Showing category "Thoughts on Writing" (Show all posts)
With the boom in eReaders, inevitably there is going to be a boom in eBook sales. After all, no matter how much I've tried I can't force my old fashioned 'paper' books, including my Heinlein collection, into my eReader so that I can carry them all around with me. Paper just doesn't want to be compressed like that! Looks like I am buying them again in digital format. LOL
Also, inevitably with increased eBook sales, there has been an increase in erotica! Now, some have said, erotica is rubbish a... Continue reading ...
No, I'm not talking about taking your twinky boy puppies for a walk, although that is important. What I am talking about is the discipline an author--all authors need when it comes to putting words on paper. Every person is different and every author has their own method, but today I will share mine.
Some write in sporadic fits of muse induced fervor, while others pace and plod, planting down words with an almost religious devotion. I like to think I'm sort of in-between. I mean yes, when you... Continue reading ...
Writing (and reading) a lot of m/m erotica I am often amused by how some authors describe the mechanics of how two boys make love to each other.
First and foremost, the anus is NOT a vagina! It does not 'get wet' when the guy is excited (yes, I've read this--and then stopped reading the book altogether and deleted it out of my reader) A penis doesn't just 'slip' into it either. There's a bit of work to be done, to be honest, to get the most out of anal sex for both the top (pitcher) and the... Continue reading ...
Well, other authors are doing it, so I thought I had better jump on the band wagon, too! I am going to be sharing with you my writing tips over the next few days! Oh lordy! LOL 1) Your characters must *do* something! Yes, we all love the comic-relief character, or the handsome hero/pretty heroine, but really, after a while such a character gets boring if he/she doesn't actually DO anything. In other words, probably a good idea to make sure your characters are more than just page filler. After... Continue reading ...
Is the spoken word more erotic than seeing someone naked?
Well, watch this here and judge for yourself...It is NSFW as there are a couple of 'f bombs' in it, and yes, he's pleasuring himself while he's talking about his fantasy (you don't see anything below his waist though so there is NO nudity) but if you don't think this is hot...WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? LOL
Enjoy. Continue reading ...
I am doing some research of light BDSM for one of my latest WIPS (The Starship Cadet Mission stories) In the first one, Ely and Emerson use dildos and other toys. In the next book I want them to move on from there as their relationship has deepened and they trust each other.
The article below on cock and ball binding is on the right track for what I want, even if a bit more severe than I want. It's good how it talks about the after effects and how to do the binding itself...all gold for a wri... Continue reading ...
I wrote 20,000 words in two days of a story that took me and my muse by
the scruff of the neck and wouldn't let go. What's more, I even did a
mock-up cover and the synopsis! I have about 10,000 to write...wonder if
I can finish it tomorrow *giggle* It's my first full menage story and
so far I am having a blast writing it. (Off to my beta readers for this
one, my pretty) Here's the synopsis and cover I did, just to
tease (here's the link to the official page here, too) :-)“A boy reache... Continue reading ...
Why is it when you're in the thick of writing (I am currently working on part 4 of my Pembroke Eve Series) that I get more ideas for books?
I blame this all on reading, of course.
Lately, with my new eReader by my side and ready to be used wherever I go, I have been immersed in reading. And from that, comes inspiration. At the moment I am reading some excellent sci-fi by David Drake and the classic "Island of Dr. Moreau."
*happysigh* Looks like I have about 5 more book book ideas to jot down :... Continue reading ...
Aside from having no plot, there are a few things that really irk me, and here is where I will tell you about them.
1) Villains who explain their plans! C'mon, this sort of stuff is for kids shows and the realm of cartoons, yet you'd be surprised (or not) how many times I come across this sort of 'bad plotting'.
2) The villain falls in love with the hero/everyone falls in love with the hero. For me this borders on a 'Mary Sue' kind of plot. A story where the author is plainly living out their ... Continue reading ...
...I hear the same thing, over and over.
I don't mean to sound all high and mighty, because I am far from it. But let's get it clear for all of you budding authors out there. Plot is IMPORTANT. Plot is the foundation of a novel/story. Plot is what the words can cling to as you build your prose. Without plot there is nothing. NOTHING. I cannot stand reading books with no plot. No plot=no character development. No plot=no story. No plot=why bother?
Even if the plot is a simple one (and sometimes ... Continue reading ...
Things are getting busy at work...which is to be expected for this time of year...
On another note, and more in line with my writing, I have completed half of my latest WIP, Light of the Body (about 25000 now). It has turned out completely differently to what I had originally envisaged.
Sure the basic plot is the same, but never in my wildest imagination would I have thought up zombie insectoids which are alive and taking over the town! Okay, so I did think of them, but yep, this story is infe... Continue reading ...
Okay, rant and rave time! LOL (I don't ever really rant and rave--just have things that annoy me and make me roll my eyes to the heavens or that I don't understand) This next peeve is one of those eye rollers for me big time!
The thing for me at the moment is characters in books/movies who can shape-shift/transform into something like a werewolf/dragon/whatever and when they change back are fully clothed! Okay, when they change their clothes rip off, do whatever it is they need to do, and low... Continue reading ...
Is traditional romance dead?
Well, according to Lori James of All Romance eBooks (fast becoming one of the largest online sellers of eBooks) Yes...traditional romance, is on the decline. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Boy and girl live happily-ever-after is fast becoming...well...boring and readers are turning away from such stories in droves.
Best selling romances these days (and romance is by far the biggest seller in the eBook market) are Vampires and werewolves falling in lo... Continue reading ...
I have come across an interesting discussion, one that basically boils down to, why are GLBT books labelled as alternative? Surely in this day and age we can have them standing proud in their own right, not hiding behind or lumped with other genres. GLBT books should have their own category in their own right and be as mainstream as traditional romance. They sell well enough.
Yes, GLBT books have 'heat' levels, but really, that's not the same when they are lumped with other genre books. Ho... Continue reading ...
Well, having read quite a lot of sci-fi and fantasy in my time (and romance) I have to say, that there are a lot of male lead characters out there who are, and I can put it no other way, hunks. They have rippling muscles, tanned skin, gorgeous faces, etc, etc, blah, blah. They are also intelligent and honest and all goody goody. Hardly any flaws at all!
Now, don't get me wrong, we all like looking at beautiful people (sales of tabloid magazines attest to that) but in real life, what would be ... Continue reading ...
Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I had a full 12 hour day at work! Yuk! Typical...I'm getting all these extra hours during NaNo month. Okay, I'm not complaining, the money is nice, but sheesh, my muse is giving me hell.
On another note, and to the point of this post, there has been a lot of discussion lately about erotic content in books. How far is too far? Okay, sure, there are the usual things, no sex with minors, no rape (or only off-scene if relevant to the story line), no sharp objects... Continue reading ...
The 10,000 word mark. Yep. That's basically where I am at with my NaNo novel. It has kind of possessed me, and really, I don't think I needed the added incentive of NaNo to write the amount that I have.
My muse gets like that. Suddenly and without warning it will command me
to write thousands of words a day until the story is spent. Other times
I can't get two words out. Funny, isn't it? Bloody muse...I think she's
a woman and I think she's a bitch, too...just kidding! LOL I love my muse. She... Continue reading ...
No, I'm not talking about my actual life, I'm talking about the words written down on the page and what it's like to create them.
Sure, when we read a story, we can say, 'Oh, the characters came alive' or 'the world the author created was so real'. But I am not talking about that either. I am talking about creating a work from an empty page/document file (I know most of us writers do everything on computer these days)
So how do I create my work?
I outline my work first, usually just enough detai... Continue reading ...
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About Me
I am Mark Alders, writer, intactivist, post office worker, and all round nice guy...except when someone steals my chocolate! I am a proud Australian, and as such use different spellings and have some weird phrases, too. Hey, perhaps that's why I write some damn weird shit!
I can't change who I am.
So when you read one of my books, enjoy the ride, but please don't say I can't spell. I spell how I damn well feel like it! LOL Naw seriously, I spell like an Aussie...do forgive me because we are a breed unto ourselves. Where else can a place have 11 registered public holidays and no one has any idea what they are for except to have a BBQ and down some beers!
If you do find a genuine error in my work, please let me know so I can speak with my editor...also, as an addition to that, offer chocolates as well. Lots of chocolates.
*hugs*
Mark
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