In today’s Journal
* Yesterday
* The Bradbury Challenge…
* On Being Prolific
* The Absolute Essentials of Cover Design
* The Numbers
Yesterday
Yesterday my previous novel, Blackwell Ops 25: Rafe Andersen, went live at all vendors. Also yesterday, I scheduled my latest novel, Blackwell Ops 26: Tailor Morse, for release on August 10. Then I uploaded it to my Payhip store, where it’s available early if you want it.
An Editorial Review from My First Reader
Russ Jones wrote of Blackwell Ops 26,
“This one has to be the tightest, best-written Blackwell Ops novel of all; reading it was the most enjoyable two hours and twenty minutes I’ve spent in a very long time, and that’s saying a lot considering how much I’ve enjoyed everything else you’ve written to date. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re starting to really get the hang of this ‘writing fiction’ stuff (grin).”
Thanks, Russ.
Only two writers thus far have taken me up on my free ebook giveaway offer. That’s out of around 200 subscribers to TNDJ. Of course, I’m not surprised, but I am a bit stymied.
As I’ve often said, selling fiction to fiction writers is all but impossible. Apparently even when the books are free and from the guy you trust to teach you how to write fiction. Shrug. Go figure.
Anyway, one writer requestd five books by title. The other requested “your two most recent books.” So I sent him Blackwell Ops 25 and Blackwell Ops 26. Is this a cool time for fiction writers to be alive, or what?
Anyway, the free book giveaway will go on for a little while, but only for a limited time. For details, click here.
The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting
To take part, write at least one short story per week, then submit the story title, word count, and genre to me each week for publication in the Journal on Monday.
The whole point is to have fun and grow as a writer. You can join or rejoin the challenge at any time. There’s no cost. You can even do it on your own, without reporting numbers to me or anyone else.
During the past week, in addition to whatever other fiction they’re writing, the following writers reported these new stories:
- Vanessa V. Kilmer “Proof of Life” 3113 Horror
- Adam Kozak “Chasing the Chimera” 2202 General Fiction
- JP Maulgue “Coach Steve” 2235 General Fiction
- Christopher Ridge “The Girl and the Maniac. 4300
- Dave Taylor “The Carnival” 3935 Dark Paranormal Mystery
On Being Prolific
The secret to being a prolific fiction writer is to write. And the secret to that comes in two parts:
- Believe in yourself.
- Understand that what you write doesn’t matter. Only THAT you write—that you are continually putting new words on the page—matters.
Putting new words on the page is also the most direct path to learning, followed closely by reading and studying the work of masters. And then reading TNDJ and various craft books.
Notice I didn’t mention attending conferences. Mostly those are great places to socialize, hear a lot of myths presented as truth, and spend any excess money you want to get rid of.
As I mentioned earlier, a few days ago I finished my 93rd novel. It was also the 11th novel this calendar year, an average of 1.5 novels per month through July.
So the math tells me at present I’m on track to write 18.85 novels this calendar year. I would like to write at least 20, a new high for me. But then, 18 would be a new high for me too. (grin)
I’ve also written 9 novellas and around 240 short stories. And I’ve accomplished all of that since I started writing fiction in April 2014 and novels in October 2014.
But during that time, I didn’t write at all for a two-year span. So I wrote all of that over a period of 8 calendar years.
That’s an average of 11.6 novels, 1.25 novellas, and 30 short stories per year.
I’m not bragging. I’m saying you can do the same or better. Many contemporary fiction writers are far more productive (prolific) than I am.
Again, all of it boils down to believing in yourself (so not allowing critical mind to interfere), putting new words on the page, and putting what you write out-there so readers can see it.
Your critical mind will imbue you with fear. It will say if you don’t write a story or don’t finish it or don’t publish it, readers won’t be able to dislike it or ridicule you.
But your characters deserve an audience. What entertains you will entertain 80% of the readers who read your story. But if you DON’T write it or put it out there, you’re denying readers even the chance to enjoy it.
So tell your critical mind it has no place in your fiction. Tell it to back off, shut up, and leave you alone when you’re writing fiction.
To help in that regard, for a limited time I’m putting Quiet the Critical Voice and Write Fiction on sale for 75% off—only $2 —at my PayHip store.
You will receive all three formats: PDF, .epub, and .mobi. (The book will remain $9.99 at Amazon, Apple, Kobo and all other vendors.)
The Absolute Essentials of Cover Design
The cover conveys the genre and mood of the story (not the story itself). Remember, that includes the cover photo and the font.
For examples, study the covers of bestsellers in your target genre. Also, look at the covers at StoneThread Publishing and at other publishers:
- Have any “open” and/or horizontal elements lead the eye toward the cut edge of the book. (Humans face toward the cut edge, inanimate objects “flow” toward the cut edge, etc.).
- Readers often by books based on the author’s name. Make the title and the author’s name (both) prominent enough so they can easily be read even in thumbnail.
- Readers also buy books based on genre, so put a genre tag on your cover. They also buy series books. If the book is one of a series, put a series tag on the cover too.
Okay, that’s it for today. Talk with you again soon.
The Numbers
The Journal……………………………… 980
Writing of
Day 1…… XXXX words. To date…… XXXXX
Fiction for July…………………….….… 39407
Fiction for 2024…………………………. 468400
Fiction since October 1………………… 732050
Nonfiction for July……………………… 34220
Nonfiction for 2024……………………… 245100
2024 consumable words………………… 674093
2024 Novels to Date……………………… 11
2024 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
2024 Short Stories to Date……………… 4
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)……………… 93
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……… 241
Short story collections…………………… 29
Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Unreasoning fear and the myths of writing are lies, and they will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.
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