Hey Folks,
Wow. For me, September both flew by and slowly slipped through my fingers.
I allowed my WIP, the third novel in my Nick Spalding series, to languish on the back burner while I recuperated and worked on a copyedit for a gentleman.
But as October dawns, everything’s wrapping up nicely. The symptoms of my cold are mostly gone and I’ve recovered fully from the initial medical stuff.
Just in time for Part 2, really, but it shouldn’t be nearly as big a deal. For one thing, this time it’s an outpatient procedure in a surgery center (not a hospital). All of which means I won’t be confined in a small space with ill people for an extended period afterward.
I’ll also finish the copyedit this morning, so I should be able to devote my time to my WIP from tomorrow until Part 2 (Thursday morning).
And as a result of Part 2, I’ll finally be rid of this vest (it feels like a weak octopus is determined to squeeze me to death while continuously releasing itching powder across my shoulder blades) and the accompanying battery pack (ball and chain) that’s currently dangling around my neck, availing itself of every possible opportunity to get in the way.
The vest, battery pack and I have had several arguments over the past several days. Let’s just say our personalities clash. So putting those items back into a box and sending them back to the masochists folks who forced them on me will decrease my stress levels considerably.
Of course, I jest. The purpose of the LifeVest is to deliver a live-saving shock in case the wearer attempts to go off-planet as a result of unusually high stress levels. (Which the vest strives in every moment to provide. So there.)
I probably won’t be able to do a lot on Friday, but I expect to send forth at least one rousing rendition of “Free at Last.”
***
I’m aware that not everybody who’s subscribed to the Journal reads every post every day. (Not that I blame you. I seldom read them every day myself.) But if you missed yesterday, I posted a pretty important topic, so you might want to check it out at http://hestanbrough.com/the-journal-sunday-september-30/.
***
After a very long time, Dean Smith is switching his schedule back to days. The mention is in “Of Interest” this morning. I hope he’ll tell us more about why and how he’s doing it.
***
To Benson for lab work this morning, then home to eat breakfast and finish the copyedit. After that, we’ll see.
Finished the copyedit right at noon.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
Via The Passive Voice, see “Research tools for crime and thriller writers” at https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/research-tools-for-crime-and-thriller-writers. I can’t really vouch for her editing service. She charges £50 (about $65) for a sample edit of up to 1000 words (about 65 cents per word). The industry standard today is around 3 cents per word. I usually charge less than that. Shrug.
See “Switching the Schedule To Daytime” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/switching-the-schedule-to-daytime/.
For what it’s worth, see “Reader versus Story” at https://killzoneblog.com/2018/10/reader-versus-story.html. Personally I think they miss the point. If the writer is familiar with a given genre, she already knows the reader expecations inherently and she can Just Write the Story.
See “Free Fiction Monday: The Women of Whale Rock” at https://kriswrites.com/2018/10/01/free-fiction-monday-the-women-of-whale-rock/.
Fiction Words: XXXX
Nonfiction Words: 570 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 570
Writing of Nick 3 (novel, tentative title)
Brought forward………… 21695
Day 10… XXXX words. Total words to date…… XXXXX
Total fiction words for the month……… 0
Total fiction words for the year………… 336726
Total nonfiction words for the month… 570
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 133666
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 470142
Calendar Year 2018 Novels to Date………………………… 7
Calenday Year 2018 Novellas to Date…………………… 2
Calendar Year 2018 Short Stories to Date……… 11
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 33
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 6
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………………… 193
Days of writing fiction every day………………………… 0
As I mentioned yesterday, I read every word you’ve written in this blog.
I wish you the best, Harvey. You are the best teacher of writing I’ve experienced. (in a long life full of them)
I’m fairly certain you don’t agree with the road I’ve taken but, as you so eloquently said in a long ago post, it is my road and my decisions to make.
Still praying for you and your health- I do believe in the power of prayer (positive thoughts)
Best to you, my (I hope) friend!
Duke
Thanks, my friend, for the kind words. I appreciate the well wishes too. I’m not sure which road you’re talking about, but I’m pretty sure it would be impossible for any two humans to agree on every path each of them choose to take. So disagreements are inevitable.
I get vocal, sometimes, in my venues. It’s a father’s (teacher’s) curse. (grin) In this venue, I talk about writing and publishing. Maybe sometimes I do so a little vehemently — I don’t like to see others make the same mistakes I’ve made — but I only talk about what I’ve experienced. It’s my way of passing along lessons learned.
However, how a person chooses to write, promote, market and publish their own work remains a personal decision. After all, those choices directly affect only the writer and his or her loved ones. So once I’ve said my piece, who am I to kvetch? (grin)