Today was a LONG travel day. I took the opportunity on the ride from DIA to record some of my thoughts — as much for myself to capture the immediate after-glow as for anything. It’s pretty ramble-y but I think there are some nuggets in there.
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Wow, it sounds like you really had a great week! Thanks for sharing this with us, it’s been very interesting and inspiring.
If you wouldn’t mind, it would be great if you would mention titles of works that you think are particularly well written.
I should and thanks for the jostle.
At the moment I’m looking at Nora Roberts’ A Will & A Way … but I also got a sample of Robert B. Parker’s Night and Day. Not like these guys need much in the way of plug from me, but just so you’re aware.
Did you catch one of Nora’s “in Death” series, written under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb? They’re interesting, in that they’re a blend of SciFi, Homocide Procedural, and Romance. In many ways, they feel like a Nora Roberts novel, and yet they don’t – this is actually visible in the book she co-authored with herself – _Remember When_.
Tara, I’m trying to convince him to read those 🙂
Sounds like you had a worthwhile time. You got to take home a bunch of ideas and experiences that are now free to run around inside your head.
I hope you’re getting at least a little rest today and enjoying some excellent coffee 🙂
Nate, I’m very pleased you have found so many positives in your writer’s training. I do hope that your wife and two daughters were able to cope with the temporary loss of their home handyman/cook/chauffeur. 😉
I’m liking the new attitude of “I’ve just got to get shit done.” Hopefully the everyday mundane stuff doesn’t take that away.
I have to agree with some of your comments about introducing a setting and then ignoring it. I don’t particularly mind it because your stories revolve around the characters so much so that the setting can easily take a back seat. Writers can easily lose their focus on the story or characters by spending too much time with the setting. I guess what I’m getting at is that a (somewhat) minimalist approach to it has worked really well so far, but there is room there for improvement.
I can also see what you mean about your openings on some of your books, but I will flat out, hands down say that the first page of Quarter Share is the most gripping opening of any story I have ever encountered in any media format.
Oh, and welcome back!
Totally agree on the opening of QS. That’s the page that pulled me in, I’m pretty sure I knew the series was for me after only a few minutes 🙂
Hear, hear. 🙂
I, too, like the minimalist style. I actually prefer it to the descriptive style of Ravenwood (though I do really like Ravenwood too)!
I am excited to read/listen to what you write next. My one fear is of your writing being molded into something very good but sort of the same as others … but then, when I think more about it, I am confident you will maintain Nathan-ness even while incorporating the lessons you have learned. 🙂
I have to admit to a bit of that fear myself, Stephen, especially with some of Nathan’s comments on why he wrote Owner’s Share the way he did. Still, overall it was good, so we’ll see. People want different things out of writing.
Heck, I know people who couldn’t imagine doing the 16 hrs of listening to TED talks I did Sunday. I thought it was a hell of a ride.
The point about “molded into something else” was a fear I had, to be honest.
I don’t see it happening. The stories I wrote there hold my voice very well, I think.
They’re different stories, to be sure, and the characters come from them in ways that I think are authentic.
I need a place to pop a few short bits up for people, maybe. You can take a look and see what you think…after I get this story done today, maybe I’ll do that.
A vote for me on the start of QS! if it hadn’t grabbed me the way it did I probably wouldn’t have kept listening, and it would have been my loss.
I would say this course was well worth the cost, in money, time, and energy. It clearly has taught you some good things and seems to have changed your attitude about being a writer: meaning that instead of waiting for the Muse to speak, demanding your attention, i.e.,”binge writing”, you seem to have the “just do it” attitude. As an impatient fan, I’m VERY glad to hear that,because it does seem that the Muse has had a hard time getting your attention! The tyranny of the urgent over the necessary that everyone who handles your responsibilities at home and with the family knows all too well….
On a personal level, I’m very happy that Ishmael will not be developing a case of “potty-mouth”. One of the reasons I like and respect him is that he is able to express himself without vulgarity. Old fashioned of me, I know, but when I hear casual gutter talk, I wonder, “Does this person have such a limited vocabulary that a four letter word is the only way they can express themselves?”
Thanks for taking the time and energy to keep all your faithful listeners informed, even on mornings when the weather was too dreadful to venture out for your walk!
Talking about schizophrenic, I love J.D. Robb but seldom read Nora Roberts. I have every book J D writes in one of my few “paper” collections.
Don’t know if this is accent or what, but when Ishmael is walking back to the ship from leaving Cassandra in FS, on the podcast there is the statement that he is walking back alone with no action and you say at the end of the sentence “DAMN.” That expletive was not there for the print version and really should have been. It was a one word essential as it really said it all. Just sayin’
Lots of interesting thoughts in this one, I think you are right not changing the language of the Share-verse. If nothing else this takes place in the future, one sure way to knock me out of the reading groove is the wrong language. Having current slang in something taking place a few centuries in the future is just as bad as having it in tales taking place in the past.
Your writing has always had word choice of great importance so keep it that way 🙂
On the new techniques, for a bit you may still need to have a little ‘oh yeah I need to…’ one week of working with the techniques isn’t enough to push it to the back and let it flow naturally. Just try to merge them into your flow and it will come.
Sounds like you had a good week, glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing what you had time to.