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The Magic Bakery: Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine… Beyond Next Year. As I said last chapter, it has been my observation that most writers never look more than a year out, if that. And that lack of being able to see five years and ten years and fifty years into the future causes all sorts of really bad decisions. Now, I wish I could say I had been an exception to this in my first few decades or so in publishing. Nope. Kris was a bunch better at looking long term and making decisions based on that vision. But I wasn’t. And wow did I make some boneheaded mistakes because of that lack of vision. So now…
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Too Much Other Stuff
Yup, We All Have Them… Meetings and then I spent a couple of hours up at WMG working on collectable stuff. We (meaning me and Josh, the North store manager among other jobs) are madly working to dig out a massive collection I bought about four years ago and haven’t done anything with. But at the WMG stores and offices and warehouses, to dig out one thing, it takes moving around a ton of other stuff. But almost there. The collection? Well, for libraries, they used to bind newspapers to make them easier to store and handle. The Oregonian, the main Portland paper, was bound in large black books, each paper…
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May Half Gone So A Summary Day
Time is Speeding Right Along… Workshop Summary… — First off, the special cover branding workshop with Allyson is now full. Sorry if you missed it. — The special prices for lectures I have listed below will be ending soon. — And the Strengths Workshops will close at some point for new sign-ups. If questions, write me. — Two spots open in the novel challenge starting June 1st. No openings in the short story workshop challenge. (And the four writers in May are doing great and I’m enjoying reading the stories.) That’s the workshop and challenge summary. May speeding right along. Personal Summary… I hope to power on the novel and…
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The Magic Bakery: Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight… Success and the future. Now there are two words that almost every writer I have met can’t fathom or even see when it comes to their own writing and business. Now granted, some writers give those two words lip service, and in different workshops Kris and I work at getting writers to think ahead. It feels like walking into a brick wall. Success and future planning when it comes to writing and a publishing business are just not possible for almost every writer to fathom. And honestly, I understand that. My goal, for a very long time, was to make a living at my writing. I had NO concept…
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Again A Busy Day
Workshop Stuff Mostly… Some writing done tonight. Book is going fine when I get to my writing computer. This afternoon, I ended up after some meetings at WMG offices walking in a light rain to get my milage today. Then stayed at WMG and worked on workshop stuff and the new lectures. Then home to cook dinner and do workshop assignments. Then I watched The Voice. An amazing eight singers in the semi-finals and this year I have no idea who is going to win it. Not a clue. Some years one person sort of climbs to the top, but all eight of these humans are stunning. And two of them…
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Pulphouse and New Workshop
Did a Ton of Stuff Today… Started with the normal Sunday writer’s meeting up at WMG Publishing. Great fun, as always. Then Kris and I headed out for a walk to get our steps. Then I went back to WMG and worked on workshop stuff, including the first new lecture. Then home for a nap, cook dinner, and back in here to do e-mail and read some stories. Then after a cleaning break and another nap, I wrote up the stuff about the new workshop that is above. One time thing. Kris is doing a great series on branding on her blog and Allyson and I thought doing a quick…
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Open Driveway and Other Distractions
It Was a Saturday… Got off to a slow start because our wonderful neighbor came to help me get rid of a big metal post that was partially blocking our driveway. All gone now, but the work got me off to a very late start. I ended up recording half of the first advanced business lecture and worked on workshop stuff up at WMG, then went out for a walk. But on the way back it looked like it was going to rain, so I ran the last quarter mile. A start. Then to the grocery store and home to cook dinner after a short nap. Then read some fun short…
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Trains, Books, and Toys
Yes, I Was Playing in Our Stores… Ended up at both of our stores today. (Pop Culture Collectables north and south) Sort of like heaven to me to be honest. I am a picker and dealer at heart. And both of our stores are just great fun places. At the south store I talked with Billy, WMG’s sales manager about a show we are planning for and also some sales trips. At the north store I worked with Josh on a collection of digests that had come in from Billy and also we talked about planning the train display. Lionel trains (O-gauge) will circle through all four large rooms of…
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A Catch-Up Day
Also Got Walking In… Started off late and had a ton of errands and meetings, some of which I didn’t make. But I did manage to get my five miles in today, thanks to Matt and Kris walking with me a different times. Thanks! Worked at WMG for a very short time, then home to take a nap and cook dinner. Then the e-mail stuff and some Strengths workshop assignments. Then I got to read short stories, which were fun. I should be completely caught up on those this weekend and the four writers in the May challenge will be offered the off-ramp at that point to see if they…
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Movie and Dinner
Fun Day… Started off with WMG meetings, then Kris and I headed into the valley to catch a movie. Guardians of the Galaxy. Great fun. Great heart. Then a nice dinner and drive home. We got back around midnight and we went to watch news and some television. So I didn’t make it this computer until after 2 a.m. I answered some e-mails, then did some Strength Workshop assignments. Then I took a break and sat and started a novella Kris had just finished in her Diving Universe. I only intended on reading a little of it, then going to read some short stories for the May short story challenge.…