JASON ARNOPP: AUTHOR + SCRIPTWRITER
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Ghoster
    • The Last Days Of Jack Sparks
    • Taken Over By Something Evil...
    • Beast In The Basement
    • A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home
    • American Hoarder
    • Auto Rewind
    • How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else
    • From The Front Lines Of Rock
    • Slipknot
    • Friday The 13th
    • Doctor Who
    • Brandy In The Basement
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Patreon
  • Free Stuff
  • Writing Help
    • My Etsy store for writers
    • Notes for writers. I'll assess your first three chapters.
    • Skype Coaching Sessions
    • Story Planner sheets for writers A4 printables
  • YouTube
    • My YouTube Gear
  • Classic Doctor Who
  • Films
    • Stormhouse
    • The Man Inside
    • Ghost Writer
  • Audio
    • Doctor Who
    • The Sarah Jane Adventures
    • BBC Radio 4
  • Journalism
    • Kerrang!
    • Heat
    • Doctor Who Magazine
  • Scary Letter
  • Interviews With Me
  • Wanted: VHS
  • Wanted: Mad Hatter Magic
  • Contact

Arnopp Update: Where Are We Now?

12/1/2016

4 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
With thanks to the late, great David Bowie for that subtitle, it's time to take stock of what's going on in Arnoppville in the year of our dark lord, 2016...

JACK SPARKS IS COMING!
March 3 sees the release of my first title for Orbit Books. The Last Days Of Jack Sparks finally reveals the lurid details behind the downfall and death of the notorious pop culture celebrity Jack Sparks.  Why did he decide to write a whole book debunking the supernatural?  Did his problems really begin after he mocked an exorcism?  And what's the story behind that creepy YouTube video he obsessed over?

This book answers all those questions and more.  If you've previously enjoyed my book, I would love it if you decided to pre-order The Last Days Of Jack Sparks in either Kindle, C-format paperback or audiobook. Pre-orders really help create a buzz around a book, inside and outside the publishing industry, so I'm reserving special love for early adopters (not that kind of special love; what do you think I am, eh? Some kind of whore? Don't answer that.)

Three things amazing people have said about this book:

Wow. Seriously hard to put down . . . Chilling and utterly immersive (M. R. Carey, author of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS)

This is The Omen for the social media age (Chris Brookmyre, author of the Jack Parlabane thrillers)

Wittier than the lovechild of Stephen Fry and Charlie Brooker; scarier than watching The Exorcist in an abandoned asylum. Fast, furious, original and most importantly, terrifying (Sarah Lotz, author of THE THREE)

Those quotes blow my tiny mind.

Read the Foreword and first chapter here!  Check out the Jack Sparks tribute site!

THE NEXT FREE SHORT STORY IS COMING TOO
On December 7, I released the first in a new series of standalone short stories.  If you missed out on Auto Rewind, you can still pick it up here.   The next story, as yet untitled, will be released on February 7 - although, as before, when you back me at crowdfunding site Patreon, you'll get it a week early, along with various other perks.  Hold tight!

101 WRITING FEARS AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM
I'm approaching the end of three years of work on this non-fiction book, whose title is hopefully self explanatory. Check out the first excerpt from it here, about writers and dyslexia, then pre-order it at half price! 

WRITING THE SECOND NOVEL
Yes, Orbit signed me up for two books, so it would only be fair to write the second one this year. I'm starting that one now and it has a title yet to be revealed. The Last Days Of Jack Sparks took me 18 months to write but this will be less. As a result, I've been doing more pre-planning than I usually might. Which I think is a good habit to force yourself into.

BITS AND PIECES
  • Genre Reader recently ran an interview with me, which you can read here. 
  • I was interviewed for the metal-themed podcast Talking Bollocks, so that should air quite soon.  
  • I wrote a Slayer/Anthrax live review in the current issue of Metal Hammer, with Slipknot on the cover.  I do like to keep my hand in with the old journalism...
  • With that in mind, I'm also working on a couple of pieces about dear departed rock god Lemmy of Motorhead, for the next issue of Metal Hammer. 

That's it for now.  You may go about your day, but please do try not to stalk any more swans.  You're a proper nuisance to those majestic creatures.  Oh yes, I've seen you.

* * *

@JasonArnopp on Twitter

Check out my:

New Novel |  Free Books |  Script Notes 
  Past Books |  Mailing List

4 Comments

101 Writing Fears: DYSLEXIA

23/12/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
In January, I'll finally release a non-fiction book I've been working on for three years.  Titled 101 Writing Fears And How To Deal With Them, it aims to erase unhelpful fear from your writing life.

Around 2012, I asked Twitter folk for their biggest writing-related fears.  Even given that writers are famously prone to a dose of the terrors, I was still taken back by how many fears people shared with me, publicly or otherwise.  As you might have gathered, there were about 101 of them, and I set out to address each in the book.  When it came to areas where I didn't personally have enough experience or knowledge, I quizzed other people who did.

So here's Fear # 10 from the book...

“I’m dyslexic and several people have told me that means I can’t write.”

Obviously, I have no idea who these people are, but can assure you that they’re far more idiotic than they believe dyslexic folk to be.  Wow.  What a stupid thing to say.

Now, it would be ideal to start off by defining dyslexia, but it turns out that dyslexics are dyslexic in different ways.  There is no single, accepted definition of dyslexia.  Researchers use different definitions, as do the people who design the tests to screen for and diagnose dyslexia, although most agree there’s a phonological element: in other words, people’s awareness of the ‘sound structure’ of spoken words.

So dyslexia is basically an ‘umbrella’ term. There isn't even field-wide agreement on what the key areas of ‘dyslexic deficit’ are. Some people have short term memory issues, some have visual deficits (e.g. seeing words moving around or the letters in the wrong order), but equally some people describe this ‘letters in the wrong order’ business as part of a sequencing, rather than visual, deficit. In other words, even the professionals don't agree at a fundamental level about what dyslexia is.  As the British Dyslexia Association says, “Dyslexia is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points”.

Here are just some of the many successful writers who I believe are or were dyslexic: Agatha Christie, Hans Christian Andersen, Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams, A-Team creator Stephen Cannell, F Scott Fitzgerald, Edgar Allen Poe, novelist John Corrigan, fantasy author Terry Goodkind, award-winning poet Philip Schultz, mystery novelist Elizabeth Daniels Squire, poet William Butler Yeats... the list could take up this whole page, just like the lists of successful autistic writers and those with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Writer Clive Frayne has worked as an award-winning copywriter, as a movie/TV scriptwriter, freelance journalist and Scriptmag.com columnist.  “Not bad for a lad who can't spell ‘rhythm’, no matter how many times he tries to learn it!” he says.  “I only really figured out that I was dyslexic after I'd been working as a writer for 15 years.  It should have been more obvious, really, because my brother, my mother and my niece are all profoundly dyslexic. Me, I've got a much milder version of it, which means that despite writing everyday for more years than I care to mention, I still can't spell ‘desperately’ without having at least three or four runs at it. I also have the annoying habit of substituting one word for another.
All of which wouldn't be so bad if my dyslexia didn't make proof reading for errors a nightmare. In all of the time that I've been a writer, I don't think I've ever managed to submit a document without at least a couple of typos in it. Darn it.”

Author David Southwell has written many popular books on conspiracy theories and organised crime, as well as scripting various comics.  He pulls no punches when outlining his thoughts on dyslexia: “The condition is a problem whether you choose to write or not. It is neurological and until we reach a sci-fi future where alongside the jet packs, there’s also a nanite pill to tackle it, it going to be part of your life. You never overcome dyslexia. You outsmart it, outmanoeuvre it, but it is always there. As an author, words are my life and my living, but my dyslexia also makes them my battleground.

“The really good news,” he adds, “is that dyslexia has no impact on the strength of your imagination. On your ability to think of stories, create characters. To build whole worlds in your mind. Dyslexia does not rob you of core qualities that make you a writer such as a passion to tell stories, to use them to connect the amazing creations of your mind’s eye with others.”

“Your abilities to tell a story, understand a narrative, create relatable characters, and your abilities to format a sentence or be a great speller are completely unrelated,” asserts Mike Garley, the comics writer and editor behind the likes of Dead Roots and The Kill Screen.  “You just need a bit of self-awareness. I’ve never actually had any negativity about dyslexia. I think dyslexia is surprisingly common - including undiagnosed - and it’s not really a thing anymore. You and your ability to tell a story is what people are interested in.”

Clive Frayne even believes dyslexia has proven to be a distinct advantage when it comes to his written dialogue. “When I was in school, I always struggled with written work. I was bright, though, so I learned to pay much more attention to what people were saying. This has really worked for me as a writer. The fact that I had to learn language largely by listening to people, has meant that I developed a really good ear for the way people speak, as opposed to formal grammatical structures, which I have always struggled with. My writing has always had a conversational style and I've always felt that sensibility came from my odd relationship with language. Funnily enough, it’s a really useful trait if you want to write for radio or film. Actually, I'd argue that writing with its own unique voice is pretty much always a more interesting read than a dry, grammatically correct piece of prose.”

Technology is also at hand to help writers.  “I use Final Draft,” says Mike, “which ‘speaks’ your script to you, which is great for spotting mistakes.  I also have some trusted colleagues who kindly look over bits and pieces for me.”

“About seven years ago,” says Clive, “when I finally figured out what was happening, that I was dyslexic, I made a real effort to iron out the worst excesses of it, and discovered that I'd learnt how to spell specific words by the shape they make on the keyboard. I’m so glad I learnt to touch type! This means that on a keyboard my spelling is about 90% better than when I pick up a pen. If I use a word often enough the shape and rhythm it makes on the keyboard is how I know how to write it. Ask me to spell the same word and I'm lost, ask me to type it and I'm fine.

“The truth of the matter,” he goes on, “is I don't find writing that difficult. Yes, I substitute words, yes, I often have to have five or six goes at spelling quite basic words... but I'm used to that. And, I compensate by being able to type pretty quickly. The real struggle for me is proof reading documents. Proof reading is a bitch. I don't think I've ever sent out a document without typos in it, and I obsessively read and re-read documents over and over again. What I have discovered is that I can spot errors when a page is printed out, that I miss when I'm reading from the screen. But even reading and correcting stuff six or seven times, then printing it out, re-reading it another six or seven times, still won't let me catch all the errors... maddening.”

The consensus, then, is that dyslexia will provide additional challenges for you as a writer, but is categorically not an impassable barrier between you and a career.

“Dyslexia will make writing professionally harder because it makes reading harder and to be a good a writer you need to read a lot,” says David Southwell.  “Dyslexia will also make the actual translating of your imagination into text harder as it makes writing harder. Words mean very specific things and 'hard' in this case does not mean 'impossible'. There are a range of strategies to adopt to tackle the problems it causes, from collaboration to the medium you choose to work in, but dyslexia should not stop you from being a writer.”

“Basically,” concludes Clive, “I don't think that dyslexia is the worst condition a creative writer can suffer from. It may seriously hinder your chances of being either an English Teacher or a pedant, but it shouldn't get in the way of creative writing. That's because, in my opinion, great writing is really about expressing interesting ideas and a fascination with telling stories. The skills you need to do that have very little to do with either spelling or the niceties ― a bugger of a word to spell ― of grammar. That's not to say that you don't need a feel for language, or even a love of writing. But, those aren't dyslexic issues.”

So. The next time someone insists that you can’t be a writer with dyslexia, ask them to read this.  Provided they can read, of course...

Thanks very much indeed to Clive Frayne, David Southwell and Mike Garley, for their tremendous help with this segment of the book.

As well as addressing every dread under the sun,  101 Writing Fears And How To Deal With Them features Q&As about fear with various writers, including Graham Linehan, Lisa Jewell, Toby Whithouse, Sarah Pinborough and Neil Cross.  All things considered, this thing will tie in very nicely with any writer's New Year's resolutions.

If you'd like to pre-order the ebook, you can do so for £2.99, which is half the planned price, for a limited time.  Order easily via PayPal and when the book is released I'll whisk it to your PayPal-registered email address in a handy triple-pack of ePub, Kindle and PDF formats.  If you're a book blogger and would like a review copy, drop me a line.  Good day to YOU.
Picture
Photo Credit: by Janine via Compfight cc
* * *

@JasonArnopp on Twitter

Check out my:

New Novel |  Free Books |  Script Notes 
  Past Books |  Mailing List

0 Comments
    Picture

    Hello!

    I'm a writer of stuff for the worlds of Doctor Who, Black Mirror and Friday The 13th.

    My latest novel is Ghoster. Before that was The Last Days Of Jack Sparks and the novella Beast In The Basement.

    My latest book is Taken Over By Something Evil From The TV Set: A History Of Britain's Video Nasties Controversy & Other Scary Journalism. Yeah, that's one long title. 


    Get my book American Hoarder free when you subscribe to my monthly newsletter!
    FIND ME AT...
    ​Patreon
    ​Substack for writers
    Ko-Fi
    Retro Scary YouTube
    ​
    Metal YouTube 
    Instagram author
    Instagram rock journo
    ​Etsy shop
    Goodreads
    Twitter
    ​
    Facebook
    Picture
    I started using Publisher Rocket this summer and it's one of the coolest pieces of software for authors I've seen! Amazing for finding the best Amazon keywords, categories and ads for your books! Click the above banner for more info (affiliate).

    Picture
    If you're a fellow YouTube creator, I recommend you join me in using the very handy app TubeBuddy. Check it out for free, then use my coupon code ARNOPPBUDDY to get 20% off a subscription! (affiliate)

    MORE SOFTWARE IDEAS

    Design software 

    ClickDesigns is well worth a look, for anyone looking to easily create designs for websites and blogs.

    Handy plug-in
    DigiMember allows you to transform parts of your Word Press site into a members-only area!

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    December 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    101 Writing Fears
    Agents
    Alan Moore
    Amusement
    Audio
    Books
    Creativity
    Dialogue
    Doctor Who
    Early Drafts
    Events
    Free Books
    Horror Movies
    Industry Tips
    Interviews
    Jack Sparks
    Key Man
    Livestreaming
    Mindset
    Non Fiction
    Patreon
    Photos
    Rock Interviews
    Scriptwriting
    Short Stories
    Special Offers
    TV
    Writing
    YouTube

    RSS Feed

HOME

ABOUT

PATREON

NEWSLETTER

BLOG

Copyright Jason Arnopp © 2015-2022
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Ghoster
    • The Last Days Of Jack Sparks
    • Taken Over By Something Evil...
    • Beast In The Basement
    • A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home
    • American Hoarder
    • Auto Rewind
    • How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else
    • From The Front Lines Of Rock
    • Slipknot
    • Friday The 13th
    • Doctor Who
    • Brandy In The Basement
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Patreon
  • Free Stuff
  • Writing Help
    • My Etsy store for writers
    • Notes for writers. I'll assess your first three chapters.
    • Skype Coaching Sessions
    • Story Planner sheets for writers A4 printables
  • YouTube
    • My YouTube Gear
  • Classic Doctor Who
  • Films
    • Stormhouse
    • The Man Inside
    • Ghost Writer
  • Audio
    • Doctor Who
    • The Sarah Jane Adventures
    • BBC Radio 4
  • Journalism
    • Kerrang!
    • Heat
    • Doctor Who Magazine
  • Scary Letter
  • Interviews With Me
  • Wanted: VHS
  • Wanted: Mad Hatter Magic
  • Contact