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Well, That Was Fun
SOME GREAT COMMENTS… Both on the post about Beta Readers and privately. Thanks, everyone. I had forgotten how going after a sacred belief of beginning writers can really cause waves. Some were very happy about my opinion, calling them freeing. And some, in private letters, worked to justify their need for their very special beta readers. None of the later actually had the courage to do so in public. And I said nothing to them but “Good luck to you…” in my responses to them. What else can I say? No one really commented at all about my not even having a first reader when I started out. Nina Kiriki…
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The Runabout: A Diving Novel
It’s Out!!! Publishing today!!! For those of you who are major Diving Universe fans, Kris has a new Diving Universe novel out. It was the very first full novel to ever be in Asimov’s Magazine and now it is out stand-alone so you can get a copy of it. In case you can’t tell, I am a major Diving Universe and Boss fan. And this novel has it all. You can find it right here…. https://books2read.com/u/bQZrje Here is a bunch of cool stuff about the book… A graveyard of spaceships, abandoned by the mysterious Fleet thousands of years earlier. Boss calls it “the Boneyard.” She needs the ships inside to…
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Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing: Beta Readers Help You
This chapter came from me just hearing over and over about how writers are using multiple beta readers. And I honestly just got tired of shuddering every time I heard that stupidity. Chapter Six Beginning writers have a belief that the more people who read their work, the better their work will be. Of course, that flies in the face of any creation of art by an artist. But the fear is great among young writers, most of who are indie writers these days. Long term pros? What do they do? Maybe have one first reader, maybe not. Most not. Why? Because creating original fiction is not a group effort,…
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Working on a New Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing
Working on Stuff… Almost done with the new Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing chapter. In fact, there are a few head-shaking things that have come up over the last few years I think it’s time I say something about. So tomorrow I will have one of those done. In the meantime, challenges both have a spot or two open in them. Information below. And I am in a fantastic new science fiction bundle I helped curate. And I have a book in it as well. So here is all that information below and then tomorrow I will make some of you angry with my take on one of the silliest…
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ALIENS AMONG US Bundle
A GREAT BUNDLE… Science fiction readers all know that the main theme of all science fiction is the alien among us. Early on, when science fiction was a genre only read by science geeks and kids who built their own telescopes, readers felt that they were the aliens in the larger real world. School was an alien place, other humans felt alien. Science fiction felt safe. And science fiction stories and novels helped explain so much of what they were feeling. I was no exception. I always felt different, a little odd, never really fitting in. In other words: alien. And I loved science fiction and grew up reading it…
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Lightening, No Internet, Power Flickering
Great Storms Rolling Over… So this is a quick one while the power is still up and I can use my phone as a hot spot for the internet. Smith’s Monthly subscribers and Patreon supporters should have an issue of Smith’s Monthly yesterday. If not and you think you should have, write me. Challenges still have a spot or two left. —————- I’ve been surprised there hasn’t been more interest in this young adult bundle. It has some amazing books and writers in it. The book I have in this new bundle is a pure western young adult called The Life and Times of Buffalo Jimmy. I hope this winter…
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Issue of Smith’s Monthly Going Out
ACTUALLY THREE ISSUES OVER THE NEXT WEEK… Yup, slowly getting back on track. Got a ways to go yet, but getting closer. I would like to be back on track by issue #50. (And yes, when I think about filling my own magazine with 50 novels and over two hundred short stories and other stuff for over four years, I sort of shake my head as well.) But we shall see. I have some writing to do that’s for sure. (grin) But at the moment, subscribers and Patreon supporters will be getting three issues over the next week or so. Today was a fun day up at the office because…
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Coast Mystery Workshop Started
Writers in the Back Room… Tonight at 7 p.m., a bunch of writers from around the country gathered in the meeting room in the WMG offices for a mystery workshop taught by Kris. Looks like a great group and I got to spend about thirty minutes with them before Kris kicked me out and into my office where I worked on Writing into the Dark online workshop. Speaking of coast workshops, a few openings in the Master Class starting on October 21st because of a few cancellations. And also there are three spots in the Anthology workshop in late Feb. If interested, write me. They are invite workshops, but only…
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Crashing Early On a Friday
Been Going Steadily All Day… Took out about forty Black Cat Magazines from 1895 to 1900 for Billy at Pop Culture to sell. That was fun. They are very rare and mostly in fantastic condition. They are a digest-sized magazine that Kris and I have had for a very long time and neither of us have any reason to ever look at them. So off they go. Then I worked up at the office the rest of the afternoon and then home to do email and other stuff all evening. Got a few more brave souls signed up on the challenges starting in October, but still room. Any questions, feel…
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Time Is Everything These Days
Working on An Issue of Smith’s Monthly… And I had so many things that sort of crowded ahead of it that I didn’t get it done tonight and turned in as I had told Allyson I would at WMG. Now she won’t be surprised, but I am disappointed in myself to be honest. I wanted to get that done and I might still make a run at it still tonight if I have a little energy. But in this modern world time is always a key for writers. We never have enough time and thus important things get shoved aside in the waves of stuff that happens every day. And…