a little fantasy * a little sci fi * a little love
I previously spoke about the Snowflake Method in this blog. At the time I was working on a Space Opera but for my own reasons, that project has been put on hold. A contemporary novel has taken it's place. And I've now had the chance to use this plotting and characterisation method for longer than …
Continue reading "Plotting using the Snowflake Method – An Update"
I had this dilemma recently. I began a new book in a genre which had me intrigued - The Space Opera. I have character notes which include motivations, goals, conflicts and epiphanies. I have an interesting plot, and extended story lines from each character's point of view. Then we made a sudden trip north to …
A guy told me he loved books which are part of a series. He just bought a copy of Social Media Central from me at a book con. That novel clearly states it is TAYLeR Book One on the cover, but at the time, little progress had been made on the sequel. Social Media Central …
I haven't touched my WiP in six weeks. First it was simply a case of a sudden trip north to catch up with family when an invite to Warren's great niece's eighteenth birthday arrived. And even though I took my laptop, I was busy being social after being trapped in my own state due to …
Continue reading "When author business gets in the way of writing"
The scene is only several paragraphs long. It's the last time we're alone with just the gay characters in my work-in-progress set in the nineties. In the initial draft they talk about Australian politics at the final stage of that decade. Only one other chapter examined politics and that was in an overall 1990's way. …
Continue reading "I’ve written several versions of the same short scene!"
My last post was about a new plotting method I'm using. A few things got in the way of my usual writing days after I published that post, and somehow I didn't feel bad about missing them. It was because I didn't feel like I was working on a book. There were a few times …
I'm trying something new. Usually when I plot a new novel, I work chapter by chapter having a fair idea of the story and how it will end. I also add notes on the conflict for each scene and every chapter's cliff hanger. But I'm experimenting with a different approach called the Snowflake Method. Right …
I don't normally solicit feedback on my works in progress. Yet I have used Beta Readers twice in recent years, and my first novel was professionally assessed several times. This paid assessor gave feedback over several drafts before I decided to have another draft looked at by a team at a publishing house, for the …
There's a unique anxiety after the release of a novel. It doesn't happen straight away. We are on a buzz when our new book is in the public arena. We're busy marketing while finding new promotional possibilities. We're updating our website and searching for new reviews. Then searching for new reviews again. And again. But …
Continue reading "Waiting to see if your new book is selling."
Sometimes I choose what I read carefully. For example, I read H.G. Wells and Ray Bradbury when I worked on my first dystopian novel. My assessor got me to read Joe Keenan as she wanted me to hone in on the farcical elements of my first book. But when I'm reading for pleasure, whatever style …
Continue reading "Anything you read helps your work in progress"
kevin klehr - author 