TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE

TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE

This week’s episode of Reel Time began as a vague notion that as a writer I should know my potential reader.   ‘Target your audience’ as a catch phrase, has its roots in economic reasoning.  Not one of my strong points.

I was vaguely pondering how I was supposed to know the whims of millions, possibly even billions of potential readers, when I found myself over thinking the highly stimulating verb –

At the time, and for no apparent reason (that I am willing to share), I had been poking around my dress-ups.

Then before I knew what was up and what was floppy, I was brandishing a phallic symbol whilst strutting bow-legged and sideways through the scrub, wearing my over-the-knee boots and channelling ‘Annie, Go Get Your Gun’.

Midway through my little romp I had swapped my utensil for a compound bow and uploaded visions (ie. transvisioning – there’s that word again– remember it now) from a completely different setting.  Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games came to mind, as did Tolkien’s dishy elves. 

That’s when it hit me…

Readers set their own targets.

·         Mystery

·         relevant fantasy

·         honest romance

·         dramatic flashes in stark contrast to epic wonderment 

·         glimpses of potential horrors if goodness does not prevail

·         authentic characters that carry our collective torch for truth, justice and the StarWays

Because the eternal story will always have an audience.

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a spirem – a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

http://www.ajmcmarson.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9885728.A_J_McMarson

I’VE LOST MY HALO!

I’ve Lost My Halo!

As if it wasn't enough to master (chief) the console - hit the right buttons, fight giant rats carrying guns, lose my way from one dead end into another, bump into random coffee machines - not to mention that left brain/ right brain manoeuvrability – or lack thereof – and what's with that stale socks smell!   How was I to know there is a whole set of ‘in house’ rules that go with the gaming ethos?

Don’t:

-              Watch the other ‘master chief’s screen and think it’s yours;

-              Make fun of master chief’s name UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!;

-              Get excited;

-              Ask if Master Chief likes cooking;

-              Make fun of master chief’s name UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!;

-              Be so unco that you’re an embarrassment not only to your own son but to every son born to    the human race!!!;

I broke every rule - every single one.

I haven’t had that much fun since my school days.  But I am paying for it now.

I have lost my Halo badge.

And if I want to continue with my byte lights crusades at all, then I have to tone down the mega wattage and behave.  If I want to be allowed back in the gaming room I had to agree and come quietly.  I will be allowed to play something, simple.  My only request was that the new game was not a car race.  My request was met with a lowered brow and an eye glint.  I am worried – very worried.

Did you know that Halo 5 is being released soon? Totally - right!

Apparently – it appears as if – Master Chief gets ‘done over’ in the next Halo makeover!  What – but he’s the main character – you can’t take him away from us – WE HAVE BONDED!

Who do these writers think they are – manipulating characters and plots as if they have a right? 

Umm. I better give that question a bit more thought …

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a spirem – a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

Keep up-to-date with AJ's madcap adventures by subscribing to her YouTube channel.

Her website can be found at www.ajmcmarson.com

AJ McMarson is a Goodreads Author.

Star Trails & Heavenly Glory

Blazing Trails of Glory

In Reel Time with A J McMarson this week, I explore some amazing photographic artwork, with Steve, who gets in on the fun – showing off some of his techniques…

http://www.stevemcmarson.com.au/portfolios/wedding-photography/

When researching ‘super – natural phenomena’ for the Star Ways chronicles, I become increasingly aware of how nature is never static.  It is in constant motion.  As they say, life happens.  And life is cyclic.  There is a lot of spiralling going on out there – oh – and in here…  The spiralling motion of life happens in a lightning flash in Jasmine’s world of Quanta – well, it is the sphere of light after all.

 

It was a feat, capturing these super – natural phenomena in words.   In itself, it was a phenomenal experience – how do I describe the cycles of life, energy, the coming together of matter and its breaking down into other matter, how do I link it with Jasmine’s worlds? – it was like running a galactic race through time, matter and space – maybe some of that super-naturalness is rubbing of on me – maybe I am transforming … Just like Jasmine … And oddly enough, I must say, it feels like dancing.

Check out the grass dance captured in transvision by James Knott.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZdi4fj-hWc

From grass dancing to star dancing.  Check this out, by Chia Hsien.

https://500px.com/photo/63566523/cosmos-star-trail-by-chia-hsien

And this image by Robert Young, he calls it Hawaii Star Trails.

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2820191

This image was captured by Australian photographer Lincoln Harrison, in the Outback.

http://photovide.com/long-exposure-shots-star-trails/.

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a Spirem – a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

Keep up-to-date with all of AJ's madcap adventures by visiting her webpage:

http://www.ajmcmarson.com

For Your Ears Only

It is another guest episode on  ReelTime with A J McMarson this week, and the airwaves are the topic under investigation.  Or, to be more precise, what is carried on them.  Smells for one, but no, I am not talking ‘toilet humour’.

Although I sometimes wonder why the word ‘flatulence’ is a dead ringer for the word ‘affluence’?  Is there a relationship, a correlating root word perhaps?  I mean, who would want to get the two words mixed up!

Mine is a flatulent society.

Words – you have to love them.

Airwaves do more then carry – the good, the bad and the ugly – of smells.  They carry sounds.  Now tell you something you did not know.  When we can no longer hear the music, does that mean it has stopped?  I mean, where did the waves go?  Have they just bumped into another sound, and reordered into another spiralling formation?

When researching the background ‘technicalities’ for my spirem characters, the earth’s waves whether water, air or energy of another description, provided a unique and simple means for a spirem's unique super-cosmic  powers to be unleashed.  Earth's waves are a natural energy process and super – because that is what airwaves are, and whether spirem or not, our ability to commune with the Earth's energy waves is – SUPER-natural!

Thank you Naomi, for being our guest and sharing your passion for music with us.  And thanks too, for sending out into the airwaves, beautiful sounds that are a joy to perceive.

Bookings for Naomi can be made @ http://www.naomiterashima.com.au/

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a spirem – a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

Keep up-to-date with all the fun at: www.ajmcmarson.com

Go Get Earthed

Go Get Earthed

Earth as a concept is full of meaning.  As a word - it is even nice to say.  It conjures both homliness and vastness at the same time.  It is both a place of existence and way of existence.  Go Get Earthed!  Is the title of episode 9’s Reel Time withA J McMarson.

Terra also, is a multi-talented word.  It has Latin roots.  As a prefix (word starter), it means:

             'A rough upland or mountainous region of the moon or other solar system body
               often having a high albedo relative to other surface features.'

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/terra

Like WoW!!!   Where has that word been all my life!

… Add that ‘space theme’ with the usual understanding of terra (such as terra nulla, terra firma, terracotta – ie. earthiness)… times it with an infinite imagination … subtract logical paradigms … and what have you got?

Spirems that have an access point between Quanta and Terra – without having to leave home – although there is that problem about having to leave their clothes behind…

For those who have read the book you will know what I mean … Hum. Well, I am, above all else, a practical person.

Terra also has another meaning:

           'to play hooky to complete an assignment that you procrastinated about and couldn't finish.'

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php%3Fterm%3DTerra

YOU LITTLE TERRA!

I would like to express a special thanks to the fun-stars who participated in this week’s Reel Time and our very first episode incorporating our ‘Company of Flash Mob-Stars’.  You will gaze more of our affiliated sojourners every five weeks.  That five week cycle again!  Next week will be another guest, making the last if this five week cycle:

Reel Time with A J McMarson & Guest.

Reel Time with A J McMarson & Son.

Reel Time with A J McMarson & the write essentials.

Reel Time with A J McMarson & CO.

Reel Time with A J McMarson & Guest.

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a spirem – a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

Find out more about AJ McMarson and the StarWays Chronicles on her website:

http://www.ajmcmarson.com

or on her publishers page:

http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/jasmineneutronstar/

at Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9885728.A_J_McMarson

The Write Spot

The Write Essentials – The Write Spot

Have you found your write spot?  Before you spend valuable writing time tossing and turning in a spot that may not be the ‘right’ one for you, apply the following checklist to determine if you have found – it – the Write Spot.

S-mells right

P-lace for writing apparatus

O-ffers a view

T-riggers no distractions

Look at that, I have made up an acrostic poem.   I must be sitting in my ‘Write Spot.  As you have probably guessed, this week’s topic on Reel Time with A J McMarson, is about finding that elusive spot – the Write One.

Over the years I have become quite attached to my own, right, Write Spot.  Those I share my life with might even call me down right possessive about it.   I am willing to share, but there are rules.  As long as my spot is free when I want to use it, and nothing has been moved from where I have left it and no one has altered the balance of aromas, sunlight, breeze, noise level … A spot free right, Write Spot – is that so much to ask?

If you are struggling to find ‘it’, then don’t despair.  A permanent Write Spot is not essential.  In fact, most of my writing is done ‘on the spot’.  The image of the newspaper reporter with the pencil behind the ear and a Colombo coat full of spiral note pads is still applicable to the on-the- go writer.

On-the-go writers don’t need a special Write Spot, or, that even more elusive of luxuries, TIME.  It takes discipline and an eye for opportunities, but writing where, when and how you are removes the need for pining away for that Write Spot.

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a spirem – a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

Find out more about AJ McMarson and the StarWays Chronicles on her website:

http://www.ajmcmarson.com

or on her publishers page:

http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/jasmineneutronstar/

at Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9885728.A_J_McMarson

The Game Gamer – Halo, halo, halo: part1

The Game Gamer – Halo, halo, halo: part1

In this week’s episode of Reel Time with A J McMarson, I was inaugurated

into the dazzling, hypnotic streams of byte lights coming at us from every digital device near and 

far, where visions within visions get techno-coloured.  In other words, I become – a gamer.  Ok, I 

will admit a really bad one.  Ok, ok, a really, really bad one – not even in the ball park kind-of-bad. 

Not even by the stretch of my boundless imagination can I describe my gaming ‘skill’ as well, ‘skill’.

And I simply don’t have the patience or time to develop that awesome hand/eye/brain coordination

required when those skilled players do their thing.

I wouldn’t even know how to find the start button (it might be a lever for all I know), if it was not

for the assistance of – my son.

Thank you Charlie, for offering, which is a rehashed up way of saying putting up with my nagging

until, in a crumbled, hungry heap, (because dinner would not be served until he would) Charlie

agreed to be my mentor in all things game-y.

I have left it to Charlie to go through his inventory of games and pick one that he thought would

be most suitable for a first-timer like myself.  The result is the topic of episode 7 – a new frontier

(another one), in which I seek a different angle or two in my never ending quest in making stuff up.

My gaming quest will be an ongoing saga, to be continued every five week cycle of

Reel Time with A J McMarson, when Master Chief (stage name), and 

myself will investigate the pros and cons of questing – gaming style.

Gaming is seems is not just something you can do, but if the hand/eye/brain coordination is 

temporarily out of order – you can sit back in coach-potato comfort and be entertained by the 

professionals (Charlie’s short list is below).  If you are a ‘really’ young viewer I request that you 

check with your family’s ‘code of conduct’ before linking to these programs as the language can 

get exotic.

1. JackSepticEye

https://www.youtube.com/user/jacksepticeye

2. Frankieonpcin1080p

https://www.youtube.com/user/FRANKIEonPCin1080p

3. Officalnerdcubed

https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialNerdCubed

4. Skydoesminecraft

https://www.youtube.com/user/SkyDoesMinecraft

5. popularmmos

https://www.youtube.com/user/PopularMMOs

And another oldie OfficalDadCubed

https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialDadCubed

Jasmine Neutron Star is the first book of the Star Ways Chronicles.  It is a novel most suitable for 

young adult and teenager readers of speculative, fantasy / science fiction, urban fantasy.  It is a 

humorous account of Jasmine’s first adventure into the world of light – Quanta.  She is a spirem – 

a new kind of superhero – and perfect for the sphere of Terra.

Keep up to date with my adventures on my website:

http://www.ajmcmarson.com