Hi, I’m Adam and I’m a writer. That makes me sound like an alcoholic. I’m not. In fact, I hardly drink at all. Don’t like the taste of most booze. Unlike Sunita Kumar, who is partial to a cherry vodka or three.
Anyway, I thought that I would share a little bit about my writing process that helped in the creation of my new novella Murder Planet, now on sale through Breaking Rules Publishing. Please buy it. You’ll enjoy it.
Having to juggle a full-time job and a social life alaong with my writing has resulted in me doing “little and often” writing. I try to do at least 10-15 minutes a day (except Sunday) of ‘writing’, which covers everything from plot development to research to the actual typing.
I use both a desktop PC and a tablet for my writing, with Microsoft’s OneDrive allowing me to access my writing from wherever I am in the world, along as I have a Wi-Fi connection.

Planning

However, for planning, as someone born in the relatively early days of home computing, I still use paper nearly exclusively for jotting down notes and making various rough drawings of things – I carry a notebook in my workbag so I can write down ideas when they occur to me, although I admittedly don’t always do so immediately.  It’s hard to do that when standing in a crowded commuter train.
In fact, I am currently in the process of scanning my extensive collection of paper notes that go back over 20 years.

Notes for a character that ultimately did not make it into Murder Planet

Influences

One of the fundamentals of any fictional work is memorable characters. Sunita Kumar, my main protagonist, has evolved considerably over the years – she was originally a captain in her 40s and her daughter a stroppy teenager. Her general disregard for social conventions is based on some of my own favourite female characters in recent fiction; for example, I can spot elements of Sameen Shaw in Person of Interest, although Sunita lacks her combat skills.
Indeed, television shows have proved a major influence in my character creation. The whole concept of ‘Spacees’, basically Romani (albeit from all ethnicities – Sunita is of Tamil heritage) in space, originated from an episode of Call the Midwife featuring their waterborne cousins. In creating a new culture based on an existing one, I am trying to be culturally true to a group and avoid using negative stereotypes; Sunita’s wedding had a tacky carriage, but she was pleased when it got set on fire in a mass brawl.
In particular, the cult classic Blake’s 7, which I watched in re-runs when I was growing up, has had a major influence. Fans of it may be able to spot a reference or two in Murder Planet.
Another major influence was Alien – a classic space horror that has stood the test of time. The aesthetic of that movie has strongly influenced the story; the crew of Tulyar are basically truckers and wear jumpsuits like that worn by Sigourney Weaver in that movie. That whole aesthetic has a name – cassette futurism – something I learned the other day.
Any space drama needs a ‘hero’ ship, that looks cool even if it is a complete pile of junk. Tulyar is intended to be an ageing but still highly capable merchant ship. The vessel, down to its name, is inspired by the British Rail Class 55 locomotive, known universally to railway enthusiasts (like me) as the “Deltic” and much loved by them. 100 mile an hour capable in an era where that was uncommon, they accelerated services in Britain’s East Coast Main Line and remained in service until 1981. The blue and yellow paint job that they sported from the mid-1960s onwards is shared by Tulyar, one of the six survivors of the 22 built.
​

I was recently asked to say a bit about my writing style and how it seems to be Totally Different from the main stream of Story Tellers who are pumping out book after book.  This conundrum, “to be quite honest,” is something that I’ve never actually thought about. 
     Well, let me rephrase that.
   For those that are in the know, Alaska Angelini is a Very Famous Author and Dear Family Member of mine who is to blame for my decision to finally become the writer that I’ve professed that I was always going to be.
    That’s because The Darkened Maiden of Erotica beat me to it first.
    And, she unknowingly stoked my jealousy button after I learned of her success.
    Before I got started, I asked my Cousin what her best advice would be when writing a book and this is what she said.
    Write your book Exactly how the characters speak to you, Bad Words And All.  Don’t obsess on what they are, “or not,” doing or saying and allow the story line to breathe and grow.  If a publisher has an issue with it, they will tell you. 
    That was the exact same advice she was given.
    I believe that’s the difference between Traditional and Non-Traditional writing. 
    I see the Traditionalist always worrying about what is being said and done within the pages of their book.  Personally, it feels as if They are trying to please the masses instead of growing and expanding the depths of their inner Author.
    “To Me,” this stifles and damages the free flow thinking of the Story Teller.
    DON’T DO THAT!
    If the characters are pulling you towards letting their freak flags fly, allow them that honor.  The reasons and actions of why they do what they are doing will end up making a Great and Insightful Tale.
    By following that advice, my first book, (YEAR OF THE CICADA,) NOT ONLY turned out to be One Hell Of A Story, but I also expect it to be one of the Most CONTROVERSIALLY ENJOYED Books to be written in this day and age.
    At some point, If the world ever decides, “once again,” that certain books must be banned and burned for their content, I’m Absolutely Certain that It’s Boundary Breaking Pages will place it high on the list of OH MY GOD, HOW DARE HE GO THERE!
    I believe that willingness of letting it flow formatting is what will end up making me a Great and Sought-After Author.
    That, and the fact my books are designed to keep My Fans on their toes and always Second-guessing what kind of outcomes might just happen to be laying around that next corner of Intrigue, Shock and Suspense.
    Still To This Day, I’m one of those readers who will put a book down, “and probably never pick it up again,” if I’m not engaged within the first Five to Ten pages.  And if by some chance it hasn’t enthralled me by the end of that first chapter, our time together is officially done.
    That is the Main Foundation when it comes to my writing. 
    I expect my readers to be Fully Mesmerized and Addicted to my stories by the time they turn that next page.
    The other reason I consider myself a Non-Traditional Author is do to the fact that I Refuse to write my stories just to please everyone out there.  Because of how different people can be, I know for a fact that the miracle of making the masses happy ISN’T going to happen.
    Besides that, I would be doing myself a Horrible Injustice.
    To me, a Traditional Writer goes with the grain and is afraid to make waves. 
    LOLOL, That’s So Not Me.
    I Love Making Waves.
    I’ve made So Many Waves with YEAR OF THE CICADA, “Do To Its Graphic Language, Sexual Subject Matter, Adult Situations and Taboo Characters,” that only a few of my friends and family members who are free thinkers have been able to finish it. 
    And Those that did, Loved Every Delectable Page.
    To This Day, I blame my dad Denise Lancaster for that wicked sense of writing and humor that I Purposely place in All of my books.
    In 1974, “at the age of 5,” we went to the drive-inn to see The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  In 1979, “when I was 10,” he let us watch Dawn Of The Dead.  At 13, “2 weeks before going to Boy Scout Camp for the 1st time,” he took us to see Friday the 13th.
    Needless to say, the SECLUDED camp was on a lake in the deep, dark woods of Conroe Texas. 
    “And by the way,” our campsite was the VERY LAST ONE at the Far End of the Pitch-Black Woods.
    Right Where A Serial Killer ALWAYS Starts!
    So, I guess someone could Honestly Say that there has Never been anything Traditional about me or my upbringing.  That darkened foundation was also do to the fact that I was a geek growing up and could always be found hanging, “and performing,” with the Drama club and those that were deemed outcast.
    Being an Ex Carnie with a quirkiness for Evil Clowns is another Cherished Gem as to my weirdness too. 
    They are physically making me input that acknowledgement concerning their influences about my writings because they want their involvement literarily acknowledged amongst the public and academic world also.
    HAPPY NOW?
    Anyways, back to the main reason of why I’m writing this piece about the difference between Traditional and Non-Traditional writers.
    If I was to ask you to name off a handful of Traditional writers, most people couldn’t do it.  But when it comes to Non-Traditional Story Tellers, we can All spout off Author’s like King, Rowling’s, H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe.
    They have all gone against the grain at some point in their writing careers and have the success and cult like followings to show for it.
    That is the path I hope to not only be on, but that is the plan I will continue staying with.
    I hope to Never have my literary accomplishments tossed into the everyday pile of, “Whatever”.  My goal is to Stand Out, Cause Waves and to be Unique in Every Aspect of my  writing. 
    And that’s the choice Every Writer has to make when entering the Gladiator Arena of becoming an accomplished author.
    Once You enter the battlefield, are You just going to go along with the flow or stand your ground and fight for what is yours.  I can Honestly say that if you are one who tends to blend in with all the others, your success as a Remembrall Author will More Than Likely Not Happen.
    But, if you are willing to Fight, Bleed and Stand Up for what You Believe In; the Starving Reader of Non-Traditional writing will come knocking on Your Door for that next Block Buster of a Novel that could end up changing the world.
    So, Never Back Down or Succumb to those who might mean well or act like they have your best interest at heart.  For if you do; that one story only you can tell the way it Demands To Be Told, will fade away into nothing and people like me will never get the pleasure of reading a tale that could have been your magic carpet ride to Literary Acknowledgement, Phenomenal Success and quite possibly Fame and Fortune.
    No Matter The Cost, Your breakout moment will eventually come when You are Finally Willing to be Your Actual Self and allow Your Soul and Spirit to write the way it is meant to be written. 
    Never let other’s enslave that which was meant to be free.
    You and Your Free-Thinking Words.
    To All my Brothers and Sisters who are walking the same path that I am currently on, I say this.
    Write My Friends.
    Write.
    Allow the Idea to lift you up. 
    Enjoy its refreshing wordage upon the page.
    And, “once you’re done,” soak in the accomplishments warm embrace.
    The words, ideas and memorable characters that are crying out to speak, will all be heard once you find your peace and that sweet, sweet spot of contentment which only comes once you are willing to surrender to that which is demanding to be written.
    Now, its your turn to make a decision.
    What kind of Author are You planning on becoming.
    Traditional OR Non-Traditional?
    “AND FOR GOD’S SAKES!” Don’t Let Or Allow Others To Make What Could Be An Enslaving Choice For You.
    This is Your Walk to walk and No One Else’s.
    So, Stop Procrastinating and Start Writing.
    Your success will only materialize after you begin placing one word after the next.
    Hopefully I Will See You at the finish line, but Only You can choose and make that Life Changing Option.
    I wish All Of You the Best and Happy writing.
    Sincerely E.A. Green / The Greenman.
 
    If you are interested in reading any of my Non-Traditional writings, “Year of The Cicada, Father May I, Flesheaters, Just Jellies, My kids series Don’t Let The Bedbugs Bite, and some of my short stories,” they can ALL be found at Breakingrulespublishing.com or that other place called Amazon.
    Look for the release of my next Non-Traditional Novel, REAL SKIN, here in the near future.

-E.A. Green

​Sooooooooooo, a lot of thoughts and ideas today – this week and I thought that I would share. I posted this information  on our Facebook page earlier this week. As I was writing it I thought that it would make for a great blog post. So, here you go.
 
The thought behind the blog is to make you wonder and to hopefully make you see the benefits. For when Breaking Rules Publishing was created the idea was to also create a writing community to continue to help promote and encourage each other. The idea – we are stronger together than we are alone.

​So –
 
I wonder what would happen if we all took the time and started to help promote each other’s books - tagged our friends, family and followers and other authors in our friends list in our posts that we create. It might take you a minute to collect names to tag at first – but if you created a list in a word doc – you could easily cut and past the names and add to the list as needed. That would certainly make it easy. Agreed?

​I wonder if our authors and marketing team should coordinate that?
 
I wonder how we can get more of our authors on board with this?

Consider this if you will - if there were 150 plus people sharing your books on their own social media - how many people could you reach? How many people all over the world would be able to see your book, read your blurb, witness your cover art – experience you as a writer? Seriously, just how many?

​Well the answer is – and this is on the low side.
 
Imagine 150 people with an average of 2000 friends – I realize that we all don’t have 2000 friends on our list – but some have more that will average it out. My idea is - considering that only 16% of your friends actually see your posts - that leaves about 320 people per person – that would equal about 54,000 people - all over the world looking at your book and possibly buying it.
 
The challenge isn’t to get people to actual see your book. The challenge is to get authors and writers on board. To really commit to the idea and project to make it work. Right off the bat we have negative Nelly’s telling you that it won’t work. That they can’t seem to get people started or interested. The idea is good – the follow through is where it all falls apart.

​
So here is my challenge – I’m willing to share and post your work on all of the BRP social media sites – if you’re willing to post about my own books – then I’ll share you on my own page – I’ll share my 5000 friends  and nearly 2000 followers with you. But it has to be a tit for tat situation. If you’re willing – so am I.

Breaking Rules Publishing continues to accept submissions in all genres from writers around the world. Email us at info@breakingrulespublishing.com or visit our website at www.breakingrulespublishing.com.

If you’d asked me this when I was younger, I’d have said “Shapeshifting”, without a moment’s hesitation for reflection.  I mean, who wouldn’t want the powers of Chameleon Boy, or Mystique?  The ability to become anything or anyone, to literally embody the hero of every espionage story, the chance to try new things?  I, for one, would never be budged from this perspective.

​            

Until I grew up.  In the words of Inigo Montoya, it’s been (more than) twenty years, and I’m starting to lose confidence, at least in terms of those fantastical terms.  On the other hand, there is a superpower, it is possible to cultivate, and I know it’s true because I’ve got it.
Behold my glorious, best heroic self---Captain Time-Management!
Think about it for a moment (but only a moment; we all have things to do!).  What is the most valuable commodity?  What should the virgins make the most of?  What flies when you’re having fun?
Okay, diamonds, self-esteem, and kites, respectively, all might work, but the answer, of course, is time.  We can control what we do, how long we spend doing or mastering it, but ultimately every endeavor in our lives competes with every other thing we invest ourselves into--family, self-care, work, play--for time.
​

 
Finding time to write within the maelstrom of modern life for most of us can be a juggling act of epic proportions.  (We’re talking flying chainsaws here.)  Hence my contention that time management is, indeed a desirable superpower.
Maximize what you can do in the time you have for it.  If you’re more creative, focused, awake, make use of that particular time of day by setting it aside and protecting it.  As a writer, make time to write, but make the most of non-writing time to contribute to that writing time’s efficiency:
I tend to solve plot conundrums when time and creativity allow, like when I’m exercising, or on a long drive.  When I return to the computer, I’ve already got the answers to make the most of the writing time.
When I get stuck, I move on to something else worth doing, rather than wasting my ‘writing time’ being unproductive.  My mind is free to roam when I’m doing the dishes, or folding laundry, or commuting to work.
Talk about ideas with someone whose opinions you value: a friend, a loved one, fellow writers, and use that feedback when you sit back down to plunk words onto paper or the computer.
Remember that there are a lot of strategies to make the most of the time we have available, and a lot of ways to get the job done.  And while time-management skills may not be the sexiest hero's backstory, it beats the crap out of radiation exposure, spider bites, and lost artifacts of power.
 

Are you in a self-editing nightmare?
Here are 9 Simple Ways to Edit Your Manuscript.

A writers’ victories are short-lived indeed.
For a brief moment after completing a first draft, writers sit back, breathe a sigh of relief, post a self-congratulatory humble brag on their social media sites about finishing their manuscript, and then immediately think about that one character we forgot to really complete, or that we’re pretty sure we overused the word “that” instead of “than,” or that those squiggly red lines scattered throughout our manuscript are surely incorrect.

In other words, the joys of #amwriting give way to the trials of #amediting.

As a strong believer that every author needs an editor, your first line of literary defense shouldn’t be a professional editor. Rather, you need to learn how to self-edit before sending your manuscript off for that second pair of eyes.
Breaking Rules Publishing offers full-service editing packages and payment plans that are affordable to everyone. We have witnessed dozens of simple mistakes authors constantly make. If only they’d take the time to learn and incorporate better self-editing techniques, they would become better writers; endear themselves to their editors, and maybe even save money on a professional edit.

Check out our editing services on the Breaking Rules Publishing website –www.breakingrulespublishing.com.

If you think that you’re ready to self-edit your book, take a look at these 10 tips that will help you out:

1. Rest yourself and your manuscript

When you’ve finished typing the last word of your masterpiece, set it aside for a few days. If you can stand it, set it aside for a week or more. Many writers place their finished drafts in a drawer for at least a week before looking at them again.
Why rest your draft for so long? It’s easy - you want to try to forget everything you’ve written so that when you do come back to it with fresh eyes, and the best way to do that is to rid your mind of what’s been filling it for so long.

2. Listen to your manuscript

Hearing your words spoken makes mistakes glaringly obvious. You can enlist a (very patient) friend to read it to you, or you can go the friendship-saving route, which has the benefit of being free: use your computer’s built-in speech synthesis function.
For PC users, make use of Narrator, part of the system’s Ease of Access Center. Press “Windows+U” and click “Start Narrator.” Since the program is intended for blind users, it will automatically begin to read any text your mouse encounters. To turn this off, hit “Control.” To have Narrator read a paragraph, place your cursor at its beginning and type “Caps Lock + I.” To have Narrator read an entire page, press “Caps Lock + U.”

3. Search for troubling words

All writers have specific words and phrases that 

(which?) always cause them to (too?) second-guess whether (weather?) they’re (their?) using them correctly. If you know what your (you’re?) troubling words are, use your word processor’s search function to locate every possible variant of that word or phrase.
To help you consider what your troubling words might be, here’s a good starting list.
·          a lot/a lot
·          affect/effect
·          can/may
·          further/farther
·          good/well
·          i.e./e.g.
·          into/in to
·          it’s/its
·          lay/lie
·          less/fewer
·          that/who
·          their/they’re/there
·          then/than
·          who/whom
·          your/you’re
If you’re unsure of how to properly use these words, there’s no shame in looking them up.

4. Remove or replace your crutch words

Do you know the top 10 words you use most frequently in your manuscript?
Outside of necessary articles and prepositions, you may be surprised at what words you tend to use over and over. One client of mine used “suddenly” too often, making every action seem unnecessarily rushed. Some new writers have crutch words that tend to fly in the face of the age-old encouragement for all writers to “eschew obfuscation.”
In other words, they tend to cash in ten-dollar words when five-cent words suffice.
Many writers put words on the paper that are an indication of how they speak. This is fine – just remember that your reader may not understand and you may need to explain your way of speech somewhere to give them a hint about what is going on. “With,” is something that I personally have an issue with. “Do you want to come with? Go with.” And, on and on. So consider your reader as you write.
No matter how you determine your crutch words, go back through your manuscript and see where you can remove or replace them with something fresher.

5. Remove all double spaces at the end of sentences

If tapping two spaces following your sentences is an age-old habit ingrained into you since before the dawn of modern digital typography, may I suggest ingraining another practice? It simply is no longer done, so find a new habit.

6. Search for problematic punctuation

Are you a comma chameleon, adapting that otherwise innocent punctuation mark to do work it was never meant to do? Or does your manuscript need a semicolonoscopy — a thorough check-up on proper semicolon and colon placement?.
If you know you have trouble with certain punctuation marks, conduct a search for that mark and figure out whether you’re using it correctly. If you’re still unsure, let your editor fix it, but make a note to ask him why.

7. Run spell check or use an automated editing program

I think writers become too accustomed to the colorful squiggles under words and sentences on their digital pages; I know I do. In an effort to get ideas on the page, we might run rampant over grammar and usage.
Yet those squiggles mean something. At the very least, run spell check before sending your manuscript to an editor or beta reader. It’s a built-in editor that I’m not sure every writer uses to their advantage. You may not accept every recommendation, but at least you’ll save your editor some time correcting basic errors.

8. Format accordingly

While preferred styles may differ from one editor to the next, you can show your professionalism by formatting your manuscript to conform to industry standards.
Such formatting makes it easier for beta readers to consume, and editors prefer industry-standard formatting, which allows them more time to edit your actual words instead of tweaking your formatting. Here are some basic formatting tips:

• Send your manuscript as a Word document (.doc or .docx).
• Use double-spaced line spacing. If you’ve already written your book with different line spacing, select all of your text in Word, click Format > Paragraph, then select “Double” in the drop-down box under “Line spacing.”
• Use a single space following periods.
• Use black, 12-point, Times New Roman as the font.
• Don’t hit tab to indent paragraphs. In Word, select all of your text, then set indentation using Format > Paragraph. Under “Indentation” and by “Left,” type .5. Under “Special,” choose “First line” from the drop-down menu. [Note: Nonfiction authors may opt for no indention, but if they do so they must use full paragraph breaks between every paragraph.]
• The first paragraph of any chapter, after a subheader, or following a bulleted or numbered list shouldn’t be indented.

9. Don’t over-edit

Set aside an hour or two to go through this list with your manuscript, but be careful about over-editing. You may start seeing unnecessary trees within your forest of words, but you don’t want to raze to the ground what you’ve toiled so hard to grow.
A middle path exists between exhausting yourself in a vain attempt for perfection and being too lazy to run spell check. Do yourself and your book a favor and self-edit, but be careful not to go overboard.
In the end, you’re going to want a second pair of eyes to look at your manuscript. Plus, going through the editing process with a professional editor will help you become a better self-editor the next time you write a book.
Again – look to the Breaking Rules Publishing Services page to find our editing packages. And remember – we’re here to help you, if you need a payment plan, don’t be shy, we more than understand. You only need to ask.

www.breakingrulespublishing.com - Check us out!

As always, Breaking Rules Publishing continues to accept submissions in all genres from writers around the world. Simply email us at info@breakingrulespublishing.com