J.B. Sommerset

So over the weekend, I noticed that the share buttons were not visible in the profile menu (it has something to do with the layers). So I moved them. For anyone out there who likes to share the site, they are now located in the lower right corner. The little red circle with the white arrow curving to the right in it. When you click on that they will pop up. Cheers!

One of my biggest challenges as a writer is the process of editing and rewrites. I have a tough time making all the corrections needed for submission. It's hard for me to see everything that needs to be changed, improved, or "killed", (always kill your darlings ). There are several tricks people use when editing their work. Of course, if you have the means, the first and easiest way to get it done is to pay someone to do it. Hire a line-editor! However, it costs money. At around $2000.00 for a medium-sized novel, most people will shy away from paying someone. I recommend this method if you have the means- fresh eyes are always better.  If you aren't pooping out cash and don't have someone who will do it for free, you will have to edit your own work, (aww, sad face emoji!). This is where it helps to know the tricks of the trade.  So here we go: Edit your work in small chunks, paragraphs, or pages. Focus on one part of the story and fix it one piece at a time.  Enla...

One of the things I notice when I read a good book, is the shape of the writing; the choices the author made that give it unique contours. Like poetry, writing can be enhanced by the way it looks. In poetry, the meter often has a shape. Usually, this isn't developed in books until the last draft is being put together.  The structure, the grammar, the syntax, the word choice, the justification, and the headings (among other things) give the writing a shape. The way the author puts them together can give the writing additional appeal or change the mood and message of the work. While it may not contribute to the overall story, it might make it look better and also increase readability.  Primarily, the writing community shapes writing with word choice- a noun or a verb can change the context. Sometimes two words mean the same but one implies a deeper meaning. Sometimes one flows better and is more smooth. Sometimes a word can stop the reader and make them think. But words do ...

I have talked a little about my new work, The Lost Pilgrim.  It's my first novel in the fantasy genre. Fantasy has always been a favorite genre for me, but for some reason, I have had no interest in writing fantasy. Maybe it's the thought of being side by side with some of the greats- Tolkien for instance.  Usually, I post a sample of whatever I am working on. This time, I haven't given any samples here on the page. I thought I would take the time to post a short excerpt from The Lost Pilgrim, a taste of the work, a delicious little morsel. I hope you enjoy it. "...What the beast so great that silence is its call? The answer is more straightforward than he thought. It’s time. Time is that beast, and when time ends, nothing will become the world; it has no cry and devours all things, and its master is that of Eyn'Uon'Haavah- The father of the machinations of the universe, the turning of the ages. And all those who play within his realm will die and know death, f...

Here is some good advice from Neil Gaiman about the anxiety writers struggle with each day. And mind you, the struggle is very real. Neil's advice is always good, especially to the burgeoning authors out there. Cheers!

  Just how much description is too much? Like most things in life, it’s not how much you can get. It’s more so, the quality and usage. Many people love to go over the top with the descriptors, once again quantity vs. quality. Most people want more, it's the current culture of the world. Look at the department store and fast food adds, more, more, more!  But more isn't usually better. Most of the time it's messy and leaves a person feeling bloated and sick. Writing more unnecessary words is a dangerous place to be. Most readers check out when the story isn’t moved forward, is too wordy, or just confusing. Too many descriptors create problems of attention in the reader. The reader needs to be a part of the process, they need to see the story as it unfolds in their head- with their imagination.  On the flip side, too little can leave the reader feeling empty and confused. Too little can make a story weak and lackluster, leaving to much up to the reader.  So, wh...

  August was a busy month indeed. I have been working to iron out all the errors, syntax, and punctuation in my next novel: “ The Lost Pilgrim ”, my first fantasy novel. It chronicles a character “chosen” to write the bible/creation story of a mythical world; a man chosen to be the mouthpiece of the gods. The first book I tried to write, back in the day, when I was thirteen, was a fantasy novel. I made it twenty pages. My characters had nowhere to go and no stories to tell. So, I shelved it and haven’t touched it again (for over 20 years). Last year I picked it back up and decided to start over and rewrite it. This time the characters had a purpose. I like it much more this time around. Much like my science fiction world, it’s growing more and more by the day. But with any luck, I will have it done and published in the next month or so! Like winter, it’s coming.   Cheers!