THE ALL God of Nothing By Shane Scott

7/17/2021

Debut author, Shane Scott introduces us to his first novel, “THE ALL God of Nothing”:
What if God and the Devil had a daughter? Who would she be?

The ALL chronicles four generations of the most powerful Immortal family in God’s creation. The Promethean saga spans uncountable years and dozens of worlds. Mortals, Gods, Devils, Dragons, Titans, Demons, Werewolves, Vampires and Angels clash in a never-ending battle of love and hate.

The first book in the ALL, God of Nothing, starts the epic adventure. Murdered at seventeen by the Titan, Silver, God of Death, Aja Ashe wakes with her Dragon. Thrust into a bizarre world where her enemies are friends, and friends are enemies, she learns the truth about her parents and herself. Her mother is God, and her father is the Devil. She was the first thing born, not created. Enraged that Aja survived, Silver, God of Death, forces her to make choices to protect those she loves. Will Aja save the ALL or destroy it? If she survives, will she hate herself for what she’s done?

WARNING This work of fiction includes topics some may find offensive. There is no graphic sex, but numerous sexual situations, including LGBTQ+. Also, it has instances of blasphemy, vulgar language, smoking, drugs, violence, gore, and mentions rape. Due to the nature of this work, it is intended for people 18 years or older.

This book is such a wild romp in the afterlife and the present, that I hardly know where to start.
The characters are what make this book. If they weren’t so real and varied, I don’t think the story would work nearly as well. There are quite a few characters, also but the author pulls it off in a marvelous fashion.
The plot is a coming-age story, it travels far and wide providing a great deal of entertainment, as Aja begins to find her place in the cosmos. She experiences many transformative experiences including her first drink, first hangover, first kiss and her first occasion killing someone.
You are going to love this adventurous story! I award five stars to “THE ALL God of Nothing”!

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/GOD-NOTHING-Book-1-ALL
https://www.goodreads.com/THE-ALL-god-of-nothing
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-All-Audiobook
I reviewed another book by Shane: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/faith
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/TheALLwriter
https://www.facebook.com/TheALLwriter
Copyright ©Mark L. Schultz 2021 except for the author’s introduction

74 Comments

Shane Scott link

7/17/2021 04:56:34 pm

Mark, Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book.

Mark Schultz

7/17/2021 05:25:36 pm

You are welcome. I enjoyed the book a great deal!
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Shane Scott link

7/17/2021 06:05:14 pm

I am 55 years old, married for 27 years and live in Maine.

I'm dog person yet I live with a feral cat named KooKooNut. 9 years ago I found her in a dumpster and she has been hanging around ever since. She is the best pet I ever had.

I spent most of my life working on computers and writing code. I also have a commercial pilot's license with numerous ratings including flight instructor.

When I was diagnosed with leukemia 4 yeas ago, I got serious about finishing God of Nothing and have done only that for 3 years.

Mark Schultz

7/17/2021 09:47:14 pm

A dog person with an abandoned cat. Very good. There have been a succession of cats and a number of dogs most of my life.
I had a couple of flying lessons as a teenager in an Aeronca Champ. That ended when a close family friend died in exhibition aerobatics, my mom wouldn't take me to the lessons after that.
Leukemia is serious stuff. I have had nothing like that, but my wife has been through it. We have been married for 45 years, next month.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
What kind of work do you do? Feel free to skip that question, if you would rather not answer.

Shane Scott link

7/18/2021 04:33:57 am

I'd like to think of myself as a full-time writer. With Covid I spent the majority of the last year and a half isolated. That said, if I am going to continue being a full time writer, I need to figure out the marketing thing and actually sell some book and make a little money. That is hard for an indie author, harder than I expected. I usually get up early, 4-5am and write for at least a few hours, sometimes longer before starting my day.

Mark Schultz

7/18/2021 07:20:58 am

Marketing is the hardest nut for most writers to crack. Covid made promoting books even more difficult for many writers by eliminating in-person events.
There are many blogs written about marketing and promoting books. Several of the blogs on my Guest Blog page cover these topics in detail. There are many excellent links to blogs on my Highly Regarded Blogs page also.
I hope you find those useful.
New questions.
Does your work have any influence on your writing?
What inspired you to write this book?

Shane Scott link

7/18/2021 07:44:28 am

The entire genesis for my book happened in the early 1990s when I died. I've been thinking about my story since then.I imaged in a world where people are not so hung up on superficial differences or who someone else loves. Part of it was in the mid 1990s I was hired as a bartender. I didn't know it at the time but it was a gay bar. (Do we say that today? I don't know. Back then that it what it was called.). After I got over my initial shock of seeing men kiss each other I realized it was really none of my business who someone else choose to love or bang. I worked there for 3 years and it is one of the best jobs I ever had. There is a lot of that in my book.

Mark Schultz

7/18/2021 01:23:55 pm

Dying has a profound impact according to all of the stories I've read. All of us will die, our bodies will cease to function. Most of us will not come back.
It would be lovely if people were not so uptight about superficial circumstances, but we live in a broken world.
My wife worked in mental health for a number of years and she wanted to be a bartender after that. It never happened. Her physical health got in the way.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?

Shane Scott link

7/18/2021 02:02:36 pm

I always liked the fantasy book covers of the 1980s and 1990s and wanted one like that. I hired an artist to create my book cover. I knew exactly what I wanted and he did it for me. Gagan Shetty, he can found on Instagram. He did great work.

The cover has Aja, Gia and the 3rd of 8 HellSenders. The sword was originally red but I had to get Brandon as C&O designs to change it to a flaming sword because Amazon would not let me run ads. They said the sword was covered in blood. When I told them it is not covered in blood, it is made out of Hellfire...they still said NO!! sp I had to change it to a flaming sword to run ads. I tried to avoid tropes like flaming swords in my book but I guess at times they arw required.

Mark Schultz

7/18/2021 06:10:28 pm

You made the right choice. The cover is quite unique.
There is no winning an argument with a minor functionary in a large company.
New questions.
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?

Shane Scott link

7/19/2021 08:33:28 am

The title has been with me since the start. I had real trouble finding a title for the series (the ALL) and I am not sure why that was. Once I figured it out it seemed like the obvious choice. I went through a dozen different series titles before I figured it out. I ended up splitting the first book into two books. It would have been 200,000 words and more. So I split it into God of Nothing and God of Everything which is the next book in the series I am working on.

Mark Schultz

7/19/2021 08:34:09 am

Splitting the book into two was probably a good choice.
The God of Nothing is an interesting title. The Nothing was mentioned a great deal in the book, but I confess it's a hard concept to grasp and I didn't find a clear connection to the title in the book.
I do like the juxtaposition of the two titles and expect I will understand better in the next volume.
New questions.
Were the character names difficult to develop?
How did you choose them?

Shane Scott link

7/19/2021 08:54:51 am

Nothing is a hard concept to grasp. Without question though, Everything had to come from Nothing, regardless if a person believes in God, science, or random chance. Everything came from Nothing.

In my series, The ALL there are only a few characters with complete duality. Aja is God of Nothing and she is also (next book) God of Everything. Wen, God of Chaos is also God of Order. And Aja's father, Memnoth, is God of Love and God of Hate.

And names, yeah, those were a problem. I took a dozen college classes over the last 4 or 5 years, learning how to write and one of the rules I learned is names can't be similar, or the same. It confuses the reader. Like Lord of the Rings, Sauron and Saruman. And it is true, I just read a book with lots of similar names and had trouble keeping track of who was who. So I had to change some names along the way. Jennifer became Yennifer, Jenny, became Gia along with several other changes.

As a whole, names are not troublesome for me, they just come to me with the character. As I said, though, there are some rules that need to get followed to make a book easier for the reader and names are one of those rules.

Mark Schultz

7/19/2021 10:23:57 am

There is an original cause, agreed.
The duality issue in your book is fun, Memnoth's duality was more apparent to me than Wen's.
You are right about similar looking or sounding names. I tripped over that issue in LOTR more than once as so many have. Speaking of LOTR, that was my introduction to fantasy, before that I read mostly sci-fi.
New questions.
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Shane Scott link

7/19/2021 01:56:19 pm

I know most people ignore chapter intros but for my story I needed them. The intro on Chapter 5 explains Wen, God of Chaos and her duality.

I entered my book into this years Self Published Fantasy Blog Off contest, SPFBO on Twitter #SPFBO. PL Stuart suggested I do it. I've also entered it into North Street and the L. Ron Hubbard contests. I don't know how my book will do in any of those.

I never gave much thought to what I wanted after I wrote my book. Now that it is done, I kinda want people to read it and tell me what they think about it. I know it is not for everyone, still, I hope people will enjoy it.

I haven't won any type of award and have only received a limited amount of feedback. A couple people who dislike me left bad 1-star reviews but that had nothing to do with my book. They didn't like me. That behavior surprised me. I guess it shouldn't have. To date the small amount of feedback I have received and the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Reader's Favorite gave me 5 star reviews as did Eve Koguce, PL Stuart, and Colin Ridyard.

I wish I had 100 reviews though. I am not often an insecure person but I have some insecurity with my writing and story now that it is done and published.

Mark Schultz

7/19/2021 02:04:37 pm

Reviews are sweet nectar to writers, and there are never enough, your desire for more reviews proves you are normal! Some reviews leave a bad taste in the writer's mouth also, as you know. At least you know why those reviews were left. There are trolls who go around and leave terrible reviews for no good reason. Many authors feel like the roof has fallen onto them. Amazon doesn't care about the contents of reviews, it seems, most of the time. Most authors have no success getting those trollish reviews removed.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?

Shane Scott link

7/19/2021 06:45:48 pm

Kindle Unlimited, that is a good question. I can't say for sure how that is working out for me. I hear some authors talk about 10,000 page reads a day and it accounting for 90% of their income from Amazon.

For me, the most I have seen is around 500 page reads a day. It can be anywhere from zero to hundreds. I do at times like watching it, I can see 50 page reads, 150 the next day, 100 the following day, then 50 then 100 and I know someone just read my book.

I think so far, most of my sales have come from eBook or surprisingly, from print copies. My audibook has done well since it was released and is outselling the eBook version 5 to 1.

Mark Schultz

7/19/2021 06:54:16 pm

Page reads are the bottom line for authors, even if it is only $.026 per page, it adds up over a period of time.
Congratulations on the audiobook, that format is exploding around the world. Many authors use aggregators to expand their distribution, but you have to leave KU to go wide.
New question.
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

Shane Scott link

7/19/2021 07:04:09 pm

Mark,

Those are more good questions. I did some querying a year ago but only in a half heart manner. I spent 10 years learning to write, I used beta readers, then hired an editor and rewrote the story again. I learned about ISBN# and bought mine and about Copyright and filed mine I hired proofreaders and I had art work done and then learned to convert my MS to ePub format. Then I had an AudioBook produced.

Throughout the entire process I started to question what possible help or benefit could an agent or publisher offer me? I'd lose control of my own intellectual property, the money, and be answerable to others.

Had an agent or publisher wanted to help ten years ago, that would have appealed to me. Now the work is done. I only need to learn and master marketing and I will have done everything an agent or publisher could do for me.

Mark Schultz

7/20/2021 08:26:39 am

That is a great answer! You described the dilemma every author is faces. Seek representation so I can focus on writing, lose control of my story for years, wind up with a small share of the profits or self-publish, keep control of my story and keep all of the profits.
It takes a group of people for an author to self-publish. What an author cannot do for themselves must be hired out. Some authors make their own covers or illustrations, others obtain their own copyright and ISBN so they can go wide and sell their book outside of the Amazon corral. Buying more than one is a very good idea.
As you allude to, marketing can be difficult, it is yet one more skill to learn. Promotion and marketing is the hardest nut for many writers to crack, it is closer to an ultra-marathon and nothing like a sprint. Many blogs have been written about the many different aspects of promoting a book. I have several written by authors on my Guest Blogs page, plus I have links to many other blogs on my Highly Regarded Blogs page. Do a search for marketing and promotion in the search box below. I have spoken with many authors about promotion and marketing in the interviews here on my website, there is experience to learn from in the interviews.
Traditional publishers are on the ropes. Due to Amazon upsetting their apple cart and smashing it to bits, the traditional publishers have suffered a huge contraction of their marketplace. The few new authors who do get a contract are shocked to discover that promotion and marketing is on their shoulders still. Unless an author is one of the top authors the publisher doesn't have the resources to promote the book of an unknown author.
New questions.
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

Shane Scott link

7/20/2021 10:04:31 am

Mark,

You are right. Self-publishing is a time consuming endeavor and many many hats are worn. I'd love to sit and write all day and do nothing else but that is not how it works today.

I think my book compares favorably to anything put out by a major publisher. In fact, I think better than a lot of it. Today, I see big-name authors release books that are utter trash. They are poorly written yet the name alone sells the books and they are rubber stamped and sent out the door. I won't say who but I read the latest book from a big name author, I cringed it was so bad.

As for unethical practices in publishing. I think there are unethical practices in most businesses and industries. In my old age, I finally understand when it comes to these big businesses and industries it is always about the money and only the money.

I don't know why the world works that way. Money won't bring you cold medicine and turn the TV on for you when you are sick. It won't laugh with you on a beach or bring you a gift not on your birthday.

Mark Schultz

7/20/2021 10:13:50 am

I read 60 or more books a year not counting my proofreading. I find spelling errors in all of them except once a year I find a book with no spelling errors. I don't read a lot of big-name-author books, but when I do they have spelling errors also. Everyone trusts the spellchecker or Grammarly and others. They all miss spelling errors.
True. Publishing is not the only industry with scammers and crooks. Most of the bad operators are content to empty an author's wallet. The really bad ones will do that and steal the intellectual property rights also, poof, future earnings are gone.
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?

Shane Scott link

7/20/2021 02:04:20 pm

One of my favorite books is Armor by John Steakley. His character, Felix was excellent. No redeeming qualities but at the end it felt like you lost a friend. The book is dated today, it was done in the 1980s, still, I have a copy with the original cover art on my book shelf. It is also one of the few books that used both a 3rd person POV and 1st person POV that worked.

I also like so many classics, Slaughter House 5, All the Nick and Nora books by Dashel Hammett as well as Raymond Chandler stuff.

My preferred genre is fantasy or science fiction and I like most of John Scalzi's stuff. I wasn't thrilled with his latest in the Collapsing Empire series. I like most of Neil Gaimon's work as well.

Mark

7/20/2021 02:14:35 pm

I haven't read Steakley's book, but it sounds interesting.
I grew up reading Asimov, Poul, Herbert's Dune books (I read 9 volumes of the series a few years ago) and many others. I also read LOTR 3 times before graduating high school. I seldom strayed out of the sci-fi and fantasy genres for many years.
Now, I enjoy reading quite widely as long as the writing is good and am seldom disappointed by indie authors.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

Sane Scott link

7/20/2021 02:24:07 pm

Asimov is a given. I read the Foundation series when I was young, maybe 10 or 12. Same with the first couple Dune books. Steakley's Armor is a homage to Starship Troopers but well done. (at least that is what I think).

As for your questions, writing is hard for me. I had to spend a decade learning how to write, the whole Show, Don't Tell took me a long time to fully understand. I have my editor Isabella to thank for hammering that into my thick skull. Except for dialog, everything about writing is work for me. I know dialog is supposed to be the hardest part of writing. For me, it comes easy.

I like writing though and the thrill of finishing a story and publishing it is worth ten times the work required. It doesn't feel that way at times, but for sure, when the book is done, it is all worth it.

I am currently working on a stand alone Novella titled FAITH, set in my ALL one thousand years after God of Nothing. I want it done and published before end of fall.

Mark Schultz

7/20/2021 05:23:54 pm

I was about the same age when I read Foundation. It was quite an eye-opener for me. I ate it up. A couple of years after that, in an infrequent departure from sci-fi, I read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Those made me think a little bit. Now, I think I was too young to fully appreciate them.
Some authors use their first book or two learning to write. I read a blog by an editor that strongly recommended every author write their first novel and throw it in the garbage, then write the next one and it will likely be worth publishing. Your fans and I are glad you spent time learning to write and rewrote your book into the beautiful thing it is.
I am looking forward to Faith.
New questions.
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
What kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

Shane Scott link

7/20/2021 07:05:24 pm

I actually wrote my book 7 times. For sure it takes time. I first wrote it in 2008/2009. It wasn't good. My place burned down and I lost it. I screwed with it for 7 years trying to rewrite it. I took classes, and even hired a ghost writer to help in 2017. I liked her but she took over my story and at the end it was not mine. I got serious at that point and figured out the writing thing.

I did NanoWriMo once for one of the college classes I took in 2018. Didn't do any prep. I can write 5000 words a day. They are bad words and after a 100,000 word novel (3 months to write) it will then take me 6 or 7 months working with my editor, every day, to rewrite the story with good words. So, writing bad words, that comes easy for me. Redoing so the words are good takes real effort and time.

Mark Schultz

7/21/2021 08:46:19 am

Of course your first draft was lousy, both of them. The first draft is supposed to be a pile of steaming crap. It's impossible to edit a story that remains in your head. As you well know, a story will remain a pile without editing. You did the right thing.
So many writers expect to have a ready-to-publish story when they write it down. They are appalled their writing is so bad because they are comparing their first draft to the final draft of others. Some of them get so discouraged they give up and never make a great story out of that first draft.
5,000 words a day is great output! Many writers struggle with getting 500 words on paper daily. Everyone has different circumstances.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?
Are you talking about sentences, paragraphs or a chapter that didn't survive the final cut?

Shane Scott link

7/21/2021 11:02:50 am

For sure I am an over-writer. I see all the characters and details so clear in my head and could bore the reader to death with them, I had to learn you need enough detail for the reader to see the images but not enough to bore them. Reading is imagination and it required the reader's imagination to work. That took some time to learn and understand as well.

I am an under-writer at times and that I think is more of a guy-girl thing. A guy says "I picked up the ball." and a girl says, "My sweaty fingers closed around the brown sphere nestled on the short grass. I lifted it in trembling hands and clutched it tight." My editor and I talked about that.

So, I think the secret is somewhere in between, enough detail to let the reader's imagination see the same/similar thing that I do without burying them in unimportant detail. I think for me, having a girl editor was the best choice in the world. That alone helped me see things so different.

Mark Schultz

7/21/2021 11:13:30 am

So many new writers make that mistake. They are in love with every word they write and frequently revel in long, descriptive passages. Most readers will get bored quickly as you noted.
I encourage writers to not describe in any amount of detail the actions that all readers are familiar with personally. "She drove to the office." Is acceptable if the drive or being at the office is necessary to the plot. If that phrase has no relevance to the plot then it should be excised. Many readers have short attention spans and will close a book faster than you can say "Jack Spratt can eat no fat". That can have a big impact on KU earnings. Finding that sweet spot is important.
Involving the reader's imagination is very important, letting them do a little work that they won't even notice will keep them wedded to the book.
New questions.
Do you save the parts that don't make it into the final version?
Did you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?

Shane Scott link

7/21/2021 11:53:56 am

I laughed when I read your comment. Jack Sprat was my favorite book when I was a child. "And his wife would eat no lean," is the next line. I still remember it.

I save everything and have over 1000 files for my first book Most anything that did not make it into God of Nothing will find its way into other books in the series or in stand alone books.

For the most part, I cut extra descriptions and actions. Five page big long fight scenes are boring to read. The action has to be included but not a blow by blow description of the conflicts//fights/action. That is another thing I learned in a class.

I think I said before, my dialog is considered good, at least that is what people tell me. So most of my dialog stays although it can change. I have only cut two entire chapters. One of them might find its way into God of Everything. I am not sure yet.

I think I add more and get more structure after beta readers. I have them read the rough drafts and tell them to ignore the bad writing and focus on the story, what did they like, dislike, what was confusing. It is often surprising what they liked and suggested I add more detail and why.

Ebezz Ejekas were one of those. They were included but not pronounced in the story like they are now. I always liked them but was not sure others would so I had not given the how/why/what they really are. After Beta readers I did.

Mark Schultz

7/21/2021 01:47:15 pm

If I was a writer I would probably save everything like you.
Your beta readers were good and they followed your instructions quite well.
The Ebezz Ejekas are interesting, forbidding something is about all it takes to create an instant demand according to human nature.
New questions.
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?
Have you ever used yourself or other acquaintances as a character for a starting point in a story? Would they recognize you or themselves in the story?

Shane Scott link

7/21/2021 01:52:59 pm

I know it sounds weird but for the most part I let the characters tell the story. Before I write I spent a considerable time laying in bed or on my couch with the lights out and music playing as I think about the various characters and where they end up. For me, it is like a movie playing in my head. I never have writer's block. If anything, I get writer overload and always know where my characters are heading.

I have modeled some of the bad guys after people I know. They wouldn't recognize themselves because they are bad guys and can't see themselves or the miserable things they do. Those type of people see themselves as a savior and hero.

Mark Schultz

7/22/2021 08:25:14 am

Letting the characters tell the story is not weird at all. I have heard that from many authors. Sometimes the characters have an intervention when the author won't listen to them, then the story improves.
As a reader, the well-written books become a movie in my head. That adds an extra dimension or texture to the story for me.
You are right, and they are not likely to read your book either. In a good book, the antagonist thinks they are the hero. Life imitates art once again.
New questions.
Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?
What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?

SHane Scott link

7/22/2021 08:38:29 am

Most of my characters are decent and do they best they can with the flaws they have.

For me, being mean to my protagonists is hard. They are close to real people for me and I don't like to make them suffer. That takes work and I don't like doing it. I do love telling their stories though.

The antagonists are all miserable SOBs in my stories. There is no redemption for most of them. I find them hard to write because I don't think like they do. I have to watch miserable people and see how they act an what they do.

At times the insanity of how those people and my antagonists cracks me...I mean how could anyone act or think like they do?

In God of Nothing (and the second book, God of Everything) the main antagonist is Silver, God of Death. She is bat-shit crazy in a bad way.

I always had trouble with characters like Darth Vader being "redeemed" at the end. For me, characters like Darth Vader and Silver, God of Death are beyond redemption. No single act or acts could ever make up for the pain misery and suffering they caused.

I'll have to think about what I hate in my protagonist and love in my antagonist. Ask me that again. For sure, I love how Silver gets hers at the end of my next book.

Mark Schultz

7/22/2021 12:47:59 pm

I noticed that most of your characters struggle with life issues of one kind or another. That is part of what endeared them to me. We all have problems because we live in a broken world. Sometimes we suffer because of our choices and sometimes we suffer because of the choices of another. Silver causes a lot of pain and suffering as you mentioned.
A lot of people like the theme of redemption it seems, otherwise it wouldn't be so prevalent in stories.
New questions.
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Shane Scott link

7/22/2021 08:16:38 pm

I don't mind redemption in books and movies but I think the character has to be borderline. They might of done terrible things but they also did good things. Characters like Darth Vader and Silver, God of Death never did anything good and for me, that makes them beyond redemption.

Another reason I wrote this book is I grew tired of seeing books and TV where "gods" knock a mortal across the room. That isn't a god.

In my stories, a god would knock a person into the next universe without thinking about it. One of the biggest hurdles I had was thinking big enough to write this story...huge time-frames, huge distances and scales.

When I write, I have a strict structure. I wake up, feed my cat, get a Redbull, move my computer to my bed, and turn on music. I write for at least 4 hours and if possible longer. After I finish writing for the day I read everything once then won't read it for at least a week.

I've said before, when I start to write, I think I know where the story and characters are going, start to end. Often though as I write it, it changes. The changes are not usually large, rather they are subtle but that changes things throughout the story and the characters themselves.

I've been accused of too much backstory and that might be true. Still, I feel a person is who they are, because of who they were and who they want to be. Without knowing how a character ended up there, it is hard to know why they are acting that way.

All of my characters have unique backstories. Again, I am so tired of the same old same old "parents killed by a drunk driver, child survives" type of back stories that everyone in books and TV seems to share.

Mark

7/22/2021 08:20:54 pm

Character arc is important. Their choices must be congruent with their personality and a given circumstance.
Your backstory is good for me, I never felt like it was too long.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow?
How do you control it?

Shane Scott link

7/22/2021 09:05:53 pm

Flow and structure is important in the writing. I struggled for a long time with that and I have my editor, Isabella to thank for finally hammering into my head.... everything I learned in 10 +/- college classes I took the previous two years.

It is not enough to have a great story. The writing has to be up to task of telling the story.

Pacing is another thing I had to learn and understand. A story cannot get told at a million miles an hour from start to finish. Nor can it it plod along at a snails pace not going anywhere.

I think a good story and good book gives the reader time to catch their breath and consider the story before they get pushed off a cliff (again).

These are both important concepts and rules for a writer to learn and understand.

Mark Schultz

7/23/2021 08:21:04 am

You are not alone, learning to control the pace is something every writer has to learn. Using short, clipped sentences work great in a high-powered action scene. Longer sentences bring a more relaxed pace, giving the reader a chance to recover from a tension-filled scene.
You are so right, how the story is told can make or break the story.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?

Shane Scott link

7/23/2021 08:53:50 am

Mark, for sure there are things I would change in my book. That is another thing I had to learn...it will never be perfect and I had to let it go. I am a Virgo and could spend the rest of forever making that one book better.

I am not certain my book relates to the world we live in today.

One of the reasons I wrote my book was to create a better world, where most people are not hung up on tiny differences. A world where people fall in love and stay in love. A world that brings out the best (and at times, the worst) in people in difficult situations.A world where families and friends offer help and support without judging or the betrayals that are so common in books and TV today.

I want to note, I think a lot of people don't read my book because they think it is religious...I have heard that. I don't think my book is religious or anything like that and it wasn't meant to be a statement of religion today.

Kelly Miller link

7/22/2021 09:27:23 pm

Wonderful interview Mark! Thank you for letting us all know that Scott has an actual face! :)

Mark Schultz

7/23/2021 08:14:27 am

You are very welcome! Thanks for visiting us, we appreciate having you drop in. The interview will continue into Monday. Do you have a question for Scott or me?

Mark Schultz

7/23/2021 11:17:47 am

There is another thing we have in common, I am a Virgo also.
I can understand that some think it might be a religious book. The title can lead in that direction, if a person is religious minded, as well some of the character names are very common.
Your book does offer a more accepting view of people by not getting hung up on "tiny differences".
New questions.
Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?
What popular modern authors have influenced you?

Shane Scott link

7/23/2021 01:15:48 pm

For classical authors I will go with Hemingway. I read his Old Man and the Sea when I was a kid and it really moved me. I also like Kurt Vonnegut. He has a way with words, "And so it goes." I loved how he worked that into Slaughter House Five.

For current authors, I will go with Neil Gaiman and Robert Jordan. I had issues with some of Jordan's writing and characters but I like big stories. Same I guess with GoT and Martin. I loved his story although I had some issued with his brother/sister thing. He does that in a lot of his work and I find it weird.

As for poetry, that is a recent thing. About 5 years ago I read Blake's A Poison Tree and, wow, that really spoke to me.

Mark Schultz

7/23/2021 03:08:41 pm

Those are some popular authors. You have read wider than I have.
Poetry was a mystery to me for a long time. I didn't understand it. When read a couple of poetry books I was surprised at the emotions that were evoked in me. Then I realized poetry wasn't about the head it was for the heart. I enjoyed both books and stated so in my review. Thanks, Wendy Slater, for opening my eyes.
New questions.
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?
How do you keep track of all the characters and events in your books?

Shane Scott link

7/23/2021 06:34:12 pm

I write my MS in Word. I was happy using Word 2007 but I killed my computer with coffee and got a new one. This one won't run Word 2007 and so I am learning Word 2019. That sucks.

I use Calibre to convert my DOCX file into an ePub and that is what I upload for Amazon. The Word saves my MS as a PDF for the print version.

All of the characters and events, and there are many, are in my head. I know this entire story so well I don't need any record keeping or flow charts. I just sit down and write what comes next. Some of that changes and gets re-ordered after Beta Readers and editing.

For sure I can answer any question on any major character or event in the next 4 books (God of Everything, God of Fire, God of Blood and God of Evil) After those books it is less defined.

Mark

7/23/2021 06:42:15 pm

MS Word has a huge installed user base. Almost every author uses Word. Some auxiliary programs, such as Scrivner can export the documents in DOC.X format.
I am impressed that you know the story for another four books.
New questions.
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?
Do you have defined space for writing at home, or would you be a coffee-shop writer, if we weren’t stuck in the covid mess?

Shane Scott link

7/23/2021 06:50:26 pm

For sure the story swerves when I write it. That astonished me.

I see it one way and when I sit down to write it the characters scream, "NO NO NO, Not that way, this way." The departures from how I see it before I write it are not usually large, but there have bee a couple huge surprises when I actually wrote it down. To this day, I find that damn odd.

I write on my bed, if you must know. Sitting at a desk didn't work. One day I dragged my computer onto my bed and wrote all day. I am not sure why writing on my bed works but for me, for sure it does. I can't do any technical work (covers, art, Calibre, etc) on my bed I have to sit at a desk for that...but writing and editing my story, yeah, my bed works.

Mark

7/24/2021 12:25:23 pm

Many authors have described a similar experience. Sometimes they are quite shocked by what happens when the characters start dictating the story.
I cannot recall another author saying they do their best writing on their bed. I was forced to my bed for two weeks a few years ago due to prostrate surgery. We found an adjustable laptop holder for me to use while prone. It worked fairly well.
New questions.
Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing, or do you need quiet?
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?

Shane Scott link

7/24/2021 12:39:31 pm

I have a small desk thing for my notebook and huge pillows and sit with my legs out on my bed...and it works. I can't explain it.

And for sure, I can't write a single word without music on. Not loud or anything. All of my characters/places have various "theme songs" I listen to.

I think I said before, for me, dialog is the easiest thing to write. Most tell me I have great, realistic dialog. I know that is considered hard, for me it is not.

Mark

7/24/2021 01:01:04 pm

As long as it works, that is what matters.
Music is an interesting topic for many writers. Some need it for writing, some use different music for different scenes. Some need quiet for writing, their muse speaks the loudest in the silence.
Some authors include a playlist of some of the characters' favorite songs. There are many ways authors include music in their stories.
New questions.
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?
Have you ever participated in theater in some way?

Sane Scott link

7/24/2021 10:28:33 pm

One of the things I was surprised to learn is using any music lyrics in a book is taboo. The music industry is a real rabid dog and sues everyone, even people who they shouldn't. I wanted to have music more prominent in my book however I took every single reference out. My wife went to law skool and tells me these things.

The five senses, that is a good question and one I have to think about. I think smell and sight are the easiest to write and touch, hearing and taste might be the hardest.

And, yes I was active in theater through high school and in a number of productions and even did a few commercials in my mid/late teens.

Mark Schultz

7/25/2021 07:51:25 am

I didn't know that was an issue. I thought throwing in a song title as a chapter sub-heading or having a character quote a few words of lyrics wouldn't be an issue. Thanks for letting us know.
I did a tiny bit in high school myself. It was nerve-wracking fun.
New questions.
Do you think your experience in theater helped you as a writer?
What kind of marketing are you doing or planning on doing for your book?

Shane Scott link

7/25/2021 08:18:41 am

You can use an band/musicians name or title of a song. Any lyrics will get an author sued. The music industry is ferocious. They sue even when they have no case/weak case just to make a point. That is what I learned from research and what other people explained to me.

I'm not sure if theater helped me as a writer. I think I said before, I never wanted to be a writer (and don't). My story claws its way out of me though, so I am. I had to learn so much and work hard at the writing thing. It is the hardest thing I have ever done.

For marketing I have tried Facebook ads, Twitter ads, and Amazon ads. The results were unimpressive. I also use the Tweet My Books promo people on Twitter. They are not expensive, do a good job and are good for exposure.

I've said before the marketing thing is a tough nut to crack. I need to get reviews so people buy my book but I need people to buy my book to get reviews. I plan on focusing on the AudioBook version, that has sold better than the eBook and Print versions right from day #1.

Mark Schultz

7/25/2021 10:19:08 am

Thanks for sharing your knowledge about music and potential liability. If you would ever like to write a guest blog about that I would be happy to share it on my website.
Ads don't seem to work for most authors, according to what I have heard from many writers.
There are so many ways to promote a book. One way that makes sense to me and seems to help many authors is to pursue the "local author" angle. Here is a copy-and-paste link that is pretty good: How to be a mrketing star right where you live.
https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/ via @annerallen Anne is one of my favorite bloggers. I have many links on my Highly Regarded Blogs page for her blogs.
New questions.
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?
How long did the research process take before you started to write your book or did you do the research as you wrote the book?

Shane Scott link

7/25/2021 01:44:47 pm

Mark, I can write a guest blog for you. I actually don't write too many blogs, but a few people have asked me and I can do it. I followed Anne and will read her reviews. My sister suggested the same "local author" angle just a few days ago.

I picked you to help after we started talking. You were always nice to me and have a decent sense of humor. Your moving to a new state got in the way for a while but it all worked out. For sure, I think having a book reviewed and interviews like this, or video/audio are as important to an author as paid Amazon/Twitter ads.

I think the most important thing in marketing is getting people to talk about a book. That is worth more than a million dollars of Amazon/Twitter ads. I haven't quite figured out how to make that happen though for my book. Not yet.

As for research, my wife calls me a walking encyclopedia. I have so many random and strange facts banging around in my head. As I wrote my book, I would fact check/confirm things by research and study, however, the vast majority of my study/school time was spent on learning how to write, not what to write. If that makes sense.

Mark

7/25/2021 01:59:33 pm

I would love to host a guest blog from you. I don't require exclusivity either. I want you to put your picture, website and social media links on the blog on my website. The only thing I ask is that the blog is about books, writing books or the business of books.
Thank you for the compliment. I enjoyed our conversations and still do.
Getting your book noticed is so hard with a million books published every year. Every author struggles with this. It takes a lot of work on a weekly basis, at least, to make a small cut in that Gordian knot. I recommend spending 10% of weekly writing time on marketing and promotion. There are several excellent guest blogs on my website about those topics.
We are similar, through wide reading I have a similar amount of trivia and barely useful information juggling in my head.
Learning to write is very important, learning to rewrite is more important still.
New questions.
How long did it take you to write the first draft, if you remember, and the second first draft?
How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 09:20:06 am

Mark,

I wrote my first draft, full book in 2008/2009. My house burned down and I lost it. I rewrote the book three times using different POV. I hired a ghostwriter to help in 2017 and rewrote it but that didn't work out. I rewrote it again, started taking classes on writing, then hired Isabella, my editor, and rewrote it for the final time. About 7 full writes before I had the story done and published.

The story today is the same one I did back 2008 only a lot better in terms of structure, and pacing.

I said before, it doesn't take me long to write a draft. I could do a 100K word book in a few months. It takes me a long time to rewrite it with the help of editor and get it done well. That is about 6-7 months and time intensive to say the least.

Mark

7/26/2021 09:25:01 am

7 first drafts, that might be a record. Since you know the story inside and out it went well and survived everything. Congratulations.
Somebody said, to the effect, a good story is not written, it is rewritten many times.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 11:20:21 am

Mark,

I didn't do any creative writing when I was young. I wanted to but I had trouble understanding the rules, adverbs, passive verbs, show, don't tell.

It took me years of study and learning to finally grasp them. Maybe I couldn't learn back then or maybe I had crummy teachers. Probably a little of both.

I am glad I spent the time learning and understanding the rules for creative writing. I read some books with a great story but with bad writing and that is a shame. I also read not-so-great stories with great writing and that is a surprise. I said before, the writing has to be up to the task of telling a good story.

Mark

7/26/2021 11:25:26 am

When I was in junior high and high school, all I wanted to do was read. I was required to do some creative writing in English class at times and I recall that it was pretty poor. Like you, I struggled with the grammar stuff. Diagramming sentences was very difficult for me, along with most other aspects of grammar.
New questions.
A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?
How did you find your beta-readers?

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 11:59:41 am

Beta Readers that is a great question.

I had extreme difficulty finding beta readers. Family and Friends were either too harsh or too afraid to hurt my feelings or didn't read my stuff. I turned to paid beta readers and I found them excellent and not expensive. I use 4 I found on Fiverr. All four read my book and returned to me a 2-3 page report with things they liked, didn't like and found confusing.

Because of the beta readers I was able to make changes and I think it made my book so much better. For example, I was telling the various stories and characters mixed together and every one of my beta readers told me my timeline was impossible to follow. So I added timestamps, a timeline/family linage graphic and sectioned the book into 5 parts, each following a specific time period. They all collide together throughout the series.

Mark

7/26/2021 01:29:27 pm

You are the first author to use beta readers from Fiverr, that I know of. I am glad to know it worked well for you. The difficulty with using family and friends is fairly common.
I have a list of beta readers on my Twitter page. It's one of many lists of people who provide services to writers.
New questions.
At what stage in your writing process do you bring in the readers?
Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed off?
Do you have other writers you connect with, as in a critique group or support group?

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 01:50:34 pm

I want Beta Readers to read the draft, before editing. I told them ignore the shitty writing, spelling errors, grammar, I want to know what you think about the story, characters and plot.

After I have their feedback I then rewrite the entire thing with my editor taking into account what they say.

I give my beta readers the book in whatever form that want, that is usually the Word document. If they wanted a print version or published eBook I would certainly give anyone who helped me one. I sent half a dozen print copies to various people who helped me..editor, proofreader, a few people on Twitter.

I had a local writer group here at the local library. After Covid, and the library closed,

I started using social media in 2020. I am not good at social media.

Caron @CaronPescatore found me fumbling around on Facebook and brought me to Twitter last Feb and introduced me to the writing community and for that, I will always be grateful to her.

Mark

7/26/2021 02:34:44 pm

Every author I have spoken with has deep feelings of appreciation for their beta readers. They perform a valuable service for the writer, fresh eyes are critical to produce a well-written book.
Social media is difficult. Each platform is different and has unique written and unwritten rules of etiquette. I know, in my first year on Twitter I broke almost every rule and got banned for my actions by quite a few people. I deserved it most of the time.
I am grateful to Caron also. She is a wonderful part of the writing community on Twitter.
New questions.
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your book?
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 03:06:34 pm

The biggest lesson I learned after publishing my book is that is only the start. It takes more than that to get people to buy/read and review a book.

I wish I had known how important it was to have a social media presence before I published my book.

I also wish I knew the procedure for writing/editing/proofreading. I took a long time with my first book because I was doing each step, one at a time as I learned what I had to do.

I also wish I had known (despite hearing it many times) writing is a lonely thankless job. That doesn't make it not worth doing, it is worth doing. It takes effort though to keep focused.

Mark

7/26/2021 05:02:30 pm

Yes. An old proverb says, the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is today.
I understand why authors don't start their Twitter or whatever until after they have published their first book, because the book consumes all of their attention. But a long-term view is necessary the first book is only that, the first book. More books need to follow to establish their brand and build a backlist. The more books that are published in different formats and sales platforms the better chance an author has for some financial rewards from their work.
For those, like you, who have a story trying to claw its way out of your mind writing it down is not an option. You have to do it. Only you can tell the story that is within you.
Last questions.
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 06:40:14 pm

Mark,

I think the word "hero" is so overused today that it has lost its meaning. As a society we hang that tag on the famous and the infamous when really, I think it belongs to the regular person who shows an unexpected act of kindness. The person who reaches their hand out and helps someone else for no other reason than that person needs help. It surprised me to find so much of that on Twitter, like with you.

I've received several pieces of good advice. One that is true "Everyone wants to sell something to an author." That should be taken seriously, there are so many people holding their hands out for money and only a few who actually do what they promise. This is true for large companies and individuals. My advice to an author is keep your money until you have talked to someone you know and they tell you, "Yes, that person will do the job." I mean, I had one company wanting to charge me $999 to file a copyright. It costs $65 on the the US Gov't website and takes all of 45 min to do. Things like that. So, learning about what things cost and who does what they promise is important or an author will waste a lot of money.

Mark

7/26/2021 06:47:30 pm

I agree with you, 'hero' doesn't mean what it used to mean. Now, it is a substitute for famous or popular. I especially resent the term sports hero, unless that person is saving lives or helping the helpless the term is misapplied, in my mind.
The scammers are plentiful and around every corner. They are getting better also at fooling their victims.
Thank you for being such a fabulous guest this last week. This interview has been very enjoyable for me. Your fans are eagerly awaiting your next book, The God of Everything".
Until we talk again, keep on writing.

Shane Scott link

7/26/2021 07:13:59 pm

Mark,

It has been my absolute pleasure to talk with you all week about my book God of Nothing.

Every author can only hope to find someone like you to help them along the way. I count myself lucky I did.

Caron Pescatore link

8/7/2021 12:50:44 pm

Love this interview!!

Mark

8/7/2021 12:57:58 pm

Thank you, Caron. It was fun for both of us. Every author enjoys doing the interview.
I appreciate you dropping in.

THE ALL God of Nothing By Shane Scott

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