http://www.tomandry.com Novelist, Podcaster, Audio Nut, Father (not in that order) Wed, 09 May 2012 02:40:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/05/09/on-marketing-your-book-on-the-internet/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/05/09/on-marketing-your-book-on-the-internet/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 02:40:45 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1282
Getting a book written and uploaded is only the first step. Self-publishing is a long, hard road. You've probably thought of creating your own blog (gee, I did) and telling your friends. But there are tons of other things to do that you may or may not have considered (many I wouldn't recommend). But, let's talk about them anyhow]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/05/09/on-marketing-your-book-on-the-internet/feed/ 2 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/05/01/you-are-not-j-a-konrath-neither-am-i/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/05/01/you-are-not-j-a-konrath-neither-am-i/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 02:06:24 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1211
You can't swing a dead cat around a conversation of Self-Publishing and not hit a reference to J.A. Konrath. This is the poster boy for success in Self-Publishing. A piece of information that you may already know - You are not J.A. Konrath (neither am I). But there is still an upside to this fact. Read on to find out.]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/05/01/you-are-not-j-a-konrath-neither-am-i/feed/ 2 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/23/news-met-an-author-got-a-review-inspired-a-writer/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/23/news-met-an-author-got-a-review-inspired-a-writer/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:56:12 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1259 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/23/news-met-an-author-got-a-review-inspired-a-writer/feed/ 0 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/11/on-writers-inspiration-motivation-and-block/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/11/on-writers-inspiration-motivation-and-block/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 07:37:56 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1142
Why do writers write? More specifically, why do I write? I think there is a perception, not only from the public but from writers, that writing takes inspiration. Pah! I say. Long ago, I bought into the idea that inspiration fuels motivation. And motivation leads to writing. This translates into an uninspired writer sitting in a corner, nursing a drink, and talking about writer's block. ]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/11/on-writers-inspiration-motivation-and-block/feed/ 0 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/07/on-strong-female-characters/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/07/on-strong-female-characters/#comments Sat, 07 Apr 2012 02:45:05 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=903
In Bob Moore: Desperate Times, I wanted to create a strong female character: Nissa. I thought, "I'll write a strong woman. She'll kick ass and hate men and wear a halter top. It'll rock." But she turned out very different and, definitely, much strong than I had planned. Here's why.]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/04/07/on-strong-female-characters/feed/ 3 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/30/on-race/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/30/on-race/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:17:27 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1154
When defining a character, it is easiest for your reader to latch on to one or two defining characteristics rather than some sort of holistic description. If you have one character with a sword, another with a mace, and another with red hair, all you need to do is remind your reader of those traits and they'll instantly know who you are talking about even if they can't remember the character's name. This is an easy shorthand for your reader and makes the reading experience much more enjoyable and less frustrating (especially with a large cast). But is it wrong to have that defining characteristic be their skin tone?]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/30/on-race/feed/ 4 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/26/on-predictability/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/26/on-predictability/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 04:08:31 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1148
The Bob Moore books are set in a world of super powered people. While this allows for all sorts of easy "outs" for characters (when there are people that have the ability to heal you, what do you care if you get shot?), I strive for realism. That means that no character of mine will knowingly "make it up as they go along" to paraphrase Indiana Jones. That's a one way ticket to an early grave. But plans don't always work out as the main character thought. That's to be expected. But to have a character "MacGyver" themselves out of each and every situation feels very fake to me. Contrived. Deus ex machina. And, in my eyes, fundamentally unfair to the reader.]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/26/on-predictability/feed/ 2 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/17/review-the-serial-killers-daughter-by-heywood-gould/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/17/review-the-serial-killers-daughter-by-heywood-gould/#comments Sat, 17 Mar 2012 06:41:10 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1112
There is no doubt that The Serial Killer's Daughter is a good book. If you like mystery/thrillers, you'll probably love this. ]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/17/review-the-serial-killers-daughter-by-heywood-gould/feed/ 0 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/01/outlining-bob-moore-desperate-times/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/01/outlining-bob-moore-desperate-times/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:44:27 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1097
When I write, I need an outline. Or really a list of plot points. Other people prefer to work completely unfettered. They get an idea for a few characters and a setting, and they just start writing. For me, that is a complete recipe for disaster. I'll surely waste a lot of time on things I'll end up cutting and most likely write myself into a corner with no signs of egress. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. So, instead, I put together a set of plot points that guide me. It keeps me on task and makes sure that the plot is moving in the right direction. Others find this restrictive. I find it comforting.]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/03/01/outlining-bob-moore-desperate-times/feed/ 0 http://www.tomandry.com/2012/02/24/bob-moore-desperate-times-deleted-scenes-3-three-short-deletions/ http://www.tomandry.com/2012/02/24/bob-moore-desperate-times-deleted-scenes-3-three-short-deletions/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:41:08 +0000 Tom http://www.tomandry.com/?p=1060
I promised at the end of Bob Moore: Desperate Times and in one or both of the Behind the Scenes Podcasts that I'd post some of the scenes that got cut from the book. Here we have three short things I deleted. ]]> http://www.tomandry.com/2012/02/24/bob-moore-desperate-times-deleted-scenes-3-three-short-deletions/feed/ 0