Writing a Book: An Introduction

I’ve decided on a new aspect for this blog: the process of writing a book.

The whole blog won’t just be this, of course, but I’d like to focus on it a bit more than anything else…anything else being that I haven’t written anything at all for quite some time.  As well, it’ll allow me to exercise one of the pillars of what I’d like to talk about, exercising.  So, without further adieu, here’s what I’m thinking…

This may start out as a rambling, incoherent mess as I’ve just woke up and my faculties aren’t completely with me but what the heck, it’s a blog after all, not the Wall Street Journal.

I am writing a book, a series of books, actually, about Korea, Asian culture, and how some of the tenants of Asian culture have found their way into the western world and vice versa.  It’s a subject I’ve been thinking a lot about since we arrived here in Seoul and one that I think will interest some people.  The story is about a Kyopo, someone of Korean descent who was raised and grew up with a Korean family somewhere else.  So as to say, a guy whose family left Korea in the early 20th century and moved to the U.S. is a Kyopo.  It’s a far more universal concept than the Korean word allows, but it’s great that such a word exists.

See, my mom’s from Tehran, Iran.  She fled the country in the 70s for the U.S. and has never returned.  So, I’m a Kyopo of Iran, I guess.

Anyway, the story will focus on several characters, many of which are Kyopos, both going back to their native lands and dealing with those feelings of being reattached to something missing.  A reunion to a past unknown, of sorts.

Now that I’ve given you the most basic summary of the story, I’d like to address the actual nature of what I’m trying to do here.  See, I just had this conversation with my wife about how things were structured at CSU’s (Colorado State University) journalism department.  Not only were students taught how to write and edit stories, but also the process of being a successful writer.  There were lessons about how to write a letter introducing an article you wrote to publishers and how to file for taxes as a free lancer, and I realized I had none of that.  Perhaps I took the wrong classes – I don’t think so – but there’s something of absolute importance in understanding the realities of writing and the business of writing.  All to often folks talk about how they’ll be writing a novel, sit down, and try to write one without understanding basic ideas and tenants of structure, outlining, and theme.  It’s a problem, so I understand it, that definitely takes place in grad schools but should be addressed in your undergrad.  After all, some of us couldn’t, and still can’t, afford to attend graduate school but still have the talent and ideas to write a book.

That said, I’ll give you a list of some of the topics I’d like to address in the coming months:
The business of writing
Structure of the outline
Motivation
Schedules
Planning
The creative process is won through devotion and pushing yourself
Practice, and don’t stop even if he ideas aren’t coming
Taking breaks are necessary
Reading as research
Reading as exercise
Writing outside of the book
Multiple stories at the same time

This list will expand as I get started and I’d love to receive comments and suggestions from people in the notes ares.

It should also be noted that my process – so as to say, everything I will be writing about within this context – will be focused on writing a graphic novel and not simply a “traditional” novel.  The process, I’m sure, varies in many ways, but I’m guessing that generally they’re much the same.  Also, because of those differences, there’s something specialized and focused for a different set of people.  There are tons of books and blogs about writing books, but few about writing a graphic novel…especially written by me.

All right, so that’s the plan.  I’ll be writing my first post tomorrow are part of my warm ups for the days work.  All posts will be shot over to twitter and my facebook page, so as to alert as many people as possible to my jabbering.

Thanks, and I look forward to writing and reading your responses.

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