September 2015 Motivational Thread

[N. E. White]

start the sequel for NaNo

Oh, dear, is it that time of year again? How did a whole year pass by?

exclusive for subscribers

How does one subscribe? Is that through Amazon?

To all who have made public their monthly goals - good luck. I have every confidence you will keep punching (nice inspirational speech, Matthew).

My goals for September:

1. Finish the first book of my planned fantasy
2. Edit first episode of my ghost story series
3. Participate in one of the forum contests

I think that's it. I have more travel coming up at the end of September (overseas) and mid-October (state-side). I'm gearing up to dedicate November to writing. Not sure I'll do NaNoWriMo, but for November, I'll write in that spirit.

 

[Window Bar]

Finished Book #4 of The Cyclops' Eye series. If it was supposed to be a trilogy, then why-oh-why am I beginning Book #5? Does anyone know of a twelve-step program (Authors Anonymous) that might help me?

 

[danielausema]

Thank you, Daniel. Did you know I collected all the Bandar stories into an ebook and POD paperback and self-published them last year? It's called The Compleat Guth Bandar.

I did not... Good to know!

How does one subscribe? Is that through Amazon?

No. From hearing from others, the process to get approved for something like that through Amazon wouldn't have worked for my purposes. I'm in the process of updating the info on my blog with the specifics, but basically people just Paypal me the subscription price. Then every Monday morning (or usually it's actually been Sunday night my time), I send the new episode file to all subscribers--I keep one (blind CC) list for .mobi, one for .epub, and one for .pdf and end up sending them out at the same time the episode is getting approved by Amazon and B&N. So I can't get it to upload directly to your Kindle like Amazon would be able to, but otherwise it's a pretty simple process for you, rather than having to buy each episode as they come out.

 

[Facing]

Oh, dear, is it that time of year again? How did a whole year pass by?

It does go by quickly. Work doesn't slow down for me until January so if I don't make through NaNo successfully in November I may start my own on New Years.

 

[N. E. White]

if I don't make through NaNo successfully in November I may start my own on New Years.

Let us know if you do, I may join you.

 

[EJ Heijnis]

Hi, EJ! Nice to meet you and glad to have you with us! Congratulations on completing the draft, that's great! Also good luck with the editing (and good luck to everyone else as well)

Thanks! A killer flu has floored me since Thursday, but I'm making a slow comeback. It's hard to work with an ice pick in your brain.

FYI, I don't often use this many exclamation marks.

Hey man, I don't judge!!!

 

[Facing]

Thanks! A killer flu has floored me since Thursday, but I'm making a slow comeback. It's hard to work with an ice pick in your brain.

Feel better.

 

[Edward M. Grant]

Just broke 80,000 words, and Condemned is now officially the longest novel I've ever written.

It was supposed to be a simple sci-fi adventure story, closer to 65,000. Will it never end?

(OK, yes, it will, since the characters are all now heading for the big showdown. But there are probably 15-20,000 words to go)

 

[Bodhi]

OK, it is time for me to buckle up and start typing up some new ideas. Enough of this endless spinning of frustration over the imperfections of English grammar and vocabulary for written fiction/prose. I suppose I can work again from within the confines of the language with the expectations all readers have for their authors by convention.

Therefore, I formally declare my intention to analyze which contest on this website's forum might best suit my efforts for this month. And I formally aim to complete and compete according to the specifications given by the ringleader of that competition.

 

[EJ Heijnis]

Just broke 80,000 words, and Condemned is now officially the longest novel I've ever written.

It was supposed to be a simple sci-fi adventure story, closer to 65,000. Will it never end?

(OK, yes, it will, since the characters are all now heading for the big showdown. But there are probably 15-20,000 words to go)

Congratulations on your progress, and good luck with the final stretch!

 

[RedMage]

@Edward M. Grant---that's great! Keep it up! You're almost done!

@Bodhi---something tells me you are going to write a story that will challenge and change our ideas about language. I can't wait to see what that story will be!

For myself, I've written about 1,000 words in the last 4 days. Had a 3-day weekend in there for a holiday and everything and I didn't use it to write at all. Ok, about 600 words one of those days, but the rest was all in the last 1 hour before this post. Despite this, I am happy with the progress. I know what I'm doing. I have short term goals for the story, mid-length and long term goals. Some things are still vague or unknown entirely but, the more I write, the more I'm figuring it out.

Ok, bed time now, then onto writing tomorrow morning!

 

[Bodhi]

something tells me you are going to write a story that will challenge and change our ideas about language. I can't wait to see what that story will be!

Well, that time may come. I've tried out thrəə experimental pieces to various forms of critical booery mixed with encouragement and praise. Words can evoke so much of what's inside, but they can't do it all…
Not everyone will like (love) Seuss, Dahl, Silverstein, Carroll…
Hint: I've started painting.

 

[Wilson Geiger]

I'm still on target for my 20k words this month. I am on a very good pace, thanks largely to the fun I've been having writing this military science-fiction novella. I wouldn't call it straightforward, necessarily, but right now I am still in the early action phase of the plot, and that comes easier to me, I think. We'll see how it goes once I get to the pinch points and the actual crisis.

I'm turning in my final edits to the group for the last episode of Ash & Flame, and I hope to see that released near the tail end of this month. With that done I'll be able to completely focus on this novella, along with a re-read of my Norse werewolf novel.

I've also got to make some time to finish up an alpha/beta read for a friend on here, and hope to have that done before the month is out.

 

[hunt]

I'm sorry you decided this way, Victor, but I have no doubt that there will be another anthology next year, and in years to follow. Whether it's me again, or Nila again, or someone else in charge, you (and everyone else, naturally) will always be welcomed to participate with open arms.

Yes, yes, yes. I fully intended to submit last year and just couldn't pull it together. Here's everything I wrote for that story:

Rock bit into John – he materialized too soon – and forced his breath into screams, into whimpers, into gasps, into silence. They warned us about the danger, but we were kids. None of us understood until that moment.

"You will feel like you are dying. Like the world has eaten you up." The sergeant had paced before us, shoulders squared, hands immobile behind him. "Sometimes you will feel like you are dead. And some of you will die."

So, uh, a little bit shy of the word count requirement. But this year, everything clicked and I managed to submit something.

Did most of the work and chose not to submit to the Anthology.

It sounds like you at least have something to show for it. Finish it, polish it, submit it to other places. You never know!

 

[N. E. White]

Finish it, polish it, submit it to other places. You never know!

Absolutely. The story I wrote for last year's anthology (but didn't include) made the initial cut in Mr. Sullivan's writing contest. So, you never do know. Submit it everywhere.

 

[Facing]

I just passed 2000 words for the month.

 

[kmtolan]

Returned from Comic Con in San Antonio having sold more books than in any other convention - "Tracks" was sold out with the last copy going out the door thirty minutes before closing time. If you're not doing conventions, folks, you are really missing out on some great fun and exposure for your work.

Kerry

 

[Wilson Geiger]

Awesome, Kerry, sounds like you had a good time (and good results).

Out of curiosity, what sort of print run do you have for conventions? I go to conventions, but I've never gone in any sort of author capacity.

 

[kmtolan]

Awesome, Kerry, sounds like you had a good time (and good results).

Out of curiosity, what sort of print run do you have for conventions? I go to conventions, but I've never gone in any sort of author capacity.

I get my novels from my publisher at a modest discount, so it's pretty much on-demand. If you're selling novels for around $13.00 as I do, you'll need from ten to fifteen copies of stand-alone books and first book in any series (my one series extends four books and rarely gets bought as paperback).

Other factors weight in - how good your cover art is and how well your table attracts attention in the cacophony that is the Artist Alley. Here's what they see at my table (eight years of evolution shown here - assuming you can see this) https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=7f1a686ca3689d827cec6940e468786b&oe=569B42B3

 

[RedMage]

Nice table, @kmtolan. I like it! And you look great too. I would definitely stop to visit and buy from you.

And congratulations on the sales!