• Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    Still Time to Get Into June Workshops

    A Bunch of Great Ones… First week will be done on Tuesday and Wednesday, but if you jump in and let me know, I’ll still read your first assignment. And then you can stay with the workshop the rest of the way. First weeks are often summary weeks and focus weeks. So to get to them, go to June Regular Workshops on Teachable. To find them, just remember to hit “see all courses” and then scroll down to the regular workshops. Some really good workshops and the brand new KILLING THE CRITICAL VOICE workshop is also starting. So here is the list. A good month for workshops and to keep…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter Almost To First Stretch Goal

    Only $310 Away… I want to thank everyone for the support so far. Been fantastic. And we still have 12 days to go. With the stretch goals above this first one, writers will get a choice of a $50 lecture and then the next stretch goal a choice of a $150 Classic Workshop. Above that is a Pop-Up choice worth $150 and above that it will really be amazing. Readers for each stretch goal get books to read. A couple I wrote you might never heard of, actually. Can’t believe we are so close to the first stretch goal. That is so cool. Thank you!! So here is the link…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    A Streak Still Holding

    Day 2,860… That’s how many days it has been since I missed writing something here on this blog. August 1st, 2012 I started. And the reason I counted this tonight is because I have a Kickstarter campaign I will announce here tomorrow afternoon, but needed to keep my streak alive here tonight. So write about the streak. Duh… I suppose I should also tell you that June Regular workshops are starting today and tomorrow. And those of you signed up for the June session of Creative Nonfiction Writing workshop from the last Kickstarter, it also started today. (Only could get it in the Kickstarter.) And the June Historical Fiction special…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    Wow! It’s June!

    We Made It Through May… Actually, unlike April which seemed in a time sense to take forever, May flashed right past. And I do understand that a lot of people did not live through May. I got that. But the rest of us out here, trying to do what is right, stay safe, keep working and writing and taking care of families. We made it through another month of the craziness. Another month closer to whatever point all this is going to end. Who knows what the rest of 2020 has to offer. Like Kris, I just want to flip to the end of this book. But we can’t, so…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Why Am I So Against Traditional Publishing?

    I Published 106 Novels Traditionally. But that was a different time, different companies, different contracts, different level of respect for authors. I would be a distant and faint memory in writing now if not for indie publishing. Never would have continued to work in the current traditional publishing environment. Never. So let me list a few reasons why I try to keep writers with dreams away from traditional publishers. THE SHORT VIEW… TRADITIONAL Most early-stage writers have a very, very short view of being a writer. They think that just selling a few short stories and then getting a novel sold to a major publisher will make their career. Nope.…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    Decade Ahead Second Quarter 2020

    Seven New Videos Are There… Also, since this second quarter is so different than any normal second quarter for writers, we have decided that no only will this Decade Ahead class go through the end of the year, but we will do the second quarter, and more than likely the third quarter, next year with a bunch of normal videos about how to get through these months writing in a normal year. This month, like last month, I have some videos up on how to write through this pandemic there as well. So another class gets extended. The licensing transition is already extended for a full year as well. Both…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Year of the Cat and Workshops

    First Year of the Cat Book Out! Kickstarter supporters of the campaign who got all twelve books should have gotten it by now in electronic format. Paper will lag a few weeks, like normal. The first book is called “A Cat of a Different Color” and is also now out for sale and I have put a link for anyone in the Year of the Cat Study Class to get a free copy.  In the class I will start talking about the stories in July from this first volume and then go from there every month for an entire year. That’s right, as an editor, I will talk about 100…

  • Challenge,  News,  On Writing,  publishing

    Shopping and Other Fun

    Headed Out Shopping Today... The one big trip out of the week. Walmart for things we need for the new office, then got gas, then on to the grocery store. You know, standard stuff. I had a pull-0ver mask (regular ones don’t seem to want to stay on my ears) and gloves. Yes, I know I really don’t need gloves, but I have them soaked in anti-bacterial spray before I leave the car each time. And besides, gloves keep me from touching my face and constantly adjusting my face mask. Masks were the normal now in both stores. Very few without them. Social distancing was also well done. Had zero…

  • Challenge,  On Writing

    A Possible New Workshop Idea

    Saturday Night Brainstorming… I figured I would run this out here, see if any response. Thinking about a full workshop on killing critical voice. So one of the things that would be in the workshop is this one method… ——– When writers are having issues with critical voice, stopping them, I sort of off-hand tell them to stop caring. Critical voice feeds on caring. But then in the same breath, I tell the writer to do the best they can. So one person today asked me how you do the best you can without caring?  I realized I needed to do a lot more explanation. First off, what is the…

  • Cave Creek,  Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Card Sharp Silver… Day 19

    No Day Is The Same… It would certainly help if I could settle into some sort of routine, where I knew I could get a set amount of exercise and a set amount of writing done. Oh, that would be heaven. And I am working toward that. But at the moment, still a lot happening, so no routine just yet. Soon. So here is how the day went. Managed to get to this computer to do some email around noon, then a little before one I left to go meet a leasing agent and get the keys to WMG Publishing’s new Vegas office. Inspections and other stuff took some time,…