Hey Folks,
Well, the doc appointment was rescheduled by the office for next Tuesday. And I shed myself of the problem I’ve had for the past few days. So today I get to write.
I also have a few chores to do, so this will be one of those Keep Coming Back days. We’ll see how it goes.
***
According to my friend Dan Baldwin, “The Writer has an article on ‘How To Write A Book In 90 Days’ in eight simple steps. First step – take a month to prepare.” (grin)
Thanks for the tip, Dan.
***
Spent the wee hours of the morning dealing with the same stuff from yesterday. Finally reached my last alternative and that didn’t work either.
So I wrote the guy a farewell email, complete with a few suggestions for where he might find technical help, then started adjusting my head back to writing.
Got one good writing session done, I don’t know, maybe 1200 words, then up to the house to finish some laundry. I also added to this Journal entry. Now back to the Hovel.
Topic: How to Make Enemies and Annoy People
Note: In a slightly different form, I wrote this topic today primarily as a post for the big blog over at HarveyStanbrough.com. The recipients of that blog, not you, are the primary audience. (grin)
Way back in October of last year (and originally, probably three or four years before that) I published “Trust Your Professional.” If you missed it, you can see the original post at http://harveystanbrough.com/pro-writers/trust-your-professional/.
The whole point is that getting What You Want is much more important to You than it is to the person or persons from whom you’re trying to get it. This is true in every case.
● That’s why we strive to print neatly on job or loan applications.
● It’s why we have our work proofread before we publish it.
● It’s why we treat people with whom we interact with a modicum of professional courtesy.
For example, if you present poorly on a job application (or act like a jerk), the person doing the hiring simply smiles and moves on to the next applicant.
If readers don’t like that your book is chock full of typos, they close it and move on to another novel by another author.
And if, in your ignorance, you’re arrogant and condescending toward the person from whom you’re trying to get What You Want, that person will either charge you an exorbitant fee — payable in advance — or simply say No.
You don’t have to suck up to anybody. That isn’t what I’m saying.
But neither should you begin my admitting that you have never so much as logged into any website (username + password), then launch into a lengthy explanation of what the professional “should do” in order to access the back end of a website that is currently inaccessible.
Nor should you continue after the professional has explained, to an exhaustive degree, that what you want him to do simply won’t work.
You might also might be ill-advised to claim that the professional “obviously doesn’t understand how publishing works” when he mentions to you that you can delay a release date.
Especially when you’re about to publish your third book, which you finished two years ago.
And especially when the professional in question has written and published (some traditional, now all independently)
● 30 novels,
● 4 novellas,
● 25 collections of short fiction,
● several poetry collections (one of which garnered a nomination for the National Book Award),
● and 15 or 16 nonfiction titles, one of which took 4th place at the BEA Book of the Year awards (Education category) and two of which are on the topic of publishing.
If you want to develop even a working relationship with another human being, you just don’t do things like that.
In fact, when I’m seeking assistance from a professional, I have found it endlessly useful to shut up and listen.
But if you desire in your heart of hearts to make enemies and annoy people, well, carry on.
But don’t call me. I’ll be busy writing my next book.
***
See you again soon.
Of Interest
For a personable post, see “Research, The Internet, and Dated Books” at https://kriswrites.com/2018/03/21/business-musings-research-the-internet-and-dated-books/.
See “The Novel Versus the Short Story” at http://www.thepassivevoice.com/2018/03/the-novel-versus-the-short-story/.
This one struck a personal chord with me. See “Stop Looking For One War Story To Make Sense Of All Wars” at http://www.thepassivevoice.com/2018/03/stop-looking-for-one-war-story-to-make-sense-of-all-wars/.
If you’re still using Smashwords, they’ve made audio available now. See “Smashwords Enters Audiobook Market with Findaway Voices” at http://blog.smashwords.com/2018/03/smashwords-audiobooks.html.
Fiction Words: 2781
Nonfiction Words: 750 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 3531
Writing of Stern Talbot, PI—The Early Years: The Case of the Sliced-Up Secretary
Day 1…… 3207 words. Total words to date…… 3207
Day 2…… 3079 words. Total words to date…… 6286
Day 3…… 3870 words. Total words to date…… 10156
Day 4…… 2481 words. Total words to date…… 12637
Day 5…… 3164 words. Total words to date…… 15801
Day 6…… 3140 words. Total words to date…… 18941
Day 7…… 1145 words. Total words to date…… 20086
Day 8…… 1656 words. Total words to date…… 21742
Day 9…… 2544 words. Total words to date…… 24286
Day 10… 1648 words. Total words to date…… 25934
Day 11… 2781 words. Total words to date…… 28715
Writing of Novel 1, New Thriller Series
Day 1…… 1339 words. Total words to date…… 1339
Total fiction words for the month……… 50517
Total fiction words for the year………… 101822
Total nonfiction words for the month… 10440
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 29770
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 139612
Calendar Year 2018 Novels to Date………………………… 2
Calenday Year 2018 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
Calendar Year 2018 Short Stories to Date……… 0
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 29
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 4
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 182