If I don’t write the book it won’t be written. Sometimes the hardest part of writing is sitting down to do the writing. When this is your job, it can be particularly frustrating if you find yourself unable to do the work. In his brilliant book The War of Art (if you are any type…
Tag: work
When Selling My Books, Am I Actually Selling Myself?
To some degree – yes, Selling myself is part of the branding process. I am in the process of completing the 4th and final novel of the current story arc for my Forgotten Fodder sci-fi series. I say current arc because I have plotted out another (4 more books) and have 1 or 2 more…
Done is Better than Perfect
Perfect, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I have nearly finished my edits of the final book in the current arc of my Forgotten Fodder series. When I’m done, it will be time to send Bold Moves to my editor. When I started, it was clear that I had rushed some parts….
Divide and Conquer on a Personal Level
Choosing to divide and conquer for ourselves can be empowering. Let me clarify this right at the start. When it comes to the Big Picture matters of the world – like politics – divide and conquer is a weaponized notion. Most major political parties love to create “us” versus “them” so that they can sow…
It is Really Work?
Yes, writing is really work. There are some who’ve told me to get a real job. Sometimes not in so many words. Other times, rather directly. But writing is really work. So are the rest of the creative arts. Why don’t people think it’s work? Because society has come to look at the arts and…
I Am Not Nobody
Just because I am not a known quantity – I am not nobody. There are a lot of well-known authors out there. Many write in the same genres that I do. George RR Martin. Neil Gaiman. Andy Weir. Arthur C. Clark. Isaac Asimov. I’m sure you’ve heard of one if not all of them. For…
Never Neglect Your Workspace
Workspace maintenance is important. I have yet to meet an artist who doesn’t have at least some clutter in their workspace. Some of them are necessary tools. Cooks have pots, pans, and utensils lying around; artists have scattered brushes, paints, solvents, and canvases; writers have notes, inspirational baubles, and the like around their desks. Sure,…
Artist is Risky Business
Choosing to be a professional artist has some unique challenges. All my career choices have been artistic. In one form or another, I was bound to be a professional artist. I am in no way bragging here – but I have a few different artistic talents and skills. It started with writing. At age 9,…
Don’t Beat Yourself Up for Not Working
Our mindset, when it comes to working, is terribly skewed. I set a goal for myself to write a minimum of one blog post/article and 1500 words of fiction a day, six days a week. Because of a strict, self-imposed deadline – and, frankly, endless topics to choose from – I never miss the blog….
How Much Time Will It Take?
How much time you take to create your art is irrelevant. The creation of any given art is a process. How much time it takes to create art is an often controversial, yet deeply personal matter. This can be particularly disempowering in the ultra-fast, have-it-done-yesterday society we live in. How many competitions do we see…