Make Change A Habit / Happenings In The Outhouse 18-March-2022

Life is full of changes.

When my late wife got her cancer diagnosis in April 2011, it turned our world upside-down.  Life was an endless series of doctors appointments, trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (a 382 mile trip, one way), and the extra financial burden on top of it.  And then it was juggling events with three young kids.  Upon her return home in December 2011, what we could do seemed limited.

In March 2020, a virus took the world by storm, changing the way business was done.  My employer implemented a work-from-home model, something completely unheard of from them until that point.  Now, two years later, my employer is having the working from home folks return to the office on a hybrid model basis, part at home and part in the office.  Changes.  Many changes and unknowns.  A number of people were not happy about it, but, when you examine it closely, it depends largely on how you handle change.

In June 2020, I joined the local gym.  I had wanted to join for quite some time, but I could not afford it in terms of time and money prior to that point.  Now, I go there 5-6 times a week on average, and I love it.  It's a way of me getting out of the house and doing something to physically improve my health.

Most times, I am alone and can plan my workouts ahead of time.  But when I have something in mind, let's say I had a weights day previously and planned on a strict cardio day on the treadmill, and all of a sudden there are people in the gym and all of the treadmills are taken, what do I do?  I change my plans.

I have made change a habit.  Yes, my first reaction on change is a slight WTF moment, but it quickly subsides.

I urge you to make change a habit.  If you do the same thing all the time, you don't grow as a person.  Change is what makes us better.

Blog Post 1000! / Happenings In The Outhouse 11-March-2022

What started in June 2010, with hopes and aspirations of being a published author (although the idea of what that entails has changed greatly since then), has now grown to a regular weekly blog where I write about my current work-in-progress, thoughts of the creative process, the writing process, or even life in general.

Most blogs are written the same week they're posted, and in some instances the day before I have no idea what to write, but then something pops in and I toss it down on the virtual page.

Regular readers of my blog have witnessed my late wife's sudden illness with acute myeloid leukemia in early 2011, then to her passing in January 2020.

They have also witnessed the publication of my novels, short stories, and novellas/novelettes.

This is blog post number 1000!

Hard to believe I have written so many posts, that so much has changed.

Now, onward to the next 1000 blog posts!

In The Middle Of Nowhere / Happenings In The Outhouse 04-March-2022

A few weeks back I wrote a blog post about the myth of a small town.  I want to expand on that for a moment.

I may live in a town that someone has called "in the middle of fields and nothingness."  She meant it a as a joke, but at the same time there is a little truth to it.  With a little over 1,300 residents, there are two towns with roughly 8,000 people, give or take, about 20-25 miles away, and another town of around 60,000 about 50 miles away.

I have been through some parts of our country where you can go for several miles of nothingness.  Literally.

I'm writing this as more of an irritation I have when media hosts (whether it on TV, radio, or even on a podcast) says something is in the middle of nowhere and literally less than a half hour drive there is a sizeable town.  No, it may not be Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, or even Minneapolis, but they're large enough to house some bad, creepy individuals.

Our words matter, depending on your circumstances.  Just because a town is small doesn't mean evil doesn't reside in it.

Ed Gein anyone?

Just Publish It / Happenings In The Outhouse 25-Feb-2022

I was listening to a podcast a few weeks ago and something was said that resonated very well.  The person on the podcast said that he attributed his level of success to this axiom: "just hit send."

Now, he was talking about sending an email about the services his business can provide, but under it all he was talking how we can edit our works over and over again, right to the point of death.  At some point, you just need to be done with it and move on.

The same goes for writers in general.  If you feel the need to edit your "Great American Novel" to death, it will not sound original.  It will not stand out.

And standing out is what you want.

Now, I'm not talking raw works that have no flavor or substances, full of typos and punctuation errors.  There are a variety of editing methods, so use the one that works best for you.  Some of the best authors edit as they go.

But don't "fix" your piece of work too much or else it won't sound original, unique.  Your voice will be missing, and it will sound like everything else.

How much should you edit is up to you, but I caution you to not overdo it.

This Book Is NOT For You / Happenings In The Outhouse 18-Feb-2022

It's okay for your book not to be for someone.  Even though you may want the entire world to read your book, it will not happen.  No, it will NEVER happen.

So it's best not to even try.

Your best route to success is to find out who your book is for, so they can enjoy it.

And here's the thing: just because it's different doesn't mean no one will like it.  Many readers that I know get bored from the same old stuff.  They want something new.

A close friend of mine can't stand anything NR puts out (I'm putting this author's name in initials, but this author is uber-famous, has put out tons of books, and is quite successful).  I have read a few of NR's books and at first I liked it.  Then, the more books I read, the more I noticed that the ones that I have read all had similar plot lines.

But who cares?

Legal thrillers weren't truly a thing until John Grisham put them on the map.  Horror didn't go mainstream until King put them on the map.

And even then, there are readers who do not like JG or King.

Create the best product you can.  Publish it.  Then move on to the next one.

Marketing Wall Drug / Happenings In The Outhouse 11-Feb-2022

The dreaded M word: marketing.

Nearly all writers that I know HATE to self-promote their own books--yours truly included.  They want nothing more than to sit in front of their computer and plunk words down onto the page.  Going on book tours or lining up interviews makes them uncomfortable and are seemingly a complete waste of time because it doesn't seem to coincide with a sudden spike in book sales.

If you go anywhere within a few hundred (or more) miles of the Badlands in South Dakota, you will see billboards galore about a place called Wall Drug.  I have been through the Badlands and the Black Hills area a handful of times in my life, and truth be told I have never visited the store Wall Drug.

But I remember the signs.

Even still to this day.

When it comes to writers, the axiom of keep publishing, keep putting more and more stuff out there in the world, seems to be the most valuable advice when it comes to marketing.  Are there other pieces of advice to market your works?  Of course.  But the best overall is to keep writing.

The more inventory you have, the better your chances of gaining someone's attention.  When I finish reading a book and crave something different, I go through my list of ebooks to discover an author I had bought their book long ago or something in my mind reminds me to check out their books.

Remember, slow and steady wins the race.  Look at the most recent theatrical or television or streaming adaptations of books to come out in the last handful of years.  The majority are from books written a few decades ago.

With that being said, if you like serial killer thrillers, be sure to check out the first in my Central Division series: Beholder's Eye.  It is free.

Here again is the link to all ebook retailers for this book.

Lastly, on my current work-in-progress, I have finished with the third part (out of four) and my current word count is around 89,000 words.  Hoping to be done with this and move on to the next project by early summer.

Finding Support / Happenings In The Outhouse 04-Feb-2022

Who has your back?

You have been working on something for a long time--or there is something you have been putting off and now is the time to get it started.

It doesn't matter what it is.  A project for the home.  A side business.  Getting in shape.  Furthering your education.  Moving forward in your grief.  And the list goes on . . .

Whatever it is, you may find yourself asking who has your back?  Who is supporting you?

First, let me tell you that you should be supporting you.  You should be the one to put the full weight of your decision into whatever it is that is driving you.  Letting others in, especially at an early stage, may be disastrous.

But this depends on who it is that you are letting in.

Find one who will be both honest and positive.  They should be an encouragement to you.  If something is completely unrealistic--like, if I wanted to be the next great NFL quarterback, when I've never played football and I could care less about the sport--the feedback should be something you should take to heart.  But if you have been in the business world for a few decades and want to advance your career by going for an MBA, that is more realistic.

It may be difficult to find the right one to support you.  But, if you trust in God, the support will be found for you.

But as a first step, give yourself grace, be positive, and be your number one supporter first.