Hey Folks,
Apparently I visited Dean’s site too early yesterday. After I left he posted a new article. See “Of Interest” below. There’s a lot down there today, and it’s all good.
Ted White, one of the great editors of SF and Fantasy, needs help saving his house. If you can help, visit https://www.gofundme.com/44r62-save-my-house. And if you have a Facebook page and/or are in any writers’ groups, please share. (This is also in “Of Interest” below.)
In my own writing, I continue to get the feeling I’m writing two novels at one time. Not a conscious thought, but that quiet little voice in the back of my mind. Hmm.
For now, I think there’s nothing to do but keep letting the story come. Maybe this simply isn’t one of my typical 35,000 to 60,000 word novels
On the other hand, I suspect eventually the “split” between the first story and the second one will become obvious to me.
Topic: On the Importance of Writing and Practice
My friend Mary Ann Carman shared a newsletter she receives with me this morning, and I though it might be important to you as well.
I’ve made a few changes to bend it more toward writing.
When you play a game with family and friends — maybe card games or dominoes or checkers or Monopoly — do you lose sleep the night before?
Do you worry what people will think of your performance? Do you wonder how your past or your childhood years might influence your moves? Do you “replay” each turn in your mind the day after?
Probably not. Because it’s just for fun.
The same applies to your writing.
No matter what happens, nothing about it can detract from who you are. Just as you might not “win” the game, your latest masterpiece might not immediately rack up huge sales.
But you’ll be richer and wiser for the time spent in games thinking, calculating, and sharing with friends. And you’ll be richer and wiser as you write the best you can today, then learn more and write the best you can again tomorrow.
In writing as in playing (other) games, you might even relish the refinement and development of your skills. In writing, as in playing games, you have nothing to prove.
Bottom line, you will become more for the playing, whether in games or in writing, not less. And so, the more you write (the more you play-, the more fun you have, the more you grow, and the better you get.
Just something to gnaw on for the day.
For more from this site, see http://www.tut.com.
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Of course, you can often learn excellent tidbits that you can apply to your writing from sources that are not specifically about writing. For just one example, consider how often Dean refers us to The Voice. Just sayin’.
Today, and Writing
Rolled out at 3:30 despite a late night (for me). Went to pick up my grandson from his job at 8, only he didn’t get off until a little after 9. Oops.
I did a lot of little admin things this morning, including cross posting the note about Ted White to several places on Facebook, then eventually moved out to the Hovel around 7:30.
I did a lot of cycling for the second day in a row. (I nearly always begin by cycling back, but today, like yesterday, I did a lot of that.)
Also wrote a new scene, in between and around the times my attention was diverted by what sounded like a UPS truck. (grin)
I got some good writing done today. The novel is still moving along well, especially as distracted as I am.
Around 12:30 the UPS guy delivered my guitar, and it’s a thing of beauty. I’m going to set the novel aside for the rest of the day, post this Journal and give the new axe the attention it deserves. (grin)
Back tomorrow.
Of Interest
First, from yesterday, Dean points to “The Rules of Being a Professional Writer” in The Strand Magazine at Writing Advice and Fun List at https://strandmag.com/the-rules-of-being-a-professional-writer/.
Then I recommend reading Dean’s “Looking at the Writing Advice” at http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/looking-at-the-writing-advice/. He posts the article above, but continue reading below that.
I also recommend you browse the topics at Strand on Writing Tips: https://strandmag.com/category/writing-tips/. As always, read with a grain of salt, take what you need (what works for you) and leave the rest.
Finally, one of the great editors of SF and fantasy needs help saving his house. Please help if you can. See the link at “Some Help If You Can for Ted White” at http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/some-help-if-you-can-for-ted-white/ or click this link: https://www.gofundme.com/44r62-save-my-house.
Fiction Words: 2728
Nonfiction Words: 720 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 3448
Writing of Will Perkins (novel, working title)
Day 1…… 4219 words. Total words to date…… 4219
Day 2…… 4003 words. Total words to date…… 8222
Day 3…… 3383 words. Total words to date…… 11605
Day 4…… 3124 words. Total words to date…… 14729
Day 5…… 3373 words. Total words to date…… 18102
Day 6…… 2294 words. Total words to date…… 20396
Day 7…… 3102 words. Total words to date…… 23498
Day 8…… 2578 words. Total words to date…… 26076
Day 9…… 2111 words. Total words to date…… 28187
Day 10… 2561 words. Total words to date…… 30748
Day 11… 4073 words. Total words to date…… 34821
Day 12… 1721 words. Total words to date…… 35648
Day 13… 3289 words. Total words to date…… 38937
Day 14… 2311 words. Total words to date…… 41248
Day 15… 2262 words. Total words to date…… 43510
Day 16… 2046 words. Total words to date…… 45556
Day 17… 4189 words. Total words to date…… 49745
Day 18… 4758 words. Total words to date…… 54503
Day 19… 2648 words. Total words to date…… 57178
Day 20… 2231 words. Total words to date…… 59409
Day 21… 2010 words. Total words to date…… 61419
Day 22… 4147 words. Total words to date…… 65566
Day 23… 2010 words. Total words to date…… 67576
Day 24… 1976 words. Total words to date…… 69552
Day 25… 2728 words. Total words to date…… 72280
Total fiction words for the month……… 55045
Total fiction words for the year………… 147655
Total nonfiction words for the month… 14440
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 34130
Total words for the year (fiction and nonfiction)…… 181785