Writing Quotes

by Adam Huddleston

This month’s blog topic is “writing quotes”.  While there are a multitude to choose from, here are some of my favorites:

“No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest, and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure.” – Ernest Hemingway

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

– Ernest Hemingway

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

-Douglas Adams

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”   – Robert Frost

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”   –Stephen King

“Happy writing!”  – Adam Huddleston

A Blast From the Past

By Adam Huddleston

Several years ago, I entered a short story in a collection entitled “The Darwin Murders”.  This week I just wanted to share this brief “blast from the past.”

A Beautiful Sunday Drive

By Adam Huddleston

Well hello Mr. I-refuse-to-move-over-and-allow-cars-to-enter-the-interstate-from-the-onramp.  Yes, I realize that legally you have the right of way and I am sure that whoever you’re texting is anxiously awaiting your next dim-witted post.  However, it would be nice if I didn’t have to slide around your car like a road ninja in order to match the speed of traffic.

Now that I’m behind you, filling up my lungs with the fumes from an exhaust that needs attention, I see that you’ve chosen to drive a safe ten miles an hour below the limit.  Perhaps the mobile device in front of your face is affecting your vehicle’s RPMs.  

I see that Murphy’s Law is well in affect as we are destined to take the same exit.  I follow you to the next stoplight only to discover that both of our destinations are to the right.  Another five miles reading your banal bumper stickers and I decide upon the most appropriate course of action.

I notice that for some odd reason, you have chosen to move the speedometer’s needle to ten miles over the speed limit in a school zone.  As we leave said zone, I recall a car chase video I’d seen years ago.  A slight tap of your right rear bumper with my vehicle sends your heap out of control.

My rearview mirror frames the accident nicely.  A madman’s laugh escapes me as I watch your car first flip several times then burst into flames.  

I hope you hit the “Send” button first.  

Book Review of “The Institute” Cont.

by Adam Huddleston

As I continue my journey through Stephen King’s “The Institute” I curiously notice that while the story itself is interesting, the characters are beginning to become rather stale.  Not only that, but there are (in my humble opinion) too many of them.  King has thrown together a motley crew of “good guys” and “bad guys” in the titular location, but the sheer number of them has made the plot rather confusing.  I’m having a hard time putting a face (and the person’s characteristics) to the name.

Overall, the tale is good.  King is at his best when he presents us with interesting, relatable protagonists and antagonists.  I’m looking forward to finishing the novel, I just feel that overall, he has stuffed it with too many characters.

Setting Writing Goals

by Adam Huddleston

Writing goals.

For some, they are a necessity.  For others, an impossibility.  I have never been a huge fan of setting a writing goal for myself.  Honestly, the only time I can remember doing so was when I attempted to write a novel during NANOWRIMO.  In order to attain the appropriate word count, a writer (especially one with a family and full-time job) must get a certain number of pages finished daily.

I tried.  Really, I did.  But for that particular event, the word count was just too high.  However, I do see the benefit of keeping oneself focused and setting goals can definitely help.  

Of course, there are other goals besides word count.  You can use page count, scene or chapter completion, or even writing time.  If you need better focus on the process of writing, try each of these to find what works best for you.

Happy writing!

Finding Time to Write

By Adam Huddleston

One of the greatest barriers to an author is finding an appropriate time and place to write.  Our busy lives have us running all over creation running errands and seeing to the minutia of life.  Some writers require peace and quiet in order to crate.  Others can happily type away while the Apocalypse is happening all around them.

I’ve always felt deep inside that I leaned toward the former requirement.  I tend to be distracted rather easily and usually need quiet in order to write.  However, having a full-time job and being the father of five makes that extremely difficult.  Fortunately, since I basically stare at a computer monitor all day in the pharmacy, I am able to find time every once in awhile to jot down a few lines in Google docs.  From there, I can send them to myself or print them out if they’re complete.  

It may sound cliché, but every writer must find what environment works best for them.  I hope this blog helps in some small way.

Happy writing!

Finding Time to Write

By Adam Huddleston

One of the greatest barriers to an author is finding an appropriate time and place to write.  Our busy lives have us running all over creation running errands and seeing to the minutia of life.  Some writers require peace and quiet in order to crate.  Others can happily type away while the Apocalypse is happening all around them.

I’ve always felt deep inside that I leaned toward the former requirement.  I tend to be distracted rather easily and usually need quiet in order to write.  However, having a full-time job and being the father of five makes that extremely difficult.  Fortunately, since I basically stare at a computer monitor all day in the pharmacy, I am able to find time every once in awhile to jot down a few lines in Google docs.  From there, I can send them to myself or print them out if they’re complete.  

It may sound cliché, but every writer must find what environment works best for them.  I hope this blog helps in some small way.

Happy writing!

More Idea Origins

by Adam Huddleston

As I’ve said before, I get a lot of my story ideas from places I’ve visited on while I’m on the road.  Other idea-starters are things that I hear.  

One of my favorite (unfinished) projects began years ago when one of my children wanted to play on my phone.  My wife told them they couldn’t because “Daddy’s battery is dead”.  She obviously meant my phone battery, but a story began to immediately gel in my brain about a future when all fathers are androids.  When said parental unit’s battery dies, the mother simply orders another from a catalog.  In this tale, the dying father unit’s artificial intelligence kicks in and he discovers that he doesn’t want to be replaced.  Thrills and violence galore.  

So, sometimes a truly interesting story can find its origins in a rather mundane statement.  A good writer will pay attention to everything around them and use their environment as inspiration.  

Happy writing!

Where Do Ideas Come From?

by Adam Huddleston

Ah.  The ultimate question for all writers.  The granddaddy of them all.  Where do ideas come from?  Where can I go to get inspired to write?  How do the literary greats get their works started?

The answer, I suppose, differs from writer to writer.  In fact, I’m sure there are as many answers to that desperate question as there are writers in the world.  Where do I get my ideas from?  I’ll tell you.  But remember, this is coming from an author with only a handful (and small at that) of published works.

I get my ideas from what I see around me.  For example, although I eat better now, I used to spend quite a lot of time in fast food drive-thrus.  A few of my story starters arise from there.  Also, the eight-hour drive to visit family in east Texas (when the kiddos are actually quiet, and I can think straight) provides many opportunities to create story ideas.  I have two or three tales that center on interstate travel.  One about a ghost that haunts a specific exit ramp, the other about a man hired to clean off roadkill.  

Other ideas come from things I hear, whether while at work or from my family at home.  My next few blogs will center on those.

Happy writing!

Horror Story Settings

by Adam Huddleston

Since today is Halloween, and I am a horror story fan at heart, I wanted to share I list of popular settings for scary tales.  I know most are cliché, but if you are interested in writing a horror story, some of these locations are probably going to end up in your work.  In no particular order:

Cemeteries

Haunted buildings

Forests

Rural location (cabin, farmhouse, etc.)

Hospitals/Asylums

Hotels/Motels

Schools

Amusement Parks

Open Water (oceans, seas, lakes, etc.)

Outer Space/Planets

Hope these help!  Happy writing!

World Building Climate Chart

by Adam Huddleston

Here’s a helpful chart I came across when looking for particular climates as certain locations.  Hope it helps!