Bad Tips for Writers 010

If your family and friends say
something you wrote is very good
then you can be sure it is very good
and should be published immediately.

Make your motto: Pointing out to the editor
"my family and friends say this is very good"
will seal the deal!

"Creative" Not-Writing

A recent review of How to Write Your Novel in Nine Weeks included this:

If nothing else this book will get my house cleaner than it's ever been. "I'll write after I clean out the pantry." "I'll write after I sort the linen closet." "I'll write after I wash all the dog's bedding." "I'll write after I wash all the baseboards with ammonia." You get the idea.

I think that's true for all writers. Everything else seems so interesting and so important when you know it's time to write.

The discipline does get easier. But, even then, it can be a challange.

Just keep writing.

Bad Tips for Writers 009

A publication's writers' guidelines are meant
for average writers. Ignore them. You're exceptional.

Make your motto: I don't need to actually see
a publication to know exactly what it needs.

Best of Times, Worst of Times

I've finished my word count for today (about 550) and so I'm feeling pretty chipper. I've been at this long enough to know I do my best work first thing in the morning. It's easiest for me and the writing is better, too.

It may take you a while to discover your best time (and worst time) or you may already know that but just wish it t'weren't so.

Here's what Little Willie had to say about that in How to Write Your Novel in Nine Weeks:

It doesn’t matter if you are a night owl or an early bird. There’s probably a best time of the day for you when it comes to writing. Some writers discover, much to their horror, that they may be night owls but they do their best writing first thing in the (early!) morning. That means while they’re working on a book they have to get to bed earlier than they like in order to get up earlier than they ever wanted to.
Or it might be because of other demands—family, job, life—some writers can’t get to their manuscripts until late in the evening. That’s when the household is finally quiet and they can have that forty-five minutes or an hour to themselves. As you’re discovering, if you didn’t already know, having a block of quiet and uninterrupted time makes a huge difference in your ability to concentrate and write.
True story: When my own family was pestering me in so many ways and I had very little time to myself to work, I’d crack off a sonnet. There! At least I got something done! (“When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes/I all alone beweep my outcast state” . . . in the loo. Really. “Papa! Papa! I have to . . . ” “Give me a minute, Hamnet!” Yes, the little dear’s name was Hamnet.)
Find your time. Find your place. And keep it sacred.

Just keep writing.

Up to 650

Brisk "sales" for the free copies of The World's Funniest Atheist continue. More than 650 copies in the last three-and-a-half days.

Get your free copy now!

Offer good through Wednesday.

Snow?

Snow here in the Seattle area. It happens about once each winter. That's enough.

As you can see, my office is covered with the stuff.

No, not really. That's the old coop in the back of our lot. My office is much smaller.

Have Faith in Yourself

If you're in the middle of your novel and unsure where it's going you have my empathy. It's where I am with my latest. I'm just not certain about a number of things when it comes to the plot but...

I'll just keep plodding along.

I suggest you do the same.

Have faith in your story. And in yourself.

Just keep writing.

Five Hundred Books

I'm happy to report brisk "sales" for the free copies of The World's Funniest Atheist. More than 500 copies in the last two-and-a-half days.

Get your free copy now!

Offer good through Wednesday.

Free, Free, Free Novel

Tomorrow and for the next five days The World's Funniest Atheist will be available for free.

(And worth every penny, says Little Willie.)

I really think you should get a copy, read it, and give it a five-star review. If you're pressed for time, skip numbers one and two.

Get it here.

A Little Less Social Networking

You may have noticed if you're working on your novel you have less time for social networking.

I have noticed, with a little more social networking, I have less time for working on my novel.

Frustrating, isn't it?

It's a balancing act. For a time, novel writing may be more important for you. Then, when it's done, you can go wild with the social stuff. (And, later, use it all to push your book, too.)

Just keep writing.

Bad Tips for Writers 008

The best way to become a better writer is to sit
around talking to other people who want to become
better writers.

Make your motto: I'll get to the actual writing later.

Disadvantage/Advantage

You know one of the disadvantages of working on your book on a daily basis is you don't get to do other ... stuff ... that seems so interesting and entertaining and wonderful and ...

Staring at reruns on TV, racing through the video game you've played a hundred times, or almost-mindlessly Web surfing can seem especially appealing when it's time to write your daily quota. (Not to mention getting a little more sleep instead of getting up earlier to write!)

But with your daily writing, even one day's writing, you end up with something you can hold in your hand. (Print it out! Back it up!) It's something you created. It's yours and yours alone.

It may take a tough hour or more to make, but it never existed before right now. As new as new can be.

Pretty cool, huh?

Just keep writing.

Bad Tips for Writers 007

Take breaks often. Unless the words are just pouring
out and they're pure gold, stop for a few games
of computer solitaire or a little Web surfing.

Make your motto: I'll get back to my writing as soon as I...

Practicing What I Preach

"The World's Funniest Atheist" is available on Kindle.

I think you should go buy a copy right now. Seriously. Then come back and continue reading this. I can wait. Go head. I'll be here...

...I wrote it using the "Nine Week" method but my daily word count was a little higher and I wrote for a bit more than 54 days so I ended up with a slightly bigger novel. (It's just under 50,000 words.) The first draft took about 80 days of writing at one chapter per day. Most weeks I took my one day off and there were some stretches where I couldn't get back to the manuscript for several days.

The daily word count was low enough that I knew it wouldn't seem overwhelming but, of course, I also knew I needed to quit when I finished that chapter and not keep going on some kind of "writer's high." (Endorphins!) However, as Willie and I advised, I jotted down some notes for the next chapter or wrote a couple of lines into it. That was one reason I didn't dread coming back to the manuscript each day.

I say all this so you'll buy my books... No, wait. I say all this so you'll know I practice what I preach. When it comes to novel writing anyway.

The World's Funniest Atheist

As I mention in "How to Write Your Novel in Nine Weeks," I tend to start thinking about the next book when I'm about two-thirds of the way through the one I'm currently working on. (On which I am currently working.)

That was the case for Nine Week Novel. I began to jot down some notes about a fellow who makes his living as "the world's funniest atheist" and then, much to his dismay, suddenly believes God exists.

Over the past couple days I've been getting that ready to publish on Kindle.

And, because "O Father" is selling well, I want to get the second book in that series finished, too. With that one, it's a matter of editing. I wrote it a while back. (Prehistoric Pre-Kindle days.)I think that's next on the list. I always liked those characters.

I apologize if this post seems like bragging. I've been at this book writing a long time and now technology is allowing more books to be published. I'm a kid in a candy store.

Right-Rail Willie

I'm not sure how Little Willie managed to get his Twitter account posted on the right rail of my blog.

However...

His accusing me of sock-puppetism is ridiculous.

Bad Tips for Writers 006

Like a diamond, the best writing is created
under pressure. Never start a project too early.

Make your motto: It's all in my head. I just have
to write it down.

Getting Ready

Not writing today? That's understandable. It's a Sunday and a holiday. Still...

It would be easy (and relatively painless) to clean up your writing space a bit and get ready for tomorrow's writing. Five minutes today? Ten? Fifteen at the most? Then tomorrow, ready to go.

Here's what Little Willie says about that:

Week Two, Day 2
LWS: When and Where You Write Best

It probably doesn’t help you much if I say the best place to write is England, unless you’re in England or can easily get there. Probably worse if I say the best time to write is the late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth century, unless you have a time machine.

It’s true that going on a “writer’s retreat” is lovely and having a (paid!) sabbatical can be a delight, but at that retreat spot or on that leave, each day you need a place to write and a time to write. You need those day after day after day because a book becomes a book by a writer working on it day after day after day.

Let’s talk about time first. It doesn’t matter if you are a night owl or an early bird. There’s probably a best time of the day for you when it comes to writing. Some writers discover, much to their horror, that they may be night owls but they do their best writing first thing in the (early!) morning. That means while they’re working on a book they have to get to bed earlier than they like in order to get up earlier than they ever wanted to.

Or it might be because of other demands—family, job, life—some writers can’t get to their manuscripts until late in the evening. That’s when the household is finally quiet and they can have that forty-five minutes or an hour to themselves. As you’re discovering, if you didn’t already know, having a block of quiet and uninterrupted time makes a huge difference in your ability to concentrate and write.

True story: When my own family was pestering me in so many ways and I had very little time to myself to work, I’d crack off a sonnet. There! At least I got something done! (“When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes/I all alone beweep my outcast state” . . . in the loo. Really. “Papa! Papa! I have to . . . ” “Give me a minute, Hamnet!” Yes, the little dear’s name was Hamnet.)

Find your time. Find your place. And keep it sacred. If only for another seven weeks and four days, when your novel will be completed.

Just keep writing!