Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 2

Duncan J Macdonald

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Believe me it gets uncomfortable and serves no purpose. I reserve judgement on writers here for that reason.

Uncle Jim, I went to the library. They had two of your Circle of Magic books. (I have them now) School of wizardry and Secret of the tower. I'm going to read them over the next few weeks.
Let me just pop in here with an observation.

Uncle Jim is currently pursuing legal action against certain parties for publishing, without permission, additional novels in the Circle of Magic series.

The ones authored by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald can be found here, at Uncle Jim's Web Site.

There are others, at least two, which are at the heart of the controversy.
 

Ken Schneider

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Story, as Teresa Nielsen Hayden is fond of saying, is a force of nature.

How do you know if you're writing well? Your readers will tell you.

Recall that you as the writer are only doing half of the work of creation. Your reader is doing the other half, compiling your words into story.

True.
The writer doesn't give the reader much credit for having a mind of their own.
Everyone who reads a book by the same writer will see the scenery different, the faces of the characters, and the cars, towns, stores, et al.

To many of us give too much info, forcing a direction on readers that we don't need to.

We are, after all, sending the reader on an adventure with our story, let them take the adventure they best invision.
 

Ehab.Ahmed

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Something told me to delete my comment as soon as I hit post. Still I forged ahead.

Ehab Ahmed asked why someone would considered Dan Brown a sloppy writer and I provided specific opinion based on my experience.

Ah well. Live and learn. Should have listened to my intuition.

I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, that's why I stopped my discussion as it no longer served any purpose. I really respect your opinion and your experiences. Thanks for indulging me with your thoughts.
 

Krintar

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To many of us give too much info, forcing a direction on readers that we don't need to.
I admit, I try to do that at times.
Perhaps it's a good thing that I'm lazy and forgetful and as such it never lasts more than a page or two before I'm back to my minimalist ways.
I guess I'll find out sooner or later.
 

bearilou

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I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, that's why I stopped my discussion as it no longer served any purpose. I really respect your opinion and your experiences. Thanks for indulging me with your thoughts.

Nono! Totally not a problem but WayneK is older (in terms of time here on the boards) and wiser than I so I bow to his wisdom in this. Tis cool! :)
 

Ehab.Ahmed

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Nono! Totally not a problem but WayneK is older (in terms of time here on the boards) and wiser than I so I bow to his wisdom in this. Tis cool! :)

Good! I was starting to get worried that I might have stepped on some toes on my first days. I'm glad you're cool about this because I was hoping to be able to make writing friends from here.

Best regards, Ehab.
 

Ken Schneider

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See, even UJ wants to be a better writer.

You guys should be inspired by that statement.

And, you should feel that way, always, about your writing, until, THE END.
 

Duncan J Macdonald

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Am I reading pirated books or something?

They have his name on them.

No, you're fine. Circle of Magic Books 1 - 6 are the original series. The books that are under a legal cloud are numbers 7 and 8.

All of the books have Debra's and Jim's names on them, although having their names on 7 and 8 came as a surprise to them.
 
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FOTSGreg

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I'm always inspired by Uncle Jim.

I've posted elsewhere in regard to his comment above when somebody started a thread about trying to write like Stephen King. Basically, I told the poster "Why try to write like King? Try to write better than King because there's already somebody writing exactly like King and he's as good as he can be right now and he's trying to write better than he already is."

Publishers are really looking for the next Big Name. Just look at the horde of vampire romance novels that are still coming out. Look at the YA superhero novels that are coming out. Heck, there are still books about zombie horror and survival horror, Warcraft, Star Trek, Star Wars, Halo, and any other genre you can probably name coming out. How many novels about young wizards are there out there right now? How many novels about vampires and vampire hunters? How many novels about young love (or even old love)?

Publishers are constantly on the look for something that is going to sell.

That's their bottom line.

Your bottom line should be writing the best darned story you can so you can get it reviewed and represented by an agent and get it past an editor and onto the sales racks.

Then you should get cracking on your next book and becoming a better writer than you already are, not trying to write like somebody who's already writing as well as they can right now.

Thanks, Uncle Jim, for the daily inspiration you provide to readers and posters here at Absolute Write (and a big thanks also to MacAllister and all the other AW mods for providing AW and moderating this forum for all us wannabe's).
 

euclid

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No, you're fine. Circle of Magic Books 1 - 6 are the original series. The books that are under a legal cloud are numbers 7 and 8.

All of the books have Debra's and Jim's names on them, although having their names on 7 and 8 came as a surprise to them.

That's extraordinary! If Jim and Debra are named as the authors, shouldn't they receive all advances and royalties from 7 and 8?
 

euclid

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It occurred to me today that I should take a back up copy of my WIP, but I didn't. Now my system has crashed... I think it's just the screen. (Working from my laptop here)
 

Duncan J Macdonald

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That's extraordinary! If Jim and Debra are named as the authors, shouldn't they receive all advances and royalties from 7 and 8?
It's a long, sordid, and still unfolding story. And, as is usual in these cases, is unfolding at a rate slightly slower than the heat death of the universe.
 

euclid

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Christmas has been cancelled in our house this year. Why not send out free copies to all your friends in this thread, Jim?

It might work out if enough of them get hooked on your writing style and go out and buy some more!

(PS My screen decided to start working again for no reason this morning.)
 

jinkang

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That's extraordinary! If Jim and Debra are named as the authors, shouldn't they receive all advances and royalties from 7 and 8?

I imagine money is not the issue here though. Perhaps integrity and the fact that they neither had any input nor a say in what went on with their beloved characters.
 

euclid

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I imagine money is not the issue here though. Perhaps integrity and the fact that they neither had any input nor a say in what went on with their beloved characters.

Absolutely! Money must be only one of several issues. Copyright infringement is a heinous crime (although probably classed as a misdemeanour in most jurisdictions).

The mind boggggles.
 

euclid

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Interested in The Circle of Magic, I did some research in my favourite book selling site and found the following, all credited to Debra Doyle (and pretty much all out of stock) (no mention of Jim):

Groogleman
Tournament and Tower
The Prince's Players
Judgment Night
Hunter's Moon
The City by the Sea
The Wizard's Statue
Danger in the Palace
Secret of the Tower
The Prisoner of Bell Castle
The High King's Daughter
The High King's Daughters (?)
School of Wizardry
The Wizard's Castle

Which of these are Circle of Magic books and what order do they come in?

Are these books YA?
 

Duncan J Macdonald

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Jim,

Is there a comprehensive list anywhere of your (and DD's) books?
I'm not Jim, nor do I play him on TV, but look at Jim and Debra's Site Madhouse Manor and the Internet Speculative Fiction Data Base.

Debra's Page at the ISFDB

Jim's Page at the ISFDB

Between the two sites, a comprehensive list can be made. Madhouse Manor, of course, is the definitive one, since it is maintained by the authors themselves and is not at the mercy of well meaning but possibly incorrect outsiders.