Kirin Dale

Windycon: Days Two and Three

Kirin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 04:02:05 +0000

Yesterday was so action-packed that I immediately fell into bed and vowed to post a comprehensive update when Windycon was finally over. Saturday was chock full great panels that discussed everything from creating believable characters to how SF/F has helped push boundaries and address societal taboos. Combined with a Celtic folk rock concert from Tricky Pixie and a fun art auction, the panels made Saturday fly by.

Sunday morning was dedicated to a writers workshop where I had the chance to get eight separate critiques on a chapter from my work-in-progress. It was amazing to get so many fresh eyes on the piece, and the advice I gained regarding breaking down and strengthening the story will be essential for my rewrites. It was a wonderful way to close out the weekend and propel me back into writing.

Windycon: Day One

Kirin — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 05:39:29 +0000

Just back from Windycon, and it looks like tomorrow is going to be one crazy day! After grabbing dinner, a friend and I took a quick peek at the art show (looks like some amazing pieces this year) and the dealer’s room to kill some time before the Opening Ceremonies.

At the kick-off, I was extremely pleased to receive an Honorable Mention in the ISFiC Writers Contest for my short story “Clockwork Nightmare.” Set in my Ralston and Grieve universe, the story was a slight departure from my typical writing style, so it was exciting to see it recognized.

There were some great personalities at the Opening Ceremonies, as well as a mini-performance by Tricky Pixie, whose violin/guitar/cello ensemble sounded great. I finished off the day at two panels and am ready to hit the hay so I’ll be ready for the long day tomorrow!

Windycon and return of the blog

Kirin — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:19:32 +0000

To say that I’m eagerly awaiting the kick-off of Windycon 37 tomorrow is a massive understatement. My plans, other than attending some interesting-looking programming and the amazing art show, are to post a daily update about my experiences at the convention. Stay tuned!

Next week, I expect my normal blogging to return with a new focus on transmedia. I’m slowly making my way through the amazing videos shot at TEDx Trasmedia, and there is an enormous amount of good information there to discuss. If you have any interest in transmedia (or even a passing curiosity) I guarantee there are some thought-provoking concepts to be gleaned from these talks, so check them out!

Blog Update

Kirin — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 01:11:24 +0000

Due to some coding issues, my blog can now be found on the website homepage at:

www.KirinDale.com

To return to the main blog page, you can click the link above, the “Kirin Dale” header, or the “Kirin’s Blog” link on the right toolbar.

Engaging readers with transmedia

Kirin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:15:42 +0000

I highly recommend taking a look at Guy LeCharles Gonzalez’s article “Futurama” in the September 2010 issue of Writer’s Digest (Inkwell, page 8). Gonzalez tackles the concept of “transmedia”, which he defines as “a story told across a variety of media.” He advocates the use of films, apps, webisodes, and spin-off short fiction to extend your storytelling universe and involve your readers directly in world building. There are a lot of great ideas to consider in this article, and I believe they have the potential to seriously improve the platform and presentation of every writer.

Planning some wiggle room

Kirin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:56:55 +0000

As I polish up a short story for contest submission, I find myself in a world building dilemma. I know that the story is just the first step into a future series I have planned, and all parts of the series will need continuity between them. The main framework and details of the universe are worked out, but are not on the same level of detail needed for a novel. It’s hard to project into the future to see what little fly-away details in the short story will hamstring any later world building for the series as a whole.

Of course, a contest submission won’t necessarily be published, and most continuity points can be ironed out later when I have more time to flesh out the universe. In any case, how do you deal with this problem? Are there any main world building issues that you make sure to develop first, or others that provide a little wiggle room if something needs to be changed later?

Is that an owl with a monocle?

Kirin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:28:30 +0000

Looks like this week’s going to be a pretty busy one (short story editing and last-minute studying for a professional exam, amongst other things), so I’m aiming to keep my blog posts short this week. I’m in the process of developing a cohesive commentary on different aspects of world building, so keep an eye out for that in weeks to come.

For your amusement today, I offer a macro I ran across some months back. No, these are not characters in my steampunk WIP, though they might fit in there. The macro was created by mrgrim (check out details here) and rendered in full-screen, mesmerizing form at this link.

Sticking to your world

Kirin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:37:11 +0000

I ran across a review by Kiki Howell, where she mentioned that

“To me, as far as world building goes, the challenge is not really creating the world as much as sticking to this world.”

I’m sure authors can debate which side of world building – creating or maintaining – is actually harder. Either way, any SF or fantasy author understands the effort it takes to adhere to your world’s internal logic. As your plots and subplots twist together into action-packed resolutions, it’s easy to mix up a detail or two. It may seem trivial, but this is a big deal – even the tiniest inconsistency can jar the reader out of the story.

Keeping your research handy (and searchable) while writing is half the battle. My style of organization has evolved over the past few years. I started with PBWorks (PBWiki at the time), where I created a free wiki for each world and made a comprehensive entry for characters, places, plot points, and everything else under the alien sun. As I could access the wiki from any computer, it was the perfect tool to allow me freedom to write anywhere.

About a year ago I switched over to another online system, Evernote. The beauty of this service lies in its compatibility with mobile devices. Evernote apps are available on many smart phones, iPods, and the iPad, and you can use it on your computer as well. With my phone app, I can type out a note or take pictures and upload them directly to my account. Files in my account are all accessible on the phone as well, so if I’m writing in a local park with no internet access, I can flip open my phone and check world-building details directly. You can also use a web browser add-on to save clips from web pages with the push of a button. See a web page with some crazy-good inspiration? Clip it and send it directly into one of your Evernote folders.

Another program I use is Scrivner, a writing program for Macs that allows me to write my fiction and also create wiki-esque research folders in the same menu. Sleek and a breeze to use, it’s the best writing program I’ve used. Everything from Evernote gets cross-posted here for even quicker browsing when I’m actually writing my manuscript.

So what are your methods? Do you used online databases or packed filing cabinets to keep everything straight? In any case, it pays to have a system so you can stick to your world and still leave open plenty of time to write.

Weird and Wild Creatures

Kirin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:33:52 +0000

When you’re looking for truly crazy inspiration while creating new species, sometimes you don’t have to look farther than your own backyard. Just ask this owl:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCgbYnNAbSM

Gotta love Mother Nature! My novel in progress, Fledgling, has a lot of mythology centered around avian species. Looks like some of its animals will have a lot in common with this little guy.

Every question you could possibly ask

Kirin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:00:04 +0000

I intended to tweet the following link, but it is so useful that I have to use more than 140 characters to sing its praises. Patricia C. Wrede has posted a list of world building questions for writers to consider when creating their worlds. Wrede’s depth of detail is amazing. Every question you can possibly think of is addressed, from politics and religion to greetings and crime.