Author: Fallton Havenstonne

Writing Science Fiction

Fallton Havenstonne

Writing science fiction is a ton of fun, since there are limitless scientific and futuristic ideas to explore. It’s a genre where we can write about space, technology, time travel, possible worlds, and new societies. It’s a genre that looks at what might exist on other planets, and how they might impact humanity.

A science fiction story often involves research into topics such as physics or genetics so that we can embed scientific facts into the story. It also helps us write characters that can talk about the subject and sound believable in their word usage.

On the other hand, science fiction asks us to stretch our imagination. In a story that takes place in the future, we must be able to describe the environment in detail–know what the rules and principles are by which the society functions. We must be able to describe what their value systems are, their norms, and how the characters interact because of them.

We must imagine what technologies they might have and how they use them. And with all these moving parts, we must keep them consistent to tell the story convincingly.

Writing science fiction is like exploring a new frontier. It’s a place that hasn’t been settled in, a place that is vast and is full of treasures to discover. Writing science fiction leads us to think about how society could be improved, but also, leads us to look at the causes that might lead society in the wrong direction.

Writing Mysteries

Fallton Havenstonne

The irony about writing a mystery story is that the story is a mystery to me. Even if I know what the outcome is, the clues and evidences remain to be discovered in the writing process.

When writing a mystery, I have to be in the moment of the scenes: the Q & A, the search for clues, the drive to locations, etc. My mystery novel, The Birnbaum Case, is a great example of this. When I wrote the story, I was figuring out the circumstances of Stanley Birnbaum’s disappearance while writing it. The mystery unfolded as I wrote it line after line, scene after scene. Even the lines of the dialogue weren’t planned. I wrote them as if I were in the characters shoes, writing what would come natural to them.

When writing a mystery, I want it to be intriguing and exciting throughout. If I had known all the answers at the start, there wouldn’t be room for spontaneity or to rewrite scenes and include unexpected twists. I want to surprise myself as I write to keep the story organic and fresh. I want the characters to sound genuine when they ask questions and answer them. I want the psychology of the characters to be real, not contrived. I want the story to unfold as if life were happening–where things interfere or where situations are unclear.

In essence, I want the mystery to feel organic and unpredictable at the same time. I want the experience of writing the mystery to be that way so that the revelations aren’t seen early on in the chapters.

Besides, the twists and turns are what piques our interest and keep us engaged in a mystery story. A good mystery will keep us reading to know what will happen until the very end. A great mystery will surprise us at every turn, and an amazing mystery will be a story that we don’t want to end.

Journal Writing

Fallton Havenstonne

Journal writing is kind of like being in a quiet sanctuary, since we’re alone with our thoughts, and we’re writing to ourselves and not for anyone else. With journal writing, we can really dive into our thoughts and emotions without concern of how we might sound to others. Journal writing is really about reflection, of understanding what we’re going through, exploring our experiences, and making sense of it all.

Unlike stories or essays, journal entries don’t have to follow a logical structure. It can be anything we want, really. It’s kind of like writing about a dream we had. It might not make sense to anyone, but it makes sense to us (or does it?). Perhaps a better way to describe it is that the meaning makes sense to us since it is derived from our subconscious, which no one else can access.

Journal writing can be about our day, or it can be about memories, dreams, and musings. It doesn’t have to be shared, and most likely won’t be. It’s a space where we can be ourselves without worrying about editing, formatting, spelling, etc., and where we can express ourselves in a continuous stream of thought.

When we look back on our entries, it’d kind of like reading a time capsule of ourselves at a particular place and time. We see how much we’ve grown, how much we’ve changed, not to mention how our writing has evolved.

Used Books

Fallton Havenstonne

The major difference between new and old books is their condition. A used book might have dents, scratches, torn or bent pages, and be faded. Compared to a new book, the content is the same, however. Of course, if a book has been updated, the used book might not have the new material (i.e. foreword, etc.).

In college, I’d purchase used textbooks to save money. Some of the textbooks didn’t even seem that much different compared to the new copy. I’d find a coffee stain and a torn page here and there, dented corners, but that was it. It saved me about 50% or more too.

When there is a used book sale, I’d go to them and search through all the books until I found the ones I wanted. The discount was incredible compared to a new book. The quality might not be as good as a new book, but I didn’t mind it. Truth be told, I’d read the book once and not pick it up again unless it was a favorite book of mine.

I look at used books in the same way as a borrowed or loaner book. The book has been used already, but owning a new copy isn’t the point. The point is to read the book, to experience what it has to offer. It’s similar to checking out a library book, although a library book might change hands so a lot more times by the time we check it out.

Used books are inexpensive, and are a great option for reading a book if the goal is simply to do just that and not own something that is a mint condition.

Routines

Fallton Havenstonne

We know routines are important, but it’s hard to stick by them. Routines can be time-based, or they can be habit-based. For example, waking up at 7 a.m. each day is time-based, but brushing our teeth every morning is habit-based.

Routines can be hard to stick by if unexpected variables occur. For example, if exercising at 4 p.m. is a routine, it might be hard to stick by it if we’re not feeling well. Or if something came up at work and we have to stay a little late, that 4 p.m. schedule would have to be pushed to 5 p.m. But what about all the other routines that came after the exercise? Would those have to pushed back as well?

Routines create consistency in our day, which are important. We want to have a pattern that produces consistent results and outcomes. When we wake up at a certain time and leave at a certain time, the outcome of arriving at work early or on time is consistent. If we didn’t have this routine, we’d show up early one day, late the next, and these two outcomes would vary day to day.

Even if we follow routines, there are things that occur that are outside of our control. There could be heavy traffic due to construction or an accident. In the winter, it could snow, delaying our trip. These are exceptions, not the rule, however. The routines keep us on schedule–on time.

So here, I return to my point that sticking by routines is the hardest thing about them. We consider routines as good if they keep us on schedule and keep us productive. But there are times when not following the routine can led to surprising–even amazing–results.

For example, if I set an hour for myself to write, but I’m inspired to write more than an hour, the extra time that I wrote could be the best piece of writing I’ve ever done. If I had simply followed my routine, those inspirational pages of writing wouldn’t have existed.

Art, creativity, and inspiration seem to be independent of time–of schedules. They require us to go beyond the routine to bring them to life. There is almost a battle with the routine in creating art, though they can go hand and hand if the routine sets a time to create art.

This is where I struggle with routines–those moments of inspiration and insight that led to amazing writing and ideas. When those moments happen, I become self-aware of what’s going on and let them flow out of me. But when all else is equal, I stick by the routines.

Organization

Fallton Havenstonne

We know that organization is important, but the question is how to keep the organization from unraveling.

To be organized is to have our things in their proper place, to have a space that is functional and uncluttered. It means being able to find what we need without having to look in three or four different places. It can look like having things in sections, folders, binders, and categories so that they don’t get mixed up with anything else.

But the biggest issue I find with organization is staying organized. When I begin taking stuff out of folders and files, the papers get moved around, and it’s easy for them to get mixed up with other things. Not only that, the continuity of work leaves little time to sort them and put them back in their proper place, making the disorganization even worse.

No matter what organization system I’ve used, it only works so long as things are returned to their proper place. The needed time to do so is crucial in being organized and staying organized.

Even if the workspace is clear, the work itself amasses papers and files that begin to stack up. Things get lost in the shuffle. Even if everything is labeled and we know where they go, it doesn’t matter unless they’re put away.

Making time to organize is just as important as being organized. Finding a system that works saves us a lot of frustration and time, but it can all unravel if we don’t spend the time to organize as well.

Sunset

Fallton Havenstonne

When it is sunset, most of us are awake to see it. Unlike the sunrise, which can only be seen if we wake up early enough, the sunset can happen while we’re driving home, exercising, walking outside, or just gazing out the window.

The only thing we need to do is pay attention to it. Gaze at it. Take notice of its effect on us as it changes our mindset for the rest of the day. We start to think about dinner, and all the things that must take place before calling it a day and going to sleep. And on the weekend, the sunset shifts our thinking to nightly events (i.e. going to a concert or to the movies).

One of the most wondrous things is to see the sunset during a drive home. The experience is like watching a landscape disappearing. When it happens, it’s as if the waning light is hiding the roads, buildings, and road signs that were once clearly visible during the day. Soon, they are enveloped by the sunset’s rays.

When the sun is setting, the sky burns with an array of colors, permeating the landscape with red and orange hues that seem to spread out like wings. For just a few brief moments, we get a chance to see the brilliance of nature’s aesthetic, and each day, it’s never exactly the same.

The lights of buildings begin to shine through windows, and lamp posts and traffic lights dot the streets as the night falls. But they’re no match for the brilliance of the sunset, which paint the last image of the day.

Sunrise

Fallton Havenstonne

The sun never ceases to rise. The sun doesn’t rise in a scientific sense, but in relation to our experience of it. In fact, it rises continuously as the earth rotates, shining upon the earth from one part of the world to the next.

As the sun rises, the light shines dimly across the horizon, casting a soft glow that sweeps away the darkness. And while it rises, the light permeates the landscape like a wave, spreading across towns and cities in succession.

When we miss the sunrise, it’s like waking up to a day that’s started without us. The sunlight has already completed its full radiance, and we’re just catching up with a morning that’s moved ahead.

But each day there is a sunrise, and there is another chance to catch it. When they’re captured in photographs, they don’t look the same as they do in person. The sheer scope of the colors and the transition from low light to brightness is an experience that seems other worldly.

We’re accustomed to the daylight of the afternoon, or the darkness of the night, since those are constants that stay with us for hours. But the sunrise is a momentary phenomenon, one that begins the day with a whispery shimmer that blossoms to full radiance.

Evening

Fallton Havenstonne

The sun goes down, and the night takes over. The lampposts come on, lighting up the city and the stores. People go out to a restaurant, or get some groceries to cook at home. Dinner time is here, and everyone looks forward to some great food.

With the workday over, it’s time to switch gears. It’s time to fill the remaining hours with food, conversation, music, art, and then to end it with silence. For some, it’s a time to work on projects and hobbies, and for others, it’s a time to play games, sports, or exercise.

The evening calls us to reflect on our day, to meditate on our successes and shortcomings. As the night falls, some of us prepare for an early sleep, while others stay awake to catch a show on TV, a sports game, or finish a book or watch a movie.

And when it’s time to go to sleep, we close our eyes and slip away into a new dream. And in the dream, we travel through scenes of reimagined memories and thoughts and the voices of the heart.

Afternoon

Fallton Havenstonne

The day is in full swing by the time the afternoon starts. The sun is up and we’re active and busy with the tasks for the day.

For some, the afternoon might begin with lunch, and for others, it’s a race to finish a mountain of work. It might be the busiest time of the day if their is a deadline ahead, or it might be the slowest if the workday is winding down.

When the workday ends, it’s a race to drive home–to beat the rush hour traffic. We look forward to our time of rest, to not think about the stresses of work.

The afternoon can be filled with appointments or meetings. Or it can be filled with opportunities to create and to make something new.

On the weekends, the afternoon is when everything happens: birthday parties, barbecues, picnics, you name it. It’s a time to go outside and relax in the sun. It’s a good time to do yard work and to get things done around the home. It’s a good time to enjoy the weather, a time to enjoy life.