• Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    A Regular Sunday

    A Regular Sunday Writers meeting with just a few writers today until after four, then I headed out for a walk with a half mile of running in the middle, then back to the office to work on workshop stuff until time to go home at 7:30 to nap and then cook dinner. Spent the evening on workshops and other things, then watched a bunch of television. Slowly feeling more rested. ——————– New Workshop and New Schedule As I said last night, a number of people have used the reward for supporting the Fiction River Kickstarter drive to buy workshops from November forward, so I wanted to get more choices up. So now…

  • On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    New Workshop: Point of View

    POINT OF VIEW Understanding every detail about how to use a character point of view. Most writers will think, “I don’t need this. I know Point of View. It’s not hard.” And yet most of those writers still work under their old beliefs and learning they got from non-writers like English teachers.  The truth simply put: Most fiction writers know little or nothing about the power of viewpoint. As with the Speed workshop, this area Kris and I have avoided for two reasons. First, we don’t believe many will sign up for it, believing writers think they know it all about viewpoint. Second, this is such an advanced technique area, it…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    Working On Workshops

    Working On Workshops Didn’t do much today except spend a bunch of time working on online workshops. I want to have the January and February online workshop schedule announced for those taking the workshop option in the Kickstarter subscription drive for Fiction River. (Option for one workshop or three workshops starting from November forward.) And also we are going to be adding in one more new workshop this fall, in October, the last one for the fall. Basically, the new workshops will be called Point of View and will be how to use them correctly, when, and how to use viewpoints to your best advantage, and so much more. Viewpoint is…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    A Little More Running

    A Little More Running   A very busy day today, as was expected after a long weekend. And from all the people I ran into in the banks and post office, I wasn’t the only one having a busy day. But still managed, even though it was raining a little, to meet Kris at the lower parking garage for the mall and do some running and walking while she ran the entire time. She’s way ahead of me on this running thing. Way, way ahead. And a lot smarter about it as well. I am down 17 pounds from July 1st, but still too heavy to push the running too…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops,  Writing in Public

    Enough For The Moment

    Enough For the Moment Did a lot of words here on blogs the last few days, so scroll down and read those posts. Going to take a break today. I got my 10,000 steps in and all workshop assignments done. And did a fun podcast that will be out in September. So more on that later. ———- September Online Workshops Click the workshop tab above for description and sign-up or go to www.wmgpublishingworkshops.com. Questions about any of the workshops, feel free to write me. Class #21… Sept 6th … Author Voice Class #22… Sept 6th … How to Write Thrillers Class #23… Sept 6th … Speed Class #24… Sept 6th … Writing Mysteries Class #25… Sept 6th … Character Development…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops,  Writing in Public

    Updating

    Updated the Making a Living With Short Fiction Blog Above this I updated the post from 3 years and 6 years ago. That sort of scares me that many years have gone by here. (grin). ——- The Day Monday running errands, then met Kris at the mall because it was so cold and windy here, we decided to run (her) and mostly walk (me) in the parking garage. Yes, I know most of you are in massive heat, and if you go about ten miles inland, it’s hot in Oregon as well. But we live on the Oregon coast for a reason. Today I went out with a sweatshirt and…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  Topic of the Night,  workshops,  Writing in Public

    Three Years

    Three Years That’s right, three years ago tomorrow I started this daily blog, missed a few days, then settled into a streak of not missing posting something here. I wrote numbers of non-fiction books here and am working on yet another with the third Sacred Cows book. And three years ago I announced Smith’s Monthly and that the first issue would be out in October three years ago. I should have the 36th issue out in late September if all goes well. Right on time. I had planned to just stop the daily blogs and do special posts blogs, but have now decided to just keep on going for a…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    What Does It Take to Be a Full Time Writer?

    What Does It Take To Be A Full Time Writer? I’ll talk about that question below. ——- The Day Meetings from 1:30 until around 5:30 at WMG offices. I also got my long-awaited three volumes of Smith’s Monthly paper editions into the office. (Delayed at the printer.) They will be going out to subscribers together in a day or so, as soon as we get them all packed up.  Wonderful fun to see all three issues together like that, and looks like the next three will show up together as well in about a month, then we will be back on a regular monthly basis. Went home for a short nap, then…

  • On Writing,  publishing,  workshops

    Two New Online Workshops Announced

    Two New Online Workshops Announced! Two of the workshops I asked about last week are going to start in August. We are taking sign-ups for both right now since the July workshops are starting in one week. Writing Mystery and Reader Expectations The two new workshops have also been added to the September and one of them to the October schedule which are listed under the Online Workshops tab above. I know it is hard to imagine, but July is almost here. All but one of the July workshops have only one or no one signed up, so if you want almost private lessons from me and Kris in July,…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing,  Topic of the Night,  workshops,  Writing in Public

    Some New Workshop Ideas

    New Workshop Ideas After meetings this afternoon, Kris and I headed over to the valley to do some shopping, have dinner and see a movie. On the way back we got talking about ideas for new workshops. See topic of the night below on a few of them. ——- The Day WMG Publishing meeting at 2 p.m. and then around 4 p.m. Kris and I headed for the valley. We live on the Oregon Coast, so at times we go into the Wallamette Valley to just get away. So we did some shopping, had diner and saw a movie. Got home around 12 p.m. and I did a little e-mail,…