My Brain Has Issues. Again.

So I was lying there the other night not sleeping, like you do, and I let my mind wander down toward my current work in progress.

If you’re paying attention, you may have noticed that book one of my new series, Cade and the Last Starship, just dropped. You should go check it out if you like exploration and unlikely heroes. Anyway, that entire series is written. I’m currently working on the next one.

GO CHECK IT OUT!

No, I’m not telling you about it. Not yet. You gotta wait.

Deal with it.

Anyway, like I said, I let my mind wander on the next series. I’ve already got a decent start on it, but as always, there are things to fix. I hit on a minor plot fix that should help.

And then my mind decided to take a little detour. Now, I’m trying to sleep, of course, so I’m not exactly paying much attention to where my brain is leading me. I’m just trying to get a little shut-eye.

But next thing I know, I’m plotting out the series after the next one. Main character. Story arc. Antagonists. Titles. The whole she-bang. And since I’m not sleeping anyway, I take out my phone and I start typing away as the ideas, they keep coming.

And now I’m annoyed. See, I’m working on one series. I need to get it done. But here’s another series, and I’m excited for it, because of course I am. It’s got crazy stuff and a heroic main character that I want to know better and zany plot developments.

And my current series has a great main character and a setting that should be great to explore and unique situations. I love the main character so much, and her family is just perfect. Her relationships with her mom and her big brother are just amazing. I cannot wait for you to meet them.

But you know, you’re not going to meet them if I go and start plotting a whole other series!

Brain, why you do this to me? Go sleep!

And it didn’t sleep. Of course it didn’t. Why would it?

Anyway, I need to get to work on my current series before I can go to that zany land I dreamed up. My brain needs to learn to behave.

Oy.

It’s Time to Explore the Last Starship

One last starship soars through space carrying the last of humanity. Cade longs to explore, but everything that can be done, everything that can be seen, has been seen.

But then he finds something that changes everything.

Available today! Cade and the Last Starship. Pick it up as an ebook or paperback at your favorite online retailer!

I Know What’s Wrong with Me!

I’ve long known I’m not exactly normal in a very specific way.

If you read my stuff, you’ll notice I don’t spend a lot of time describing what people look like. I’ll dwell on their relationships or how they move, but their hair color? Eye color? What they’re wearing? Those descriptions just don’t happen a whole lot.

And now… maybe I know why.

This week I watched a video on something called aphantasia. You can see it right here:

But… how does that work with a writer? I mean, doesn’t creating a work of fiction require mental imagery? I just spent about a month posting about all the books I’ve read in the last year. How could I possibly read all that without mental imagery?

Well, if I have aphantasia, it’s certainly not severe. But… maybe I have some form of it? Kind of?

(By the way, this is self-diagnosis at its finest. Don’t do this. Yeah, I’m kinda doing it anyway. Shut up.)

So when I read, I don’t see the characters. I have no idea what they’re wearing, their hair color, any of it. I don’t have a face for any of them. I have no clue what their voices sound like nor what it feels like where they are. These facets of mental imagery simply don’t happen for me unless I put some real effort into it.

But then… what do I see? The best way I can describe it is that I see action. I see what the characters are doing. I revel in good dialogue and character interactions. Internal monologue is usually pretty good for me, too.

And then that carries over into my writing. I write what I “see.” Thus the dearth of character descriptions! I’d like to think I excel at describing what people are doing and their dialogue, but describing what people look like? It just doesn’t happen as much.

Which gives me a place to grow.

How about you? What do you “see” when you read? Do you get a crystal clear picture, close to reality, or is it something totally different?

Learn the Keys to Sustainable Success as a Creator

Today guest blogger Stephanie Haywood writes some good general tips on creating!

Being a creator is a wonderful experience. Whether you are an artist, musician, photographer, or writer, your creative talents are unique to you. However, it is not always easy to turn your creative talent into a successful business. After all, creating amazing artwork is only half the battle; you also need to get your work on the map.

Today, guest blogger Stephanie Haywood discusses how creators can get their work noticed, promote their business, and showcase their creative skills. From finding opportunities to display your work to creating your own website and finding investors, we will explore the different avenues that you can take to achieve success.

Continue reading “Learn the Keys to Sustainable Success as a Creator”