Waste Not

All of time, and all of space

Is but a chase within a race

A battle between life and death

To the very last beating breath

Throughout eternity’s infinite span

Men are cast away like specs of sand

And the one truth we can’t deny

Is that all who live, will surely die

So do not sulk and do not squander

This great world of wisping wonder

Dare to dream

Start to scheme

Take a chance

Make a stance

Be free to fail

And blaze a trail

Do not wait

To change your fate

For in the end when all is gone

And every word is said and done

You will not get a second chance

To dance within the great expanse

Make each moment earn its place

So that when you face death’s sweet embrace

You will not falter, you will not fret

You will not have one small regret

For underneath the stars that shine

You played a part in the divine

And through that connection with the whole

You’ll find yourself an immortal soul

The one thing that’s so sublime

It transcends all space and time

With that knowledge in your head

You’ll know that those who lived, cannot be dead

So take haste and do not waste

Another second you can’t replace

For all of time, and all of space

Is but a chase within a race

-Josh Coker

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My Thoughts On The Revision Process

To me writing is like sculpting.

At first the artist stands next to a giant boulder of an idea. Despite its rough form, they can see see the contours of the story. It takes several days, weeks, and months to pull the monolith out of from the mind, and get it to a place where they can work on it. This is the first draft.

However, after that the artist must chisel away until the thing takes shape. This is the second draft.

Lastly, they step back from the project to see what’s missing, or what needs improvement. Here the artist considers different perspectives and angles. This is when the fine details are added and really allow the vision you to come alive. This final step is most like revision.

It’s beneficial to get other people’s input. Sometimes they can lead you to a better idea, or a different direction for the story. If more than one person gives the same feedback, it’s an indication something that needs to be changed. As long as you work with people who understand the craft--and are passionate about storytelling--peer review can be an enlightening experience. However, going back to the sculpting analogy, an artist wouldn't give credence to those who do not appreciate art. Their feedback, is likely not constructive to for the work.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) 2014

Hey guys what's going on? Josh here from Polymathics, the blog that helps you become a modern day renaissance man. 

And today we're talking about a topic that I love... 

NaNoWriMo 

Any of you guys know that is? I think some of you do, but for those of you that don't, I will tell you. Have you ever imagined your novel sitting on the bookshelves of Barnes and Noble? Right next to Hemingway, or Orson Scott Card? Well now is your chance! Because November is National Novel Writer's Month. Hence, "NaNoWriMo." For the neophytes in the room, let me elaborate. Essentially writers from around the wold get together and pledge to write a novel; at least 50,000 words! Now this is the prime opportunity for you to write a story. If you've been waiting and putting it off, or said, "Awe I can never be an author." This is the prime time to prove that theory wrong. 

Let me tell you why. 

First, you're gonna have tons of support. There are lots of people on the interwebz and the YouTubez (like me) giving all kinds advice; showing you the ropes. Also there are local communities throughout the various states and regions. Each with their own liaisons and writers groups. Here you can mingle with other writers who are going through the same struggles; the same tribulations; the same writers block. You meet some wonderful people. It's one of the greatest experiences I had.  My first novel, I had been struggling to for over a decade. Then I decided to do NaNo (based on a friends relentless nagging...) and less than thirty days, I had the first draft completed! I was so pumped because finally I had accomplished this lifelong goal that seemed to allude me. The words were on the paper. I could see the proof; the fruits of my labor. To top it off, there was a nice winners certificate that they gave me.  I got to show it off to everybody on Facebook and Twitter. What a badass I was... 

It was wonderful. 

If you've ever considered writing a novel, highly recommend. Just in case, I've listed all of the pros and cons here on my YouTube channel: 

Anyways, National Novel Writing Month Just started a few minutes ago, so I better get to typing...

If you'd like to follow my progress or learn more about NaNoWriMo, checkz outz the following linkz belowz. 

Follow Josh on Twitter: @Joshumusprime

Or Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepolymathparadigm

And you can his NaNo progress here: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/tipperdy

And he has a book on military transitions here: http://www.amazon.com/About-Face-Josh-Coker-ebook/dp/B00N4GYB84/

Sentient Weapons: Lord of the Rings, Bleach, Ironman, and Doctor Who

I had a conversation with my brother not too long ago, and it got me thinking about sentient weapons.  

When you take a look at science fiction, there aren't many good examples of AI weapons. However, when you look in fantasy there are. A perfect example is The One Ring, from Lord of the Rings. It has a personality and it weighs on the ringbearers' conscience; it corrupts them and it causes them to do things that they wouldn't normally do. Another example is the anime Bleach. All of the Soul Society have sentient swords--each with a soul and personality of it's own--and they influence the warriors who wield them. Sometimes they even take over the soul reapers' consciousness in order to fight. 

That's all fine and good because it's fantasy and you have magic. That explains everything away (as long as the writing is consistent).

But, for science fiction, sentient weapons have been taboo. Up until recently, that is. A few years ago this little movie called Ironman hit Hollywood. That sort of changed the way contemporary audiences viewed sentient weapons. Jarvis, Ironman's half-sentient  artificial intelligence was a game changer. Jarvis interacts with Tony Stark and controls the robotic exosuite. Also, Jarvis' calculations enhance Tony's reaction times in battle. 

That got me to thinking... what if you had a fully sentient weapon (in the form of artificial intelligence or virtual intelligence or some other form of intelligence)? For example, what if there was a gun with feelings and thoughts?

What if it could make decisions? And sometimes... without the wielders permission??? 

I love this terrible, horrifying, dastardly idea! 

It's a writer's dream! Then you can have a fantastic conflict of character. The wielder and the weapon are in a sense one entity. And yet, they can be at contra-disposition (meaning at odds--I like big words...) with each other. The sentient weapon sees its purpose as only to destroy. And because of that, we know it craves murder. That's how it feels satisfied in life. Whereas the wielder (human or whatever species the wielder might be) may be trying to save lives. What happens when the blood thirsty weapon goes on a rampage?

CONFLICT!

That's what happens. Conflict. 

Now take it a step further and ask, “What if technology were so advanced that the artificial intelligence/virtual intelligence was sentient and NOT ONLY could make its own decisions but also TAKE OVER the mind/body of the host!?!?!" 

Then you would have a very conflicted character! 

Just a few plot ideas that came to mind (shooting from the hip):

1. Someone comes across this weapon that's been buried away in an ancient alien locker somewhere. They accidently activate it and they decided want to study it. As they do, the weapon starts to connect to the neural pathways of the individual until it takes over the body.
2. The other thing was, “How does how does the weapon speak?”  There are a few ways you could speak.
1. via display
2. It could not speak, maybe it just takes action (like pulling the trigger, even when the host/wielder didn't intend to).
3. or it could speak through the user
4. OR it could use telepathy. This is especially cool, because you could have it mind meld with the host, but because no one else hears these "voices" then the wielder isn't sure if they're going insane or if they're actually communicating with a weapon. A new form of crazy!
5. or, or, or,  ZOMFG or, it could communicate with other computers (like the Geth in Mass Effect)! 

The point is, there's a lot of interesting ways you could play with a sentient weapon in a story. Why don't we have more of these portrayals in science fiction!?!?!

****Below are Doctor Who Spoilers. If you haven't seen the 50th Anniversary Episode, then do not read!!!!****

One of the best displays of a sentient weapon that I've ever seen in science fiction, was in the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, Day of the Doctor. The Moment was the weapon to end all wars. (Side note: The Tardis doesn't count because it's more of a sentient vehicle, than a weapon) Apparently the Time Lords feared it, because they knew it was a weapon that could morally judge them. Nicknamed the "Galaxy Eater", and "Bad Wolf," The Moment took the form of the Doctor's companion, Rose Tyler. Through a series of events, this sentient weapon convinced The Doctor to save Galifrey (spoilers!!!) from total destruction by freezing the entire world in an alternate reality. 

I'm defiantly not doing the story justice... But having a weapon that can convince the protagonist to change their world view--as a writer--is a really fucking fascinating prospect! 

So, I bring all of this up just to say two main points: 

1. We need more ~well written~ sentient weapons in science fiction. 

2. I am writing one in my novel.

; )

That is all...

10 Strange Things You Didn't Know About Edgar Allan Poe

1. By the time he was three he was an orphan. 
2. Some scholars believe his dad abandoned the family, while others note that he may have died. 
3. Poe started writing poetry and criticisms at the ripe old age of 13. 
4. Because of poor money management he only attended college for a semester. 
5. He joined officer school at West Point Military Academy to pay off gambling debts. 
6. Soon after, his drinking habits caught up with him and he was kicked out! 
7. He only turned to writing as a job after becoming desperate for work. 
8. He married his 13 year old cousin and lived with her for 7 years until she died an untimely death at the hands of tuberculosis. 
9. Because several of his stories are told from the first person point of view, and because the characters know intimate details of drug use, several critics believe that Poe was pulling from his own personal experiences.
10. According to myth, he died under mysterious circumstances which many attributed to his heavy use of alcohol. 

Needless to say, Poe's life (and death) was as sad, mysterious, and crazy as his writing. 

Dialogue Thief

As a polymath, you need to know how to articulate your thoughts and ideas effectively. Writing is one of the fundamental building blocks of communication. And, as a writer, dialogue can be extremely challenging. Unlike grammar and spelling, which have pretty cut-and-dry rules, dialogue is far more subjective. 

Whether we're talking about fiction or non-fiction, the challenge is the same: 

How do you get your words (and thus your characters, AND THUS, your story) to sound authentic? 

The answer: DIALOGUE

Just a few words can make your story pop like fireworks... or fall as flat as a tire.

So what can we do to hone our craft? 

In his book Writing Dialogue, Tom Chialarella gives age old wisdom to help aspiring writers--steal from other people! 

Not literally. 

But sort of. 

You see, one of the best ways to find great dialogue is to go out into the real world and see what real people are saying. Chialarella suggests storytellers should write down anything that strikes them as interesting.

I 100% agree. 

And actually I do this exercise with dialogue all the time. I love picking out little quirky things that people say. I always eavesdrop on conversations. Especially out in public. In a bar, at work, mall, gym, airport. Just about anywhere you can find people talking, you'll find dialogue worth stealing. Below are just a few that I’ve found that really stuck with me:

At a bar (guy to girl): 

“Um, could you do me a favor…”

Coffee shop: 

“Diligently studying?”

At work: 

“You had to read the bible front to back. I mean, who the hell knows who Hammond was?”

“It was a shit show.”

“I was struggle-busing in the whole day.”

Dentist office: 

“That’s not hot,it’s sizzl’n.”

Military personnel: 

“Got to take care of the beans and bullets.”

In the Grotto: 

“He’s ethnically Mexican.”

“He’s what?”

“He. Is. Ethnically. Mexican.”

“Okay, I get it. I just never heard of it like that before.”

AND MY ALL TIME FAVORITE: 

“I can do the impossible. I can eat cereal without a spoon!”

Recently a familiar source (albeit unexpected)--my son--provided me with a real gem. I don't know when he picked it up, but a few months ago he started using a particular word in almost all of his speech. At first I thought it was a passing thing, but now am convinced it’s more permanent. 

Hahaha, it’s kind of funny. 


After a while I realized this dialogue quirk was very similar to that of Gollum, from Lord Of The Rings. He’s always using the term “precious” in similar contexts. So, I decided to incorporate my son's word in one of my stories.

The point is, if you're struggle-busing to create dialogue that rings true, try looking in the real world. Listen everywhere you go. At church and work. The skating rink and park. Even with your own family and friends. You'll be surprised at what you might find.

So what about you? Have you ever stumbled upon interesting dialogue?