Lecturing at Evergreen
A few weeks ago Bill Ransom invited me to lecture to his novel writing class at Evergreen College in Olympia Washington. It was the last meeting of that class, and it was an honor to give them a big send off. Thanks, Bill.
I talked about how to revise a novel, writing momentum, and how to break into the business.
I was pumped to lecture on these topics because a few days before I finished a novel (in three months) and turned it into the publisher for editing.
I’m not going to bore everyone with the tips and tricks every writer talks about...save one thing: Inertia.
Once you’re writing regularly and stop—it’s a hundred times harder to overcome that inertia and start again. I get up at 5 AM everyday and write before I go into work. It’s not that I’m super dedicated; I’m just deathly afraid from starting from a cold stop. It’s an ugly pace to be as a writer, trust me.
A few students wanted my lecture notes and revision examples. Click on my blogger profile and there’s an email link to contact me.
Last thing I did for the class was read them a story recently published in an anthology to benefit the orphans of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
As soon as I get the technical details figured out, I’ll record it and drop it here as an mp3. In the meantime, please consider buying the ELEMENTAL anthology. All the profits go to charity.
Check it out at: http://www.aletheakontis.com/elemental/
I talked about how to revise a novel, writing momentum, and how to break into the business.
I was pumped to lecture on these topics because a few days before I finished a novel (in three months) and turned it into the publisher for editing.
I’m not going to bore everyone with the tips and tricks every writer talks about...save one thing: Inertia.
Once you’re writing regularly and stop—it’s a hundred times harder to overcome that inertia and start again. I get up at 5 AM everyday and write before I go into work. It’s not that I’m super dedicated; I’m just deathly afraid from starting from a cold stop. It’s an ugly pace to be as a writer, trust me.
A few students wanted my lecture notes and revision examples. Click on my blogger profile and there’s an email link to contact me.
Last thing I did for the class was read them a story recently published in an anthology to benefit the orphans of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
As soon as I get the technical details figured out, I’ll record it and drop it here as an mp3. In the meantime, please consider buying the ELEMENTAL anthology. All the profits go to charity.
Check it out at: http://www.aletheakontis.com/elemental/
posted by Eric Nylund at 7:40 AM
9 Comments:
I'd love to hear that MP3. As a fan of your and an aspiring writer, it'll be invaluable.
I had no idea you'd contributed to Elemental. I've been hearing about the book from various places recently and have added it to my books-to-buy list; I just haven't had the spare cash to grab a copy, yet.
I've recently started considering a plan to adjust my daily schedule so that I can get up earlier in the morning to write before heading off to work, as well. I'm finding it increasingly more difficult to make the time during the day, once normal activities get kicked off, and I do know that I work well first in the morning, when everything is still quiet.
I don't know about your other readers, but I know I'd be interested in hearing whatever you have to contribute - tips, tricks, or otherwise - on the process of writing.
Thing you said about inertia was spot-on. I'm hoping to be a writer, at least partially--I hear it's not the best primary career choice--and most of the stuff I've started has floundered after a few pages, generally after a vacation or something. If I could wake up at five every morning to write...heh, well, that's not gonna happen soon, 'specially not in the summer.
I agree with demag0gue, tips, tricks, etc would be nifty to read from one as accomplished as yourself.
Ah, well, anyway--good luck on writing the next Halo book, I'm anxious to see how it turns out. :)
Another Halo fan here.
Yeah, I love your stuff. Fall of Reach was excellent, though I don't think it totally represented the nature of the Halo universe. Still, it's one of my favorite books.
I have tried my hand at writing, and I can really appreciate your work. My stuff hasn't amounted to much of anything for all the effort I put forth. Your dedication is inspiring, and I'm definitely going to keep your "intertia" lesson in mind for the rest of my life.
Keep your writin' hand strong and don't give up the fight.
P.S; Can't wait for Ghosts of Coral.
I just thought I'd say the idea of inertia applying to writing also works for, among others I'm sure, programming. Why just today I went back to revisit a program I wrote in java about a year ago, to realize that I'd forgotten how it works. After tinkering around a few hours I finally figured it out, and I started adding in some new features I had thought up. I soon realized my knowledge of Java syntax had become very rusty, and worse still, I was used to the syntax from a previous version, and I have to get used to new ways of doing things. What a headache :(
Woah! Dude, now I have a name for that thing. I used to think there was something wrong with me, but now I have a name for it. And I'll keep that in mind, thanks a ton!
Thanks for all the comments.
mp3 first (although don’t get too excited about that until you’ve heard my voice), and then since I’m getting a lot of email asking for writer advice, I’ll start a new section on the site for that.
It might take a few weeks, though; writing has to come first. Hope everyone understands.
--E
The one problem I run into with inertia is that it becomes overwhelming and the onslaught practically rapes my brain. I turn into a forced vegetable until I recuperate. I suppose, though, I don't stop writing. I just start working on something simpler while I step out of the box and let things age. Speaking of age, is it just a coincidence that you and the MC are the same age? I mean, we all know how Bungie is with their coincidences.
nikoda--
That _has_ to be a coincidence!
When I started writing FALL OF REACH, the MC's age was already set at 41 and I was 36.
Must be nice to stay at 41...
-Eric
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