Hello dear readers,
As someone who has devoted their working life to the hard sciences - mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering - some might wonder as to why I choose to write fantasy fiction. After all, why not write a novel dealing in the here-and-now, the concrete world with which I am so familiar? The answer actually lies within the here and now.
The world that we live in is often times already too somber, too dark, too pessimistic to devote my writing skills to dwelling in for extensive periods of time. There are already enough unsettling stories in the morning newspaper (now delivered by cable, satellite or over the internet), and there is no need for me to add to them. Fantasy fiction offers an escape from that reality that other forms of literature simply do not.
It's not that I don't appreciate other forms of literature or fiction. Quite the contrary. I just don't have the desire to dwell upon those difficult subjects for the many hours that it takes to write a story from beginning to end.
Fantasy fiction is not merely more colorful than our everyday world, it is also removed from it. Remote enough that we can parse apart and reassemble our own world view, to see reality from different angles. This perhaps, is the real magic of fantasy. It allows us to set a mirror onto our own world, our own lives, from a safe distance. And to see in that reflection the things that in our everyday lives - or even in the world of contemporary fiction - are too close for us to see clearly. Truths that might remain hidden in our everyday existence, can become clear and obvious in the world of fantasy.
Which is what attracts me to this particular genre, as a writer.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Monday, November 5, 2018
Letter of Thanks to My Beta-Reader
As I writer, I have already stressed the importance of the editing process. Any successful writer, fiction or non-fiction, should plan on having to write, re-write, and re-write again. I tend to lose count of just how many times that I have to proof-read and re-write the same passage before I become completely satisfied with it, but the advice that I've heard from other authors (who have also published) is to plan on at least four proof-read and/or re-write cycles before a book or chapter is complete. This aligns fairly well with my own direct experience. I would place four edit cycles as a minimum number, with most passages requiring many more before they become presentable.
This becomes all the more essential when writing something completely new - such as writing in a genre with which the author might be less familiar. When I was writing non-fiction, for example, I was completely comfortable being my own proof-editor. There was no one else as close to the subject matter at hand as I was, and I could be comfortable with my own mastery of the material to successfully edit and correct my own writing.
When migrating to fiction and fantasy, however, I became aware that another set of eyes would be most welcome: someone who was also familiar with the genre in question and who could point out elements where my storytelling might be lacking, or inconsistencies that needed to be corrected. To this end, I have become eternally grateful to have a high-school aged daughter, who was also a fan of the fantasy genre, who could act as my advisor and beta-reader for improving upon my work.
Oddly enough, when I first sat down to write a fantasy adventure, borrowing as I did from different characters and plots that had been ruminating in my mind for decades, I did not have any conscious intention of writing a story aimed at a young adult audience. I was simply writing a story, one where I had a strong sense for its beginning, its end, the central characters, and for the major milestones in between. As the story evolved, however, I was surprised to find that I had - at least in part - written a coming-of-age story. It had perhaps not been my direct intention when I had starting writing, but it did evolve that way as I fleshed out the details of the first book.
In retrospect, I should not have been surprised by that development. Many of the inspirations for these stories date back to my own youth, when I was an avid reader of the fantasy and science fiction genre. Many of the characters that I have since gone on to write about were first formed in my own mind back then - although many have since evolved and been reborn into slightly different incarnations.
This development was, as it turned out, fortuitous. It not only broadened the potential audience for my books, but also included my own daughters into that audience. My middle daughter is an even more avid fan of the fantasy genre than I was at that age, and has introduced me to other authors and source material over the years. She is also not shy about voicing criticism of my work.
As I approach the upcoming release of my first fantasy novel, therefore, it is appropriate that I acknowledge her contribution as the beta-reader for the pre-final drafts of the book.
Kind regards,
J.W. Golan
This becomes all the more essential when writing something completely new - such as writing in a genre with which the author might be less familiar. When I was writing non-fiction, for example, I was completely comfortable being my own proof-editor. There was no one else as close to the subject matter at hand as I was, and I could be comfortable with my own mastery of the material to successfully edit and correct my own writing.
When migrating to fiction and fantasy, however, I became aware that another set of eyes would be most welcome: someone who was also familiar with the genre in question and who could point out elements where my storytelling might be lacking, or inconsistencies that needed to be corrected. To this end, I have become eternally grateful to have a high-school aged daughter, who was also a fan of the fantasy genre, who could act as my advisor and beta-reader for improving upon my work.
Oddly enough, when I first sat down to write a fantasy adventure, borrowing as I did from different characters and plots that had been ruminating in my mind for decades, I did not have any conscious intention of writing a story aimed at a young adult audience. I was simply writing a story, one where I had a strong sense for its beginning, its end, the central characters, and for the major milestones in between. As the story evolved, however, I was surprised to find that I had - at least in part - written a coming-of-age story. It had perhaps not been my direct intention when I had starting writing, but it did evolve that way as I fleshed out the details of the first book.
In retrospect, I should not have been surprised by that development. Many of the inspirations for these stories date back to my own youth, when I was an avid reader of the fantasy and science fiction genre. Many of the characters that I have since gone on to write about were first formed in my own mind back then - although many have since evolved and been reborn into slightly different incarnations.
This development was, as it turned out, fortuitous. It not only broadened the potential audience for my books, but also included my own daughters into that audience. My middle daughter is an even more avid fan of the fantasy genre than I was at that age, and has introduced me to other authors and source material over the years. She is also not shy about voicing criticism of my work.
As I approach the upcoming release of my first fantasy novel, therefore, it is appropriate that I acknowledge her contribution as the beta-reader for the pre-final drafts of the book.
Kind regards,
J.W. Golan
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Modern Artistic Influences
I wrote previously a little about some of my literary influences when I was younger. Certainly, the literature, television, movies, and music of our youth leaves an indelible imprint on our tastes and expectations throughout life. It is also possible, however, to absorb new influences and to learn from more recent sources of inspiration.
In my instance, I was blessed as a parent of three daughters, each with their own similar but also unique opinions and tastes, which introduced me to other literary and artistic genres over the years. I can't speak for every parent out there, but in my experience it was both rewarding and essential to be familiar with the types of movies, books and music that appealed to my children. It gave us something else that we share, debate and enjoy together.
My more modern literary influences therefore include J.K. Rowling's books - which didn't exist when I was young but which delighted my daughters to no end - as well as Sarah J. Maas, among many others.
The other, modern artistic influence that I would have to cite would be Japanese anime. Series like "Spice and Wolf," "Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood," "Madoka Magica," "Violet Evergarden," and of course the movies of Hayao Miyazaki and Mokoto Shinkai - to name but a few. It was not just a question of the exquisite visual images and artistry, but more importantly the expert story telling that I found appealing. Among the things that I appreciated, was a willingness to use fantasy as a venue for taking on larger questions and issues about humanity and society.
So those are a few of my own influences as a writer. Anyone that would care to share their own literary influences and favorites is more than welcome to add them in the comments below.
In my instance, I was blessed as a parent of three daughters, each with their own similar but also unique opinions and tastes, which introduced me to other literary and artistic genres over the years. I can't speak for every parent out there, but in my experience it was both rewarding and essential to be familiar with the types of movies, books and music that appealed to my children. It gave us something else that we share, debate and enjoy together.
My more modern literary influences therefore include J.K. Rowling's books - which didn't exist when I was young but which delighted my daughters to no end - as well as Sarah J. Maas, among many others.
The other, modern artistic influence that I would have to cite would be Japanese anime. Series like "Spice and Wolf," "Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood," "Madoka Magica," "Violet Evergarden," and of course the movies of Hayao Miyazaki and Mokoto Shinkai - to name but a few. It was not just a question of the exquisite visual images and artistry, but more importantly the expert story telling that I found appealing. Among the things that I appreciated, was a willingness to use fantasy as a venue for taking on larger questions and issues about humanity and society.
So those are a few of my own influences as a writer. Anyone that would care to share their own literary influences and favorites is more than welcome to add them in the comments below.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Halloween Greetings
It's Halloween, with my daughters looking forward to getting dressed-up as their favorite characters from movies, television or anime: a good opportunity perhaps to reflect on some of the literary characters that have inspired each of us over the years.
My own youthful literary inspirations came from a variety of authors and backgrounds, but shared a few repeating themes.
My favorite authors when I was young included J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, and Anne McCaffrey - but also included classical writers, such as H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, John Steinbeck, Victor Hugo, and of course William Shakespeare. These were authors whose books I sought out - not necessarily those that I was assigned to read in some class. Authors that had a story that needed to be heard, or who could create characters that resonated larger than life.
Looking back across those years, I can still point to specific themes that each book or author conveyed, and individual characters that I can clearly remember to this day - not all of them necessarily the heroes.
The central theme that I believe makes a character great, boils down to their humanity. Good or bad, young or old, its our ability to see a part of ourselves, of people we know in them. The flaws, the imperfections, that make us struggle and strive, those are the things that we desperately need to relate to for a character to be memorable. They might be a hero from the Lord of the Rings, or the darkest villain from MacBeth, but it's our ability to see our own imperfections mirrored in their persona that makes that character relatable to us, in ways that continue to inspire or appall.
Happy Halloween everyone. If anyone would like to share some of their own literary heroes, I'd love to hear from them.
My own youthful literary inspirations came from a variety of authors and backgrounds, but shared a few repeating themes.
My favorite authors when I was young included J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, and Anne McCaffrey - but also included classical writers, such as H.G. Wells, Edgar Allan Poe, John Steinbeck, Victor Hugo, and of course William Shakespeare. These were authors whose books I sought out - not necessarily those that I was assigned to read in some class. Authors that had a story that needed to be heard, or who could create characters that resonated larger than life.
Looking back across those years, I can still point to specific themes that each book or author conveyed, and individual characters that I can clearly remember to this day - not all of them necessarily the heroes.
The central theme that I believe makes a character great, boils down to their humanity. Good or bad, young or old, its our ability to see a part of ourselves, of people we know in them. The flaws, the imperfections, that make us struggle and strive, those are the things that we desperately need to relate to for a character to be memorable. They might be a hero from the Lord of the Rings, or the darkest villain from MacBeth, but it's our ability to see our own imperfections mirrored in their persona that makes that character relatable to us, in ways that continue to inspire or appall.
Happy Halloween everyone. If anyone would like to share some of their own literary heroes, I'd love to hear from them.
Friday, October 26, 2018
A Word On Editing
As someone who has published successfully before, I have come to this endeavor with a certain degree of past experience with which to inform my writing process. I have also reviewed the practices of other published authors, and have found that for the most part, we all tend to share some of the same experiences and techniques.
For the benefit of anyone who has never published their work before, but who might be curious about the process, I can say that while there are several essential steps that go into it, the most essential ingredient for a successful outcome is editing. This is true regardless of whether we are talking about a work of fiction (such as my latest projects) or non-fiction (which I have published in the past). It is also true regardless of whether we are talking about publishing short stories, articles, or a full length book. Write, then re-write, then re-write over again. While I am sure that there are some successful writers in the business - somewhere in human history - that could produce a quality product in the first draft, I am certain that they are by far the minority: so rare as to be the subject of myth and legend themselves. So for anyone who is thinking of publishing their work, short or long, fiction or non-fiction, my advice is to re-write as many times as it takes until the words flow smoothly and evenly on the page. Write, re-write, and re-write again.
For the benefit of anyone who has never published their work before, but who might be curious about the process, I can say that while there are several essential steps that go into it, the most essential ingredient for a successful outcome is editing. This is true regardless of whether we are talking about a work of fiction (such as my latest projects) or non-fiction (which I have published in the past). It is also true regardless of whether we are talking about publishing short stories, articles, or a full length book. Write, then re-write, then re-write over again. While I am sure that there are some successful writers in the business - somewhere in human history - that could produce a quality product in the first draft, I am certain that they are by far the minority: so rare as to be the subject of myth and legend themselves. So for anyone who is thinking of publishing their work, short or long, fiction or non-fiction, my advice is to re-write as many times as it takes until the words flow smoothly and evenly on the page. Write, re-write, and re-write again.
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Greetings and Salutations
Greetings dear readers,
I hope that this blog message finds you all in good spirits and good health.
I decided that in preparation for my foray into the world of fantasy and science fiction writing, that I should launch a blog where I could share my progress, and hopefully my successes, with prospective readers.
Unlike many first-time authors of fantasy and science fiction, this is not my first foray into writing. I had already published my first hardcover book, long before I ever thought seriously about putting my pen to paper as a writer of fiction. This will be, however, my first foray as a fantasy novelist, a decidely different form of writing from the historically-oriented works that I have published heretofore. It is a genre different enough, that I decided that it deserved its own blog page, Facebook page, and so forth - to provide me with an opportunity to reach out to this very different reader audience.
As someone who has published before, I can say that while writing is an enjoyable experience, it also demands a significant commitment in terms of time and energy to convert a vague idea or outline into a story and manuscript worthy of being published. I can say from my past experience that it is not something that I undertake out of any delusion that this is likely to be my full-time vocation and source of income. Rather, I write because I feel that I have something to say.
There are of course many reasons to write, and many sources of inspiration that might motivate individual authors. For my part, in all of my writings, I have always had the sense that there was already a story out there, waiting to be retold – a story that already existed and which wanted to be heard - and for which I was merely the conduit for its retelling. I can only hope that I have been up to the task of conveying this story in the manner and with the appropriate skill that it deserves to be told.
Kind regards,
J.W. Golan
I hope that this blog message finds you all in good spirits and good health.
I decided that in preparation for my foray into the world of fantasy and science fiction writing, that I should launch a blog where I could share my progress, and hopefully my successes, with prospective readers.
Unlike many first-time authors of fantasy and science fiction, this is not my first foray into writing. I had already published my first hardcover book, long before I ever thought seriously about putting my pen to paper as a writer of fiction. This will be, however, my first foray as a fantasy novelist, a decidely different form of writing from the historically-oriented works that I have published heretofore. It is a genre different enough, that I decided that it deserved its own blog page, Facebook page, and so forth - to provide me with an opportunity to reach out to this very different reader audience.
As someone who has published before, I can say that while writing is an enjoyable experience, it also demands a significant commitment in terms of time and energy to convert a vague idea or outline into a story and manuscript worthy of being published. I can say from my past experience that it is not something that I undertake out of any delusion that this is likely to be my full-time vocation and source of income. Rather, I write because I feel that I have something to say.
There are of course many reasons to write, and many sources of inspiration that might motivate individual authors. For my part, in all of my writings, I have always had the sense that there was already a story out there, waiting to be retold – a story that already existed and which wanted to be heard - and for which I was merely the conduit for its retelling. I can only hope that I have been up to the task of conveying this story in the manner and with the appropriate skill that it deserves to be told.
Kind regards,
J.W. Golan
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