Exploring the Dystopian Genre

by Caitlin Lochner:

Who doesn’t love a good dystopia? I mean, reading about them, not living the current reality. It feels like not that long ago dystopias were all the books everyone was talking about—The Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched. I loved that heyday. But as with any trend, it eventually faded in popularity as new subgenres took its place. And yet, in the last few years, it feels like dystopia has been making a comeback—thank goodness for me!

There’s so much I love about this genre. I think especially in the current social and political circumstances, reading about main characters driven by the desire to create a better world appeals to me a lot. Who doesn’t want to cheer for someone seeking to overthrow a cruel and oppressive system? Who could resist being drawn into the immediate tension this large-scale conflict creates—not to mention the amazing possibility of tropes that can be tossed in? Complicated politics? Domino-effect consequences? Found families? Enemies to lovers? Sign me the HECK up.

But there are reasons the dystopian genre declined in popularity a while back. A big one is that readers got tired of seeing the same tropes over and over dressed up in slightly different names and circumstances. That doesn’t mean to avoid them! Tropes are great tools when used correctly. So if you’re a new writer in this genre, ask yourself: Am I putting my own unique spin on these classic dystopian tropes and conventions?

There are so many ways you can do this! For example, in my recently finished duology, A Soldier and a Liar, the two main characters aren’t on the side of the rebellion: The rebels are the antagonists. It’s a simple switch-up, but by putting the main characters on the inside of the corrupt government instead of on the side trying to destroy it, it offers a different perspective than we usually see in the genre. I feel like you can avoid a lot of pitfalls of almost any genre by asking yourself: How am I making this different? How can I give readers an experience that’s familiar but new?

There are plenty of other ways you can make your dystopia distinct, too! Something important to ask yourself is what your main character is fighting for. What is (s)he trying to accomplish or change? Why is (s)he personally invested in this fight? It can be hard to connect with a character who’s fighting just because it’s the right thing to do, because there’s no emotional investment or personal stakes. What’s at risk for this character if nothing changes? What about if (s)he loses this fight? Figuring out those personal conflicts and stakes early on can help make your character feel more three-dimensional, allowing the reader to be become more personally involved in the story as well.

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And then there’s my personal weakness: worldbuilding. With the world being such a huge part of the dystopian genre, it’s going to play a large role in the course of the plot and characters. If you already have a good idea of your character and what (s)he wants and stands for, you can ask yourself: What kind of world would be the worst for this character personally? Putting your main character’s core values at distinct odds with the world (s)he inhabits is a great way to build up to the eventual conflict that will arise in this world. But if you’re still figuring out your character, that’s okay! Sometimes the world comes first and we shape our characters within it. In these kinds of cases, it’s fun to ask hypothetical questions as sparks. For example, what if there was a world in which music was completely outlawed? Or where reading and education was a right reserved only for the most privileged 1% of society? Then, how does society exist around this basic principle—what’s different, what new laws and social norms would exist, what would the consequences be for breaking these laws/norms? The more specific and detailed a world you can create for your dystopia, the more memorable and interesting it will be for your readers!

Something I personally love about writing in this genre is exploring various characters’ answers on how to “fix” the problem of the oppressive ruling regime and blurring the lines of black and white morality. After all, tearing down a government and trying to establish a new one—fairly—involves a lot of messy work and hard choices. In A Soldier and a Liar, a lot of the characters have different views on how the problem of the discriminatory government should be righted. One character thinks you need to change it slowly from inside the system. Another starts a rebellion in an attempt to destroy everything. And yet another is part of a third party trying to create a peaceful movement that asks for normal citizens to take active action in their everyday lives. Each character makes mistakes in their endeavor for peace, but all their actions are fueled by the belief that what they’re doing is just. It’s a ton of fun to play with, especially whenever I got to blur the lines of what constitutes “good” and “evil” and explore to what extent the ends justify the means—something the main character personally grapples with frequently as she tries to figure out where to draw the line with doing bad things for good reasons.

There’s so much to love about the dystopian genre, and so many ways to turn this classic genre on its head. If you’re a new writer in this genre or feeling stuck: Remind yourself of what it is that draws you to dystopia and focus on those elements. Because at the end of the day, it’s important to embrace what we love in our own work.

Caitlin Lochner is a nerd, traveler, and architecture enthusiast who worked as an assistant English teacher in Tokyo for three years before earning her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Central Florida. She loves reading and writing anything with magic, adventure, and complex found-family relationships. She can typically be found absorbed in books, games, or manga, or else obsessing over said books, games, and manga. A Soldier and a Liar is her debut novel.

It's Just A Book: Publishing During COVID

by R. S. Mellette

I'm a Laker fan. It's one of the things in my life that has nothing to do with writing, filmmaking, theatre, or any of my other artistic pursuits. It's important to have a sanctuary like that or what else will you do when you need a break? So as I drove home from my day job on Wednesday, March 11th, I had ESPN on. I joined them as they waited for more news about the Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma Thunder Game. Apparently, it had been postponed just before tip-off and no one knew why. The arena announcer told everyone they had to leave the building. "You're all safe," he said, "but you have to leave."

FYI – telling a stadium full of people, "You're all safe," does not make them feel that way.

I stopped to get gas. When I got back in the car, ESPN reported that Tom Hanks and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19. A few minutes later, they explained that the game had been cancelled because of COVID. The next day, the NBA shut down their season. Eight days later, California went on lockdown. That's how COVID started for me.

I'm kind of proud of the fact that I didn't think about my book right away. It was scheduled to come out later in 2020 – the year that has become an adjective, meaning "completely messed up crazy" – so I knew in the back of my mind it would probably be delayed. I was aggravated that it wasn't out already because lockdown seemed like the perfect time to sell books. But then again, I first wrote this story in 1996 or so. I turned it into a novel in 2008. Got an agent in 2010 – she sent it everywhere with some very near misses. It went on the self until 2016, when I got back with my agent to send it out again. Still didn't sell to one of the Big Five, so my agent dropped it and me (again). I decided to take it to Matt Sinclair at Elephant's Bookshelf Press. He offered to publish it and set 2020 as the year.

So, postponed by pandemic? Looking back, I should have expected it.

What to do? What to do?

Let's look at how I was preparing for publication prior to the lockdown.

I love EBP. Matt is the perfect release valve that all major leagues need. If you look at books like Battery Brothers, Lost Wings, or dare-I-say-it my own Billy Bobble series you'll find great (or, in my case, not bad) books that major publishers would never take. They are dark, or hard to pin to an age, or too difficult to sell – not to the public – but at the acquisition department. This is why small, traditional, publishing houses exist. They are the farm leagues of the majors, and Matt is one of the best team owners.

The trouble is, very few people go to minor league games, and even fewer people read small press books.

In going with EBP, I knew I'd have my work cut out for me in trying to turn the book, Kiya And The Morian Treasure, into something other than just another cover on Amazon. Matt and I were (are) planning on an old-fashioned, offset, hardcover, print run. I was (am) biting the bullet and hiring a publicist – knowing full well they don't sell books and that I'd have to do much of the work. My neighbor is a professional audio book narrator. I was (am) lining her and a sound editor up to make an audio book. I was in touch with podcast hosts services to do some cutting-edge tech stuff with the audio version. I was laying the groundwork in Facebook groups, posting for fun, but also to ready the members for when pre-orders opened. I'll need their help to create some buzz. I planned contests, give-a-ways, articles, networking opportunities through SCBWI. I was ready to storm the beaches of Normandy.

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Then New York shut down completely. Ain't nothing happens in publishing what don't go through New York City.

So… what to do?

Luckily, I haven't spent any money yet. Every 4 weeks or so, the publicist e-mails to see how it's going. She wants my business. I e-mail Matt to see how it's going. His plate is full thanks to schools being closed and a host of other things. I see my neighbor on occasion to say I still plan to hire her. I've sent the manuscript out to some people for final notes, possible film production companies, etc. Yeah, it's still good. No, I don't have a movie deal. I did a final pass on book 2 and stand at the foot of first-draft-mountain on book 3 – just in case.

I also spend a lot of time putting it in perspective. I'm healthy. Everyone in my life is healthy. I can do my day job from home, so I'm employed. I've learned that I actually miss the commute I used to hate so much. I never realized how I needed that 20 or 30 minutes to transition from the tedium of my job to the excitement of my imagination.  Like the man says, "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do."

Life will get back to normal. The Lakers will play again. Kiya And The Morian Treasure will, eventually, be in a store near you. My loved ones and I have our health. I hope you and yours do, too. Am I upset about the delay? Kinda, but in the end… it's just a book.

P.S. I've driven so little during the lockdown, that I'm still on the same tank of I bought on March 11th – which was before the crash in gas prices!

What do you remember about the beginning of the shut down? What was your last day of freedom?

R.S. Mellette, lives in Sherman Oaks, CA. He created and wrote The Xena Scrolls for Universal's New Media department. When an episode aired based on his characters, it became the first intellectual property to move from the internet to television. Mellette works and blogs for the film festival Dances With Films.

Essential Tips for Beginning Writers

By Nicholas Spade

 A writer is a noble and exciting profession. It arises at the intersection of vivid imagination, broad knowledge, deep feelings, a talent to use the power of words, and the ability to meet readers’ expectations. The art of writing opens numerous opportunities in the modern world. These skills can come in handy for custom writing help, online essay services, academic paper help, college paper assistance, etc.

The same can be said about online essay editing services and edit service for college projects; a professional writer can replace an editor and edit texts too. 

Today everyone needs quality text content: students who have issues with writing assignments; enterprises, promoting businesses on the Internet; common readers looking for engaging stories, and many others. So, you can always find a job in this sphere. All you need as a beginning writer is a desire to start and some useful advice from experts.

Tips for writers: ultimate beginner’s guide

Understanding of the writing art is the first step to your creative achievements. When you know enough theory, everything is getting easier.

#1 Choose your sphere of writing

Nowadays, the concept of the writer is rather wide. It is not restricted to classical literature, crime fiction, journalistic articles, or something like that. One can create business books, technical descriptions, advertising texts, content for social media, etc.

There is no need to dwell on one direction. You are free to opt for a couple of variants. Say, provide writing help service at Writing-help.org and, meantime, establish a personal blog.

#2 Develop your skills

No matter what path of development you have chosen, you must:

●      know your subject perfectly (both theoretical and practical aspects);

●      convey ideas and thoughts in an interesting and understandable manner;

●      feel the readers expectations and write precisely what they need;

●      avoid grammar mistakes and adhere to a proper style.

#3 Learn common writing techniques

Work on your writing style. Obviously, it is all up to the purpose of your texts. For example, if you deal with creative tasks, leverage comparisons, alliteration, metaphors, exaggerations, etc. By doing so, you will make your stories bright and memorable.

#4 Avoid cliches

The value of any text lies in its uniqueness. Phrases that are often repeated sound dull and uninteresting. The thing is trite expressions lose their freshness and power. That is why readers get bored, and they close your article or book. The English language has enough words to express all the range of emotions. Having felt their beauty and power, you will create your own one-of-a-kind story.

#5 Observe and research

Any writer is a researcher, in a way. You have to study various information to create a new unique text. Facts and statistics are essential to prove a certain point of view and ensure a convincing tone. Besides, when watching current situations or analyzing previous events, you can notice new patterns, and, thus, come up with fresh ideas.

#6 Strive to create a special atmosphere around your stories

Writing talent implies the creation of vivid images. They arise from the author’s personal life experience, thoughts, suggestions, etc. While reading, people get a picture of described events and characters; and your job is to give them bright impressions. This is how you can win attention and stay in the memory and hearts of readers. This skill is helpful for writing both fiction and content for commercial purposes.

#7 Love what you do

Make sure that writing is your passion; otherwise, you can face burnout. Do not start a career of the writer, if it is not your cup of tea. Apart from creativeness, this profession includes a lot of routine tasks. To cope with all of them regularly, you need to like the process of creating texts.

How to become a good writer: practical advice

#1 Start writing

Aspiring authors are often afraid to make the first attempt. Yet, realize that you will never become a writer if you only read posts on how to do it. The practice is extremely important in this case, as it hones writing skills and broadens the vocabulary.

Writing has to become your good everyday habit. Make short notes on papers, type texts on your social media, compose texts in Google Docs. The point is to record your ideas regularly.

#2 Do not forget your ideas

Fix all your insights and thoughts. Do not hope that you will remember them after a while. Write all your suggestions in a notebook, use a smartphone, or any other gadget. It is not necessary to type everything. Try to record voice messages or use  voice input. Thus, you will have a good database of personal reflections.

#3 Train your concentration

Focus on the main goal and pay attention to details. Say, if you get a writing assignment to describe your personality, do not write a lot about your family or friends. Learn to concentrate your efforts on priorities. This approach enables you to write effectively.

#4 Organize your daily routine

Professional authors have a bunch of orders every month. Meantime, a lot of them work on a freelance basis. If you want to earn good money from writing, make a schedule and take away all the distractors.

Your working place must be in a calm place; or, at least, use headphones. Forget about social media, TV-series, and chats with friends while writing. Take this profession seriously, and soon you will succeed in it.

#5 Present yourself on the Internet

You can start a blog, contribute content as a guest writer, or even write a book and sell it on Amazon. The thing is to demonstrate your talents and get feedback from readers. Moreover, you can also use your publications as a portfolio.

Expert advice from Writing-help.org: Give links to published articles in your further online texts (if appropriate). It helps content to go viral.

#6 Experiment with writing styles

You can create various types of texts. Do not be afraid to try your hand at media writing, compose an analytical article, help your younger brother with his essay, etc. By doing so, you develop the mindset, look for a favorite niche, and establish an individual writing style.

#7 Find new angles

When you write about a particular issue, try to be objective. Look at the problem from various points of view. Sometimes unexpected suggestions turn into valuable ingenious ideas.

#8 Stay alone with your thoughts

Students often prefer to study with music in headphones or at cafes. It is all about a pleasant atmosphere that gives good vibes. Still, try to write at least one article in silence, and you will feel the difference. Your efficiency will rise, and the text will be more meaningful.

#9 Use contemporary online programs

We recommend Grammarly and Hemingway. The first one is perfect for catching typos, and the second one is good to correct stylistic mistakes. Modern applications enable people to check texts fast, as well as give an outside perspective. However, do not rely fully on them, as even the latest algorithms cannot detect specific nuances.

Of course, you can work with a professional editor. Yet, good spelling and grammar remain the essential skills for any writer.

#10 Find like-minded people

It is a good idea to join a group of writers. Look for professional and amateur communities on social media, blogging platforms, writing conferences, etc. The feeling of belonging gives psychological support and confidence. Besides, you can exchange experience and knowledge. You need someone to discuss new trends and share problems.

Sources of inspiration for writers

As a beginner, you might often face writer’s block. If the muse does not come to you, buy a ticket to the concert or a cinema. Some rest and new impressions work well in this situation. Here are some more variants:

●      prose and poetry,

●      other art forms (painting, photography, theater),

●      modern blogs,

●      trips and nature,

●      communication with interesting people,

●      meditation.

Experts from Writing-help.org are always ready to support your aspiration to become a writer. If you have any issues making the first steps in this career, go to their online company. These guys have created a blog to bring inspiration and give useful tips. You are also free to order any cheap writing or related service from their specialists.

Nicholas Spade, a freelance content creator, blogger, essay writer at  Writing-help.org, editor at Essay-editor.net. Uses the magic of words and the science of psychology to help students and businesses. Finds inspiration in documentary films, poetry, and journeys.