How To Get Started In Writing

My best friend challenged me to write a book.

I'd just started my junior year of college, pretty miserable in my current field-of-study, and longing for the days when I fiddled on my computer and created epic tales of romance and seduction.

I dreamed of writing for Harlequin. I joined their online community, read every Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel book I could get my hands on, and decided that the only way I'd make it through those last difficult years of college were through following my childhood dream.

I'd write a book.

So I spent every spare moment for three months, locked away in my room, creating what I'm convinced is the worst romance novel ever.

Forbidden love, deception and clones. Yup. That's what it was about.

It was horrible. And I loved it.

But I'd always loved to write. Since third grade, I wanted to be an author. Life, unfortunately, had other plans and it wasn't until much later, years after my clone romance, that I made the final decision to pursue writing as a career. Even if I never got published. Even if I never made a single penny. At that point, I simply couldn't avoid it anymore.

I was a writer who wasn't writing.

But how does a writer get into the industry?

1. Pick a genre and find a community: While I currently write dark fiction and horror, I started in Christian fiction and Romance. I  became a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, which allowed me to access tons of critique groups based on various sub-genres. I plugged into a group, stuffed my doubt and insecurities deep down, and hit the ground running. These individuals molded and guided my words, allowing me to gain confidence and deepening my passion for writing. Now that I'm in a different genre, I had to find another community. For me, the amazing group of writers at Litreactor have swooped in and taken those roles. But whatever your genre, find a group of folks and start working with them.

Photo by portishead1/iStock / Getty Images

2. Read and Write. Everyday. Like it's your job: Every writer says this for a reason. It's absolutely vital. You simply can't be a good writer, and you certainly can't be a great writer, if you aren't reading and writing. Start with your genre and then branch out. I suggest keeping a journal and making notes while you write, things that work and things that you found disconcerting. Read, read, read. And then write, write, write.

3. Research the Industry and Learn Key Players: You don't want to sit across the table from your dream agent and fumble over basic industry knowledge. A little studying can go along way. Know the top publishers, the editors and agents you want to work with. Finding these people is easier than you might think. It just takes a little effort and Google. A lot of published authors thank their agents or editors in their book's acknowledgements. Start there. Keep a list. Follow publishers and key members in the field on social media. Stay up to date on publishing news and events. Sign up for their newsletters and read their blogs. It takes time, but it's worth it.

4. Figure out how to properly write a book: Here's the biggest thing I see with new writers. They sit down at their computer, start writing without any prep, and come out with a manuscript riddled in purple prose, "telling" not "showing", adverbs galore, incorrect spacing and formatting, head hopping POVs, and possibly some sort of "experimental" form of narrative that is supposed to be literary. First, know that none of this is wrong in the a rough draft. In those early stages of writing, you can break every rule in the world. Just get the story on paper. But when you're ready to submit to an agent or editor, you need to follow the rules. "But what about (fill in the blank with an award winning writer)? That person doesn't follow the rules." Sure, we can think of plenty of writers that blend genres, toss out the basic outline and structure to storytelling, use dream sequences...but these are the authors that have earned that right. They mastered the rules, so they know how to properly break them. You, my friend, simply do not. And it's better to realize it now and learn how to properly write a manuscript then embarrass yourself later. Trust me. Been there, done that. There are tons of resources on how to write a manuscript, from broad info you can find on writersdigets.com, or more specific that your favorite author may blog about. Find it, read it, digest it, then do it. I find that Susan May Warren has incredible tips. In fact, even after all these years, every time I sit down to write something new, even if it's a 500 word piece of flash fiction, I have her resources handy. Just in case I need a refresher. It's that important.

5. Be patient: Writing a book can take anywhere from a handful of months to a year. For me, it's a solid year including the editing process. So relax. Make yourself a lot of coffee. Break out the Hershey Kisses and get comfy.

Now you're book is done. Phew! What's next:

4. Learn how to Pitch: If you're going to go to a writer's conference and pitch in person, you need to know how to properly do so. Conferences are not mandatory to get published, but they are a lot of fun and a nice way to get face time with editors and dream agents. You need to be able to convey your plot in a very short amount of time. Here's a link to get your started.  

5. Query and Book Proposals: After you write a manuscript, you need to be able to write a query and possibly a book proposal. Yup, it's time for more research. Ask your critique partners, search blog posts of your authors, look up examples and get to work. I find writing a query to be one of the hardest aspects of being a writer. Others love it.

6. Go for it: You've spend a year writing your heart on the paper. Now it's time to send your baby into the world. Here's where it helps to remind yourself that even the best authors used to get tons of rejections. You'll need a thick skin at this point because while most of the time, rejections come in the standard, "We're sorry to inform you..." format, some will take the time to crush your soul. But that's okay. Your writing won't be for everyone. Keep pushing forward.

Four Creepy Easter Movies

My first encounter with a creepy bunny came in the form of Frank from Donnie Darko. After that experience, I was determined to find more notorious bunny movies. So, here they are. Just in time for Easter...

Night of the Lepus (1972) : This movie is based off the book The Year of the Angry Rabbit (1964) by Russell Braddon. It's a science fiction / horror / thriller about a rancher who gets help from a college President to combat a growing rabbit population. They seek to interrupt the breeding cycle by injecting the rabbits with a serum, but end up causing a mutation resulting in man-eating rabbits taking over the town.

Peter Rottontail (2004) : A failing magician makes a dark deal to improve his career. It fails and he seeks revenge by dressing up like a rabbit and going on a killing rampage. Classic.

Bunnicula (1982) : Okay, this is kinda cheating. It's a cartoon that was on Cartoon Network, and it's based off the classic book. It's a kid's show, with black comedy, so it's not scary, but I love the book Bunnicula and had to include it in the list. For those who don't know the plot, it's about a vampire bunny and his shenanigans.

Serial Bunny (2005) : Pretty straight forward horror movie. Every year a serial killer dresses as the Easter Bunny and terrorizes the town due to their lack of spiritual awareness. Oh, and if you like this movie, check out the sequel, or the third movie...or fifth ...Yeah, they made a lot of these so it's worth checking out.

Five Incredible Dark Fiction and Horror Magazines

If you like the weird, the horrific, and the dark, these are five magazines you need to be reading:

cover art by Daniele Serra https://www.apex-magazine.com/issue-104-january-2018/

Apex Magazine : This is a monthly publication, available for sale the first Tuesday of every month. It features prose and poetry of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Get ready for stories about the weird, the twisted, and the beauty within the darkness.

Unnerving Magazine : While they lean toward horror, Unnerving Magazine also accepts works from the genres of dark fantasy, dark science fiction, thriller, crime and dark literature.

Lamplight Magazine : A quarterly magazine for dark fiction reminescent of "The Twilight Zone" or "Black Mirror". You can download a free edition from 2012

Nightmare Magazine : This is a magazine dedicated to horror and dark fiction. If you like zombies, ghosts, and haunted houses, check out this publication.

 Black Static : This used to be called The Third Alternative, a magazine that included some science fiction and fantasy. But they are now exclusive to dark fiction and horror.

Of course, there's plenty more horror and dark fiction magazines out there. Which are your favorites?

Women In Horror Month : Who, What, Why

February 2018 is the 9th annual Women in Horror Month.  

Women love the horror industry, whether they're blazing the trail in publishing like Shirley Jackson, or on the big screen like Mary Harron who directed American Psycho, one thing is for sure - women contribute more to this genre then a screaming lady being chased by an hatchet wielding maniac.

So why is horror so appealing and how can we continue to encourage female contribution? “Horror reflects society,” Professor Barbara Creed, author of The Monstrous-Feminine, told The Guardian back in 2007. “What we probably need are more thoughtful horror films that speak directly to female experiences.”

Meaning, it's probably a good idea to put aside the outdated female stereotypical roles in the genre and encourage more authentic and empowering characters, plots, and premises.

One woman doing just that is Julia Ducournau, director of the horror film Raw, a movie about a teenage vegetarian who becomes a cannibal. "A young guy in a festival audience told me that it was nice to have women in the genre because it brought some 'softness,'" says Ducournau... "Softness? Have you seen my movie? When you make horror, it's the expression of a form of violence that you feel inside of you – and it's important we recognize that women feel violence and anger as well."

There's nothing wrong with a woman's "softness", but don't expect all female horror buffs to come at their projects from that angel. For some, it's all about guts and gore. Others, like Anne Rice, mix alluring gothic romance with vampire horror. Subtle horror, psychological horror, supernatural horror...I still say the scariest movie of all time is Halloween, and what I remember most has nothing to do with any of the killing scenes. It's the scenes in the daylight, when someone is walking down the street and the audience catches a glimpse of Michael Myers standing down the sidewalk. In the next flash, he's gone. Horror can really be whatever the creator wants as long as it gets under the audience's skin, so of course this will appeal to both men and women. And while there are traditional slasher movies, horror also explores the darkness in us all, the despair, the loneliness, the anger, the rage. Women aren't shying away from these topics, they aren't afraid to embrace their softness, nor are they afraid to shed it. Which is why we need female horror creatives. We need their voice, their stories, their characters, their gusto.

If you're looking for a way to support women in horror, consider reading Daphne Du Maurier, Joyce Carol Oats, Octavia Butler, and Mariko Koike. If you're looking to watch a female directed horror movie, check out Pet Cemetery, Jennifer's Body, A Girl Walks Home Alone, and The Babadook.

Enjoy

A Review of Netflix's La Mante

picture source: http://www.mymedia.fr/en/netflix-rachete-serie-tf1-mante/

La Mante (The Mantas) is tale of a murderess, her son and a serial killer.

Imprisoned serial killer Jeanne Deber, The Mantas, offers to help solve a string of copycat murders, except she has one condition - she wants to work with her estranged son, Damien Carrot. Damien is a married cop who has dedicated his life to proving he is nothing like his mother. Together, they track a psychotic killer, each murder uncovering pieces of Damien and Jeanne's past.

How gruesome is it? Very. The murders, while you don't actually see them play out, are sadistic in nature. Genitals chopped off, decapitation...You see the bodies, the crime scene photos, and blood. A whole lot of blood.

What makes this different from all the other murder mysteries? It's more than just the connection between criminal (mom) and detective (cop), although it's a compelling and twisted-ly beautiful tale of redemption. Each murder is  unique enough to make you cringe while simultaneously acknolwedge the writer and creator's creativity. It's difficult to come up with fresh ways to kill off characters, but La Mante does so with a perfect balance of art and disgust for the audience.

Also, the last two episodes are incredible.

Who is your favorite character? Carole Bouquet, who played Jeanne, did an incredible job. Jeanne's character arc thoroughly intrigued me, but the way Bouquet played the part really brought The Mantas to life. Her death stare, narrow eyes, pinched eyebrows...And how Bouquet transformed Jeanne all the way to the big finale made her my favorite character.

What surprised you the most about this show? The ending. But not so much about the plot, although I enjoyed the twist and didn't see it coming. What I loved was the character evolution, and the realization that while, yes I was watching a murder mystery show, I was also watching a drama between a mother and her son.

Would you recommend this show? If you like this genre, I recommend it. If blood and murder shows aren't your thing, sit this one out. It's in French with subtitles and can be binge watched on Netflix.

Rating : R for violence, gore, sex, nudity, language.

The Book Was Better : Five Failed Movie Adaptations of Books

I read A Prayer for Owen Meany in twelfth grade. Required reading that turned into one of my favorite books, so I was excited when my English teacher said we were going to watch Simon Birch, the movie adaptation.

No. Just no. The movie was awful. They took the heartfelt drama John Irving created and killed it.

It's not the only incredible book that got lost in translation in an attempt to gain movie status.

So let's take a look at some terrible movie adaptations. Do you agree or disagree?

Here's RollingStone's take on worst movie adaptations: Atlas Shrugged, Battlefield Earth, The Scarlett Letter and The Lorax

Thrillist shined a spotlight on The Bonfire of the Vanities, Hitchikers Guide to the Glalaxy, The Scarlett Letter, Dune, and The Cat in the Hat

Even CBS News got in on the debate and stated The Great Gatsby, Eragon, The Hobbit, Twilight, and The Da Vinci Code fall under the title of "bad". I think they're a bit harsh. I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code book and movie.

You probably have a list of your least favorite movie adaptations of books. Do any of yours match mine? Here is my top five least favorite movie adaptions:

Okay, I have to add one more : The Girl With All The Gifts. Book was way better.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Also, what are your favorite movie adaptions?

Black Mirror's Arkangel : The Unexpected Character We Need To Talk About

***This post contains tons of SPOILER ALERTS. This is your only chance to avoid learning the ending of Black Mirror's Arkangel Episode***

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I'm three episodes into Black Mirror Season 4, but the second episode, Arkangel, stuck with me. I woke this morning with the characters still fresh in my brain, the desolate mother Marie screaming in the middle of the street with blood on her face, her daughter Sara hitchhiking out of town, and the story question still stirring : How far would you go to protect your child?

Basic premise: Arkangel is an experimental program that implants a tiny chip into a child's mind allowing a parent to track her. Parents see what their children see, monitor their health, and can even apply a parental lock which filters harmful or distressing situations so the child only sees "blurs". Marie, a single mom, implants Arkangel into her daughter Sara's mind after a "stranger danger" scare. Eventually, Marie disables it in order to allow Sara to have a more normal life. But when Sara becomes a teenager and stays out past curfew, Marie breaks out the Arkangel and discovers her daughter has been lying. Sara has a secret boyfriend, Trick.

Trick, the neighborhood bad boy, actually is a pretty decent guy despite selling drugs on the side. It's those drugs that Sara samples. Marie watches from the Arkangel control pad, finds Trick, and goes a bit crazy, threating him with jail (Sara is a minor) until he agrees not to see Sara again. Fast forward to Arkangel notifying Marie that Sara's pregnant, Marie crushing a morning after pill into Sara's smoothie, Sara getting sick at school, the school nurse telling Sara about the miscarriage, Sara discovering her mom is still using Arkangel, Sara pounding Marie's face in with the Arkangel controller and Sara hitchhiking out of town.

Phew.

The scene that stuck with me the most wasn't the ending. It was when Sarah confronts her boyfriend Trick about his sudden disinterest. He never tells her that Marie was behind the breakup, and it doesn't seem like Sara ever puts that piece together, which only makes their breakup more heartbreaking. Because while we know Sara has grown into a strong young woman and she'll be fine in the scary world, Trick's fate is a question mark.

From the beginning, he fits into the bad boy mold complete with a school yard fight. We get a sense things aren't great at home. Even as a teen, Trick sells drug only as a means to move out. He discourages Sara from trying hard drugs, which she does anyways. Basically, he's not a bad teen, and I could argue that if Marie took the time to get to know Trick, she would have had some compassion for him. Instead, he has to break up with Sara, presumably the one bit of hope and goodness in his life.

And where does that leave him? Where does that leave anyone who finally found a slice of light only to have it distinguished?

Does his heartbreak turn to anger once he discovers Sara left town? Does he start taking his own drugs? Will he end up arrested for his illegal side business? If Sara had stayed, would they have had a second chance? Would he have given up all his shady behavior because of her? I don't know, but I'd like to think he keeps moving forward, keeps trying to find something good to hang onto in what can be presumed to be a difficult life. Either way, he's the unexpected "sticky" character in Arkangel, the one I kept thinking about. And I'm rooting for him.

My Favorite Weird Headlines from 2017

Let's face it. 2017 was a unusual year. From politics to pop culture to science, it seemed the Earth spun into the Twilight Zone and is still searching for a way out. But never fear! Because when life turns upside down, weird news headlines emerge. Let's delve into some of the funniest and most peculiar bylines.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/08/09/dental-brace-wire-lodged-in-intestine-for-decade-doctors-say.html

What's the weirdest thing you've ever swallowed? An Aussie woman went to the doctor with stomach pains only to discover she had a brace wire poking through her small intestine. Too bad she didn't have braces. Well, at least not for ten years. Yup, the dental brace was in her system for a decade before detected. Dental Brace Wire Lodged in Intestine For Decade, Doctor says

Imagine walking down your high school hallway. A strange, foreign odor swirls the air. It smacks the side of your nostrils, drifts to your stomach, and soon you find yourself queasy, heading for the nurses office. The culprit? Pumpkin Spice Air Freshener. Some people just can't appreciate the beautiful aroma of fall. Pumpkin Spice Air Freshener Prompts Evacuation of School  

https://www.reuters.com/news/oddlyEnough

This story is only weird if you prefer not to have your eyelids inverted. But apparently, it's rather common practice by one Chinese street barber. "Blade wash eyes" are said to unlock more moisture. Dry eyes? Go for a shave. Flipping Lids! Chinese barber offers eyelid shaves

This fisherman caught a drunk woman. She bit his line and swam away with it. Wanna guess what state this occurred? Florida. Yup.  Florida Woman Arrested After Biting Fisherman's Line

Look, I've never tried to shimmy down a chimney in order to rob a business, so maybe I'm being harsh when I include this story as a funny addition to the list. A Santa dressed thief tried to do go down the chimney to rob a California business. Thank goodness he had his phone handy so he could call the cops for help. Santa Style Thief Calls the Cops on Himself

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If you like weird and funny headlines as much as I do, hop over to the podcast Dumb People Town where the Sklar Brothers and Dan Harmon do a biweekly pod highlighting some of the dumbest headlines around the country....but mostly from Florida.