Redwing’s Gambit Design Essay Round-Up and Reviews

Redwing’s Gambit has been out now for a little while. I just finished the design essay series about this story based on the Bulldogs! RPG, am knee-deep in revisions for the Kickstarter short story, and am reading a portion of the tale at Balticon this weekend. Since I covered quite a bit of the process on my blog, I thought I’d grab those links for you and a few quotes from the reviews.

One reviewer pointed out what so many other fans have told me, that Fang was their favorite character: First of all, it has an ass kicking teddy bear. How do you go wrong with that? I haven’t enjoyed reading about a teddy bear this much since The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin. The story is basically a ragtag bunch of space couriers, whose job is to deliver a “package”, which pretty much sums up the Bulldogs game….well, minus all the hijinks that can ensue.

This reviewer figured out what my goal was for the novella and then went on to talk about the characters. “Redwing’s Gambit is a pleasant mix of science fiction action and suspense. Valentinelli deftly weaves her narrative through the corridors of the Haldis. Traditional sci-fi tropes such as the mysterious ship saboteur and disappearing crew members fit well for the story that Valentinelli is telling. As someone who had no previous exposure to Galileo Games Bulldogs setting, the use of these traditional tropes helped to keep me in the story as I built my understanding of the universe.”

You can read both of those reviews beneath the http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007O7PFWU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=flamesrising-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007O7PFWU>Redwing’s Gambit on Amazon.com listing.

I dove deep into the design essays so you could get a feel for the process. Here’s a list of articles with excerpts for you to check out if you haven’t already:

  • Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Revisions and Cut Text – Part 4 of 5 – I have about 7 to 10,000 words of cut text that I removed from Redwing’s Gambit during the revisions process. Once I erased Dan Daget’s character, I restructured the flow of the different perspectives and ensured that they read correctly. The biggest reason for the revisions, however, was to reduce any extraneous worldbuilding or plot hooks to keep the pace strong. With this being a novella, that meant minimizing certain aspects and also changing the strength of the relationship between Violet and the security chief to one of hidden, but mutual, feelings for one another. This first bit was altered because the spying robots was less important than Xax or Edna’s kidnapping.
  • Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Structure and Plot – Part 3 of 5 – After I had an approved story and treatment, I went to work writing the first and second draft. My inclination was not to offer one perspective, but to offer several. A mystery just did not work from an observer’s point-of-view because I had a lot of characters and they’re all not physically located in the same place on the ship. The logistics of having Dan sneak around like a ninja were not only boring — but creepy and Clueish. So, I added in other perspectives straight off the bat. I knew multiple viewpoints (there are three) was outside of how I normally write, but I felt it was necessary for a good story.
  • Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Characters and Treatment – Part 2 of 5 – The treatment evolved from the original concept for a number of reasons. At the time, I thought the story required one perspective, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. One mystery in a closed environment was “okay,” but it wasn’t enough for the readers to get a feel of what makes Bulldogs! a cool science fiction setting. Initially, my thinking was that an observant character could really dig into and tell a tale, highlighting the different aspects of the alien races and the worlds. Boy, was that ever wrong! While that technique sounds good, it didn’t work when I started writing it because I bored myself going on and on and on…
  • Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Research and Background Part 1 of 5

    • – The first question I asked myself was not about what story I wanted to write, but how I wanted to present the tale in such a way that felt more like Fate than d20. I had played Spirit of the Century and I also participated in a game run by Ryan Macklin, too. In my mind, Fate really emphasizes and focuses on relationships or the ties that connect and bind the characters to one another.

May 16, 2012
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National Flash Fiction Day! Read or Add Your Own!

This morning, I found out from author Saladin Ahmed this morning that it’s National Flash Fiction Day. He posted a link to his flash fiction piece which debuted on Strange Horizons called Doctor Diablo Goes Through the Motions.

I really like flash fiction because it allows me to sharpen my plots and prose in a confined space. When I’m short on time, it also forces me to stay grounded and focused, too. I’ve written a “few” pieces over the years for myself, publishers, and readers. In recent memory, the piece that I wrote titled The Message was a ton of fun. I enjoy secret codes and hidden messages and hope you will, too. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good mystery. 🙂

To my recollection, there’s a few authors who post plot seeds for flash fiction. Chuck Wendig does this every Friday and I know Lili Saintcrow does this on occasion, too.

Hope you get the chance to enjoy National Flash Fiction Day! If you’ve got a favorite piece out there, whether it’s yours or something someone else wrote, feel free to add a link to it in the comments below.

    Mood: Feeling a little behind.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Two with a side of four.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walkin’ with mah boots.
    In My Ears: Nothing.
    Game Last Played: Battle Nations
    Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter as part of a marathon
    Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch
    Latest Release: “Don’t Ignore Your Dead” included in Don’t Read This Book for the Don’t Rest Your Head RPG
May 16, 2012
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Round-Up of My Freelancing Articles

It’s been almost a year since I’ve been writing about freelancing for Geek’s Dream Girl, so I thought I’d grab the links for you to read with a short excerpt from each article.

  • Calling all Freelancers! Adventure to Dice Castle: Before we head out on our quest to Dice Castle, there are a couple of things we need to figure out. First? We’re going to take a look at your character sheet to see what’s already there. Oh, and for those of you who decide to min/max this process? There will be some opportunities for that, too. You’re a Commoner at the moment, but with any luck you’ll be a Freelancer in no time. So sayeth the GM, so shall it be done.
  • Tools and Equipment: Adventure to Dice Castle: To become a professional freelancer, there are a few tools you’ll need (and some I suggest) that you’ll benefit from having. If you followed along last time, the hard part of building your character sheet is over. Today, all you have to do is run through this list and assess what you need, how much you’ll have to spend, and what equipment you already have on hand.
  • The Village of No-No: Adventure to Dice Castle: You adjust your shoulder bag and stroll into a village nestled in a lush valley. The first thing you see is a man and a woman arguing at the top of their lungs. From what you can make out, they’re pissed off about coin. The woman turns to you and says: “Don’t work for that guy, he’ll never pay you.” The man, who happens to be wearing a jerkin with an embroidered logo on the back, rolls his eyes and drones: “Don’t hire that freelancer, she’ll never hand anything in on time and it’s full of typos, too.”
  • Wizard’s Guidance: Adventure to Dice Castle: A commenter on the article correctly pointed out that our hero’s biggest problem was that he didn’t do any research on Lances-For-Hire, LLC. before he asked Tom for work. There are other issues with what our freelancer encountered, which is why the wizard decided to step in. He has taken you back to his modest hovel far away from the prying eyes of nosy villagers.
  • Where to Find New Jobs: Adventure to Dice Castle: I talked about how important it is to research the companies you want to work for. I also provided an allegory that (hopefully) highlights how employers view you. As a freelancer, you are essentially operating your own business. Self-employment — even if it’s part-time — is a real job. Freelancing for the hobby games industry just happens to be more creative than doing someone’s taxes or making copies all day.
  • Introductory E-Mail Doesn’t Have to LOL: Adventure to Dice Castle: When you’re a freelancer, you will need to communicate with people who don’t live in your area. That means you’re going to chat with them online or via e-mail. Unfortunately, e-mail doesn’t always work well to convey emotions. Sure, it’d be easier if we’d take a page from Dork Tower and color-code our text, but the reality is that when you e-mail? All anyone has is your words to go on. Having good communication is crucial to building a good relationship with someone. But what should that look like?
  • The Perils of Edition Wars: Adventure to Dice Castle: Hobby game edition wars exist because tribes form up around systems and settings. No matter how hard you may try, there is no possible way to convince someone who loves their twenty-year old system that it sucks. Companies know and understand that edition wars take place. Some turn a blind eye; others embrace them. However, companies have legitimate reasons why they want to update a game that has nothing to do with intentionally hurting fans. Maybe they want to modernize a setting. Maybe they’re hoping to engage existing players in crowdsourcing, like what White Wolf Publishing did for the twentieth edition of Vampire: the Masquerade. Or maybe? They want to attract new players.
  • To Speculate, or Not To Speculate. (Trap?) Adventure to Dice Castle: When you see a rumor or something you’re dying to know, take it up privately with your contact at the company. Tell them that you want to know if this is true because you were hoping to write more for them. Then, when they respond? Ask them if you can share that information as a quote. Trust me when I say that in some cases you do not want to ask forgiveness. Permission and manners will get you a lot further especially if you’re dealing with companies that have licenses and products slated for the next year or so.
  • Let’s Talk about Gold (I Mean Money): Adventure to Dice Castle: The terms of payment in a contract will say something like: “Payment after 30 days of publication” or “Payment upon receipt.” Payment after 30 days of publication means that you get paid after the project is available for customers to buy. If you’ve written a submission, that means the project still has to go through the line development process, playtesting, editing, and layout before the book sees the light of day. It is not uncommon for a project to get delayed, too, especially if licensing is involved. So, what that clause can mean, is that you may not get paid for six months, a year, or more.

The One Thing that Stops Me from Writing

Fire She-Ra Avatar

Yesterday I wrote a post about where writer’s insecurity comes from. It’s only fitting that today I follow up with why I don’t write. In a word: b.s. Seriously. When I slow down, and there are gaps where the b.s. can slide right in, that wedges into my fingers and prevents me from writing.

Where does the b.s. come from? Publishing is a glorious business. A frustrating vertical. An industry full of unknowns, rollercoaster rides, and periods of stagnation. This uncertainty causes normally sweet and wonderful people to do very, very strange things. Sometimes those are extraordinarily nice things. Other times? Well, not so much.

Making the switch from full-time freelancing to writing on spec has been a huge one for me and that has created some periods of drag as I figure out what it is I want to write. Writing on spec is a significant change in business model. Significant. By the time I figured out what I was doing to self-sabotage, some zombie projects reared their rotting heads and I had a shiny new day job. But my lack of writing consistency wasn’t due to any business-related reason. I lost my way, my discipline went to hell, and I started to let the b.s. get to me. My priorities were screwed up because I recognized where I was in my career and how far I needed to go. Then? I whined about it. GAH. Then I apologized profusely about the whiny. You can see where this can get out of control really quick — especially since apologies are really only valid if you’ve done something wrong and the only person I should be apologizing to is myself.

Thing is, none of the b.s. — whether it’s crappy comments from an author or egomaniacs or contract issues or envy or convention management or whatever — should have any affect on getting the words down on the page. (That includes all personal b.s. too!) At the end of the day, we’re all responsible for our own manuscripts. Anything that prevents those words from landing on the page is toxic. Anything.

The trick is to recognize what those triggers are and that’s something every writer has to do. For me? Again, I know my misery is caused by not writing enough. The gaps is where the b.s. overcomes me. Too much b.s. equals not enough words. 🙂

Which is why I started a new training program last week to get more out of my day, focus better on all my spheres of work, head down to The Alliterates meeting, and plow blindly forward. Luckily, I’m starting to get support from like-minded folks and I know that I never, ever want to ever experience this feeling ever, ever again. Crazy business publishing. One minute you’re on top of the world and the next?

Well… I’m not that blind… Heh, heh…

    Mood: Yay!
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: It’s a blur.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walk!
    In My Ears: Henry Rollins
    Game Last Played: Battle Nations
    Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter as part of a marathon
    Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch
    Latest Release: “Don’t Ignore Your Dead” included in Don’t Read This Book for the Don’t Rest Your Head RPG
May 15, 2012
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Where Author Insecurity Comes From

Yesterday, I came across a New York Times article talking about how Writer’s Cramp: In the E-Reader Era, a Book a Year Is Slacking. I do think the article is worth a read, but only if you are thinking about how you want to build or alter your career. If not? If you’re solid?

Articles like these, my fellow authors, this is where insecurity comes from. One of the hugest culprits (or triggers if you will) that causes new writers to STOP writing or SWITCH gears is getting hung up on the state of the publishing industry. The thing is, articles like this have been around for as long as the publishing industry has existed. It is very easy to get caught up in promises of how you can make money before you actually have something to sell. Even then, every author and their career is different and I can’t stress that enough. There will *always* be doom and gloom. There will *always* be uncertainty. There will *always* be something to talk about in publishing where it’s the changing role of an agent, editor or author, what readers really want to read, what publishers are looking for, what technology is out there. Always.

Don’t fear the news; fear the empty page.

If something someone says de-rails you from whatever manuscript you’re trying to finish, makes you question that third/fourth/fifth re-write, or causes you to feel like a chump — ditch it. Seriously. Just toss it right out of the window and save it for that moment when you’re ready to think all these state of the publishing articles through or you’ll go mad trying to chase the system. When is that? NOT UNTIL YOU’RE DONE WITH YOUR CURRENT MANUSCRIPT.

Read what I wrote earlier about how the zeitgeist can jump off a cliff, then you’ll understand this next line. Say it with me: If you cannot trust yourself or someone else to do right by you, then Trust. The. Work. Trust the work. Fifteen rewrites. Ten. One. Four. Trust the work.

When you do that, when you FINISH what you’ve started, something magical happens. Your confidence grows, you stretch your limits, and suddenly you are able to do more with less effort because you know you can do it, because you already did.

If you’re still worried about what’s going to happen to you? Get a support group, go to church, read tarot cards, do whatever it is you need to do to get over your fear. Then tell yourself this: you do not have time to get hung up in b.s. because you are too busy writing. Eventually, you’ll let all the other b.s. go because you’ll love your work, it’ll love you back, and you’ll have a strong core of confidence to master your own destiny. It’s a hard, hard, hard lesson to learn but once you learn it, you’ll be a helluva lot happier.

Good luck!

    Mood: Aristotle-y
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Um… Lost count.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Walk, a long one
    In My Ears: The Birds. As in… actual birds.
    Game Last Played: Battle Nations
    Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter as part of a marathon
    Latest Artistic Project: Cross-stitch
    Latest Release: “Don’t Ignore Your Dead” included in Don’t Read This Book for the Don’t Rest Your Head RPG
May 14, 2012
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