Hurray for impulse buying!

I write at a speed which would probably provide shame to an arthritic snail.  To be more specific, my typing speed does not exceed 20 words per minute.  Despite efforts to improve I remain a confirmed three fingered typist.  I’ve tried all the usual tools; Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and video games such as Type or Die to name but two.  There seems to be a blockage between my brain and my fingers…

In times gone by my typing speed hasn’t been a problem.  The reason for this was that when I am writing a short story I tend to consider the words and the context in which they are used to a reasonably high degree.  It is probably fair to say that I try to do my first revision at the same time as I do my first draft.  Combining the two activities slows me down considerably.

As I am now far more active in copywriting and producing websites the exact importance of the word has taken a secondary role when compared to the amount of writing produced and the overall message, or impression, it gives.  Due to my slow typing speed producing 5000 words a day or so has been regularly taking me at least eight hours.  Speech recognition software has totally revolutionised this.

On the Nuance website the company claims that using Dragon NaturallySpeaking is three times faster than typing.  In my case this isn’t saying much!  I am however happy to report that this claim is true.  My daily production has doubled or maybe tripled and the ease of writing an article has increased along with it.

Another claim made on the site is that the software is 99% accurate.  I have a relatively broad Liverpool accent and in my case I would guess that the software achieves about 98%.  The errors the software makes are easily corrected and I can honestly say present me little problem at all.  Everyone makes mistakes in typing and even at my snail’s pace of 20 words a minute I did too.  Despite these errors in speech recognition accuracy my overall productivity has increased and I am really enjoying writing using the software.  While my version of speech recognition software doesn’t quite have the science fiction accuracy of Deckard’s version, I don’t doubt that that they will one day come.  When that day arrives sign me up for copy!

Getting back to the real world, Dragon NaturallySpeaking has proven itself to be a real boon.  I now have a real choice between doubling or tripling my output, or gaining a couple of extra hour’s spare time every day.  This is a great position to be in.

Another improvement that is worth mentioning is that the software has enabled me to change something about my writing process.  I mentioned earlier that my style of writing fiction is to write slowly and consider each word carefully.  Using voice recognition software has changed that activity for the better in one important regard.  In the past when I’ve sat down to write a first draft of a story I have frequently struggled to keep the overall ideas in mind as I write.  This problem was caused primarily by my slow typing speed allowing me too much time to think.  Now when I sit down to write a first draft I find it far easier to go with an almost “stream of consciousness” style of writing.  Probably for the first time in my writing career I can now sit down and write a full first draft of a short story in one sitting.  Of course the writing still requires proofreading and correction of silly grammar or punctuation mistakes.  I guess no software will get around this any time soon, but this is still a huge improvement.

My previous experiences with speech recognition software have been incredibly frustrating but I am happy to report that Dragon NaturallySpeaking has put a smile on my face.  This blog post was written using the software in probably a third of the time it would have taken me to type it out.

For anyone that is used the voice recognition capabilities of Windows Vista and were unimpressed I have to say I share your opinion.  There is no comparison though between Windows voice recognition and the program provided by Nuance.  They really are light years apart.

The Standard Edition of Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 10.1 comes with a DVD of the software are minimal manual and headset microphone necessary to import voice commands.  This is a complete package as you really do not need a digital voice recorder.  The software is a class leader in voice recognition and in my opinion is a bargain at around £30 ($45).  If you’re a writer looking to increase your productivity you could do a lot worse than giving Nuance’s Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software a try.

Perhaps starting a science fiction classics series about a work as troubled as Bladerunner may seem a strange choice to some, but it contains some clever ideas and what is science fiction if not a world of ideas?

Bladerunner the Movie

Bladerunner performed poorly at the box office at time of release, despite being radically altered “to improve sales” from the director’s (Ridley Scott) initial intentions.  In fact Ridley Scott initially declined to direct the movie preferring to work on Dune instead.  It was only after his brother’s death and work on Dune coming to a halt that he agreed to work on a revised script for Bladerunner.  I am glad he did eventually agree to direct though, his work is excellent.

The studio alteration of the movie is what has given rise to the many “Directors Cut” type releases.

The movie was nominated for two Oscars and fifteen other awards, winning nine; including a Hugo and a BAFTA.  So why did it do so badly at the box office?  Well, it certainly wasn’t because of the cast which included Rutger Hauer (Roy Batty), Daryl Hannah (Pris) and Harrison Ford in the lead role as Deckard – The Bladerunner.

Perhaps the pictures problems were caused by a gap between audience expectation and the actual content of the film.  Movie sci-fi in the early 80’s was all about lasers and showy special effects, probably due to the after effects of the massive success of movies such as Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980).

Bladerunner is by contrast a careful, emotional movie about the value of life, both human and machine.  Most of the action takes place in moody, dark scenes in which rain seems to be a constant factor.  For all that, the movie is not depressing as might be assumed.

Bladerunner asks a simple question:  If robots were so advanced that you could not tell them from humans; whose life would be considered more important?  Perhaps this was too much for an audience expecting a space opera?

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, do so.  It can be bought these days for the price of a beer (basic edition).

Bladerunner the Book (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)

Bladerunner is based upon the novel by Phillip K. Dick, “Do androids dream of electric sheep?”

The book has a different feel to the various different editions of the movie and I can see why it was altered for the mass market.  It is not that it is a bad book, far from it, but I feel that the direction and feel of Dick’s book is different from the film.  Apparently, shortly before his death, Dick said that “It was my own interior world. They caught it perfectly.”, so what do I know?

Bladerunner Quotes

Holden: Describe in single words only the good things that come into your mind about… your mother.
Leon: My mother?
Holden: Yeah.
Leon: Let me tell you about my mother.
[Leon shoots Holden with a gun he was holding under the table]

My personal favourite quote (movie)

Roy: I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time… like tears in rain… Time to die.

That quote is, for me, the essence of the movie.  If you haven’t seen it I won’t spoil things and tell you why…

Dave Felton

Do you find that when you start a piece of writing you are sure of your plot and structure of your story? Do you find that after a only a few chapters (or paragraphs!) you are writing another story altogether? If any of this sounds familiar, this article is for you.

When I first started to become a writer a problem I ran into was that the first three sections in a piece were just great, but over time the story started to wander. This issue would tend to magnify in relation to the length of the piece of work.  I needed advice from a professional writer, or instructor, but I didn’t know any.

The problem, at least in part, was that although I thought I knew what I was setting out to write my actual conception of the overall plot was weak. I knew the end I wanted and many of the plot points along the way, but as soon as the story started my writing seem to go on to wander a path all of its own.

In short, I needed a system.

Plot and Structure

Well, one of the first books I bought in this area was “Plot and Structure” by James Scott Bell.

It is no exaggeration to say that when I read this book I thought I had discovered the “Holy Grail” of writing books (yes, I was a newbie). Plot and Structure suddenly illuminated areas of the writing process I had never even considered.

For instance, are you a NOP or an OP kind or person? It is ok to be confused by those words, they are terms from the book. An OP is an “outline person” and a NOP is a “no outline person”. Mr Bell shows how plotting can still be relevant even if you are a NOP kind of person.

Plot and Structure deals with the usual beginnings, middles and ends of a story but it goes a lot further. The book also deals with techniques for tightening tension and increasing interest, developing characters through plot events, motifs, themes, dialogue and also suggestions on how to generate new plot ideas.

An interesting technique that Mr Bell illustrates for developing plot is the “LOCK” system. This stands for Lead, Objective, Confrontation and Knockout. This acronym is well developed in the book and makes for a very useful addition to the aspiring writers’ toolkit.

Plot and structure gives a brief tour of everything you might need to gain a basic knowledge of writing a longer piece of work. Obviously within 230 pages or so these topics cannot be dealt with in great depth, but this takes nothing away from the book.

It is a great book and one that I learned a great deal from. I can recommend it without reservation for anyone that is having trouble with plot and structure.

Dave Felton.

“On Writing” is however, definitely not a normal “How to become a writer” type book.  Instruction and hints, books to read etc., are present, but the book is as much autobiography as instruction.  If you are looking for instruction on writing only, you may well be disappointed.

Instead the book deals with Stephen’s experiences as a writer and how various events have changed his life, not least being run over by a van and nearly killed.  Being the master storyteller that he is the books anecdotal sections are excellent.  There is some great information about the early days as an unknown writer and the effect of his first sale “Carrie” had upon his life. If only that could happen to us all!

Stephen expresses the viewpoint that “Fiction writers, present company included, don’t understand what it is that they do – not why it works when it is good, not why it doesn’t when it is bad.”  He holds the opinion that any instruction book on writing should be short as it will be mostly *ahem* nonsense (not his actual words, but if you want to know what words he did use, buy the book!).

It is this viewpoint that writing cannot truly be taught that keeps him from giving a true tutorial.  This is, in my personal opinion, a shame as the small amount of material he includes on the “How to” of the writing process is excellent.

What I found interesting was that he was yet another author that recommended Strunk and White’s guide.  At the time I read “On Writing” I admit that I didn’t possess a copy and had never read it.  It was Stephen King’s recommendation of the book, along with his scathing attacks on the poor English employed by many writers, which finally pushed me into ordering a copy.  This small book has no doubt improved my English, but I still have a long way to go.  Stephen’s attacks on various aspects of poor writing can at times be hilarious and the book is worth buying for this reason alone, for example; “The road to Hell is paved with adverbs”.  Great stuff, especially from a horror writer.

In closing let me say that Stephen King’s “On Writing” is a great book.  It made me laugh and cry, provided some excellent advice and gave an insight into the mind and the life of one of the most popular authors of our time.  While it is not an instruction book on writing, it certainly is worth your time and money.  Go out and buy it.

Dave Felton

Of course since I wrote that promise I have had a P.E., a lengthy hospital stay and a large dose of pneumonia.  These events kind of disrupted my plans…but no more!

In starting this review process I looked for a good candidate that offered the best starting point and I really think I found it.

Becoming a Writer

I think it is true to say this is the single best book on writing I own and has definitely been the most practical use as a beginning writer.

This book was written before all the current trends for political correctness (1934) and offers helpful, pithy advice to a writer that is starting out.  It is because of the books succinct, direct style that I recommend it without reservation.

The printing I received is a small book of a mere 192 pages, yet it is packed with useful information.  Ms Brande shows a great understanding of the psychology of writers and puts that knowledge to use in a friendly, but strict manner.  I truly regret that I will never get to meet her, or attend a writing class of hers.

Amongst the good news the book offers is the fact that anyone can become a writer, it is just that we have varying degrees of ability.  This fact must surely come as a delight to anyone that has been told that being a writer is somehow an innate ability and make the book worthy of purchase on its own.

It needs to be realised that the book is not about the mechanics of writing.  There are a great many books that are about plot, character, English usage etc. and I will be reviewing some of them over later weeks.  This is book is, as the title states, the process of becoming a writer.

I won’t spoil the book by commenting further on Ms Brande’s advice, except to say that it is most worthwhile following the advice she gives and performing the exercises.  Don’t buy this book if you tend to read a self help book and then leave it on the shelf.  Ms Brande would not approve!

If you are a writer wannabe, like me, buy this book!

Becoming a Writer