Yes, sir.

In 2011, I will finish my WIP, edit the hell out of it, and not only submit it, but hie me down to Bouchercon to pitch it at agents, editors, and (most likely) the bartender.

And I’m going to learn how to shoot a variety of firearms. Because as it stands now, my characters know more than I do . . .

SHAKE IT UP

Seriously. Whatever it is you’ve decided is your niche, whatever shell of comfort and contentment you’ve built around yourself, grab that bitch by the nostrils and give it a good shake.

To show that my money is where my mouth is—quite literally—I’m stepping out of my paranormal niche and trying something completely, unbelievably, wholly out of my element new. So much so that my agent is drooling for it, even as we’re both unsure if I can pull it off.

Well, I sure am going to try. And I think you should to. You’ll never know how far you can stretch until you roll out of bed and reach for the sky. Or, you know, the rusted pipes of your mother’s basement ceiling. I’m not here to judge. Out loud.

“Write like you mean it” is my mantra for the new year. And to give it a sub-heading: “Show, don’t tell.”

I’m trying to do more short horror fiction because recently it’s something I’ve really enjoyed. In exploring my first-ever horror piece (which I plan to finish -before- the new year,) I find my biggest problem in this is not believing in it. The character, the story, the action–it’s all kind of just there. I’m working on fixing all that, though, and learning from my mistakes.

“Go big or go home.”

Okay, first off this has to be the best blog I’ve read in a long while. You’re a funny guy, Chuck, but under the funny? A hell of a lot of truth. Love it. Keep it coming.

Second? “Do or do not, there is no try.” Yup, tore a page right out of Yoda’s moldy book and got my first novel published and on its way to print as we speak. SELF published, thankyouverymuch. And no, it’s not crap.

Book two in the series is well underway and three and four aren’t too far behind.

So, here I am delurking…only because drums to the head hurt at 1:30 in the morning.

You’re the most violent blogger. lol

Am I the only writer that doesn’t drink? I hear a lot of male writers talking about drinking, maybe male writers drink and women writers do other things. (Don’t read anything dirty into that.)

On authorial voice I think a lot of writers edit too much of their voice out. I think they’re trying to sound like somebody else instead of themselves, and then it all goes to crap because people can spot a fake, but the real deal is far more compelling. But I think a lot of writers don’t trust their own voice.

And my goal for 2011 is to write 365,000 words. That’s 1k a day.

Oh and of course I had to break it down for you like you can’t do basic math to know it’s 1k a day. *head desk*

Finish my WIP, finish (finally) the First Mother Fucking Sale short story that got back-burnered due to school, and lets see…I think I’ll aim for at least 2 rejection letters this year. Of course, 1 acceptance letter would be much better.

Love this: “Be awesome. Be afraid. Fail until you succeed.” I think that’s my new writing mission statement right there.

“Finish Something”

It might just be a paragraph, but it’s going to have a beginning, a middle and and end. I am going to pass the Queen of Ideas that Go Nowhere crown to someone else.

And Zoe, I don’t drink either. I used to, alot, so I don’t know if that counts. And I can get a coffee buzz going like nobody’s business.

Put on our pants? Chuck, you know damn well none of us are wearing pants. Writers and pants are natural enemies. (*slips blanket on to cover the fact she is, in fact, wearing pants at this very moment*)

But you about hit it on the head. Going to finish revising the scifi novel, get it some hot, fresh crits, and throw it to the lions. Then I’m going to write one, probably two more, and hopefully have them out by the end of the year. I should get back into shorts and have them out there.

I posted my goals for 2011 on my blog this morning, and they go something like this:

Outline. Write. Edit. Submit. Repeat as needed.

I guess my mission statement is: “Quit being chickenshit.” I’m going to write and submit the hell out of stuff and, if I feel like it, self-pub damn it! *stomping foot*

If you haven’t seen The Race or E-Race:

http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=2617

In short, getting a few things out there probably won’t do it. FLOOD the markets.

You’ll grow as a writer just by getting so much written, and those one-chance-in-a-thousand things will come up more regularly.

Aye aye capt Chuck – I’m on board (though I am, of course, trouserless).

Also: BELIEVE – be a hardcore fundamentalist for your work. Nothing gets me angrier than someone who says: “Oh, well, I’d LOVE to be a writer/actor/badgerfucker but…. I dunno, I’m probably not good enough, it’ll never happen….” Why the hell should anyone buy the goods you’ve got if you think they’re worth jack shit? Manifest what you want – go to sleep thinking about your booker prize, your life as a working author, getting that call that says: “We’ll be publishing your novel this year and giving you a truckload of money – booya to you!”

Um. Yeah. That’s my plan for 2011, anyway. To get that call.

To be that guy that when someone asks me what’s new I tell them that my characters had a fight over breakfast, and how fun it is to write a shouting match first thing in the morning.

In other words, not only am I totally in board with “Put yourself in there, and out there,” but I am wrapping my work around myself until the two of us are indistinguishable. I am a Writer! but I’ll sell you some clothes in my spare time. Because there’s rent to pay, and it won’t pay itself (no matter how many times I ask it to.)

The plan this year is to get this MF MS written, polished, and ready to query while sending flash and short stories out into the world as little foot-soldiers. To be active in the writing community both online and in person, and to find some of those writing conferences.

I have found my voice & I have started putting my shit out there with my blog, which has received mostly good reviews. I do need to find a writers group & some writer friends, people who will be brutally honest and say “wow that really just sucks ass what were you thinking?” I do have a question; I am unpublished and I have been pondering posting some of the book I am about half through on my blog, good idea or bad idea? Regardless of the feedback I recieve I am going to finish it, I am just curious to find out what people think.

John

I am going to beat the last remnants of the “but I just want to wriiiiite” whine until it is a bloody lump on the floor, and I am going to get my name and my book out there. Beacuse I really do believe in Knight Errant, I need to get it under the noses of the people who will love it.

Not much drafting in the plan for me–I have lots of drafts lying about. Lots of editing, lots of learning, and another book out in August!

Your voice is bad ass, fuck ya, totally agree with you, clear. That’s why I read this blog.

Great advice! I’m reminded of those Nike commercials — “Leave nothing.” That’s my mission statement for 2011. Leave no word unwritten, no passage unedited, no idea unexpressed, no passion unvoiced. If writing is my playing field, leave it all on the playing field, hit the showers, and return to do it all again in 2012.

That’s not to say that I’ll only shower once in 2011. I mean, I don’t take this writing thing *that* seriously.

Amy

@Zoe, I drink. Red wine and whiskey are my Muse lures of choice. Just a little, though, or I write a buttload of crap and fall asleep on the keyboard. Also, I have to edit carefully, because when I’m cavorting with the Muse after a nip o’ something, it’s as if my brain goes phonetic on me, and I mix up words (to/too/two, there/their/they’re). It’s weird.

@Amy, @Zoe —

I don’t think all writers drink, but generally speaking at conferences you’ll find the writers huddled around the bar, warming themselves as if it is a life-giving fireplace.

– c.

@Teri Anne Usually I don’t even drink coffee, but in the winter I get pretty addicted to my Starbucks mochas.

@Amy Rose, ooooh your book cover looks SO awesome as your icon! And I just figured out who i think that guy reminds me of. I think he looks a little like Quinn on “Dexter”. I think it’s the cheekbones and nose. And hehe another good reason not to drink. I don’t need ANY help screwing up edits!

@Chuck I don’t know… if I was at a writer’s conference I might have *A* drink. Not like alcohol has never passed my lips before. Just haven’t had any in years. Never appealed to me that much.

Chuck, Chuck, Chuck…I am so damn happy I ran across your blog. Funny, but not cheap-shot funny. Well, not always. Funny enough to make me snort and look around at whatever funky little coffee shop I found that day, which is not nothing. But the thing that makes it something is not just that I like how you say it, but I keep reading because the truth of it makes my bone marrow flinch. You suck and you know it. So you keep writing. I love that.

Keep it coming; I’m upping my game in 2011 and will need a good word regularly.

Preach it, man!

The putting myself out there is something I need to work on. At least in terms of finished projects. I have trouble letting go.

I wrote up a personal mission statement earlier this year, and it still holds true:

To nurture a sense of wonder in myself and others through sincerity, questioning assumptions, and story.

@Zoe – I don’t drink alcohol. It makes me itch. :-p

*lathers and rubs*

I WILL FINISH MY GODDAMN MOTHERF&@$%ING NOVEL!!!!!!! *froths at the mouth*

Finish something ANYTHING and throw it out there. I will dare to fail.

And I will most likely fail lol.

Oh, and I don’t drink really. Maybe it’ll help if I start? lol

2010 served as a year of transition for me. 2011 will be the year I go for it. Thanks, Chuck!

2011 Plan:

Find representation for my first novel, finish second round of revising on my second, complete the draft of my third. Then hit the second a third time and the third a second time. Somewhere in there, see if I can sell my NC-17 noir short story without backing it down to an R rating. Write amazon reviews for all the writers I love, but not enough people know about. Keep up my blog, but keep it in its place. Maybe publish something professional.

2011 plan: Finish editing first novel. There’s a damn good if rather unconventional story in there, I know it, I just need to fix all the plot holes and time line snarls and… well basically learn how to edit. The sequel could also do with some love.