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Five Story Collections
A Brand New Series of Classes… Okay, this is not official yet, but here is what Kris and I are thinking for the Collection Class Series. This is the really fun idea that has popped up a bunch of times since the summer. This would not be part of the regular workshop classes or subscription, but something very different and you will see why. But the upshot is that by the end of the class, you will have published a five-story collection you didn’t have going into the class. Here is. the structure of each class in general. A nine week class. (Yes, I said nine weeks.) And each week…
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Time to Look Ahead…
And We Can!!! Finally, the end of this year is in site, a vaccine is in sight, and here in the States a new government is in site. So it is the 7th of December and time to slowly start making plans for the new year. Writing plans, business plans, exercise plans that were almost impossible to make four months (or even two months) ago. On exercise, since I finished the marathon, I overate and gave my feet time to heal, so gained five pounds. Winter/holiday weight I am sure, but going to drop it back off plus more after the holiday. So I am in the process of setting…
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A Problem I Am Just Starting to See…
Submissions to Major Magazines… I flat believe that everyone writing short stories and who wants a writing career long term should get into the habit of sending short stories to major magazine markets. I have gone over the reasons may times. All upside when your stories start to hit. And I have just assumed it was some fear thing that stopped writers from submissions of stories to major magazines. Fear caused by baseless critical voice issues that I just assume that if a writer can’t get past the fears, they will never be a long-term writer. And I think all of the above is true still. No opinion change on…
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Interesting Lesson…
That Took Me Time To Learn With Exercise… But might help some of you with writing. I have two great friends who are on streaks of so many steps every day, both over 4,000 steps a day on bad days, usually a bunch over that. But they each have a minimum number. So does Kris and she never misses. The guys have been going out every day, regularly, getting steps. We are reporting to each other and being supportive. They were very supportive of my marathon extreme day. I did 55,000 plus steps last Saturday completing a marathon. One of them did more steps in six days and the other…
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Making a Fortune
An Old Belief or Myth… I had two people repeat a bad myth to me today. The myth is that writing is NOT the fastest way to make a buck. I suppose over the very short term, that is true… sort of. Say you want to be a lawyer. Your first buck will come in around year eight. Doctor around year nine. Plumber, after some training, as an apprentice, maybe the first year. Architect, year six. Being a waiter or tending bar, or a janitor, or any other hourly job, you get paid in two weeks after you start, so I suppose those are the quickest way to making a…
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IP Earnings
Cash Streams Most Don’t Know About… Kris and I try to help writers understand IP, in one way or another, through blogs, through workshops, and many other ways over the years. But two things happened today that just made me shake my head. First off, I read an article on Facebook that I now can’t find (but I am sure Google will help you) on how much actors make from residuals of old shows like Mash, Cheers, Friends, and so on. The amount for those who signed good contracts is staggering. Sometimes up to 20 million a year. That’s right, for work they did years ago. (see where this is…
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Lifetime Original Christmas Movies
They Have Started… And yes, I watch them. And yes, I know the plots are all the same. Duh, they are romance, people. Happy Ever After and all that. But honestly, if you can manage to get your nose out of the air and watch a few dozen of them, you can learn a ton about plotting and character and teams and depth and sometimes even dialog, depending… And right now in Covid land, these movies are a perfect antidote. I watch Lifetime Christmas Movies, not Hallmark. Honestly, they vary less on Lifetime and I honestly like that. I find it interesting that the elements of the plot are timed…
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WMG Holiday Spectacular 2020 Hit First Stretch Goal
In Just Three Days… Thank you, everyone. So cool. And this project is so much fun. Getting an original holiday story, like an advent calendar, every day from November 26th through January 1st, and edited by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Or you can get a Valentines calendar edited by Annie Reed or a Halloween calendar edited by Mark Leslie. Or all of it in books, plus a ton of other stuff. Remember, if you want more than one thing, just pick a reward and then add the cost of the second award you want to your original choice and we work it out in the survey when it is all over.…
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A Lesson…
But Few Will Listen… The advice: Never let anyone tell you to not write something because it won’t sell. Never decide to not write something because it has been done to death before. Why I say no one will listen is because so many indie writers are wrapped up in writing to market, writing what they think will sell, or what some unknown person on the internet thinks will sell. And every indie writer thinks they have to be original with ideas and plotting when nothing is every original in either one. Tonight I read a story by an author. A really old idea, one I had seen a hundred…
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Making Writing Important
Deadly Issue… I talk about this problem writers have in many different workshops and in many different ways, hoping that I am heard. Most of the time my words go right by, or the writer nods and says, “That makes sense.” Then a week later has built up a project to be important without really thinking about it, and then wonder why critical voice has stopped them cold. I have had a couple people lately ask me why I can’t remember my own stories, or why I miss on Rule #4 and not the first three. I usually just laugh and say I am old and have a bad memory,…