Babel Clash

SO…YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?

I write for a living.
It’s the best day job in the world.
I get to play in my imagination all day long and get paid for it.

It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I remember in third grade, when the teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, I didn’t say ‘astronaut’, ‘fireman’, or ‘movie star’. I said ‘I want to tell stories’. I was fortunate to make my first professional sale while still in college (a 2,000 word article on jujutsu blocking and grabbing techniques). However, that sale did not exactly catapult me into the life of a full-time writer. No, that came a lot later.

For most of my adult life I worked various day jobs and wrote on the side. Early on I sold rebuilt televisions, I mowed lawns, I worked as a bouncer in a strip club, I was a bodyguard in the entertainment industry, I taught at Martial Arts History and Women’s Self-Defense at Temple University for fourteen years, I worked for a pharmaceutical company taking adverse experience reports, and I was a graphic artist in a law firm. Even though writing was something that defined me, it was never the job that paid all the bills.

Until it was.

When I took a risk almost ten years ago to try and build my writing career to something my family and I could live on, it was a risk. A big risk. My wife volunteered to work for a few years while I wrote, with the understanding that if that ‘whole writing thing’ didn’t work out I’d go back to the corporate world. She gave me five years, bless her soul.

It took three.

I sold my first novel, GHOST ROAD BLUES in 2005. I’m writing my eleventh right now, a sequel to ROT & RUIN. Today my latest Marvel Comic hits the stands (MARVEL UNIVERSE VS WOLVERINE, prequel to MARVEL UNIVERSE VS PUNISHER, which came out today in trade paperback.). These days I write about three novels each year, plus short stories, essays, blogs and comics. Like I said…I have the best day job in the world.

But, let’s talk about what that full-time job looks like. There’s a lot of mythology out there about the writing life. You see writers in movies and on TV, spending hours of each day in moody contemplation, or retreating to a cabin in the woods to write that novel, or drinking heavily as they wait for the muse to whisper magic secrets to them. And, sure, there are a few writers like that, but they pretty much aren’t the pros.

Professional writing is not a job for prima donas. Working pros don’t ‘wait for inspiration’ to hit them. Every working pro I know has more ideas than they’ll ever have time to put down on paper. Working writers are generally practical people who have solved one of the core mysteries of the craft: that writing is about art and publishing is about business.

Another piece of propaganda is that writers, like all creative people, are bad at business. I used to believe that, too. I said so, often, because I’d heard it so often. It’s as false as the belief in some quarters that if a writer is commercially successful then it means that they’ve accomplished it only at the expense of their artistic integrity. Hogwash. Those are defenses offered up by the uninformed, misinformed, and disinformed.

If I could roll back the years and do things differently, the first thing I would have done would be to make sure I took business courses while studying writing in college. Business management, contract law, accounting, maybe a class on business etiquette. Basic stuff necessary for a small business, because that’s what a writer is: a business.

The writing day is a work day. I write full time, which means that I am putting a minimum of eight hours into my job. Granted, I get to work where I want (and I’m writing this in the coffee shop at my neighborhood Borders Bookstore), but I’m working. I have a target of at least two thousand words a day. Most weeks, though, I write three to four thousand words a day, writing ten hours a day.

Before I was full time…I made sure I wrote every day. Every day, without exceptions and excuses. Excuses never got a writer into print. If you want to talk about ‘sacrificing for your craft’, then sure…lose half an hour’s sleep and get a page written. Let a day go by without writing and you lose ground, and you make it easier not to write the next day. And the next.

One of the most frequently asked questions I get (and in fact, every writer I know gets) is: Can you give some useful advice for aspiring writers?

The short answer is: hell yes. And the advice is gladly given because, like most of my professional colleagues, I want to see other writers break in easily and quickly, and see them do well. Why? Because we believe that if there are more good writers generating top quality work, then more people will read –and that will benefit everyone in this wacky biz. Real pros don’t view publishing as competitive. We view it as a big boat, and the more hands on the oars, the more skillful hands working the rigging, the better, faster, and more successfully we’ll all be. It’s a glass half full thing.

So here are some quick bits of advice, culled from my own experiences and from really good advice I got along the way:

WRITE EVERY DAY: Yeah, I know I already said that, but it bears repeating.

LEARN THE CRAFT: Most writers are born with some kind of storytelling ability (maybe it’s a gene), but good writing is the result of storytelling plus learned skills. Take the time to learn about voice and point of view, about figurative and descriptive language, the three-act structure, about action and tension. Learn how to construct a sentence and a paragraph. Take classes. Go to writers conferences. And read about the craft. There are a lot of books on writing available. Here are the ones I recommend to my writing students: The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk Jr., OnWriting Well by William Zinsser, Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury, On Writing by Stephen King, Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass (and the accompanying Workbook), The Breakout Novelist: Craft and Strategies for Career Fiction Writers by Donald Maass, and The Successful Novelist: A Lifetime of Lessons about Writing and Publishing by David Morrell.

WRITE AN OUTLINE: A lot of writers don’t use ‘em, and even more claim they don’t; but most of the working pros do. You should, too. Know where your story is going to go so that you don’t waste time writing scenes which don’t contribute to that goal. That said, once you have an outline allow the story to grow organically so that you don’t force it to fit. A technique that works for me is that I write the first and last chapters of a book; then I write an exploratory synopsis–which is an essay written for myself in which I work out the story and the narrative logic; and then I write an outline.

NEVER REVISE UNTIL YOU FINISH YOUR FIRST DRAFT: Never. Ever. Revision of that kind is a momentum-killer. It’s a quicksand pit. Write it down fast and ugly and then fix it in the rewrite.

DON’T TRY FOR A PERFECT FIRST DRAFT: It’s a myth, it doesn’t exist. No one has ever done it, and no one can. Write a solid piece, and then pretty it up in the rewrite. A lot of writers hit what they believe is ‘writers block’ because what they’re writing doesn’t read or feel like the stuff they’re reading. Of course not. What they read in books has been written, revised (maybe many times), edited, and proofed. Out of the box perfection isn’t the point. Tell a good story, then revise.

DECONSTRUCT GREAT BOOKS: Take a couple of your favorite books and re-read them again as a writer rather than a reader. Read and re-read them. Write outlines based on the book so you can study the authors’ blueprints. Look for the three acts. Look at how and when characters are introduced. Look at the ratio of dialogue to prose. Identify when and how expository information is given–is it hidden in dialogue or action rather than in info-dumps. You can use the table of contents of any good book on writing as a guide to what to look for when deconstructing these books. A warning, though: don’t do this so you can try and write like your favorite authors; do it to understand what made them your favorites. Apprentice to them through this process, but use it as a launch-pad to find your own unique voice as a writer. When I was contemplating my first novel, GHOST ROAD BLUES, I did this with the best books of the genre in which my book would ideally be placed. The books I deconstructed were Stephen King’s ‘SALEM’S LOT, Peter Straub’s GHOST STORY and FLOATING DRAGON, Robert McCammon’s THEY THIRST, and Dan Simmon’s CARRION COMFORT.

LEARN THE BUSINESS: If you understand how publishing. The best ways to do this including subscribing to industry newsletters and attending conferences. I recommend the free newsletters provided by Publishers Weekly and Galley Cat. I also subscribe to Publishers Marketplace, which not only provides the excellent Publishers Lunch Deluxe, but also tracks most of the deals in publishing. For more up-close-and-personal learning, most writers’ conferences put you in the same room with agents, editors, publishers, and published authors. A well-informed and industry savvy writer has the best chance.

BE RELENTLESS: If you believe in your talent, then let nothing stop you. Not rejection letters (we all have ‘em) or even a horde of flesh-eating zombies.

Oh…and let’s add one more: HAVE FUN. ‘Cause it is.

Hello all!

I love horror. No apologies, no excuses. I’ve loved the genre since I was only enough to have fun being scared (and I think I was still in Underoos at the time). I love when horror is get-the-defibrillator scary and I love horror when it’s bust-your-gut funny. I love it in print, I love it on the silver screen. I love it on TV, in comics, and just about any other way I can get it.

There are some works of horror that I return to over and over again. Like buying another ticket for that same rickety, scary, wonderful roller-coaster every summer. I wanted to share some of those with you. Landmark works of horror that left their claw-marks on me. Here are a few of my must-have horror books (with some comments on the movie adaptations). Read the list, and tell me what you think. If I missed one of your favorites, tell me about it so I can go check it out.

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson: This was the first truly frightening novel I read, and the original BW movie is still my pick for the scariest horror film ever made. It’s all about the suspense, not about what jumps out at you. The remake is to be avoided at all costs.

THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE by Richard Matheson: This was an attempt to modernize the Shirley Jackson model, and Matheson nails it. The novel is scary as hell, tapping into the early 1970s vibe still humming from ROSEMARY’S BABY, THE EXORCIST and THE AMITYVILLE HORROR. The movie is a wonderful adaptation of the novel and holds up pretty well all these years later.

THE MANITOU by Graham Masterton. Though a little dated (and very often copied) nowadays, this was a deeply disturbing novel with an unexpected theme. It has one of the most frightening descriptions of evil that I’ve ever read, and that has not diminished one bit. The movie is fun; the book is far superior. I also recommend DEVILS OF D-DAY and THE WELLS OF HELL.

GHOST STORY by Peter Straub. A true American gothic novel. This should be taught in creative writing and American literature programs. Lush, rococo, and finely crafted; with a killer opening line, a terrific set of villains, and overall superb character development. And though the movie changed several essential plot points, it is a nail-biter of a classic. Scary and sexy.

‘SALEM’S LOT by Stephen King. For me this is a perfect horror novel; superior in my view to THE SHINING. It has some of the most terrifying images—seen and alluded to, and King’s most powerful and effective descriptive language. The first TV miniseries adaptation was terrifying and, though dated, is definitely worth watching. This is one novel I return to every few years.

THE MIST by Stephen King. Though technically a blend of science fiction and Cthulhu-style fantasy, it is one of King’s masterpieces. My only complaints are that it was too short for my tastes, and he never wrote a sequel. Damn it. The movie was really good and had an even more powerful ending –one of which I thoroughly approve.

I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson: The first true blending of horror with science fiction, and a marvelous piece of social commentary. The essence of the novel’s plot —especially the biting ending—has yet to be translated into film. The Vincent Price version, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, took a stab at it, but the movie is stultifyingly boring. The Charlton Heston version, THE OMEGA MAN, is cheesy popcorn fun without depth; and though the first half of the Will Smith version had real promise, it veered away from Matheson’s key themes at the end. Oh, and Matheson gave me a signed copy of the book when I was fourteen.

THE RATS, LAIR and DOMAIN by James Herbert. I love this series so much Simple concept: very large, very cranky swarms of genetically modified rats. What’s not to like? Absolutely great storytelling with lean prose and a lightning pace. And…ewwww!

RATMAN’S NOTEBOOKS by Stephen Gilbert. This was the basis for the movie WILLARD (the original was pretty good) and BEN (don’t bother). It’s a psychological thriller about a disintegrating mind that is every bit as chilling as PSYCHO.

PSYCHO by Robert Bloch. Speaking of PSYCHO, the Robert Bloch novel is a lost classic. It informed a generation of slasher and serial killer novels by creating tropes which made other, lesser writers more famous. Bloch wrote it first and best…and he never strayed into cheap shots. The suspense is scream-inducing and the payoff is brilliant. Without this book we would never have had SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I had to slip this in because it is also an often-copied model in that it is a straight mystery told in the form of a horror novel. Often filmed to varying degrees of success, but always moody and interesting. My personal favorite is the Peter Cushing/Christopher Lee version, but there are many good ones. Read the book first.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES by Ray Bradbury. Before there was even a Young Adult genre in fiction, Bradbury crafted a perfect horror-fantasy in which an evil circus (Cooger and Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show) comes to town. The same year Matheson gave me a copy of I AM LEGEND, Bradbury gave me a copy of this. I read a copy of this book every year on Halloween.

PHANTOMS by Dean R. Koontz. This is a science fiction novel written as a horror novel. Koontz was never better and few other writers are anywhere near as scary. This is a truly disturbing nail-biter of a read. The movie was okay, but this really needs a miniseries to explore its nuances.

MYSTERY WALK by Robert McCammon. This early novel of McCammon’s has gorgeous and unexpected imagery, including a description of the sound a haunted buzz-saw makes that will definitely stay with you. I came back to this after twenty years and it was every bit as good.

Those are a few of my must-haves.

So…what scares you?

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Jonathan Maberry is a NY Times bestselling author, multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, and Marvel Comics writer. His novels include the Pine Deep Trilogy –Ghost Road Blues, Dead Man’s Song and Bad Moon Rising; the Joe Ledger thriller series –Patient Zero, The Dragon Factory, The King of Plagues, and Assassin’s Code; the Benny Imura Young Adult dystopian series -Rot & Ruin, Dust & Decay, and Flesh & Bone; the film adaptation of The Wolfman and the standalone horror thriller –Dead of Night. His nonfiction books include the international bestseller Zombie CSU, The Cryptopedia, They Bite, Vampire Universe and Wanted Undead of Alive. He has sold over 1200 feature articles, thousands of columns, two plays, greeting cards, technical manuals, how-to books, and many short stories. His comics for Marvel include Marvel Universe vs the Wolverine, Marvel Universe vs the Punisher, DoomWar, Black Panther and Captain America: Hail Hydra. He is the founder of the Writers Coffeehouse and co-founder of The Liars Club; and is a frequent keynote speaker and guest of honor at conferences including BackSpace, Dragon*Con, ZombCon, PennWriters, The Write Stuff, Central Coast Writers, Necon, Killer Con, Liberty States, and many others. In 2004 Jonathan was inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame, due in part to his extensive writing on martial arts and self-defense. Visit him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com, www.twitter.com/jonathanmaberry and www.facebook.com/jonathanmaberry

Borders in one of the few stores that maintains a distinct Horror section.  At Waldenbooks, horror titles find a home in fantasy or general fiction.  B&N shelves their King, Koontz and Straub books with general fiction.

Horror fans seem to appreciate our commitment to their genre.  On the flip side, trying to identify which titles belong in which section can be tricky.  We feature Kelley Armstrong in fantasy but Kim Harrison in horror (her adult books anyway).  We often keep an author’s work together.  So Stephen King’s Eyes of the Dragon is a fantasy, but it’s shelved in horror.  Dan Simmons’ Hyperion and Ilium novels stay in Science Fiction, but the Terror and Song of Kali live in Horror.

Sure, it would be nice to shelve a borderline book in two places.  Financially, it could mean buying twice as much inventory.  Technically, our computer system can’t handle it.  Third, we’d risk confusing customers, who might find a title only in horror one week and then only fantasy the next, as one or the other sold out.

As genres blur together (which I encourage, mind you), determining the best home for a title gets trickier.  The line between fantasy and horror is especially blurry.  For better or worse, vampires, werewolves and zombies are everywhere from Young Adult to Romance.  Zombie Romance?  Really?

F. Paul Wilson, our latest guest, has made a nice home for his work in our horror section.  What do you think?  Did we find the right home for Repairman Jack?

The New Yorker posted “Seven Essential Fantasy Reads” on their blog.  If anyone gets a chance to take a look at the link, tell us what you think.  Is it a good list, or is something critical missing?

New Yorker

What about Stephen King’s Dark Tower?  That has to make the list, right?

China, for music at cons, here are my picks.

1) Blind Guardian - the German metal band.  They mix heavy and fast music with bombastic choruses that would remind you of Queen.  They’ve created songs inspired by Elric, Lord of the Rings, Dragonlance and Stephen King’s Dark Tower.  Their “Nightfall in Middle Earth” CD is my favorite.

2) The Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.  This music energizes me every time.  It’s perfect adventure music.

Why are so many fantasy settings based on medieval Europe?  The journeys through these new worlds seem familiar because they have this common root ancestor.  There are exceptions, such as Daniel Abraham’s Long Price Quartet or Jane Lindskold’s Thirteen Orphans, but they tend not to catch on in a big way.

One of my favorite non-European settings is Stephen King’s Dark Tower world.  This apocalyptic Old West is one of the most unique landscapes in speculative fiction, and it shows that the fantasy fan is willing to branch out.  Granted, the Stephen King name helps.  There’s also Star Wars, which is as much fantasy as science fiction.  It features a traditional fantasy plot (rescuing the princess and overthrowing an evil empire) in an outer space settting.

So what other cultures or time periods are ripe for a fantasy interpretation?  I’d vote for Shogun-era Japan.