Let Your Voice Be Heard

Those of you who have been following the Keltin Moore Online Serial may be wondering when I’m

planning on posting the next episode. The honest truth is that the episode isn’t ready, but there’s more going on than just a missed deadline. I’m actually considering discontinuing the serial entirely as I evaluate which projects would be the best use of my limited time and energy in 2015.

To give you some background, I first started the Keltin Moore Online Serial roughly three years ago as an alternative to having an author blog. The goal of the serial was to establish a fan base that would generate buzz for me as an author and ultimately translate into more book sales. While this did happen to some extent, the truth is that the serial has become more of a burden than a benefit to me since the publication of The Beast Hunter. Also to my surprise, the overwhelming response from those that bought the book is that they would rather wait for the sequel than read a monthly, online serial. Combine that with the loss of readers from the serial’s first season to the second, and it seems I have been sent a clear message that my fans want more books, not episodes.

It’s not just the serial that I’m reconsidering either. I've experimented with a variety of article topics for this blog, including bonus content from my stories, the craft of writing, and even some personal musings and a video game review! While these weekly updates have been much easier to maintain than monthly serial episodes, I've received little feedback on any of these features. I know people are visiting the blog from all around the world, but so far they've been a fairly silent bunch. I've also had some issues finding an audience for my posts on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms. A few weeks ago I even conducted a short survey asking followers to vote on what sort of posts they most wanted to see, but after changing my content based on the survey results, I actually got less response than I was getting before!

The truth is, I don’t put content online for my own gratification. As an author juggling four books as well as a growing number of speaking engagements and writing coaching clients, I have more than enough to keep me busy and plenty of opportunities to express myself. My goal with all of my online activities has always been to engage with fans and spread the word about my books, workshops, and services as a writing coach. I have no desire to take time away from more productive activities to continue posting content that my fans aren't interested in enough to endorse to their friends.

With all this in mind, I've decided to give you, my readers and fans, the opportunity to let your voice be heard. I want to know not only what sort of online content you would want to see, but what sort of content you would be willing to like, share, and discuss in your own social media. Leave a comment below or on one of my author profiles at either Twitter or Facebook to let me know what you've enjoyed so far and what you want to see from me in the future. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these subjects:

The Keltin Moore Online Serial vs. more books

Which blog article subjects you've enjoyed the most or would like to see in the future

What sort of social media posts you would be most likely to like, share, or comment on

I’m dedicating all of December to this effort as I plan to divide my time between my family and my writing, as well as monitoring and responding to your comments. Thank you in advance for helping me to improve myself as an author as well as setting a few New Year’s resolutions for 2015.

A Free Gift for Some of my Awesome Fans!

This year I thought I’d celebrate the holiday season by giving away signed copies of my books to

four lucky fans. All you need to enter this free drawing is a Goodreads account. Just follow the links below, log in or create your account, and enter for your chance to win one of two signed copies of either Lost Under Two Moons or The Beast Hunter. Both giveaways end December 20th, so be sure to enter before then!

Lost Under Two Moons Giveaway

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/116557-lost-under-two-moons

The Beast Hunter Giveaway

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/116558-the-beast-hunter

Good luck to you all and God bless. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!

Lindsay

Game Story Review - Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

I thought I’d try something a little different this week and review the storyline of a game that I have played all the way through multiple times. Keep in mind that this review will be focusing on elements of storytelling such as character development and plot structure, rather than gameplay elements or gamer hints. Today I’ll be talking about Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, an action shooter and the first game in the Uncharted series from developer Naughty Dog Studios.

Premise

Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter and lovable scoundrel, is following in the footsteps of his ancestor, Sir Francis Drake, to try to find the legendary El Dorado. He follows the trail to a former Spanish colony on an island in the southern Atlantic only to find it swarming with modern-day pirates and a centuries-old curse that could threaten the entire world if he can’t stop it. 

Review

The Uncharted series has always been ambitious in its storytelling. The developers have said that their inspiration came from the pulp adventure movies of the early 20th century, the same type of movies that inspired the Indiana Jones character and series. What’s different about Nathan Drake is that he is cast as a sort of exceptional everyman, a likable guy who does amazing things but never loses his relatability. Drake is funny without being snarky, heroic without being an action figure. As I played Nathan Drake, I found myself drawn to his crooked smile and emotional honesty in a way that almost never happens for me in video games.

The rest of the cast is equally well developed. Drake’s friend and mentor, Sully, feels more like your fun uncle than the stereotypical wise old advisor. The story’s love interest, Elena, also feels realistic, with equal parts plucky courage and empathetic vulnerability. Even the villains, who don’t get very much screen time, are interesting and fun in a James Bond Villain kind of way, alternating between witty banter and cat-and-mouse sadism.

The development of the plot is a fine balance of gameplay elements that alternate the player between third-person shooting, platforming, puzzles, and cut-scenes. All of these elements play a role in developing the story, and the game never feels like it’s filling up time or padding the experience. Of course, as in nearly all games, the player is required to have a greater suspension of disbelief than would be required for a novel or most movies, but fans of this type of game should expect and appreciate the epic firefights and elaborate puzzles as a part of the overall experience.

It should be noted that this game’s story is very linear, with no player control over the plot or character decisions. The style can best be described as an interactive thematic experience, with the player taking over for anything involving action or problem solving, and leaving the sequence of events to the developers. While this may be a turnoff to gamers who prefer a branching storyline with multiple endings, I preferred the single, well-crafted plot with its balanced pacing, character development, and foreshadowing.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is a game that pulls the gamer in with a well-crafted Conflict/Resolution Pattern and engaging characters as opposed to reality-blurring gamer input. I would recommend this game to anyone who has ever watched a summer blockbuster and wanted to play along with the movie, rather than change it to suit their own style. For me, as a lover of great stories that are well-told, this game is one of my all-time favorites.


Leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed this review and if you’d like to see more game-related content in the future.

Looking Back On My First Rejection

As I was going through some old

files in my Lost Under Two Moons folder, I found an interesting little document that I had completely forgotten about. This was written in 2009 after the first writers conference I ever went to, when I brought what I thought was a completed novel to pitch to agents and editors. While the lessons that I learned at that time were harsh, I am grateful to say that they definitely helped me to develop both as a writer and as a writing professional.

I wanted to share this document for two reasons. First, I thought it might be interesting for fans of Lost Under Two Moons to see some of the issues I was struggling with in the revision process and what I ultimately decided would be the novel’s theme. Second, I wanted to share this intimate look into what it was like for me to receive my first formal rejection, and how I used it to make my book better. I hope this is as inspirational to you as it was to me, finding it five years later.

Note: The working title of Lost Under Two Moons at this time was Other World: Survival.

MINOR SPOILER ALERT

The Voice of Other World: Survival

At the 2009 PNWA conference I received some criticism on my pitch and plot for my book. Some of it was easily answered, but two statements were of particular concern because I had no ready answer. These were made by [an agent] during my scheduled sit-down appointment with him. First, he asked why the main character Richard was constantly moving from one place to another. He said that it sounded unrealistic to him and that I seemed to be merely trying to show off different parts of the world without a good explanation of why Richard goes to each place. [The agent’s] other statement was that Other World seemed much too similar to Earth, and that it looked like I had only made a minimal departure from the known world to create the new universe for the story.

It’s taken me some time to put into words my answers to these concerns, and I wanted to write them down to solidify them in my own mind. Concerning Other World’s similarity to Earth, I admit that I’m capable of doing better, and I've been correcting a lot of things. But there needs to be a certain degree of similarity to Earth, otherwise Richard would have never survived past the first week. If he couldn't find any point of reference, if he couldn't recognize anything for what it was, he wouldn't be able to live and learn.

As for Richard’s nomadic lifestyle, I had to take a step back and look at the story as a whole to formulate an answer for this question. Despite relative comfort for as much as a couple weeks at a time, the majority of Richard’s time on Other World is spent desperately trying to survive. He is constantly moving because Other World is too hostile a place for him to be able to stay in one place and survive comfortably. His nomadic lifestyle is necessary because the world is an active antagonist in his life, and his constant traveling is his best chance for trying, and ultimately failing, to find a place that is secure and safe for him to live.

Thinking along this vein helped me to better understand the Voice of the story. Richard’s ordeal is not about a man successfully conquering his environment as in other famous survival tales such as Robinson Crusoe or The Swiss Family Robinson. Here, Richard is constantly struggling, and while survival never becomes easier, he learns and grows through the ordeal. The Voice could be summed up very well in the Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the courage to change what I can, the patience to endure what I cannot change, and the wisdom to tell the difference between the two.”

5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Writing Space

Recently, I noticed that my writing 

sessions had slowly become less productive and fun. After some serious consideration on the issue, I decided to try making some minor changes to my writing routine. With just a few easy adjustments to my writing location and set-up, I was able to double my normal output in a single session. Even better, I found myself looking forward to writing again, something I hadn't felt in over a month. 

For this week’s blog feature, I thought I’d share some ideas of ways that you too can alter your writing environment to help you feel relaxed, upbeat, and motivated to write.

1. Adjust the Brightness of Your Screen

Eye strain is a common problem for anyone who spends a lot of time working at a computer each day, and if you’re like me and you like to write late at night, your eyes are already feeling fatigued by the time you pull up that manuscript file. Turning down the brightness level of your screen can reduce squinting and minor headaches. You can even adjust the color of your document’s background to a pale pastel or a natural shade of blue or green to give you some visual variety from the dreaded white space.

2. Rearrange Your Desk

If you write at a desk, consider switching the positions of things like your stapler, whiteout, and “World’s Greatest Writer” mug full of pencils. Making slight changes to your physical surroundings can help break feelings of monotony and stimulate the creative mind. Just be sure that you don’t get distracted from your writing by focusing on big, expensive changes to your décor.

3. Try Using an Air Freshener or Aromatic Candle

Our sense of smell is often overlooked as one of our weakest senses, but we shouldn't underestimate the power of a particular fragrance to affect our mood and attitude. Try experimenting with a variety of scents to see what relaxes your mind while stimulating your imagination. If you choose to use an aromatic candle, try only using it when you’re about to write and adding a slight ritualistic element to each of your writing sessions.

4. Create Some Mood Lighting

I find that I often feel more relaxed and eager to write when the lights in the room are low. There’s something almost mystical about taking my mind to another world while the real world fades away into darkness around me. Try to find a light level that allows you to see clearly while temporarily masking possible distractions. Be sure to adjust the brightness of your computer screen accordingly to avoid aggravated eye strain.

5. Use Sound-Canceling Headphones

If you’re like me and you like to listen to music while you write, try using headphones that block outside noises as you work. Like lowering the lights, this can reduce possible distractions while refocusing your attention on your craft. Just be careful to select music that both relaxes and stimulates your mind without becoming a distraction.



I hope that these five ideas are helpful to all you writers out there. Leave a comment below if any of them improve your writing routine, or if you have another idea that you’d like to share that’s helped get you in the mood to write.

Creature Profile: The Shrew Snake

Creature Name

Shrew Snake

First Appeared In

Lost Under Two Moons

Physical Description

The adult shrew snake is typically six to nine inches long, most of which consists of its long sinuous body. It has two small, flexible legs that move in a cartwheeling motion when the creature runs. The shrew snake’s head and shoulders are covering in a fine, light brown fur, while the long body is mostly hairless and is a deep purple.

Natural Environment

These diminutive animals are found exclusively in the Painted Desert, where their odd mixture of colors provides wonderful camouflage during the rare occasions that it risks exposing itself in the daylight. More commonly, the shrew snake burrows under the sandy soil, using its long, wriggling body to move easily through short-lived tunnels. Being nocturnal, this creature feeds on insects, seeds, and the tender tips of plant roots.

Behavior

Shrew snakes are solitary creatures who only seek out their own species to mate. A pregnant female will seek out a dead stone plant which has begun to rot from the inside out. Using her teeth and powerful limbs, she carves out a den inside the rocky dome, providing herself and her young with a safe, insulated home. Infant shrew snakes reach maturity in just four weeks.

Additional Background

While the shrew snake is superbly adapted to its environment, the harsh conditions of the Painted Desert ensure that the total population of these creatures is never very large. However, if these creatures were ever introduced into another environment (including man-made environments) it may be that this unassuming little creature could reproduce to plague-like proportions.

Inspiration

The shrew snake was the first animal I created for Lost Under Two Moons. It actually started life as a doodle, with a long, random line becoming the tail and a small, mouse-like head being added on later. I added the pair of legs to the front because I wanted to give Richard an early indication that animal life on Other World was going to be very different from what he was used to. It wasn’t until much later that I learned that there is actually a real-life creature with a similar body structure to my shrew snake. Called the Mexican mole lizard, this bizarre little reptile has an elongated body and a single pair of legs close to its head. While I can’t say that this creature was the inspiration for the shrew snake, I’m thrilled to find something that so closely resembles what I had thought was a creature too weird to be real!

I hope you enjoyed this month’s Creature Profile. Next month’s feature will be the forest devil from The Beast Hunter. If you’d like to contribute artwork to the profile, send your pictures to lindsay@lindsayschopfer.com and put “Forest Devil Picture” as the subject. Deadline is November 17.

Reflecting on the 2014 Emerald City Writers Conference

Last week I had the opportunity to present two of my workshops at the annual conference of the Greater Seattle Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. This was my second year attending this conference, and I was again struck by the hospitality, enthusiasm, and general pleasantness from both the event’s organizers and attendees.

The workshop offerings this year were varied and incredibly interesting. I spent the majority of my time listening to presenters from a variety of backgrounds giving valuable insights into their exciting and sometimes dangerous lives. These included a police officer from New York, an Air Force veteran, and a state prison corrections officer. Probably the most fun that I had was while attending a workshop on the history of firearms given by historical and military consultant Gordon Frye. Mr. Frye’s wry wit and engaging stories complimented his expansive knowledge of the evolution of guns and warfare, and fans of The Keltin Moore Online Serial will definitely see some fun new details as a result.

Speaking of workshops, I had a great time at my own presentations as well. It seemed like everyone I spoke to at the conference was interested in either my talk on time management or my world building workshop, and both were well attended. It felt so good to hear from writers who were finally excited to write again after struggling for so long with some aspect of their craft, and I’m glad that I could play a small part in their personal writing adventure.

While I didn't attend all the special events at the conference, all the special dinners and luncheons were excellent and a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed hearing from Terry McLaughlin,  the current/outgoing president of the National RWA organization and a last-minute substitute keynote speaker at the Sunday luncheon. With less than twenty-four hours to prepare, she gave what I felt was the most sincere, heartfelt speech of the conference, and I felt truly inspired by her humble call to follow our writing dreams. It was a great way to wrap up the event, and I can’t wait for the opportunity to submit my workshop proposals for next year’s conference!

October 13, 2014 Writing Update

Hi all! I thought I’d take the opportunity to describe a little of what’s going on right now with me and my writing.

First off, my various writing projects are all going well. The first draft of the sequel to Lost Under Two Moons is getting close to completion, though there’s definitely going to be a lot of work ahead of me in the editorial phase. While the journal format is often fun, I find that it takes longer to write than a traditional narrative, so fans of the series will have to be patient for Richard’s next adventure.

I’ve also managed to stay on top of my monthly deadlines for The Keltin Moore Online Serial,  but only just barely. Unfortunately, it looks like I’ll have to take another sabbatical from the serial once this second season is done in order to devote myself to the novelization. My other option of course is to post the episodes less frequently now to build a backlog of material later. We’ll see what happens.

There’s also a lot going on with my writing coaching. Aside from helping clients individually, my workshop offerings have been steadily increasing over the last year or so, and 2014 marked a significant increase in the number of presentations I’m giving. This weekend I will be going to the Emerald City Writers Conference hosted by the Romance Writers of America to give two workshops. This is my second time at this conference, and while I tend to be somewhat out of place as a male fantasy and steampunk author, I always feel very welcome and am definitely looking forward to the experience.

My workshop at the Tumwater Timberland Library in August was such a success that I’ve been invited to participate in the library’s nanowrimo calendar of events for November. For three Saturdays I will be giving a series of workshops on writing novels with catchy beginnings, engaging middles, and satisfying endings. I’ll also be giving a workshop in Issaquah for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association on the first weekend of November, making it a very busy month for me.

Thanks to all my friends and fans for their support and encouragement. I hope everyone has a great holiday season, and that you enjoy my ongoing offerings on this blog!

Creature Profile: Shrew Snake Excerpt

Here’s an excerpt from Lost Under Two Moons describing the shrew snake, the first creature that Richard encounters on Other World. Hopefully this gives all you artists some ideas for your own version of this creature. Remember that the deadline to get your artwork to me is October 20th. Can’t wait to see what you all come up with!

Excerpt taken from the August 28 entry – Day 4

I saw something weird this morning as I got up to answer nature’s call. It’s the first sign of animal life I’ve seen on this world. It looked like some kind of snake, with the head and forelimbs of a mouse. It slithered when it moved with the front legs just kind of cart wheeling around as the tail/ body propelled it forward. I wonder what other kinds of strange things are out here.

Character Profile Template

By popular demand, I've decided to share the  template that I use when creating a character profile. A character profile is used by many authors to flesh out the people in their stories, and can be used for both major characters and minor characters. While my template is specifically designed for fantasy characters, it should be easy enough for any writer to adapt it to their own needs. Leave a comment below to let me know what you think of this template, and what additional changes you might make to it for your own writing projects.

CHARACTER NAME

Home World:

Current Home:

Race/Species:

Gender:

Skin tone:

Eye Color:

Hair:

Approx. Height:

Approx. Weight:

Approx. Age:

Physical Description:

Magic Abilities: 

Family:

Family History:

Romantic Relationship(s):

Close Friendships:

Hated Enemies:

Organizational affiliations and positions:

Religion:

Occupation:

Training/Skills:

Weapon(s) of choice:

Likes:

Hates: 

Fears:

Hobbies:

General Personality:

Additional Background:

Notes:

A Love Letter to Stormy Weather

We’re coming into my favorite season in my favorite part of the world. Autumn in the Pacific

Northwest means gray days, vibrant leaves, cottony mist, and the intoxicating smell of rain. Growing up on the edge of the Capitol Forest in western Washington, I spent many a rainy day under the cover of the towering cedars riding dragons, displaying amazing swordsmanship, and going on quests that stretched on for weeks and even months.

I’ll readily admit that I never really grew up. Whenever autumn comes and the rain starts to fall, I still want to go outside and play make-believe. There’s something in the smell of the air, in the weight of moisture I feel against my skin, that just sparks my imagination like a sunny summer day never could. Writing is the closest thing that I have to being that uninhibited child again.

Rain at the beach is even better. I love stormy days by the sea, watching the frothing rollers being pelted by heavy raindrops. My favorite memory of my honeymoon is kissing my new bride on a seaside cliff standing in the shadow of a lighthouse as a rolling storm approached  from a turbulent sea. I have never been unable to write when it’s raining at the beach.

I would suspect that many writers feel the same way about some familiar, atmospheric setting. Whether it’s the hypnotic allure of an electrified city nightscape or the meditative calm in a field of wildflowers filled with the droning song of insects, a writer that can convey the emotion and mood of one of these magical settings has accomplished real literary alchemy, transforming plain words into a visceral experience for the reader.

I recently read the manuscript of a good friend who demonstrated a deep appreciation for the harsh winters of the high deserts of Wyoming. The image of frozen sagebrush and snow dancing in the wind for an eternity before falling gave his novel an atmosphere and emotional setting that complimented his writing style like a cup of cocoa on a chilly day. I felt like I had been somewhere after reading his book, and longed to return almost as soon as I put it down.

I sometimes wish I could have it rain all the time in my stories. I wish I could give each chapter and episode I write the same dream-like backdrop that I had when I played make-believe as a child. As it is, I probably already cheat a little by describing sunny days less frequently and with fewer details than when I write a scene with stormy weather.

I can’t apologize for it though. I may have played on sunny days, but I don’t remember them. All the memories I have of playing make-believe happened in the rain. All the memories I have of moments when I couldn’t breathe for the beauty all around me have happened in the rain. I think that no matter where I go in my life or what I do with the time that I have, I will find that whenever I escape to my imagination, it will always be raining there. 

All photographs by Elicia Schopfer 

Creature Profile: Crawler

Creature Name

Crawler

First Appeared In

Lost Under Two Moons

Physical Description

Crawlers are about the size and body mass of a small deer, though they’re somewhat lower to the ground. They have one pair of muscular legs and large wings that are useless for flying which they instead use like a second set of legs, crawling forward with the wings folded back. Despite their apparent awkwardness, they can move surprisingly fast, and use their large, predatory beaks to catch and eat prey. The crawler is covered in bluish green feathers to better blend in with its environment.

Natural Environment

The crawler is native to the Sea of Grass, where its aqua-marine plumage serves as excellent camouflage in the long, flowing grass. Its preferred prey is the small, slow meal-bird, though it will also frequently hunt banded runners. Its camouflage and prowling abilities also allow it to take down much larger prey such as the sailbeast or scissorleg. The crawler’s biggest danger on the plains are the roaming packs of bigamouths, which are a constant threat as the dominant predators of the Sea of Grass.

Behavior

Crawlers are territorial and often solitary creatures, the main exception being when a mating pair are hatching and rearing their young. Crawlers usually lay a single egg and take two years to mature after hatching. While crawlers will usually avoid fighting with each other, preferring displays of plumage and aggressive posturing, they will not hesitate to attack even a full-grown double-throat if their egg or fledgling is threatened.

Additional Background

When agitated or threatened, the crawler makes a strange, low buzzing noise by vibrating a special membrane deep in its throat.

Inspiration

The idea for the crawler came from a nature documentary I saw that featured a particular type of predatory bat. This fascinating creature, while still capable of flight, did all of its hunting on the ground, due to a lack of other small ground predators and the plentiful supply of beetles and other prey on the forest floor. I was intrigued by the idea of a flying creature that stalked its prey on the ground, using its wings as a second set of legs to crawl forward. It was always my idea that the crawler bird had originally been an aerial predator, but had returned to the ground so that it could support the bulk necessary to bring down larger prey.

I hope you enjoyed this month’s Creature Profile. Next month’s feature will be the shrew snake from Lost Under Two Moons. If you’d like to contribute artwork to the profile, send your pictures to lindsay@lindsayschopfer.com and put “Shrew Snake Picture” as the subject. Deadline is October 20.

Juggling Multiple Stories and Characters

For the last year or so I've had four writing projects all in the works simultaneously. While the specific projects may change, I always try to do some work on all four stories each week while giving the majority of my time to whichever one I have the most ideas for. I've written before about how I manage my time in handling all these different projects, but I thought this time I’d talk about keeping all my stories and characters distinct and separate from each other in my head as I’m writing them.

To be honest, I usually don’t feel like this is a big problem for me, and I think the main reason is because I try to be sure that all of my stories are as different from each other as I can make them. While all my stories have common themes and may share my particular storytelling style, I try to make each story feel different from anything else that I’m working on. To me, each project has its own emotional color that tints and shades everything that I write in it.

One way I get that emotional color is by doing my best to make all my major characters distinctive. This is especially true of each POV character, since it is their personality, motivation, and thoughts that will have the greatest effect on the narrative. Sometimes, when I’m worried that my POV characters are getting too similar to each other, I try looking at some event in one of my stories and asking myself whether all my POV characters would react to it the same way. This allows me to examine not only my characters’ actions, but also their emotions and their motivations, and often reveals how little nuances can be used to define any character.

I also try to spend as much time and effort as possible on the world-building and backstory for each project. Of course, there are times when I’ll have plenty of ideas for just one of my stories, and it can be a real temptation to skimp on my other projects by using stereotypes, clichés, or even material lifted from another of my stories. My best answer to this is usually taking a break from the trouble-project for a little while, and sometimes even putting it away entirely if necessary. Usually though, I’m able to identify what it was about the story that intrigued me in the first place, and I’m able to focus on what makes it unique and special.

Of course, all of this would do me little good if I couldn't remember which details go with which story. This is especially difficult when each story takes place on a different world, each with its own rules, personalities, and locations. Luckily, I have a pretty good memory for story details, and whenever I think there’s something that might be too complex or detailed to remember, I write it down. In fact, when I give my world-building workshop to sci-fi and fantasy writers, I usually recommend that they create an encyclopedia file for each of their stories. This file should be filled with everything that is distinctive and unique about the story’s characters, setting, and history. Keeping this file as organized and up-to-date as possible has been my best solution to avoiding mistakenly mixing together any of my story elements.

While this may all sound like an awful lot of work, I feel like I’m not the only one who benefits from it. Just like authors, readers are sensitive to stories with too-similar details, and while I do want all my stories to have similar themes and be lots of fun, the last thing that I want is for all my books to sound exactly the same. It may take a lot of work to avoid that, but I think it’s definitely worth the extra time and effort. 

Rejected Titles for Lost Under Two Moons

Norman Mailer said “if you have to pick [the title] after the book is done, it’s like trying to buy the right wedding ring.” This was definitely the case with my first novel. In fact, the book didn't even have a working title until the first draft was finished. For the longest time, I called it Other World: Survival, but I never really liked the name.

It wasn't until I started assembling a BETA read team that I finally decided to pick a title. I knew it would have to be something unique while being easy to remember. I started brainstorming any titles that might even remotely work. Vague, obscure, clichéd… it all went into the list that I then sent on to my test readers to vote on.

After I sent out the list, I realized that I was actually hoping that one title in particular would win. I started to worry that no-one else would like it, but when the results came back I found that it had gotten the second-most votes from my readers. That was good enough for me, and the book was known from that point on as Lost Under Two Moons.

Having said all that, I thought it’d be fun to share some of the possible titles that were sent to my BETA readers to consider. Here are some of the more interesting ones:

A Journal from Another World

Alone In an Alien Nowhere

Alone With The Bigamouths

Cry of the Bigamouth

How I Survived Other World

I Want to go Home

 “I’m Not on Earth Anymore”

Journal from Another World

Letters from Another World

Lost on an Unknown World

My Life on Other World

No Man’s Land

Other World Castaway

Planet Stranded

Stalked by Bigamouths

Survival on Another World

The World of Mr. Screech

...and perhaps the oddest of all...

Utility Knife On Another World

The Spell of the Yukon – Inspiration for The Keltin Moore Online Serial

As part of my research on gold rushes for The Keltin Moore Online Serial: Into the North, I read a lot of stories, poems, and songs penned about and by the prospectors of the Yukon Gold Rush in the late 19th century. Just for fun, here’s one of the shorter pieces that I found.

The Spell of the Yukon

 I wanted the gold, and I sought it;

I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.

Was it famine or scurvy - I fought it;

I hurled my youth into a grave.

I wanted the gold, and I got it -

Came out with a fortune last fall, -

Yet somehow life's not what I thought it,

And somehow the gold isn't all.

No! There's the land. (Have you seen it?)

It's the cussedest land that I know,

From the big, dizzy mountains that screen it

To the deep, deathlike valleys below.

Some say God was tired when He made It;

Some say it's a fine land to shun;

Maybe; but there's some as would trade it

For no land on earth - and I'm one.

You come to get rich (damned good reason);

You feel like an exile at first;

You hate it like hell for a season,

And then you are worse than the worst.

It grips you like some kinds of sinning;

It twists you from foe to a friend;

It seems it's been since the beginning;

It seems it will be to the end.

I've stood in some mighty-mouthed hollow

That's plumb-full of hush to the brim;

I've watched the big, husky sun wallow

In crimson and gold, and grow dim,

Till the moon set the pearly peaks gleaming,

And the stars tumbled out, neck and crop;

And I've thought that I surely was dreaming,

With the peace o' the world piled on top;

The summer - no sweeter was ever;

The sunshiny woods all athrill;

The grayling aleap in the river,

The bighorn asleep on the hill.

The strong life that never knows harness;

The wilds where the caribou call;

The freshness, the freedom, the farness -

O God! how I'm stuck on it all.

The winter! the brightness that blinds you,

The white land locked tight as a drum,

The cold fear that follows and finds you,

The silence that bludgeons you dumb.

The snows that are older than history,

The woods where the weird shadows slant;

The stillness, the moonlight, the mystery,

I've bade 'em good-by - but I can't.

There's a land where the mountains are nameless,

And the rivers all run God knows where;

There are lives that are erring and aimless,

And deaths that just hang by a hair;

There are hardships that nobody reckons;

There are valleys unpeopled and still;

There's a land - oh, it beckons and beckons,

And I want to go back - and I will.

They're making my money diminish;

I'm sick of the taste of champagne.

Thank God! when I'm skinned to a finish

I'll pike to the Yukon again.

I'll fight - and you bet it's no sham-fight;

It's hell! - but I've been there before;

And it's better than this by a damsite -

So me for the Yukon once more.

There's gold, and it's haunting and haunting;

It's luring me on as of old;

Yet it isn't the gold that I'm wanting

So much as just finding the gold.

It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,

It's the forests where silence has lease;

It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,

It's the stillness that fills me with peace.

The Collected Poems of Robert Service

Copyright 1907, 1909, 1912 by Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc.

Creature Profile: Crawler Excerpt

Here’s an excerpt from Lost Under Two Moons describing the deadly crawler. Hopefully this gives all you artists some ideas for your own version of this creature. Remember that the deadline to get your artwork to me is September 15th. Can’t wait to see what you all come up with!

Excerpt taken from the December 1^st entry, Day 100

There’s also a small variety of flying creatures around here, but to be honest I’m getting tired of writing. I’ll stop after describing one more new species. It’s large, about the same size as a sail beast but less ostentatious. This creature has the general shape of a large bluish-green bird with strong legs and long wings. What’s strange is that while this creature may technically be a biped, the bird moves by crawling on its belly, using its folded wings like a second pair of legs, similar to the way a bat would move on the ground. I’m not sure how fast the crawler can move in this way, as I’ve only seen it walking slowly. I suspect that these creatures are carnivores judging by their large, predatory beaks. Perhaps the crawler rises up onto its legs to chase down its prey. Or perhaps it’s a scavenger and primarily feeds on carrion. Either way, the crawlers definitely look to be the most dangerous creatures in the area and everything else is giving them a wide berth. I think it’d be wise for me to do the same. Luckily, there are only a couple of them around here.

Nourishing The Muse

Last week I had the opportunity to spend a wonderful six days at the International Kite Festival at Long Beach Washington and recharge my creative batteries. As I sat on a driftwood log staring at the rolling waves with a pen and notebook on my knee, I couldn't help reflecting on how lucky I was to have a setting that was almost guaranteed to breathe new life into my writing muse.

Of course, I had been writing consistently before my trip as well. As my favorite writing quote from Peter De Vries says, “I only write when I’m inspired, and I make sure I’m inspired every morning at 9:00 AM.” Authors can’t afford the luxury of writing only when it suits them, just like professional artists can’t choose to paint only when the lightning bolt of creativity fuses them to their canvasses. But there is definitely a difference between grinding out a few hundred words in an hour and the kind of flying-pen flurries that writers live for. Here are a few ideas to help those moments of inspiration come more frequently.

Daydream While Writing

Staring into space may mean unproductivity in most jobs, but for a writer it’s as essential as deep breathing while exercising. Each time I write, I always give myself permission to pause and entertain the occasional random thought that might occur to me before getting back to work. It also helps to have surroundings that relax and inspire me as my mind wanders, and I can definitely say that watching the crashing waves last week proved to be an inspirational distraction.

Try New Things

Everybody has a comfort zone that he or she would much rather stay inside, but the truth is that it’s outside that comfort zone that we find adventure and conflict. After all, most plots revolve around characters being forced into doing things that are uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and challenging. As writers, we owe it to ourselves to have a little adventure now and then as well. We should be willing to take a risk, however small, and study our own reactions. While at the beach, I went horseback riding for the first time in over ten years, and while I was nervous at first, I had a great time and got so many ideas for my stories (both horse-related and not) that I definitely plan on doing it again.

Celebrate Your Moments of Inspiration

At one point last week I was so happy that I had more-than doubled my writing goals that I eagerly shared it with my family and online followers. I think this kind of celebration validates our successes and reaffirms what we are doing with our time. Just be sure to only share your writing achievements with those who will understand and appreciate your accomplishment.

Write What You Want To

I have multiple projects going at all times, and I sometimes feel like I should be doing an equal amount of work on each of them. However, while it is important to maintain some level of progress on all your writing projects, you shouldn't punish yourself for writing more on something that you have lots of ideas for. This is why I recently changed my writing routine. While I still work on whatever project is next in line each morning, I now write on whichever story I want to during my evening sessions. This has resulted in more work done each week, and I highly recommend it to anyone that’s using a similar writing process.

I've said before that writers who only write when they’re inspired will never be authors, and I still think that’s true. But I also think the same can be said of writers that are never inspired. A successful writer is someone who writes even when they don’t want to, and writes even more when they do.

Creature Profile: The Sleevak

pencil sketch by Elicia Schopfer

Creature Name

Sleevak

First Appeared In

The Beast Hunter

Physical Description

A sleevak is roughly the size of a mountain lion and is reptilian in general appearance. Its long, low body is supported by six thin, long legs and a tail that makes up a third of its total length. This creature’s torso and shoulders are covered in semi-soft armor plates and its large head has a hard frill surrounding its vulnerable neck. The sleevak has six eyes with three on either side of its slightly pointed snout. Its teeth are long and sharp, and remain somewhat exposed when the creature closes its jaws. The sleevak’s scale-less skin is typically a mottled green but can range from muddy brown to a bruise-like purple.

Natural Environment

pencil sketch by Aaron Volner

Sleevaks are native to the bogs of lowland Malpin, though they are hardy creatures which can survive a variety of climates. They prey on coiling creepers, barb tails, and other smaller beasts, as well as more mundane creatures. They have no natural predators.

General Temperament

Sleevaks travel in loose packs with an alpha female leading a group of four to five breeding males and their young. They use little strategy in their hunts, relying upon brute strength and fierce tenacity to bring down their prey.

Additional Background

The sleevak has only recently been utilized as a “domesticated” beast for the purpose of beast hunting. Like a ferret released into a rabbit hole, the sleevaks are released into the neighborhood of the bestial pest and then recaptured again after the hunt is finished. Handlers use a combination of strong cages, sharp goad-sticks, and drugged meat to corral and control these savage creatures. While there are some humans that own and use sleevaks, most sleevak wranglers are Heteracks. These large, fierce humanoids have a long history with the sleevak in their native marshes and moors, and the relationship between master and beast might almost be considered a sort of retribution for centuries of living in fear of the deadly creatures. The frill of each sleevak owned by a handler is cropped short to allow the handler’s goad-sticks access to the creature’s sensitive neck. Its left shoulder-plate is also notched with a distinct pattern to identify its master and facilitate its recapture after each successful hunt.

Inspiration

When I started work on The Beast Hunter, I studied all kinds of hunting techniques that have been used over the centuries. I was intrigued by those cultures and societies that use animals in their hunts, and realized that these could be divided into two broad groups, those that use trained animals and those that used untrained animals. Trained animals include dogs and horses, while untrained animals could also be dogs but were often smaller creatures like the ferret mentioned earlier. I liked the idea of wranglers who had a living weapon they could barely control and decided to create the Heteracks and their deadly sleevaks. For the sleevak’s basic anatomy and characteristics, I imagined something like the greater basilisks in the classic computer strategy game Heroes of Might and Magic III, which had the multiple eyes, six legs, and reptilian body that the sleevak would eventually possess.

Thanks to Elicia and Aaron for submitting artwork for this feature. Next month’s feature will be the crawler bird from my first novel, Lost Under Two Moons. Send your pictures of a crawler to lindsay@lindsayschopfer.com and put “Creature Profile” as the subject. Deadline is September 15th. I can’t wait to see what all of you come up with!

The Writer Gamer… or the Gamer Writer

A screenshot from "Commander Keen: Marooned On Mars"

A couple of weeks ago one of my good friends called me up and asked whether I owned an Xbox 360. I told him that while I did have my laptop, a Wii, and a PlayStation 3, I didn't have an Xbox, so he asked if I wanted his old one. One hour later I was sitting in my living room with the new system and a pile of borrowed games trying to decide where to start.

I've been a gamer since the days when I would sort through my parents’ floppy discs for favorites like Space Invaders, Pac-man, and Commander Keen, which was the first game I ever played in color. These games, as well as the ones I later played on my beloved NES, were great fun but had little to no story in them. Remembering those classic games and thinking of what is available to both the core and casual gamer today, I sometimes wonder whether there have been more innovations in the graphics of games, or in their stories.

Of course, that’s not to say that all modern games have stories in them. Even games that are supposed to have great stories are often lacking many essential elements of effective storytelling. Sometimes, it even feels like much of the gaming community won’t consider a game’s story to be well done unless it is so confusing and cryptic that the average player is completely lost by its end. But video games also provide a unique form of storytelling that can, when done effectively, create an experience that is equal parts cerebral and visceral.

A screenshot from "Uncharted 2: Honor Among Thieves"

Perhaps the most unique feature of stories in video games is the way that the player can temporarily become the protagonist and affect the story’s progression directly. The closest comparison to this are pencil and paper RPGs with a live game or dungeon master, but a video game usually has more structure, with every possible character-decision backed by a story arc and appropriate plot developments. In a way, game designers have the harder job, scripting multiple outcomes to each scenario in order to give the player greater freedom of choice and a more personalized experience.

I've often heard that writers must also be readers, and I agree with that, but I also think that writers should be open to all forms of storytelling. I can safely say that I spend more hours gaming each week than I do reading for pleasure, and I don’t think that’s a handicap. In fact, in many ways I think my gaming has contributed to the things I like best about my own writing. I feel like I have a better eye for action and keener focus on essential details because that’s what the games that I love are like. I also tend to use a tight third-person POV in my narratives, which is reminiscent of the sort of interface common to RPGs, FPSs, and other action-adventure games.

Maybe someday I’ll get the opportunity to combine my love of story writing with my love of great games. Until then, I’ll continue to enjoy my separate but harmonious identities as both a writer and a gamer.