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Interesting Summary
A Writer Sent Me This Today… This writer was putting together a business plan and a way of approaching the writing business. And, of course, I liked it, since it is almost exactly what I teach, scattered across a lot of workshops and lectures. He said that he had boiled it down from an erotic writer’s nonfiction book very nicely. So I thought I would put his checklist here because I agree with it and add to it for clarity. — Learn and study basic story structure, then write into the dark. Understanding basic story structure is all the outline you need. — Don’t rewrite; do the best you can…
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What a 69-Year-Old Does On A Nice Fall Day…
Runs Six Miles… Kris, Val, and Steph did the 5K, I went for the 10K. Needed to see if my time would allow me to run the marathon next Sunday. Well, it was a good test. The first three miles was all uphill. Steep between mile 2 and 3. Then it was downhill back. Did the first three miles in a run/walk in about 45 minutes (mostly walking), did the next three miles back down the hill in just about 35 minutes. 1 hour, 20 minutes, and got third in my age category of 60-69 so got another medal for that. But not fast enough to run the marathon. I…
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Running 10K
Got to Be Up in 7 hours… So not going to do anything tonight because I would like to get some sleep. The course tomorrow morning is out though the desert up above Henderson with a fantastic view of all of Las Vegas in the distance. Up a hill one direction, downhill coming back. If I can make it between and 60 and 70 minutes, I might be able to do the marathon next Sunday. The problem is that if I do that time, then I will still be dithering. (grin) No matter what, there will be pictures later. And this post kept the blogging streak alive.
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Have Fun!
That Is What I Am Always Telling Writers… Having fun with the writing experience and publishing experience is the secret to being a long-term fiction writer. It really is that simple. But what is fun? So many writers think that when I say that, they have to be happy, smiling, laughing while they write. Well, some are. I am seldom that way, unless writing comedy, and then I am laughing at how silly and stupid what I am writing is. But mostly the fun I have is with the challenge of writing a story. And there is nothing consistent or straight-line about writing stories, especially if you write into the…
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Instead of Reading Stories
As I Wanted to Do… I spent most of the night figuring out if my running times allow me to try a marathon in a week. Same marathon I have been aiming at now for four years, losing weight to try to get to, and so on. But my weight isn’t down enough yet, although close. And my pace is lacking, and this marathon I want to try to do a week from Sunday has a 5 hour cut-off. And my training is far, far from normal marathon training. So logically doing the full is a really bad idea. But the course is flat, running on the Strip for over…
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How I Count Years…
Resetting and Focusing Ahead… I actually have three times in a year I really reset and focus. First of the year, of course. July 1st (halfway), of course. And around my birthday. Now I am not sure why I use three, since my birthday is in early November (don’t ask) and I just sort of use it for starting challenges and other things over the years. Or if nothing else, spend the two months before the end of the year to get ready for the new year. In January 2018, Kris was so sick, I was only thinking of that. In July of 2018 I was still in the middle…
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The Power of Having Inventory
Not Only Does It Help for Discoverability… But wow is having inventory important to saving time and making money in fiction writing. And a bunch of it. First off, in publishing, what is inventory? What you might assume, in many respects. Basically inventory is made up of books and stories and collections and other kinds of books in print, available around the world. In other words, all your IP. I try to get writers to keep track of their inventory, keep a list at hand. A spreadsheet. And this is very, very easy when you are starting out. You got three novels and seven short stories, your inventory is pretty…
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Holiday Spectacular
Kickstarter Backers Got a Deal… And the surveys are out and rewards and stretch rewards will be going out shortly. And on November 28th, the original stories will start arriving in people’s inboxes. Thirty-five holiday stories in a row for 35 days. Now, if you missed the Kickstarter, but would still like to have the stories every day, or give the stories as a gift to a friend, you can. All original and all written by top authors, including two by Kris. Here is how you can get them, and watch the nifty new very short video that explains it all. Simply go to this page to subscribe. $25 for all…
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Anthology Workshop Starts Writing…
In Just Three Weeks… Wow, is that coming up fast. I just sent out invitations to everyone signed up on the Anthology workshop. So if you think you are signed up on the anthology workshop and didn’t get a letter from me and an invite into the group list, write me. And in sorting all this out tonight, I realized I still had two spots open. Just two. So if interested in the anthology workshop, write me soon because everyone starts writing on the week of the 24th. One story per week with a couple weeks off for the holidays. Six weeks of writing, a lot of reading, and a…
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Fun This Week After Workshop…
Wednesday… Lunch and Dinner with Writers… Then on Thursday back to exercising and starting the catch-up from a week away from normal routine. Friday, a fun dinner with Carolyn Clink (Rob Sawyer’s wife and partner. Carolyn came to the Master Class while Rob was in China.) Then the three of us headed off to see John Cleese. Turns out that even though we had bought the tickets in the large concert hall at separate times and dates, Carolyn ended up with a seat right beside us in a four-person row. I can’t even begin to calculate the odds of that happening. Then when the show was over, the nice guy…