What goes into creating the world in which a story takes place? I’m not going to go into technical descriptions. I will not be using precise methods or terminology. I want this to be as simple as possible for those who like things to come as they come and write as the inspiration hits them. […]
Author: Gear and Pen
“Fairy Tales and Horror Stories” or “What’s your success?” Pt. 3 “Reality and success.”
You have heard about the horror stories and the fairy tales in Part 1 and Part 2 of this three part series. Now, let’s cover more about the truth and about success. So… horror stories or fairy tales? Both can be true. Both can be false. Where does the majority of truth fall? I have […]
“Fairy Tales and Horror Stories” or “What’s your success?” Pt. 2: “The Fairy Tales.”
In my last post, I covered the horror stories that are told about becoming an author. Now, for the flip side. There are fairy tales that say you are going to make thousands, even millions, off of your book because you have a good idea, you write well, and there are many self-publishing services that […]
“Fairy Tales and Horror Stories.” or “What is Your Success? Pt. 1: “Oh, the horrors.”
There are many stories about the process of becoming a published author. Some are horror stories and some are fairy tales. The horror stories tell you that there is no way that you will get published; that you can’t get what you want done with your book. If you want to be self-published, the horror […]
“Who’s Driving This Thing?” or “What Drives Your Writing?”
If you are writing for the fame, the money, or the glory; to be a famous writer like Stephen King (horror), Eve Bunting (children’s books), Jane Austin (romance), or Terry Brooks (fantasy), let me something tell you right now. The odds are you will fail. Those are not, necessarily, things that will get you through […]
“Can You Stand on Your Soapbox?” or “Character Quirks Vs. Physical Traits.”
There are people who might tell you that a quirk is a physical feature that stands out. Don’t listen to them. At the risk of sounding like I am going off on a rant, let me give you a logical explanation. If you go to Merriam-Webster.com you will find… Definition of quirk (Entry 1 of […]
“It Just Takes One Little Spark” or “What Starts the Flame of a Story?”
What is inspiration for stories or books in general? People seem to be interested in the inspiration behind their favorite books. So, I will try to address this question again. If you are curious about what I had to say when I touched on this subject before, visit ‘I Have a Tale to Tell’. How […]
5 Reasons I Love Being a Self-Published Author
Welcome back or welcome for the first time. If this is your first time, please explore my blog/website and have fun. Whichever applies to you, I have worked up a top 5 list for you. Hope you enjoy. With no further ado, here are ‘5 reasons I love being a self-published author’, in no particular […]
“Publicity, and Blogging, and Marketing, Oh My!” or “The Trials of Getting Your Book Noticed and Bought.”
Let me start off with these points: 1. I am self-published on a budget (no budget), therefore, I have no professional backing for publicity and marketing. 2. I am not good with internet stuff. 3. I have had no training or experience with this sort of thing. 4. I am the unprepared protagonist setting out […]
“It’s Great to Be on the Road Again.” or “Back in the Saddle… Kind of.”
I am still deviating from talking about what I have learned intellectually from other sources or things that make sense to my Vulcan half; at least for now. I might get back to those sorts of posts, but I think I am going to talk about the ‘in the dirt’ portion of my personal journey […]