Month: February 2010

Little Things

~ Scott W. Baker ~ Leave a comment

This is still the same blog it was last week.  My dashboard hasn’t changed, the domain name, title, and theme.  Old links still come to this site.  So why did I lose my existing OpenID information?  Grrr.

On the upside, I cleaned up the workshop page and I think it’s a lot cleaner looking than before, thanks in large part to the easy image saving my new PowerPoint provides.  Heck, the old PowerPoint might have done the same without me knowing.  But it made altering images a lot easier than what I was doing.  Of course my wife can do about anything I need done to a picture with all her photography software, but I like to do things myself.  You can see the difference between me doing things and her doing things by checking out her site. She’s so professional.

What else?  My bio is ready to be sent to WotF.  Maybe I’ll do that when I finish this post.  I also cleaned up the links, removing some blogs I no longer frequent from the blogroll and combining some categories.  I’d like to expand some sections, too, particularly Pros and Friends, but I haven’t gotten to it yet.

I regret that I removed the link to Jordan Lapp’s blog because he hasn’t updated it since November.  He still has a great page dedicated to WotF links.  But with the subtractions come additions, one anyway.  Welcome to the blogroll, Clint.  I’d tell everyone about Clint, but you could just read his blog instead.

As I was setting up my new domain, I realized it was last February when I started this blog.  Just a year, twelve and a half months ago I recorded my first blog post.  (Okay, I had done a couple at MySpace, but no one read them.)  It’s interesting to see how little has changed.  The two stories in the post are still making the rounds and I’m still waiting to hear about Clarion.

Soeaking of Clarion, the deadline for both Clarion-SD and Clarion West is tomorrow!  (March 1st, that is.)  Just a friendly heads up.  If you get started applying electronically before say 10PM tomorrow, you’ll probably still get the app in on time.  (Don’t miss the invitation code for Clarion-SD on the screen after you pay the application fee.  I did.)

So the true waiting begins.  You can tell the time is getting close because the CW forum has gotten busy again.  It’s my goal to get all three of my pending stories finished and mailed out before I get my Clarion news.  I won’t be heartbroken if I don’t, but it’s my little goal.  One to Triangulation, two others yet to be determined.  I also need to get my Q1 story mailed out elsewhere…haven’t done that yet.  So lots to do.  I think I’ll get started.

New Look, New Domain, New Problems

~ Scott W. Baker ~ 2 Comments

If you’ve been here before, you’ll notice I’ve redecorated.  I also renamed the blog.  Oso Muerte, as I said in my last post, is an old persona.  I’m not a high school kid playing RPGs anymore; I’m a grown man who wishes he still had time to play RPGs.

I thought long and hard about the new title.  There were many rejects before this one struck me.  Similarly, the new domain name was a bit of a wrestle since I really wanted the .com, but who types in web addresses if they can avoid it?  It’s all part of my WotF win makeover.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked the old decor just fine, but it formatted poorly with my new artwork.

The new theme does cause one problem: the table in my workshop page is now the wrong size and it runs into my sidebar (where all the links are).  But that page was pretty clunky anyway and this gives me an excuse to straighten things up a bit.

I think everything else is in working order.  I’m going t reorganize my sidebar, especially the blogroll which is poorly sorted.

And don’t worry folks, I’m still the same old Oso; I’m just not broadcasting it like I used to.

Packing things up

~ Scott W. Baker ~ Leave a comment

It’s time to move.  I’ve enjoyed being at osomuerte.wordpress.com, but I’ve outgrown it.

First of all, I have decided to use my own name instead of any form of Oso as a byline.  I’m just good old Scott W. Baker.  I hope to one day be widely referred to as SWB the way George R. R. Martin is often GRRM.  I’ll probably keep the Oso persona online in some form, but I want to be more approachable to my fans (who I am attempting to amass…I think I have three or so).  I imagine I will be able to redirect visitors to my new blog once it exists.

I did a little domain name shopping today.  I regret that scottwbaker.com is currently occupied by a photographer.  Ironic considering my wife is the professional photographer in the family, not me.  So too is swbaker.com taken (though not in use).  A few other options were available: some with hyphens, resorting to a .net address, squeezing the word “blog” or “writer” in… I even checked out osomuerte.com and the more creative dontcallmeoso.com (both were unsurprisingly available).  I’m sure I could keep the wordpress in the address, but I was really hoping to break free a little.  It’s only like $15 a year for the domain, so it’s no biggie.  (Did I just say “no biggie”?)  Joining sff.net was also considered, but that was more than I wanted to spend with a name no easier to find than this one.

Perhaps I’ll think up a clever title to the blog and stick the .com on it.  It’s kind of where dontcallmeoso came from.  I’m still working on it.  Updates to come.

Email explosion

~ Scott W. Baker ~ Leave a comment

Lots going on and it all seems to be happening through email.  I’ve gotten about fifteen legitimate emails today.  A couple from WotF (which I perpetuated more of by being an incompetent replier), one from Clarion West (just clearing up an application issue, no real news or anything), several asking advice, and some family emails regarding funeral arrangements for my great uncle.  I’m not used to that kind of attention.  Sometimes I wait weeks for an email from anyone other than Amazon or PayPal.

Yesterday I finally got my copies of Beyond Centauri with my story “Brother Goo” in it.  It’s a nice small press magazine with fiction aimed at kids 8-18.  That’s a wide range and it’s tough to hit.  I’m very happy with the magazine and “Brother Goo” fits right in.  It’s basically K-Pax for kids.  I can’t wait to read the rest of the issue.

Still waiting on verdicts for several submissions.  Weird Tales is over their advertised response time but still under their Duotrope average reported time.  Of course Anne VanderMeer is their editor and she’s part of the Clarion selection committee as part of the anchor leg duo (with husband Jeff), so I won’t complain much.  Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine has never taken this long to look at my slush story, either.  Things get slow sometimes and I of all people understand.  I have a couple other pieces out and waiting.  Waiting is the toughest part of writing.

Unexpected proposal

~ Scott W. Baker ~ 2 Comments

Finally back to school today.  Wow, it’s hard to get back into the swing after so many snow days.  There’s no indication we’ll be missing any more soon.  But never say never.

I managed to do a little boasting about my big WotF win, even to my principal.  She’s a former English teacher and was interested in my progress.  Remember, I’m a math teacher with no formal writing or literature training outside basic high school and college curricula.  So I was more than slightly surprised when she suggested I take the two English teacher certification exams to get certified to teach a creative writing class.

Yeah, a math teacher just up and taking an English teacher’s test –nay, two English teacher tests.  And then given a writing class?    Who was she kidding?

Let’s go through my reactions by the numbers: (1) English test?  Are you insane?  (2) Man, it would be awesome to teach a creative writing class.  (3) Ooh, isn’t that a slap in the face to full-time English teachers that might want to teach creative writing? (4) Could I pass a test for high school English teachers?  (5) How much literature would be on it?  (6) I bet I could kick grammar’s booty.  (7) Is she serious?

I cycled through these feelings over the course of about four seconds.  I immediately set out to clear up some of the questions.  First came #7: The principal insisted I do it this spring so she could get it into next year’s schedule.  So I think she is serious.  Next #5: A quick trip to the test maker’s website suggests lit is half the pedagogy (how-to-teach test) and combines with “understanding language” to constitute half the knowledge test.  *gulp*  Finally #4: I answered 24 sample questions on the same website; I got 23 correct.  Sweet!  Sure, one was a lucky guess and one at least one other was a reasonably educated but still lucky guess, but I still rocked it.  The real test will be 120 questions, not 24, but it suggests I can do it, especially considering I could have gotten the one I missed with somewhat more careful reading.  So yeah, with some studying, it could happen.

Still unresolved is question 3.  I doubt anyone at my school is more qualified than I am to instruct students in writing, but they may be more qualified to teach it.  What’s the difference?  Grading.  I’ve had to learn every lesson on my own, the hard way.  What kind of position does that put me in to grade students?  I learned in a pass/fail environment.  I’m not sure how to give a B.  I can figure it out, but I’m not so sure now.  And what about the people that dedicated their lives to teaching language arts?  A (presumably) senior level writing course could be the crown jewel of English classes.  How would I feel if an English teacher swooped in and started teaching a brand new discrete math class?  But could I complain if they had placed in an international discrete math competition (whatever that is)?  If I can pass their test, I guess it’s enough to get me in their club.

There’s risk here.  For instance, I could catch a tenth grade English class instead of (or as well as) the creative writing class.  Or I could waste my time prepping for this test only to have the class cut for budget purposes.  And what if I hate teaching writing to high schoolers?  Or, worst case, what if the class becomes a dumping ground for aimless students?  But if the class if filled with kids that truly want to write and write better than they do now, I can help them.  I can teach them to critique each others’ work, how to accept and apply criticism, how to analyze their favorite stories for techniques that work, how to build characters and make a story.  Am I great?  I think I’m pretty good, but I’m not “there” yet.  If I go to Clarion, that’s that much more I can bring home with me.  I wonder if it would have helped me if this kind of class was available when I was in school?

So I’ve decided to pursue it.  It may pan out, it may not.  It’s an interesting twist to my world.  It might even qualify me to get reimbursed for part of Clarion’s cost!  Cool.

We’ll see.

Movie Review: Shutter Island

~ Scott W. Baker ~ 2 Comments

Scorsese teams with DiCaprio again in this  asylum mystery. Not everything is what it seems (shock!) and it doesn’t take long for hallucinations to start (double shock!).

Face it, the asylum mystery has been done to death.  Same old same old, right?  Wrong.  Well, a little right and wrong.  It’s hard to go all wrong with brilliant acting (DiCaprio will get an Oscar nod for this, and may win), brilliant dialogue, multi-layered yet seamless plot lines, and phenomenal cinematography.

Some of it gets a little heavy handed sometimes, I’ll admit.  Parts of the soundtrack were flashbacks to Kubrick and the main scene with the warden seemed a little off kilter, but all in all it was a brilliant film.  Make that brilliant and deeply disturbing.  Bad stuff has gone down that comes back to like in the flashbacks.  There was a mother with a ten-year-old kid there; she should be flogged for it.  I’ll have that kid in class one day and he will be too warped to learn math because he has too much Scor-psycho in his head.  But I digress…

This film is not for the faint of heart.  It’s one of those films you watch and say “that was brilliant,” then never watch it again because you just don’t want to go back down that dark road.  Every horror writer should watch it.  Suspense writers, too.  It’s dark; it’s disturbing; it’s excellent.

Now I’m going to bed with the nightlight on.

Stop hitting yourself. Stop hitting yourself…

~ Scott W. Baker ~ Leave a comment

Wow, yesterday was huge on this blog.  I don’t recall ever receiving so many hits or so many comments.  I feel like a celebrity.  I know I’m not, but I feel like one.  I’m sure the curiosity over the new WotF stud (term used very loosely) will die down quickly.  I’m sure Laurie’s getting more of this than I am.  Lael would be getting a lot of attention, too, if anyone knew how to find him.

But with the incoming swarm, I decided I should offer a little more content than “me, me, me.”  I do that from time to time.  I should update my “useful posts” links so people know that.  Anyway, I decided — upon seeing it mentioned in blogs and message boards elsewhere — to comment on the perceived weakness of leaving stories unfinished.

Heinlein’s second rule of writing is to finish what you write.  Who am I to argue with Heinlein?  He’s Heinlein, for crying out loud.  So I won’t argue, rather offer my interpretation.  My slow, erosion-like interpretation.

I’ve discovered recently that I am susceptible to writer’s block.  I think I catch it from my students, though theirs seems to be a plague-caliber strain of homework block.  They need to vaccinate for this.  When it catches me, it usually means there’s something wrong with the story I’m trying to write and my subconscious writer is acting like a seeing eye dog and saving me from venturing further into danger.  (I’ve commented on specific cases in earlier posts.)  Those kinds of blocks are good for me.  They’re pains to get past, but they are good.  It suggests I’m an even better writer than I think I am (and with the swelled head I’ve gotten from WotF, that’s saying something).

For example, I intended my WotF story, “Poison Inside the Walls” to end with my protagonist making a huge discovery about the nature of her alien enemies and gain enlightenment and return home to try changing her society.  I kept stalling in the process.  It was a beautiful story idea, but it wasn’t the story I was writing.  The story wasn’t about the aliens, it was about the protagonist and her family.  Spending  four to five thousand words on the aliens at this point (which was what it was becoming) was going to rob the story of its power and bore whatever readers had been interested enough in the story to get that far.  So I set it aside while I stewed on it, eventually isolating the protag and letting the alien inspire her ultimate decisions.

Stewing on a story is like letting the dishes soak in the sink, it can soften things up but don’t leave it too long or it rusts.  I probably have a rusted story or two that have been stewing way too long.  I have others getting close.  I have a story on the complacency of religion that needs something I can’t quite place…maybe a stronger speculative aspect to suit my taste.  I have another that I’ve painted with too much culture and not enough theme, to the point that I’m having trouble recalling the theme.  (Maybe I’ll do a post on my definition of “theme” sometime soon.)  One of my most promising novels (yes, I have a half dozen brewing…shame on me) stalled out because I got to part of the story I didn’t really care about.  So why write that part?  Well, it’s an important part of the coming-of-age story; I just need to find a way to make me care about it.

So yes, it is important to finish a story.  If it ain’t finished, it ain’t a story.  If you have no stories, you ain’t a writer.  But it doesn’t have to get finished right away if you’re willing to return to it with fresh eyes later, be it a week or a month later.  It works for me, so far.  In the interest of full disclosure, I hate this system.  I want to be able to start the story, work on the story, finish the story, then move on to the next.  So far, my process doesn’t work that way.  I’m hoping the crucible of Clarion will help me with this.  But for now, I’m slowly cranking out stories I’m proud of, one postponement at at time.

Second Place, Baby!

~ Scott W. Baker ~ 8 Comments

It’s official, I have a professional fiction sale.  Better than a sale, a win.  Writers of the Future XXVI, fourth quarter, second place.  (Oddly that sounds less impressive than it should.)  My story will be in a book in bookstores.  A book people will buy and read.  I get an all expense paid trip to California for a week long workshop and award ceremony.  My story will be illustrated by one of the talented winning artists.  How cool is that?  How cool is all of it?

I talked to Joni Labaqui, the contest coordinator, for about fifteen minutes.  She seems quite nice, even laughed at my jokes.  It’s not set as to when the workshop will be, but it’s a good bet I’ll have to take a week off school to attend.  No matter; I’m going to the workshop.  Meeting other winners, rubbing elbows with pros, making connections that are worth their weight in gouda…yeah, I’ll be there.

The best part of the whole thing is the sense that I am good at this writing thing.  Small press sales are nice, but I’d never sold a story somewhere that made me say, “that’s proof I have a future as a writer.”  Now I have.

Despite some suggestions that WotF’s workshop (combined with the status of the win) might be a sufficient repacement for Clarion, I am still planning to go if I’m accepted.  It has changed my mind about which to attend.  I had been heavily leaning one way (not to be revealed) if given the option, but now I think money will have more to do with the decision than anything.  CW is cheaper, but if there are scholarships to be had, I could go either way.  If things come out fairly even, I guess I resort to my old leanings.

It is eye-opening to see Clarion and Odyssey grads competing in WotF, many doing well time after time without winning.  My only workshops have been the online variety.  My winner, “Poison Inside the Walls”, was workshopped at SFF OWW as well as Baen’s Bar.  I have no MFA…no formal writing training at all.  I do have a decade of experience with token sales along the way (starting with the ProMartian turned Sam’s Dot Publishing zine, _The Fifth Di…_), a masters in math (which I don’t think came into play in the story), a bookcase shelf full of writing and science books, a deep vocabulary, a pretty solid mastery of punctuation and grammar, a solid if smallish list of SF readings, and enough humility to accept constructive criticism.  Oh, and the drive to keep doing this for a decade.

Winning WotF can be done.  It takes time and work, but the odds are a lot better than the lottery and the sense of accomplishment is much greater.  I’ve never been the guy that wins things.  This is a huge boon for me.  I just hope I can build off it.  I refuse to let this be the pinnacle of my career.

An ugly draft is still a draft

~ Scott W. Baker ~ Leave a comment

I buried myself for an hour or two in the basement today and finished a first draft of my End of the Rainbow story.  It took some wild diversions from the original outline and feels a bit disjoint now, but it’s finished.  I’ll set it aside until the weekend and rework it then.   really need to trim it down.  It’s a pretty simple storyline.  I also need to do more with one of the important characters.

This is probably the sloppiest story I’ve written in quite a while.  Maybe that’s why it went so fast.  It still took the better part of two weeks.

No school tomorrow for me.  I stuck a rake in the snow out front; it sunk in eight inches.  I think I hit a deep spot, but still, that’s a lot of snow.  It’s enough that it’s over my miniature dachshund’s back.  I may be out all week.  We Tennesseans don’t cope well with snow.  No chains, no snow tires, few plows.  We stockpile salt, but that only does so much.  They usually clear the main roads pretty quickly, but it’s a backroad world here.

I’m going to scrounge up the notes I made at Starbucks the other day and see if I can grind out a flash story inside 24 hours.  (That reminds me, Jack Bauer’s on tonight!)  We’ll see if I can make those kinds of schedule holes.  After that I’ll target one of the two stories I have up at OWW.  Neither have gotten many comments, but enough that I have some direction to wander.  A character to cut out of the comedy; a transition summary to add to the tragedy, as well as a more defined character arc.

So much to do, so little time.  Oh, I have lots of time if you add up the three minute blocks my daughter gives me.  She summons again.  I must fetch a Fruit Roll-Up.  Bye for now.

Similes. Not to be confused with Smilies.

~ Scott W. Baker ~ Leave a comment

I was rereading some writing advice at Nathan Bransford’s blog and stumbled across the old adage, “Don’t use too many similes.”  I can tell you now, don’t use too many anything.  But I suspect I am guilty of the “too many” similes offense.

I like comparisons.  I teach math by metaphor, using something as common as a stop sign to get across the importance of the order of operations.  (Dying to know?  Running that stop sign may be okay nineteen out of twenty times, but there’ll be that one time when a three-year-old rides her tricycle into the intersection and things aren’t all right any more.  Graphic but effective.)  So when I describe things, I tend toward metaphor and simile.

But I write speculative fiction.  If I say that Janine has a horse face, I may mean she has elongated features and large teeth or I might mean the front of her head is actually equine.  A simile is much safer and less confusing in this context; “her face was long like a horse’s with teeth that made me want to feed her an apple.”  In either case, the cliche is unforgivable.

I try to stay conscious of my similes.  Often a good simile is being used to make an unnecessary description.  But when it fits, it fits.  Sometimes I do have stories that require reworking to avoid sounding like a valley girl (like…like…like), an offense best discovered through reading aloud.

The best advice, though, is never to use a simile where it doesn’t feel necessary.  Similes do not spice up language, they don’t enhance imagery.  They actually do the opposite in my hands, giving abstract or tough to explain actions or images a very concrete and concise description through comparison.

A good simile subtracts words rather than adds them.  If he ran fast, don’t say he ran like a cheetah; more words.  If he ran with his arms flailing, elbows out, head bobbing, steps without cadence or consistency, maybe you just say he ran like a hyper kindergartener; fewer words.  And if the simile doesn’t quite describe it, axe it.  Better undescribed than ill-described.

That’s my expert treatise on similes.  They’re like donuts; I love them, but too many will cause bloating.  Oh, and unless you’re after the comedic effect, don’t use a simile that requires explanation.  (What made me think of that?)  Now go forth and compare cautiously.