Life, it has been said, is what happens while you were making other plans. My last post talked about some of the things that life has brought me, recently. This post, is about the other plans I’ve made. Last year, at Balticon, I started what I had termed my “summer project” to get my novel The Perils of Prague ready for publication by the end of the summer. That project did not go off as planned… [click to continue…]
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The plan for this November was pretty much the same as last November: Write a new novel for NaNoWriMo, and post a daily diary chronicling the journey. This year I had the added tool of the Magic Spreadsheet added into it. The plan was not just to write 50,000 words, but to do so by writing every day. So what happened? [click to continue…]
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At long last, we have come down to the last episode of the Balticon 47 Wrap up. We hope you’ve enjoyed the long journey to get there, and that you will likewise enjoy this final episode. For our last episode brought to you from Balticon and Swimming Cat Studios, we bring to you the last panel from the New Media Track at Balticon 47. This panel is entitled Multi-Creatives and it is an examination of why some artists are drawn to create in more than one media, how they manage it, and why they continue with it.
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As I mentioned in last week’s #WriterWednesday post, this past weekend was my first experience with Capclave. I wasn’t at all sure what to expect, but I figured that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend a con in my own back yard. I expected the con to be small, but in its own way, it was bigger than usual. I guess having George R. R. Martin as your Guest of Honor will do that to your tiny literary con. This had both good and bad consequences. [click to continue…]
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Instead of looking back on the week that was, for this week’s #WriterWednesday post, I’m going to look forward. This is probably just as well, because as everyone knows, this past week has pretty much been a gall stone of a week. It will pass, but not easily. Instead, I’m looking forward, and finding a new experience on my horizon for this weekend: Capclave! Despite the fact that Capclave is pretty much in our back yard, this year will be the first year for us to attend. [click to continue…]
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Writing is often a solitary occupation. But periodically, there are events that will bring the writing community together for mutual support and the friendly spirit of competition. One such annual event, is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. Each year, during the month of November, The Office of Letters and Light, and writers everywhere, challenge each other to write a 50 thousand word novel in just 30 days. Some folks revel in the challenge, others despair of meeting their daily word goals, still others despair for the flood of self-published first drafts that are sure to flood the market in December and January, presuming to be finished without editing or review. No matter your view on NaNoWriMo, it still has a lot of good lessons to teach writers who are looking to move their writing up from a hobby to a more professional level of production. Professional quality comes later, as one learns the value of editing… [click to continue…]
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Our last episode focused on the business of being a writer, but this episode is focused more upon the skills needed in writing. No, we’re not talking about typing skills or penmanship. What we are talking about is the techniques that different authors use in constructing their stories. This is actually an age-old debate about which method is better for plotting out and writing your first draft: creating a detailed outline, or just sitting down and writing? [click to continue…]
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This post was inspired by a conversation I had on Facebook this weekend with a fellow writer who has had a difficult time of late. It was also inspired by many, many conversations I have had with other friends who have expressed their gratitude and their respect for all the work I have put into being an author and a voice actor. At first, I didn’t understand where that respect was coming from… [click to continue…]
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If it is Monday, then it must be time for another episode of the Balticon 47 Wrap up, courtesy of Balticon and Swimming Cat Studios. Today’s episode covers one of the most important subjects for any writer who wants to make the transition and become a professional Author: How do you set up your business. Most authors are sole proprietorships, and without a little business savvy, they can find themselves becoming victims in the marketplace. As an author you make your living selling rights to your stories. While you can have someone else run that part of the business for you, you need to have enough business knowledge to know when they are doing a good job, and when you need to get someone else. As a new author, you usually can’t afford to hire someone to do the business end, so you have to hire yourself. [click to continue…]
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The Perils of Prague (The Adventures of Crackle and Bang, #1)
