Making the Effort

Reading fiction takes effort. Reading science fiction often takes more effort. But it should never feel like a task. Anything that says “rewards the patient reader” I would tend to avoid, even though some truly are rewarding.

I downloaded two volumes of a book by a well known author at discount, which got off to a promising start. Now I’m struggling. After reading the excellent Upgrade by Blake Crouch – an intense page-turner – this latest novel feels comparatively like hard work. Maybe it’s because i’ve become lazy and my attention span is not what it used to be. After all, the voluminous space saga was never a problem for me in my 20s, 30s and slightly beyond. Those Peter Hamilton doorstoppers, I ploughed through them all – gladly. Yet here I am now getting bamboozled by the welter of characters, their roles and histories, the detailed descriptions of bizarre aliens and their environments. It feels like I am failing in not properly envisioning the scenes. And yet, if you ask me what’s wrong with the writing, the plotting, world-building, I can’t quite put my finger on it; there are no bad sentences. The writing is as agile as the action scenes.

I have, however, noticed a change in style generally in constructing a successful novel that’s altered over the last decade, that a debut author should probably adhere to, to sell. The previously best-selling have the latitude of loyalty from the reader that will invest – and likewise from their editor. There is the risk of the writer having a clear vision of their book and wanting to add authenticity by adding reams of detail. And therein lies the alien description conundrum; you, the reader, have never seen that strange world or that multi-limbed creature, so the author can’t just skip over it to get on with the plot. Maybe that is why earth/human based novels have wider appeal.

Still, there is the art of finding the familiar in the alien that a skilled SF writer can achieve. A challenge I’m not sure I’d pull off.

My published books:

World’s Beyond Time UK Worlds Beyond Time (US)

The Captured (US) The Captured (UK)

Download The Chosen for free while it’s still available.

http://adriankyte.com/

Where It Begins (again)

Sometimes an idea is too good to resist. That’s where it begins for me – being taken in by the ‘wow yeah, I’ve got it!’ As a science fiction writer this revelatory moment of inspiration can be a prelude to trouble and, ultimately, disillusionment.

Having resisted the urge to even consider starting a 6^th novel, I happened upon the phenomenon of Skinwalker Ranch through various TV shows. UFOs and a plethora of paranormal occurrences in one location!

Has no SF/horror writer been inspired by this nexus of paranormal activity? Maybe the reality of it is just too strange, too extraordinarily mindbogglingly weird, to distill into a novel or any form that gives you a coherent narrative. Yet what fiction can do that investigative factual reporting cannot is to give the mysterious meaning by narrowing down the context. Such as: here is a scenario to explain how things connect, a perspective through the eyes of a protagonist. Even though documentaries can do this to some extent – in that they give you an insight, they don’t really put you into the protagonist’s world. (That said, there are some real life people connected who would make interesting fictional characters.) But what, crucially, fiction can do is make a bold leap of imagination.

My guess is, a number of successful fiction authors have studied this phenomenal location and thought: I could take this on, write a decent story … yet risk the scrutiny from those with such an intense interest and strong opinion on what’s really happening, plus the ensuing barrage of criticism. And really, there are so many potential layers to peel away – to get anywhere near the heart of what is dubbed the world’s most mysterious place – it would be too onerous to try. The truth too strange (if not dark) even for fiction writers.

So would I take it on?

Maybe I should resist that temptation. But you can’t stop being inspired.

My published books: Worlds Beyond Time (UK)

Worlds Beyond Time (US)

The Captured (US) The Captured (UK)

My links site: adriankyte.com

Fix the Unfixable?

There is no achievement so imbued with pride than publishing your first novel. Invested with high hopes and what feels like your entire being into this monumental project. Even if it turns out to be a failure, rejected and unappreciated, it will always hold that special place in your heart. Yes, a lot of emotion tied up with that debut work. So it has not been easy to confront the admittedly very considerable failings of The Hidden Realm.

Twelve years from first published I finally removed it. Well, mostly; it ended up on numerous sites since I made it free. Possibly exceeded 10k downloads. Clearly some readers liked it, but unfortunately those who didn’t made it known. This was in the days when competition on virtual space was nowhere near as fierce, so getting attention was far easier. But that kind of attention carries risk. And my request to delete all reference to it on Goodreads was rejected.

Here’s the dilemma. Should I do an extensive re-edit/rewrite of THR? Or just carry on with my fifth novel (second, third draft etc)? It’s a question perhaps only I can answer. A cursory re-read of my debut I soon got a sense of its failings: too many character POVs with all their narratives; clunky dialogue – which has been my weakness for many years. In the end I did my best to tie everything up to what felt like a neat resolution. Written in the noughties, maybe it seems dated in more ways than just the science&tech.

The most common problem with that first novel is, bursting with ideas, you want to throw everything in, without the patience to think: I can leave that character’s story for the next volume. So the next (Time Over) was like a reset in the series.

Anyway, I hope not to simply disregard THR without some attempt to salvage it. Because, surely, you can never forget your first.

My published books: Worlds Beyond Time (UK) Worlds Beyond Time (US)

The Captured (US) The Captured (UK)