Tag Archives: phil giunta

Blog, Writing and Publishing

Can Being an IT Geek Benefit Your Fiction Writing?

Shortly after my first novel was published in 2010, one of my co-workers asked me about it while I was installing and configuring his new laptop. The president of our division at the time happened by and overheard the conversation. “I thought you were just a boring IT guy,” he remarked.

Perhaps I am—and that’s fine with me—but as I recalled this memory recently, it occurred to me just how much my 23 years in IT support might have have benefited my fiction writing, as contradictory as that might seem on the surface.  Really, it’s all about balancing the skills dominated by each side of the brain. Research suggests that the left brain controls reading and writing, calculation, and logical thinking while the right brain controls three-dimensional sense, creativity, and artistic senses.

Plan the Work, then Work the Plan…but also Be Organic

When it comes to approach, I realize there are two schools of thought—namely “plotters” vs. “pantsers”. The former are those writers who outline their stories in advance, thus creating a road map that plots a course from the beginning through middle to the end and everything in between. The latter group are those who have a fairly solid idea of how their story will proceed, but prefer not to
plan too much, thus writing by the “seat of their pants.”

With few exceptions (such as flash fiction and some short stories), I’m an ardent plotter. Working in the corporate world of project plans that show a logical progression from beginning to end,
with milestone goals along the way, is not much different from outlining a story.

Your outline is your plan that allows you plot a course through your story arc, including your characters’ journeys (protagonist, antagonist, and major supporting characters) and specifying key plot points (milestones) such as the inciting incident, scenes-and-sequels, the moment of change when your protagonist must stand up/step up/adjust attitude to overcome the major problem, and more.

However, writing fiction is an organic process and I have been known to take detours from my outlines if a better idea comes along while writing the story. That’s called flexibility and it’s perfectly fine.
Writing is also an experiment, just like any other art. If you try something that does not work, you can always turn around at the next intersection, or find a new route.

I’ve yet to be involved in a project in the corporate world that has not encountered even the smallest obstacle, required a different solution than what was specified in the initial plan, or needed timeline adjustments.

We’re human beings, after all, not automatons.

Solve the Problem

If there is one skill you hone quickly as an IT support tech, it’s troubleshooting. Some problems have quick fixes (change a setting or the old standby…reboot!) while others require research (a bizarre error message you never saw before) or a complete overhaul of the system (re-installation of the operating system, upgrade or replacement of the hardware).

The same could be said for plot problems. I’m not referring to the plot complications faced by your protagonist in your story. I’m talking about the heart-stopping, “oh-shit” mistakes you encounter while writing.

Did you stumble upon a plot hole that you need to fix? Did you fail to take something into consideration when you were outlining and now it’s become evident while writing your story (hopefully, you weren’t too far along)? Did it stop you in your tracks and prevent you from moving forward? Do you need to step back and rewrite the last several scenes or chapters?

I’ve been fortunate so far in my young writing career that any plot problems found in my drafts were solved with relatively simple rewrites. In a few cases, further research was required, but I’ve never had to completely overhaul or (yikes!) abandon a work-in-progress. I attribute that to solid planning up front.

Troubleshooting problems in your writing can be just as frustrating as it is with technology, but the ability to think on your feet (or in your seat) and try various solutions is a skill that will never let you down and might even improve your story or at least get you moving forward again. It will most certainly mold you into a more experienced writer.

Think Logically

There’s an old writing adage: Real life doesn’t make sense, but fiction must.

IT professionals often encounter system problems that, at first glance, make no damn sense at all. However, careful analysis of the sequence of events that led up to a problem often reveals the cause.

Readers must be able to follow your story’s logical progression without retracing their steps and analyzing the sequence of events that led the characters to wherever they are in the story.  If the plot is too dense or stultifying,  or contains too much extraneous information, or if you mention something fleetingly in Chapter Three that suddenly reemerges in Chapter Nine as an integral part of the story, this may confuse the reader, which could result in a negative review for your book on Amazon or Goodreads.

I suggest that YOU analyze each draft of your manuscript to ensure a logical and smooth flow of the plot and story. When I finish a first draft, I put it away and do not look at it again for at least a week or more. I then go back and read through it specifically searching for plot problems, areas that need to be rewritten, extraneous narrative, and anything that throws me out of the story.

I don’t believe in the popular saying, “the first draft of anything is shit,” but there ain’t no such thing as a perfect first draft either.

Remember, what made sense to you while writing the story might not make sense to a reader.  As you gain experience with each project, you’ll develop an instinct for recognizing more of these pitfalls, but you’ll never catch everything.

I typically wait until a second or possibly third draft before allowing my critique partners to gnaw on it.  Through self-editing, you’ll solve some problems and trim some of the fat on your own, deft critique partners will find more, and a perspicacious editor will find ones that escaped everyone else.

I don’t claim that my writing is perfect, but I use my growing skill set and experience to the best of my ability on every project.

Now, balancing time between IT and creative writing careers is a whole other challenge!

 

Blog, Book Reviews

Book Review: Mr. Monk Helps Himself

Life has changed for Natalie Teeger. After leaving San Francisco months ago to work as a temporary police officer in Summit, New Jersey, Natalie’s career in law enforcement has advanced beyond the role of mere assistant to renowned detective Adrian Monk.

Upon returning to San Francisco, Natalie sets her sights on passing the P.I. exam and becoming Monk’s partner.  As a first step in that direction, she begins calling him Adrian instead of Mr. Monk. This does not sit well with the obsessive-compulsive detective who hates change.

If there’s one thing that Monk hates more than change, it’s clowns. When part-time clown Dudley Smith—aka J.P. Tatters—dies after handling cash coated in poison, SFPD Captain Leland Stottlemeyer calls Monk in to consult.

Meanwhile, to help bolster her confidence and reduce her stress before taking the P.I. exam, Natalie turns to celebrated self-help guru Miranda Bigley, creator of the Best Possible Me program. Along with Monk’s new girlfriend Ellen, Natalie visits Miranda’s campus known as the Sanctuary. There, Miranda and her husband Damien teach several workshops including yoga, meditation, and self-affirmation.

On the day that Monk turns up at the Sanctuary to dissuade Natalie from joining this “cult”, Miranda Bigley leaps to her death in front of dozens of witnesses. It isn’t long before Natalie suspects that Miranda might actually have been murdered, but she is unable to enlist Monk’s help since he reluctantly agreed to assist Stottlemeyer track down the clown’s killer. Thus, Natalie recruits Ellen to infiltrate the Sanctuary in search of the truth surrounding Miranda’s death.

This is the first MONK novel written by Hy Conrad, who not only took over from the fabulous Lee Goldberg, but also wrote for the TV series. I missed the final two installments penned by Goldberg, but Conrad does an admirable job of filling in background details. In my humble opinion, this is not the best of the MONK novels, but I’ll give Conrad kudos for his first try. He maintains crisp pacing throughout the story and, with few exceptions, the same humorous banter between the characters as seen in the TV series. Even though all of the MONK novels are told from Natalie’s first-person POV, Mr. Monk Helps Himself is focused far more on her than on Monk, which might turn off some readers.

Mr. Monk Helps Himself

 

Blog, Upcoming Projects, Writing and Publishing

Second Place in Rehoboth Beach Short Story Contest!

Well, I haven’t seen the official word posted yet today, but I also wasn’t told to refrain from making an announcement. So, I suppose now it can be told…
 
I received a phone call from Nancy Sakaduski, editor at Cat and Mouse Press, and organizer of the annual Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story contest. In May, I submitted a story that focused on a WWII veteran, his granddaughter, and the fire control towers built by the US Army along the Delaware Coast during WWII to protect the bay from German incursion.
 
Nancy called to tell me that my story, “Tower 16”, took SECOND PLACE, which earns me $250 in addition to publication in their 2016 anthology, Beach Nights (see cover below)! Thank you so much, Nancy!
 
According to the info on the Cat and Mouse Press website, the official list of winners (20+ stories to be published, of which the top three collect cash prizes) have been, or are in the process of being, contacted and I imagine there will be an official announcement on their website and Facebook page soon.
 
This was wonderful news in and of itself, but for me personally it also provides one more connection to a town that I’ve come to consider my second home. My wife and I were married in Rehoboth Beach, we’ve vacationed there for the past several summers with wonderful friends, and some of my books are on the shelves at Browseabout Books, Rehoboth’s most popular indie bookshop.
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Special thanks to writer and editor pal Ramona DeFelice Long for reminding me about the contest at the Write Stuff conference in April. I had wanted to submit something for the past two years, but was always busy. You know what they say, everything happens when it’s supposed to!
 
Stay tuned for more news on this!
Beach Nights
Blog

Blogging, Sanity, and Social Misery…er…Media

Goodreads is kind enough to send a weekly email alerting me to recent blog posts from some of my writer friends. With my project load and generally frenetic schedule for the past four to five months, it’s been a struggle to maintain my own blog, let alone keep up with everyone else’s.

However, today I took the time to read the latest three posts from Kristen Lamb on her Warrior Writers blog. The first one caught my attention because it’s something that’s been on my mind for more than a few years: Is Facebook Dying? What’s Killing It? In her analysis, Kristen posits that when social media was new, it was FUN and people enjoyed connecting with one another. Further, most people maintained a friendly rapport, but then we became comfortable with this novel method for connecting (and in many cases reuniting) with others.

We all know that it doesn’t take much to ruin a good thing, and if the human race excels at one specific skill, it’s destroying almost everything we touch. Additionally, it only takes a few to ruin it for the majority.

Spend a just minutes on any social media platform and you’ll see what I mean—posts and comments replete with hatred, racism, threats, abuse, derisiveness, and good ol’ fashioned ignorance—especially during election years and most especially during this one. As the old adage goes, there ain’t nothing new under the sun. Humanity has always found a way to quickly turn every method of communication ever invented into a shit show.

In the case of social media, just as it was in the case of bulletin boards back in the 90’s, it’s easy to talk trash when you’re sitting at a keyboard, using your favorite movie, TV, or comic book character as an avatar and posting under a fictitious name.

With anonymity comes ersatz courage.

Here’s an episode from Harlan Ellison’s Watching from the early days of the Sci-Fi channel, when they actually knew how to spell “Sci Fi”. In this segment, Harlan discusses the appalling behavior of computer bulletin board users (remember those days?). Ignore the inane vampire novel ad in the middle of the episode.

Just goes to show, this behavior ain’t new, folks! Technology may change, but human behavior is a constant. Today, people continue their proud displays of disgusting ignorance on Facebook and Twitter (and other social media sites that I do not frequent and probably never will) with increasing fervor.

Kristen compares this adolescent stage of social media to the petulant and volatile demeanor of teenagers, something I’ve often pondered, considering how even allegedly mature adults conduct themselves like juvenile-goddamn-delinquents!

Internet Opinion

The question is, will social media ever mature beyond this? Probably not, and honestly, I don’t have time or patience for it.

Kristen concludes her post with a theory that Pokemon Go might actually be the next level of social media, and one that could kill Facebook—or at least deliver it a solid punch in the gut. One cannot argue that Pokemon Go is drawing people out of their houses and into the wild. It’s forcing people to interact face-to-face (y’all remember how to do that, right?), providing physical activity, and returning “social” to its original definition.

Now, I’m a child of the 70s and 80s. I don’t need an online game to get me outdoors. I love the outdoors. I love walking, I love fishing, I love the beach, I love state parks. Get me outside as often as possible! However, if Pokemon Go is what inspires the troglodytes to vacate their caves for a few hours, then I’m all for it because most people have a tendency to mind their manners when face-to-face than when face-to-screen.

Kristen follows up her post about the imminent demise of Facebook with Breaking Facebook Dependence–How to Create an Enduring Author Brand. In summary, Kristen explains that social media sites may come and go, but a good blog is forever. She encourages writers to post their thoughts and experiences on blogs rather than social media sites. Not only do blogs “offer an intimacy with authors second only to the books they write”, not only do they “make us leaner, meaner, faster and cleaner at what we do: writing”, but the reach of social media is limited and anything you post there is ephemeral. Most of it is invisible to search engines and it’s gone in a few days after all of your friends and contacts have “Liked” and commented on it and have moved onto the next 50 captivating posts-du-jour from their other social media friends.

Yet, blog entries, if properly titled and tagged, are searchable and will remain as long as the Internet. People can and will continue to find and/or stumble upon your blog posts years later and could potentially become subscribers or readers who purchase your books.

Now, please don’t take this as a string of excuses, but in addition to writing and editing, I work full time in the IT industry. When I come home, I often have a few hours of chores and errands to complete and possibly a 60-90 minute workout to destress and keep myself in shape before I can sit down to work on the current writing project. I’m often up until midnight, and no, I’m not waking up at 3:30 or 4AM to write when I already need to be up at 5AM for work. The only other activity that gets me out of bed that early is fishing.

So I cannot always make the time to blog consistently. I do not blog “two to three times per week” as some experts recommend. I blog as often as I can. Look, if you asked me, “How would you like to use this next hour or two—make progress on your current writing project or write a blog post?” My answer will ALWAYS be “work on the current writing project”. EVERY TIME. It is far more important to me to finish the the next short story, the next scene, the next chapter in the novel, or to research something for a story, than it is to write a blog post.

While I agree with Kristen that blogging makes us write “leaner, meaner, faster, and cleaner”, so does short story writing, so does flash fiction writing, and so does a few rounds with an experienced editor over your novel.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not at all against blogging. After all, you’re reading this missive now.  I blog as often as I can and I enjoy it. In fact, I’m writing this blog post over my lunch hour, when I had originally planned to start my next short story, because Kristen’s comments struck a chord.

My point?  In order to maintain sanity as writers, we should prioritize our workload. This is nothing revelatory, you all know this. That doesn’t make it any less challening, though, does it? Or any less frustrating.

For example, over the winter, I finally outlined a science fiction novel that had seen minimal progress over the past five years, while I wrote and published other books and stories. Excited that I now had a fully developed plot, I wrote the first four chapters from January to April—then put the project aside as my publisher and I were prepping a new anthology to be released on August 1, but the pre-launch was scheduled for July at Shore Leave 38. It went very well and you can read about it here

Elsewhere in the Middle Eternity is the second installment in a speculative fiction anthology series that I created. I
am not only the editor, but the project manager as well which means I work with the writers and the artist to bring stories, cover art, and interior illustrations together. We financed the project through Kickstarter, so I had to record the video for that, write the blurb, and create the reward levels.

Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity

What’s more, it was spring, which always brings with it yard work and one or two home renovations and yes, spending time outdoors!

I didn’t completely put aside writing during all of this. For the past few years, I’d wanted to enter a story into the annual Rehoboth Beach Short Story contest sponsored by Cat and Mouse Press. Rehoboth Beach is a quaint coastal town in Delaware with the feel of an old neighborhood rather than a resort town. I consider it my second home—if only I could afford a house there! Well, this year, the contest’s theme matched a story that had been percolating in
the back of my mind for a year or more so I finally wrote it in April and submitted it in May. Winners will be annouced on August 1, the same day Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity will be released. Should be an interesting day so stay tuned!

During the month-long Kickstarter campaign in May, my blog was active with semi-weekly author interviews for our anthology, which generated spikes in donations. Since then, I’ve been promoting the book on my blog, of course, but I also heeded Kristen’s advice and began blogging about “high concept” topics like vacations, day trips, museum visits, and even this post about social media and, yes, blogging. At the moment, I have a fair number of followers, but I’m working to build my audience here.

Addtionally, July gave my wife and I a scare as a family member was rushed to the hospital for life threatening complications and again days later as a result of a severe infection.

After all that rambling, have you forgotten about the science fiction novel I was working on? Wouldn’t blame you if you did. Well, I didn’t forget about it and now that the dust is settling on the aforementioned projects and emergencies, I hope to get back to it again…in between editing stories for the third annual anthology to be published by my local writing group next year and the final two Microsoft exams I need to take to complete yet another IT certification.

If it ain’t one damn thing, it’s another…or two…or three…

I’m burned out again just from writing about everything that’s been burning me out all year! As such, it was refreshing to read Kristen’s latest post, Stress & Burnout—How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back, where she explains how and why your mind and body react to stress and what to do about it. I already practice some of the advice offered, such as freewriting. Don’t overthink it, just break away from your current project and write something different. For example, I did that back in June over another lunch hour, and then revisited the piece earlier this week. After some revisions, it resulted in a lovely vignette that will be my submission to the aforementioned writers group anthology.

This was probably the longest blog post I’ve ever written. My apologies, but I hope I’ve directed you to some useful information on Kristen’s blog.