Can't Sleep, Clown Will Eat Me

Just kidding. I'm about to pass out in this chair. No fear of insomnia tonight, it is the perfect temperature in my room for sound slumber and I am beat.

Posting a quick progress report. I do these more for me than anything. It's amazing how daunting writing, say, 1000 words sounds until you keep track and realize you kicked out nearly 2000 without even knowing it.

So without further ado...


Vol. 1 Rewrites - Page: 38 | Word Count: 15,213

A Taste For Pressure

It seems simple. Tonight, I plan on doing some writing. But the keys are not calling to me. Nothing is really flowing right. I'm distracted.

I guess we all start out this way - cramming our precious stories into the small spaces between all the millions of other things we must do in a day. Some are better at it than others. They set writing goals for each day that they MUST get done and nail them every time.

I. Do not. Work like this. I am not John McClane. I don't eat pressure for breakfast. I have no problem with deadlines, and I often set short-term goals for myself. But daily? Too many other things that I care about harp for my attention. And a few other neccessities make themselves far more important than I want them to be (ie going to a warehouse to pack office furniture five (and as of late, six) days a week). And I thank GOD for a job in this economy, so don't go giving me that guilt trip.

It's just... I wonder how much I can acomplish when ALL I do is craft my stories. When my tales are my 9-5 (or 8-4:30, or 7-5:30, or...). Will my focus remain on track? I'm sure I'll waver even then. And that's why I sit in this walk-in closet I pretend is an office and try to write, even when the keys aren't talking back. Even when the characters are uninspired at the moment. Because that will happen then, as well, with deadlines and rewrites and publishers needing drafts to get to editors all hanging over my head like an ellaborate timebonb in the basement of an elemtary school. I can hear Simon on the phone already, taunting my every millesecond as I try to cut the correct wire.

Maybe by then I'll develope a taste for pressure. Maybe by then the sweat won't sting my eyes and I'll confidently snip the red one and save the day.

Maybe.

And maybe not. That's kind of the beauty in the act of "trying things".

Either way, I look forward to the test.

G


Vol. 1 Rewrites - Page: 33 | Word Count: 13,415

Reinventing Manilo

Some of you may remember Manilo from a certain blog post featuring a sculpture Matty did a while back of said character. Manilo was one of our earliest creations. The first words ever written to this whole entire story where about him -

High in The Tower of Kharion lived a man that time forgot.

He's seen many changes since his inception, both in appearance/illustration and in his role in the narrative. Tonight I began writing the final version of Manilo, his introduction to the story, and a bit of hypothesizing on his end as to why he's turned into the buffalo-like beast. Another thing this scene will do, however, is to introduce us to the great Kharion, son of the first royal wizard (what we call a gandr in our story) of Eldynwood, Maddix Mirth. Kharion previously made NO appearance in The Sons of The Moon, and I grew to think that was wrong. For one thing, he's our sympathetic villain. Dark Heart's evil is all-encompassing. He is not a man. He is a monster. Kharion is not, and his decisions, like everyone else's in life, where made out of a desire to be more. A selfish and angst-ridden desire, but a normal, human desire nonetheless. Dark Heart never had that choice - he was BORN evil. The war against the throne that Kharion started well before Dark Heart showed up on the scene looked nothing like the war that Dark Heart now raises. Kharion pledges his allegiance to Dark Heart to save his hide, fearing that his powers were no match to DH. But he is conflicted. With the addition of this new Manilo scene (an updated version of the prologue that will no longer appear in the novel), we get a little insight into that conflict and the roles both these supporting characters will be playing in later volumes.

That's kinda the whole idea of these rewrites - collapsing down to the main themes and important characters into congruent and intriquing episodes. So, for example, instead of us meeting Manilo at the beginning of the tale - before we know anything about what he may be talking about or of his signifacance - we meet him just after Baron enters Eldynwood, when we're getting our first tastes of the world he and we are about to dive into. Plus, we get more formally introduced to Kharion. What results is a much sleeker scene with much more relevance, and the opportunity to beginning building on not just one but two important characters.

In other words, I feel the rewrites were warranted and are going swimmingly!

In other news, a potential artist for D6 has passed his "second interview" and Matty should be sending me the results of this dude's hard work sometime today. I'm really excited to see them after hearing how excited Matt was last night. It seems this could be our guy. He just has to pass my approval when I finally sit down and rake him over the coals. Just kidding, I'm an easy sell. I'm sure I'll be blown away. Apparently he's very talented and I'm exciting to bring a new talent to the collaboration table. When we land this guy, though, that means D6 will be VERY close to submission ready, which is also awesome.

I, for one, am very excited for both of the projects to thrive as we begin sending them out around the industry. I hope that you guys are excited, too!!

Dang, I think I used the word "excited" way too many times in this post. And I call myself I writer.

Time to consult the thesaurus!

Take care!

G


Vol. 1 Rewrites - Page: 27 | Word Count: 11,168

Watching A Story Write Itself

It's interesting to see this story come together. Again. And though that may seem contrived to say (how can it come together if it already was???), it just goes to show how important these rewrites are to Matt and I. We laid a solid groundwork. Then we let it simmer for a month or more while we dove into D6. When we came back, our focus was different. D6 is heavily character-driven and visual. It has to be, it's a comic. So when we took a closer look at some of our Eldynwood characters under a microscope... well, they seemed a little thin. So we sorted that out to present satisfaction and dove in!

And last night, something happened. The story wrote itself. Our characters did what they would naturally do, and we tied up a massive loose end in the first chunk of the novel. We had felt weary about leaving a certain scene in or removing it. The character it revolved around had changed, you see. And so this scene didn't work. But there were two scenes book-ending it that needed to be addressed. Thinking about character, thinking about who NEEDS to be introduced and given even a minimal voice at this point in the story, and deciding what bit of history or unneeded (at the moment) philosophy could go to make room for that brought about this perfect melding of plot. When puzzle pieces dropped into place, Matty and I both said it out loud, at the same exact time (that's called love :P). It's great when that wavelength is totally and completely in sync.

And the funny thing is, we hardly did any work. We told the characters what they would do to get there, sure. But they did the leg work and tied it together. So what is this awesome segment about??? You'll have to wait a little while for that answer, but it wonderfully incorporates some of our early mythology into the present Baron/Archer story, gives us insight on the war, and reveals a couple characters pivotal to Volume 3: Befores & Inbetweens.

Yea, I threw out a Vol.3 reference. I live on the edge! Are you salivating yet???

But anyway, if you're not a writer and you've never invested yourself so deeply into characters and their world and their joys and struggles, then I may be speaking Greek. It sounds a little insane to think of these stories having a life of their own. But it's completely true. It's more or less a major theme in TWWMW, in fact. I kinda started thinking about it like this tonight. In a film, the writer sets the stage and creates the character's shell. The actor fills in that character, gives it its identity and persona. Gives it a face and a depth. The director places that character in a setting, in the right lighting, at the right angle... all these tools are used to give us the impression of the character. Writing a novel is a great challenge because Matt and I have to be ALL those things. When we're the writer, than we're writing the skeleton. Doing the grunt work. When we get to act, we pump our life experiences into, our faith or morals or opinions or background into the method of finding the character's voice. A crucial step for sure. But every now and again we get to be the director. The scene is set, the camera is rolling, and we sit back and just watch. Take it all in. Fix the minutia if we must. But otherwise... the foundation has already been laid and our actors, relying on the work of our writers, are performing the magic of show.

We're behind the camera, following the scene as it unfolds. That's where we were last night.

And let me tell you, it was the best seat in the house.

Geoff


Vol. 1 Rewrites - Page: 26 | Word Count: 10,674

Round Two! Fight!

The rewrites have begun.

Yes, I know "rewrite" is a word many of you blog readers hear often. It happens a lot around here as we try to shape the story into what it needs to be. This is the foundation for what will be three more novels in this series, plus a possible two prequels and two "sequels" that follow the exploits of some of our main character's kids (Eldynwood: The New Class... Eldynwood: The College Years?... Eldynw - well, we'll hit on a title eventually...). So Book 1 is of utmost importance.

So for those of your dear sweet readers and critique-rs who have already traveled through Eldynwood with us, or have even just read a few excerpts here on the blog, I warn you now: change is coming. And we will be in need of your support and service again in the near future. If you're interested in critiquing the new (and final) version of the story, whether you read any of the first versions or not, get a hold of me by the magic of e-mail.

Some things to expect in the rewrites:

• A new beginning - namely, a re-envisioned first chapter. The prologue is gone, but a Manilo scene similar to it will appear later in the book. We thought it best to dive right in with who this story was about - Baron - and save the cryptic history lessons and prophecies for later in the narrative. (Thanks to Joseph Robert Lewis, vigilante author and heroic spaceman, for offering up that suggestion, as well as many others in his critique.)
• Archer - the confident hero. No more dark, shady past. No more questionable ethics in years gone by. Archer's been a hero since day one, and has sought to do the right thing above all else. He's the Robin Hood of our tale, a wanted criminal in the eyes of Wrong, a hero to those oppressed, and a real enormous thorn in The Dark Heart's side.
• Some re-imagined Wishmaker stuff (much is back story, which will have to stay hidden til a later date...)
• A new and improved Book of Prophecies, now forever being referred to as The Memorandum. The Memo will still hold a pivotal place in our tale, but the emphasis is being lifted from it. ("You're not all powerful, silly book." "Well I should be!!" ... sorry.)

So yes, things are in full swing. I tore through some great rewrites last night and are into chapter 3 now (the new chapter 5... yes, there will be more chapters.) But never fear fans, most of it was copy-paste. We're not changing Baron into a girl who was raised by a vampire family in the Arizona desert before falling into Eldywood through a mine shaft or anything... (though vamps are pretty in right now... hmmm....). It's just some minor tweaking for the most part, some major stuff here and there.

Matty has also been going back through the manuscript and basically rewriting it in "Bones Style". That means it sounds like a kid's book, basically, very visual and cut-and-dry. I think he'll one day leave me in the YA jungle and go off to make his illustration books like I'm Too Big For My Bed: A Story of Acceptance staring a giant humanoid bunny rabbit with over-sized feet (true story). But that day is not today. Anyways, the different perspective has been awesome, and some of his writings have made their way into the rewrites. Of course, we've split up the story creation pretty equally (many of these characters were actually Matt's before I came along - we gave them context together), but I've been the one, for the most part, penning every word in manuscript. Matty's more hands-on approach to the little things between the big things he helped create is definitely adding to the feel of the tale.

So all and all, things are going swimmingly. We finished out story a few months back, got lots of feedback from friends and fellow writers, sent out some agent submissions and learned all about the ups and downs of the query process, and now we're cleaning things up to finalize the first volume of the tale of our Eldynwood. It's been a wild ride thus far, and I'm sure much more is in store for YB.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support and I will write again soon!!

G

The Ballad of Knife & Spoon

Allow me to serve my created purpose, and I will show you a blade the likes of which the world has never seen.
I will cut to your core with skilled, impassioned words; stab into your soul with the poignancy of sharp and biting words.
Allow me to fillet you with a tale,
Carve you a story with lush and labor-less strokes.
Widdle you a song in a mere breath or two.
All of this I can do.
For I am a knife.
Serrated and deadly, perfect in the hands of one who can appreciate the delicacy and danger of every touch; of the surface it can mar or the life it can change.
I've been ribboned by the steel of stories countless time, by artisans greater than I.
But I feel that my time to try the cutting has come.

I need your permission, however.
I need you to pick me up and take me in.
Allow me to invade your senses and then slip back into my sheath, appearing and reappearing like a sliver moon in a clouded sky.
Leaving your perspective forever different.
Leaving you scarred, and all the wiser for having met the blade.
Think of me as a knife - respect the silver tongue of a born cutting instrument - and I will be just that and more.

But see me as, say, a spoon, and I will be confined to a spoon's persona.
Harmless.
Forgettable.
Dredging regretfully through a sordid stew of a life in which I don't belong.
Scooping up the brown broth of complacency. Forever a slave to someone else's needs.
Forever void of means to cut my own path.
A life lived out of place and far from purpose.
Am I this spoon?
I cannot be.
Mine is the life of a knife.
I feel it with every laceration I try to make upon this word; with every story crafted and told.
I can touch it; taste it like warmth and iron - like a cut and bleeding lip.
I can see my path and purpose.

So why can't you?

Reinventing The Archer

Hello people of the Interweb!

Geoff here. I don't find time to blog on this site as much as I used to, and for that I am sorry. It seems that since I moved back to Zeeland, what I thought would be more time for writing has turned into less. I have three projects I'm working on right now, which is good because my mind needs variety to survive. But it leaves a little less time for TWWMW.

Last night at a YB meeting at my new pad with Matty, after discussions of Disciple 6 (I'm doing page layouts for Matty to sketch into while he interviews potential artist collaboration), our thoughts again turned to Eldynwood. I was struggling with some character issues, especially with Archer, Wishmaker, and The Dark Heart -- solidifying some things that will hopefully solidify their significance and their relationship. I was struggling with how much of Archer we let our readers now about. He's forever been a man shrouded in mystery, and we still will keep some of that. But there was this underlining fact that Archer used to WORK for The Dark Heart. I was trying to figure out how to blend that in subtly without being trite.

Matty left, both our minds filled with the questions the night posed. About 5 seconds after he left my house, he calls me.

"How bout this. Archer never worked for Dark Heart."

It seemed so simple, that as soon as he said it, I knew it was the right choice. Archer needs to be a character that ALWAYS walked in the light of Right, has ALWAYS been a thorn in Dark Heart's side, and has always been searching for his purpose. A hero, cut and dry. None of this brooding or mysterious mentality we want to give all our heroes these days. He does the right thing, every time. All the time. I think this will greatly add to the strength of the character, and do away with any needless ambiguity.

There's more to ponder as I read the manuscript over, taking notes on character, important history and places, and such. But at least I have a solid new direction to shape Archer. Mind you, there's still a mystery to him. But it will never be whether he is a good man or not.

I'll write again soon as we begin to dive back into Eldynwood for a second round of revised agent submissions! Take care.

G

Every Day Is A New Day

Hello friends. It has been a while. Just wanted to jot down some thoughts.

There have been a lot of changes in my life as of late. I think they've all been positive steps in the right direction. Some, however, have been easier to swallow than others.

For example, I've joined the praise team at my church in Holland. It's something that I've done at a few other churches and have loved, so I feel really blessed to a part of a great, young community here in town. We're doing some very exciting things, and I've gotten to play guitar three Sundays in a row as I've been called to fill in for people. Usually each team member plays about once a month. It's been a great way for me to meet people quickly and display my talents and praise God in a more "interactive" way. I've always liked to be a part of things; it helps me connect to worship more. (If you're curious, I go to Engedi Church and their website is here!)

In the same regard, the move back to Zeeland has been difficult. It has it's ups and downs, you know? I hardly see any of my friends in GR anymore, and that is where the majority of my friends live. My best friend, Keenan, however, is also moving back to Zeeland this weekend. So hopefully we'll get to spend some time together. Not that I have much of it.

Time.

What a persistant and annoying thought in my mind. I feel that there are not enough hours in the day to do and be what it is I want to do and be. I've been trying to concentrate on getting into healthy writing habits, but it feels too forced. Plus, other parts of my life begin to suffer. There's always this job I have to go to 40hrs I week. It pays the bills and keeps life crawling forward. But is that enough? Were we just put here to work for someone else doing things we don't feel any passion for until we either get laids off unexpectedly or manage to retire in 50 years? I've been really struggling with this. I hate that I don't have enough time to write. It's my greatest passion and love, something I feel that I'm really good at and that I feel God wants me to pursue. And yet there are so many "distractions" surrounding me every day. I keep praying for the focus to figure things out.

Last night I got in a pretty big fight with my wife about some private things I won't go into on this blog. The point is, I went to bed pretty depressed. So did she. But I woke up this morning with a renewed vision of how I want my life and marriage to look. God brought that to me, and I feel blessed by some revelations I've had this morning about myself and my faults, as well what comes next in this continuing chapter of my little family. I know that things are generally not as bad as they seem when we're willing to step back and take a look at ourselves objectively, with an open heart, from a place of humility and love. That sounds corny as all, but it's true!

Anyhow. The stories (that's the point of this blog, right?) are clipping along nicely. As more stories become priority (such as Disciple 6, which we're working on intently right now) this blog will probably expanded into all projects, not just The World Within My Walls. So keep checking in with us for updates on all the progress! Thanks for listening to me vent and for supporting YoungBones Entertainment. I'll blog again this weekend with specific updates on our three priority projects.

Take Care!

Geoff

In the Wake of it All

Greetings there Nuethonians. Just thought I would write a little bit of love for all who have been behind Geoff and I on this quest. I love the World within my Walls. Book 1 is finally complete, and now questions have come up. Self publish? Move on to next project? Put the dream down? I say Nay! (in using the term nay, i have realized it is the most positive way to say NO, and it still sounds good!)

though self publishing might take place, I feel that book one has at least several more drafts to go through before considering the alternative. A balance needs to be met. On one hand you have a story you can call "done" and boom go with it. on the other extreme, we could edit, and change and edit and change until we are blue in the face, and we don't want that. But like I said. Balance. I feel that is the key.

Geoff has started book 2, and I am looking forward to seeing the stories move on. See characters grow, and to see the plots continue to unfold.

We have talked about several other projects. Geoff has some really cool short movie ideas. I have my usual comic book sweetness.

Balance.


Dreams will not be put down. or aside. As we look forward to the future of this creation we appreciate prayers and thoughts. Being a dreamer is harder as you get older, because of everyone around you. Yes, there are those who choose support over a roll of the eyes. But the eye rollers will always be there.

This happens to be the world within my walls is it not?


huh.


it shall be how I choose.





I love you all................. for going to my blog also!!! haha ideasfrommars.blogspot.com!!


Mattybones out!

It Has Been a While...

... since last I posted. I tried to post a week ago at work and when I clicked "publish", it did nothing. Gotta love when the system randomly crashes. LAME!

So work has been going well on YB projects. Matt and I have been talking a lot about his comic book he's been working on for years now called Disciple 6 (read more about it on his blog). We are preparing it for submission to Image Comics, as well as possible some others. Should be very cool.

On the WWMW front, I have dove into volume 2. It's coming along nicely, I'm almost finished with the first chapter. It's been a little difficult getting my head back into the characters, and as these books progressive, they jump around Eldynwood's time line a lot more, so that's always difficult to follow continuity. But other than that, I feel good about starting the next piece of the puzzle!

Agent hunts are going well. As of now we have submitted to many agents and have heard back from a little over half. We have another researched batch to e-query and about a half-dozen to snail mail out. I'll be printing up all the submission packets this week for those punks who hate trees.

I also will be moving back to Zeeland from Grand Rapids in about two weeks. I have mixed emotions about this move, for I've always been the kind of guy who liked being away from the hometown -- even if only by a half hour or so. But the good reason for the move is that I will be about equal distance between my parent's place and Matty's. So I'll get to see the fam more, and Matt and I only will be only moments away from mad writer sessions. So that's dope.

Enjoy the big game if you're watching it. I'm gonna run to the store with my Mom. I will post again this week!!! Take care!!!

G