william mizeOn Writing | william mize

Poetry Time – “Hokusai Says” by Roger Keyes

William Mize — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:28:25 +0000

I don’t know a lot about Roger Keyes, but I think we all know a bit about Hokusai.
We’ve all seen his world famous wood block painting called The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

What I’ve been able to crib together about Roger Keyes is that he’s a scholar on Japanese art, focusing on Hokusai and this may be the only poem he’s ever written.

If I’m correct, and this is the only poem he’s written, damn is it an amazing one.
If I’m wrong, and he’s still writing poetry, then he needs a book deal like now.

Take a deep breath, get comfortable, and enjoy this sublime work of art.

Hokusai says Look carefully.

He says pay attention, notice.

He says keep looking, stay curious.

He says there is no end to seeing.

He says Look Forward to getting old.

He says keep changing, you just get more who you really are.

He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it’s interesting.

He says keep doing what you love.

He says keep praying.

He says every one of us is a child, every one of us is ancient, every one of us has a body.

He says every one of us is frightened.

He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear.

He says everything is alive –shells, buildings, people, fish,mountains, trees.

Wood is alive.

Water is alive.

Everything has its own life.

Everything lives inside us.

He says live with the world inside you.

He says it doesn’t matter if you draw, or write books.

It doesn’t matter if you saw wood, or catch fish.

It doesn’t matter if you sit at home and stare at the ants on your verandah

or the shadows of the trees and grasses in your garden.

It matters that you care.

It matters that you feel.

It matters that you notice.

It matters that life lives through you.

Contentment is Life living through you.

Joy is life living through you.

Satisfaction and strength is life living through you.

Peace is life living through you.

He says don’t be afraid.

Don’t be afraid.

Look, feel, let life take you by the hand.

Let life live through you.

Was I right?
I mean, wow – what a great poem.
So simple, so instructive, so kind, so gentle, so accepting.

Do you think your life would change for the better if you read this poem and perhaps brought some of the suggestions into your own life?
Do you think that you would be calmer, happier, more peaceful?
Perhaps more loving?
More accepting?

We often hear about works of art changing people’s lives.
Maybe this poem could help change yours.

Amazon Time!

NecronomiCon – Focus Group on Self-Publishing

William Mize — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:20:57 +0000

This is what you’ve been waiting for, people.

This past weekend, at NecronomiCon, Andrea Dean VanScoyoc and I reunited to speak about self-publishing.
We haven’t done this particular little talk since 2008 and we discussed it on Facebook and decided we’d get together and try to help some other budding novelists get started in the world of self-publishing.

And I also created a word called “illegitimisize” or something like that.

I hope that you’ll give it a listen, get something out of it, and even share on your website, Facebook or Twitter.
If you’re looking for our websites or links to places or businesses that we mentioned, expand the description of the video on the YouTube website and you’ll see them all gathered there for your convenience.

Part One:

Part Two:

Sunday Morning Plotting Session at Panera

William Mize — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:42:39 +0000

I’ve always considered writers block to be a condition where you don’t have enough information.
Enough information about the characters.
Enough information about what needs to happen.
Enough information about what you want to say.

The above photo is me, trying to correct this situation.I need to immerse myself in this world, this book, these characters, until I feel comfortable and instinctively know that all is well and all will be well.

“Ambition Is For Amateurs”

William Mize — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:10:55 +0000

So somebody asked me recently in an email interview, “What’s next for Hugh MacLeod?”

Which I answered: There is no “Next”. There is only making more drawings and writings, and trying to stay healthy and happy. “Ambition” is for amateurs.

I think it’s too easy to confuse the AMBITION of doing something, with the actual DOING of something.

That confusion is the domain of the amateur…

From this post on Hugh’s great little blog.

No related posts.

Three Things Borders Could Have Done To Stay Alive

William Mize — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:49:24 +0000

Border

I’ve been thinking a lot about the recent demise of Borders Books.
Initially, my first reaction was to dance on their grave, but that just made me sad.
It makes me sad that one of the largest booksellers in the nation could not stay afloat, could not make it work in this economy.

But I also think that the economy is not to blame.
Nor is Amazon, who always seems to be depicted as the villain of the story, wearing a top hat, a cape and twirling its mustache as the train comes down the track.

I actually think that the wound is self-inflicted.
Borders wasn’t murdered, Borders committed suicide.
I know these things! I’m a mystery writer!

Looking at the crime scene and the evidence, here’s how I think that Borders could have actually survived and possibly even thrived:

Focus on books
I remember when Borders just sold books. Not DVDs. Not music. Not wind-up toys. Not board games. Not random crap that you could probably have found at any drug store or dollar store. They sold books and they hired people who knew books.
When I got out of the Air Force in 1986, my first job was as a bookseller at Waldenbooks. I remember the interview clearly, as I got grilled over who the best selling authors were at the time (Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Danielle Steel) and about the classics and everything in between. Each bookseller was encouraged to have a specialty and really take care of that particular section of the store. I embraced Mystery. We didn’t work on commission, so any bookseller who was helping a customer who wanted mystery recommendations, could hand them off to me, and I would lead them over to the section and start trying to figure out just what kind of mystery they read and wanted.
This is how you build trust. This is how you build confidence and in Borders’ case, this is how they could have kept customers. Hire folks who LOVE books, pay them above the minimum wage and give them the power to help customers and make sure they are taken care of. Don’t let that customer leave the store until they are satisfied with the service and the purchase.
That’s how you keep a store open. Focus on one thing, and focus on it well.
You don’t get it by trying to be everything to everyone. Let the music stores specialize and sell music. Let the DVD stores specialize and sell movies.
Focus on taking care of every person who walks through that door, and you will be rewarded.

Embrace your local community
When I first started hanging out at my local Borders, it was the place to be, quite frankly. They had a huge cafe area. They had live music. They had book signings by local and nationally popular authors. It reminded me a bit of the San Francisco cafes and bookstores that I left behind. All the staff were unique. Some were punks, some were grunge, some were housewives, some were students, but they all loved books and they all loved working for Borders.
When the first edition of “Resurrection Angel” came out, I did my first book signing there. The booksellers and the management were kind, helpful and really wanted me to succeed. There was no stigma attached to being a self-published author. Folks showed up, folks bought books, I made money, Borders made money and everyone was happy.
When “Everlasting Life” came out, it was a very different story. The backlash against self-published writers was in full swing, and I was no longer welcome at any Borders or Waldenbooks. The reason given was lame: they couldn’t return the books: Sure they could! To me! As I would be bringing my own stock to the store. As long as we had someone competent enough to count books, we could subtract the amount after the signing from the amount before the signing and that’s how much money they would owe me. I buy the books, I provide all signage, I do some promotion on my website/blog/email list. All they had to do was have a table set up for me and we were good to go.
Just imagine all the self-published writers that are out there. Now just imagine that at least 50% of them are good, well-written books. Now imagine that each of those writers knows at least 50 to 100 people who might come out for a night of a reading and a book signing. 50 to 100 people who might buy other books. Who might buy a coffee and a muffin. Who might tell others what a great time they had at the store.
That’s how many customers Borders turned away by shunning the self-published crowd. Now that same crowd is going the e-book route and Borders is shuttering their stores.

Dance with the devil
Speaking of eBooks, let us now address the Amazon Situation. Amazon, the accused Borders-slayer. I bet that a lot of people don’t remember that Borders and Amazon used to be bestest friends.
That’s right! In 2001, Borders had a web presence but it was losing money hand over fist, so they teamed up with amazon, who took over their online sales. Borders was even the aggressor, courting Bezos and his many servers up in Seattle. Amazon said yes, and the marriage was consummated.
Imagine combining the above great local booksellers along with amazon’s web presence and shipping service. Have someone very knowledgeable with books make a few great recommendations, based on face to face interaction with the customer. If the book wasn’t in the store, they could have it shipped right to their house, at a discount, and on their doorstep within two days.
But I digress.

Sadly, the marriage was not to last. 6 years into the relationship, Borders decided to sever the ties with Amazon and go head to head against them. It was announced on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 to be exact. While Borders might have been a bit wounded before that date, the mortician certainly could have started measuring them for a coffin right then and there and not be though too impudent.
Borders decided to do their own website, to sell music, to sell DVDs, to hitch their eBook dreams to Sony and then Kobo, rather than hitching their wagon to amazon’s rising star.

Consider this scenario: Borders and Amazon have a happy marriage. Borders takes care of face to face transactions, Amazon handles the web. Borders focuses on customer service and community involvement (remember that all politics is local? So is bookselling, I’m thinking). When the first kindle is introduced, every Borders store has a display of Kindles that you can touch and play with, experiment with, see how they work.
Folks buy Kindles at Borders, perhaps reward Kindle readers with a free book every time they come to their local store. Or maybe some sort of reward program for bringing the Kindle to the store. By uniting Amazon and Borders, they really could have made something unique and special, by bringing the experience home. Make it local. Give Amazon the human touch they so desperately needed. Give Borders a slice of the worldwide marketplace that they needed.

The possibilities were endless, but I guess that there weren’t enough creative minds in Ann Arbor after the KMart purchase. Yes, KMart actually owned Borders Books. And we know that KMart is KNOWN for their bookselling prowess.

I’m actually very sad that Borders had to close. I have a lot of good memories there and will remember them fondly. Their closing leaves a vacuum that I doubt will ever be replaced, unless there is a sudden resurgence of independent bookstores, which would of course, be awesome.

I’m an optimist, so I live in eternal hope that we will become and remain a nation of book readers and book buyers.

First, Amazon’s Kindle – Now, iTunes and the iBookstore

William Mize — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:26:45 +0000

That’s right!
My application to sell my books in epub format on apple’s iTunes bookstore has been approved.
I just need to cross the T’s and dot the I’s and get started.

My own personal opinion is that amazon is way ahead of apple in the ebooks market.
Besides the actual kindle reader, amazon was smart enough to make the kindle software cross-platform – you can read your kindle books on both the PC and mac platform.
They were also smart enough to get their kindle app on all four of the major smartphones – iPhone, android, Blackberry and Windows.
Finally, they nailed it by also making a separate reading app for the iPad, the kindle’s major competition right now.
No matter what type of phone, computer or tablet you have, you can take your entire kindle library with you, and even sync up your bookmarks, so you’ll always know where you left off reading.

Can apple overcome amazon’s apparent domination of this market?
Only time will tell. Apple is known for innovation, secrecy and also leapfrogging competitors, so it will be an interesting battle in the years to come.

It’s a brave new publishing world out there, and I’m glad to be part of those that are embracing this new technology.

Once I get the books formatted and converted to the epub format, I’ll let everyone know and post some links.

Until then, keep reading!

The Many Faces of Amazon’s Kindle

Vulcan Events! This Weekend’s Schedule

William Mize — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:19:41 +0000

Alright True Believers, I’ve been given the tentative final schedule for this weekend’s Vulcan Events convention.
I’ll be arriving around noon on Friday, to get checked in and get the ahem, festivities started, so feel free to look for me around then. I’ll be babysitting the Warpd Online table in the Dealers Room while they get set up. They have promised me cookies and/or alcohol, so we’ll see how that goes. Me, drunk and on a sugar high cannot be good for anyone involved.

Saturday, I’ll be doing two panels.
The first is “Getting Started in Self-Publishing”. It’s at 3:30pm. This is my usual solo song and dance about investigating whether self-publishing is for you, my experiences and working relationship with Lulu.com. If you’re thinking about it, curious about it, or just want to hear me talk about it for an hour, then come say “Howdy!” I will be recording it and then posting it here for anyone to download and listen.

From 4:30pm until 5:00pm, I’ll be signing books at the Warpd Online table. I will also be armed with a Sharpie at all times during the entire 3 days of the convention, so if you have a book you’d like signed, look for me and I’ll be glad to take care of you. Tall, skinny, grey hair, dorky glasses. Can’t miss me.

At 5:00pm, I and the other writers will be doing a group panel called “Writer’s Block”, which I don’t think actually has anything to do with writer’s block, but is just going to be a big question and answer session. With luminaries like Peter David there, I don’t think I’ll be getting too many questions directed my way, unless on of them is “What the hell is Mize doing up there?” But hopefully I can get a photo of myself and Peter together, looking like besties or something.

I hope everyone can make it out, have a great time, come visit and hang out, and buy me a beer.
Oh and buy a book or two.
Yeah, that’s the important one.

My Schedule At NecronomiCon

Convention Appearance!

William Mize — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:03:40 +0000

Yes, I’ve decided to come out of hiding and actually do a booksigning and a few panels at the upcoming Vulcan Events.
The convention is over the weekend of February 25th, 26th and 27th, which means it’s right around the corner! Get that weekend pass! Book that hotel room! Come have some fun with us!
This is the second Vulcan Events, and I must say that last year’s convention was my favorite of the year.
Yes, it was even better than DragonCon.
Vulcan is a more intimate, smaller convention.
Instead of 40,000 people milling around 5 hotels, you have maybe 200 milling around one hotel.
You get to actually hang out and meet the celebrities!
A great memory of last year was hanging out with about 20 people in the lobby.
We put our chairs in a big circle and just took over the area – talking, laughing, drinking, sharing stories, meeting the guests, into the wee hours of the morning.
It was brilliant!
And just the way I believe a convention should be.
My days of large conventions are over. I won’t be buying a DragonCon badge this year, nor the next.
I want to be able to sit and talk with folks without having to scream to make myself be heard.
I want to be able to meet the guests, talk with them. One of my fondest memories of last Vulcan was hanging out with Tony Todd (of Candyman fame) and having one of the best spiritual discussions of my life.
That’s what I believe conventions should be about.
Connection, not disconnection.

I hope that you’ll come out and try Vulcan for yourself.
I hope that you’ll also come see me, either at my Self-Publishing workshop, my panel on Writer’s Block on Saturday or at the bar or pool pretty much any other time.
I will have books to sell – look for the Warp’d Costumes table – they have graciously agreed to sell my books at a special discount for Vulcan Events attendees, and I have agreed to hang out and sign copies for anyone who asks. You even get your choice of G, PG or R rated inscriptions!
What a bargain!

I hope everyone is doing well out there, and I look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks.

No related posts.

James Lee Burke on Writing

William Mize — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:22:17 +0000

Burke, the creator of Detective Dave Robicheaux, was asked by the St. Petersburg Times about what he was reading.

In the midst of his answer, he gave this amazing quote on writing:

Being a writer is a God-given talent. It comes from a source outside of oneself, and every artist knows that. Those who deny it, who are grandiose and indicate they acquire ability and think it is something manufactured within themselves, will lose themselves. Faulkner said at his death, “Had I not written the books, another hand would have written them for me.”

Some folks ask me why I wear a small medallion of Saint Joan of Arc around my neck. While she isn’t the patron saint of writers (that goes to Saint Francis de Sales), Burke’s answer above comes about as close as I can get to an answer.

I also love the fact that although he is classified as a mystery writer, he names no mystery writers as his influences during the early part of his career.

I guess my own influences would be John Steinbeck, John Irving, Charles Dickens, Jack Kerouac, Rex Stout and Erle Stanley Gardner.

Two mystery writers out of six. Not too bad.

NecronomiCon – The First Report

William Mize — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:36:52 +0000

Had an amazing, productive, funky good time at NecronomiCon this weekend.
It was great going to a con that I only had to drive 15 minutes to get to; as opposed to anywhere from 2 to 10 hours. Get on I-275, get off I-275, piece of cake. I will look back on this con commute with misty-eyed wistfulness as I drive the 8 to 10 hours to Atlanta and DragonCon next year.

I got to the hotel about noon and got the coveted Parking Spot In The Hotel Parking Lot. While there was plenty of parking around the hotel, some of it was legal, and some of it was not, as I heard reports of police cars, metering golf carts and tow trucks circling the area pretty much the whole weekend. Sure, it cost me $10 a day, but getting your car out of the impound costs even more.

Met some amazing people. They were kind, funny, supportive and very welcoming to your loyal scribe, who was a first time Guest Author. People such as award winning and best selling horror writer Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc, and her publicist (and maybe soon to be mine) Katrina Stiles, epic Fantasy writer M. B. (Michelle) Weston, well-known horror writer Richard Lee Byers, actor Jeffrey Breslauer, triple threat actor/director/producer Joel Wynkoop (I even filmed a promo for his Wynkoop TV!), and many others.

The above folks have great websites, and are also probably on MySpace and Facebook, so I hope you’ll visit them, support them, find out about their various projects and tell them that Bill sent you. Of course, that will mean nothing, but I’ll think it’s funny.

My Myrddin peeps didn’t make it for the most part, due to illnesses, children and other real world catastrophies, but special thanks go out to Zan and Skip, who did make it. Especially to my girl Zan, who stalked me at every panel I did, and got some great photos of yours truly in action. I hope to post those later.

5 minutes after meeting Andrea, we discovered that we were both self-publishing mavericks and evangelists, and both think that Lulu.com hangs the moon. She was kind enough to invite me to speak and teach with her at her “So You Want To Self Publish” panel. I recorded it for posterity and will hopefully be posting that hour long session here soon in MP3 format for everyone to enjoy and hopefully get empowered and educated and excited about sharing their stories and characters through quality writing and self-publishing.

We also decided that amazon was The Man and The Devil, in that we can’t keep track of our book sales and royalties, so I’ve deleted all the amazon links from my site. All links now go to Lulu, who will provide you faster service, better packaging, and take PayPal, which is very important to folks, I found out this weekend. Con folks love them some PayPal, and Lulu takes PayPal, so there you go. I bow to the wisdom of the masses. Of course, if you still want to purchase the books through amazon, have at it, but it will make the Baby Jesus cry. Just saying.

Oh, and for the folks at the “Creating Memorable Characters” panel I was on, the name of the book that I was struggling to remember is Victoria Schmidt’s 45 Master Characters. As I said, this is an amazing book, and one that there is totally no shame in using when starting to create your main characters or even your secondary characters; start with one of these archetypes and then flip it and spin it and add those great details and quirks that make it your own. Bonus points to anyone who can write me and tell me which archetypes Denton and Monty are. I didn’t use the book to create them, but they happen to fit nicely into two specific archetypes that Schmidt discusses.

As I said above, this was an amazing convention. I didn’t get to do a lot of the stuff that I did as a regular member (read: drinking, carousing, smooching) but I did get a lot of networking done and met some great fellow professionals. That and it’s a tax write-off! Yay!

As soon as the dust settles, I’ll write another update and post photos and the Self Publishing sound files. There will be some great things happening real soon; I can feel it in the air, like a cool brisk December breeze. I’ll keep you up to date, but must close and say a very heartfelt thank you to all of you for your kindness, your support and your friendship.

My Schedule At NecronomiCon