Writing 101: The End of the World

Lots of people believe the world is going to end, and lots of that can be blamed on good fiction. A good story can instill fear in an entire population. Once upon a time, back when the TV didn't exist, a nationwide panic was created over a radio program. The public literally believed that Earth had been invaded by an alien population. That is good writing. The end of the world can make for a great topic -- just ask the Mayans. We're still talking about them 2,000 years later. A good story is pretty powerful stuff.

 The End of the World as They Know It

Writing about a catastrophic, world-ending event can be a heady experience. You can make it thrilling, you can make it sad, you can make it frightening and horrifying. That's the power of the pen: you can do anything you want. But some writers take even that a little too far. Because you can't just end a world out of nowhere. You've got to lead up to it, a little.

Before you can end your fictional world with some sort of catastrophic event, you have to make me care. You can't just end an entire world without making it an emotional experience. Should I be glad this world is ending? Maybe it's a horrible place filled with villains. Should I be sad? Was there a hero or heroine I just can't help but love, someone who must now die along with all the rest? Should I be frightened and horrified? Maybe your world ends in a way that could make my world end, and maybe that scares me. Let me get to know the world before it ends, and meet some of the people who live on it. Otherwise, I'm going to be yawning over your descriptive passages and rolling my eyes as lifeless body after lifeless body is consumed by lava (or whatever). 

To make the end of the world matter, you've got to add the human connection. And put some structures or natural wonders on the world while you're at it. I'm going to feel the loss of a beautiful world more keenly than an ugly one. 

And when you finally end the world, or write about your catastrophic event, do it spectacularly. Describe the screams, the smells, the pure horror of the event. After all, the end of the world isn't something that happens every day.

Writing 101: Quit Making Up Words

There are so many words in the English language, it's not even possible to count them all. This is how I know there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for you to make up any more of them. As a self-published author, this is something you just cannot do, and I'll explain why. 

Neologisms, Portmanteaus and Other Stuff You Should Avoid

Making up new words has become a trendy activity, oddly enough. This may be due to the fact that so many people have trouble correctly using the ones we've already got. You might have all sorts of reasons for using neologisms, new words or brand-new uses for words, in your books. You might think it's cute to create portmanteaus, words that have been shoved together to create new meanings. You might really feel the spirit of creativity. You might, in fact, be channeling the spirit of the great Lewis Carroll himself, the man who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and coined quite a few new words. 

Edit them out of the book. Here's what you do instead: write them down. Save them, file them away. If you can't wait, debut them on Twitter or Facebook. Don't put them in your book for one reason: people are going to think it's a mistake. You're a self-published author, so you're already under a microscope. There are always going to be readers who think you aren't a "real" author, who shun you and your books. Others will search twice as hard for mistakes and stuff to hate. So don't make up your own words, and give them a reason to tell other readers that you're no good. 

You can always save your words for when you hit the big time, after your trilogy blows up and becomes bigger than Fifty Shades of Grey. And once you do, and you unveil your new words, you just may become part of the lexicon. Carroll invented the word smog after he shoved together smoke and fog. Frenemy, a combination of friend and enemy, is widely-used, as are made-up words like craptacular and fantabulous. Cheeseburger is perhaps the best example of a word that was just two words shoved together, a made-up thing, that's now accepted as proper English by one and all.

As a writer, part of your job might be to make up words. But it's also your job to learn how to use the ones we've already got. Chances are extremely high that there's a word to describe exactly what you want to write, and you don't need to make anything up to get there. Instead of making your readers think that you just don't know what you're doing as a self-published author, choose all the right words and prove them wrong. You can make up words later, because there are always more books to write.

Writing 101: Ask Three Questions

Writing a book is incredibly difficult. Writing a great book is practically impossible. When you sit down to write yours, ask and answer three questions. If you break writing down to its simplest form, you'll find it's really not so difficult after all. Master the basics, and all the rest is just polish. 

Three Questions

Every novel, no matter how thick or complicated, revolves around three specific questions. Ask them, and make sure you know the answers, when you're writing yours. 

• Who?

Every novel needs at least one main character. Juggling more than one main is hard, but it can create a very rich and engaging story. Make your main character(s) interesting and identifiable, and your readers will enjoy finding out about them. 

• Where?

 Every book has a setting. Research yours to make it real and rich on the page. Readers want details. What's the weather like? What are the buildings like? What do the rooms look like? Good descriptive writing paints a picture without taking over the entire book -- remember that no one wants to read your rambles about the way the curtains hang. Strike a good balance, and use the detail to add to the story instead of allowing it to swamp the story.

• What?

You don't have a book if you don't have a plot. Stuff needs to happen in your book. Allow the readers to get to know the characters through specific events. Readers want to be put inside the story; they don't want a story told to them. Use plot to make your book happy, funny, exciting, sad -- any emotion you want to evoke. 

If you can answer three questions, you've got what you need to start writing a book. It's the idea and the imagination that matters. Mechanics will come later, after lots of editing and hard work. Once you've found your three answers, the really hard part is already over.

Writing 101: Love Triangles

Some readers love them, some readers hate them. Entire books have been built around them, and fans will practically go to war to defend their particular choice. They're love triangles, and they're a bear to write. Before you do it, find out if it's even worth it to include this very dicey plot point in your story. 

Three's a Crowd

She likes him, but he likes someone else. It's a classic scenario, a literary tactic so old you can even find it in Shakespeare. Or maybe even in the Bible. And because it's so old, it's going to be really hard for any writer to use successfully. Readers have already seen it all before. 

That's why you have to make you love triangles fresh and interesting if you're going to include them. Shakespeare didn't stop at a three-way knot of emotion; he added more parties to his triangles. While Helena was pining for Demetrius and he was pining for Hermia, she was madly in love with Lysander and all but oblivious to Demetrius. Then, a fairy gets involved and starts making all the wrong people fall in love with each other. Doesn't that sound good? Isn't that something you'd like to read? 

It was popular 400 years ago. So if you're going to add a love triangle to your plot, you're going to have to really mix it up. Stephenie Meyer made it work by creating a love triangle out of three different species of humanoids. What's your gimmick? 

You can always add fuel to the love triangle fire by adding more parties. Why stop at three? Add more love interests, more confusion, and foil the couple that "should be" together time and time again to keep readers interested. If you do it well, you can build suspense without breaking their patience. It's a fine line to write, so have a care. You can make your love triangle more engaging by dramatically changing someone's social status (a very wealthy love interest suddenly loses their fortune, for example), or putting one in a life-threatening situation to test the main character's loyalties. Perhaps the main character's parents hate one of the love interests. Mix it up, change it around, and make the plot unique. It has to be different if it's going to work. 

The Sticking Point

Writing a juicy love triangle that's filled with suspense can be done with a lot of hard work. In order to resolve the damn thing, you're going to need luck and a whole lot of imagination. At some point, the story has got to come to an end. A choice must be made. So who will it be? And what's going to happen to the other one? 

Resolving a love triangle is incredibly difficult, and some writers will come up with truly wild and crazy ways to put a cap at the end of theirs. You can't just show the happy couple riding off into the sunset; readers are going to demand to know what happens to the one who's left behind. Does the rejected love interest find a new love? Do they decide to leave the area instead, maybe explore the world or try some new career? In some books, the spare lover might die. That's a resolution, too. 

Whatever you do, find your resolution and put a decisive end to your love triangles when the time comes. There can be no loose ends where matters of the heart are concerned. At some point, the sequels have to end and the matter has to be resolved.

Untangling The Tower

"Another solid novel by Jade Varden that meets up to the expectations left by its predecessor. Book Two did not disappoint."

"It's very well crafted and executed, sustaining a very tense chase, almost to the point of becoming a thriller!"

The Tower (Deck of Lies #2) has been reviewed at Verdict Book Reviews! It's a must-read for those who are trying to sort out all the suspects in the book, but only if you're up to speed on the events of Justice (Deck of Lies #1). Go check out the whole thing!

Writing 101: Sell More Books

It is a truth universally accepted that a reader in possession of a good book must be in want of another good book, and as a self-published author this is the mantra you must adopt. After your book is written, and published, and promoted, there's only one thing left to do: write more. Want to sell more books? Then start writing more books. 

You're Only As Good As...

What's your favorite song right this minute? What was your favorite song, one year ago on this day? Do you even remember? Most people probably won't, for one simple reason: there's always something new. There's a new singer to hear, a new food to try, a new show to watch, a new book to read. No matter how remarkable or fantastic your book, eventually it will be eclipsed by another. Just ask J. K. Rowling, and 10 million Twilight fans, how quickly the tide of the MTV movie awards can turn against you. 

Unless you write a book that becomes the basis of a religion, or come up with something wildly popular like the 50 Shades trilogy, chances are darned good that your book won't be self-sustaining. You have to promote it constantly, and after just a few months it's already going to be old news anyway. The best way to keep your books, your brand, fresh is by offering more. 

So, you've just got to write more books. In this business, you're only as good as your last book...and even that isn't going to last too long. People are always looking for what's next, so in order for you to keep your name out there and keep readers interested you've got to give them what's next.

• Don't take breaks from writing. When you're done with a book, great! Drink a glass of champagne, high-five your friends, pat yourself on the back, and start thinking about your next project. Get to work on it immediately. If you need time to rest and relax, give yourself a week between books. No more. It's time for what's next. 
• Don't stop promoting. Continue to promote all your old books. Re-release them with new covers and new extras; make them fresh and exciting again. Do this in-between promoting whatever your next book project is. 
• Don't forget to tell your fans and reviewers. Whenever you have a new book coming out, make a big deal about it. Tell all the people who have reviewed you in the past. Offer them free books, tell them you've got something else they're going to like. Do cross-promotions so your existing fans know you have something brand-new for them. "Did you like Red Heat? Then you'll love my new book, Cold Wind." 
• Don't fail to use your new books to get new fans. There's no way your last book appealed to everyone you wanted to target. Try again with this new book. If you gain brand-new readers, they might go back and read some of your older books while they're at it.

If you're only as good as your last book, then make that work for you. Make it work by producing new books and changing your reputation. If your work is very high-quality, well-written and well-edited, you will gain new readers and sell more books. Writing more books will make you more legitimate as an author, and will show that you're committed to your craft. Readers like that, and they like having a lot of reading options. Give it to them, and you'll sell more books.

Books on Film: A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens, is arguably the most popular Christmas story of all time. It's certainly one of the most-adapted, with more feature-length and TV-film versions than you can fit in a single blog post. The story is so famous, you can say just one word and everyone will know what you're referencing. But if you've only ever seen it on film, you don't know the whole story.

The Book

In a very real way, Charles Dickens is the father of the modern Christmas. When he wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843, Christmas itself was in a transitional phase. Newfangled trends, like Christmas trees, were mucking up this traditional season of church-going, quiet reflection and somber celebration. 

And so Dickens wrote about a man named Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter old miser who loves money more than people. It's a very short story told in only 5 chapters, or staves, and it starts on Christmas Eve. It is 7 years to the day of Jacob Marley's death, Jacob Marley who is definitely dead. This makes it quite odd indeed when Marley appears that very night to Ebenezer, who has as usual been kicking around his much-maligned clerk at the counting house.

Marley is here, a ghostly apparition, to warn Scrooge. A wicked afterlife awaits him if he continues to value money more than his fellow man. He will suffer for his lack of kindness and charity. Scrooge thinks Christmas is a "humbug." He doesn't want to give his clerk time off for the holiday, or spend time with his nephew Fred, or donate to any charities that help people. To him, the holiday is "a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every twenty-fifth of December!"

It's good stuff. Ebenezer is subsequently visited by three spirits who arrive in succession after Marley. First comes the ghost of Christmas past, who shows Scrooge shadows of things that have already been. The ghost of Christmas present is a garrulous gentleman who shows Scrooge the horrors that are happening outside the walls of his fancy townhouse. There is suffering in the world, even in the home of clerk Bob Cratchit. He has a very ill son, Tiny Tim, who is also the sweetest child ever born. They are a merry family, but so horrifyingly poor.

It's all fun and games until the third spirit, the ghost of Christmas yet to come, arrives. He shows Scrooge a terrible future. Tiny Tim is dead, and so is Scrooge, and things are not good.

When Ebenezer wakes on Christmas Day, he realizes he still has a chance to change those shadows. He still has a chance to celebrate Christmas! And boy, does he. The final scene of A Christmas Carol is just as fine as anything ever penned by the hand of man. 

It took Dickens 6 weeks to write the most beloved, most repeated and most famous Christmas story we all know. A Christmas Carol is credited with popularizing the phrase "Merry Christmas," and "Scrooge" is often applied to anyone expressing miserly qualities. "Bah humbug" has also entered into language because of the story. Some historians even credit the book with creating customs of family gatherings, consuming food and drink, playing games and behaving generosity in association with Christmas.

The Many Movies

A Christmas Carol has been adapted for the movies for as long as movies have existed. It was a silent film in 1908 and again in 1910, but you'd have trouble finding either version anywhere.

You can still see the 1938 version, which is darned good. The only version of the story ever made by movie giant MGM, it's still shown on cable TV to this day. Reginald Own plays the leading role, along with real-life couple Gene and Kathleen Lockhart as Bob and Mrs. Cratchit. You might recognize Ann Rutherford, who later played Scarlett O'Hara's youngest sister, as the Spirit of Christmas Past.

Lionel Barrymore, one of my favorites and unquestionably one of the best character actors in history, was originally slated to play the leading role. He was well-known for playing Scrooge on the annual radio production that ran at the time, but his health wasn't strong enough. You can see Barrymore in my all-time favorite holiday movie, It's a Wonderful Life, playing the role that was pretty clearly inspired by one Ebenezer Scrooge. At the time Barrymore made the Capra flick, he did need the wheelchair.

Reginald Owen does a good job anyway, and the film is very faithful to the book. But it was made by MGM, and it is a holiday film, so some stuff had to be changed. The love interest aspect of Scrooge's life is dropped in total, as were the companions who travel with the ghost of Christmas present. The thieves who so shock Scrooge in the vision of the future are also omitted.

But it's not the best version. That was made in 1951, and it starred Alastair Sim. He was born to be Scrooge. Sim looks the part and acts the part beautifully, making this the definitive version of A Christmas Carol. Ironically, that's not the movie's name. This version was originally produced as Scrooge, though sometimes it's listed under the proper title of the book instead. Once widely-run on TV during December, now you have to really search to find this simply fantastic (and very faithful) version of the story.

This version actually expands on the story, showing more scenes with Scrooge and the ghost of Christmas past. Now, we see exactly how Scrooge and Marley forged their partnership, and learn of some unscrupulous business practices besides. The love interest's name is changed from Belle to Alice, inexplicably, and she is given very charitable qualities in this version. This better explains why she eventually leaves Scrooge later in the story. We also see Scrooge's sister Fan dying in childbirth, something that's hinted at in the book but never told in detail.

The 1951 film has been re-released and colorized, and you can find it in pretty much every available format.

More versions of the story followed in 1954, 1962, 1971, 1977 and 1982. Another definitive version of the Dickens work would not be created until 1983, when Disney got ahold of it. This animated version remains one of the best-loved, and stars the entire pantheon of classic Disney characters. Scrooge (McDuck), Mickey Mouse (as Cratchit), Jiminy Cricket, Donald Duck, Goofy and Daisy Duck all appear.

One of the best-known versions was made in 1984, with George C. Scott in the role. This is still one of the most-recognized adaptations, because it's been aired on TV every single December since its original release. Scott is a broad, be-whiskered Scrooge who truly breaks down in the climatic scene with the ghost of Christmas yet to come. The tombstone used to film the scene is still standing where it was shot at St. Chad's Church in Shrewsbury, England.

Many more versions of the story followed, including one starring Patrick Stewart of X-Men and Star Trek fame, but nothing would stand out until it was re-created by Disney in 2009. This 3D extravaganza stars Jim Carrey in the leading role. Carrey also voices all three ghosts, which probably really saved on the talent budget. Despite the slick animation, the addition of magician Robert Zemeckis, and all the might of Disney, it's not a very good film. You'd do much better to watch the 1951 version in color if you want to see some wild animation.

What Got Adapted?

You always lose a little something in the transfer from page to screen, even when a story has been transferred as often as this one. In the book, the ghost of Christmas past has a hand with no skin, a hand that never appears on film. It's also a strangely childlike creature, something often changed for film. It's also rarely mentioned that Belle was actually Fezziwig's daughter, and that she broke their engagement on Christmas. This is another reason why Scrooge hates the holiday so much. Christmas Present is a giant, and near the end of the day he has markedly aged. Christmas Yet to Come appears immediately after the giant fades away, and this specter does wear a black, hooded cloak as is so often depicted.

The book is very short, and it's a delight you shouldn't miss. Once you're done, compare it to your own favorite film version of the story, and look for the differences.

Writing 101:The Anatomy of a Scene

Words are the stock and trade of every writer, but some authors get too caught up in their own words. When you're writing out a scene involving any sort of character action at all -- even when it's talking -- you also have to work out the logistics. If you can't put yourself inside of every scene and picture exactly what's happening, you've got a real problem. 

Get Back Inside the Box

The environment the characters live in is just as important as the characters themselves. Your characters are only extraordinary or special when compared to everything else around them. How they move is just as relevant as how they think. That's why you've got to think about your books three-dimensionally, not just the way they read on the page.

Just about every room in the world is shaped like a box. Some boxes are bigger than others, some substantially so. Some are elongated so they're more rectangular in shape. Some are enclosed with walls made of plaster, others with windows of glass. Put yourself inside a room with your characters. In that room, you're the only thing that doesn't take up space.

Envision each scene as you write them, and see yourself and your characters inside that box together. In most cases they will be standard human beings who must stand upon the ground, so remember that. Is there also furniture in this room? Maybe they're going to have to move around it to get to one side of the room or the other. Are there other people in this room? Where are they standing? What needs to happen so that the characters may complete the actions the scene requires? 

You've always got to think about their actions. If you have two characters who are supposed to be talking at a party, don't have them standing and shouting across the room at each other. Don't allow me to picture it playing out this way. Explain to me where they're at in relation to the rest of the party. Are they in a corner, by a window? By the buffet table, off to the side? Maybe they stepped out onto the balcony, or into a back room. 

If you can't picture it as it's happening, you've got to change the scene until you can picture it. That's the only way I'm going to be able to picture it as the reader, and I want to picture every single scene.