Research

Hello there! Why look, day two of the blog and I'm making my second entry. Nice start...

I'm not looking to post an incredibly long entry today (or at least right now), as I am eye-balls deep in research. But I wanted to talk a moment about that. One of the best bits of advice I ever got was to do all the research you can, but follow two rules - 1) know when to stop researching and start writing, and 2) never let your research show. Just because you learn a cool fact, don't jam it in there because it's so awesome you HAVE to show everyone how much you personally know or learned about a subject. If you are writing a thesis, fine, cite your references and write all about your findings. But if you are writing fiction, your research should be done to get to know your characters, not to brag that you did it.

Learn what you can about your characters. This doesn't just mean to know where they are from, how many siblings they have, and their favorite ice cream flavor (although those things help establish well-rounded characters as well). You should also try to learn as much about what THEY know as possible. This way, what they say and do will ring true to their experiences and their knowledge. Learn what they they would know, and let their experience and your research come out in their actions and, where appropriate (and in their voices, not in long-winded exposition) their dialog.

People can say what they will about Wikipedia, but it is at least a good place to start your research. You can use it as the Cliff's Notes version, but be sure to look at the related links or cited footnotes in the articles to get more info. Side note, if you are ever at a loss for ideas, check out the featured article of the day on their home page. If you are still stumped, look to the left at the Navigation tab and click on"Random Article" a few times. I guarantee that eventually SOMETHING will pop up that will make you stop and want to read more about it (within 3 clicks just now, I got to The Blasphemy Act of 1698)

Personal side note - LOOK! I figured out how to insert links! One web-challenge down, hundreds to go...

Right now I am reading as much as I can about a variety of subjects- from what it takes to get a PhD (which I did not realize stood for Doctor of Philosophy until I started - thank you Bachelor's of Arts degree in Radio/TV/Film), certain scientific disciplines, Film Noir poster art, weapons used throughout the ages, and even the rules of centuries-old organizations. Talk about jumping around. My "Bookmark" section is getting a work out. As is my Moleskine notebook. I can't stress this enough- when you read something, or hear something on TV or in a movie- write it down! You'll be amazed at how quickly just writing down something will switch your mind on and you'll find yourself writing that tidbit down from your character's point of view or at least how it applies to your story.

As a gift last Christmas, Joe Quesada gave us all in publishing Marvel-embossed Moleskine notebooks. In it was an amazing inscription: Some of the greatest creative minds and thinkers in the modern era have used Moleskine notebooks like this one for jotting down their thoughts and ideas. This Moleskine is dedicated to you and your next great idea. Thank you for an amazing 2007! Well, Joe, thank YOU. I can only hope that what I am filling this with is worthy to be called a great idea, or at least a good one.

Until next time,
KEEP READING!

- Jim

PS - so much for not posting an incredibly long entry! Ha! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to exercise Rule #1 of research and get some writing done!

Welcome Aboard!

Hello friends, family, acquaintances, fans, and reading-voyeurs,

Surprise, surprise, another blog enters the blogosphere. As you can see in my profile, I make no promises how updated this blog will be, but here's hoping. "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray, and leave us not but grief and pain for promised joy. Well, hopefully my potential sporadic updates (or complete lack of them) won't leave you with grief and pain, and I cannot promise you joy with every post. What I CAN offer you is that I will be *me* in these entries.

So, where to start? I'd rather not start off with the traditional "I was born in..." exposition. Zzzzz... Details of my youth, history, interests, etc will hopefully come out in more unique ways, organically, as I (hopefully) write new entries.

Brief aside here- just because I have a blog and a Twitter, by NO means should indicate that I am at all web-savvy when it comes to the bells and whistles of these here Interwebs. I will try to post pictures, art, etc where I can...when I can figure out how.

Second aside - this is intended more as my "professional" blog. You won't find much in the way of personal info here as I tend to keep that stuff off the web. instead, this is to update my experiences in the world of comics, writing, and wherever this crazy path of life is taking me on professionally. That said, I'm not above raving or ranting about current novels, movies, or TV shows. But don't look for too many rants, you never know who is reading and when/if you may meet them in person. I'd rather not get slapped by anyone from the "cast" of The Hills because I ranted about that show (for the record, never seen an episode).

Back on topic. Work. I work in Marketing/PR/Conventions/"other duties as assigned" at Marvel Comics. Yes, it is my dream company. No, cannot believe I work there (and I just celebrated my 4th year there-- it still amazes me). Yes, I do know how lucky I am. Convention season is mostly over and it is sort of bittersweet. On one hand, I never sleep, eat, or stop moving when at a convention, so it is exhausting. But on the other (much bigger) hand, I absolutely love everything else about it. From the thrill of making a great announcement on a panel and hearing the crowd applaud, to meeting fans one-on-one (without them, no one in comics would have a job), to seeing friends from around the world who work in comics too. Thanks to FedEx and the Internet, people can work in this industry from anywhere in the world, which is great. But it means you really only see them a few times a year. One of the greatest things about this industry is that I have been lucky to make some true friends over the years. Anyone who has seen a Marvel panel should know that we are HUGE goof-offs; joking around with each other, snarky (in a good natured way), and genuinely happy to be together. That's exactly how we are OFF the panel too. Some call me the happiest man in comics. I don't know if I can claim that superlative (Dan Slott's pretty darn jolly, too), but I can say that I am the happiest I have been BECAUSE I work in comics.

(Third aside - I had the Olympics on in the background on the USA network while writing this. At some point, they ended and "Psych" came on. I am convinced I just saw the same cave set used in Smallville and the same woods that Mulder and Scully trekked thru in X-Files. Makes me wish TV had a shared universe where all of these characters ran from place to place, encountering each other. I would never turn off the television...)

Obvious personal fact you should have gathered by now: I am very easily distracted. Another fact - I am obsessed with television.

I know I have far more to say, but this is the beginning. I have to leave something for people to come back to. And there's plenty! From my history in soap operas, to my present job, to writing my first full comic script, to trying to dance between the raindrops of talking about my new project that I can't really talk too much about. Speaking of, I should run spellcheck on this entry and publish it so I can stop procrastinating (which, truth be absolutely told, was the genesis of this blog- procrastination) and get back to a more necessary form of procrastinating: research!

Until next time, KEEP READING!

Jim