Author Appleton

Writing. Fantasy. Sci-fi. Mystery

Archives for April 2016

Frustration of time-constraints on writing

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For many of us the greatest hindrance to getting writing done is the constraints on our time. And on a deeper level we are hindered by the frustration that those constraints cause to our creative process. If the frustration is removed our brains act creatively to produce better writing. Looking back over the past seven years I recognize how this affected the writing process.

The first novel I wrote was while living with my parents. It was just after high school and my mind was free of most of the responsibility I carry today. I had a full-time job, dated infrequently, and later started seeing my future wife and got engaged. During that time I wrote for hours on end, late into the night, in the early morning hours.

Creativity ran on a full tank unhindered (mostly) by the burdens of responsibility.

By comparison, today I provide for my wife and four kids. Having young children takes a lot of creative energy and while I don’t resent that in the least (in fact I love it) I also recognize that I am in a different stage of life. Frankly speaking I cannot get the long hours of stress-free and distraction-free creativity that I used to luxuriate in.

When I updated my cellphone recently I found I could write blog posts and such in the small moments I have free. I am getting it done when I am away from the house because my mind knows I am not going to be called upon by a family member who needs me.

Small moments are proving more fruitful than late nights.

Time-constraints on our writing produce frustration and some writers resort to boatloads of coffee and late nights in order to accomplish the task. I will admit to doing that sometimes myself (albeit with dark chocolate and yogurt instead). But a well-rested writer will be less stressed, and one whose mind is free will be more creative.

One of the keys in continuously improving as a writer is to find those moments free of distraction. Time to meditate, center and clear your mind for the creative task at hand. Writing comes from the heart. A story is grown in the mind. Do everything you can to clear your mind to write from the soul because frustration only ruins productivity.

Q: How do you deal with frustration as it relates to creativity?

2016 Reader Survey! Please participate

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Another year has gone by… it’s hard to believe I have published over a hundred posts on this site. Some posts receive a lot more attention than others and honestly it is hard to know sometimes what content you would most enjoy getting from me. As an author, editor, former publisher, and writing coach it is a challenge for me to determine what aspects of my content to focus on. In order to keep me on track I need your help!

This is your opportunity to let me know what you want. You are my audience and I derive great satisfaction from producing content that you like. Not only that, but my writing livelihood depends in part on knowing where to focus my energies. I have a day job, and a busy family life (which I love) but my time is at a premium. My energy needs to focus on completing the projects that appeal most to you so that I can get back to writing full time again, and consequently that will allow me to produce the products you like with greater frequency.

Thanks for sharing your valuable time!

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eBooks and increased literacy

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Buying a new iPhone that actually has a decent screen-size and far better memory reminded me of why I love ebooks. Kindle and iBooks are now more readily available to me (because I can’t have my iPad at work) and for a working father of four the ability to snatch bits of reading time when and where I can is invaluable.

Now I imagine you are a little surprised to hear me say that because I so often celebrate print books and decry the negative aspects of reading in the digital age. But though I am an ardent fan of collecting books in print I do recognize that ebooks are a wonderful opportunity for both writers and readers.

The benefits, I believe, are best summarized in one word: Accessibility. Accessibility is the key to literacy.

For writers: it is now incredibly simple to take your finished book and upload it to Amazon’s Kindle platform. It is an unprecedented means of delivering more content with more consistency, in a short span of time.

For readers: eBooks are instantly downloadable, most often cheaper to purchase, and offer out-of-print works that are often difficult to find in paperback. My wife has acquired many books free through Kindle and I have found some great bargains as well.

I have a collection of tiny books, most of them around a hundred years old. They are titled The Workman’s Library. No more than a few inches in width and height these books were designed to fit in the lunchbox or pocket of an average working citizen so that, in the previous few moments he had to spare, he could read Dante’s Inferno, Shakespeare, or Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

Digital books today are the equivalent of those tiny paperbacks. They can be brought anywhere, read in sweet snippets… But eBooks are superior. Within the palm of my hand I hold hundreds of books all accessible in an instant.

While I still prefer print books, eBooks are a wonderful asset to me both as a writer and as a reader.

Q: What are your thoughts on the advantages of eBooks?

Refusing the Villain

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A villain is not someone to look up to,
They should not be.
A villain chooses evil over good,
They choose a damnable fate for their soul.

Faces for the reader to remember,
Visions for them to interpret.
A villain is the worst among humanity,
Yet we see them extolled by viewers and readers.

A story needs to communicate to the reader,
It needs to reinforce the proper values.
The villain should remain the villain,
Unless a different path they choose.

Redemption is the answer,
The only answer.
Repentance is the only gate,
And it is a difficult one to open.

Consider well the path of a villain,
Do not glory in his destruction.
The toll his acts take on those around him,
Most importantly the consequences.

Know your soul,
Understand what you aspire to be.
Know your enemy,
Do not look to glory in the villain.

Refuse the villain and learn from his errors,
Rising in honor and glory.
Where he fell in pride,
Look to rise in humility.

Villains are to be condemned,
Their story a blight on the journey.
Villains will never rise again,
Ultimately their path leads to death.

Q: Do you see villains despised or glorified in contemporary fiction and films?