Writing It Down

In church today, I had a great idea for two blogposts.  I reveled in my brilliance and couldn't wait until this evening to write them.  Then I got home and couldn't remember what I'd thought of.

I need to write this stuff down.  I usually do - there's a notepad by my desk that I write down blog ideas on a sheet of paper - but I didn't have it during Sunday service.  I should've just pulled out my phone and put it in the Notes section.  You think Jesus would've understood?  😜

Promotion

In keeping with my recent theme of time-suck, there's another thing that writers have to find time for - marketing their work.  Sure, big-timers like Stephen King or JK Rowling can get by on their talent and name, but most authors, even traditional ones like William Fortschen and Larry Correia, have to spend time on marketing because they're not household names.  Sure, they have a fan base, but it's a) not large and rabid enough to sustain them on just a book coming out, and b) they still need to know what and when work will be published.

You can write the greatest stories, but if no one knows they're out there, you won't sell.  Then you'll find yourself starving, living in a van down by the river and wondering why no one recognizes your talent.  Small time writers, whether traditional or indie, have to visit message boards, send newsletters, shill for their blogs, and harangue booksellers to prop up their stuff.  That takes time...time most would rather spend writing their next masterpiece.

Unfortunately, it's necessary.  One must be out there.  Sure, once you've had your viral moment and become the next James Patterson, it becomes self-sustaining, but that takes both time and a stroke of luck.  So, daunting as it may be, frustrating as it may be, get out and promote yourself.  If you don't, no one else will until you're uber-successful, and they only do it then because they want a piece of your action.

Bang For The Buck

In my last post, I detailed the challenges of finding time for writing when I spend a decent amount of the little free time I have on updating this blog.  However, it got me to thinking about how I spend my time writing when I actually write.

I have a so-so amount of free time during the day, but it is in chunks of five to ten minutes.  It's not like I have an hour her or there.  And that's the problem, because novel writing is not something that can be accomplished in five to ten minute intervals.

Allow me to explain - I can write about 1000 words in half an hour once I'm going strong.  However, it takes me at least five minutes to find my groove, so those first five or so minutes is stumbling around not producing much worth reading.  If I'm lucky, I'll produce 100 words worth a shit in those first five minutes, mostly because I'm trying to re-immerse myself back into the story.  Think about your favorite movie - do you watch it in five minute increments?  How much can you get into enjoying it if you know you have to go to another chore only five minutes in?

I think 20 minutes is the minimum amount of time I require to do anything useful on my stories.  Maybe there are some out there who can do it in less, but not I.  I'm going to have to re-work my schedule so I can find 20 minutes or more during the day to write, and I'll have to find the discipline to actually follow through.  I guess my beta-readers will know if that works soon enough.

Blogging Over Writing

My goal with this blog is to stay ahead by several weeks.  Unfortunately, since my most recent hiatus, I have not been able to manage that.  In fact, I've been lucky to stay ahead by a few days.  Life gets in the way, I get distracted, and the blog goes unattended.

The side effect of that is that my writing also goes unattended.  When I do get a chance to sit down and write, I find myself on this blog rather than on my newest novel.  Such a situation has led me to several questions:
                    - should I reverse that and ignore the blog in favor of writing my novel?
                    - am I using the blog as an excuse to not write like I should?
                    - is the blog really reaching anyone?

This is something I need to spend some time pondering.  Or I could just sit down and focus on a month's worth of blog posts so that free time can go towards writing.

Pfft...free time?  What a concept...

Different Plot Summations

Ever try to reframe your favorite book summations to make them sound different, or even bad?  Let's look at a few:

- isolated frog draws in naïve teenager and convinces him to murder his father:  The Empire Strikes Back

- Foreigner uses weapon of mass destruction to take out magical leader and then steals her shoes:  The Wizard of Oz

- Orphan boy teams up with two troublemakers to disrupt school:  Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone

- Slaveholders break the laws of physics to maintain their dominance and deprive the world of the best way to beat the Nazis down the road:  Guns of the South

- Troublemaking angel sleeps with demon and prevents people from finding happiness after death:  The Dirty Streets of Heaven

- Bloodthirsty alien invaders that can't control their sex drives try to pretend they're childhood icons:  Quozl

- Lone crazy scientist murderers Apocalypse survivors by taking advantage of a genetic flaw:  I am Legend

- Deranged idealist disrupts history and prevents legal equality for all races:  11/22/63

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!  😁