Times are Changing

I spent the weekend stalking the elderly and assessing their book-buying habits. What did you do?

…What?

Okay, so, I wasn’t stalking them, per se—actually, I was just sitting in a lawn chair, helping out at my sister’s garage sale. It wasn’t my fault that the older, more mature women tended to gravitate toward the huge box of paperbacks near me. I hadn’t gone out of my way to eavesdrop on their conversation.  

Of course, I did eavesdrop on their conversation. I couldn’t help it. It went down a little something like this:

Image by Eastlaketimes

WOMAN #1: I know I shouldn’t be buying these. I hardly have the space at home for them, but they’re such a good deal.

WOMAN #2: Have you ever seen one of those electronic books?

WOMAN #1: Yeah, my son got me one for Christmas, but I can’t figure out how to use it. I’m sure it’s pretty handy, once you get used to it.

WOMAN #2: What I just can’t figure out is why their prices are lower than regular books.

(This is the point where my significantly less stealthy sister interjects, explaining how e-books work and where to purchase them. I continue to pretend I’m counting change.)

WOMAN #1: Huh. Well, I’ll take these anyway. I won’t be fiddling with that thing for a while.

As if that wasn’t already a wealth of demographical information, I heard two similar conversations later that morning. What does that mean? Well, it seems like the Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers are wading into the ongoing e-book revolution—and not just in the cold, black-and-white of nationwide studies anymore. These people are your parents, your grandparents, your neighbors, and your friends. Most of them haven't fully adapted to the technology yet, but they’re definitely getting curious. 

I’ve read that, by 2012, America's 50 and older population could reach 100 million. If you’re lucky enough to have these distinguished readers in your target market, it might be time to consider their changing needs. Imagine, for example, a lovely older woman on a fixed income. She might prefer to read the less expensive, large print edition of your book on her new e-reader. Guess what? That's not going to happen if she doesn’t know how to access it.

Maybe it’s time to look into ways of better educating our potential readers. We can’t assume everyone knows where and how to buy the electronic forms of our books. What can we, as writers, do? Add (non-condescending) step-by-step instructions to our websites? Our newsletters? What do you guys think?

What's Playing?

Image by gcg2009

I've decided to use today's post as a means of sharing some of my favorite websites for music/ambient sound.

(You know how I love online resources.)

Are you pressed for time and need help figuring out which link to try? Choose the listening profile that best describes your working preference:

GROUP 1: You can't listen to anything with prominent lyrics.

• Rainy Mood (Ambient/White Noise)
• Adagio FM (Instrumental)
  
  

GROUP 2: You look for specific songs that get you in the writing "mood."

• GrooveShark
• MySpace Music (I know. I thought Myspace was dead too. Apparently, they took over Imeem.) 
• Youtube  
• (May I suggest E.S. Posthumus?)
  
  

GROUP 3: You need absolute silence.

• Hmm... well, you could always encourage your spouse/roommate to take an alcohol-induced nap—though, that's a bit extreme. How about ear plugs? :)

What do you listen to when you're writing, reading, editing, etc.?

P.S. Ever write/type a word so many times that it looks wrong? "Group" is messing with me today!

[Update] Oops! I forgot a few...

• Linda added Pandora
• Dan added Last.fm and "Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2"
• Leah added Stereo Mood
• Jeff added the Live Music Archive 

Thanks, guys!

Friday Fun

Guess what? I've been tagged by Bryce over at the Bryce Daniels Preservation Society. You know what that means, don't you? There's a very real danger that you, dear reader, will find yourself tagged in the next thirty seconds!

Do you think you are hot?
Well, it's about 80° in Ohio, so I'm only moderately hot today. ;)

Upload a pic or List the wallpaper you are using.

"Just Another City" by *peehs

(You can download the 1920x1200 version from Peehs' DeviantArt page.)

When was the last time you ate chicken?
A few days ago. Love me some chicken! :)

What were you thinking while doing this?
...Well, I'm thinking about chicken now. -_- Geez! (Was this tag created by KFC in some kind of secret, subliminal ploy?)

What song/songs have you listened to recently?
"Creep" by Radiohead. One of the few songs (with lyrics) I can listen to while editing.

Do you have any nicknames? What are they?
Carebear, Ninja, and CB (pronounced "Seeb")

Tag 5 blogger buddies.

I lack the dedication to try out Bryce's sock method, so I'm going to tag five of the awesome people that follow me:

Jeff at The Doubting Writer
Steven at The Twisted Piece
Leah at Leah on Writing
Linda at Surrealistic Fiction
Pamela at Writer Mason

Have a great weekend, guys! I'm off to Relay for Life! :)

In the Name of Research

I don’t know about you, but there are times—really awkward times—when I begin to question my methods as a writer.

Example: Research

For the most part, it’s a painless, solitary endeavor.  Dig through some musty, old library books, consult a few experts online, and maybe take in some people-watching at the mall. No big deal. (Aside from the creepy factor on the last one.) But what about practical research? Have you ever shadowed someone in your MC’s field?  Ever had to act things out to get the positioning down?

:Handcuffs: by ~Falling-Prophecies

If you have, and it's ever put you in an awkward spot, I feel your pain. -_- 

A few months ago, a delivery man showed up at my doorstep. Nothing out of the ordinary there, except for the fact that I didn't notice him. I'd missed the telltale warning-barks and the guy ninja-crept to my porch undetected.

The awkward part? I was handcuffed to a post in my living room at the time. (Nothing kinky, I swear!)

I’d spent the afternoon trying to gain insight into my MC’s struggle—and I did—but that was one hard fluster to play off. There's nothing quite like answering your door with red cuff-marks on your wrists. (Houdini, I am not.Thank goodness for quick release, “play” handcuffs!)

Awwwwkwaaaaaaaaaaard…

Anyway, what do you (or would you) do in the name of research? 

P.S.  Don't worry. He didn’t seem to notice my strange behavior. I just felt silly.

P.P.S. By silly, I mean ridiculously stupid. ;)

What's in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2) --- Shakespeare

As writers, we’re given the opportunity to breathe life into new and exciting things—memorable characters, places, objects, and creatures that eventually take on lives of their own. Awesome, right? There’s only one little problem. We’re only allotted a single word (or phrase) to give our readers that first, lasting impression. 

What’s in a name?

Characters

I methodically pick my way through baby websites and census (surname) listings, reading each entry aloud.  A little taste test, if you will. (Try: 20,000 Names)

Places

I go through maps and large directories, looking for inspiration. If nothing strikes me, I start cramming words together—e.g. my fictitious town of Clayhaven was named after its rich clay deposits.

Paranormal Races, Artifacts, etc.

This is the frustrating part. I spend hours poring over roots, stems, and affixes in a desperate attempt to create something clever. Is it original? Distinct? Catchy? Plausible? As soon as I come up with something I like, I “Google” it. Is it already in existence? If it is, how closely related is the subject matter? 

Ugh.

Once that’s done, I let it pass through the friend gauntlet. (You know, where most of my words go to die. -_-) 

“It seems familiar, but I’m not sure why...”

“It sounds kinda dinasaury.”

“Is that a brand of shampoo or am I thinking of something else?”

It’s disheartening, but it’s one of those necessary evils. Sometimes it’s hard for me to look at the fruits of my labor objectively and I need that outside feedback. Other times, I say, “Screw it. What do they know?” and keep at it. Either way, I know I have to look at it from multiple angles.

When John Lindley named the orchid, do you think his friends laughed at him for using the Greek orkhis? (Meaning: testicle.) It still worked out pretty well for him, don’t you think? It’s all a matter of perception.

How do you go about naming things in your books? : )

What the... F-Friday?

…Did you see this yesterday?  

Naipaul dismisses 'sentimental' women authors

(Yahoo News) "Nobel-winning writer V.S. Naipaul faced criticism Thursday for saying he does not regard any female authors as his equal, even famed novelist Jane Austen, because they are "sentimental'."

I would comment on it, but I’m feeling really sentimental at the moment. If you need me, I’ll be vacuuming the carpet—wearing my apron and patent leather heels.

Heh. Have a good weekend, guys! ;)

Thesaur-ish Thursday

I cringed my way through a free e-book last night. 

(Actually, I only made it through one chapter, but that’s beside the point. -__-) 

The thing was riddled with sentences telling—not showing—everything in a choppy, arrhythmic play-by-play. /Sigh. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for writers taking the initiative and getting their work out there—I just wish some would take better advantage of the awesome, free resources available online. 

“But what if they don’t know about these resources?” 

…That’s a good point.

 Okay, In light of that possibility, I’m going to highlight one of my favorites:  

“The Bookshelf Muse” is one of the most helpful blogs I follow. Yes, it’s has the insightful posts and interviews you’d expect from a great blog, but that’s not all. Are you ready for this? It’s full of… thesauruses! (Does “thesaurus” make anyone else picture a big, goofy dinosaur? No? *Cough* Nevermind.) 

Anyway, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have really outdone themselves with this. If you dig around, you’ll find: 

• An Emotion Thesaurus
• A Setting Thesaurus
• A Weather Thesaurus
• A Color, Textures and Shapes Thesaurus
• A Symbolism Thesaurus
• A Character Trait Thesaurus

Invaluable, right? You should’ve seen me geek out, when I first stumbled across it. ;) Have fun!

P.S. I just want you guys to know that I support all of you, regardless of how you’re pursuing your writing project/dream/career. Why? Because:
1) I <3 you guys. We’re all in the same boat. It’s important to encourage, respect, and appreciate each other.

2) I love reading. Period. Your book can be printed, electronic, or spelled out in licorice. Traditionally published or “self-pubbed.” Agented or unagented. I don’t care. If it’s good, I’ll read it. 'Nuff said. :)

Wake Up Wednesday!

I found a Post-It note stuck to my alarm clock this morning.

Characters, scenarios, and thought fragments—all crowding one, obnoxiously bright square. The words were a strained imitation of my familiar scrawl, but I felt like I’d seen them before. Had I…? 

I snatched the note up, barely stifling a yawn as I read the words aloud. 

…Well, hell.

I’d awoken to an influx of writing mojo in the middle of the night again. This time, I must’ve been coherent enough to take notes. Helpful? Yes. Disturbing? Absolutely. 

Are you guilty of letting your writing interfere with your sleep? ;)

P.S. Sorry for the quick post. Blame Game #1 of the Stanley Cup Final!