Advantages of Giving It a Go

As some of you know from my previous post titled Inspiration and Serendipity, my parents loved to travel when I was young. Once, they took me to Singapore. This was not the Singapore of today with its high rises and western culture infused into the city. This was when Singapore had few tourists, when the local people rarely saw white children with blue eyes. I experienced a vast range of different foods at a time when the standard fare in Australian restaurants was prawn cocktails and crepe suzettes. I learnt to use chopsticks and ate dishes which included fish, rice, beans, and a whole range of unidentifiable ingredients. Mum taught me to be open-minded with my food.

What does this have to do with my writing?

When I first started writing I'd sit at an empty page and pour out the story without having pre-thought about the characters, the plot, or anything. I was in love with the romance of the journey of discovery. I held on to that method, dismissing all those who outlined, not listening to the possibility that planning could be just as fun and offer a greater advantage in the long run. Instead I'd stubbornly cling to the notion that I knew what was best for me, without even trying other methods.

My mum's voice floated back to me from those days of travel and new experiences. She reminded me that my stubbornness was like saying I didn't like certain foods without even trying them first—and I don't mean trying them with a preconceived idea of hating them, scrunching up the face to nibble a morsel as if it were poison. I mean giving them a proper go.

So I gave outlining a go—a proper go. I spent a month working out my characters, planning their story arcs, creating a world for them and plotting their scenes. I had a brilliant time and I quickly discovered the advantages. I could see the story as a whole before I'd even written it. I could take out scenes without having to pine over lost gems. My work became efficient, my writing became tight, and my story had a cohesive flow it didn't have before.

So, my advice is, don't say no to a possible method before you give it a proper go. You won't truly know whether or not it works for you until you try.

What are some methods you've stubbornly clung to only to discover later that a different system worked better after all?
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New Release: Madeleine Maddocks of Scribble and Edit has released her exciting novella, Ultimate Sacrifice. 

When Lyndsay hears the terrible news about her soldier boyfriend, Ben, she knows she must be strong; but just how strong, she is yet to discover…
The story encompasses young love, tragic circumstances of war, heart-breaking let downs, temptation and youthful determination to surmount and survive all odds; with the reader wondering which direction Lyndsay will ultimately choose to go. 

Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon de

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Character Spotlight: Kurt Lancer

Fact File:

Name: Kurt Michael Lancer
Age: 33
D.O.B.: February 2nd
Likes: Bruce Lee, martial arts, Chinese food
Dislikes: Gang culture, social prejudices, benefits fraudsters, religious fanatics, hospitals

Bio:  Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is the main protagonist in Oracle. A homicide detective with the Murder Investigation Team of the London Metropolitan Police, he is charged to solve a series of bizarre murders, linked only by an oak leaf left at the scene of each crime.

Six-foot-four and solidly built, Lancer is conscious of how his appearance and stature intimidates people. He compensates by being soft-spoken, and although he practices martial arts, chooses a ‘soft’ style where size and strength does not give him any advantage.

A recent widower, Lancer is a single parent to eight-year-old Meghan, whose progressive disability worries him daily. He also cares for younger brother Reggie, often having to spring him out of trouble.

Lancer throws himself into his job, working long hours to keep his mind off his troubles at home. However, his two worlds come crashing together when someone starts stalking his home—and Meghan.

And the culprit could be closer than he thinks.

Oracle 

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn't need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they've got one anyway.

Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter's disability.

Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims.

One of whom could be his own daughter.

Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer's only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene. 

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

J.C. Martin is a butt-kicking bookworm: when she isn’t reading or writing, she teaches martial arts and self-defence to adults and children.

After working in pharmaceutical research, then in education as a schoolteacher, she decided to put the following to good use: one, her 2nd degree black belt in Wing Chun kung fu; and two, her overwhelming need to write dark mysteries and gripping thrillers with a psychological slant.

Her short stories have won various prizes and have been published in several anthologies. Oracle is her first novel.

Born and raised in Malaysia, J.C. now lives in south London with her husband and three dogs.

Contact: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Note:  I've read this book and loved every minute of it. JC has a fantastic writing style that brings her stories and characters alive. To see what Kurt looks like, check him out HERE.

Thank you: Thanks to everyone who offered me their condolences, prayers, and well wishes after the recent passing of one of my family members. My aunt will be dearly missed.

Giveaway: Jamie Gibbs of Mithril Wisdom is hosting a giveaway to celebrate 350 followers. Yay, Jamie!! Pop on over HERE and check it out.

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First Drafts & Revisions: It's Okay to Make a Mess

As some of you may know via Facebook, I've been going through some kitchen renovations. Most experiences lead my strange brain to writing and these renovations were no different.

My kitchen BEFORE

This is what my kitchen used to look like (minus the clutter). Now think of this kitchen as the first draft of a manuscript. It doesn't seem so bad. Everything is in its place. The sink, the oven, the cupboards. Does it all work? No. My oven should've been committed to the ground a long time ago. The range hood made a horrifying sound as if it chewed on nails before it spat them out. The sink was vanishing under rust, and the doors were threatening to fall off every time I opened them. So, while this kitchen looks complete, it's far from it. So too with first drafts.

DURING the renovation

First drafts need to be worked over. They often need to be ripped apart and put back together again--especially drafts born from unplanned ideas. Even drafts that come from detailed outlines need to get messy before the writer can produce magic. Sure we could paint the old tiles, we could disguise the ugly with pretty words, but more often than not we need to get into the nitty gritty. We need to pay attention to the details and not skim over dodgey sections in the hope that no one will notice. In renovations it's the details that make all the difference. Same with writing a novel.

The crazy thing is, renovators know before they begin a task to expect the dust, the rubble, the hard work. They know they have to make a mess before they can make magic. Writers, for some reason, tend to shy away from the mess. They place an unrealistic pressure on themselves to achieve perfection on every word they write. If they don't reach perfection, or something close to perfection, then they think they are hopeless writers, that their project will never be good enough.

My kitchen AFTER

Well, that's malarkey. Mess is good. Mess gives us the freedom to experiment, to try something new, to make space for something better.

What gives you the courage to make a mess with your writing? Have you been tempted to pass over the details?

NOTE: This post was written for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers' Support Group #IWSG. I've posted early because there's been a death in the family and I have a lot of travel to do for the funeral. I'll try to do some blog visits before I leave, but if I don't make it to you, then I'll be back next week and will catch up then. 

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The Backworlds Book 2 is Out!

The sequel to The Backworlds is now available. Craze and his friends continue their adventures in Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge. See what role chocolate plays in the galaxy this time.

The interstellar portal opens, bringing in a ship that should no longer exist. A battleship spoiling for a fight, yet the war with Earth ended two generations ago. The vessel drops off a Water-breather, a type of Backworlder thought to be extinct. She claims one of Craze’s friends is a traitor who summoned the enemy to Pardeep Station. A betrayal worse than his father’s, if Craze lives to worry about it.

Available for all ereaders from:

Amazon / Amazon UK / B&N / Smashwords
iTunes and Kobo will be available shortly.

If you haven’t read The Backworlds yet, it’s available as a free read from many outlets. See HERE for links.

Inspiring the words M. Pax writes, Mary spends her summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where she lives with the husband unit and two loving cats. She writes science fiction mostly and has a slight obsession with Jane Austen. Mary blogs at http://www.mpaxauthor.com/blog/
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A big thank you to everyone who left a comment on my guest post at Rachna’s Scriptorium: How to Trust Yourself as a Writer. It’s still up if you haven’t yet visited.

What role do you think chocolate should play in the galaxy?

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How to Trust Yourself as a Writer

Today I'm over at Rachna's Scriptorium with a post about ways you can trust yourself as a writer. I'd love to see you over there.



A big thank you to everyone who shared an early childhood memory in the comments of my last post, Inspiration and Serendipity. It was so awesome reading all of them.

An article I wrote titled Bust 4 Myths to Gain More Writing Time has earned my blog a nomination for a Fascination Award: 2012's Most Fascinating Creative Writing Teacher blog. How cool is that?

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