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Author: Jason Cordova
Collabortions
I was asked the other day by some high school students who wanted to be writers about how to go about securing collaborations. I had no clue, since I agreed to do a collab with Travis S. Taylor after we got into a huge verbal brawl about who is better, the Tennessee Titans or the Indianapolis Colts (the Colts, of course). I would recommend not fighting with any author you may want to write with. Not all of them have a good sense of humor.
What’s On Your Bookshelf?
There's a few books on my wishlist this summer that I can't wait to get. Normally, I tend to find an author that I really enjoy and stick with them religiously until either 1) They start to suck, or 2) I realize that they already sucked and I'm just slow, or 3) Author (or publisher) discontinues the series. And trust me kids, you really have to suck to earn your way to my donation bin. I can easily count just how few books have made it to the recycle bin over the past ten years. Oddly enough, they're all by the same guy...
First Amendment
This isn't going to be a helpful blog today. Well, other than a quick writing update that is. So if you're here looking for publishing and writing tips, you might want to skip this blog post today. Over at the Mad Genius Club, they have some interesting conversations going on about publishing and the creative process.
Oops…
I'm in the midst of stage managing a theatrical production right now ("The Dearly Undeparted"), so there won't be any updates for the next week. I'll get something up in the next week or two, promise.
The Hook Is Loose
Chris McMahon is a friend of mine and his post today about "Hooking the Reader" is very informative for aspiring writers. Go on and take a look.
Dat Wascawy Copee Editoh
Your best friend in publishing, next to your agent (should you have one), is not the publisher. Nor is it the guy who stands at the counter and is buying your book. It's not your mom, nor that one fan who follows you around to EVERY con you might attend. Egads, right?
More Thoughts On Marketing
It was only later, while munching on chocolate covered raisins that I realized I had made a tactical and costly error.
In Character and Color
I found myself lying in bed yesterday, in more pain than I could possibly ever have imagined, being told by the various nurses that what I was going through was the closest thing to child birth that a man could experience. I was medicated, so maybe my next train of thought was a bit... off, but I was wondering: is personal experience a better way to understand your character's state of mind?
World Building, Take Two
The irreplaceable Sarah A. Hoyt is blogging over at R. F. Long's site today about the MUST BE OBEYED rules of world building. Hop on over and take a look. World Building!
Save(d) the Dragons!
I've spent so much time on here the past few weeks giving advice that I haven't really gotten any writing done, none since I finished up the edits for Corruptor. It's not that I haven't been writing per se, it's just that it hasn't been my usual "OHGODTHISBOOKISFREAKINGKILLINGME" sort of pacing. It's just been... meandering … Continue reading Save(d) the Dragons!
The Great Con
Ravencon. MagFest. Conjecture. MileHiCon. Libertycon. These are just a few of the hundreds of science fiction and fantasy cons which go on yearly in the US and abroad. Why are they important? Well for one, they are a quick and easy way to begin building a fan base early on.
Free Enterprise
I often wonder just how authors back in the days before the internet managed. Did they have to hire a publicist to get any sort of notoriety for their upcoming novel? Did the publisher shell out more money just in hopes that independent bookstores might carry their new author? Or was it a pure "shot-in-the-dark" attitude and, if so, does this explain a lot about the current state of the industry?
A Book By Its Cover
On the flip side of this, a stupidly awesome cover can cover a very bad book.
NaNoWriMo Time!
So remember, while participating this month in NaNoWriMo, 50,000 is a lot of words. Stay focused. You can do it.
Jason Córdova 