Different Strokes for Different Folks

Good morning!

I've been involved in many different discussions on websites and in-person about different writing styles, and the books that I've read recently run the gamut. Here are some things I've noticed, as well as my stance on them. Remember that "writing rules" are not for everyone, but can make a good place for a new writer to start or an experienced one to try a change or a challenge.

1. 1st person vs. 3rd person POV. This is a big one, and it's really divisive amongst authors. Some authors swear by 1st person, claiming that it brings the reader closer to the character, while others claim the exact opposite, that 1st person breaks the verisimilitude of the story. I prefer to read 3rd person, but I have read many good examples of 1st person. I almost exclusively write in 3rd.

2. Past tense vs. present tense. This is even bigger than the last one. Again, many authors (romance is a big place you'll find this, as well as a lot of Young Adult) believe that writing present tense helps bring the reader into the story. Others adamantly disagree. I am one of the disagreers--I don't enjoy present tense in any way, shape, or form, and will shut a book if it's written in present. I just can't immerse myself in a present tense story.

3. Adverbs or not? "Common" writing wisdom is to eliminate adverbs when possible, because they are sometimes considered a sign of weak writing, implying that the writer is unsure of his/her ability to convey an idea without additional words. Others trumpet that English is a poetic, artistic language if one desires to use it that way, and that well-placed adverbs can add to a story. I prefer to not use adverbs without due consideration--my first draft will have some, and each one I see I weigh carefully to decide whether or not I want it to be there.

I'll continue to add to this list in future installments, but I want to hear from you. What do you think about each of these? Do they affect your reading/writing/both/neither?

Thanks!

Your Book as a Movie!

This post came up on a thread on Goodreads, The idea was, if you could have anyone turn your book into a movie, anyone screenwrite it, and anyone star, but you would have no creative input afterwards, who would you use?

Here's my list for my novel The Drifter. 

Director: James Cameron. I loved the visuals he was able to put together for Avatar, and the movie in general. The characters were interesting and worked in epic environments, which is exactly what I would want.

Screenwriter: Aaron Fors. He's an actor and screenwriter I know who has read my book and understands what I'm going for. I have faith he would make a faithful rendition while altering what needs to be altered for screen.

Characters: The main 3 are going to be the actors/models that we got for the book cover. I've met them all and they're amazing people. The other two I haven't met, but they fit my image of the character perfectly.
The Drifter/Oreth: Nathan Vellappally. 
Liara: Tayla Holborow
Edison: Iker Amaya
Eriana: Jenna Duran Tatum
Azrael: Omar Epps
Rob: Meat Loaf 

What about you? If you're a writer, who would you use? If you're a reader, who would you pick for some of the parts of your favorite book? Post your ideas in the comments!

Blog Hop May 2014!

Welcome back, faithful readers! I have a lot to report. First off - I have a book launch party scheduled at an actual physical bookstore! That's right, on June 13th, the Barnes and Noble in Palmdale, CA will be hosting the Chains of Prophecy release party! Isn't that awesome?! I'm still in shock.

Second - We sold 76 copies of Chains of Prophecy at the California Poppy Festival in Lancaster. It was so great to meet people and expand my readership. Turns out I love in-person events! I hope that I get to do more in the near future.

Third - I'm working on the sequel to Chains of Prophecy, as well as editing my other three completed novels and writing a short story to submit to the Writers of the Future competition this quarter. If you haven't heard of them, you should stop by their website here and check it out.

Fourth - I have met so many awesome writers and readers over the past month or so! Here you will find a few that you should go look up, check out their books, get to know them...because they are amazing professionals and amazing people.

Ready? Here is my contribution to the Baton Pass Blog Hop! If you aren't familiar with this event, authors answer a few questions and then tag each other so that the tagged authors keep up the chain the next week. I was tagged last week, so here I go. Before I answer my questions, you should meet the author who tagged me.

Roberta Pearce is a romance author and 2013 NaNoWriMo winner. She writes about interesting characters with interesting problems (sociopathy, for one) and is always willing to give constructive advice to authors in need.

You can find Roberta's blog here, her Amazon page here, and her Goodreads profile here. 

1.What am I working on? As I stated above, I'm working on marketing and editing, as well as the second in the Samuel Buckland Chronicles. I'm looking forward to summer vacation this year (my day job is a high school science teacher), because I'll have so much more time for writing! The second book, Bonds of Fate, will be released sometime at the end of this year. My other previously published work, The Drifter, is scheduled for a cover photo shoot in June, and we're talking to one of the winners of the 2013 Illustrators of the Future contest about cover art for my UF/PNR that I'm also finishing up.

It's an exciting time!

You can also find me every Monday participating in Clever Quickies, an amazing Facebook event wherein the participants write a 140-character passage designed to simulate an excerpt from a larger work...that we haven't written yet. It's tons of fun, and the writers enjoy each others' contributions. You should come by and check it out!

How does my work differ from others in this genre?

I suppose that the biggest difference between what I write and a lot of other urban fantasy that I've seen is that the focus of my work is not on the supernatural creatures, but on the people. I try to keep the focus grounded in the characters, whatever powers they may have, and explore the story from their perspective. I very much prefer character-driven stories to plot-driven ones, and I feel that this makes my writing connect with readers.

Why do I write what I write?

Because those are the stories that I have. Seriously, what will happen is that I will come up with an idea and then write about it...and most of the ideas happen to be urban fantasy. I also write sci-fi and have a very interesting idea for a high/dark fantasy novel, but I write UF because it's what I have.

The reason I enjoy UF in general is because I love the idea of magic underneath the world we're all used to. It's easy in today's society to become jaded and bored and think that there aren't any more surprises...and when, suddenly, there are sorcerers who can summon angels and genies...well. You didn't really know everything, did you?

It has all those things. Really.

How does your writing process work?

You may have heard of the division between "plotters" and "pantsers." When I brought this term up in an online forum, an author informed me that he preferred to be called an "organic" writer than a "pantser," and so I have used that term since.

I am an organic writer - I come up with characters and a conflict, and I sit down at my computer and start writing. I don't know how the story will end - hell, I don't know what's going to happen in the next five pages most of the time - and that makes writing one of the most exciting things I've ever done. I am the novel's first reader, and, if I can be excited while I write, you will be excited as you read.

I type most of my work in MS Word, although I do have times where I grab a notebook and a pen and go to town. After I finish a draft, I sit on it for a month before talking about it or looking at it again. I normally work on one draft at a time, although I may be doing edits on other works simultaneously. I research whatever comes up in the story as it comes up so that I can keep my momentum going. 

I don't like to plan. It doesn't work for me.

Introducing...

First is Wren Figueiro, author of the amazing YA paranormal book Atancia. 

I read and reviewed this book as part of a Goodreads event, and I was just blown away. It is part of a duology, and the cover for the sequel will be revealed on the 15th! She is also amazingly supportive of the indie author community in general, and always has something helpful to say.

My second tag for this event is Jennifer R. McDonald. She is writing a paranormal series as well, involving sorcerors who can use their magic to walk in the land of spirits. I...I was utterly enraptured by the first in the series, Into the Veil, and when it was over I immediately ran back to Amazon begging for the sequel...which was there!

Thanks for stopping by! I'm going to try to update the blog more often, now that things are starting to settle down.

Ramping things up - writing, marketing, and more!

Hello! Welcome back! So, today I'm going to knock out 2k more words of my Apollo novel (name unknown). I've also, over the last few days, worked on improving my website (will be up soon, I'll let you know!) and built a media kit for publicity purposes. When my professional photos come in, I'll be starting my YouTube channel with Q&A and random discussions about my work, writing, etc. Also, my review blog is doing well - Behind the Curtain of Reality has gotten to look at some really good stuff lately...and some stuff that needs a bit of work. If you have an urban/paranormal novel you want checked out, let me know at jnewmanwriting@gmail.com. More! I'm now working with Epitome Press (www.epitomepress.com) to publish my work. They're a small, indie publisher that focuses on urban fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi, and women's issues, as well as some children's work. Check them out when you get to it! Thanks for reading! I hope to be back soon!

Giveaway on Goodreads!

Hello! In a further attempt to increase awareness of my writing, I am conducting a hard copy giveaway of the updated Chains of Prophecy on Goodreads! You can find the information here:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Chains of Prophecy

by Jason Patrick Crawford

Giveaway ends March 11, 2014.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Hope to see you there!

Giveaway!

Hello, ladies and gentlemen!  If you mosey over to www.smashwords.com/books/view/322350 you can find my book, Chains of Prophecy. Input Coupon Code AA79G to get it FREE! Share with your friends and family!

Cycles of Destruction in the editing phase!

So my beta readers have been giving me their comments on CoD, and the feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.  I look forward to making my edits and polishing up the work.

Also, I'm looking into submitting my works to review periodicals and blogs, so if anyone knows how to do that, let me know!

I'll be posting a new review on my book review blog, Behind the Curtain of Reality, so check that out when it happens.

Be safe and keep reading!