Supporting The Artist / Happenings In The Outhouse 28-Oct-2022

A line from Robert Heinlein's Stranger In A Strange Land struck me right to the core:

"'I want praise from the customer, given in cash because I've reached him--or I don't want anything.  Support for the arts--merde!  A government-supported artist is an incompetent whore!'"

Wrap your mind around that one for a moment, shall we?

In the end, we want people to buy our product, our work of art.  That's it.  And if we've reached them at a certain level--at a fan level--they will shell out more of their money to support the work we produce.

We do not need to rely on a government to support artists.  If you feel this is the only way, step back and imagine how it could work.  What would need to be true in order to make it a reality.

Then . . . make it a reality.

Mind Your Own Bobber / Happenings In The Outhouse 21-Oct-2022

Do you know someone who concerns themselves with things/events either beyond their control or something that truly isn't their business?  I'm sure we all have.  Or we might be that someone.

If you have ever been fishing, you might notice some who use a bobber on their line like this:

If one is more focused on another person's bobber than their own, they may lose out on opportunities.  In other words, the fish may get away if you aren't paying attention.

So . . . mind your own bobber.

Don't Kill Yourself Over Numbers / Happenings In The Outhouse 14-Oct-2022

As times change, so do you.  You're getting older, life changes, and some things are just beyond your control.

There is an adage (blame this on the NaNoWriMo crowd) that you have to write 2,000 words a day, every single day, in order to be a successful writer.

But what if this isn't possible?  My writing career has its peaks and valleys, times when I was dealing with my late wife's health or something came up that I just couldn't put my butt in the chair to write a single word.

Give yourself grace.  Don't kill yourself over the number of words or pages you need to write.  Goals are arbitrary anyway.  Writing something is better than nothing.  And if you're dealing with a major life event, give yourself grace and take a break.  Even God rested after creating the universe, and there are many times in the Bible when Jesus rested.

So take writing advice for what it's worth.  Do what you need to do, even if it means taking a break.

I Want To Be Born Rich / Happenings In The Outhouse 07-Oct-2022

Last week, I was in a meeting and the topic of money came up.  One person said, "I wish I was born rich."

Just that statement got my wheels churning.

How different would your life be if you were born rich?  And, for that matter, what is your definition of rich?

For those living in far off lands, those living in America must be rich.  One person's definition may be to be debt free and have enough to live off of for the rest of their lives.  Another is to have all of the toys a typical billionaire seems to possess: yachts, luxury cars, mansions, private jets.

Instead of focusing on something you have no control over, try concentrating on something you can: your life.  And then ask yourself, "What can I do to be rich?"  Wealth, as you may or may not know, is best achieved slowly instead of all at once.  Some people's retirement plan is . . . winning the lottery.  Seriously.

Maintain a winning mindset.  Instead of asking why your life wasn't different, ask how can you make your life better?

What Do You Dwell On? / Happenings In The Outhouse 30-Sept-2022

Last week, I touched on what you look for: the good or the bad.

This week I ask the question, "What do you dwell on?"

Do you dwell on things that you have absolutely no control over?  Like the weather, politics, the death of a celebrity, what someone thinks . . . and the list goes on and on.  Stephen Covey calls this the Circle of Control.

If it's outside of your control, don't worry about it.

Your health certain is in your control and something you could dwell on, but do you dwell negatively or positively on it?

As a writer, I don't dwell on whether or not people will like a story or not.  I'm learning new ways of telling a story, growing in my skills, and just telling a story the best way I know.  But I'm not dwelling on whether so and so likes it.  I don't care.

All I care of is whether or not I like it.

Looking For The Good? Or Bad? / Happenings In The Outhouse 23-Sept-2022

Do you look for the bad in things?  Or the good things?

Lately, I have been told that I have a "rainbows and unicorns" style of outlook on life.  Meaning, everything is going GREAT!

No, it's not unrealistic to know when something isn't going right, but if it's outside my control, what can I do about it?  What use is it to complain and moan about it?

Look at what you say.  Are you looking for the good in things?  Even in things you don't like, do you look for the good?

For an example on this, how to you speak about when you talk about the President?  Now, yes, this depends on your political affiliation, but by and large how to you speak about either the current President or previous Presidents?  Do you wake up in the morning and smile?  Or do you take up and grumble and wonder why in the hell you have to be up?

What will it take to turn the bad . . . into good?

My Competition Is NOT Other Writers / Happenings In The Outhouse 16-Sept-2022

I wrote a blog post 11 years ago about who my competition is.

To recap, it isn't other writers.  Because readers buy more than one author to read.  I don't know if I exactly agree with my premise at the time, that illiteracy was my biggest competitor.  In fact, lately, I know exactly who my competition is.

It's me.

I am my own worst critic, my own worst enemy.  My writing is all up to me to complete, doing all of Heinlein's five rules.  I need to keep churning out the products.

Last weekend, my girlfriend witnessed three people in two days come up to me and ask about my writing.  One even said they bought my last book and were halfway through it.  Another mentioned if I was rich.  Spoiler alert: I am not.

I love to entertain people with my writing.

I do agree that people who don't read--or can't--are people to go after, but in reality they need to be able to read first.  And want to read.

We need to give people a reason to read.

We need to write the best, most entertaining stories we can.