Category: Ramblings Page 2 of 4

New Author Interview

On April 9, 2018

A new author interview with me was just posted. Head over and have a look!

https://allauthor.com/interview/donalddallan/

Born in Ottawa, Canada, author Donald D. Allen always wanted to write for a living, fantasy always being his go-to genre. He joined the Naval Reserves in 1982 at 17, ignoring the advice of his teacher to become a writer. It was only after he retired from the military that he returned to writing. In his books, the main storyline drives his characters, but his characters always write themselves. Donald’s series explores the church, science, and magic. The names of his books, Duilleog means leaf, Craobh means branch, Stoc means stalk, and Freamhaigh means root. To him, it’s not fantasy unless magic is present and it’s not sci-fi unless the future of mankind is at stake, but he loves both genres. To the rest, he advises writing from your heart because you love to write and don’t worry about what people think. Read full interview…

Show Don’t Tell

By donald

On April 5, 2018

In Ramblings

In the world of writing one phrase is used more often than any other when one author is giving advice on how to write: Show, Don’t Tell.

There are so many posts and blogs about this topic that it staggers the mind. And look, I just added to the pile! I digress. Somone just posted a question on how to “show, don’t tell” on Reddit. I rolled my eyes. Why? A ten second Google effort would answer the question, but clearly, this Redditor is looking for Karma. Nonetheless, I clicked and went to the post. Why? I wanted to see what humorous comments I would find. One of those comments had a link. I hovered, wondering if this was going to be a risky click, and clicked.

I was taken to perhaps the best description of Show Don’t Tell I have ever read. Here’s the link (not risky at all, trust me): . Still not sure you want to click it? What if I told you the essay on that page was written by Chuck Palahniuk, author of the novel Fight Club? I’ll wait here until you get back.

Back? See? What did I tell you? Brilliant.

By the way, if that has you excited about writing I encourage you to go read Passive vs Active Voice articles. And if that excites you, then I challenge you to go through anything you’ve written and delete the word “that” out of your sentences. Try it. It will improve your writing quite noticeably. Sometimes you can’t remove it. Like in this paragraph.

All-in-all a wonderful essay by Mr. Palahniuk. So happy I read this just before I started the second draft of Freamhaigh.

Ciao.

Providing Feedback

By donald

On February 5, 2018

In Ramblings

Every now and then I find someone who wants to read my novels to provide a review or feedback. I love people like that because it makes my novels better in the end. However, every time I email out my novels I have that sense of trepidation. That fear of failure. Will they hate it? Will they rip my writing apart? OMG, what do I do if they do?

And every now and then I read a novel for someone else. I’ve been lucky 4 out of 5 times and they have been lovely experiences. You know who you are – thank you for your wonderful worlds you let me see first. I love seeing other author’s styles. To see how they get dialogue just right and so believable. Sometimes I wish I could write like those people.

Writing is an art. It takes a certain level of talent. My daughter can paint the most wonderful scenes, for example. Me? I have no talent for paint and canvass. Nope. So I stay away from painting and admire the work of others.

Some authors are like me trying to paint. The intent is there, but the final execution misses the mark. 1 out of 5 novels I read makes me feel very sad inside. I dread providing feedback to authors whose writing is just not very good. “Good” to MY standard, mind you. It is all so subjective, isn’t it? But, I have to write a reply to these people and try to explain why I didn’t like their novel. It leaves me drained and emotionally in turmoil. I am far too empathetic. I put myself in the other person’s shoes and I HATE myself for the words I say. I believe in honesty and so I deliver it as best as I can and try to remove the sting. I don’t always manage to do that right. But always I don’t want the person to stop writing. Least of all, because of my comments. I couldn’t bear that.

If I have given someone negative feedback, I know you probably hate me. I hate me too when I have to be brutally honest. Sorry. But please keep writing.

Change Is A Good Thing

By donald

On January 23, 2018

In Ramblings

“Strange fascinations fascinate me
Ah, changes are takin’
The pace I’m goin’ through.”

David Bowie from “Changes”

So, I announced my retirement from the Royal Canadian Navy. I am changing my life, once again. I am transitioning to a civilian life but still working for the RCN. I couldn’t be happier. Change is merely a transition.

I have also transitioned as an author. It’s a subtle thing but the more you write the better you get and at points you can look back and wonder how you managed to get to the next plateau. I read posts from new authors, each struggling to find their way, and remember with a shudder going through those same pains and tribulations. I’m on a new plateau at the moment and it’s a wonderful view.

Then I look up and see all the other plateaus above me. It’s such a climb. But it’s worth it. The view gets better.

Musing: I’m not sure how many people see an author and think “that person is an artist.” Do they instead only think of musicians, painters, and sculptors as artists? Well, I think of myself as an artist. I always have, whether I was writing software or writing novels. Or even playing on my piano.

Writing is such a joy and expression of creativity. I marvel at the wonder of putting words together that illicit a stirring of emotion. You can write a sentence a hundred ways, much like you can paint a flower a hundred ways. It is writing that sentence until it is just right that brings joy to a writer. At least for me. Words are power. This civilisation of ours is a thin veneer of laws and beliefs that protect us from the underlying chaos. Some words make us stronger while others try to tear us down. Choose your words carefully. Try and make the world a better place.

“Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
There’s gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time.”

David Bowie from “Changes”.