I like that terribleminds has kind of become an inadvertent writerly community. People gathering around the campfire, burning their old trunk novels, weeping into cans of beans about this rejection or that bad review. As such, this seems like an opportune time to once more check in with you ink-fingered key-slingers and see:
How are you doing?
How’s the writing going?
Tell us some good news.
Trouble us with your problems.
Let’s talk about it. Let’s talk to each other about it.
Got a grievance? Air it.
Got good news? Celebrate it.
Progress reports: starting now.
mirymom says:
I signed a book contract with a small press and just got back from the writer’s symposium at GenCon. Feeling excited and terrified, all at the same time. It’s a little hard to care about the day job under these circumstances.
August 17, 2014 — 9:24 PM
Kaleb JD Russell says:
I just started working on my first novel and am currently building the world, characters, etc. I’m doing my best to research without freaking out about not actually writing the book. I don’t want to continue the story without some kind of outline, but I also hate that writing isn’t getting done.
August 17, 2014 — 9:29 PM
logankeys says:
Congrats!
August 17, 2014 — 9:37 PM
David Wilson says:
I find that writing is a lot of listening to yourself. You should know when you cross that line into overplanning
August 17, 2014 — 11:07 PM
St.Louis says:
Kaleb,
I am in the same place, or just past it. I had to get 20,000 words out, (and a couple very rough post-in note outlines) before I figured it all out enough that I could make a linear outline to carry me through the book. Just keep at what feels natural, and you will get to a point where it will start to click, and either you will stop and write an outline, or it will fall into place.
August 18, 2014 — 12:15 AM
JWJ says:
Hardcore!
August 18, 2014 — 2:31 AM
logankeys says:
Wow! Congrats!
August 17, 2014 — 9:37 PM
Kaleb JD Russell says:
Congratulations! That’s great. I wish you the best of luck.
August 17, 2014 — 9:38 PM
Cat York says:
Congratulations!!
August 17, 2014 — 10:00 PM
j. adkins says:
Cheers! Congrats to you!
August 17, 2014 — 10:35 PM
Fatma Alici says:
Awesome news!
August 17, 2014 — 11:07 PM
Dan Dan The Art Man says:
That’s awesome! Congrats!
August 17, 2014 — 11:46 PM
Colleen says:
Congratulations!
August 18, 2014 — 3:27 AM
Fi Phillips says:
That’s wonderful. Congratulations. How exciting.
August 18, 2014 — 5:47 AM
Michelle Hunt says:
Congratulations! I’m so glad for you! I know it’s hard but stick with your day job (unless you just don’t need the paycheck) until you see how things work out. A contract does not necessarily mean a big pay day (unless your contract was FOR a big pay day).
August 18, 2014 — 2:50 PM
mirymom says:
I’m here at work today, Michelle, so obviously, I’m still going. 🙂 While I hope for the best, I understand how slowly this business can go.
Thanks everyone for the kind words! I hope to be hearing similar news from all of you soon!
August 19, 2014 — 12:04 PM
Nicole says:
Congratulations. That’s so wonderful. I’m all excited for you
August 17, 2014 — 9:27 PM
garrettbrobinson says:
The floodgates have been released!
I’m doing: great.
Writing’s going: AWESOME. Sticking to my weekly schedule and just increased it.
Good news: Broke the top 300 Amazon ranking for the first time (free book, not paid, so I’m not exactly doing a Tahiti vacation. Yet).
Problems: Dude, I’m working too hard. Not sleeping. Keeping the writing going and also doing contract work for other people, like copy editing. Meh. It’s too much. It’s about to get a lot easier, but for right now, yeah. Urgh.
Talk about it: I’m sure other people can relate, but there is that stage where everything is WORKING and you’re grateful — but it’s just BARELY working. You’re BARELY holding things together. And it’s stressful and your wife is putting up with it but you can see what a burden you’re putting on her and you SEE that light coming down the tunnel and … fuck, man, why can’t that light just be HERE, NOW? Right?
I am horribly aggrieved at: BookBub. Not once have those motherfuckers taken one of my promotions. Sigh.
Good news (again?): I’m about to be ahead of schedule and format the first paperback volume in the new fantasy series, and HOLY SHIT the cover is already blowing me. Not “blowing me away,” it’s blowing me, as in giving me oral pleasure, as in it’s better than oral sex.
Progress Report submitted.
August 17, 2014 — 9:28 PM
Ashlee Jade says:
Well done for the most part! I’d be really interested in this new fantasy series, if you’d care to share where I could buy it eventually. And hang in there, hopefully it’ll all be worth it in the end. You do this writerly campfire circle proud.
August 18, 2014 — 12:35 AM
garrettbrobinson says:
Thanks much. It’s Nightblade — you can find it on Amazon, Kobo, etc. and the first one’s free. Five episodes out so far, with a sixth this Friday.
August 18, 2014 — 1:06 AM
Colleen says:
Good to hear you’re on schedule. That can be hard to maintain. Way to go.
August 18, 2014 — 3:31 AM
Fi Phillips says:
I know exactly where you’re coming from, in another area of my life, but you just have to keep being strong because that ‘light’ is there. Glad the writing is going well.
August 18, 2014 — 5:49 AM
garrettbrobinson says:
Thanks, Fi. Keeping on keeping on.
August 18, 2014 — 4:55 PM
ellsimp says:
After ages of starting first drafts of novels and dropping them at around 20k words in each time, I’m finally closing in on finishing my (first) first draft. I started last Monday and have managed 46k so far… Which is a lot quicker than I usually am. I know there’s still a lot more to go, but this is the first time I’ve been this excited about a writing project in a while.
August 17, 2014 — 9:29 PM
Dan Dan The Art Man says:
That’s awesome. There’s nothing like finishing that first first draft. I’ll never forget it. Congrats!
August 17, 2014 — 11:48 PM
Colleen says:
Way to go. That’s pretty good progress.
August 18, 2014 — 3:29 AM
Fi Phillips says:
That’s great.
August 18, 2014 — 5:50 AM
Charley says:
I miss my son. He’s 14 and cool as shit; flew him in from Boston a few weeks ago. I can’t write right now (so I can and am but still…) so I’m going to create a 10 year, .5 sec frame shot, video of the time we’ve been able to share over the years. Hope he likes it.
August 17, 2014 — 9:34 PM
Fi Phillips says:
Lovely thing to do.
August 18, 2014 — 5:51 AM
Therin Knite says:
I’m 15k into my first novella, and I’m not sure if it’s complete crap or halfway decent because it’s written in a different stye than my usual fare. On the other hand, I’m stalled on my first sequel — which is why I’m writing the novella in the first place, to keep the juices flowing while I work through my sequel plot problems.
I’m still trying to push myself to get the sequel out in November (and the novella by the end of September), so I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. Thankfully, because I started my full-time job recently, I might actually have enough money to hire people to do most of the work I normally have to do myself after I finish writing both books. So I might not be at such a huge time disadvantage after all (for some reason, professionals work a lot faster me…huh, who would’ve guessed?). Still touch and go at this point, however. I’m aiming to finish my novella draft by end of August and then write the sequel in September while I’m editing the novella.
I have no idea how that’s going to turn out…
And to think I was only going to publish two books this year. If all goes well, I’ll have four down by December. If not, three. But hey, I’m still ahead of myself either way. 🙂
And that’s my progress report.
August 17, 2014 — 9:36 PM
logankeys says:
Lol doing a different style novella myself!
August 17, 2014 — 9:38 PM
Therin Knite says:
I usually write in first person — trying out third for the novella for some reason. It’s…different. I’m not as comfortable with it as I am writing in first, so it feels really weird to write. 😛
August 17, 2014 — 10:41 PM
logankeys says:
I hear ya!
I started my new novella all in letter format! YES the entire book! But it’s fun and a voice that is very natural to me for some reason lol
August 18, 2014 — 2:30 PM
Colleen says:
Good luck! It’s good to see you’re progressing. I love it when I see other writers working through stuff and succeeding.
August 18, 2014 — 3:33 AM
Therin Knite says:
Thank you! And yes, it’s tough, but it’s worth it to try until you succeed. 🙂
August 18, 2014 — 4:23 PM
Fi Phillips says:
Brilliant. Good to diversify sometimes, stretch yourself.
August 18, 2014 — 5:53 AM
Cheryl M. says:
Hello! Cheryl Mackey, author of The Unknown Sun reporting for duty! xD
How are you doing? I’m good, kids head back to school in a few days so I’m at the end of the crazy few weeks of prep.
How’s the writing going? Writing is going slow. I am taking a few days off to rearrange my writerly brain so it doesn’t burn out.
Tell us some good news. I’m really happy with where my wip is heading (pre-time off of course)
Trouble us with your problems. I may have to revise some of my published book to clarify scenes and characters. Blargh.
August 17, 2014 — 9:36 PM
Fi Phillips says:
We have 2 more weeks of summer hols but my kids are of an age where they can distract themselves enough to let me write Glad the wip is going well.
August 18, 2014 — 5:57 AM
Steen says:
I’m about 2/3ds on a glacial novel (I’ve tried to do something stupidly complex for my first outing, of course). It’s glacial mostly because I’ve been seeing structural problems as I go which I wind up going back and fixing in order that I can understand where better to progress. Some people have suggested that I should just puke out that first draft and then go back and repair, but some stuff just feels too sticky to be a point from which to continue.
By way of example, and the thing I’m banging on now: I’ve got three main threads; the Main Character, the Side Plot, and the Bad Guy Chasing Main Character. Side Plot is going swimmingly, my lead there is pretty compelling and interesting things are happening to him. Bad Guy is just a joy to write because, well, sociopath conspiracy theorist with no body. But Main Character… man, she is boring as hell. I realized she was just being a Plot Puck, being shoved around by the story rather than acting with real agency. Part of that is realistic, because of her circumstance, but a lot of it is just not compelling as story.
So, I’m going back and retrofitting motivations that are actually interesting to read, hopefully. This sort of thing keeps happening, so my word count goes down at about the same rate as it goes up. It’s frustrating, but ultimately I think will make for a better book.
August 17, 2014 — 9:37 PM
fadedglories says:
I hope enlightment comes soon for you.
I had the same problem with my MC, but only realised it when I’d finished the 1st draft.
I dumped her and made he lover the MC in a different, but related, story and so far that’s chugging along.
August 18, 2014 — 3:40 AM
Steen says:
Yeah, my Side Plot came from the fact that I had this character show up at the beginning to push the go button, and at the end to wrap things up, but I realized we should see what he does in between. Then, of course, what he does in between became fascinating. They never do what you think they will…
August 18, 2014 — 7:43 AM
Fi Phillips says:
Good luck.
August 18, 2014 — 5:59 AM
Steen says:
Thanks!
August 18, 2014 — 7:41 AM
Stacey Filak says:
Really productive week on my WIP, this week. I feel great about pacing and characters, and I’ve even managed a bit of humor. And I am overjoyed by the Hugo news and all the fantastic women (and men) being honored.
August 17, 2014 — 9:38 PM
authorlady22 says:
My first novel is being released through a small press next week. I’m excited and anxious and terrified and…
*whimpers*
Hold me.
August 17, 2014 — 9:40 PM
Badger says:
*pets your head*
It will be good. 🙂 It won’t be perfect, but it will be good, and you will be pretty proud of it.
August 17, 2014 — 9:44 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
*holds* We’re excited for you! And understand the terror. Yay! And remember – breathe. 🙂
August 17, 2014 — 9:52 PM
Cat York says:
Congratulations!! Enjoy this!
August 17, 2014 — 10:01 PM
boydstun215 says:
That’s so awesome. Congratulations!
August 17, 2014 — 10:24 PM
Colleen says:
Congratulations! All I can offer for the fear is to say start writing the next one and enjoy the ride 🙂
August 18, 2014 — 3:35 AM
Michelle Hunt says:
Congratulations! You’re doing great! Let us know when it comes out where to find it! (And don’t worry — you’ll be fine!)
August 18, 2014 — 3:04 PM
Corazon says:
Just got the rejection letter for my picture book manuscript but the good thing about it was that it was the managing director who wrote me personally and that I did not get the usual computer generated reply. He said my story had originality but they are not the right publisher for it.
So, I’m not giving up!
August 17, 2014 — 9:42 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
That’s excellent! I saved the rejection letter I got from an author who started his own magazine; he called my story “consistent, and often clever”. Editors who take the time are AWESOME. Congrats!
August 17, 2014 — 11:52 PM
St.Louis says:
Corazon, that is GREAT news! Congrats!
August 18, 2014 — 12:18 AM
mirymom says:
That’s the best kind of rejection. And congrats on getting your work out there. There is a home for it. You just have to find it!
August 19, 2014 — 12:06 PM
Badger says:
How are you doing?
Doing all right, man. Working, the dayjob is good, but I gotta get more focus.
How’s the writing going?
I have FINALLY really started the sequel to Seraphim. I’ve got a good idea where things are going, it seems to be flowing pretty well.
Tell us some good news.
I started running the writer’s blog again. I have kind of — man, when I was literally doing no writing at all, it felt weird to write on the blog. Since then, I’ve had a pretty steady number of views — at least two a day — so I feel good about that. (www.ofseraphimandcherubim.com, if you’re interested.) And the views are coming from places like the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil, and Portugal — blows my MIIIIND.
Trouble us with your problems.
FOCUS. Focus on the day job, which I really need to keep, thanks. I need some. Writing problems — I feel guilty for walking out half done with the verdammt steampunk book. Literally, I’m about half done. But this was supposed to be a collaboration, and my collaborator has punked out on me so much, it’s not even funny. I don’t believe in writer’s block, but I do believe that a person can get so gummed up with frustration and irritation about a project that they get where they can’t work on it. I know, I’m there with that one.
August 17, 2014 — 9:43 PM
fadedglories says:
Great that your blog is getting interest. How did you get it noticed? I’m curious because I never seem to get any views and that’s depressing after a few years!
I share the ‘gummed up with frustration’ notion. I think that’s where I’m at.
Good Luck with your sequel.
August 18, 2014 — 3:36 AM
Badger says:
I don’t know! And I haven’t written anything in it really for a year, and it still had faithful people coming by every so often to look or something!
Chuck, if you don’t want this up here, take it down — but hey everybody, if you want get cryin’ in your sarsparilla some night because your characters decided they wanted to do something you didn’t see, or all of a sudden one of them died, or something, and you need to talk to somebody about it, you can tweet at me, it’s @scomptonmyers.
Um, because that shit happens, man. Swear to Christ we only THINK we’re in charge. Who else has been there?
August 18, 2014 — 11:25 AM
Chris Lites says:
I’m getting more freelance work in the RPG industry and in article writing. I might soon make a livable wage. Working on some novels. Still need an agent. had some interest in the last one, but found the main character unlikeable.
Also in love with a bipolar girl which is distracting me.
August 17, 2014 — 9:44 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
I have a friend in love with a lovely bipolar girl – she’s good at taking her meds, but it can be distracting! My best friend is schizophrenic, and has been married for 35 years. Sometimes the challenges are worth it. Sometimes – my own relationship with a challenged person didn’t work out, but only because he wouldn’t stop dating other women, lol.
Great to hear about getting paying writing work, though! Huzzah!
August 17, 2014 — 9:56 PM
Nicole says:
Hi all,
I’m at a crossroads with my entire writing career. On one path is the dream to tell stories, build worlds and have fun. On the other path is writing learner materials – very good pay, helping people achieve dreams, learning heaps myself But not writing stories.
I’ve got feedback saying my stories are ok. Still in need of polishing, refining, making better, but on each page there is something redeemable, something I could use to make the stories middle of the road. Publishable, readable, doable, with a lot of work, dedication and a bit of luck. Which until the current opportunities appeared on the horizon, was enough to keep me going.
On the other hand, I’ve got a great career path writing learner materials. I get paid more money than I’d ever ever remotely thought I’d get paid, but it …. feels …. not me. Don’t get me wrong, I get a kick out of knowing I’m helping others achieve their dreams, but in the process feel like I’m not even really trying for my own. I’m told I’m very good at this type of writing. That I can make complex subjects, easy to understand but still.. its writing textbooks.
Hubby is encouraging me to be happy and do what makes me wake up smiling. Other family members are pushing me to follow the money as much as I can. Best friend keeps repeating the whole you can have it all, but maybe not all at the same time, mantra. Which in all honesty sounds like good advice.
The confusion about what to do is shutting down my head and spinning me off into all kinds of turmoil, making it almost impossible to write anything at all, regardless of what path its on.
So any feedback? The money or the dream? Writer of textbooks or Author of amazing (potentially) stories? Money now, dreams later? A bit of both and hope for the best?
I guess mostly what I want is to know the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train.
August 17, 2014 — 9:45 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
I say “a little of both”. Schedule your time “MW&F I will write the textbooks, T&TH is fiction time”. Or something. 🙂 But then, I’m single & still need a day job, lol.
Your hubby probably knows you best. If you don’t NEED to work, and he’s not fussed with whether you make money or not – why not just be happy?
I’m sure the family members who are pushing you to follow the money feel like they have your best interests at heart, but it’s YOUR life, and one you’ve chosen to share with your husband. Do what feels best for you, because you’re the one that has to live that life. 🙂
August 17, 2014 — 10:42 PM
Colleen says:
What the Glitzy Faery says – if you can schedule your time to both, go for it… and good luck!
August 18, 2014 — 3:39 AM
fadedglories says:
I agree with Hubby, do what makes you feel good. There is an oncoming train, called Death, so enjoy!
August 18, 2014 — 3:43 AM
Lee Ann says:
I’m wondering if anyone has any advice for writing while dealing with depression? I’ve hit a bit of a roadblock in my writing, probably due to lack of self-confidence I’ve been struggling with all summer, and I have a novel idea that I really, REALLY want to get started on… but every time I sit down to write I freeze.
August 17, 2014 — 9:46 PM
gloria says:
Hi Lee Ann.
I can offer that I also deal with depression, well, every day! I also have PTSD from the lovely things that are the subject of my memoir. What I do as I try to manage things –
Make myself get up and do at least one positive thing in a day, that includes taking car of things that need taking care of.
If I cannot do that, I try not to judge myself, I feed my dog and go back to bed.
I find that if I do that, my emotions trend to the positive and one thing leads to another.
Writing for me is like jumping inside my head and pushing it our through my fingers,
The more I do it, the easier it is to push.
Distractions are the devil.
Good Luck!
August 17, 2014 — 10:31 PM
garrettbrobinson says:
Lee Ann — this TOTALLY might not be an option for you, but what the hell. If you’re dealing with productivity issues, this was a big booster for me. A few weeks ago I started a thing, where every time I sit down to write, I fire up my webcam and begin live-streaming to YouTube. I screenshare so people can see what I’m doing.
When people are watching you, you don’t check Facebook. You don’t check your email. And you don’t sit there staring at a blank screen. You put words down because you’re totally self-conscious about people seeing you sitting there doing nothing.
Now, I would never write any other way. But other writer friends of mine have reported success just doing this one or two times. It gave them the boost they needed, and they could carry on without it.
Anyway, I’m SURE this won’t work for everyone but it really did wonders for me.
August 17, 2014 — 11:22 PM
Colleen says:
Gotta love the black dog. I don’t have an answer. All I know is that if I don’t write it get’s worse, and if I do write I don’t know if I’m writing rubbish or not until months later. Just write – write anything; write everything. If the novel won’t work, just write down the first sentence that comes into your head and write what follows. It might surprise you. If the beginning of the novel won’t work, try working on a scene, giving yourself permission to start somewhere other than the beginning. Or write something different – poetry, a riddle, a rhyme. I don’t know if that helps but sometimes when I’m in a blue funk these can help me out of the rut, and nothing is wasted. Everything contains a story seed. Good luck.
August 18, 2014 — 3:43 AM
fadedglories says:
Hi
I’d go along with Gloria’s advice. Some days you have to feel glad you just made it out of bed.
I’ve found procrastination makes things worse. You have to set yourself achievable goals, so when you feel really bad, just tell yourself to write 50 words and Stop! Maybe next day you can do the same…….
August 18, 2014 — 3:48 AM
Sara says:
I’d like to second Colleen’s advice. All of it from varying what I writeto jumping around within one story. It’s what’s worked for me when I actually follow it!
In addition, I try not to worry about if what I’m writing is any good as I write. I don’t delete things until I’m out of a depressed state (or in a minimally depressed state if no depression isn’t possible). I share my writing with a friend or two who give me honest feedback.
Gloria also has a good point about not beating yourself up.
Best wishes!
August 18, 2014 — 7:22 AM
Steen says:
Hey Lee Ann,
I also deal with depression. Everyone’s experience is different, of course. So, be aware that whatever works for anyone else might work for you or might not, and you don’t know till you try. It’s all about the way your brain’s wired, so it’s very individual. For example, for me, one of the best way out of a depressive funk is to, of all things, write code. This is pretty weird. Point is, whatever techniques work for you, whatever you find, own it. I have known people who treated their depression with everything from painting the same flower over and over again to rubbing a square of worn leather, so whatever you find works for you, don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong or weird.
One thing that I find helps: write crap. Write with the intention of throwing away whatever you’re going to write. The act of writing, for me, helps depression, even (and sometimes, especially) if it’s totally useless stuff. Whine, complain, be repetitive. Save it to look at later if you want, or just toss it in the trash, but be ok with just getting some words out. And if you find gems, well, that’s a place to start.
Oh and one thing that I have been dealing with specifically in this last cycle of depression, related to writing: The Black Dog is a terrible critic. No objectivity at all. It’ll tell you your stuff is crap even if you just wrote a Proust line verbatim. So, don’t listen to it. I find that writing depressed helps the depression, and editing depressed helps nobody.
Best of luck, and know you’re not alone.
August 18, 2014 — 7:40 AM
Curtis Edmonds (@Curtis_Edmonds) says:
One of the things that fuels depression is having to deal with large, unsolvable issues that you can’t do much about and aren’t capable of dealing with. Having an idea for a novel that you have no clear path on how to write is one of these things. So don’t fuel your depression when you can feed your self-esteem.
I would try doing two things. First, write an outline for the novel. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just write down one sentence that summarizes each chapter, for as many chapters as you can think of. You don’t have to necessarily follow the outline, of course, but it’s a start. Having even a brief outline chunks up the narrative for you.
Second, try writing something else. Something short, preferably something silly. It doesn’t have to be related to anything else that you do. A couple of thousand words would do. You don’t have to publish it or even share it with anybody. But you will have accomplished something, even something tiny, and that’s a finger in depression’s eye.
August 18, 2014 — 1:18 PM
doseyclwn says:
That’s a tough one. I tend to solve that problem by writing through it. I’m going through a bit of it right now. Sometimes, all I write is 1000 words on how I don’t feel like fucking writing today. Little by little (sometimes painfully slow) I start to write again. I take a notebook with me everywhere, and sooner or later, “the hater” is outshouted by the writerly part of the committee in my head and I can write again. The important thing (imho) is to keep at it.
August 18, 2014 — 11:48 PM
Jen Donohue says:
Sometimes writing about the depression, or what caused it (if situational/environmental) can be helpful in moving forward, whether you jacket it in fiction or not. Of course, this might not help with the novel you want to start on, but perhaps it’s something to consider, depending on what you have in mind. There are things I’ve confronted in writing fiction that I would likely never discuss with people as such. It’s just too raw, or too thorny, an avenue to go down otherwise.
August 18, 2014 — 11:52 PM
Lucky Simms says:
Well, pretty good, hey thanks for askin’!
Finally got all them short stories and serials out of my system, working on finishing up the big spec fic sex romp trilogy for a September release.
I don’t know about you, but that Kindle Unlimited thing is great, as a reader especially. I can honestly say I’ve done the Fat Lady At The Salad Bar proud, and piled up twice as many titles on my big ol’ book plate. Nom nom nom gorge urp YES.
August 17, 2014 — 9:47 PM
kalebruss3 says:
I just started working on my first novel and am currently building the world, characters, etc. I’m doing my best to research without freaking out about not actually writing the book. I don’t want to continue the story without some kind of outline, but I also hate that writing isn’t getting done.
August 17, 2014 — 9:48 PM
David says:
I feel your pain. I’m doing the same thing, except I’m having to do it all AFTER I completed a first draft, which is so full of plot holes the Swiss are trying to make sandwiches with it. Trust me, if you need to plan, you need to plan.
If it makes you feel better, try to write some scene snippets to get a feel for your characters, or your setting, or what have you. Just promise yourself that anything you write will not be required to go in your actual first draft. Words you end up throwing away are still good practice.
August 17, 2014 — 11:37 PM
Kaleb JD Russell says:
Thank you for the advice. Good luck with your novel.
August 18, 2014 — 5:40 AM
Colleen says:
Just write – not necessarily the writing, but what David said – snippets. Sometimes working out a piece of your world by writing story snippets, or little vignettes, or flash fiction, or a poem set on that world can help you figure out things that won’t come out from the research. And you get a nice pile of fodder for short fiction, sequels and promos later. And good luck 🙂
August 18, 2014 — 3:47 AM
Kaleb JD Russell says:
Wow! Thank you Collen. That is great advice. I can’t wait to try it out.
August 18, 2014 — 7:37 AM
gloria says:
Hi,
I am so glad that this community is about writing for all writers! I have been reading the posts and find them actually quite useful. That would be as compared to nearly ALL information I have found online. I actually called one agency that offered to give me advice about my book at the rate of $200 per hour. Now, while I was willing to pay for some hopefully good advice, I was not willing to pay for abuse. This guy actually acted like I was wasting his time. He was rude and condescending. So, forget that! I expect rejection, not abusive rejection!
I have completed my first narrative memoir and it is dark. I would appreciate any good advice anyone might have about legitimate sites that help writers. I have written for years and finally decided to put it all into a manuscript.
This is the first time I have given up the day to day in order to have a life writing. I hope I don’t suck and don’t starve to death, definitely two different things. I write almost daily for whatever time it takes my mind to puke out the disgusting stuff in there. If I do not want to write, I don’t, I just don’t judge myself for it.
Gloria
August 17, 2014 — 9:52 PM
conniecockrell says:
I’m so sorry you wandered into that nest of snakes. There are a lot of good groups out there that will help a girl out with good advice, free of charge. This blog is one of them. Others are Kristine Rusch, http://kriswrites.com/#sthash.fv2HIMJQ.dpbs, Her husband Dean Wesley Smith at Deanwesleysmith.com. Holly Lisle also has a great site,http://howtothinksideways.com/. The Forward Motion group is world wide and there seems to be someone in chat at all times of the day or night if you have a question. They also have a great set of forums for information on all aspects of writing. They’re free and do not spam. http://www.fmwriters.com/zoomfm/ I suspect others can direct you to other great blogs and author sites.
August 19, 2014 — 7:22 PM
Patti says:
I found this space about three weeks ago…about the same time I decided to get serious about writing. Set up a blog, and gearing up the courage to participate in writing exercises provided.
I haven’t found my voice.
Yet.
I like the space here and appreciate the community of writers. Thanks.
August 17, 2014 — 9:55 PM
Colleen says:
I don’t get to visit often, but I always find it a good place to be. Thanks also from me.
August 18, 2014 — 3:59 AM
Cat York says:
I went back to a weekly paycheck job and, sadly, have not been writing or even reading. 🙁 If I have any time during the day between the kids activities and my shifts, I’m trying to work on my illustration portfolio for some upcoming conferences. I hope I can learn to balance it all out and start writing again, but I can’t seem to motivate myself to push on with the writing part. I think I may have folded my hand there. Out of chips.
Having tried so hard and then taking a step back actually makes me more in awe of people who do it for a living and seem to manage other aspects of life.
You’re an inspiration, Chuck. Thanks for always devoting time to the writing community. And writing great books … you’re awesome!
August 17, 2014 — 9:59 PM
Saxon Kennedy says:
Hi Chuck-
I don’t know if you remember me, but on Goodreads you answered a question from an eleven-year old…well, I’m back!
Thanks for your advice; my teachers and parents are helping me find a publisher, and a couple university professors have heard and are also pitching in, so I am hoping everything turns out well. I am 100 pages into my sequel, and everything has been running smoothly (both in my writing and publishing efforts). My only concern is that tomorrow is the first day of middle school, and I hate the idea of putting my books on hold, but don’t want to overload myself. I’m already in all the advanced classes, the National Junior Honor Society, and just about everything else. I know this probably wouldn’t be your area of expertise, but would you happen to have any advice??? Considering my bizarre circumstances, I’m pretty sure nobody *really* knows what I’m going through, despite the many teen cliches, and I would be so thankful if you had anything to share from when you were in middle school, or just writing in general.
August 17, 2014 — 10:04 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Saxon, congrats on doing all that before you even start middle school! I’m a wee bit beyond that point (okay, even my kids are in high school now, and I went to junior high in another century), but I’ll share a couple of things that are probably universal. Stay out of the drama. You know what I mean. And don’t worry if some kids think you’re weird because you do something they would never dream of. Odds are that if you love writing, you’ll find an English teacher somewhere who will be a huge help and be really glad to know you. It worked for my oldest son.
Maybe you can do like many of the writers here who have day jobs–just mark out a little time each week that’s yours, when you can write. If your schoolwork proves less of a burden than you think, you can enlarge that time.
Good luck with both the writing and middle school!
August 18, 2014 — 1:03 AM
marylholden says:
Keep being a kid, but also keep writing…no matter how you do it. Keep your journal on your person even when you’re asleep. Get some nice person to call once a week and check in with them just to talk about writing. (I wish someone had done this for me when I was your age.) Write in the spaces of time, and in the times of spaces…soon you’ll be 80 and looking down a road paved with word choices!
August 18, 2014 — 1:18 AM
Colleen says:
Hi Saxon. I hope you don’t mind me jumping in. You’re right – I don’t know what you’re really going through, but I do understand about having to have to put things on hold or slow them down. This year I did what some might call the dumb thing and went back to university so now I’m doing a full-time study load and working full-time and it’s hard. I don’t know what to say to that except to take the long view. Work out what commitments you have coming up and what you need to do to meet them and do well, and then work your writing in around it as best you can. Try to get a hundred words down a day or fifty or something – write them in pen for typing up later or type them in a Word doco set aside – or, if things get really bad, jot down the key sentence that started the picture in your head and hope it acts as the key to bring the scene back when you’ve carved it out a bit of time to write. It’s not ideal, and there are days when I just want to scream because I have to get an assignment done, or homework, or just practice my language to keep it improving, and then I have to go to work, but because I know why I want to achieve these things and where they sit in my life in regards to my writing, and because I know the stories won’t ever go away, I can manage…. and also because I have an end date. An end date is good. That last one helps a lot. And good luck.
August 18, 2014 — 4:12 AM
The Glitzy Faery says:
Doing pretty good, Chuck!
The writing’s going … oddly. Put aside the Camelot-inspired fantasy because I got a sudden inspiration for erotica set in Victorian-era Phoenix, AZ (where I live). Odd, but I’m excited, and resent the hours I can’t spend writing. I’m sure I’ll hit the “oh man, this sucks, I should just burn the computer” wall pretty soon, lol.
Good news: the bio-dad that pretty much ignored me my whole life managed to leave me a few bucks when he passed. I didn’t feel much about his passing, but even if it’s not much, unexpected money is always good.
Problems: fibromyalgia sucks ass.
No major grievances. I’ve found that the older I get, the less the little things bother me … and more things get kicked into the “little things” category. It’s very freeing. Every decade I think,
August 17, 2014 — 10:04 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
…that I should learn to type, lol. I was about done anyway. 🙂
August 17, 2014 — 10:05 PM
Colleen says:
Good luck with your Phoenix and Camelot stories – it’s fun when you have a story that drags you in and makes you burn to write.
August 18, 2014 — 4:17 AM
A Citizen of the World says:
My first novel is going slowly but it’s moving along inch by inch as I sneak an hour here and there to write and have succeeded in clearing most Sunday afternoons to write as well.
My worldbuilding has mushroomed wildly from something that was supposed to be simple to a vast world that just keeps growing and growing and growing…
My characters have started talking to me. I hear them in my head, I see them in action when I write. It’s awesome.
Now to try to move from snail speed to tortoise speed so I can get the first draft completed by Christmas…
August 17, 2014 — 10:06 PM
Colleen says:
Way to go, Citizen – I love seeing other writers writing and enjoying it. Good luck with the first draft.
August 18, 2014 — 4:15 AM
A Citizen of the World says:
Thanks, Colleen! I love spending time with my characters, even the family of homicidal sociopaths who are part of the Big Bad – it’s like watching a trainwreck in slow motion (horrified fascination keeps you riveted).
The two frustrating bits are that:
1. I write slowly with occasional spurts. Also, when I get into the swing of writing, I can’t seem to write out the scenes in my head fast enough. To do that, I’ve had to add another step to the process: write scenes in screenplay/script format to get the first draft out of my head, then transpose it into prose.
2. This looks like it’s going to go way over 90K – 100K words (which is standard for a YA book).
Nevertheless, onwards with the writing. Anything that needs to be fixed can be fixed during the first round of edits.
August 18, 2014 — 9:19 PM
Saxon Kennedy says:
Oh also-
To those of you who were complaining about teenagers in the comments section of one of the other posts, I totally get you frustration, kids can be jerks, but did you ever stop to think we might be reading that stuff too? Rude generalizations are just as frustrating for kids like me, who are automatically accused of the things others have done. I think one of things we hate the most is being compared to other people. We have to be better than our parents, fit horrible stereotypes, AND be better than every other kid too?? All of that on top of hormones. You have GOT to be kidding me. No wonder I’m a misfit. I’m not saying it justifies everything any kid has ever done, because there is some obnoxious stuff out there, but ease up a little bit. Please.
August 17, 2014 — 10:11 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
Sometimes we forget how obnoxious we were at that age. I know for a FACT that not all teens are – my son is much, much more focused and responsible than I was, lol. I guess that means I did a good job! So tell your parents that another one said “Good job at parenting, you.” 🙂
August 17, 2014 — 10:45 PM
garrettbrobinson says:
I wasn’t part of that bashing (didn’t see it actually) but I’ll apologize on the behalf. Too many people forget what it was like. It gets worse as they get older. I’m less than ten years removed from teens and I occasionally teach at my old high school, so yeah — I know that life is just as real no matter how old you are. And I know plenty of teens who are smarter than people in their thirties and forties who love to bitch about teens. (The teens will do better in life, too).
August 17, 2014 — 11:19 PM
Percy Kerry (@percykerry) says:
Hola, Chuck. Greetings.
I’m doing fine.
The writing’s going good…at a moderate pace of 1000 words/day.
The good news my novel, even in its unfinished form, looks less crappy.
Bad news is I’m not getting more time to write- I’m a student.
Grievances are less right now, fortunately.
Good news is I have developed a daily routine for writing that I seldom deviate from.
Hopefully, in the near future, I’ll be able to tell you I have a contract with a publisher 🙂
August 17, 2014 — 10:17 PM
David says:
1,000 words a day is nothing to sneeze at; that’s four good-sized first drafts a year. Keep up the great work!
August 17, 2014 — 11:32 PM
Heather says:
Help! Here’s what’s going on: I submitted my novel to an agency. The agent I submitted passed my query on to his colleague, who emailed me requesting the first three chapters. I sent them to her happily (my first request!! Eeee!) After a while, she did not reply. After a couple weeks, I emailed just to verify that she had received them. She emailed back with an apology saying she’d lost them, and could I please send them again in another format? I sent them happily again! She verified that she’d received them, and said that she would get back to me VERY soon. That was about five weeks ago…so you can see the issue here.
I certainly do not want to be a pest, and I understand very well that agents are extremely busy. But if she’s going to pass, I want to do a read-through with some betas and see what can be fixed (which I have done several times already, don’t worry–but if I’m not getting any interest I think it’s wise to do it again). If she’s interested in reading more, I don’t want to change it all up on her.
Should I email her to check? Just assume she’s moved on? What do you recommend, writerly friends??
August 17, 2014 — 10:18 PM
Ash says:
I feel as though i am the creepy guy who just sits around reading y’alls stuff. I am neither a writer or aspiring writer. But i come here just about every day just to see what Chuck has to say. I find him to be funny and compassionate enough that i am willing to read what he has to say. I miss the search word bingo, i enjoy his updates on B-Dub, and i am still patiently waiting for the story about the time he saw a tiger pee on a kis at the zoo!!!
August 17, 2014 — 10:19 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
LOL! That’s ok, we writers live for the day when we have our own audience, too. Welcome!
August 17, 2014 — 10:46 PM
lpon45 says:
The writing stuff is weird right now, full of promise and a lot of daunting work ahead.
I have a great opportunity and am trying to make the most of it. An assistant to an agent at a very prestigious agency liked my self-published novel very much (although it wasn’t well suited for their house) and asked if I had anything else in the works. She was most interested in a manuscript I put aside a few months ago and requested a chapter outline and/or a few chapters. Hooray! Trouble is, as I review the outline I see the novel really isn’t at a stage I want to share it with anyone, much less the person who may one day be an agent herself. And I want to change the time period to the 1970s (trust me, it’ll work).
So now I’m back from vacation (and fresh off of reading The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mockingbird) and am determined to at least have a couple of chapters to send along in the next 2-3 weeks. Wish me luck, and luck to everyone else!
August 17, 2014 — 10:20 PM
boydstun215 says:
Just finished reading The Blue Blazes . . . I think I kind of have a man-crush on Mookie Pearl now. Can’t wait to read the next in the series. Wouldn’t it be something if Miriam Black and Mookie Pearl teamed up. I get all sweaty just thinking about it.
Currently working on a novella of historical fiction and horror. The story takes its cue from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 and features a particularly scary figure of European folklore, Krampus (sort of a scarier version of Werth in The Blue Blazes).
Also working on a short memoir piece about (*winces*) turning forty, which is gonna happen in about three months. Oh god. The piece is actually a mix of fiction and memoir and features three characters—me, The Youth, and Rem (short for The Refined Gentleman). The Youth is a punk, Rem is a bit of a prude, and I’m . . . well, stuck somewhere in between. We’re all trying to learn to play nicely together.
And, as usual, I’m working on a flash fiction challenge from several weeks back entitled “What the Highway Prefers,” about a guy who cleans up road kill for a living. I always intend to keep these stories at around 1000 words, but they invariably take on a life of their own and end up many thousands of words. One of these days I’ll post on time. I hope.
I used to say that writing is what I did between everything else—work, family, sleeping and eating, exercising, reading—but I’m happiest and most alive when I’m writing, so now I say that everything else happens between writing.
August 17, 2014 — 10:21 PM
angeliquejamail says:
How nice of you to provide this space for us to share! I hope my comment isn’t too far down on the page for anyone to see it. 😉
I’m at a marvelous place in my writing career, and I hope this isn’t the last time I’ll be here. For the first time, this summer I had a book about to come out, a book I was editing, and a book I was writing (sort of — more on that in a minute).
The first of this trifecta came out early this month, a short novella called FINIS. that came out as an ebook only (because of its length). It’s magic realism and came out to wonderful fanfare in Houston (where I’m from), with a great launch party and reading whose attendees overflowed the room. Now I have to figure out new ways to promote it without annoying my followers. (Really appreciated the recent posts on that topic, by the way. Totally common sense, but I’m impatient and they were a good reminder that slow and steady wins the race.)
Next, my latest collection of poems, PLAYING HOUSE, is in its final stages of editing. As in, I have two or three more poems to finish the revisions on, and it’ll be ready to go. Yay!
Finally, my novel (high fantasy and dark faerie tale) is in rewrites. It was stalled a little this summer as I was getting those other two projects done, but my deadline for the revision of the novel is the end of November, so here’s hoping I can focus on it better now.
And the issue I’m having? Well, other than balancing self-promotion, I teach high school full-time (English and Creative Writing). Finding time to write is a challenge. Finding time to sleep is tough, too. And then coming up with new content for my blog? Oy. I suspect I need to find a better work-life balance really soon…
Thanks again for the opportunity to share. 🙂 Any advice on how to get through these charming difficulties from those who are more experienced than I is welcome. Cheers!
August 17, 2014 — 10:22 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
WHOA! Sounds like you’re doing great, congrats! Finding time is always tough. Keep us posted on the dark faeries, I love that shit. Well, as is probably obvious….
August 17, 2014 — 10:49 PM
angeliquejamail says:
Thank you so much! 🙂 Best way to keep up is to follow my blog: http://www.SapphosTorque.com. Or my other social media (FB, Twitter). Thanks again for your interest. 🙂
August 18, 2014 — 7:41 AM
Amber Keller says:
I am coming out of a dry spell. A year long dry spell. When anxiety and life hits hard, things get dark, including my ability to write. Having said that, I have clawed my way out and have had one of the most positive things happen with regards to my writing – I have teamed up with the amazingly talented and just as darling Kat Howard to help me out with a project or two. This has done wonders for my self-esteem and confidence. And it’s Kat! NUFF SAID. I also have had the pleasure recently of working with editor Julie Hutchings on yet another piece. She’s a firecracker with a heart made of bacon. Pure bacon, I say. Both of them have high recommendations from me.
Before that dry spell, I had a short story accepted for an anthology over a year ago. It is just now debuting at GenCon. It’s been a super frustrating experience, but I’m excited to see (and read) the finished product! This isn’t the first time a sale has been rather lengthy, it’s just been the longest for me to date.
It’s small steps, big steps, whatever-size-steps-I-can-make that keep me moving forward.
August 17, 2014 — 10:30 PM
Peter Welmerink says:
My Military Post-Post Zombie Apocalypse series TRANSPORT has come out. First book available. 2nd book in editors hands. I read THE BLUE BLAZES, pulled my manuscript back in from editor after learning much from BLAZES, -wrote 2nd book more POPPIN’! Editor is lovin’ it. Working on 3rd book in series, having fun with it, only halfway through at about 40k as of this writing. Yeehaa!
August 17, 2014 — 10:36 PM
conniecockrell says:
Congratulations! Well done.
August 19, 2014 — 7:26 PM
lalouziane says:
How is it going? Slow! S L O W ! I am writing the second book of my series and it’s tougher than I thought. I have the most trouble with back story. Everyone is not going to read the first book and then this one, so I have to catch them up. I don’t do well on back story.
August 17, 2014 — 10:38 PM
Badger says:
I feel your pain. I just started my sequel…..two years later. I’ve had lots of false starts (and a distraction) but it’s okay. I’m dropping hints in the beginning of the sequel to explain the situation, but I’m not going back and filling everything in. Try that, see if that helps. If it doesn’t, I’m sure there are lots of other folks around here who have great advice for you. Right, guys?
August 17, 2014 — 10:42 PM
lalouziane says:
Badger, thank you. This series thing is tough huh? I put a lot of clues in the first book. But now I have to set up the next 2 or 3 books… it’s tougher than I thought it would be, but it’s fun. Very challenging.
Thank you for the help.
August 17, 2014 — 10:59 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
I agree with Badger – don’t explain everything again. I’ve started books that I didn’t realize were in the middle of a series. If they like it, they’ll go back & read the first one, trust me!
August 17, 2014 — 10:51 PM
lalouziane says:
Gliotzy Faery, thank you. I did that recently, I read the second in the series. I liked it so I went back and read the first.
August 17, 2014 — 11:04 PM
johncullinan says:
Finished the first draft of my new book this week. Recently got together with a new writing/critique group which has already paid off in excellent feedback for the rewrite. Meanwhile, my first book has been sitting with an agent the past few months, waiting for an answer. Fingers crossed.
August 17, 2014 — 10:44 PM
Stephanie Bittner says:
I’m almost to 30,000 words on the new manuscript, and only days away from starting to submit the one I’ve been revising for years. The final edits on that book are done, I have a query I like, and I have an Excel sheet of appropriate agents. I feel like I’m finally making progress.
August 17, 2014 — 10:59 PM
conniecockrell says:
Hooray! How exciting.
August 19, 2014 — 7:27 PM
David Wilson says:
I continue to work on the novel that I started during NaNo. Got some good feedback on the first part of the novel and have done some revision work. Currently putting my character thru hell in the rugged steppe land in my novel. No real problems to report.
August 17, 2014 — 11:05 PM
Ruth Dupré says:
My memoir just came out this week in Slovenia. I’m excited and nervous, and I’ve been spending my time prepping for the book tour in October — writing speech, getting speech translated, shopping for clothes… I’m getting the English version ready to submit to publishers here in the US. Only now have I started thinking about another book…
August 17, 2014 — 11:08 PM
conniecockrell says:
Good for you. All the best with the book tour.
August 19, 2014 — 7:27 PM
Below Darkness says:
How’s the writing going?
Great, a million stories ran through my head this week, and i wrote about 10 words. I have been doing this 10 years. Right now i do this full-time. I have not spoken to a person in 2 weeks. And not many in 2 years.
Tell us some good news.
Lady, the dog, touched my soul. I know i can never give up. For her, and for the people jumping off the cliff in suicide style.
Trouble us with your problems.
I picked up a picture off the side of the road. It’s tacky. A skinny girl with decent sized bosoms pushed up tight by one of those leather things that lace up at the front. It’s dark purple. She has a string of purple flowers wrapped around her head and flowing down her back with her long hair. I can not see her pupils because she looks down at the cat she holds in her arms, but her eyes are dark, with blood smears on the under side. I think i might like her, thats my problem. She glows against a dark background.
Got good news? Celebrate it.
I picked up a new chair off the side of the road too. It’s black, cow smelly leather, worn nice and soft. Timber frame. With a foot stool too. I sat in it and read ‘Bird by Bird’ and cried my eyes out.
August 17, 2014 — 11:18 PM
Alicia Wanstall-Burke says:
I’m having the WORST time… My hand has given out with possible tendinitis. I can’t get an ultrasound on it until Wednesday at the hospital 2 hours away from home. Writing is completely out of the question. It’s killing me. I’ve never been more miserable. I can’t even do housework!
All that keeps me going is knowing my draft to date is with a leviathan UK publisher for feedback. When they will get the complete MS is unknown – I haven’t been able to work for a month now. Fingers crossed I don’t need hand surgery. Or perhaps toes crossed, as my fingers are out of commission.
Sorry to rant/whine – so uplifting hearing all your good news stories!!
Xo
August 17, 2014 — 11:22 PM
gloria says:
Alicia,
Not sure if this is helpful, but try Dragon Naturally Speaking. It might get you past the rough spots. I found it was too slow even after I read in my documents. It might be better than nothing though.
All the best,
August 17, 2014 — 11:26 PM
lalouziane says:
Gloria, tendenitis is very painful. You can wear a brace on your wrist that may help, but it may be awhile before you can write. I know some authors who use Dragonspeak. I type all of my work, but tendenitis will slow you down. So sorry. I hope it gets better soon.
August 17, 2014 — 11:30 PM
fadedglories says:
Hi Alice
Take it easy with the poorly hand. Indulge yourself in reading a whole pile of different stuff, novels, non-fiction, essays etc. It will all add to your writing skills. You could also do some voice recording of your ideas……much cheaper than voice software in the UK.
August 18, 2014 — 3:56 AM
susielindau says:
How nice of you to ask!
I’ve burnished and polished my package to send an agent. I just have to work up the courage to press, “Send.” Hopefully this week.
So tell me, old sage of the campfire, how is your writing going?
August 17, 2014 — 11:29 PM
Michelle Hunt says:
Just push the button! Push the button! Don’t overthink it! The worst that can happen is that agent says no, but there are LOTS of agents, so so what?
August 18, 2014 — 3:15 PM
susielindau says:
I know! Right? I have to figure out what writer’s platform info I should include in my query and I’ll let it rip. Thanks!!!
August 18, 2014 — 4:07 PM
eporter70 says:
Wow, congratulations to you all who’ve published and are getting somewhere. I’ve spent my time wandering through bookstores and feeling sorry for myself. Any advice on how to get out of the funk? I do some online writing (fanfiction, ok?) so am posting some stuff…
Good luck to all those who are struggling!
August 17, 2014 — 11:29 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
Why do you feel sorry for yourself? Just because other people’s names are on those covers, doesn’t mean that you suck just because yours isn’t – yet.
Fan fiction can be great practice. If you’re doing that, then you know you can write. “50 Shades of Grey” is “Twilight” fan fic with the vampires removed. Just think “What would these characters do in another universe?”
You’re already writing. Stop feeling that your writing life is already over when it hasn’t even begun. I’m 52 and am JUST getting serious about writing. I’ve been writing since grade school, but life, cancer & an autistic son had to come first. Now I have time, lol. It’s never, ever too late.
August 17, 2014 — 11:48 PM
fadedglories says:
Not everyone who writes will get published, unless they self-publish.
If getting published were the only reward, lots of us wouldn’t be here. Writing, including all the research and plotting etc, is a reward in itself; so if you enjoy the process don’t worry about what happens next.
Write on and on and on…..who knows what the future holds?
August 18, 2014 — 4:02 AM
Michelle Hunt says:
Totally agree with fadedglories here. Getting published is different than being a writer. What makes a person a writer is that she WRITES, not that she gets published!
August 18, 2014 — 3:17 PM
David says:
Still working on a book about a boy and his demon. It’s been a year and a half since I finished the first draft and I’ve done nothing but build the world, develop characters and write a few scene fragments. I am making significant progress, just not as much as I’d like as fast as I’d like. I have no idea if this is normal, but for an epic fantasy trilogy (planned) I hope it’s acceptable.
I’m also working on some short fiction so I can actually finish and submit a few things. Part of this involves trying to decide whether Writer’s Market or Novelist & Short Story Writer’s Market is more worth my dollar. I checked both 2014 editions out through Kindle Unlimited and so far it looks like N&SSWM is going to be the winner.
August 17, 2014 — 11:30 PM
Sami says:
Hello!
I’m sending out my first novel to find an agent and it’s…*harrowing* might be overdramatic, but it’s nervous-making like woah, and i’ll be glad when I find someone right and at least that step is taken care of!
Second novel is being a monster, so I’m going to take a week off and refocus and clear the channels with some short stories. I miss short stories! Novels take so long!
~:)
August 17, 2014 — 11:34 PM
Dan Dan The Art Man says:
I worked really hard on a 7,000 fantasy adventure short story for an anthology and I just got an email that it was accepted! I have plans to turn it into a graphic novel with an amazing comic book artist eventually too!
August 17, 2014 — 11:45 PM
The Glitzy Faery says:
COOL! That sounds awesome. 🙂
August 17, 2014 — 11:49 PM
Marlee Jane says:
I got home from Clarion West two weeks ago and I’m trying to adjust to real life again (OH GOD, I WANNA GO BACK, I WANNA GO BACK!) and do a bunch of re-writes on the stories I wrote there. I’ve also sent out three stories and had one rejection already.
I’m struggling a bit with work and life and really wishing I could keep up the momentum I had back in Seattle! I’ve never been so creative and joyous and I’m doing everything I can to try and keep that engine running.
August 17, 2014 — 11:51 PM
St.Louis says:
Writing my first novel (that I have been planning for years).
20k words in.
Finally got to where I can write an effective outline, and trust it (mostly).
Procrastinating by reading this blog, but feeling energized by it also.
Panicking since the summer is over, and I will be out of free time to write with the start of school.
August 18, 2014 — 12:29 AM
chriskridler says:
Preparing Book 3 of a trilogy for publication. I totally believe in it, but as an indie pub, I haven’t seen big sales. Questioning the process. Observing the crazy upheaval in the publishing world without seeing any obvious answers, but still loving the writing. So … I’ll keep writing, try to figure out my next move and hope lightning strikes. Chuck, thanks for your voice of sanity (or controlled insanity). Cheers.
August 18, 2014 — 12:31 AM
Colleen says:
Good luck, Chris.
August 18, 2014 — 4:19 AM
Lindsey Thompson says:
My goal of writing an entire manuscript this summer failed due to my travel schedule and lack of motivation, and also my ideas seem to be lacking the muster to create anything. Oh the woe.
August 18, 2014 — 12:41 AM
Kate Baray says:
Mildly annoyed by a negative review that slams book 1 in my series…then says, but I’m reading the next one. More than mildly annoyed when the next book is also slammed but reviewer states they will be reading the as yet unpublished third. Yay, me. If I could comment, “please don’t,” I would =)
Other than that mild annoyance, loving self-pub, seeing some traction in my series, and enjoying the process and the possibilities.
August 18, 2014 — 12:48 AM
Ashlee Jade says:
I’m doing okay. I had my first ever short story professionally published earlier this year and my blog is inching although I have no idea what I’m doing. Currently working on the second draft of my first proper novel. Haven’t gotten very far, but I have a good bit of essential world-building done, a good outline that I’m happy with and a couple of really strong scenes. It will be a much better book when it’s all over, it’s just a matter of getting around to actually doing it.
Aside from that college is being difficult but only because I’ve been really sick lately and falling behind. Now I have to deal with my below-average immune system, trying to catch up on my studies and keep writing my book and blog, as well as trying to actually be a person in the world that isn’t defined by the edges of my computer screen.
Although, I think my biggest problem right now is the fear. The fear that no matter how much I try and how much I work I will never actually be able to make a living from this writing thing. It is literally the only thing I’ve wanted since I was a kid and now I’m finally in a position to start going after it I’m shaking in my boots with the ginormous tower of things to go and paths to take and the devastating consequences if I fail. Also the fact that I’ve set my heart on the self-pub route doesn’t do anything to make the mountain I’ve got to climb any smaller.
At the same time I love the work that I’m doing, and I love the hope that is causing all this fear. If I try and fail, it’ll hurt so much because of all the hope that I have now. Sooo, any advice on first steps? I’ve kind of already begun but I’d like to get some idea of the road ahead before I stumble, it’ll make it all the easier to get back up.
August 18, 2014 — 12:50 AM
Colleen says:
Hey Ashlee. What can I say. Just keep walking. Just keep writing. I won’t say it’s nice to see someone feeling the same way I’ve felt, because it’s not, but it is nice to know I’m not alone. I’m two years into this self-pub thing. I’m not making a living yet, but I’m also working under a couple of different pen names and a few different genres, so I’m told that will make progress slower. If you fall, just get up again, and keep getting up, and keep writing, and working to make the next book better – like someone has told us over and over, and those are words to live by. I see my sales slowly improve under all my author names, and i keep writing. If I was writing more, I’d be further along. If I wasn’t writing a lot of short fiction and poetry right now, I’d be further along. If I was focussed on only one pen name I’d be further along. But it’s a long road and I’ve taken some time to get to it so I’ve compromised, and I guess that’s okay. It’s okay to be afraid, but you can take the sting out of it by focussing on the next book, the next assignment, the next whatever has to be done.
And CONGRATULATIONS on your short story publication!
August 18, 2014 — 4:30 AM
Ashlee Jade says:
Thanks so much Colleen. I really needed to hear`that right now, and it is good to know that someone else out there in the world wide web feels/ has felt this way. Still a long way to go, but at least places like this help to let us feel like we’re not as alone.
August 18, 2014 — 7:56 PM