How Screenwriting Broke My Writer's Block

I began writing fiction about twenty years ago, unless you count a couple of short novels I wrote back in fourth and sixth grades; those novels would be called fan fiction today, one being about James Bondand the other about Don Pendleton's character The Executioner, Mack Bolan. But other than those early novels, the first real fiction I wrote was a short story called "Entering Jupiter." I wrote that story for an astronomy class in college; the professor allowed me to do so instead of writing a paper.

I had always wanted to be a fiction writer as far back as I can remember. In grade school, besides those two novels, I also wrote and drew and colored a slew of comic books. Unfortunately, I no longer have any of those comics, but at least I still have the two novels. My early favorite novelists were mostly in the fantasy genre, Tolkien and the like.

But writing that short story for my astronomy class finally made me think it was time to get my butt in gear and start writing. So I did. I hammered out a half dozen stories on my red portable manual Olivetti Valentine typewriter. None of the stories were very good. But I realized that, and at least I was learning.

After a couple of years, I finally felt like my skills were improving. I started a novel, a horror novel title "The Storm." I've never finished it. Basically, during my last couple of years in college, I had to work two part-time jobs to pay for school, plus I worked on the school yearbook and the student newspaper. I was a journalism student. And frankly, I was just too busy to continue working on fiction. Which was unfortunate since I had about 70,000 words of that novel written.

Fast forward a bit. I started my career at a small newspaper in Ohio. I settle in after a while and got back to my fiction writing, though I felt then that my fiction skills needed to be worked on again before I could get back to lengthier fiction projects like novels.

I wrote about 50 short stories over the next 8 or so years. I sold a handful of them and received words of encouragement from a number of editors.

Then it happened. My writer's block kicked in.

Many writers, including myself, are not comfortable talking about writer's block. Writer's block isn't anything physically real. It's not a disease. It's not a virus. It's not something tangible that can be worked out, though I suppose a psychiatrist might be able to help. Some writers even deny the existence of writer's block. I don't, because I've experienced it.

Writer's block is a different thing for different people. For me it came down to two things, fear and perfectionism. I had gotten to the point where I was afraid to begin writing anything, even a short story, because I knew it wouldn't be good enough. Good enough for whom? For anyone. For an editor. A publisher. For readers.

And I was stuck with that fear for 5 years. I didn't write a thing that didn't pertain directly to my work as a journalist. It was the longest drought of my life.

A Discovery
I always have a stack of books to read. That stack has been as many as a hundred books, but right now I've whittled it down to 8 books. These are books I'm going to read when I get to them. I average about 45 books a year, so I'm not the fastest reader in the world, but I'm far from the slowest.

Anyway, about 7 years ago I was moving. My then-new-wife and I were moving to a new house, new for us, anyway. During the move, I had to box up all my books, then unbox them at the new house. While unloading the stack of books I had yet to read, I came across Syd Field's book, "Screenplay." I don't know why I had that book. It was still new, so obviously I had bought it at some point.

Let me say here and now, before reading "Screenplay," I had never consider screenwriting a serious form of writing. I'd sort of looked down on it. That book changed my mind. It got me to study the story-writing process in ways that were totally new to me. Before then, I had always sort of thought of stories as this ambiguous thing of ideas that came into your mind, then you put it down on paper and hoped it worked out.

Stories don't work that way. They have structure. The most basic structure is beginning, middle and end. Yes, it's that simple. But just simple ideas such as that opened my eyes.

That First Step
So I finished Field's book. I wanted to know more. I started buying more and more books on screenwriting for movies and television. I read them all. I researched screenwriting online. My favorite site was Triggerstreet, where I still have a membership though I haven't gone their often in years.

Then I began writing. I finished two screenplays, one a science fiction horror story and the other sort of a spaghetti western.

It wasn't straight prose, but I was writing again.

Back in the Saddle
After finishing my two screenplays and doing multiple rewrites on them, I toyed around with trying to sell them to a Hollywood production company. But I realized my screenplays weren't up to snuff. Even after my many, major rewrites, they just weren't that good.

But I didn't want to start another screenplay. I felt I'd learned all I had to learn at the time, and felt it was time for a new challenge.

I tried my hand at short fiction again. And the results weren't too bad. I kept at it. In the last 5 or so years I've written probably another 50 short stories and I've sold about half of them to magazines or online venues.

I've even written four novels. I had three of them practically sold to a publisher, then the recession hit. The publisher decided it wasn't the right time for him to publish a series of novels by a new writer. I had and have no hard feelings about that. Business is business. Too many wannabe writers don't get that.

I strive on. I'm back to trying to sell the four novels, three of them being a trilogy. I still work on short stories from time to time.

And I'm writing plenty on Triond of late since I lost my last newspaper job.

What's most important, for me, right now, is I'm enjoying myself. Every day I find new writing challenges.

And I blame it all on Syd Field and screenwriting, even though I don't consider myself a screenwriter and currently have no plans to be or become or try to be a professional screenwriter.

But writing's in my blood.

P.S.
Oh, by the way, I did eventually switch to an electic Smith-Corona typewriter. That lasted about five years. I wrote on three different Macs for the next ten or so years, and still use one of them now, as well as my wife's PC.

10 Tips for Sword Care

Whether you're a rabid collector or just someone who wants a long blade to hang on your wall for showing off to your friends, you need to know how to take care of your sword(s). Here are a few suggestions.

Avoid prolonged sheathing: Yes, swords were kept in leather sheaths. But not forever. Sheaths, especially leather ones, have dyes and such that can promote rust in a sword. By all means, if you're hanging out at a Renaissance festival all day, please keep your sword in its sheath. But for storage or wall hanging, remove the blade from the sheath. Your sword will remain more attractive that way.

Don't bang your sword around: Despite what you see in a movie when some mighty warrior hack through a tree with a sword, that's a really stupid thing to do. It could bend the sword, or worse, crack or even break it. Swords are weapons. They weren't made to trim your rose bushes or to whack down that oak in your front yard. That's what axes are for. No period warrior in his right mind would ever have considered using a sword for such tasks except perhaps in the most dire of circumstances. And remember, swords might cost a lot nowadays, but they cost even more back in the day.

When storing, coat the sword with oil: You don't have to pour on the oil. Just a light layer will do. WD-40 works fine, as do any oils made for firearms. There's moisture in the air, and this can lead to rust on your sword. The oil helps prevent this from happening. Also, make sure the oil you use is non-organic; you definitely don't want corn oil.

Don't touch the blade!: This is a pet peeve of mine. The first thing that inevitably happens when you show someone a sword is they touch the blade. NO! Stop that! Fingers have oil on them, but not the good kind of oil that helps protect the sword. Oil from our hands can actually induce rusting, and can even leave fingerprint-shaped marks.

Wax your sword: That's right, I said "wax." This is especially important if you're going to be storing that sword for a long time. Many shops that sell swords and Renaissance fairs will have a special sword wax for sale, but some weapon smiths say a good car wax will work just as well.

Dry storage: Don't ever forget that swords rust. And even all that oil and wax you've added might not be enough. To this end, when storing your sword, make sure it is in a dry area without a lot of humidity.

Don't sharpen your sword: This is especially true for Japanese swords. It takes a lot of skill to sharpen a sword, and it's a task best left to experts. If you absolutely have to have a sword sharpened, contact a professional sword smith and see if they'll do it for you or if they know of someone who can do it for you. Taking a sharpening stone or a turning wheel to your blade might only scratch up and mar the weapon, but it could possibly ruin it altogether.

Already rusted?: If your sword already has rust on it, my preferred way of dealing with this is a little olive oil and a Scotch-brite pad. This shouldn't scratch the metal of your blade, unless maybe you scour and scour really hard. Other folks may tell you to use a copper wire brush or steel wool, but I've witnessed swords scratched up pretty well from such use.

What about the handle?: Many sword handles will be made of wood. Lemon oil will help protect the wood and keep it from cracking. If your sword's handle is wrapped in leather, you can clean the leather with a paste wax or maybe mink oil (but keep in mind the mink oil will make that leather handle really, really slippery ... so you might want to opt for the wax.

Be careful: You knew this one was coming, didn't you? In the modern world, too many people seem to think of swords as toys. Swords are not toys. They are deadly weapons. Even some cheap, theatrical sword bought for ten bucks has the potential to harm. Remember that at all times when you are handling a sword. You are handling a deadly weapon. Treat it as such. Swords can wound, maim and kill. So, just be careful. And enjoy your sword(s).

Regina Spektor - Laughing With

5 Books Zombie Fans Must Read

World War Z
by Max Brooks
I'm starting off with Brooks' World War Z because this book is more than just a zombie novel. It's one of the finest pieces of fiction published in the last decade or so. Really. I swear. I'm not just saying that because I like zombie books. World War Z is literature. The basis of the book is that it's a collection of stories told by survivors of a great war against the zombies. It reads real, very real. Sometimes too real. Yes, there's horror, and there's some of the humor often associated with Max Brooks (he is the son of actor/director Mel Brooks, after all), but there's also a nice touch of pathos here. The stories in World War Z aren't really about the zombies. They're about us, the humans. And therein lies the strength of this fine piece of fiction.

Book of the Dead
edited by John Skipp and Craig Spector
The oldest book listed here, first published in 1989, it's also one of the best. It's a collection of short stories about zombies, and there is some fine writing here. My personal favorite short story is probably "Like Pavlov's Dog" by Steven R. Boyett, but there's a little something here for all zombie and horror fans, including a short story by Stephen King that still gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Truly, you need to read this if you're into zombies.

City of the Dead
by Brian Keene
Brian Keene's name has pretty much become synonymous with zombie fiction in horror circles. He's quite well known for his novels about the walking dead. Of the lot he's written, City of the Dead is my favorite. It's about a group of humans who have found protection of sorts in a fortified skyscraper, but hundreds of thousands of walking dead outside the building are trying to break in. And these zombies aren't slow, nor are they stupid.

Cell
by Stephen King
Cell is the closest King has come to a traditional zombie novel, though his monsters aren't exactly zombies, at least not the traditional brainless, soulless zombies. Still, they're close enough you couldn't tell the difference once you were being chomped upon. As King often does, he brings his own uniqueness to this tale, even bringing up possible terrorism which could have caused his zombie-like uprising. King fans will like this book. Zombie fans will find plenty to enjoy, too.

Monster Planet
by David Wellington
Much like author Brian Keene, David Wellington has become known as a zombie writer. He's best known for his "Monster" trilogy of books, Monster Island, Monster Nation, and the novel mentioned here, Monster Planet. This book is my favorite. Traditionalists might not enjoy this book because the fictional world Wellington has created is filled with more undead than just zombies, like mummies and even the ever-powerful liches, but there's still plenty of good reading here. Also like Keene's books, Wellington's novels tend to focus quite a bit on action and a little less on the moodiness of more conservative horror.

Dark Side of Io screenplay for sale

If you like horror and science fiction mixed, I've got something for you.

In a bit of self-publishing, I've uploaded my screenplay "Dark Side of Io" onto Amazon. The screenplay is now available for the Kindle at a price of only $1.00. And in case you're wondering, yes, my screenplay "Dark Side of Io" is based upon my short story of the same name (which also happens to be for sale in my collection called "Sever" on the Kindle).

5 Good books about genre writing, by actual authors

How to Write Action/Adventure Novels
by Michael Newton
Michael Newton is best known for his action writing in the Executioner series of books and his non-fiction writings about serial killers. With more than 200 titles to his name, he's an author you need to listen to when he offers advice. This particular book, How to Write Action/Adventure Novels, comes from the late 1980s, but most of it is still relevant today. Also, there's plenty of advice to be found here that is applicable to crime novels, thriller books and just about any genre of fiction which could include law enforcement, spies, military, etc.

On Writing Romance
by Leigh Michaels
Leigh Michaels is a romance author who has had published more than 80 books, so you might want to pay attention to her advice if you want to break into that market. And if you want to go beyond what this book has to offer, Michaels offers an online class where you can learn even more.

The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the Wild West: From 1840-1900
by Candy Moulton
Whether you're interested in writing strictly westerns, or you just want to write other types of tales featured during that time period, this is the book for you. Not only does Moulton cover the basics for gunfighters and outlaws and lawmen, but she goes far beyond these stereotypes of the Old West and gets into the daily lives of the people. What kind of buggies and wagons were available? What about clothes? Food? All this and more can be found in this guide.

Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life
by Terry Brooks
If you are interested in writing fantasy, you could do much worse than listening to Terry Brooks, who has been a published novelists in the field for more than 30 years. His biggest popularity has been in his series of Shannara novels and Landover novels. In this non-fiction book, Brooks writes about what has worked for himself over the years, and he talks some about the mindset of a writer. At least his mindset. And some of it will likely sound familiar. Especially the parts about your fictional characters sometimes seeming more real than the real people you meet every day.

On Writing
by Stephen King
Arguably the most successful novelist of all time, and definitely the most successful horror writer of all time, Stephen King is an author with tips for beginning writers that could seem to drip gold. Here King talks about what it takes to become a professional novelist, and he goes into quite a bit about his personal life, how it shaped him into the writer he is today. Fans or horror, writing and King himself shouldn't miss this book.

Other People Can't Teach You to Write

It's true. Other people can't teach you to write. Even the greatest writers in the world can't teach you to write. Shakespeare? No. Stephen King? Still, no.

They can offer advice. They can let you know what works for them. But the truth is, what works for them might not work for you.

For example, about six years ago, I broke through my writer's block by studying screenwriting. Basically, the formatting of screenwriting helped me to formulate story plots in mind mind, which helped me to get over fears of writing and publishing, etc. This won't work for everyone. To other people, screenwriting might look like more trouble than it's worth, or it just might not appeal to them for other reasons. For me, it was a huge aid.

There are plenty of how-to and self-help books out there about writing, many of them quite excellent. But the truth of the matter is, you can only become a good writer by writing. And reading, that helps, too.

Yes, it all falls on your own shoulders. Each writer is different, works in different ways and has different mindsets. Some writers can pump out 10,000 words a day and have a novel finished in a week or two. Other writers can only creep along at a hundred or so words a day, taking a year or five to finish a book. Writers are just different, despite some similarities in how we might work or write or think.

This doesn't have to mean you're completely on your own. Talking with other writers, or even joining a critique group, can help to improve your writing by giving you others' opinions about your work. Just remember that it's your writing. You're the one in charge. Advice from others can be helpful, but don't let it overrule your own visions. But don't be stubborn, either. If something doesn't work and a hundred others tell you it doesn't work, you need to seriously consider changing it. At least if you're hoping for publication.

Keep in mind, you can read a thousand books about writing, but you'll never improve your skills (and your marketability) until you actually do some writing. If you're honest with yourself, you'll be able to tell when your skills are improving. Just don't be in such a hurry. It takes time, longer for some than others.