Who's a good writer?

Here's a post that's probably been pontificated on at least a million times.
What makes a good writer?
Ok, you have to be able to formulate a good sentence. You have to be decent with grammer and you should be able to spell a little.
It's more than that though, right? I know plent of folks who can formulate the perfect sentence, grammatically, but that doesn't make them a storyteller. I guess it should also be noted that many of my favorite storyteller's play pretty fast and loose with the grammatical rules anyway.
So what is it?
Here's some background. Got another rejection today, this one from an agent. Rejection letters are something that happen pretty regulary. I write to please myself. Tim (Green) sees it the same way. Not looking to impress anyone too much, however, we love some of these characters and stories and would like to share them. It's not about money, fame, celebrity or any of that. We want to share our stories with like-minded people and maybe entertain them a bit in the process.
So we write, we publish and sometimes we submit. Why not try some traditional avenues as well, right?
Sometimes we get accepted and sometimes we get rejected. This happens to the best of them. Tim Burton gets ideas rejected all the time. So it shouldn't bother me...right?
Well, it does bother me. I don't know why. I go through stages from "to hell with you, . You wouldn't know a good story if it crawled up your pants leg and bit your dangling participle!" al the way to "We are the suckiest writers ever and should just go bag groceries for a living so our lack of creative energy won't poison the rest of society." And finally, I come back to "Soldier on, Bastards" (to borrow a phrase from Paddy and The Rats).
So what makes a good writer? Can it be "ensured" that you will be good? Lots of folks come out of programs granting a Masters in Creative Writing. Are all of those people then Masters? Do they get published to wide acclaim (I don't think so, but I have no data). Here are some facts on my favorites authors.
I know Stephen King has a degree in English. JK Rowling majored in French and The Classics. Joe Abercrombie studied Psychology. Terry Brooks majored in English Literature and has an advanced degree in Law. George RR Martin - degree in journalism. Robert Jordan had a degree in Physics.
J.R.R. Tolkien was, primarily a linguist. Robert Howard was basically a well-read, self taught prolific writer who piled up rejection slips for years before becoming successul. Fritz Leiber studied philosophy, but was a Shakespearan actor from the time he was a child, thanks to his parent's acting troupe.
Brian Jacques attended the school of Hard Knocks basically. No formal training as a writer, but lots of life experiences to draw from. R.A. Salvatore majored in Communications and English. William King, while his bio is vague, seemed to gain his writing expertise through work as a game designer. Nathan Long seems to have developed by trial and error, becoming first a screen writer before moving into novel. Ed Greenwood is a librarian who has been writing stories since he was a child. D&D gave him the outlet for a world he had conceived years earlier. D.A. Adams has a Masters in Writing but will be the first person to tell you that he thinks it is not necessary for writers. Mary Robinette Kowal (my cousin by the way...I'm a shameless namedropper) is a legendary puppeteer (like works for Jim Henson productions) and a voice actor (actress?) who also happens to be a kick ass writer.
So what do these folks have in common? Creativity, sure. Great storytelling ability, obviously. But what makes one better than the other and is there a path one could set out on, today, to end up at the same place as this list of folks. Some richer than others (King, Rowling), some with more work under their belt (Jacques) but all prolific, well-loved storytellers with books deemed "acceptable".
Not all are flawless at grammar. Not all have the credentials of a great education in writing.
I suspect they just had a story to tell, so they wrote it. Then they submitted it, again, and again and again. In some cases, it might have been accepted on the first try and gotten a huge advance. In other cases, it might have taken so long it seemed like a fools errand. But they kept going. Of course there are persistent people who feel like success continues to elude them.
So what's they key? I don't know. I don't have it. I suspect a lot of these folks don't know what it is either. I am sure in many cases they know what it isn't.
Puzzling. Felt cathartic to write about though.

Hire yourself!!!!

I read another great post from Seth Godin today. I know I re-post a lot of what Seth posts first. It might be of value to subscribe to his blog and cut out the middleman, then again, I love bringing the best of Seth to you on occasion.
This blog today is exceptional and I suggest you check it out, but in summary, Seth makes it clear that he believes we should hire ourselves. In a couple of compelling examples, he makes it clear how most professions could hire themselves rather than work for someone else.
I had just recently made the decision to "hire myself" in terms of GGE. By that I mean rather than just have GGE chase someone else's idea of what should be published, we would move forward with our own publishing arm while also sending out work to publishers. We made the decisions to court publishers while also hiring ourselves. We also made the decision that a huge financial windfall in the short term was not necessary and that we would rather produce quality work and try and build a fan base over a period of years.
The result? Almost as soon as we decided that, we now have 4 books on contract with publishers and another 2 under consideration.
In the meantime we will continue moving forward with our own stuff as well. We will continue to choose ourselves until chosen by others as well.

Self Publish or Traditional Publishing? (Best answer I have ever heard)

Read a great blog today about Self-pub versus Traditional written by Chuck Wendig. I can't recommend it enough! Great insight!

I can sum it up in a couple of quick works = "Do both"

Each year, write two novels. One for traditional publishing and one for self-pubbing. The Self-pub work can be hip, indie, niche or whatever. The traditional one should be...more traditional.

Still read the post though. Really insightful!

How best to utilize our time

GGE is in a bit of a "phase" right now. For the first three years of our little venture, we have been creating, brainstorming, planning, writing, drawing, etc.
Now, we are trying to decide how best to put our next foot forward. Here is what I mean.

With a handful of projects developed and in a viewable form do we:

• Submit them to publishers, gatekeepers, industry folks and hope that we become "the chosen"
• Do we "choose ourselves"?
• If we choose ourselves, which sounds great, what does that look like? Independent press status? Small press publishing of our own books and comix?
• Or do we put content online for free so we aren't bogged down with sales figures, reviews and things like that?

Maybe it's a little of all of that. Some free content to test it out. Some items produced by GGE so we can garner some reviews and some sales and see how we stand. It's all a learning experience.

If we choose ourselves, and we choose well, then the industry gatekeepers either come and find us...or their choices become less essential.

Creativity

You know, I love creativity. I love writing, drawing, brainstorming, outlining, filming...I just enjoy being creative. It's a shame that there aren't more opportunities to be creative. Then again, I guess there is really no shortage of such opportunities. Right now, I create in my time after my "real job".
I am starting to realize there is a certain amount of creativity that can be employed in my "real job".
I know there are a lot of other creators out there looking for a venue. I am starting to think that we have to make our own venue a lot of times. Find a tribe of followers, connect with them and market right to them.
I am thinking that the notion of being "discovered" might be a thing of the past, or at least a lot more of a crap shoot than it's ever been before.
There is so much noise out there, it's hard to convince someone you are different enough for them to produce.
Maybe the right path is to produce...and use your product to convince.

Stuff GGE needs

In 2011, GGE needs:

• A redesigned website. One that rocks
• Illustrations for some stories and some cover images (It's always amazed me that even with $$$ to spend, I can't get artists onboard)
• An editor-for-hire who can edit grammatically, but also provide story input into our finished works (3 and counting)
• We need to finish a few other stories that are in their infancy right now
• We need someone to work with us to convert some prose to screenplays

Not sure where I will find these talented people yet, but they have to be out there. Some of it, we will do internally. If you know someone, send 'em our way!

Getting it Right

It's pretty likely to hear me say (often) "Get it written, THEN get it right."
I say this for the obvious reason. Many people get hung up around the thought that they can't get it "right" so they obsess in the outlining phase, or they write and rewrite the first chapter ad infinitum. For these folks, my advice is right on the money. Write it first...then get it right.
There is a second part though...when I say get it right, I mean really get it right.
If you want to attract a publisher, sending them a crap manuscript is not "getting it right". After you get it written, you need to spend a while getting it right. This, to me, is the hardest part because you want to be doing something else, but you have to force yourself to focus on getting your work right. This means editting, polishing, rewriting, etc.
You need to get all of this done before sending it to an editor. If you want to stand out, then a great story is part of it. Good characters is part of it. Sending them a work that is already substantially "right" will definitely help get some attention.
If you plan on foregoing a traditional publisher and do it yourself...then getting it right is even MORE crucial! You'll have a huge stigma to overcome. That stigma is out there for a reason. Lots of do-it-yourself books don't have the quality of a traditionally published one. They can. They should. People just haven't taken the time to do the second part. I have bought several self published works with a great storyline, awesome characters and even a really nice looking book with an eye-catching cover, only to have my heart broken by poor editting, common errors and stilted dialogue.
So, now that you've got it written, now you really have to get to work.

The Slushpile

Read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the death of the slushpile. It's pretty poignant for an aspiring author to read that the slushpile is considered dead and that publication through that means is becoming less and less likely. Of course, there are still success stories, like Stephanie Meyer, but it sounds like the more accepted approach is to get an agent first. Orson Scott Card gave different advice in his book. He said get the agent after you had an offer to buy your work. 
I guess the best thing is first, to write something that is better than anything in a "slushpile" but secondly, we have to decide if traditional means best.
Maybe the actual best way to do things is to build a resume before seeking publication from a large firm. Maybe if you bring a dedicated group of rabid fans, then you won't have to worry about slushpiles and all the rest.
I would say the best thing would be to create something first. Get 1000 fans. Then have an agent come find you.

Balance

It's important to marekt your work and yourself and your company, but not at the expense of generating the work. Then, of course, doing the work has to be balanced with shipping product.
By shipping product, I don't necessarily mean "shipping", not in today's world. It might mean posting product or creating CDs or submitting to magazines, e-zines, agents or publishers but the point is we have o do the work, but at some point we have to assume it is good enough and put the work in front of people. Then, of course, we have to let people know about the work and hopefully identify a small, but passionate, audience who will spread the word.

Then do that again.

Fail First, Then Succeed

Just read a really important post on Seth's Blog. Hint: It's about Tim Burton.

Tim Burton has had staggering success by any "creatives" measuring stick. His vision is amazing. His work is awesome. Some don't love it, but it is unique. He has stayed true to his vision and he has an extremely loyal following.

What I did not realize is that he pitches a lot of ideas that don't get picked up. They don't get a green light. He "fails". Every.single.year.

What's the take home message? I guess I assumed, as most would, that Tim Burton would just say "I have an idea" and people would line up to produce it. Not so. In that regard maybe he's not so different from you and I.
How is he different though? He keeps generating ideas. He keeps pitching them and he does this a lot.

Eventually one resonates and takes off. He has to fail a bunch before he can succeed. Of course when he does succeed, the world is thrilled about it.

Why should we be any different?



('’)

Editing

Well, I am deep into editting GGE's latest work, a fantasy novel set in a grim world of peril for our protagonists. No nice Tolkien-ish world for GGE. View Tolkien's world after a Mad Max type apocalypse.
The story was a blast to write. The editting is not terrible because it is like revisiting old friends, but it reminds me of how much work getting a finished product can be.
We wrote it, then went through 2 read-throughs for general comments. Had some other folks read it and now I am doing a more thorough edit. Then we will pay a professional editor to have a go at it. Then we will shop it around and if it gets picked up by a publisher...guess what? More edits are likely. It is fun, but also a lot of hard work.

Why am I posting this paragraph whining about editting? Just as a reminder to write, write, write but then polish, polish, polish!

GGE vision

Well, it's important to write down your vision for the future. Why? Write it down, review it often, envision it, make it seem real to you and your brain will begin making sure you take the steps to make the future come to pass. Don't believe me? Don't take my word for it. Ask Jack Canfield. (If you haven't read his book, "The Success Principles" - go buy a copy right now)

So, what is GGE's vision? Here we go:

• We will launch a Yahoo group for us to discuss stuff with interested and like-minded folks (actually this one is done. Click here to check it out)


• Next year we will launch a website


• We will also launch an E-zine


• We will publish a property, or two, with traditional publishers.


• We will begin publishing our own stuff through a publishing arm. We will also publish a few submissions from other authors


• We will launch a graphic novel based on a property of ours.


• We will write our fantasy settings into a Open Gaming License roleplaying game and some modules from the macabre mind of Tim Green.


• We will launch another website with RPG support and downloadable freebies


• We will market some action figures based on our properties


• We will complete some screenplays and either sell them or work with a indie company to produce the films ourselves


• We will buy "Ghost Town in the Sky" and convert it to a theme park centered around our properties, like Universal Studios or Disney, but on a smaller scale.


• We will produce a relatively simple video game based on our fantasy property


• We will finally look into a monthly comic series

So, that's it. Now, let's see if I can bring the future and the present together!

Need Funding??

Got a project that needs funding? Check out kickstarter.com. This is an awesome concept! GGE is still in a bit of infancy to post specific projects for funding, but it is easy to see how Kickstarter could help find funding for

• Independent recording artists
• Independent Comic book artists
• Authorpreneurs
• Indie Film Producers
• Haunt Producers (A subject near and dear to GGE's heart)
• Lots of stuff I can't think of

Is Free Better?

Should we do this for free? Meaning should we write and produce all of our beloved stories, characters, properties for free?
On the one hand, if we love telling stories you might think..."sure"
On the other hand, we would like to be rewarded for all of the storytelling. Why? Because storytellers are who we are, not just what we do.
When we aren't being rewarded for being writers and artists, we don't stop writing or drawing or painting. We keep doing it. No matter how much we try for it not to be, our passion is a distraction.
How much better would it be if our passion was not a distraction but it was what we did for money, food, clothing, shelter, etc. Then the rest of our life is uncluttered so we get to be people too.
I have no problem with free samples, free chapters, free sneak previews, but just producing for free?
I'm not sure that's the way to go.

Michael J. Fox

I have read that when Michael J. Fox auditioned for Family Ties, he was $35,000 in debt and living on macaroni and cheese.

I wonder if he ever thought about giving up acting? I'm sure he did. It turns out he just needed enough motivation, drive and perseverance to get the first domino to fall. After that, the dominos kept falling and falling and falling.

So to all of you struggling writers, artists, actors, producers, directors, entrepreneurs...keep on keeping on. It's a cliche, I know, but get the first domino to fall, maintain your momentum and see what happens.

Submit!

By "submit" I don't mean submit as in "submit to being ruled by Martians"...what I mean is submit as in "submit to publishers".
GGE has a couple of items out with publishers right now. Like any other author or creative endeavor, rejection letters don't thrill us, but it seems to be the way the game is played. Submit, submit, submit. Collect rejection letters, paper the walls with them, store them up for future reference, but keep on trucking.
One thing we do at GGE is, while we submit, we also move on to the next project. It makes the urgency to get a positive response not seem as urgent. We figure, well if project A doesn't sell, wait till they see Project B.
Having said that, it still sucks getting rejection...

The Comic Book Movie Problem

Here is an issue I struggle with routinely. When making a comic book movie, how much should the movie be like the comic book?
Here is an example.
The original "Punisher" movie with Thomas Jane (not the first "original" with Dolph Lundgren...ugh). was made for 33,000,000. Not a bad budget. It grossed, worldwide, 54,600,000. Yay! A profit. The Punisher is a success.

So, they made a sequel.

The Punisher: War Zone, starring "that guy from the HBO Rome show" was made for 33,000,000 - hey, we made it for less! It grossed 8,000,000. A huge loss. I guess in Hollywood, that would be "a flop".

The first movie, however, disappointed fans. It was not exactly true to the original character and made several key departures disappointing hard core fans. It also made a profit.
The Punisher: War Zone was very much in line with the comic book. It was like watching a live action verion of The Punisher comic. Hard core fans loved it. It flopped.

So, you can't float a movie solely on us comic book fan boys. It has to appeal to more people, I assume, because it costs a bunch to make a movie.

It goes back to the axiom that you have to know your audience. Watchmen followed the graphic novel very well, but by all accounts, Watchmen is not a "typical" graphic novel and the movie was even a bit more graphic and was filmed in a style of photography that was nothing short of breathtaking. The 300 was done in a similar fashion.

Know your audience and make your product accordingly. Would Star Wars have been a mega hit if it were a novel first? Would The Simpsons be a household name if it had started as a movie? The right place to launch your project is out there whether it is indie publishing, online comics, finding an agent, selling a script. The only way to find it is to reach for it.

Being the best

I was watching "4th and Long" last night, a show where amateurs try and land a spot on the Dallas Cowboys roster.
It occured to me how rare an occupation like that is. For example, in sports, there is natural talent of course, but there also has to be years and years of preparation. They have to pay their dues and there can then be a straight up competition to determine who is better than the other.
I have not been fortunate enough to have a career like that. Maybe I have been fortunate in not having a career like that. I like to consider myself a "winner" but it is hard to say that until one has won something.
In creating/writing, etc who would some of the "winners" be? I guess that would depend on how you keep score. You could keep score by pure literary skill. Then you can debate who writes better than someone else. I would not score this way. I would score by books sold or movie deals made or income.
I guess based on my own criteria, the winners list would look something like this:

JK Rowling
Stephen King
Stan Lee
George Lucas
Eastman and Laird
Todd McFarlane
Seth McFarlane
The Wachowski Brothers

That's a short list, but I would like to add "Green Gates" to it. I guess we need to score some points first.

The Forsaken

Hey there, just wanted to post that "The Forsaken" - GGE's cross genre western/horror novel (what we call Western Gothic) is out with a couple of publishers. Maybe we will get the good word that someone is dying to publish it!
Worst case, we add to our stack of rejection letters.
My theory on rejection letters is as follows:
There is a number of rejection letters separating me from selling any of our properties. The only way to work through that number of rejection letters is to collect them as quickly as possible by submitting the work regularly.

Of course one has to research publishers and submit to those whose publications match your work.

So...go collect rejection letters. Eventually you'll get a letter of a whole different sort.

The publishing procedure

I don't pretend to know the trick to being published. In fact, I once read there are just three things to know to get published, unfortunately no one knows what the three things are. I don't know about that, but I do know one thing. Patience is a requirement. Of course everyone talks about persistence, but you don't hear about patience often.

Here's my example. GGE is working on two properties right now. "The Forsaken" and "Insurrection" (both working titles). Both of these are substantially finished. Note, I said substantially finished. Not finished. I was very tempted today to send the works off with some query letters. Finally, my better nature took hold of me and I held off. The works should not (and will not) be sent out to anyone until they are more than substantially finished. They need to be finished and polished and polished and polished.

I am always once to seek out a metaphor...here is my metaphor: I am currently working on restoring an antique armoire from near-destruction to its original grandeur (another hobby of mine). Anyway, the armoire is re-assembled, but is not yet stained or covered in a coat of polyurethane. It needs sanding with rough sandpaper and then sanding again with finer sandpaper and then sanding again with even finer sandpaper all so that when I finally do stain the armoire and cover it in poyurethane it will look as good (or better) than it did a hundred years ago. If my patience ran out and I stained it right now, it would still look good, but it would not look perfect. The same is true for a story and my odds of selling a story on behalf of GGE go up considerably when it is perfect.

Our stories will be in competition with hundreds of other stories received by agents and editors. I hope to only compete with the other polished stories, not the ones that are just "good enough".