Do what you do best / Happenings In The Outhouse 21-Feb-2020

It's okay to experiment.  But, if it doesn't work, stop it.  Go back to what does work.

Over the past few years, aside from the medical issues with my wife, I tried a few various writing techniques to see if they improve how I write.  Undoubtedly, none really worked to improve anything.  If anything, they hindered it.

The techniques I tried revolved around outlining stories.  None have seemed to work.  So, it's back to what I do best.  Writing on the seat of my pants.  Writing in the dark.  It goes by a number of names, but in the end I write the story as I sit on the computer.

Oh, sure, I may think about a story while I'm driving to work but sitting down to outline a story has never really seemed to work for me.

For the most part, what we do best is what works best.

Goals in and out of your control / Happenings In The Outhouse 14-Feb-2020

Can you control if a book makes the bestseller list?

Can you control if a book even sells?

Sorry to say, but no.  Oh, sure, you may game the system a bit, but that only leads to short term gains (if there are any at all).  In fact, the time wasted trying to game the system could be best put toward putting more words onto the page.

Words on the page.  This is the only thing you can control.  Or you may call it "butt in chair time."  Although I don't like that phrase because one can waste enough time sitting in a chair.

Put time toward getting words on the page.  THAT is the only thing you can control.

(Okay, not quite the only thing, but close enough.  If you're an indie author, you may change your cover or other search terms, but in the end it comes down to putting words on the page.)

Getting back into the swing of it / Happenings In The Outhouse 07-Feb-2020

Keeping this one short this week.  I'm slowly getting back into the swing of writing.

My current work-in-progress is the fifth novel in the Central Division Series.  However, since I haven't written in that world, with those characters, for almost two years, I'm skimming the last novel just to get my mind back into it.

Hoping to have more next week.

Do you treat your writing as a hobby or as a career? / Happenings In The Outhouse 31-Jan-2020

Your writing may not be something that'll make you thousands or millions, if not billions, but how do you treat it?  What is your mindset?  Do you handle it seriously, protecting your copyright, protecting your time, even if the only person you're writing for is yourself--or your family?

For the past eight months, I will be the first to admit that writing for me has been difficult to maintain.  But I did my best.  I started a few books, only to set them off to the side because I wasn't in the right frame of mind.  I will return to them later.  Over the past month, I started a new thriller--the fifth in the Central Division series.  I finished the prologue the day before my wife passed . . . and just got back to it this week.

It's okay if you want to treat your writing as a hobby.  There's nothing wrong with it.  I'm just talking about a mindset to take what you love to do to the next level.

It's amazing what one person can do if they set aside a little bit of time each day at their hobby.  After a period of time, that hobby can be honed like a blade on a knife, and before you know it that hobby may give someone else some enjoyment in their life and a little coin in your pocket.

A sad day

I wrote the following on Facebook yesterday:

"With arms wide open, God welcomed a new angel into Heaven this morning and Jesus wrapped His loving arms around her.  Melissa (my wife) was the absolute love of my life, my best friend, the epitome of greatness, and the most bravest warrior as she fought her illnesses right up to the very end.  I am truly blessed to have met her and her loving family.

The last movie she and I ever saw in the theater was "I Can Only Imagine" in early 2018.  She also listened to that song as she crossed over into Heaven this morning."

I knew the day would come when she'd pass away, and mentally and spiritually prepared myself for it.  But even that doesn't make the loss any better.  The only way to get through it all is with God.  Without Him, life is meaningless.

And life certainly isn't meaningless.

The stigma of self-publishing / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-Jan-2020

Okay, are you ready for a link-filled post?

The other day, I was having a conversation and the person was talking down on someone else for self-publishing her book--keep in mind, this individual either didn't know I also was an indie author or knew and completely forgot.

So, I proceeded to educate this individual on how crappy author contracts are nowadays, how many of their rights are exploited for as little money as possible, and how many traditional authors are actually turning to self-publishing.

When pressed as to why he felt that self-publishing was so bad, he told me, "Well, obviously they weren't good enough to get published."  Now that may be true.  However . . . there have been many examples where that wasn't the case.

So, here are some links to educate yourself on indie publishing:

Dean Wesley Smith

Kristine Kathryn Rusch (check out her business resources)

The Creative Penn (blog/podcast)

That's enough for now.  Seriously, people.  The game has changed.  Our cheese has been moved.  Do a little research before spouting off that all indie authors can't cut it.

Create instead of criticize / Happenings In The Outhouse 03-Jan-2020

I've never really been one to criticize a creative work (i.e. movie, TV show, book, painting, music).  It either worked or it didn't.  It's something I feel in my gut.  Typically, my criteria is simple: did it entertain me?

Take any of the negative controversy over The Last Jedi.  Sure, there are parts of it that made me scratch my head.  But I enjoyed it.  Heck, it was Star Wars for crying out loud!  I also found Solo: A Star Wars Story as equally entertaining and enjoyable.

It always amazes me the ones who criticize a creative work, and they have never been brave enough to create their own work.  It's possible they're afraid of the same criticism they've bestowed upon others.

I have two words of advice for all the creatives out there: be brave.

Go out there in the new year, the new decade, and create something new.