What I Learned From A Certain "Unnamed Author,"To Never Be Repeated

I have been exceedingly lacking in writing time, and even though it's been two weeks since my last post, I have only written four-thousand words. =) Though, this low number is not only due to time, but to the fact that my book has now surpassed midpoint; I am stuck in the middle of one of the slowest parts of Act II. Yuck. However, as soon as I am over the slow bits, it should go fairly fast to the end. I can't wait! My first book! Of Light and Lividity Book One: Lux, currently stands at 33k words.

           “Jonathan,” Samantha said urgently.

I whipped my head around. She stood rigid and alert, and though I couldn’t see her face, her tone was tainted with fear. It didn’t take long to find out why. Raquel’s body was steaming, emitting tendrils of sizzling smoke. Slowly, her skin began to peel away from her body, sagging down to the asphalt in bloody strips. There were few Dark Ones that could posses a human body without killing them, and sadly they were the most powerful.

“No – no, NO, NO!” I jumped up, stepping in front of Samantha. She was shaking violently.

“J-Jonathan, w-what’s going on?”

What was I thinking? Daniel had been attacked by a Dark One; it wouldn’t abandon the scene like that. How had I been so careless?

“She’s the Dark One!” I said.

“Wha –”

“Samantha, stay behind me!”

Raquel’s skin lay in a heap on the dirty ground, and a beautiful, pale figure stood in her place, her black hair rolling like smoke down her back.

“Adriaal,” I breathed. I felt a torrent of fear crash over me. I’d never actually fought a Dark One before, what was I to her? She was so much more powerful, even being around her I felt as if I should just give up while I was still alive. But no, losing your soul was so much worse. I had only to look at Adriaal to know that I had to keep fighting

 “Jonathan, dear boy, you look scared. Is something wrong?” Adriaal asked, her voice mocking.

“Adriaal, what did they do to you?” I said, trying my best to avert my eyes from the bloody, misshapen mass that used to be Raquel’s body.

“They made me better. They perfected me.”

This morning I went to Barnes & Noble (Sadly, not to buy more reading books. Believe me, no one is more disapointed by that fact than I) and bought a non-fiction book on writing for the first time. The book is called: The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing: Everything you Need to Know About Creating and Selling Your Work, by the editors of Writer's Digest. Of the little I've read of it, it's been very useful, and I would recommend it to any and all the aspiring authors out there!  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-complete-handbook-of-novel-writing-writers-digest-books-editors/1029663345?ean=9781582979588&itm=8&usri=the%2bwriter27s%2bdigest

      In The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, 2nd Edition, you’ll learn from the invaluable advice of established writers. Discover new ways to generate ideas, implement intriguing techniques, and find the inspiration you need to finish your work. This fully-revised edition includes a revamped marketing section that covers the unique challenges of today’s publishing market and the boundless opportunities of online promotion.
      Inside you’ll find expert advice from dozens of bestselling authors and publishing professionals on how to:
      · Master the elements of fiction, from plot and characters to dialogue and point of view
      · Develop a unique voice and sensibility in your writing
      · Manage the practical aspects of writing, from overcoming writer’s block to revising your work
      · Determine what elements your story needs to succeed in a particular genre—science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, inspirational, romance (mainstream and Christian), or historical fiction
      · Find an agent, market your work, and get published—or self-publish—successfully
       You’ll also find interviews with some of the world’s finest writers, including Margaret Atwood, Tom Clancy, Brock Clarke, Cory Doctorow, Dave Eggers, Elizabeth George, Jerry Jenkins, Stephen King, Megan McCafferty, Audrey Niffenegger, Joyce Carol Oates, Chuck Palahniuk, James Patterson, Richard Russo, Anne Tyler, John Updike, and Kurt Vonnegut. Their words will provide you with the guidance and encouragement of your very own writing mentor.
      The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing is your one-stop resource for everything you need to know about the craft and business of creating a bestseller.

Book of the week! Okay, I'm still on Eye of the World, BUT that is only because I left it at someones house, and it was a week before I got it back. However, in the meantime I read a book called Witch and Wizard by James Patterson, and honestly the only reason I'm bothering to tell you about it, is to inform you of what a waste of time reading it is. The characterization was horrible, and there really is no plot line. Talk about a bad read. For example, in The Eye of the World (spoiler alert), when they're being Rand and his father are being chased by Trollocs, I'm so scared that my heart is pumping a rhythmic tattoo against my chest and I'm scared for the characters' lives; however, in Witch and Wizard they got sentenced to death and I'm, like, "don't care." But besides that, really no arch to the story line, and even though they did some cool stuff, it's never going to compensate. That is when I decided to make my characters as round, three-dimensional, deep, realistic, non-stereotypical, and above all loveable as humanly possible. Yeah, Witch and Wizard was on the New York Times best-seller list, but even if my book was a best-seller, I wouldn't care if it was as bad as that book was. So one out of five stars.

This song was the inspiration for a book that I will someday write.

Have I ever mentioned how freaking awesome Lord of the Rings is?

That's all for this week.

 ~Jared

P.S. My good friend Matt Hayes (one of the followers of this blog) recently completed writing his latest book: The Vault and is now in the process of revisions. Congratulations!