May 2015 Motivation Thread

Wilson Geiger

Wilson Geiger

Greymane
Joined
Aug 22, 2011
Messages
1,688
Write. Be awesome.

Charlotte, you're awesome. You've got a pro credit, and you're doing what you love to do. Keep doing it. Try to do more of it. Write what you can, and embrace it. Quit selling yourself short. Because you're not. What you are? Yeah, that's right. You're awesome.

RedMage, you're awesome. You've got novels written, and you did that in half the time it took me. You're a young pup, and you've already written novels! You know how many quit before they accomplished that? Stick to the Halloween novel, but don't stick too long, because you want others to read it. Make it as good as you can, but don't make it perfect, because that goal always moves on you. Write queries and start submitting that sucker. Keep at the Pirate novel. I have faith you and Jason can make great things.

Andrew, you're awesome. Your mustache is awesome, and it makes my gray beard jealous. You've got titles out, and I really enjoyed the weird western stuff. I'm never quite sure what to expect from you, and that's a good thing. But seriously, more weird western. Because it's awesome, and I dig it. I want to see actual novels from you, and I bet I'm not the only one. Get to it.

Nila, you're awesome. You are helpful, and you're always willing to take a look at stories and help with critiques and feedback. And better than that, you're an awesome writer. I'm not saying that just to be nice, because part of me is jealous at how good a writer you are. And I know you can be even better. You're busy, but make time for yourself. You're awesome, and you deserve it. And we want to read more of you.

Pass it on. Goals are great, and we all need them, but let's try to motivate this month. Let's try to motivate others.
 
His mane may be grey but his books are read?

After a triumphant April (participated in short story challenge, came 2nd, currently lying second in the Flash) I'm planning the following:

Draft of new short story for forum competition on letters from home
submit a new Flash to the forum competition, whatever the topic
Bit more bloggery on the old Tristram Shandy thesis
Revisit my Casablancas fragment from the March flash competition and see if it has legs to run to novella length. It would be the longest fiction I've ever written so I need to have a plan and a structure...
 
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Wow, Wilson. That is, actually, quite the good motivation for me. THANK YOU!

(by the way, I think you're writing is great too. The post-apocalyptic serial you have now, I keep meaning to read it and haven't begun due to time constraints--can I read it on my cell/mobile? I'm doing a lot of that these days... Every idea I hear of yours blows my mind. The fact you can churn out a story as polished and quick as you do impresses me and makes me wish I could get my life to match my goals to do similar. So keep at it! You are living the life of focus and dedication to your craft that I only dream about.)

Ok, my goals for the month are:
  1. Continue waking up at 5AM to write for an hour before work. To accomplish this I really need to stop posting here and on Facebook before 8AM! This time is for writing, dammit!
  2. Return Pirate book to Jason/JD Carelli for his read-through. Should be done sooner than later, in the next week??
  3. Finish outline of Draft 6 changes for Halloween Book 1.
  4. Nail down plot and storylines for Halloween Book 2.
Possibly, if time:
  • Write 5,000 new words on Halloween Book 1.
  • Prewrite chapters 2 and 3 for Jack Frost novel.
Ok, that's enough. I want to do more but I am probably going to struggle just with these. In the Life department, I'm also moving again (I feel I'm always moving, once a year at least, though it has been about 20 months since the last time) but I should be able to stay in the new place for quite a while :)
 
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Wilson Geiger said:
Write. Be awesome.
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Like John, I'm gong to try and build on last months success. I managed to write just over 15000 words last month so;
  • 20 000 words
  • draft of short story for letters from home contest
  • add at least one short story to those that are currently being shopped
As John tries to write longer stories I'm going to try to purposely write shorter ones.
  • NEW enter the flash contest
 
Well began, W. This month will see the end of my new novel's first draft for sure, and hopefully a couple chapters into the second. I will be attending Comicpalooza in Houston with all books on deck and finally get that Vulture I've always craved for in Elite Dangerous. I will also be beginning my duties as a Director on the EPIC guild's Board.

You can't stop the signal, Mel
 
JonLaidlow said:
Revisit my Casablancas fragment from the March flash competition and see if it has legs to run to novella length. It would be the longest fiction I've ever written so I need to have a plan and a structure...
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Seconded. I really enjoyed that fragment. Stretch it out and I think you've got something interesting and submittable.
 
Oh man, that was so awesome I'm all intimidated now. ;) Well, sort of. Jon Laidlow made my day pointing me to that Locus review, so I'm flying high! Weeee!

Of course, not so high that I am going to get too ambitious around here. My monthly goals remain modest and reachable. ;)

1) Don't drop the ball on the reviews.

2) Finish current Clockwork Canada story and get it submitted.

3) Revise February's novelette and maybe cut it back so it isn't a novelette anymore. o_O

4) Write 5000 words of fiction.

5) BONUS GOAL: Start outlining the next story.

I have momentum. I just have to not blow it. :cool:
 
Well after a lousy April but which was better than March....I'm moving in the right direction.

1 - Complete a new short story each week for a total of four. (I'm thinking of these as more traditional short stories not flash length so this will be a stretch. I may lean on completing some that are in progress but hopefully that will be offset by new drafts.

2 - Continue to push the marketing by sending stories out (4 in March, 6 in April) at least 6 in May

3 - Write stories for the Flash and Micro contests....possibly for the Short Story Contest.

....
 
Edward M. Grant said:
How do you find all these Canadian anthologies? Is there some mailing lists or blogs I should be reading?
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Mostly from the SF Canada mailing list! I can't honestly say if it's worth joining (it's $30/year and definitely not the SFWA,) but that is one benefit.

Following the right people on FB/Twitter reaps anthology calls as well. If you're on Facebook, the Canadian SF group is a good source of news.
 
Thanks. I'll make taking a look at those part of my plan for this month :).

Otherwise, finish Condemned, and try to publish a short story a week (under one of my other names).
 
This is part of the reason I treated myself to duotrope. I don't know if there is a way to isolate the Canadian contests but it does keep track of deadlines.
Instead of the clockwork contest that Charlotte is doing I went with the playground of lost toys but there are others.
 
Looks like we're all on at the same time. Duotrope is 50US a year. I will check out the other site though. I know I've got it bookmarked but that's about it.
 
Facing said:
Looks like we're all on at the same time. Duotrope is 50US a year. I will check out the other site though. I know I've got it bookmarked but that's about it.
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Honestly, for SFF, Submission Grinder is just as good as Duotrope, and free.

SF Canada is more like a professional organization for Canadian SF writers....
 
I did look at submission grinder first on recommendations but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Not all of what I write is genre and some of it is for kids.
 
Facing said:
I did look at submission grinder first on recommendations but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Not all of what I write is genre and some of it is for kids.
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Ah, yah, that's fair. :) Grinder is only comparable for genre. Terrible for lit, contests, poetry, etc.
 
CharlotteAshley said:
Oh man, that was so awesome I'm all intimidated now. ;) Well, sort of. Jon Laidlow made my day pointing me to that Locus review, so I'm flying high! Weeee!
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Very cool! That's in the subscription one, not the free-to-read online part? I often read Lois Tilton's online short fiction reviews for Locus (the last one included a good review of my Strange Horizons story, so I was thrilled at that), but I haven't looked into the subscription. (Maybe I should...)

Let's see, May goals...
  • Get the first episodes of Spire City season one off without a hitch (or at least, deal with any hitches that come up...)
  • Finish the short story I'm working on at the moment
  • Finish and polish up an earlier flash story I'd started a while back that I hope to submit (see the next bullet...)
  • Submit a proposal for a chapbook of poems and flash pieces
  • I have a couple short story ideas that are still in the bouncing-around-my-head phase. Not sure I'll get started on any of them, but at least devote some time to letting those ideas mature
  • Write one poem
  • Micro- and flash entries for this month's contests (assuming we have them this month...)
  • And submissions of various short stories, poems, agent queries, etc., as they come up
I think that'll do it...
 
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