As a self-published author, I am my own business. That presents numerous challenges. The business end of being an artist comes with a lot of complex needs and issues. I, for example, am three different writers in one. First, I am a writer of fiction. My primary focus has been fantasy, sci-fi, and Steampunk. I…
Tag: fiction
The Power of the Word Count
Word count lets me better quantify how much writing I am doing. What does a writer do? They write, of course. Over the years, I have played with being a writer. For a time, it was a hobby. Then it was an obsession. Finally, I began to move the pieces to make it into my…
How Much Writing is Enough?
This is one of the ultimate questions about writing practices. And it varies from writer to writer. I’ve asked myself this before. Do I write enough? This is a VERY subjective question. Enough writing for me might be too much for you and not enough for someone else. I am currently reading Craig Martelle’s Become…
What DON’T You Write?
There are things I don’t write for numerous reasons. What don’t you write? I have written many times about the variety of different things that I write about. But I never have addressed what I don’t write about. This can be applied to every genre that I work in. From fiction to non-fiction to business,…
Write or Write Not – There is No Try
The best way to get started with writing is to write. A lot of the things I write are crap. Garbage. Lousy, silly, barely literate words and phrases. Half-baked ideas, notions, thoughts, and so on. I have, in my collection, about a dozen stories I started – and never finished. Some got a good way…
Editing versus Writing
Editing is a necessity – but that doesn’t mean I have to like it! Long ago a friend told me that there are two kinds of writers. Pantsers and Planners. Planners outline things to a greater or lesser degree. Some have a general plan for a book/story/series – others outline every single chapter before they…
What Does Your Writing Process Look Like?
Allow me to share with you how my process goes. Why do I write by the seat of my pants? There are friends of mine who are planners. They will plot out ANYTHING that they write. The outlines they create are elaborate, thorough, and detailed. Then, once that is complete, they start the full project….
Why Do You Choose the Words You Use?
You get to choose the words you desire to use. Some may disbelieve, but you can have a lot of fun with words. I cannot imagine being unable to read. There are so many wonders in this world that are revealed in words that the idea of not being able to interpret them staggers me….
All Writing has Meaning
All writing has meaning, but it may not go quite as deep as you think, and only resonate with a few. During my college career, I wound up President of the Drama Club that was not associated with the Theatre Department. In part, this was because I didn’t decide on my theatre major until the…
Am I Writing for Me or Am I Writing for You?
Am I Writing for You or Am I Writing for Me? The short answer is YES Writing is as essential to me as breathing. Once I begin to put my thoughts down, my attention tends to hold to this one place, and the rest of the world fades away. It doesn’t matter if I am…