Weekly word count: 3782
This week, my day job was shut down so I had the week off. Usually I drive myself very hard during such opportunities but since this was my first week getting back to writing, I gave myself permission to take it slowly.
I'm glad I did because it took me much longer than I would have expected to get back into both the world of the Spirit Sight short stories and the mindset of writing. I've got my key plot points for the short story but my brain is being a little sluggish in throwing up the ideas on how to get from one to the next. But that's understandable after pushing myself so hard during May, June and July and taking almost four weeks off of regular writing.
Even though it's harder than expected, it feels really good to get back at the keyboard and letting that side of myself explore freely again. The ideas are starting to percolate for Book 5 of the Lalassu, Division and I'm looking forward to starting that one as well once the short story is done.
I got another response from my RWA pitches and sadly it was another rejection. I'm not particularly surprised by this one as I didn't think I would be a good fit at that agency but I got a very nice personalized note of encouragement. Two rejections and seven still pending. Fingers crossed! I had two fortune cookies last night which both promised success in business, so now I'm waiting for the universe to follow suit.
Heroine Fix is a monthly feature looking at characters whom I admire and who influence my own writing. (Warning: this article will contain spoilers.)
For this month's Heroine Fix, I've decided to focus on two characters from one of my new favourite films: Ready Player One, Helen/Aech and Samantha/Art3mis. The idea of an entirely virtual world where a person can customize their avatar to anything they want and which allows a person to use their natural body movements to interact with the gaming environment is an appealing option. (Disclaimer: I have no talent for video games. I'm fascinated by the stories but using the controls and navigating the game isn't intuitive for me.) If I were going to venture into the Oasis, I would probably be using it as a place for social interaction, which is why the idea of being able to appear as whatever I would want is appealing.
The idea of being effortlessly taller, thinner, and prettier is certainly tempting but that's not what everyone in the Oasis chooses. Avatars say a lot about the person they represent. Do they want to be intimidating? Alluring? Are they dedicating their fandom to a particular film, show, or comic?
Samantha, a high level gunter (egg hunter, one of those searching for secret objects within the Oasis), created the avatar Art3mis.
Samantha is self-conscious about the birthmark over her right eye and doesn't include it in her avatar. She's also made herself thinner, with larger eyes and pointed ears, creating an elfin anime type look. It is not directly connected to any particular fandom which marks her as an independent, something Samantha prizes as she refuses to join any of the "clans" working together within the Oasis. She wears a leather jacket and has a spiky, short hair style, which creates a "back off" message. She wants to be attractive, but isn't inviting flirtation. She wants to be taken seriously and is quick to jump on any inference that she is less than competent.
In the real world, Samantha is dedicated to fighting the "Sixers" and the corporation, IOI. She is a crusader, wanting to keep the Oasis out of the hands of those who would seek to monetize it. She's angry and passionate about protecting those who are being exploited. She's furious when she realizes that Parzival doesn't have any ambitions beyond solving the quest and earning fame and fortune. To her, solving the quest and gaining control of the Oasis is a way to make the worlds (both real and virtual) a better place.
Her avatar reflects this passion. There's no attempt to make it fun or playful. It's a serious creation for a serious business. She is attractive, because attractiveness can be useful, but not so attractive that she will be distracted by attempts at personal connections. She's not attempting to disguise herself, but she is still hiding her vulnerabilities, revealing a wariness and a lack of trust in the rest of the world.
It's an interesting contrast with Helen/Aech, who has chosen a massive biotechnical orc for her avatar.
Aech is a widely recognized avatar in the gaming worlds. He has a highly successful business building custom artifacts and vehicles for people (including an awesome Iron Giant). He is respected. It's not mentioned in the movie, but in the books, Aech is considered one of the top gunters and to be invited to join him is a mark of prestige. He is the best friend of the main character, Parzival and serves as a mentor and guide.
We don't know much about Helen's real world life in Ready Player One. It appears that she lives in her van and spends most of her time in the virtual Oasis world rather than the real one. She never explains why she chose an avatar that differs so much from her appearance but there are a couple of theories.
Female gamers often experience harassment online. While most gamers are happy to play against or with anyone who loves the game, there is a minority who will attack those who use female avatars and attempt to drive them away. Aech is very involved in Oasis gaming as well as in the gunter subculture. In the first scene, he appears to be involved in a first person shooter game. So perhaps Helen chose Aech so that she could play the games that she loved without harassment, something that many female gamers do in real life.
Or perhaps she chose Aech to counteract any subtle prejudice against her race and gender while building her business. She is obviously a brilliant virtual engineer and appearing as a male may have garnered her more customers while she was trying to establish her reputation. Or Aech may have been created so that she would have a more intimidating presence, preventing others from attacking her and enabling her to demand more respect.
The most intriguing theory is that Aech represents who Helen wishes she truly was. That she sees herself as inherently male. The real world of Ready Player One is one where most people are in desperate poverty. People are squatting in abandoned buildings, living in trailers stacked atop one another or in vehicles. Garbage and debris is piled in graffiti covered streets. Real world transgender surgery would probably be expensive and beyond the reach of most people but they could be whomever they wished in the Oasis, allowing them to have the identity they crave without surgery or hormone treatment.
I'm not sure if this is the case as the real world Helen doesn't show any signs of being uncomfortable within her physical body but given the limited character development, it would be hard to say one way or another. But it's also interesting that Aech is the one character who reminds the others that the avatars don't necessarily represent who a person is in real life.
Either way, Aech is still a wish-fulfillment for Helen. He's bigger, scarier, and more powerful than she is. I would honestly love to see more of Helen/Aech's story, as I wonder if being Aech undermines Helen's confidence because she wonders if her Oasis friends would still like her if they knew her in real life, or does being Aech free Helen, letting her step aside from cultural and gender restrictions to be who she has always wanted to be?
Both Helen/Aech and Samantha/Art3mis have made me think more about the way my own characters present themselves versus who they really are inside. Those multiple layers are what create truly grounded and realistic characters that live inside the minds of readers long after the covers are closed.
(Keep on reading for more information on next month's Heroine Fix and a special offer on my own books.)
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the characters of Ready Player One. Leave a comment or share your thoughts with me on Facebook or Twitter (#HeroineFix @jclewisupdate).
And if you'd like to give my paranormal romantic suspense series about a secret society of superheroes a try, I'm running a sale on book one. You can pick up the ebook for less than the price of a cup of coffee.
Or you can check out last month's Heroine Fix where I took a look at Hela from Thor: Ragnarok and how the line between a villain and a heroine can be razor thin.
Or take a peek at last week's post where I shared my steps for Reclaiming Our Inner Goddesses because I think there are too many messages that encourage women to be less and we should all be celebrated as the Goddesses we truly are.
And you can always just check out my blog homepage to see my updates on my life and how my writing is going as well as my thoughts on all kinds of subjects.
Next month, I'll be looking at the lovely and lethal Dutch from Killjoys. Join me on September 13th for your next Heroine Fix.
Another week off from writing but I was getting things ready for Romancing the Capital.
I had been looking forward to RTC all year and sometimes events like that don't live up to the anticipation. This one did. I've been three times as a reader but this was my first time as an author and I wasn't sure if people would be interested in what I had to say. I did my Beyond the Furrowed Brow workshop to a full room and my Basics of Burlesque event to an even fuller room. People had a great time getting in touch with their inner Goddess and dancing around to music. I was worried that I'd have a hard time getting people to participate but everyone was eager to join in. I also had an amazing time on the genre panel, talking about urban fantasy and why I write it.
Then came the signing. I'm used to conferences where the vendor room is open all weekend, throughout the whole conference. For RTC, it's open for two hours. Two hours with hundreds of readers coming through. It's overwhelming but amazing. People came to see me, even though I'm still very much an unknown author. They had a great time at my panels and then came to see me, which is exactly the way its supposed to work.
Eve told me that she wanted to set up RTC so that every attending author could get their "rock star" moment. That moment when a reader is genuinely excited to meet them and excited about their books. I got a few of those, plus ones that meant just as much to me as a writer: ones where readers' eyes lit up with excitement when I talked about what I write.
I'm debating about next year. I won't have a new book out between now and then (though I will have the third Spirit Sight short story out and book 5 of the Lalassu should be out sometime in the fall of 2019). It's so much fun that I selfishly want to do it anyway but I also want other authors to experience that as well. Eve is an amazing and generous woman who just wants everyone to have a good time, and that is rare in a con organizer.
I'm also feeling recovered from my hectic blast of finishing Deadly Potential, going to Ad Astra, RWA and RTC. Next week, I will be getting back into writing and starting the third Spirit Sight short story so that it can be out for Halloween.
Every woman has stories about being asked to be less than she is. Don't act too smart, don't draw attention, don't take the last dessert...
Well, for this weekend, I say: forget that.
This weekend is Romancing the Capital and it is a celebration of loudness, laughter and, of course, achieving happily ever afters in all aspects of life. Romance is the genre where women can win. Heroines can definitely have it all. She can have an exciting, profitable and fulfilling career, a loving and supportive family, and a partner who adores her and is devoted to her pleasure and joy. (And if he happens to be a shapeshifter, vampire, or superhero, all the better.) Heroines remind us that every woman is a Goddess inside.
Reclaiming that Goddess can be a challenge in the face of all the messages pushing women into narrow boxes or driving us to put off our happily ever after until later (once we lose weight, once we buy new clothes...). I've come up with a three step system to help us celebrate our Goddesshood:
1) Do something brave.
Women are taught to be afraid. We are taught to constantly be aware of what's around us and how others might be perceiving us. We get blamed for how others see us (dressing too sexy, being too emotional) and so we tend to lock ourselves down and avoid risks.
For this weekend, take the risks. Talk to a stranger, be the first one on the dance floor, dive in to one of the "naughty" panels, whatever you would normally want to do but tell yourself not to because it might not be appropriate. It doesn't have to be big, but releasing ourselves from the restraints of fear can be incredibly freeing.
Goddesses don't have to be afraid because a Goddess is a proud, strong and amazing person.
2) Accept your rightful worship.
Every woman has been stuck trying to curl herself into a ball while a nearby man takes up at least a seat and a half. Part of not being noticed means physically restricting ourselves. It also means refusing to take our due, lest someone decide we have asked for too much.
For this weekend, say "yes" instead of "I couldn't possibly...". Take that extra helping, talk loudly and with wide gestures, don't be afraid to laugh until you snort. Or take the opportunity to take care of yourself with something indulgent.
Because, like the old commercial says: Goddesses are worth it.
3) Follow your dreams.
Most women have huge levels of responsibility. We still take on most of the household and childcare work, often on top of demanding jobs. It becomes too easy to put ourselves and our dreams on hold.
Take this chance to say yes to a dream. Small or big, it doesn't matter. Take that first step or the hundredth. But tell yourself yes.
None of these are huge but they can make a big difference. We are Goddesses and we never should forget it.
And if you're at Romancing the Capital and would like to try taking on your inner Goddess in a fun and sexy way, please stop by my RTC Basics of Burlesque workshop on Saturday at 11 in Kanata B. I promise a camera-free, PG-13 safe space for women of all body shapes, bravery levels and mobility to connect with their inner Goddess.
You can also enter my draw for a gift card and share your Goddess-reclamation with me on Twitter at @jclewisupdate (hashtags #IAmAGoddess and #RTC2018).
Previous post: Hidden Depths and Character Complexity, why I seek out complex characters even when they aren't necessarily likeable.
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This week's accomplishments: I got all of the query requests out from the speed pitch sessions and I painted my bathroom.
I sent out six full manuscripts and three partials. Thus far, I've gotten one rejection back, but still keeping my fingers crossed for the others. I'm encouraging myself that she read it quickly and got back to me quickly, so she was at least intrigued by the concept. Though I now find myself wondering what didn't work about it.
This experience has brought to light one of the biggest differences between independent and traditional publishing. With independent publishing, an author puts their work out there and works to find the audience who wants to read it. With traditional, the author needs to find one crucial fan first: either an agent or an editor. It's a more intense process with fewer opportunities for success, but bigger results when it works out.
But I don't have time to brood. This week is Romancing the Capital and I have been looking forward to it for the last year. I can't wait to see everyone and have a chance to share my books with the readers!
People are complicated and we often only see the tiniest fraction of who another person is. Stories are one of the ways we can see deeper into lives beyond our own, which is one of the reasons why it gets so infuriating when those stories are told by flat characters who never manage to come to life. In a way, it almost feels like a cheat: like being promised gold and being delivered a cheap, gilded knockoff.
In real life, people are a mixture. Even appalling people often have endearing traits (and some of the most effective horrible people are able to hide their evil behind hypnotic charisma) and even outward saints have some secret sins. So why do we keep finding characters who are one- and two-dimensional?
My personal theory is that it's partly because people like simplicity. To paraphrase JMS: we want to cheer for the good guys, boo the bad guys, and enjoy the satisfactory thump when the villain hits the floor. In order to do that, we need to be able to tell right away who is the hero and who is the villain.
Another part is that we don't like the idea of "bad" people getting good things. It offends our inherent sense of fairness. I think this is why we have a lot of pushback against unlikeable heroes (and particularly unlikeable heroines). And even though most people enjoy a redemption story, they want to root for a good guy who has been misunderstood or been caught up in bad circumstances, but not a bad guy who somehow stumbles into a better situation.
Everyone has a short list of things that are absolutely unforgivable in a character. Personally, I can't get behind a character who denigrates the vulnerable, particularly if they use slurs. But it would be interesting to see a story where such a person starts to recognize why that's a problem, recognizes the hurt they've caused, and then demonstrates real growth and change. However, that character could not be a romantic hero or heroine with an arc over a single book. I would need to see improvements before they got their own story. (If I were to plot such a story, the character would be a secondary one who is an initial jerk but learns the error of their ways before the end of one book, then they would have a chance to demonstrate that they are now a better person in their own book.)
This is one of the areas that I think authors overlook sometimes. We are often exhorted not to use unlikeable characters because we don't want to alienate readers. But it's also boring to read about characters with no flaws.
Books have a rare opportunity to allow us to see the full complexity of a character. We don't have to guess at what they're thinking and feeling, we can be a part of their experience. And maybe, it can help us to be less simplistic in our own judgments of others.
Previous post: Yes I Can Juggle, Just Not With Balls (A look a the challenges of balancing writing, work and family)
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Weekly word count: still on break
This week was the RWA National Conference in Denver and I have had the most amazing time.
I met my Twitter buddy, Olivia Dade (who writes lovely books) in real life. And I met many other amazing women and authors.
On Friday morning, I did three rounds of speed pitching and managed to pitch to four of the five people that I was really hoping to pitch to. And all four have asked for me to send them the full manuscript, along with another request, which makes five in total. I also have several requests for a partial. It's a very heady feeling to know that people are interested in the story I've written. I'm doing a final read through and then I'll be sending it out to those who have asked.
On Friday afternoon, I was a part of the Indie signing. I brought five print books and a hundred ebooks to give away. I was mentally braced to come back home with them, but I only have a few cards left for the ebooks. People were very interested and I've got to give another shout out to Streetlight Graphics for their awesome cover which drew people right in. (Literally, since I watched at least a dozen people start to walk right past my table, catch sight of the cover and then beeline over.)
I picked up lots of awesome books. Enough to keep me in happy reading for at least the next few months.
And I had some great meals and conversations with new friends, old friends, and, of course, my ORWAn ladies. All in all, it has been a fantastic week. I'm ready to head home though. News from the home front is that things have been going well. My youngest is off to his grandparents' cottage for the week and the oldest's burn is healing well (next doctor visit today). The animals have missed me, particularly our cat Neelix who likes to pounce on my feet first thing in the morning and our dog, Lynyrd, who is used to having me around the house all day.
But the fun isn't over yet! Romancing the Capital comes up in a week and a half and I will have my Beyond the Furrowed Brow workshop on the Thursday and my Basics of Burlesque event on the Saturday. And I'll be at the Giant Book Signing along with a bunch of other awesome authors (Saturday, 4-6, at the Holiday Inn in Kanata Centrum). I am really looking forward to it.
