All Hail The Crit Group

Date: May 18, 2012 at 7:58 am- by AJ- Posted in AJ, Writing- Comment(s): 0

“The road to Hell is paved with adverbs.” ~ Stephen King

 

My crit group is awesome. All kinds of awesome. I can’t sing their praises enough. They know their stuff, they do, and they’re generous with it, and their time. They’re a crazy bunch, too, which is perfect. Okay, so they may be a little ‘touched’, but we’d help each other bury a body and provide alibis if needed (we know what we’re doing; we’re writers, we research).

So why the gushing? My crit group came to my rescue (again), a week before a deadline, and gave my short story the hack-and-slash it needed, and pointed out some major plot holes I could no longer see. It got me to thinking where I’d be without their input; where I’d be without a crit group.

Any writer worth their salt will tell you how another set of eyes (or two, or three…) can make the difference between a good story and a great one. I’m not talking about people who will read your work and sing its praises, telling you you’re the ‘next big thing’, I’m talking about those who will pick your piece apart like vultures at a carcass for no other reason than wanting your story to be the best it can be.

When I first decided to take my fiction seriously, I sought out crit groups to help me better my writing, and to find others who held the same passion for writing as I did. The first few groups I found were more a story love-in (easy), even for stories that plainly needed a serious amount of work. No one wanted to be any type of critical, and I just didn’t get it. I wanted to learn, I wanted to share; I wanted someone to tell me: “That’s crap because…”

I hit the mother lode with the Australian Horror Writers Association (AHWA) crit group. I’ve been with these awesome people for going on three years now (big up, guys!), and can say without a shadow of a doubt that their knowledge, insight, guidance, and diverse skill-sets have been invaluable in bringing my writing to whole new level. The group provides constructive criticism for our stories… although, after three years, we’ve achieved a level of trust where we can poke fun if the situation calls (we’ve all been on the receiving end of a ‘WTF?’).

 

 

I’ve learned more from these writers than any writing course could ever have taught me. Why? Perspective. I get it ten-fold. A good crit group will point out everything in your story that needs fixing – not just grammar and punctuation (although I can’t stress enough how important those two elements are), but structure, consistency, cohesiveness and flow. ‘Cause let’s face it, after working for weeks, or months, on a story you no longer see the flaws. That’s not an indictment of the writer, that’s just the way it is.

Hell, it happened to me last week. While a story may hang together in your head, it may not translate clearly to the page. That’s exactly what one of my crit buddies said about a short I’d put up for dissection, and he was right: in my head it did make sense. On the page? Not so much. My crit group pointed out what worked and what didn’t, and with their help, it’s a much more cohesive story, and now has a far better chance than it did in its previous incarnation.

And that’s all we can do – give our stories the best possible chance at publication that we can. No one wants to put out sub-par work; and without the help of my crit group, my story would have been just that.

Joining a crit group can be frightening, especially those first few weeks/months. I readily admit to quietly shitting myself in the beginning. Putting your work up for complete strangers to pick apart takes guts – these people see your story in all its nakedness and pass judgement. They were ever so gentle, but they gave me the insight (and courage) I needed to take chances with my work. They encouraged me, and they expected the same in return. That’s exactly what a crit group is, a mutual picking apart of works for the betterment of the story and writer. How can you not love that?

And if you’re lucky enough, you’ll score a fantastic bunch of friends in the process. Another bonus.

I can’t scream the value of crit groups loud enough. If you’re looking at improving your writing, honing your craft, and bringing out the best in your story, then get thee to a crit group!

 

** A special shout-out goes to Pete Kempshall, Jason Crowe, Nick Stella and Mark Farrugia who didn’t call me names when I hit them up for a crit a week before a deadline. I really am working on my time-management skills…**

 

 

Follow your guide

Date: May 5, 2012 at 10:42 am- by Dave- Posted in Dave- Comment(s): 0

Science fiction author, David Conyers, joins me in Unearthly Fables.

With John Sunseri he is the co-author of the Lovecraftian spy thriller collection The Spiraling Worm and the author of the sequel novella The Eye of Infinity. He is the editor of the anthology Cthulhu’s Dark Cults, with Brian M. Sammons the editor of Cthulhu Unbound 3, with David Kernot and Jason Fischer the editor of Midnight Echo 6: The Science Fiction Horror Special, and a contributing editor for Albedo One, Ireland’s longest running magazine of speculative fiction.

http://www.david-conyers.com/

Introduction to Unearthly Fables

Introduction to Unearthly Fables

A new voice in the dark.

Date: April 27, 2012 at 10:23 am- by Dave- Posted in Dave- Comment(s): 0
 
More and more introductions are coming in. Just a few more names to go.
Thank you to all of the writers who have contributed their time so far.

Introduction to Unearthly Fables

A Long Time Between Drinks…

Date: April 27, 2012 at 4:13 am- by AJ- Posted in AJ, Fresh Ink, General Madness, Midnight Echo Issue 8, Writing- Comment(s): 0

With the school holidays over, it’s time to get back into the writing routine. Not that my writing is completely forgotten when the kids are on a break; my copywriting is put on hold, but any spare time (yep, I laughed when I wrote that, too) is dedicated to my fiction.

I’m very lucky that every school break I head north to my father’s farm – 300 acres of verdant, rolling hills that cocoon nature’s music, amazing wildlife that soars the azure, bounds across paddocks, and traipses right over the threshold. When the pinks and oranges of dusk succumb to darkness, shooting stars whisk across a night-sky filled with a legion of twinkling lights. It’s a creative’s heaven.

 

With no internet, crap phone reception, and a cabin running on solar and generator power, it’s a much needed week of technology-rehab, a cleansing, if you will. The kids spend their time running loose, investigating and exploring, and reigniting their imagination. Branches, rocks, and even cow poo replace Nintendos and PSPs, and compared to the quad-bike, Mario Kart blows. They’ve ridden horses, learned the basics and need for back-burning, and understand the steers only stay a couple of years before heading to the abattoir. They gather wood for the fire, skip rocks in the dams, and pick fruit from the trees scattered about the property. It’s a lifestyle change that encourages their independence, makes them think differently about the world around them, and gives them a knowledge most kids don’t get.

For me, it’s back to pen and paper. Lazing on the back porch, the land stretched unspoiled around me, my Muse shucks the copywriting shackles and sets up house again. She likes the farm, my Muse (although she does get a little ADHD with story concepts). There’s something about the open expanse that draws the best from her. It’s where the idea for my short story Nightmare’s Cradle (ASIM #46), came into being. Set at the farm, it focused on its isolation and how too much segregation breeds more than just loneliness. It’s one of my favourite stories, and spawned an evocative illustration by Andrew J McKeirnan.

 

I’d taken up a short story that needed a rewrite for an upcoming anthology (I swear, Mark, I am working on it!), but my Muse had other ideas. One idea, really. A novel. And she was eager to get started. Two character sheets, a family tree, and a setting sheet are done, and the basic outline of the story arc is slowly coming together. I’m organised, which is something I rarely am when it comes to my fiction. This novel will stick.

I completed NaNoWriMo year before last, and had an absolute blast. Discarding the ever-present editor in me was liberating. Sure, there was a lot of shite within, that’s the beauty of NaNo – “no backsies”, but I was happy with the outcome, and the fact I had a basic outline for a novel. It’s sat untouched since then, so I was reluctant to start another long work, but my Muse has other ideas, and I’m under no illusions that I’m her bitch.

The novel will be a slow burn, and I’m looking at a couple of programs to get myself more organised – Scrivener is one, and at Marty’s suggestion, I’m also looking at Write It Now. From an editor’s perspective, I understand the need for flow, consistency and structure; I will practice what I preach. Both of these programs seem to provide the necessary formats and templates to build and organise a novel’s skeleton before adding the flesh and sinew to bring it to life.

My commitment to complete my first novel was given a further kick up the bum when I came home from the farm and found the final galley for my upcoming short story sitting in my inbox. My post-apocalyptic short, The Long Ago, will be published in late May by Dark Prints Press in their ‘Surviving the End’ anthology. And I’m in with some illustrious names, both Australian and international.

I’ve read the digital version, and it’s an extraordinary collection of survival stories; each one different, each one horrific in its own voice. The stories are bound together by editor (and Story Keeper) Craig Bezant’s interludes, which give a stark and haunted view of ‘life’ after End Times, and how the collapse of society impacts us, both good and bad. I’m proud and pleased to be a part of it.

It’s been about a year since my last publication; my Steampunk short, Shovel-Man Joe. And I have to say, this publishing thing is addictive. Writing is my high, and a published story is like crack – you keep striving for your next fix. It’s a tough gig this writing business; bleeding your soul onto the page then sending it out to prove its worth, but it’s also one of the best gigs in the world. Sure, rejections (and I’ve had my fair share of those) aren’t fun, but the thrill of an acceptance, of writing a good story is what drives us writer-folk.

The last couple of months have seen me on the other side of the fence: reading slush for issue#8 of Midnight Echo, with my co-editors, Marty Young and Mark Farrugia. Issue#8′s theme is: “knock our socks off with a damn good horror story”, and this ‘open’ theme has seen a wide-ranging spectrum of horror stories and poetry. Ultimately, though, publishing is ‘survival of the fittest’, and we’ve begun sending out rejections.

As a writer, this isn’t a fun thing. You know how hard the author’s worked, you know the hope that surged through them when they hit the ‘send’ button; we’ve been on the receiving end of rejections as well. As an author, being involved with the flipside to this writing gig has been a great learning experience, one, I think, will make me a better writer (write tight, write tight, write tight).

I’m enjoying the role of co-editor, and I’m enjoying all the reading, too (I never do enough of that), but what I’m most looking forward to is being a part of another writer’s high when we finally make our acceptances (after the reading period closes, just so we’re clear). With the reading period open for another two months, there’s still a long way to go, but I’m more than happy to cruise along here, reading the offerings of other authors from here and around the world.

Now I’d better get back to this short story; the deadline is looming and if I hit the crit group up a few days before, there’ll be a lynching…

“I’m writing a novel” are Words of Power

Date: April 23, 2012 at 10:57 am- by Marty- Posted in General Madness, Marty, Writing- Comment(s): 0

It’s true. With these simple words, you can sneak backstage and find the real goodies.

For example, when I was writing 809 Jacob Street, I needed to find out how someone could get hold of a gun–illegally. So I got in touch with the police department in the area my story was situated and told them I was writing a novel…. I got a brilliant, long, informative email back from a detective explaining not just one, but three different ways I could obtain a firearm on the black market!

For another story, one in production I guess you could say, I needed to know what would happen if Sydney was destroyed through either a natural disaster or a man-made one. So I got in touch with the Australian National Security Department and told them I was writing a novel…. Not long after, I had a lovely phone call from the Attorney-General’s Department, and ended speaking with this wonderful person for almost an hour. We covered everything that would happen on an official level should someone destroy Sydney. Police, Army, Fire, hospitals… we covered it all.

Absolutely brilliant.

And now I need to build a bomb, because I’m writing a novel. I need to know how someone could activate this bomb once they’ve built it….

So it’s a little worrying because I’m sure there is a record on me and my questions. Not to mention the fact that at work, I use fuming nitric acid in my palynological research. Fuming nitric acid (90%+ concentration) is a rocket propellent. Purchasing that can put you on a watch list.

So I have a rocket propellent, can obtain a gun on the black market, know the official response to a disaster in Sydney, and now need to build a bomb. Because I’m writing a novel. Seriously.

If you don’t hear from me again, you’ll know why………

Follow your guide

Date: April 19, 2012 at 11:57 am- by Dave- Posted in Art, Dave, Fresh Ink, Writing- Comment(s): 0

Another name in the dark. Editing is still taking place on the last story. I am also very busy with illustrations for the book. All is progressing nicely. Just can’t wait to show you all!

Introduction to Unearthly Fables

Indulgence

Interview with the vampire artist

Date: April 17, 2012 at 11:23 am- by Mark- Posted in Fresh Ink, Mark, Midnight Echo Issue 8, Uncategorized, Writing- Comment(s): 1
Greg Chapman has worked tirelessly to produce images that capture the essence of what I am trying to achieve with our Allure of the Ancients collaborations.  The Keys to His Kingdom is the latest story arc in our series and Greg’ s art raises the visuals to new heights; the interaction between art and text is great. He is also a writer of  horror.  I recently  talked  to him about some of the projects he has coming out over the next few months.  

MF: Can you tell us about the process you go through to convert a story that has been presented as a script into a story expressed through image?

GC: Obviously I am a very visual person. When I’m writing or constructing a scene, it’s very easy for me to conjure it in my mind’s eye. It’s the same with a script. I do like the author to be as descriptive as possible though because what they see in their imagination is not always the same as how I see it. Usually when I’m constructing a page I work out what the most important panel or scene is first (eg. An action scene) and build the other panels around it. If I have a particular strength in my drawing, it would be with drawing figures and faces. Faces are just as important in a graphic story as they are in a piece of prose so I always strive to make my characters real.

MF: Your drawing style has changed between the first Allure of the Ancient comic published in ME5 and the current instalment starting in ME7. What instigated the change?

The Key to His Kingdom page 1

GC: Writers grow and evolve the more they write and I think the same can also be said for artists. But if I was to really analyse it, I think the style change has come about from my work on Witch-Hunts. I’d only really just finished illustrating Witch Hunts when I made a start on Allure and I guess I carried the style over somewhat. This Allure chapter also seemed to be a lot darker than the previous story and I really wanted to capture that darkness. The first Allure opportunity sort of came out of the blue and I was excited and eager so I probably didn’t put as much detail in that chapter as I have done in The Key to His Kingdom.

MF: Who are your favourite  comic artists and what do you like about their art?

GC: My favourite artists are some of the old school artists, like Brian Bolland, Bill Sienkiewicz, Frank Miller, John J Muth, Mike Mignola, Dave McKean and Bernie Wrightson. Bolland’s line work and subtle attention to detail is sublime. Miller is brilliant with black and white, shape and form and negative space and Wrightson, well, he is the king in the horror comic world and I always try and mimic his engraving style.

MF: Greg, can you tell us about Witch Hunts, your project with Rocky Wood and Lisa Morton?

GC: Witch-Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times is a fictional account of the history of the witchcraft persecutions that plagued Europe and the Americas for hundreds of years. The 185 page graphic novel looks at, amongst other things, the origins of the craze; how the Malleus Maleficarium was created and was used as a sort of torture guide book; how the Church endorsed Inquisitions and; how people of the time used the craze for their own personal gain. Rocky and Lisa’s script also includes dozens of accounts of trials from the Dark Ages right up to the late 1700s. The graphic novel will be published by McFarland Publishers in the US Spring/Summer of this year.

From Witches: “Strange Collaborators” by Greg Chapman

 

MF: How many hours would you have spent preparing the illustrations for the book?

GC: Many long hours, but it was a labour of love. At first, Rocky and I had to put a proposal together, which included the first 7 pages of the book. I did those pages in October/November 2010, but it wasn’t until February 2011 that McFarland gave us the go ahead and I had until November of that year to complete all the illustrations. It was a very challenging experience, but I became engrossed in the script and the book’s ultimate purpose. In my view, the graphic novel is equal parts fiction and non-fiction, because we’re retelling events that actually happened or are recorded in the annals of history. The second half of last year was very intense, with many week nights and lunch breaks and weekends where I would be drawing. Rocky and Lisa outlined every page and only a few of the rough pages I did had to be adjusted, so all in all it was a wonderful experience and I feel very grateful and honoured to have this opportunity and to have worked with two of the most respected people in the horror community.

MF: How can readers purchase it?

GC: It’s not published yet, but you can pre-order it through the McFarland site here.

I believe it will also be available online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and on the shelves in libraries and bookshops as well.

MF: How do you balance your own writing time with your illustrating assignments?

GC: Well with Witch-Hunts I had to put all my writing projects aside for about 12 months. Thankfully two novellas I’d written 1-2 years before were published during that time so I didn’t really need to work on anything new. It was hard not to write though, because it’s probably more of an addiction for me than drawing. If I have an urge to draw something I usually try and do something on the weekend, when I’m not working. It is a real balancing act, but I’m making a conscious effort to get back into writing this year, particularly in the area of short stories.

MF: Who are your favourite authors, and what is it about their writing that appeals to you?GC: Clive Barker is my all-time favourite. His use of language and willingness to expose the raw meatiness of horror is very inspirational. The fact that he is also artist makes his work even more appealing. Edgar Allan Poe’s works introduced me to the use of dread in horror fiction and I still enjoy indulging in The Pit and the Pendulum or The Masque of Red Death every now and again. Other favourites include Graham Masterton, Brett McBean and Stephen M Irwin. I like King too, but mostly his earlier novels.

From Witches: “Savours of heresy ” by Greg Chapman

MF: Allure is a two year commitment, what other projects do you have in the pipeline?

GC: Nothing pressing in the way of art at the moment (I’m hoping that changes with the publication of Witch-Hunts), but as I said I’d like to get back into writing. I have a new novella called “Vaudeville” coming from Dark Prints Press in July and I’m halfway through a novel. I also have Halloween-themed novella that’s begging me to be completed.

MF: What do you get up to away from writing?

GC: I have a full time job as a media and communications officer for the Education Department. I have two daughters who are heavily involved with dancing so there’s a bit of running around there, but the rest of the time I devote myself to writing and drawing. I probably watch a bit too much TV and movies though.

You can find me on all the usual places: Facebook and Twitter and I have a blog at www.darkscrybe.blogspot.com .

 

 

On the joys of books and hidden ideas

Date: April 17, 2012 at 2:24 am- by Marty- Posted in General Madness, Mark, World Domination, Writing- Comment(s): 1

In the midst of my extremely exhausting top secret week away (I feel like road kill, but in a good way–happy road kill), the idea for novel 3 began growing…

I’ve seen glimpses of this idea for the past couple of weeks, but it’s always been tenuous, nothing more than a flash from the corner of my eye. But I could feel it there, sitting deep back in my head, collecting flotsam and jetsam in my daily travels and slowly, slowly constructing itself. And y’know what gave it the strength to come forth out into the light of my consciousness?

A second hand bookshop!

Brilliant. I discovered this place (can’t even give a plug to it for fear of giving away my location) and found they had books for $3. It was a top quality second hand bookshop, so I filled up my suitcase with books. There were loads I wanted to buy! I even went back on my second last day there but it had closed 20 minutes before I got there.

Then I was gone, and like some magical dream, so too was this land of wonder….. I hope it’s still there when I return.

I love my Kindle, absolutely love it. But it’s not a second hand bookshop and nothing beats those places (except maybe a scotch shop).

And it was there, as I prowled the isles, that my idea finally came and introduced itself to me. The idea for novel #3. Oh, it’s a grand old thing, filled with action and suspense, secret missions and covert operations. Actually, it’s leaning more towards a thriller than anything else. Maybe an action book.

My main character is pulling himself together well, too. Dr Frankenstein would approve.

But boy is it daunting standing at the base of Novel Mountain and looking towards the summit. That’s a mighty long climb before me, half hidden behind clouds. My shifty sideshow freak of a muse is eager to get going, though…

Worth the extra click

Date: March 31, 2012 at 8:33 pm- by Mark- Posted in Fresh Ink, Mark, Midnight Echo Issue 8, Writing and tagged , , , , - Comment(s): 0

Artist Greg Chapman has done a spectacular job illustrating the new episode of Allure of the Ancients, The Key to His Kingdom.  Greg’s images give the new comic a fresh feel and darker atmosphere, and his images beautifully express the new story direction I have taken with the series. The first instalment will appear in Midnight Echo 7, which will be released on May 31.

To get a sneak peak of the new comic just pop over to Greg’s blog (http://darkscrybe.blogspot.com.au), where he recently interviewed me about my ideas for the new story direction and my writing in general. It’s worth the extra click, I think.

Follow your guide

Date: March 28, 2012 at 11:13 am- by Dave- Posted in Dave, Fresh Ink, Writing- Comment(s): 0

Whilst we are working hard to complete this project, I would like to share the names of those who have shared the dark. Enjoy!

A place hidden from the world
Unearthly Fables is coming

 

 

 

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