the year 2011! As I begin to type this post it has begun to snow. The third time of the new year and it is expected to be quite a doozy of a coming storm, but right now its just a light fall, glassy, like sprinkled sugar crystals.

The reason this post is so late is because I was waiting on Good news to share. Unfortunately because I was expecting it, it never came and now I'm stuck with very little to post. I guess because there is no news there is still hope for good but its been over a month so... I'm not holding my breath, sadly. (In my case no news is just as well off as bad news, if not worse because it leaves unanswered questions mounting.)

So I'll leave off with wishing everyone a grand new year. I hope all your holidays were swell and....

Lookit' the holiday gifts I got! My first JBTM fan art(s)!
(Click on the names to see more art by these fabulous artists!)

1)Gaillen by GalidorTheDragon
2)Morjin and the Monk by RoyalHeather
3)A Very JBTM XMAS by Arugaisou

THANK YOU EVERYONE!! I LOVE THEM!

Pitchapalooza- Ten Tips to Getting Published

2010-12-04T23:17:00.010-05:00

((Drew this a while back of a scene that comes up early in JBTM. The words written are not exactly the text on the page but it summarises the mood of the scene. ^_^'' ))

The other day I attended my first Pitchapalooza. An event where aspiring writers gather to pitch their ideas to a pannel of judges who work in the publishing industry (agents, publishers & published authors).I will begin by saying that I walked away from the event discouraged/disheartened and a bit on edge. I will also add that it would have been nice if the adds for the event had a disclaimer stating that depending on the number in attendence there could be a chance not everyone would get to pitch their ideas, but negative thoughts aside the night, though disapointing for me, was certainly an experience and I cannot say I did not walk away with information did not have before.

Next I want to wish the winner of the evening Ms. Suzanne Wells the best of luck in the writing, editing and the publication of her book/memoir.

Now on to the evening!
I'd have to say that there were atleast 130 people in attendance (all aspiring writers). A greater number than what had been estimated by both the pannel and the location where the event was being held. Granted my numbers may be a bit off but when it's standing room only and shelves had to be moved to make room, the number appears about right. I didn't count when things started rolling, but once everyone was signed up we were told only 25 of the lot would be able to give their pitches, so at random names were called (the person right after me being picked >_<) and the night began. There were many ideas from a scratch & sniff kids guide to NYC to novels about heaven, hell and those that fall in between; handling loss; life in general; dieting; alzheimers; poetry; nature guides for kids shown through photographs; abuse; & a fantasy tale as told through the eyes of an imp; but not everyone had the proper pitch and only one could win the night.

So what was it that the judges said that I took away with me?
1) Make your pitch an elevator pitch.
What is an elevator pitch? To my understanding it is a pitch where you can compare or relate your idea to books already on the market while being able to discern your own from the already published.

2) To establish an elevator pitch you must read! Read anything that might have to do with your topic. (I have some work to do with this one >_<)Also do your research and see how you can put a spin on what's already been done.

3) Take advantage of organizations that might have something to do with yourself or what you want to publish. Get your foot in the door to get your writing out there. For example- During the night the judges told those with Alzheimer related books to contact Alzheimer organizations see if they could contribute their stories or poems to share with the community/ web sites. Another example was a young man with Autism who had a great idea for a kids fantasy series, he was told to contact Autism organizations to see if there was anything they could do to assist him.

4) Take advantage of social networking sites. You can market yourself/ your book on/in places such as Youtube, starting off small and working your way to larger productions that will give your idea/book more attention/notoriety. I was a bit surprised the judges gave this suggestion.

5) I was even more surprised to see the judges tell some of the writers that they could/should go the route of self publication (a route being taken by so many these days, a route that I was told some publishers frown upon. Guess that isn't so much the case anymore, hmm?)BUT with a word of caution for those wishing to add illustrations. Be cautious with self publication and art. You may have the best pictures in the world but that doesn't guarantee they will come out the same on the printed page. They said it was best just to get the words printed and worry about the quality of the art for if and when a publisher picks your book up.

6) Never be ashamed of your idea. Stand strong despite opposition to your idea. Example- one of the pitchers came up with an idea that was so unnerving the silence it brought over the room took the speaker aback and brought the pitch into the realm of near apology. There is always an audience out there for something, it may not be a big one but they are there so if you have an idea, run with it.

7) If you write, have a theme. For example- Poems. If you want to publish your poems try to sort them by theme. If you want them all together maybe place themes as chapters if there aren't enough of a single theme to make a full book. Readers can be picky and wouldn't want poems randomly thrown at them.

8) Be mindful of cost.If a publisher sees that your book/idea is going to cost more to produce than people will be willing to pay for it published (such as if there are extra/ special effects like sound, scratch & sniff, pop ups/ outs etc)then a publisher may not be willing to take the chance of producing the book.

9) You might want to write a series of novels but try to end the first as if there will not be another to follow. (I'm a bit torn on this one because of the sheer length of my novel if it isn't split into two separate books)Publishers are wary of starting a new author with a lengthy series because if the first does not do well they won't have the incentive to publish the rest of the series, a bit like in the movie industry, which brings me to

10) Depending on the type of book, write it like it could/ should be made into a movie. Alot of films are based on books these days. (I have considered this many times though there are things I would add to a film that would be out of place, or not included in the books. It's hard to not wonder who would fit the bill of my characters or how certain situations or characters could be represented and what might be omitted if time restraints forced chapters/events to be taken out.)

I hope this info might help another aspiring writer wanting to someday publish. Also, best of luck to everyone present at Pitchapalooza. It was certainly an interesting/ informative event.

Random note- I have never heard the name I gave my main char before and now in the past week I've heard it three times in different places. Not really sure what I should think about that... kinda thought I had just made it up. I suppose this is all for the better, a real name is more relatable, right?

Heh.

Now looking at my page of pitch notes I have to laugh at how nervous I was. The page is in taters from having been folded and unfolded, twisted and crumpled in my shaking hands. I suppose it was for the best I didn't get a chance to voice myself. I was far too nervous and would have rushed my words, not to mention the fact that my pitch did sound a bit too much like another in the respect of it being about a characters journey of self discovery but, dear reader, in case you were curious
this is about what I was going to say: (Each person was only given 60 seconds to voice their novel, so it is indeed a short summary.)

(Note:If I had done an elevator pitch it probably would have involved comparison to Philip Reeve's "No Such Thing as Dragons" - which I have read- or Christopher Paolini's "Eragon", which I have to honestly admit I have not yet read but know through synopsis' found on the web. Again if you look back at number 2, I still have many many books to read, Eragon is on the list. ^_^')

"Growing up in an isolated village led Gaillen to believe that everything he had heard about the world outside was nothing more than fairy tales and stories made up to scare little kids. But when the heat of the summer threatens his people and bandits ravage his ailing home, Gaillen is forced beyond the safety of the mountains and into the tyrannically ruled kingdom of Aisur where he must face his fears of the unknown to survive in a world more fantastic than the tales he had grown up with. Lost and alone, Gaillen is befriended by the bird like people, the Tsubakin; is robbed and rescued by a renegade knight; and has his heart stolen and broken by a crafty young mage. Together with his new comrades, Gaillen unwillingly becomes involved with the secrets of Aisur and finds that his once sheltered life will never be the same."
"Journey Beyond the Mountains" is/will be a young adult fantasy/fiction novel (series).

12/10- Edit- Just to note there had been 250 people in attendance and only 20 of the lot got a chance to pitch.

Standards...?

2010-11-23T13:39:00.005-05:00

((Another look at the JBTM Cast. I'm still trying to figure out my style and though this still doesn't represent the cast as I see them in my minds eye, its better than what I had before. Yet I didn't mind so much representing them with animals. Perhaps those images shall make their way here at some point in time. ))

This post is going to be more about my art than my writing. At present I'm on ch 23 and the editing is just crawling along, inch by sluggish inch, until I feel it's right to pass on. Alot is being changed with the characters and their interactions, but I feel great attention must be payed to this chapter since the two featured do become important. Spoiler? Perhaps.

But on to more pressing matters. Recently I was offered the opportunity to draw up some comic strips for another web blog (rant blog as it may be)since it's author claims to have lacking abilities in the scribble dept. At first I was excited. Someone actually liked my art enough to ask me to draw for them! So in returned I asked for a few scripts and waited patiently until they arrived with roughly, stick figure drawn story boards. What I received however was not quite what I was expecting. While I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinions, I was taken aback by some of the articles I was given. While some were "cute" others were to my opinion, somewhat offensive or lacking in tact.

Now when I used to take acting classes I was always told there is no such thing as bad publicity. That even if you do wrong, it will gain you attention you would have never gotten otherwise, and okay... this is for acting but it sort of does apply here, if'n you recall that untimely printed comic for Garfield back on Vets day. That got some good hits on the Internet because alot of people wanted to know what the hubbub was about, but I digress. As much as I appreciate the offer I don't feel I can take the opportunity. As much as I would like to get myself out there and have my drawing/writing/what have you, seen I don't feel right about it. I want to find my way through good, not controversial means and though I could possibly do one or two of the "cuter" comics I don't think that could be part of the plan, even if I put a disclaimer stating the opinions drawn are not my beliefs.

No, for now I think I will stick with my novels and story illustrations, keeping with ideas I can agree with rather than ones I have to struggle to stomach. Even though I may/will eventually have to touch upon controversy with character development, those are just characters and they are not alone. There will be those my readers can agree with and those they cannot, and they can read into it all they want but they will know it is all just part of the story. They can choose their sides and question whose I am on, but that is all part of the fun of reading, isn't it?

I ask you dear readers. What would you do?

T-Nooler now Twitter Accessable!

2010-11-01T15:15:00.004-04:00

Hope everyone who celebrates it had a Happy Halloween! And those who don't well... I hope you get the chance to go out and get yourself a pumpkin and some yummy candy. Above is a pic I doodled of the JBTM crew dressed up as the characters from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, one of my favorite animes, for Halloween. Just so ya'll can get an idea of who makes up the main cast and what their personalities are... sort of like... (Eli is a little more modest than Yuko and Dru at first is alot quieter and seemingly grumpier than Kamina... but that will change... hopefully.) So enjoy and while I'm up to adding new surprises, you can now follow me on Twitter! Granted I will only be able to tweet after work hours (9 pm or later- accursed long hour days) but I generally don't have a whole lot to say to begin with and I feel it is a better way to update with how my editing is going than waiting for me to find a topic to post here, right?

heh ^_^'

Well have a nice first of November everyone. Turkey day is lurking just around the corner.

Dialogue Debate

2010-10-12T19:02:00.011-04:00

(Just getting in the Halloween spirit. Took this photo while visiting my brother in T.N. when we went to the Union Station Hotel.)

So I may have a bit of a setback. While editing today I noticed something off about the little icon that tells you how much battery you have left on your comp. It was loosing power faster than normal and when I plugged it in, it seems to have gotten stuck at 88%. Might just be a bad outlet but I'll have to monitor it. Just when I get my art computer back my writing computer starts to die... what's up with that? If it does turn out to be something with the battery (hope this has nothing to do with having kept it plugged in during the storm we had last night) I'll have less time to edit the novel since I can't tote around my art computer... and I was making such progress -_-

Now on to today's topic. Dialogue.

Dialogue can play a key part in character development and dynamic. Even if a character cannot speak they still have inner thought which can reflect on actions that have or have not occurred and the words they cannot speak may provoke the voices of others. I guess a good example of that would be found in the web comic Strays by Samantha Whitten & Stacey Pefferkorn. (I do suggest you stop by, its a great story with amazing art.)

In my novel I had a lot of scenes driven by dialogue which illustrated the clashing personalities of my two main characters but as one character changed the dynamic also changed, removing the necessity of many of their conversations. While I found many of these conversations witty and comical if not provocative, I now find that while I still do like the scripting and wish to keep the ideas, I just can't find a place for them anymore. None the less I hold on to the bits long enough to see if there is any chance for them as I cut down the chapters, eventually finding the strength to just let them go so the chapter can run smoother and the scene gets to the point faster. It does bug me a little when things tend to get to the point too fast, for example- the characters enter a town and less than five minutes in they encounter the antagonist and action ensues right after an eventful... event, an example being the film "Clash of the Titans" 2010 version where it was action after action with little pause and time to develop characters and their relationships with both their teams and the villains, but some people like that, getting bored of a story too soon when there is down time, and some publishers like that to for the same reason. But really that is up to you. There will always be readers out there who will love your writing and those who don't for one reason or another. Never let that deter you. You write for the love of writing, your story and your characters. Your audience comes second because everyone is different, everyone has their own tastes. Let them have the challenge of finding that book and earning the rewards of discovering their heart through the world that lies beyond the cover.

Just some thoughts.

Now dare I risk turning on my editing computer to do a little more editing?

Maybe

AH! and I just added a header to the Blog. Small portion of a larger image from the cover for JBtM before the book was split. Dunno if I will be keeping this but it's better than what had been there. Enjoy!

The Pixar Challenge

2010-10-05T22:01:00.008-04:00

(This bluejay looks like a plush toy >_< I guess my office is right on their migration route because there is a whole mob of these guys hanging out in the trees of our parking lot. They are really smart and enjoy tossing acorns at our cars)

I still don't have my computer back, it'll be another two weeks before that so I'm borrowing to make a post.

I'm stuck in my editing at the moment so I decided to take a break and write about a topic that has been both helpful and inspiring.

I chose Pixar because when they became the Mecca for animated movies my friends and I would always wonder- what will they do next?

Honestly I haven't been big on their latest releases, excluding Toy Story 3, but I still feel a challenge with the thought of what world haven't they stepped into? What world could I create to make the next big Pixar thing?

What these questions pose is a way not only for me to challenge my creativity but to rethink my current works. With creating new characters and new worlds I have come to question myself about originality, not just does my idea sound like something that has already been done by someone else but do my characters for a new story sound like characters from a story I may have already done or plan to do; do my scenarios seem the same; do my places look the same?

What I have noticed is that I tend to have some repetition with character types and therefore character interactions tend to be the same from story to story and can loose interest for both myself and prospective readers because there is nothing new, exciting or unexpected, just the same cookie cutter story. That should not be.

As a writer I still need to sharper and hone my skills but the more I think and the more I write the better I feel I will become.

I'm not sure how helpful this may be for others who share my passion for writing but I hope it provokes some thought and helps someone with coming up with their next big idea or in context with today's title "The Next Big Pixar Film".

In addition here is a link I found online for anyone looking to be published- Sure they claim it is easier than it looks but that is really only if you self publish. In the UK it seems to be harder than ever due to a publishing freeze, who is to say that will not effect the US and elsewhere? In the US due to the abundance of writers it is customary that one find a lit agent to promote them so publishers dont have to root out what they want from the hundreds of thousands of inqueries and manuscripts they receive every day.

A lot goes into finding a literary agent, you have to find the right one that will support the theme/ genre of your story. There are many very large but exceptional books out there that give lists of these agencies, however I suggest looking the agencies up online before going out and sending them your work. Things change from the time they are submitted to the time the guides are published and you hold it in your hands. Also be wary of what is not being said in the blurbs written about what the agencies are accepting, from what I have found things tend to be overlooked such as lit agents turning away good stories because of their word count.

Self publishing is also an iffy subject when it comes to being published by a company, while many publishers might be pleased to see you took the initiative, many others may not/ frown upon a prospective author having self published, especially if you publish the entire story on the internet (like a web page dedicated to the story), this way the story isn't as fresh and anyone at any time can read it or steal bits and peices.

Mind you, more than ever now, publishers are utilizing the internet to check out self published writers to see who is becoming an up and coming star of the literary realm and even Amazon has begun their own organization helping authors publish and then aiding them in the distribution and selling of their works. So be cautious. Do your homework. and good luck!

Man er... computer down!

2010-09-27T18:46:00.003-04:00

My computer has died so there may not be any updates for a while. Already spoke to HP and am now awaiting their box so I can ship it back for repairs. Until then enjoy the doodle and remember... dragons and computers don't mix.

~_^ the dragon is a character from my novel btw.

Chocolate Croissants & Pink Dresses

2010-09-14T20:23:00.005-04:00

(This image was the original concept design for the JBTM cover sleeve- however due to the change in the story I am rethinking a new cover and may save this for book 2 of volume 1- there is an incomplete computer colored version as well of just the front half. I may post that at some point as well.)

Today I went to a book signing for Cornelia Funke's new novel "Reckless" and I must say the Ms. Funke is so far the author I can most relate to. Originally an illustrator for children's stories she decided to write to give more depth to the ideas she had been illustrating. Luckily for her however, she found it easier to get published than I am. None the less writing never comes easy and sometimes you just have to keep editing (for example "14 times" for a single chapter).

Ms. Funke along with her co-author (and film producer) Lionel Wigram read part of chapter 1 of the novel (which has plans for a trilogy), talked about their collaboration in writing it and answered audience questions. Then came the signing.

Ms. Funke was a very lovely woman and Mr. Wigram, well to be honest he didn't talk much, but his smile showed warmth and when Ms. Funke read he closed his eyes and you could tell he was being brought back to that place they had met many times in coming up with their tale.

There may have been roughly 25 people/kids there for the signing which was kind of sad but it was made up for by their love of her books, especially the woman in the pink (hot pink... or maybe it was salmon) colored dress. A teacher for the fifth grade and a woman very passionate about reading and writing. Her favorite teaching tool was/is The InkWorld series, especially because of the quotes at the beginning of every chapter from other novels written by other authors. She compared herself to Aunt Elinor because she just loved books and loved to collect them.
I seriously wish I had a teacher like her when I was in school. I really do.

So here is to Ms. Funke, Mr. Wigram, Ms. Funke's Publisher (who made the signing despite canceled flights from Germany) and the teacher. Thank you and best of luck in the future for all and all they do.

PS- While waiting for the signing to begin I got a good chapter and a half edited before getting stuck with the changes I've made... and a dead battery. If only I was lucky enough to have some one to bounce my ideas off of like Ms. Funke was with Mr. Wigram.

Working on it

2010-09-03T20:24:00.002-04:00

(The image above is supposed to be an animated .Gif from the anime Chi's Sweet Home- not sure if its going to animate but it's still cute)

I've found with the split of Book 1 there is a lot more I want to explore in the world I have created that I never had a chance to before. The problem with that is the fact that with all this new material Volume 1 of Book 1 is going to be as long as it was before the split of volumes. I don't have a problem with that... The publishers on the other hand *sigh*
None the less I am making progress, not the kind I wish I was making but when you work 12 hours a day, it's the best one can do, aye?

Now you might wonder why I decided to write.
Truth be told I never really planned to be a writer. I liked to make up stories when I was little but they were just stories to pass the time. Now I wish I had kept all the things I had written because I would love to revisit those ideas. I still have some old character drawings I made for them but I can't really recall the plot or characteristics of the main characters, just the setting and who was good and who was not.
My true heart was in other things. If I remember correctly I wanted to be a reporter when I was little. I loved to know everything and tell everyone what was going on, despite the fact I was usually the last to know anything. My dream died when a teacher, rather than approve the idea, shot down my dream, telling me to keep dreaming- it would never happen.
So from there I wanted to do something with music but again when I didn't seem to be making the same improvements as other students I was told I had no future in music. Later years a choir teacher would give me the same impression when he had no choice but to give me a solo and purposely gave me a broken Mic so another student could save the day.
Acting was another big thing for me but I'll just leave it as- as much as I love to act and as much as I would love to be in the film industry, I don't have what it takes. I'm not Hollywood material.

I spent one semester at a private university for art before coming back home. Disillusioned, I spent winter break trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life (honestly I still don't know the answer and at times it can really hurt) and it was then that I saw a movie that inspired my novel. It was a fantasy film based on a book and it was horrid. Sitting there, unable to walk out, I pondered about how I could do better, how I could write a better script. So when I got home I sat down and started to write.

The problem there was the fact I don't know how to write a script/ screenplay so what started as a rough storyboard for something bigger, became a novel- written with love, sweat and tears.
I managed to get 15 pages out before transfering to another university (and then a third) where I would jot down ideas during class and organize them for when I had the time to sort them out, which was not until after I graduated.

JBTM is still a work in progress but I've never been prouder of something I've done and I hope someday to share it and inspire others in some way.

I have other story ideas waiting in the wings as well, one of which was planned to be a web comic but that too, I believe, will be saved for the written word and the imagination of the readers.

Book Signings

2010-08-24T21:24:00.003-04:00

The main theme of this blog is going to have to deal with writing, books and their authors. Sometimes maybe even movies.

As written in the last post- I would like to think of myself as a writer and presently the novel I am working on is in the editing process. I tried to submit the original script to a Lit agency and upon getting no response I came to realise that my story still needs some work. What was originally 600 pages and 90 (about) chapters has been now cut down into two volumes, their page count and chapter amount is changing as we speak.
For now that is all I will say about my work. Now it is time to talk about others.

I have been to (two) book signings in my life so far.
The first was for Rick Riordan- for the Percy Jackson Series. He was a really nice guy and the reception was amazing. Kids just loved him and his books. His fans were also very nice and I made a friend while waiting online. There he gave us all some advice about how to be a writer. It really doesn't take much at all. Just love the written and spoken word. Always read, and write down your thoughts. I thank him for his time and signature and congratulate him on his success. Best of luck in the future sir.

The next was this evening for Suzanne Collins- the Hunger Games series. I've just started the series and I'm enjoying the first book greatly. To be honest I had never heard of the series before and only happened to stumble on them by accident when I was looking for something new to read at market. I'm glad I did. None the less, the crowd was great (though I'm surprised at how young most of the readers were), everyone seemed so excited to meet her and she surprised us all when she read an excerpt from the first chapter of "Mockingjay". She looked so happy to see such a reception and grateful for it. My thoughts to Ms. Collins are thank you. I can't wait to read more and I hope your hand gets better. Congratulations and best of luck in the future.

I hope someday to have such great fortune in having that many people not only read my stories but to enjoy them. I would very much like to make people smile and feel excited to read.

Now those were two positive book signings. I bring you fair reader down to earth with how not all writers are fortunate. I went to a book store while I was still in university and saw there was a gentleman standing behind a desk with a pile of books. He was alone and looking very despondent. I later learned as I scoured the store for a good read that he was there for his own book signing. He had been there for three hours and not a single person had paid him any attention. If that was not bad enough, they stationed him right by the main entrance where he was passed by many and ignored by all.

I fear that is how I may be received, but I will try to be optimistic that someone out there will like my story just as much as I do.

Thank you and until next time - Keep reading!

Hello and Welcome!

2009-06-26T22:27:00.001-04:00

Well, well. Hello there and welcome to The Nooler Blog. My name is Toby and I'd like to claim myself as a writer however I think for the time being a more appropriate tittle for myself would be: dreamer.
Here you will see updates of my writing as well my attempts at getting published. I will share my thoughts as well as encounters I have with books I am reading and authors I meet. There may even be a few novel based doodles here and there.
Until my next post however-
Welcome to my world.
I am Toby Nooler
and this is only just the beginning.