Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 2

euclid

Where did I put me specs?
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Problem: I am that close to publishing my first eBook, using my own name : JB Toner.

I've just discovered a book called "The Book of War" by J. B. Toner published in 2009.

What do I do?

Carry on and publish in my own name, risking confusion with this other guy?

or

Publish under a pen name?

Update: I've set myself up on Goodreads as JJ Toner, and created an author page there.
I will now see if I can change my twotter and facebook names to correspond, and get the book cover altered... and update my blog.
 
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James D. Macdonald

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Euclid: What?!

Don't worry about that. I'm not the only James Macdonald publishing. I'm not even the only James D. Macdonald publishing. It's okay to use your real name.

If your name was J. K. Rowling, that might be a problem. But it isn't. Don't worry about it.
 

euclid

Where did I put me specs?
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Thanks, Jim

But I've been and gawn and done it. I'm now the only writer called
JJ Toner. It's no biggy. JJ Toner's more snappy than my real name anyhow.

Thanks
 

euclid

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That other guy with my name had his book published by AuthorHouse. Is this one of the big publishing houses? I never heard of it.
 

envision

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Nope, it's a self-publishing outfit.
http://www.authorhouse.com/

I have a friend who submitted his book for publishing in November 2010. They still haven't published his book! It's a non-fiction account of his spiritual journey toward salvation and it's actually a very moving piece. Does it normally take this long to publish via vanity press?
 

James D. Macdonald

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I have a friend who submitted his book for publishing in November 2010. They still haven't published his book! It's a non-fiction account of his spiritual journey toward salvation and it's actually a very moving piece. Does it normally take this long to publish via vanity press?

Did his check clear?
 

envision

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Did his check clear?

From what he says it did. He has been calling them once every couple of weeks and they keep telling him it will be published soon. I mean, I know people who used sites such as Lulu.com for publishing, but it makes me wonder about whether or not anyone else has had trouble from them.
 

vrabinec

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On a certain kind of bad (mostly mainstream) writing: Fond Memories of Vagina

What I'm reading right now: Ted Dekker's The Bride Collector. An FBI agent seeks the help of an inmate in psychiatric institution to find a particularly bizarre serial killer.

There are no new plots.....

That was pretty good. I'm reading Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon Deep, and I'm not ashamed to say I'm envious. I can see why it won the Hugo.

I'm curious what you consider the ideal length of a "setup" chapter. I have two chapters that are approximately 3500 words long that set up two events. They move the plot, the character build, but there's noting really sexy about them. I did that to essentially create a diversion because at the end of one I hit the reader with a sudden assassination attempt and following the second one the protag meets his love interest.

3500 words seems like a lot of "down time", do you have a max word count you try to adhere to as far as chapters that give the reader a breather?
 
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James D. Macdonald

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No, I don't have any set length for quiet bits between the explosions. But I do try to keep them interesting, every page, because I don't want the reader to skim.

The piano parts make the fortissimo seem more-so. Still, they do all thing things that every other passage does: Support the theme, reveal character, and advance the plot.

If the dialog in the chapter goes like this:
"Why are we doing this, Charlie?" Ralph asked. He wrapped his hands around the thick manila rope and pulled down with all his strength. The sofa barely moved.

"Because we have to set up the surprise in Chapter Twelve," Charlie replied, hauling on his end of the rope....​
Then perhaps the scene needs to be re-thought.
 

jallenecs

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The piano parts make the fortissimo seem more-so. Still, they do all thing things that every other passage does: Support the theme, reveal character, and advance the plot.

Sir, your analogy caught my attention. Everywhere I look, I see novels being compared to a three act play. I never could grasp that one. But I've been a musician all my life (piano and voice), and more and more I see the parallels between music and writing. Especially now that I'm in the midst of rewrites, I find myself thinking of it as a sort of literary sonata.

For those who don't know, a sonata is a solo (usually) piece of music with three or four movements: the classic structure is an allegro (a fast movement), an allegretto, andante or largo (a slow to middle speed movement) and a presto (a very energetic movement). Sometimes a fourth movement is added (a rondo, or dance style movement is common). The order can be rearranged, depending on the time period and the composer's vision.

A famous example that illustrates my point: the Moonlight Sonata, by Beethoven. It has the very famous First Movement, which is an adagio (slow), and everybody knows it. The second movement is allegretto (building speed). The third movement, which nobody seems to know, is a presto agitato (which means VERY fast and energetic). Go YouTube the movements, to see what I mean.

My favorite part is the third movement; my mother used to play it when I was a girl, but I never could get that monster up to speed, myself. She has always been a better musician than me.

I don't know if you are a trained musician, sir, but do you see why I would find parallels? My beginning must catch the attention and set the tone for the rest of the story. The middle must keep the tone and change the pace a bit, but it's mostly the time to fill in the richness of the story. The ending feels like it must be a great roller coaster. The reader dare not let go of the safety handles (as in, don't put the book down), and can't get off the ride until he gets to the crescendo at the end.

I could go on for pages and pages about the other parallels I see (major and minor keys, recurring musical themes, voice, pacing, musical phrasing, not to mention the investment of time and practice to "get good"), but I am TRYING to control myself. But you see where I'm going.

Am I making an error in thinking like this? Granted, I like adventure stories, so presto agitato is practically a requirement at the end, but still, I think the analogy applies. It's a little weird: classical music is telling a story in sound and emotion; a novel is making music with words.

Okay, that was bizarre, even for me. But it makes a strange kind of sense, to me, at least. does it to you?
 
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Hathor

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Your analogy makes sense to me.

I hope the end of my book is better than my attempts at the third movement of Moonlight Sonata. The latter doesn't really work at my pokey little pace. My piano teacher is trying to teach my fingers to move faster. I think I should simply specialize in slow pieces.
 

muravyets

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The analogy is an "oh, so that's it!" moment for me. I've been worrying about pacing. The musical analogy suddenly gave me a perspective on the issue. Thanks! /not a musician.
 

Laura_6

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I'm also a musician and singer. I love the analogy. I've never 'gotten' the idea about three acts either. I always try to write the first two-thirds with action, reveals, and characterization, and the last third is usually all action to the end. I've noticed my boy-betas complain the earlier character/reveal parts are too slow, but girl-betas like those parts. I guess it's lucky I'm writing for girls...