William H. Johnson

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2011 Year In Review: Ten Writing-Related Things I am Thankful For

In Dark Province Book Two, Reflection, The Dark Province, The Trubaker Orphanage on January 3, 2012 at 10:25 am

New reviews: In 2011, readers and book bloggers spoke their mind about my debut novel, THE DARK PROVINCE. The reviews were as diverse as the nations they hailed from but you know what? I’m thankful for all of them; for the 5 stars and the 1 star—I appreciated them all. Art is meant to have personal meaning whether it evokes “I think everyone can relate to this in one way or another – who can honestly say they haven’t struggled with their faith, especially in times of hardship?” or it evokes “With [the main character’s] roots firmly entrenched in a certain religious ideology, he had a difficult time having an open mind, and it struck the wrong chord in me.” I’m grateful for everyone who has taken the journey.

TFWScribes: Around February I was invited to jump into writing discussions with writers Jamal Hankins, Christie Taylor, and Chandra Harkins. What later formed was a closely woven family of artists who have committed themselves to challenging discussion of social issues and the craft as well as the advocacy of each other’s goals. This group is more than just a writer’s group, they are truly kindred spirits.

Completion of New Novel : In the spring of 1997 I wrote a short film that became a turning point for me in how I approached the craft. It was driven by heart and inspiration rather than heady ideas. Since then that work has evolved as I have grown, never ready to be told. In 2011 that old story spoke up and demanded to be written as a manuscript. I’m happy to say it got its wish. The book is called THE TRUBAKER ORPHANAGE and God willing it will be out over the summer of 2013 if not sooner.

Progress in Dark Province Sequel: How great it is to be reminded from time to time that there are readers who are counting the days for a sequel? It’s extremely gratifying. As an artist there is no way to know how that piece will taste when it does finally reach their dinner plate. But having completed half of the manuscript and all of the story summary, I can say that SHE IS RISEN will be sculpted with the same fervent passion and love that her predecessor was.

Twitter followers: I am so grateful for chats at all hours about every and any thing that is life or writing. You’re funny, thoughtful, passionate people who have joined my journey to the tune of 2,915 of you. I am thankful for you all.

Facebook friends: Whether you’re in my writing world or friends from the various eras of my personal life you have kept me connected, creative, and inspired. Thank you so much!

LitChat/StoryCraft/UFChat/WriteChat/Writersroad/Bookmarket:  A freelance writer in Manhattan Beach, California told me back in 2009 that twitter was a great place for writers to come together. I had no idea. Twitter chats have been amazing. While my graduate school program and volunteer work kept me away for the latter part of the year, I am still a Litchattic and every other chattic there is. Thanks to the great moderators who keep these excellent forums open and vibrant.

Dark Province Webseries: On November 6, a group of actors came together in Los Angeles to read the first 7 episodes of a Dark Province web series that is in the exploratory phases. What angels they were to put their considerable gifts to action if just for an afternoon table read. So much love to each one of them.

Kat Magendie’s “Writing Out the Fear”: The first guest writer on my blog was author Kat Magendie. Not only does this author have a beautiful soul but she can write like southern soulful cooking! She graced my blog with some motivational words of encouragement to any writer who hits a wall and struggles to keep the flame lit. Thank you Kat! I hope your heart is mending well this holiday season.

Guest posting on Cathryn Louis’ Blog: As Kat blessed my blog with a little inspiration, Cathryn Louis gave me license to be scandalous on hers. I was honored to post a little symbolic cross-section of my literary infidelity as I swung back and forth between the worlds of RISEN and TRUBAKER. Thank you and God bless!

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A DARK PROVINCE Web Series?

In The Dark Province on November 2, 2011 at 11:13 am

I’ve given it more than serious thought. I’ve written seven webisodic scripts each 8 pages or less. I have bounced them off of critique partners. I’ve picked up the phone and reconnected with my director of photography from a film I made on 35mm twelve years ago…and I’ve scheduled a actor’s table reading of the 7-webisode first season for this Sunday at a studio in Los Angeles.

Yes, I’ve given this at least some “serious thought.”

In this age of new media and the ability for artists to bridge the gaps between themselves and readers/viewers, I truly believe the landscape if changing. I have said before that I believe e-book is the new paperback. In the same way I am starting to believe that the web is the new “small screen”.

The web allows viewers three key conveniences:

1)   Whether it’s Netflix or Hulu or some other web-based viewing channel, the viewer can watch a show they like at a time of their choosing. As a dad, director, author, coach, I just don’t care enough about any show to watch or even DVR at a designated time of the week. That doesn’t mean I won’t love it. I watched the re-imagined BATTLESTAR GALACTICA on Netflix and think it’s possibly one of the top 5 shows of any kind television has ever produced.

2)   If you come into the middle of a show, all the previous episodes are there waiting for you so that you can easily catch up. And not just one at a time, you can watch two or three episodes on that day you have time and then a couple more three days later when you have time again. This is true of short form web series as well. I jumped into THE GUILD during season 3 and went back and quickly caught up.

3)   Short form web series gives you the intimacy of something different, something niche that can build its way to a larger audience. THE GUILD is a comedy about online gamers. ANYONE BUT ME is a show about a teenage lesbian couple and the challenges of being who they are to the world and to each other. Both shows may have been met with skepticism by mainstream TV but were just what the doctor ordered for their adoring audience on the web.

The face of web series is also changing. The top shows online don’t appear like the budget-less pioneers of a second ago.  No show encapsulates that for me than Electronic Arts’ new DRAGON AGE: REDEMPTION. This is a fantasy action adventure series in short form starring (and written by) new media entertainment empress Felicia Day. Sure it’s no AVATAR but there nothing budget-less about this exciting new venture.

I can’t help but be encouraged by this new inspiration. It feels…right…fun…refreshing. THE DARK PROVINCE is a fantasy adventure that I feel can translate well to this format. It’s dark, introspective qualities would thrive there, and scores of people who might not otherwise get to experience the story might get to visit this world and these characters that I’m so passionate about.

First things first, the script. Actor’s reading on Sunday. I’ll post and let you know how that goes.

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Three Way-Cool Things About Transcribing a Handwritten Draft

In Reflection, The Trubaker Orphanage, writing tips on August 29, 2011 at 11:28 am

What did I just spend 6 months doing? I have a couple notebooks full of writing in pencil. I have colorful tabs to organize and point the way to chapters and parts of chapters that I wrote months ago. I have a summary/outline that changed a couple of times along the way. Now what?

Transcribe, scribe! Onto the computer I go. Most of you probably know by now that I write longhand in pencil. I seem unwilling to go high, mid, or low tech with the writing of my first drafts. One might think that transcription is a royal pain. Why type 80,000 words right after you wrote them? Isn’t it doing double work?

Nonsense! It’s actually a pretty cool process. Here are three reasons why:

1)   It’s like a mini-vacation. Yes, I did say vacation. Where’s the special destination? Your story! The reason I call it a vacation is because you get to “tour” your hard work with no pressure at all. You don’t need to change a thing. I actually recommend that you leave most of what you wrote by hand as it was. This isn’t the time to dive into revisions. This is the time to get acquainted with your accomplishment. Some of this you haven’t seen for months, reintroduce yourself.

2)   It gets you prepared for some serious revising and rewriting. Sometimes I call transcription a “half pass” meaning, yes—I do correct little things, a sentence here or there, add a sentence that I don’t have to think about. But if I have to wonder for more than a nanosecond I leave it alone. When I have questions or things I want to explore changing, I write them on a separate piece of paper and save it. When it comes time to do that first major rewrite I have not only familiarity with the piece as a whole but direction. I feel like I did my homework and I can proceed with confidence.

3)   It gets you pumped up! Dude, dudette, you just finished a novel! That’s what I’m talking about!! Get pumped, celebrate. Enjoy those moments when your fingers fly because you put together an inspired scene that came out how you wanted! (They didn’t all come out that way, but there will be some. Enjoy them!)

I am about halfway through transcribing THE TRUBAKER ORPHANAGE. Another few weeks and I should be done with this step. Do you write longhand and transcribe? Share your stories!

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