Took Lots of Naps

Everyone Thinks I Am So Busy…

And sometimes I am. Sometimes, I just putter through the day, going out to the stores, doing some workshop stuff, cooking dinner, taking a nap, doing some reading, taking a nap, watching television, doing more reading. I think there was another nap in there somewhere.

And that was the day. Not sick, so nothing to worry about. Just getting caught up and taking it easy at the moment.

And I wouldn’t even be posting here about today if I didn’t have this running streak of days posting. (grin)

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Ghosting Novels

Over the last few days I have gotten the same basic question twice. “Do I ever ghost novels anymore?”

Now a logical question. I did ghost novels for New York publishers when a major author couldn’t make a deadline or was sick. It was almost always fun and I was paid well. The last one I did I blogged about here way back and put the blog in a book called Writing a Novel In Ten Days.

It has been a lot of years since I ghosted for another writer. But the two questions got me thinking again about it. And laughing because no one could afford me to ghost a novel for them in this new world. You see, I made a minimum of $20,000 per book. Most of them I made more.

And if they needed it quickly, I charged even more. I wrote a number of science fiction novels, a couple of thrillers, and others that way.  (Not counting all the pen name books I wrote.) Three authors I ghosted for outed me by insisting my name go on the book on the title page. Jonathan Frakes (science fiction), Eric Kotani (Star Trek), and Fred Stoker (Thriller).

So I understand why someone would ask me that question in this new world. I just sort of laughed and my answer wasn’t no, but that they couldn’t afford me. But neither person who asked me offered an amount either, so I was most likely right. (grin)

But even with the right amount of money, the project would have to be something I was interested in writing. I love writing novels. But they have to be something that can hold my attention for a time.

And there is no short-term math in this new world for an author to pay someone like me that much money to ghost a novel. (Unless they are making $20,000 a month or so and can make more by having another book in their series.) Long term, sure, it makes sense and you could make your money back over a decade or so with normal sales. But short term, just a silly idea in this modern world.

So I stand by my answer. Don’t think of asking me unless you can afford it. And even then chances are I will say no. But you can always ask. I am a professional writer after all and you just might catch my attention with a cool project. (grin)

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Promotions Package from WMG Publishing has two spots left open. Deadline is Monday.

Yes, two again. One person who was hoping to jump in couldn’t make it after all. Full information at: https://deanwesleysmith.com/promotion-and-sales-package/

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Fantastic Christmas Bundle

 

You can get it at www.storybundle.com/christmas

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January Workshops Now Open On Teachable

You can sign up directly on Teachable now. Or write me and have me put you on the list for the workshops. Full list of workshops and descriptions here.

Those of you with credits from either the Kickstarter or the certificate special we offered, you must write me to sign up.

Those who would just like to sign up directly can do so on Teachable at any point.

Class #1… Jan 2nd … Depth #3: Research
Class #2… Jan 2nd … Author Voice
Class #3… Jan 2nd … Business
Class #4… Jan 2nd … Writing into the Dark
Class #5… Jan 2nd … Writing Fiction Sales Copy
Class #6… Jan 2nd … Think Like a Publisher
Class #7… Jan 3nd … Depth in Writing
Class #8… Jan 3nd … Advanced Character and Dialog
Class #9… Jan 3nd … (Empty spot)
Class #10… Jan 3nd … Pacing Your Novel
Class #11… Jan 3nd … Novel Structure
Class #12… Jan 3nd … Writing Fantasye

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