Wanted - a muse/mentor.
May 22, 2020
At least I think so.
I'd like to get back into writing, but I think I need someone for a couple of things:
- to nudge me when I'm stuck, or maybe just on the wrong path. I usually have ideas to start a story, but sometimes I am not sure on the branch to take next. Or maybe I even need to back up a bit. Or trash it all!
- to critique my work with more caring than a stranger might
have, but more honesty than someone close.
They should have similar tastes and experience. I've published two small town cop novels, with a bit of fantasy added to them, and have drafted several other novels, as well as 120 (?) Flash Fiction stories. Most are in sci/fi fantasy, all with a twist and a bit of darkness.
I don't want a critique group, I'm looking for one on one. And I'd be willing to be the same person back to them, to help us both learn from this, if that's the deal. Finally, not a 7/24 on-call relationship, and not a LOT of support, but I don't just want weekly contacts either.
Not sure how to go about this - Kijiji? I posted on my FB page, but will probably just get 'likes', until it fades into the news stream.
I'll give it a one time try. My comments are obviously subjective.
I've read a lot of your short fiction pieces, neither of your novels, and most of your blog. I like your short fiction, but my overall impression is that the writing is too shallow and too "clever" . I have not read the novels, but stories about a native cop who has the power of invisibilty fit the same gimmicky pattern. Much of your work reminds me of M. Night Shymalan and "I see dead people" -- writing designed to distract the reader/viewer with red herrings for some period of time in order to generate a single "you really got me this time" payoff in the final scene. I realize this style made the guy rich and famous for one movie, but it's not sustainable (at least across multiple long form novels or films).
Your main advantage over any other writer is your unique life experiences. Not just first person experiences, but what you've seen and heard from others, read about, dreamed, and forgotten. I don't see much of this in your writing, and I think it would make all the difference.
But maybe writing and selling novels is too last century. It appears that you can attract more people to watch you play a simulation game than to read your novels, so can you build on that? Could you combine your writing skills with your computer game and twitch experience to create something new?
For example (just a brainstorm idea), what if you created a semi-scripted simulation experience (e.g. multiple players following your written story and ad-libbing most of their dialogue). Could this generate a following of players and/or spectators? Imagine six truckers setting out across Romania, each with a backstory, motivations, and secret goals. Could you get people to play that or watch others playing once a week with a new script and location?
Peace and long life.
Posted by: Mentor Muse | June 21, 2020 at 05:12 PM
Thank you for your feedback.
Posted by: Ravens | June 22, 2020 at 11:43 AM