Writing Goals: Things I Like

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As I gear up for my next big project (ie, novel), I’ve been thinking a lot about what kinds of stories I like to read and how that impacts the sort of stories I want to tell.  I figured it might be interesting to have the list (so far) posted on my blog.  Maybe some of you reading will post your own lists (hint, hint).

Things I like to read about/want to write about in fiction:

Fighting. Crimes. Sex. Serial Killers. Details about day to day activities I’m not familiar with.  Training montages.  Bad-ass people doing clever, bad-ass things (note, these characters don’t have to be the protagonists, I like bad-ass antagonists as well).  Love stories.  Space stations.  Starships or outposts in space in isolation type setting.  Post-apocalyptic.  Kick-ass, detailed magic.  Anything that reminds me of a table-top RPG (ie I could envision giving the characters stats and seeing how the world would be laid out etc).  Happily ever after enough endings.  Series.  Epic world-building.  Secondary characters strong enough to merit their own books/stories.

That’s my list so far.  I’m sure it’ll expand as I think of things or find things and go “hey! THAT! I love THAT!”

The next project I’m working on is the first book in my e-pub novel series.  The website for the series will be up shortly and then I’ll make it its own post.  What excites me about this project the most is that I think I can cover a lot of the above list in just one series.  (Not the space-station stuff, alas).  I’m going to be writing something that I fully love, with nothing in it I don’t.  Sounds like fun to me.

I’ve got a lot lined up, actually.  We’ll see how much I get to by the end of the year.  And I’ve got a pile of short stories waiting on final consideration at various markets with “we’ll tell you by X date-ish” dates coming up in the next few months.  Lots to be excited about and lots of work to do.

So, fellow writers (and readers…):  what are your favorite things in fiction? What are your reader cookies?

12 Responses to “Writing Goals: Things I Like”

  1. Ursula

    I think it’s interesting that some of the items on your “yes” list are on my “no” list (serial killers, post-apocalyptic stuff, anything labeled as epic). I like idiosyncratic codes of honor, cool bits of science, and world-building that includes economics. Also sleep.

    • izanobu

      I like cool bits of science and world-building with economics also 🙂

      Yeah, I figured you probably wouldn’t be interested in the novel I just finished, that’s why I didn’t offer to send. It’s probably not even close to your cup of tea 😉

      Hope maths is going well! Hugs.

      • Ursula

        I am having fun imagining the cover copy for my ultimate “no” book (I think it involves a re-telling of the King Arthur triangle where one of them is a vampire).

      • izanobu

        It would have to be Guinevere 🙂

        I could totally write that for you. Someday. 😉

  2. David Barron

    Secondary characters strong enough to merit their own stories is amongst my every-story goals. Then again I usually build characters first, worlds second.

  3. Ben Godby

    Cool technology and weapons. Right now I’ve got steam-driven motorcycles, moisture-sucking swords, cyan-and-gold-painted tankettes, and Gauss rifles.

    -bn

  4. Amanda McCarter

    I love epic science fiction stories. Just beautifully detailed, technical works with a huge cast of characters that takes you through a myriad of worlds. Of course, my favorite authors are Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, and Peter F. Hamilton right now. I also like modern fantasy. I’m about done with traditional elves and wizards and the like. I like thrillers and crime stories, mysteries and police procedurals. I also like post-apocalyptic and steampunk.

  5. Thomas K Carpenter

    That’s a pretty good list and hard to argue with Annie. As I was telling you at the workshop, my current fascination is ripping the guts out of every potential idea around the technology of augmnented reality.

    Otherwise, my main hope is that I create such amazing characters that they live on in my readers heads well after they put (or throw) the book down. Or maybe another way to say it is:

    I want to: Blow. Your. Mind. Period.

  6. Thomas K Carpenter

    Btw, I’m signed up for Dean’s Little/Novel workshops at the end of Feb. You’re going to those right?

    • izanobu

      I surely am. Provided I finish a (for Trad publsihing) novel by Feb. Eeks! 🙂 (Guess I’d better make Nanowrimo a double, eh?)

  7. Thomas K Carpenter

    Write a YA novel. 🙂

    Sweet length of 50-60k. So far I’m enjoying that length, because I feel like I can tell a good story without having to stretch out some sections.

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