by Michael La Ronn | Nov 15, 2018 | Uncategorized
Hello, and welcome to episode 36. In this week’s episode, I wanted to spend some time talking about my process for writing my first short story collection, Reconciled People.
In last month’s Behind the Scenes episode, I talked about the process of writing my first novel, Magic Souls. I thought I’d do the same thing with Reconciled People.
Short stories are different from novels in a number of ways. Since they’re shorter, you have to economize and do more with less. You also have to follow different narrative structure. You can’t really follow most major plotting methods; most short stories revolve around a single event. I’ve always viewed short stories as the equivalent of short films to full-length movies.
Anyway, when I started writing, I said I would never write short stories. I was writing poetry at the time and thought short stories were so complicated and mysterious.
But one of my writer friends dared me to try it, and I did and got hooked.
For a while, I followed Ray Bradbury’s advice and wrote a short story every week, sometimes multiple.
I would go to local places like coffee shops and libraries, pick random people and write long sketches about them, making up details on what their lives might be like. Then I’d adapt those sketches into stories. I did this for about half a year, and most of the sketches were pretty terrible, honestly, since I was honing my craft. This was back in 2012 when I was just starting out.
I forgot about those early stories until I happened across them by pure chance several years later.
As I read through them, they were surprisingly cohesive. They were all sketches of everyday people facing a major fear.
The opening story, “Highwind”, is about a Native American running away from his culture.
Another story, “Origin Story,” is about a priest trying to console a young man who experienced a breakdown after his home burns down.
Another story, “The Lovegram,” is about a family man who has to re-examine his own biases after an act of kindness by a stranger.
While the stories aren’t perfect by any means—nothing a writer does is—they showcased my early curiosity and love of capturing everyday people on the page.
One story in particular is really memorable for me. It’s called “Aww, Shuckies”, and it’s about a girl named Shaquannah, a fifth grader who is set to go to the city museum on a field trip. On this trip, she plans to declare her love for her crush. When the field trip is canceled, she spends the day moping and failing to see anything positive. But one random incident at the end of the story completely changes her perspective.
More than any of the stories in the collection, I drew it directly from my fifth grade experience. The excitement on field trip days, the young crushes, the funny comraderie and witty banter between kids—that was all true for me. And it was fun translating it onto the page.
Anyway, I’d love to spend more time talking about Reconciled People since it’s my least popular book. I’ve sold maybe a dozen copies of it at best, and you can of course find links to it in the show notes.
Next week, since there are five Thursdays in November, I will play a sample from the audiobook version. So stay tuned for an amazing sample next week.
“I love people, watching people interact. It's a lot of psychology. We learn about ourselves by watching other people's lives on the screen.” -Tatiana Maslany
In this week’s episode I go behind the scenes of writing my first short story collection, Reconciled People. This book taught me how to people-watch, and it forced me to become a student of people and places, which served me well in my fiction.
Grab Reconciled People: http://www.michaellaronn.com/reconciledpeople
Links
Show Notes (including a transcript and sound credits): www.michaellaronn.com/episode36
Grab your copy of Reconciled People: http://www.michaellaronn.com/reconciledpeople
Check out all the past episodes on my website: www.michaellaronn.com/podcast
My YouTube Channel for Writers: http://www.youtube.com/authorlevelup
Also, join my Fan Club to get 3 free novels, early launch pricing, and notifications whenever I release a new book: www.michaellaronn.com/fanclub
If you like the show, don't forget to rate and leave a review!
Sound/Music Credits:
Intro/Outro Music: “Kick. Push” by Ryan Little: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/RyanLittle//kickpush
by Michael La Ronn | Nov 8, 2018 | Writer's Journey: Sketchbook
There’s nothing better than a good marching band. A group of 100+ musicians playing great music in perfect synchronization is a sight to behold.
In school, I was heavily involved in band, which was one of the defining activities that made me as disciplined as I am today. I can remember many Saturday mornings marching at football game half-times, in a crisp white and gold uniform, my alto sax glinting in my hands as I marched in step with my fellow bandmates.
In this week’s sketchbook episode, I’m going back to 7th grade, to my very first marching band memory, one that in many ways set the tone for how I deal with and overcome setbacks in my life.
Hello, and welcome to episode 35. If you’ve been listening to this show for a while, then it should be no surprise to you that I got my start as an artist playing music.
I owe the pleasure of being a musician to the saxophone, which was my main instrument for over a decade. I took my studies seriously, and I did so well that I was almost always first chair in band. I often received the chance to play solos at concerts, and I got to play the difficult parts.
7th grade was no exception; as a new student at middle school, I was getting used to a new life after transferring schools, and I was an awkward kid who had a difficult time making friends. But I played the sax well, better than my peers.
One day, my band director told me to stay after class. I thought I was in trouble, but once everyone had left, he told me that I had been selected for an opportunity to play in a marching band for the first time.
My hometown of Florissant, Missouri, has a special festival every year called the Valley of Flowers. There’s a huge carnival, a beauty pageant, lots of food and music, and of course, the Grand Parade. The high school sends the marching band to the parade every year, and the high school band director asked for a few talented middle school students to march along with the high school kids.
The thought of playing with older kids scared the heck out of me, but even as a kid, I had learned to say yes to any interesting opportunity that came my way, especially if it meant that I didn’t have to go to Algebra class.
**\*
There I was, at McCluer High School, among high school students for the first time. My mom dropped me off, and I walked into the band room for the first time, lugging my saxophone case and a backpack. I recognized two other students from my middle school, and we stuck together like frightened animals.
The high school band was practicing when we entered. Several of the tuba players turned and gave us a strange glare. The saxophone players ignored us completely, running through their parts and scooping their notes like pros.
The band director was a black man named Mr. Travis, and he welcomed us. He was bald, with a white goatee, and he wore a red shirt and khaki shorts, and socks that went up to his knees. He was intimidating; unlike my current band director, he took music seriously and didn’t have time for shenanigans.
I took out my saxophone, which was a worn sax that my mom bought cheaply at the local music shop. Compared to the other kids, my sax looked like a joke.
I sat down, warmed up with a few scales, and before I had a chance to catch my breath, the director told me and my peers to play the opening to the first song, which was Another Star by Stevie Wonder.
I hadn’t had much time to practice the song; I had listened to my grandfather’s cassette tape of Stevie Wonder songs, so I knew the melody, but there were parts of the sheet music that I couldn’t read.
We didn’t get through the first measure before he cut us off. We completely bombed. We didn’t get the syncopation right. We played notes out of tune. But all throughout, he helped us and taught us how to play more expressively.
We were going to be marching, he warned us, and before we practiced that we’d better get the music right. I’m not so sure we ever did get the music right, but after several takes, we went outside and learned how to march.
**\*
Now, keep in mind that I have asthma, didn’t play sports, and until this point in my life, had never played my saxophone and walked at the same time. Marching up and down the high school parking lot with the older kids absolutely winded me, so much that some of the kids laughed at me and the other middle school kids.
We were terrible. Absolutely terrible. Several times the drum major marched next to us to help us stay in time, but we’d fall out of step, fall out of tune, or be so winded that we couldn’t breathe.
This was our only practice session before the parade, and we wouldn’t have another chance.
As the sun set and the band packed up for the day, Mr. Travis gave me some words of encouragement. Told me I did a good job and that he’d see me at the parade.
I wasn’t ready. But I didn’t have a choice. I would have to get ready.
**\*
The morning of the parade, I polished my saxophone, trying to make it as shiny as possible. I wore one of my dad’s St. Louis Cardinals caps, to match the high school’s red, white and blue colors. When my mom dropped me off at the parking lot where the band was warming up, I had never been more nervous in my life. I joined ranks with my middle school peers, and we looked at each other anxiously, trying to hide our fear. The rest of the band was wearing their uniforms, but we wore red t-shirts tucked into blue shorts. We clearly looked out of place.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, we fell into formation with the band and marched into the street through old town Florissant, past houses, businesses, churches, and parks. Hundreds of people were lined up on the street, wearing sunglasses and sitting in lawn chairs, clapping and cheering as the drum corps began to play and the color guard twirled their flags.
And then, before we knew it, the drum major signaled for us to raise our horns to our mouths and start playing the music of Stevie Wonder.
Now, I won’t sit here and tell you that I did a good job. In fact, I didn’t do any better than I had the night before, even though I practiced.
After the first block, I was covered in sweat and could hardly breathe again. I don’t know for sure, but I’m pretty sure I was out of step, too.
But I kept up with the band and never fell behind. I blew into that saxophone like my life depended on it, like this would be my one and only performance for my hometown.
And I survived.
Against all odds.
As the band packed up in the parking lot, several of the high school kids gave me a high five, and I felt validated. Mr. Travis shook my hand, thanked me, and told me to keep up the good work.
When it was time for me to go to high school, I transferred to another school district, so that was officially the last time I would ever see him, but I’ll never forget how he encouraged me in the few minutes of time we spent together.
**\*
As the years passed, I thought about that day, and how it set the tone for much of the rest of my life. I’m always the awkward guy who stands out for strange reasons. I’m not the best-looking or most talented, but I work hard, and I don’t give up. Even when I can hardly breathe and I’ve been marching on hard asphalt for two hours.
All these years later, I decided to look up Mr. Travis to see what happened to him. I learned that he had passed away. So rest in peace, Mr. Travis, and thank you for giving me one small burst of confidence that would last me the rest of my life.
**\*
“It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person. It means I've done my job.” – Aretha Franklin
**\*
In this episode, I talk about my first marching band experience, and how in many ways it set the tone for how I deal with setbacks and overcome obstacles.
##Links
Show Notes (including a transcript and sound credits): www.michaellaronn.com/episode35
Check out all the past episodes on my website: www.michaellaronn.com/podcast
My YouTube Channel for Writers: http://www.youtube.com/authorlevelup
Also, join my Fan Club to get 3 free novels, early launch pricing, and notifications whenever I release a new book: www.michaellaronn.com/fanclub
If you like the show, don't forget to rate and leave a review!
##Sound/Music Credits:
Intro/Outro Music: “Kick. Push” by Ryan Little: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/RyanLittle//kickpush
Band going crazy by Omar Alvarado: https://freesound.org/people/Omar%20Alvarado/sounds/97991/
Marching Band by Evanmack01: https://freesound.org/people/evanmack01/sounds/201238/
Marchingband2 by nfrae: https://freesound.org/people/nfrae/sounds/195370/
by Michael La Ronn | Nov 1, 2018 | Writer's Journey: Writing Life
Hello, and welcome to episode 34. We’re into November and in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving. I thought I’d use thankfulness as a theme for this month, and use this week to talk about things I’m grateful for as a writer.
I believe gratitude is important not just as a writer, but in life. It makes you happier. There have been so many times when I’ve been wrapped up in the fast lane of life, and have had to pull back and reconnect with what is important.
First, I’m grateful for the fact that I can choose my own path in publishing. I don’t have to have a big name publisher behind me to be successful as a writer. Instead, I publish my own work and go directly to my readers, and the quality of my work is such that readers choose to spend their hard-earned money on my books. That’s incredible, and incredibly humbling.
I talk all the time about how being on my deathbed inspired me to take my career into my own hands, even if it meant risking failure. I’ve done okay so far, and I’m grateful for that.
The next thing I’m grateful for as a writer is the ability to choose what I want to write.
I’m not pigeon-holed into one genre. I can write space opera, urban fantasy, romance, poetry, whatever I want. I can write the stories that drive me. Sure, some may be less commercially viable than others, but I’ve always taken the long term view that I’d rather be successful writing the stories that make me come alive. That way, when I’m successful, it’s because I did it my way. And if I fail, at least I failed giving it my all. It might take me longer than others, but I don’t believe I will fail. In fact, I know I’m on the right path because my instinct tells me so. And I’m grateful for the fact that I can be the steward of my career and not put it in the hands of a publisher or literary agent.
The next thing I’m grateful for is my readers. I’ve been amazed by the diversity of people who have read my books over the years.
One in particular will always stand out in my mind. A blind reader contacted me a few years ago and told me how much he liked my book, Magic Souls. He loved the interactive parts. That a blind reader would read my book—an interactive one at that—and enjoy rereading it was incredible to me.
No matter what walk of life they come from, country, race, sexual orientation, you name it—I am grateful for the people who read my books and find fulfillment in them.
I’m also grateful for the people who read my books and leave bad reviews, too, because in a weird, sick way, they help keep other bad readers and trolls away since their review helps other readers determine if my book is a good fit.
Speaking of odd things to be grateful, the next thing grateful for is writer’s block. Though I don’t believe in “writer’s block” in the common sense of the word, I’m grateful for all those times I’ve been stuck in a manuscript and didn’t know what to do next. More often than not, those moments, when I’m on the edge of despair and ultimate failure, and the times when I’ve dug deep into my soul as a writer and wrote my best work. So yes, I’m grateful for writer’s block, as funny as that sounds. For more info on how I deal with writer’s block, check out episode 24, called How I deal with Writer’s Block. You can find it at www.michaellaronn.com/episode24.
The next thing I’m grateful for as a writer is the fact that there are so many ways of connecting with readers. Social media, blogging, podcasting, online video. Marketing is a choose your own adventure that you can tailor to suit your personality. For example, I’m not a picture person, so Instagram or Pinterest aren’t sites that I’ll ever be popular on. I’m a quiet introvert, I don’t have the most charming or charismatic personality, but I’ve found a medium to channel my personality so that the best parts come shining through. One, on this solo podcast every week, and two, my YouTube channel. With podcasting and video, I can take my time and create content in my own way, in my own style, and I’ve been fairly successful at it.
If I only had the option of using Facebook or only using Twitter or only using Instagram, there would have been no way for me to reach new audiences. Not in my most authentic self. I’m grateful for the fact that I can be authentic and build a tribe of people around me as a result.
The next thing I’m grateful for is my mentors. I’ve had a lot of writing mentors over the years. I’m grateful for the fact that they were able to blaze new trails and share what they learned to make it easier for all of us. In a way, that’s what I’m doing with this podcast—creating my own path and sharing what works for me in hopes that it will help someone else.
I believe in paying it forward.
And last but not least, I am grateful for you, the people listening to this podcast. When I started The Writer’s Journey, I expected it to fail. After all, solo podcasts are out of vogue, and I’m not podcasting about popular topics, like nutrition, fitness, motivation, or sex. I’m grateful that you guys tune in to listen to me every week, and that I’ve somehow found a way to make my life interesting enough to be a podcast every week.
So thanks for listening. I appreciate you.
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” – Willie Nelson
In this episode, I talk about the things I’m grateful for as a writer. Life is about counting your blessings. This week, I celebrate them.
Links
Show Notes (including a transcript and sound credits): http://www.michaellaronn.com/episode34
Check out all the past episodes on my website: www.michaellaronn.com/podcast
My YouTube Channel for Writers: http://www.youtube.com/authorlevelup
Also, join my Fan Club to get 3 free novels, early launch pricing, and notifications whenever I release a new book: www.michaellaronn.com/fanclub
If you like the show, don't forget to rate and leave a review!
Sound/Music Credits:
Intro/Outro Music: “Kick. Push” by Ryan Little: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/RyanLittle//kickpush
by Michael La Ronn | Oct 24, 2018 | Writer's Journey: Writing Updates
In this episode, I give an update on my work, and I tell my favorite Halloween memory.
Links
Show Notes (including a transcript and sound credits): www.michaellaronn.com/episode33
My new book, How to Write Your First Novel: http://www.authorlevelup.com/yourfirstnovel
Interview with Joe Compton: https://www.facebook.com/GoIndieNow/videos/1960805397312697/
Interview with Dale Roberts: https://www.facebook.com/selfpubwithdale/videos/2038997429723864/
Check out all the past episodes on my website: http://www.michaellaronn.com/podcast
My YouTube Channel for Writers: http://www.youtube.com/authorlevelup
Also, join my Fan Club to get 3 free novels, early launch pricing, and notifications whenever I release a new book: www.michaellaronn.com/fanclub
If you like the show, don't forget to rate and leave a review!***
Sound/Music Credits:
Intro/Outro Music: “Kick. Push” by Ryan Little: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Little/~/kick_push
Constricted by Purple Planet: http://www.purple-planet.com/horror-backgrounds/4588158178
Evil scream laugh by Nanakisan: https://freesound.org/people/Nanakisan/sounds/132738/
Pressured door opening by: Neospica https://freesound.org/people/NeoSpica/sounds/425090/
Indoor Footsteps by dkiller2204: https://freesound.org/people/dkiller2204/sounds/366111/
Front Door, Opening A by Inspector J: https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/431117/
Chainsaw by esperri: https://freesound.org/people/esperri/sounds/118972/
Door Metal Groans Unedited Version by Cell31 SoundProductions: https://freesound.org/people/Cell31_Sound_Productions/sounds/340145/
big thud2 by Reitanna: https://freesound.org/people/Reitanna/sounds/332668/
Spilling Water on the Floor by altfuture: https://freesound.org/people/altfuture/sounds/174637/
by Michael La Ronn | Oct 18, 2018 | Writer's Journey: Behind the Scenes
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This week's episode is sponsored by Magic Souls, the subject of the episode! Experience a new kind of interactive adventure–a reimagining of Choose Your Own Adventures, specially designed for ebooks.
SHOW NOTES
In this week’s episode I go behind the scenes of writing my first novel, Magic Souls. Not only did I have to learn how to write a novel, I had to learn how to write an interactive novel and format it! Easier said than done.
TRANSCRIPT
You only write your first book once. And that first book is usually filled with your hopes and dreams.
And in my case, I signed up for double the punishment.
My first novel was an interactive novel I describe as a Choose Your Own Adventure for adults. So not only did I have to learn to write a novel, I had to learn to make it interactive and engaging.
In this week’s episode, I’m going to talk about the process of creating my first book, Magic Souls.
Hello, and welcome to episode 32. This week, I thought I’d take you behind the scenes of my first novel, the one that put me on the publishing map.
The year was 2012, and I’d just gotten out of the hospital. I was listening to all the major podcasts learning how to self publish, but I had no idea what I wanted to write.
Around that time, maybe a few months later, I found myself thinking about the old Choose Your Own Adventure books. They were fun to read and I wondered what had ever happened to them.
I found one on Amazon and was surprised to see a Kindle version.
I downloaded it, expecting to relive my childhood, but what I found was that the book hadn’t aged well. The reading experience hadn’t aged well either, and this kind of interactive book wasn’t easy to read on a Kindle.
I searched to see if the interactive fiction genre had evolved. Aside from a few books that tried to update the genre to the modern era, most of them were in the same style—fun, second person POV with more of a gamebook approach. And there was a big movement for text-based games, but that wasn’t something I was interested in.
I wanted to read a novel like the ones I was reading now as an adult, but interactive. I wanted a book with an adult character who had depth. I wanted a book that wasn’t in the second person. I wanted something with some storytelling behind it rather than just basic, endless choices. I wanted a story structure.
Turns out, that didn’t exist.
So I decided to create it.
I discovered that writing an interactive novel wasn’t going to be easy. I hadn’t written a NOVEL before, so I had to learn how to do that. That in and of itself is enough to make some people quit.
I had to go and punish myself further and make it interactive. But I didn’t know the first thing about ebook formatting. I barely knew what an ebook was. I had read plenty of them, but I didn’t know the first thing about how you’d go about creating one.
Yet I had this vision of an incredibly interactive novel in my mind; one that built upon the traits that made Choose Your Own Adventures so popular, but evolved them.
There were a lot of things I felt were holding this genre back.
The second person POV was one. This is great narrative device if you want levity, but if you want to create a character that readers love and believe in, you can’t do that in the second person.
So I decided before I even had an idea I was going to write in the first person. Huge deviation from the commonly accepted practices in this genre.
I also decided that I didn’t like the loose structure. I wanted to create something that readers would recognize as a beginning, middle and end. The interactivity and story choices would affect the beginning, middle and end, but there would still be a character arc. So I deviated from the genre’s common practices again.
Eventually, I came up with the idea of a moral/ethical story. What if someone had magical powers, and had to make decisions based on those powers? What if those magical powers were granted by a demon? What if the hero or heroine was being controlled by that demon and had to make decisions between worse and worst? What if she had no other choice but to be bad?
I settled on the title How to Be Bad, which later became Magic Souls. It ultimately was the story of Bebe McFerrin, a young attorney who is a pushover. She has no confidence and can’t stand up for herself. When a coworker steals her only chance for promotion, Bebe wishes that she could be stronger.
Enter the demon Ladouche, who grants Bebe the ability to commit any crime without punishment. She can do anything she wants and he guarantees she will have immunity.
So of course, Bebe falls for it and gets revenge against her coworker. When the consequences for her coworker turn out to be life-changing (in a bad way), Bebe regrets the deal and tries to shed her powers. But turns out she’s made a deal with a demon and she can’t break the contract. If she does, she’ll lose her own soul.
Ladouche requires her to steal the souls of three innocent people as payment for his act of kindness.
And this is where the story begins, with Bebe wrestling with her moral dilemma and coming to grips with her new powers.
The story is what I call an ethical train wreck on every page. Bebe has to lie, cheat, and steal her way into three innocent peoples’ hearts, and the decisions you make are really just a matter of how she does it.
There are multiple endings, and the story takes interactivity to the next level.
Instead of flipping pages, I designed the book for e-readers, phones, and tablets, so when you come to a decision, you simply tap on the decision you want.
Also, I built in mechanisms to stop you from getting lost, and it’s easy to go back to where you left off.
And finally, my crowning achievement for this book is that I put a game show in the book. An actual game show that YOU, the reader can participate in. I’m not kidding, and you have to see it to believe it. It’s a complicated game show with multiple rounds that you can win or lose. There are multiple contestants who all make different decisions based on your choices. Seriously, it’s a lot of fun.
Anyway, this book was the result of learning the craft of writing a novel, twisting that and making it interactive, and some sophisticated book formatting.
I like to joke that Magic Souls was an accelerated masterclass in how to write. I almost took on more than I could handle, but it was an amazing experience. When it was time to write my next novel, I was already writing and formatting at a level beyond most people’s second books, at least in the sense that I knew how to write a multi-arc story and execute on multiple plots at the same time.
So that’s the story of my first novel. You can find it at www.michaellaronn.com/magicsouls.
You can also read more about how I wrote my interactive elements in my book, Interactive Fiction. It’s my manifesto on what I believe the genre can achieve.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“There are plenty of skills I've learned from playing video games. It's more interactive than watching TV, because there are problems to solve as you're using your brain.” Shaun White
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS WEEK'S EPISODE?
Let me know!
