In today’s Journal
* Quote of the Day
* Ralphie May’s Boot Camp
* The novel is coming along
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quote of the Day
“Having a dedicated space is a signal to yourself that writing is not an idle hobby that you peck away at between household chores or doom-scrolling Twitter sessions. Ideally, there should be no Twitter allowed in this space. It is a place you go to work.” Kim Bullock
That “no Twitter allowed” recommendation is why I also advocate a dedicated writing computer.
This is kind of a special edition of the Journal.
If you want to learn a LOT about writing in a short time, spend the time (not quite 2 hours) to watch comedian “Ralphie May’s Stand-up Boot Camp.” This isn’t a series of jokes. It’s a master’s class on craft. It transfers easily to writing.
This is actual advice to young comedians about what they should do if they want to become professional comedians. A LOT of great writing advice is included. And if you happen to be (or want to be) a comedian, hey, you’ll get double the value out of this.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjO38yRrf04. You’re writers, so I shouldn’t have to tell you to expect some colorful language.
If you have any questions about anything you hear in the class, email me.
Just a few of the many things I got out of the video…
* Always keep in mind that your job is to keep improving, to keep moving moving forward.
* To do that, write every day and don’t be afraid to take chances and be inventive. You’re a human being. You aren’t one-dimensional so don’t BE one-dimensional.
* Write everything that interests you. Write short stories, poems, novellas, novels, and all of that in every genre that interests you.
* Be true to yourself. Write true. It will show through your writing and readers will reward you.
* Don’t plagiarize. Accusation is conviction.
* Your job is not to save the world or to convince anyone of anything. Your job is to entertain.
* Find (or make) your own success. Maybe success is a lot of money. Maybe success is only having a creative outlet. Or maybe it’s aanything in between. Be inventive.
* Don’t be afraid to fail, because you will. You can’t please everyone.
* Don’t depend on any reader [he said ‘the audience’] for verification or absolution. Readers exist to receive (to be entertained), not to give.
* Multiple revenue streams rule.
* Know your audience. People can’t laugh when they’re inhaling. (I’m not sure exactly why this stuck out for me as a writer, but it did. Maybe it goes to the old saw about never harming a pet or a child in fiction. Maybe it goes to not setting out to intentionally offend others with your personal views. Just tell your characters’ story, not yours.)
The novel is coming along, though a little more slowly than I’d like. Thus far I’ve had two “good” days and two not so good. On the days when I wrote less, I was cycling and checking facts from other SF novels I’ve written (like facts about a wonderful garment called the stipplesuit or how windows are constructed to withstand the pressures of space travel).
All of that said, I expect the writing to pick up now that I’m enjoying myself again.
Talk with you later.
Of Interest
See “IP Earnings” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/ip-earnings/.
See “Don’t Hold Out…” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/dont-hold-out-for-publishing-to-make-you-feel-seen-heres-another-goal-instead/. Especially read PG’s take.
See “18 Major Book Publishers Always Open to Submissions” at https://www.authorspublish.com/18-major-book-publishers-always-open-to-submissions/.
See “Do Writers Need A Room of Their Own?” at https://writerunboxed.com/2020/10/26/do-writers-need-a-room-of-our-own/. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip down to the bold entries.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 600 words
Writing of The Ark (novel or something)
Day 1…… 3196 words. Total words to date…… 3196
Day 2…… 1441 words. Total words to date…… 4637
Day 3…… 3284 words. Total words to date…… 7921
Day 4…… 1606 words. Total words to date…… 9527
Total fiction words for the month……… 13942
Total fiction words for the year………… 349136
Total nonfiction words for the month… 12840
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 163230
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 512366
Calendar Year 2020 Novels to Date…………………… 5
Calendar Year 2020 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2020 Short Stories to Date… 13
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 50
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 214
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31