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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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A General Update… Short
Got To Be Short Tonight… Got to rest my eye from too much screen time. Pushing the edge right now. I did a bunch of work on Kickstarter and have that Best Practices updated, but no new videos there. I wrote the introduction and author introductions to the second cat anthology and got that turned in today. A few days ago I also put together a new Poker Boy collection and did an introduction and got that turned in as well to WMG. Two books in two days. I am working on Pulphouse #10 (I think #9 will ship shortly as we get back on track) and I also did…
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A Scary Topic
A Realization Tonight… Bookstores might not survive this virus in any form I know. Online bookstores will, sure, but physical bookstores, not so much. Here is what made me jump to that idea. First, some history and a lesson on how major publishing used to work and works now. Back 15 years ago… Traditional publishing was in total control of the industry and had been for forty years. A book would go into one of the offices through an agent, get bought, get rewritten for cash flow reasons, then copyedited and sales meetings and so on and be ready to go in one slot or another in the monthly imprint…
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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,…
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Summer Learning Sale Extended to Sunday
By Request of a Number of Writers… We have extended the Summer Learning Half Price Sale. Every WMG Publishing Workshop, Lecture, Pop-Up, Class, or Subscription on Teachable is HALF PRICE! That’s right, on anything available on Teachable right now, (hit all courses to see everything) just use the code below and get it half price. Yes, that includes the new workshop PUBLISHING 101 and the new Pop-Up #20 How to Work from Home. So, stock up on workshops and lectures to get you through the summer. Or even grab one of the Lifetime Workshop Subscriptions for half price. The code to get anything on WMG’s Teachable at half price until…
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Licensing Transition Class Extended One Year
Now Two Years Plus Long… Thanks to this virus, the Licensing Expo was postponed to first August, now to May 2021. The Licensing Transition class was supposed to work on all aspects of licensing of IP up and through the May Licensing Expo this year, but now that the Expo has been pushed back one year, we’re just going to keep going on the Licensing Transition class until a month after the Expo in 2021. So wow is this going to be a great deal for the money. And it is still open to sign up. A lot of videos over the last year have already been posted, plus one…
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New Pop-Up Available
How to Work From Home… That is now Pop-Up #20. Kris and I have had this one on the Pop-Up list for a while and it finally dawned on us to get it up now, while so many writers are struggling to work from home. This is not only for this pandemic, but for writers and other professionals looking at working from home in the future. How to get organized, time management, motivation, and problems. Lots of stuff, plus, like all Pop-Ups, a story prompt as well. And yes, you can get it half price in the Summer Learning Sale for two more days. And I loaded it into the…