I’m happy to say I’m better than half-way through my NanoNovel. This has proven to be a very good thing since I haven’t felt like writing much the past few days. You see, I was laid off from my job last Friday and I’m still reeling from the blow. The layoff wasn’t entirely unexpected; I had heard rumblings that it might be coming as early as August. Still, you never really think it will happen to you, do you? I know I didn’t. It’s not all doom and gloom; I got a bit of severance and the job market here is still very strong AND I have a pretty good stock of experience and skills to draw from. Even so, […]
Read moreCategory: Irreverent Muse
The Writer’s Life – The Value of Critique Groups
Critique Groups, Reading Groups, First Readers… whatever you want to call them, they are worth their weight in gold. I’m coming to the whole “Crit Group” thing a bit late. I’ve already written four books of various lengths and genres without ever partaking in any organized reader/feedback/critique group. So why am I doing it now? Well, despite having the books written, they remain unpublished. Is that because they aren’t good or is it because I simply haven’t found the right combination of Publisher + timing + luck? Maybe it’s a bit of both. Whenever I find myself asking questions like that I know I have to find the answer and fast. I can ask my family and friends what they […]
Read moreThe Writing Life: Connecting with People
You might be asking yourself why I would want to talk about connecting with people. After all, as a writer, you write a story and people read it, right? They buy your book, you collect the money and write another and the cycle of reader/writer life simply goes on in perpetuity. I suspect those of you who have some inkling about the challenges writer’s face are already laughing. If you aren’t laughing, I think you might need a small (or large) dose of reality. The truth is, your writing won’t resonate with everyone. It has probably happened to you too; you pick up a book and start reading it only to quickly lose interest and put it down. It’s happened […]
Read moreNanoWriMo is here again!
November is fast approaching and with it, NanoWriMo. For those of you who have no idea what NanoWriMo is, allow me to offer this brief description. NanoWriMo is a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in a month. Sound impossible? For some it is the ultimate challenge. Last year over 100,000 people participated in NanoWriMo with more than 15,000 hitting the 50,000 word mark. Were the 15,000+ novels publishable? Unlikely. In fact few will ever be published but that isn’t the point. “So what is the point?” you might ask. NanoWriMo certainly has its share of detractors who feel that it is a waste of time. They don’t believe that it creates a writing habit; it’s just a frenzy of writing […]
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