Friday, November 30, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 30, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:


- Now on Fictionaut - 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2 - Chapter 3'

Mayumi learns of the Clans decision in dealing with Emi and the Mukado, but she is not alone.

Click on the Sidebar link to check it out.

- 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2' schedule:

Friday, December 7, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Weekly Rants: November 28, 2012




Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another round of random ranting. This week is Part 3 of my Thoughts on Writing Facebook posts. This is the second half on my thoughts on 'Show, Don't Tell'. I really did have a lot on my mind regarding this. So let us continue. Also forgive the font sizes, Word is pretty weird when copy and pasting.

[On Show, Don't Tell - Part 2

    The way I see it, in narrative writing, Show and Tell should co-exist. I look at them as two polar extremes and there is a middle ground to them. Show in narrative writing is as much a double edged sword as Telling is. Too much showing and readers burn out. Showing can also lead to redundant writing repeating the same thing over and over again. I have noticed this in some of my writings. I wonder if you have as well. Showing results in readers either skip pages that could be important or quit because the writing is not getting to the point. This is where Telling should be applied.

     Telling should be used to get to the point of what your saying to the reader. Quick, brief, and moving forward. However too much Telling will turn off the readers as well. Either by way of making readers feel stupid because you point out the obvious, or cheapen a dynamic moment that would have otherwise been more impactful to the story. So this brings the question, how does one Show and Tell in narrative writing?

     Honestly, I don't know. It's because we have our own style of writing, a comfort zone that we are accustomed too. In a sense, I believe that each of us writers will know when to Show and when to Tell. It's usually happens when we start second drafting our work. We'll know what has more impact and what needs to move along. We'll just know it when we see it. Now what about teaching Show, Don't Tell? To tell a narrative writer that Showing is the only thing to do in writing is wrong. It's not the same as Comic Books and Movies, that is where Show, Don't Tell should be applied.

      To say Show, Don't Tell in narrative writing is basically saying "reject Telling, Showing is the only and absolute thing". And the last I checked we narrative fiction writers are Storytellers not Storyshowers. We are telling a story through text to words. We can't show what we describe in our words. The readers have to interpret and imagine it on their own. No two readers, imagine the same character, no matter how much we show. What we should say to future narrative writers is to Show and Tell. A good balance of Show and Tell will give readers a beautiful world Shown at consistent pace Told.

      Let me sum it up like this, if you Tell a reader "John hopped into the car." The reader knows what a car is and can imagine it. It also helps move the story along. If you Show a reader "John jumped into the red car, with its leather interior and clean glass. The smell of new wafted in his nose. The softness of the cushions relaxed his muscles." There better be a reason for showing all of that later in the story, be it character development or plot development, because if it was just to "Show" the car due to Show, Don't Tell, you just wrote needless words.]

So ends my thoughts on 'Show, Don't Tell'. Next week we're going to revisit Foreshadowing again with the Facebook version. A good chance to see how all of those thoughts changed from then to now, even though it is a short time.

Thank you for joining me this week. Look forward to seeing you next week.

Until next time...
See ya.  

Monday, November 26, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 26, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'. Did you all get your FREE copy of 'Shell' on Kindle? Let the holiday Season begin!

NEWS:


- This Friday, November 30, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST - 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2 - Chapter 3

Mayumi learns of the Clans decision in dealing with Emi and the Mukado, but she is not alone.

Check it out this Friday on Fictionaut.

- 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2' schedule:

Friday, December 7, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Friday, November 23, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November, 23, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:


- Released now on Fictionaut:  'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2 - Chapter 2'

Click on the sidebar link to check it out.

- 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2' schedule:


Friday, November 30, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 3**
Friday, December 7, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


Today on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Day on Black Friday.

Pick up your Free copy of 'Shell' to kick up the Holiday season. Only on Kindle.
 
- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Weekly Rants: November 21, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another round of random rants. Today is part two of my thoughts on writing from earlier this year on Facebook. Today I am posting up Show Don't Tell.There are 10 posts total so I am breaking them into 2 Parts. Part 1 is today and next week will be Part 2. So shall we begin.

[On Show, Don't Tell - Part 1

     I spent a good week thinking about what to say for this topic, because I know this is something that is taught by professors in schools. It is something many writers stress over and over, and some editors expect. And for the most part I do agree about Show, Don't Tell... when used in Comics Books, Movies, Television, and Stage, but not in Narrative Writing and here's why...

    Comic Books, Movies, TV, and Stage has visual illustrations. Something for us to see with our own eyes. For a character or narrator to tell us what we are actually seeing, makes zero sense and really takes the audience out of the story. So yes, Show, Don't Tell in these mediums should be applied without question. So why not Narrative Writing?

    Because there are no physical illustrations to show what our words in text says. Our words in our stories are supposed to trigger our readers mind to develop visual illustrations in their own minds. Our readers interpret what we wrote in text into their own imaginations. However, the human mind can only take so much input from our text that to Show can burn them out. This is what I learned when I first introduced Arcana Magi Zero Vol.1 in Fictionaut 2009.

     If you read the opening paragraphs, there is a lot of Show. Stretching for a long time. I received a comment a reader in Fictionaut who said that once they got to the transformation part, they quit reading. I looked over it and realized that I showed way too much creating a wall of details that was overwhelming. This was because I heeded the advice of Show, Don't Tell. I also recognized this in 'Chain + Fate' when I was final drafting it before releasing it. I detailed way too much of the characters traveling from the park to the train station.

      It was overwhelming and unneeded. It didn't serve the plot whatsoever. I remembered the first advice given in Strunk and White's Elements of Style, 'Omit Needless Words'. That's what I found Show in narrative writing to be. Needless words. That's not to say Telling is any better. After as I have stated last week, my stories may come off as a laundry list and that is due to Telling sometimes.]


So that is first five posts, next will be the conclusion of Show Don't Tell, then in two weeks will be On Foreshadowing.

Well, thank you for joining me this week. You all enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving in America. And don't forget to pick up your free Copy of 'Shell' This Friday on Kindle.

Until Next Time...
See ya.

Monday, November 19, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 19, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:


- This Friday at 8:00PM EST on Fictionaut:  'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2 - Chapter 2'

The Mukado is gaining followers with Emi as their priestess, leaving Mayumi and the Kitsune at a loss of what to do next.

Check it out this Friday.

- 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2' schedule:


Friday, November 30, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 3**
Friday, December 7, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


This Friday on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Day on Black Friday.

Pick up your Free copy of 'Shell' to kick up the Holiday season. Only on Kindle.
 
- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.



Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Friday, November 16, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 16, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'. Wasn't 'Arcana Magi Memorial Vol. 3' exciting? Well there is more 'Arcana Magi' on it's way this week. Check it out.

NEWS:


- Now on Fictionaut:  'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2 - Chapter 1'

1 Month has passed since Mayumi and Emi awoke to their new found powers, and now the Kitsune and Inu clans are preparing a big battle against the Mukado clan to save Emi and protect the city, before the other clans finish the job themselves.

Click on the Sidebar linke to check it out on Fictionaut.

- 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2' schedule:

Friday, November 23, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 2**
Friday, November 30, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 3**
Friday, December 7, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Black Friday - November 23, 2012
Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Weekly Rants: November 14, 2012

Greeting Fellow Readers! Welcome to another of random ranting. As promised today I will be posting up my 'Thoughts on Writing' from my Facebook page that I wrote over the Spring. If you wish to follow on Facebook just head on over to 'The Written Works of H-M Brown', by clicking on the link on the sidebar of this page. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and criticisms, especially the criticisms, the harsher the better.

So without any more interruptions here is the first set of my 'Thoughts on Writing'.

[ Writing Style: 

    Let's start here. One of the things I have difficulty with is writing style. Everyone points this out, but I don't know if there is a distinct way of "seeing" it. For me what I read and what my brain processes into imagination is all I really get. I never take into account what a writing style looks like. So when I was told in Fictionaut my writing was all action. I took a long look and realized it was true. I never really thought of that as my writing style since I only wrote what I thought of and visualized in my head.

     It's also something that I use to and cannot break out of. So in a way action prose has become sort of my fingerprint as noted in writing books what writing styles are. Of course one of the drawbacks to my writing, a friend of mine pointed out, was that my writing come off as laundry list. So I try to write sentences that at least give off a poetic feel, or use sentences like "as though a bird had its wings broken" when referencing a situation or character. At least this way I feel I can avoid the laundry list situation.

      Another thing I learned strangely enough in the book "On Writing Well" which deals with writing non-fiction. In Chapter 10 the author discussed the use of contractions. What are good and what are bad. However in my third person narrative prose I found myself getting caught in the stigma of the contractions I used, particularly its, it's, and it's. I also found it overwhelming using contractions in narrative when I have it in dialogue as well. So I made the decision to not use contractions in narrative and let the dialogue carry it.

      I found it a little easier for me at least to throw off the context of what I am writing in third person. However, since first person is one overly long dialogue in narrative form and has the voice of the protagonist, cutting the contractions there are not a wise idea. It gives the narrator character. Which brings me to the next part.

     First Person. A lot of First Person stories do have dialogue from other characters in the parenthesis form. But I found myself not using it to be much easier. To me it felt unusual in writing, to place the parenthesis dialogue separately. Let me put it like this, we I talk to people in person, I don't say; "He was just hear." John said. I say, John told me that he was hear a second ago. That's how we talk to each other and that's what the narrator is doing. He is talking to you the reader about what he say and he experience. That is why I don't use dialogue sentences in my first person stories.

      First person is kind of an intimate experience. Something the narrator has to say to you because it is important for you to know, or else why would the narrator bother talking to you about his problem? I felt I had to treat the first person fiction as such. The narrator is talking, not me. I'm sure it is quite unusual to write that, but it just seems right for me to write that way.

      Well that's all I got to say about my writing style. It may not be spectacular, but it does feel right with me and is in my comfort zone. I look forward to improving this style and make it even more tighter, and more enjoyable then ever before. So Part 2 will be next week. Thanks for joining me. Until next time... see ya. ]

So ends Part 1 one of my Facebook postings on writing. Next week I will post up Part 2, most likely in 2 parts because I wrote 10 posts in there on Show, Don't Tell. Then in Part 3 I did discuss about Foreshadowing, to stack against what I thought of it then with I wrote a month ago. And the final Part 4 was on Writing Experimentation. Basically the different ways I wrote my stories and the approaches I took.

I thank you all for joining me and I look to seeing you all next week.

Until Next Time...

See Ya.

Monday, November 12, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 12, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'. Wasn't 'Arcana Magi Memorial Vol. 3' exciting? Well there is more 'Arcana Magi' on it's way this week. Check it out.

NEWS:


- This Friday November 16, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST** on Fictionaut:  'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2 - Chapter 1'

1 Month has passed since Mayumi and Emi awoke to their new found powers, and now the Kitsune and Inu clans are preparing a big battle against the Mukado clan to save Emi and protect the city, before the other clans finish the job themselves.

Check it out this Friday on Fictionaut.

- 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2' schedule:

Friday, November 23, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 2**
Friday, November 30, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 3**
Friday, December 7, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Black Friday - November 23, 2012
Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Friday, November 9, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 9, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:


- This Friday November 9, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST** on Fictionaut:  'Arcana Magi Memorial Vol. 3 - Chapter 5'

Sora is taking her steps toward recovery, but what decisions is she going to make?

Check it out this Friday on Fictionaut.


- Starting Friday, November 16, 2012** on Fictionaut: 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2'

Mayumi and Emi are back, and they're about to learn what their new found life will bring.

Friday, November 16, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 1**
Friday, November 23, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 2**
Friday, November 30, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 3**
Friday, December 7, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Black Friday - November 23, 2012
Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:


- No NOTES Today

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Weekly Rants: November 7, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another round of random rants.

This has been one hell of a week between the hurricane and tonight's nor'easter. There is a lot of snow outside. So far there are no blackouts so everything is good to go.

- 'Arcana Magi Memorial'

So this brings me the good news, Chapter 5 will be up an running this Friday on Fictionaut as planned. I apologize for the one week delay, I know many of you have been waiting to finish this story and moving on to 'Pure'. I know I am.

I have been thinking for awhile about whether next year, like around February, if I should go full time with 'Memorial'. I really do like this story out of all the 'Arcana Magi' stories and I feel the potential in the premise as well as the episodic method. But at the same time, I'm wondering is enough is enough with the whole girl with magic powers theme. I do want to write about other characters of other ages not just teenagers. Not that this is a bad thing, but I do need increase my range in writing and not be a one trick pony. You've seen my other works. The other reason of thinking of going full time is because the yearly thing is really dragging out the series, and I know I lost a good chunk of audience from last year, because the momentum stopped. At least concentrate on 'Memorial' and lead up to October's 'Arcana Magi 2013' season. I don't know, but I do like 'Memorial' and I want to continue it full time while working on Kindle. It's a very rough balancing act for sure, but I'll figure it out, and balance the schedule out.

- 'Writer's Thoughts'

I will be doing the next edition, next week with the Facebook Archives I wrote over the summer. Some of the things that I covered were, First-person Writing, Show Don't Tell, and more. Probably one more. Nevertheless, I will post them in increments as planned starting next Wednesday when everything is nice and stable here in the real world.

So that is all I got on my mind this week. Tune in this Friday for Chapter 5 of 'Arcana Magi Memorial' and enjoy the conclusion.

Until Next Time...

See ya.

Monday, November 5, 2012

NEWS and NOTES: November 5, 2012

Greetings Fellow Readers.

Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'. Check out the 'NOTES' below regarding this week's schedule.

NEWS:


- This Friday November 9, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST** on Fictionaut:  'Arcana Magi Memorial Vol. 3 - Chapter 5'

Sora is taking her steps toward recovery, but what decisions is she going to make?

Check it out this Friday on Fictionaut.

'Arcana Magi Memorial' Dates:

Friday, November 2, 2012 at 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**

- Starting Friday, November 16, 2012** on Fictionaut: 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 2'

Mayumi and Emi are back, and they're about to learn what their new found life will bring.

Friday, November 16, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 1**
Friday, November 23, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 2**
Friday, November 30, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 3**
Friday, December 7, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 4**
Friday, December 14, 2012 ay 8:00 PM EST - Chapter 5**


- This Holiday season on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Days. Get your chance to add 'Shell' to your booklist for FREE on these following days.


Black Friday - November 23, 2012
Friday - December 7, 2012
Friday - December 14, 2012
Friday - December 21, 2012

Make sure to grab a copy for you and your book reading family and friends.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and project by H-M Brown.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:

- First I hope everyone is safe and well post Hurricane, my prayers go out to everyone hardest hit in the region. as for my end it was rough here on my end but I came out very fine, just a downed tree, a blackout, and light flooding. Unfortunately, there is supposed to be a Nor'easter coming this Wednesday with snow and potentially a blackout since the power grid is still in the recovery phase. So the question posed to me is, should I delay again? The answer is, I'll wait and see.

     This Wednesday, If I don't get blackout, I will run the Weekly Rants, but I may delay my posting of 'Writer's Thoughts Facebook Archives' until next week. It will be during these Rants that I will give the final word on whether 'Arcana Magi Memorial Vol.3 Chapter 5' will continue as planned, or delayed to next week. But it will be posted as planned and 'Pure' will be posted as planned, even though I tried to avoid the Holiday season. My only concern is that I do get blackout on Wednesday, when the Nor'easter arrives and I won't get to post up then as planned, so I got fingers crossed.

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.