Skip to content

Posts from the ‘WRITING’ Category

Feb 13

15 Comments

Nine Lessons from a Tiny Publisher

Every once in a while, someone will tout the benefits of going with a small or really small press, rather than either scaling the Big 5 wall or going purely indie. So, what is it like from the small press’ end?

From Richard Charkin at Mensch Publishing:

Lesson 1. Finding the right book is by far the most important thing, but getting the small things right is vital and unbelievably hard work. . .

Lesson 3. Treat your suppliers with respect. I’ve taken a policy decision to pay cash owed into a freelancer’s account the same day I receive the invoice. My cash flow is important but respecting other people’s cash flow generates goodwill, and better relationships are vital for a small enterprise—perhaps for big enterprises too.

Original: https://publishingperspectives.com/2019/02/richard-charkin-nine-lessons-from-an-indie-publisher/

In unintended contrast, is the following…

Read more

Feb 12

14 Comments

Table Top Pulp, Pt. the Second

Clan Dave got the heck out of dodge before the sky fell, this past weekend. We’d decided to make a family pilgrimage of sorts, to attend LTUE and visit a number of family of choice in the general area (and along the path of travel). Well, we left just before the western side of Washington enjoyed something like a foot of snowfall. Goodness. Travel was, in general, quite pleasant. The littles are great travelers, and Mrs. Dave and I have long enjoyed road trips. The company is excellent, after all. Still, there was the day out of Portland, wherein we had to deal with poor roads (I have … theories) and poor drivers. And Mrs. Dave has been feeling distinctly out of sorts since we arrived, which is a concern. Still, there’s writing to do.
Read more

Feb 12

35 Comments

Writer Beware

When I began reading Dave’s post yesterday, I smiled and nodded. I’m up to my eyeballs in the final edits for Nocturnal Revelations. My brain is focused on not only the edits but what needs to be done to promote the book between now and release date. So figuring out what to write for MGC is, well, challenging. Because of that, I did what I often do when I’m having a hard time coming up with a topic: I wandered over to The Passive Voice. BTW, if you aren’t following TPV, you should, especially if you are a writer. Anyway. . . . Read more

Feb 11

26 Comments

The last thing you wrote

 

 

 

I’ve written about 4K (of 2K – yes. It’s gruesome) today on the end to this book.  I love you all dearly and all that sort of thing, but… Needs must.

The end to this book – which has more tangled threads than Heyer’s ‘worst’, BATH TANGLE – needs me to press on just that little more. Because I finally am in the zone of tying off ends – and without just killing all of the protagonists. It’s a focus area that really I find disastrous to break. Read more

Feb 10

12 Comments

More good advice from elsewhere

My lungs are trying to pitch an insurrection about having to work all the time, so I’m a wee bit distracted these last few months. Right now we’re having fun with medication… by the way, were you aware when you can’t breathe well, it’s really hard to be creative? Stay healthier than me!

So I give you some links I haven’t posted since 2016, because some of you will see these for the first time – and some of you will have seen these before, but with a few years more of writing under your belt, you’re likely to find a whole different set of meaning and advice than the first time. Good advice is multilayered like that! Read more

Feb 9

13 Comments

The Day Job and the Creative

As most of you know, I have a ‘day’ job. The writer/artist/whatever else I am is all on the side of my primary career. This is not because I am secretly yearning to quit my day job, flip desks, and storm off into the sunset to make my way as a full time creative. Rather the other way around, as a matter of fact. I was a full time creative. And then I went back to school, graduated with a BS, and started working toward my dream job. I got it, too. I’ve been a Scientist for a year now, since I accepted the new role at my lab in 2018. (Blinks. A whole year? Dang)

But wait, you might be thinking, you’ve got a good income, you’ve achieved a life goal… Why are you still writing? Well, because I started writing thinking two things: one, I was in college at the time and any money was good money. Two, I was planning on writing being my retirement income. Something you should know before you launch off the deep end into self-employment. There is no such thing as retirement in the way most people talk about it, and there is certainly no handy retirement investment funds that your employer contributes toward (pats her tiny matched fund on the head. You grow up a bit, now). Self-employment is fantastic for freedom and flexibility. It’s not so great for consistent reliable income. After having spent most of my adult life running a micro-business, I knew that the only way I was going to avoid being a burden on society as an old lady was to build something to support myself in my old age. Hence, starting to write. Read more

Feb 5

6 Comments

Table Top Pulp

Today may or may not be a little late, and for that I apologize. We had SNOOOOOOOWmageddon here in the Pacific Northwest, and the (maybe) three inches of snow has more or less ground things to a halt. I pitch a little crap at the area, but the truth is this is a once every few years occurrence, and the infrastructure is too bloody expensive to maintain if you don’t need it for months out of every year. So: snow, schools are closed, kids are home, Dave has two adorable and energetic distractions. On the upside, the house is clean (more or less) and a mess of chores done. But I’ve been having trouble getting to writing. Shockingly. We also have a military buddy staying with us. So things are … a little out of routine.
Read more

« Older Entries