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The very first version of the book’s cover from circa mid-2020, right after scrapping my second attempt at the first draft. Still bullish on the marketing, though, apparently. I actually kind of like it.
All posts covering the project are denoted by HH#X, a numbering reference to the original working title, HOLLYWOOD HEIST. The very first was dated Feb-8-2020, charleskunken.com/blog/hollywood-heist-1-novel-without-a-crew.
I even had a vlog consisting of daily 1-minute videos checking in on the project. The best one was probably this episode, walking through the actual location where the heist would take place.
This was my original copy announcing the project with the blog and vlog entries captured below:
Blog Season 5: WRITING THE HOLLYWOOD HEIST Novel
After reading Robert Rodriguez’s ‘Rebel Without A Crew’, which was basically his blog-style account of how he made is first film, El Mariachi for $7,000 when he was in film school I got motivated to do something similar.
So I’m writing my own version as I go about figuring out how to write my heist novel.
The most important book published by a Kunken this year.
You're only as good as the last envelope....THE MANUSCRIPT IS COMPLETE!
I still think it’s a good idea…
I recently learned the difference between story and plot. Thats what I’ve been working on for the past 2 years…
1960's Harlem and a Pulitzer Prize winner enters the genre with 'HARLEM SHUFFLE'. Here's some lessons.
Why they are a litmus test and have resulted in more re-writing than any other editing aspect.
This will solve everything for your novel. At least that’s my hypothesis.
In some heists the floor is hot lava. In others you can scamper right across the lobby. Here are 5 misc. things I’ve learned thus far on the genre and the process of writing.
3 Lesson about writing emotions from ‘The Emotional Craft of Fiction’ by Donald Mass.
And why does everybody keep saying you need to find it? My thoughts...
Three (plus one) hidden gems I uncovered this week from circa 1983, for anybody on their grind; from John Gardener's 'On Becoming A Novelist'
Three writerly ninja moves I've collected this week.
A list of my research books with cool tidbits before I retire them. (It’s my attempt to move on from toiling away on Act 1).
How often do best selling authors tell you what the character is thinking? (Spreadsheets inside.)
There are three states of information in a book. You either know: (1) More than the hero; (2) Less than the hero or; (3) The same as the hero.
And there’s one more state in a heist.
Here is some more research into why this is taking so long: I've unintentionally been tackling this story in three stages.
Today I have three small lessons I’ve collected and observed lately. In other words, three more things I am in the process of overthinking.
This post is a really long way of describing all about how I eventually stepped away from using spreadsheets to do the actual writing (and finally finish) my manuscript.
Here are two tools I’m trying that keep me engaged as a reader.
Not in real life, unfortunately. We're talking about book (of course).
What’s the proper order of descriptions? And when are you supposed to tell readers how tall a character is? These are the questions I never knew I’d have.
After 103 weeks in a row of publishing the weekly newsletter I took a week off. These are the doubts I had about the merit of recording the creative process of a first time novelist. Until I realized, this is the ultimate drama…because we have have no idea how it’s going to end.
This is a recent conversation I had with a friend on the nature and purpose of creativity. We tried to examine the question: How do you offer your own experience as context to discuss the greater human condition?
Examining with a microscope how Lee Child writes character movement and gestures in his novels.
Dissecting the Lee Child novel, ‘Make Me’ to try and see exactly how the author does his craft.
I’ve got two theories.
Why the best book on writing (‘The Elements of Style’) is a lifestyle and not a manual
The best marketing is writing a good book….but here are 2 cover designs I’m toying with. Which do you like better? Please vote inside!
What is a book coach? I’m looking into it and this is and where I’m applying for one.
Our 1-minute TV show is another way to join us on the writing journey.
We’ll bring you scenes from the book, real places of inspiration, maybe some segments with quirky characters, possibly some clips from the bus where I do all my writing, some mindset stuff, everything that goes into the making of the ultimate heist novel is fair game.
Follow on Instagram, Youtube, and even Facebook. I think people still go on there ; )
Playlist
Please judge.