Still Writing / Happenings In The Outhouse 03-May-2024

A lot of these posts seem to resonate the same: I'm still writing, I'm still working on short stories, I'm still . . . I'm still . . .

I'm not insinuating that my life is just a resolving door of doing the same thing, but in a way there are pieces of it that is.  And I'm okay with that.  I love writing.  I enjoy it immensely.  I love creating worlds and characters, putting them in situations and having them work itself out.

I am currently cleaning up a short story I had sent off and got some great feedback.  It has been months since I first wrote it, and I get it now.  I am cleaning it up.

I have nearly finished all of the stories that have been sitting on the backlog, and now I'm ready to send them out into the world.

Whatever your dream is, do it.  Keep doing it.

Nope, Not Done Yet / Happenings In The Outhouse 10-June-2022

With roughly 80 pages left to go, I am thrilled to be on the final leg of getting Sweet Dreams to publication.

By next week, I should be done and I can share the cover as well as the synopsis.

Until then . . .

More Editing / Happenings In The Outhouse 03-June-2022

Again, keeping this short today.

I am busy editing Sweet Dreams.  I am over the halfway mark, and I am very happy with the results so far.  I'm praying that I can get this published in the next few weeks.

As I get closer, I'll share the cover as well as a quick synopsis.

Until then, feel free to peruse any of my other works.  I have plenty to choose from, in a variety of genres.

Still Working / Happenings In The Outhouse 20-May-2022

Another short post today.

I'm in the middle of editing Sweet Dreams.  I'll share more of it in the upcoming weeks as the work comes to an end.

As far as what's next, I'm still pondering the next project.

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.

It's all in the details / Happenings In The Outhouse 24-July-2020

A funny thing happened earlier this week.  I'm about 8,400 words into the next thriller in the Central Division Series and it dawned on me that I may not have one of the details right.

The detail in question was the day of the week.  The story involved the murder of a religious figure, which occurred right after an evening service.

Now, around here, most religious services occur on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and of course Sundays.  In other areas, it's just Sundays.  For some, services are a daily occurrence.  Even a many-time-a-day thing.

But this was one detail, albeit minor, that could have had greater implications down the road if I didn't get it right.

When I look back at other stories I've enjoyed, it's the small details that make or break it.  I'm knowledgeable about firearms--no, I am not a firearms guru who can rattle off stats and give intricate details about this model of weapon--and it irks me to no end when I see a line that goes something like this: "He cocked back the hammer on his Glock . . ."  Sorry, but Glocks do not have an external hammer to cock back.

Look for the small details in your story.  If the day of the week is important, be specific about it.

The power of a first (single) draft / Happenings In The Outhouse 26-Apr-2019

I realized something the other day.  I write the majority of my blog posts in a single sitting.  Meaning, after one draft.

Even several of the stories I've published lately have only seen one draft.

Let me explain the process, which is stupidly simple.  I do what is called cycling (here's a blog post I did a while back that explains it).  I actually do a modified version of this.  Depending on the size of the project, I will go back and do a casual read, as if I was a reader and not a writer, correcting any errors that I may come across.  For short stories, novelettes, and novellas, I will typically read it through from beginning to end, mostly in a single sitting, making a few corrections here and there.

For my current project, which I know is in four parts, I will read each part in its entirety once I get to the end of it.  After that, I won't read it again until the book is done.  Then, I will do one more casual read, just in case something happens at the end that may affect something in the beginning.  But I do not do the heavy editing like I did before I started publishing.  I shake my head at how many years I wasted doing this--and I still come across several writers who feel the need to edit heavy-handedly over and over and over and over again.

This is essential Heinlein's five rules of writing.  Don't trust yourself?  Do it once and then test the waters.

Strange Birth is complete / Happenings In The Outhouse 15-Dec-2017

Strange Birth, the first book in the Repel Trilogy, is complete.

Right now, I am tentatively setting a February 1st, 2018, release date.  I do have a cover, which I will share later, along with the blurb.  When I have the pre-order links set up, I will share them as well.

Strange Birth has had an interesting history.  First, I was (in my head, at least) not quite a third of the way through the entire story when I realized my word count was nearing novel length (40,000 words, according to SWFA guidelines) and came to the conclusion that this may be a trilogy.  I didn't want to short change anyone, so I tossed around the idea of either chopping it in half or thirds.

The way the entire story arcs are set, a trilogy made sense.  As of this writing, Strange Birth is sitting around 47,000 words.  I am happy with it.

Now, I will plow my way through the re-reading/editing process.

I have also been thinking about my 2018/2019 goals, along with what to write next.  For fans of my Central Division Series and Guest of Honor, I will be writing a shorter piece that takes place immediately after the conclusion of Beholder's Eye, the first in the Central Division Series.  Then, I have a new series based on the characters in Guest of Honor . . . along with someone from the last few books in the Central Division Series.

The next few years is gonna be a lot of fun.  I hope you enjoy the ride I'm creating for you all.

Cycling (in writing) / Happenings In The Outhouse 22-Sept-2017

Ever wonder how many successful writers publish all the time?  No, it's not because writing is all they do--although that may be true as well--but there is a secret to churning out story after story that I didn't discover until this earlier year.
It is called cycling.

Dean Wesley Smith talked about it on one of his blogs this past February.

Bestselling Christian author Jerry B. Jenkins (co-author of the Left Behind series) even talked about it last month on The Creative Penn podcast.

This is something I have also started incorporating in my writing--and it has boosted by overall productivity immensely.

Cycling.  It's not just for bicycles anymore.

In a nutshell, it works like this: write a few hundred words (this amount will vary with each author) until you get to a point where you either feel the need to stop or even after a certain period of time.  Then, take a small break and re-read what you had written.  Once you get to the end, keep writing.  As you re-read, fix what needs fixing, edit what needs editing, but using your creative mind to keep going.

To some, this may seem like a slow process.  Take, for example, NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month, which occurs every November.  The goal is to write 50,000 word in a single month, which equates to 1,667 words a day.  Many writers who write their 50,000 words in November for NaNoWriMo will then say the story is crap.  Why?  Using the cycling method--a method that bestselling authors use--may help not make the story crap.

In Smith's post, he states that using this cycling method will keep one in a creative mode.  This will keep the story fresh.  I have also found that it eliminates the needless editing passovers.  Don't get me wrong, stories still need editing, but cycling will boost your productivity and decrease the amount of time "working" on "fixing" your stories.
Give it a try on your next story.  It may take a bit to get your personal rhythm down, but cycling is worth trying out.

What Does A Break Look Like To You And Your Art / Happenings In The Outhouse 14-July-2017

Here's the scenario: you've worked on your manuscript for months and months, and have finally finished it.  You lean back, both exhausted and relieved.  You may even be a little apprehensive and scared.  It's your baby.  It's not quite ready for the world, in your mind.  How long do you wait before tackling any rewrites/edits?

Stephen King has advised to put your manuscript away for a minimum of six weeks before looking at it again.  Dean Wesley Smith doesn't rewrite at all (he has a circular writing technique that is very clever and I want to give a shot at on future projects).  In fact, Smith doesn't even look at the manuscript again unless his wife Kris tells him to fix a few things.

Where do you fit in?

Brandon Sanderson, between his enormous epic fantasy novels, writes shorter books.  I think I read once that Stephen King does the same thing with his novels, but don't quote me on that.

What does taking a break look like to you?  In the past, I've read much more than usual.  It's something I call "recharging my batteries," because I feel like I haven't read as much as I should (which is probably not the case) and I love reading new things.

I'm working on the edits for books 2 and 3 of the Shadowkill trilogy.  It's going well, much better than I anticipated.  And, of course, I'm looking to see what I should work on next.

Stay tuned . . . the future is very exciting . . .

Question everything, asking why, and podcast fasting / Happenings In The Outhouse 09-Dec-2016

As you may (or may not) know, I listen to a fair number of podcasts.  Several I have listed in this blog.

But, from time to time, I find the sheer number of episodes daunting.  Other tasks seem to take a back seat just so I can listen to them--and typically the shorter the episodes the better.

I've cut the number of podcasts/episodes from time to time.  Now, I want to cut it back so much that I literally go on a podcast fast for a month.  It may not be a complete fast, but if there is a podcast episode I want to listen to, it must really be an important one.

Why the fast?  Well, first of all, I listen to most of my podcasts in the car.  And, right now, there are a number of fiction audiobooks I want to listen to--honestly, there are days when I feel like I'm late to the party when it comes to many great books, even some of the classics in science fiction/fantasy--so the podcasts are going on hiatus.  I'm currently listening to Frank Herbert's Dune.  I remember going to the movie as a kid, but never read the book.  Again, late to the party.  And it's about time.  I'm also starting to slowly read Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series.

Lately, I've also been asking myself why I do certain things.  Why listen to this, why watch that show, why read that book, why read this blog . . .

Asking myself why I do things has really opened up new channels of thinking.  I start to question everything.  During the latest political race, I've gotten to the point of questioning everything I read.  Just because a headline or article says something doesn't mean it's the truth.  And, speaking of politics, certain publications are obviously slanted left or right, and especially in those cases I would question the "truth" of what one reads.

Open your mind.  Question the source.  Ask why.

Then, if you answer something with, "because I've always done it this way," stop doing it.  I'm positive I won't miss much from the podcasts I normally listen to.  It's not that I don't like learning--I love learning new things--but one can learn while you work.

Try it.  Stop doing something you normally do "just because."  See what happens.  Pretty sure the sky isn't going to fall.

Know what distracts you / Happenings In The Outhouse 29-July-2016

What distracts you?  What causes your attention to be rammed away from what you're working on?

Today's political race is definitely one of those that distracts many.  No matter what side you're rooting for, the media is great at distracting your attention.

Knowing what draws your attention from your art/project is half the battle.  You acknowledge it.  Now it's to do something about it.

For me, I have a small list of things I want to focus on.  And politics is not one of them.  I have no control over how one feels for one candidate or political party, and I'm not going to waste my time doing so.  One focus for me is my writing.  My books.  That may be obvious, for those who read this blog.

Given that, I'm roughly a fourth of the way through editing Shades of Darkness.  I'm still shooting for a release date near the end of August.

Shades Of Darkness, Book 4 / Happenings In The Outhouse 15-July-2016

The first draft of Book 4 in the Central Division Series is complete.  I wrote the last words at exactly noon on Saturday, July 9th, 2016--to celebrate I took my youngest daughter to see The BFG.  We both thought it was funny and highly underrated.  If you get a chance to see it, do so.

Anyway, back to Book 4.  It is called Shades of Darkness.

I'm having the cover being worked on, and will share once it's complete.  Right now, I'm looking for a mid-August release.

As of now, I'm currently working on the edits.

Stay tuned . . .

Slow and steady wins the race / Happenings In The Outhouse 06-Feb-2016

You've heard the old adage: slow and steady wins the race.

I just received my statements from Amazon this week and there's one thing I noticed when I compared them to last year's statements.  I doubled my income through Amazon.  Now, I haven't even added the income I made through Kobo and Smashwords (the latter is where I'm also publishing into Barnes and Noble and the Apple iBooks store, as well as many other outlets).

Not bad.

It still won't even pay a single mortgage payment, but I'm making progress.  I am NOT quitting.  I'm in this for the long haul.

The way I see it, I'm building a foundation for a publishing empire.  Instead of throwing a bunch of stuff together, I'm constructing the best stories I can.

One story at a time.

Sure, I may be slow when compared with others, but who cares?  I don't.

Let the edits begin / Happenings In The Outhouse 30-Jan-2015

As of Tuesday morning this week, Straight Razor is complete.  The first draft, anyway.  It is just shy of 60,000 words.

Now, let the editing begin.

I don't, however, have to start at the beginning.  In the process of writing the first draft, I'm nearly halfway done with the first round of edits already.  To recap: as I have a full-time job and unable to bring my laptop with me at work--it's a bit immobile at the moment, which is a long story in and of itself.  The Cliff's Notes version can be summed up as I'm too cheap to buy a new one.  Anyway, in the mornings, I write the new stuff.  New words to the first draft.  At work, I work on past chapters, editing them.  Now, with the first draft done, I can on the edits fully.

So far, it seems to have worked out well.  For me, at least.  It may not work for you.

Changes.  The world is full of changes.  As the world changes, as our lives change, we must adapt and overcome.

Nearing the finish line / Happenings In The Outhouse 16-Jan-2015

Yesterday morning, Straight Razor, the second novel in the Central Division Series, crossed the 50K word mark.

Story-wise, it is nearing the end.  I still have the climactic finale to write, then tie up some loose ends.  Then what will I do?

Edit, of course.  I don't dare upload it for pre-orders just yet, because the furthest I can do that is 90 days.  It's possible it could be completed by then, but just in case . . .

I got some news this past week that a friend of mine, who has also served as one of my faithful beta readers, has been cancer free for a year.  The friend also requested some more stories to read, so I will be sending off my latest--the ones they had not read yet.

Another friend of mine, a member of my writers' group, has also published her first ebook on the Kindle.  Her name is E. I. Glass.  Her daily devotional guide is called Beginning the Day With God.  All she needs to do, at this point, is upload the new cover and I will provide a link to it.  It's an incredible ebook, with a lot of thoughtful stories from her life along with a Biblical Scripture passage.  This is the first of many in this series of devotionals, so be sure to pick this first one up.

This also brings up another point.  Writing may be hard, and for many who have reasonable technical skills, the publishing part on Amazon's Kindle Store (or on Smashwords, KoboBooks, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and even on Google Play) can be daunting.  I assisted E. I. Glass with the upload process, which she stated repeatedly was overwhelming.  I agree.  It is.  But I will bet that before too long, she'll be a pro and will navigate the indie publishing world with ease.

Happenings In The Outhouse 26-Sept-2014 / The silent approach

Aside from the authors who publish one book and, when they do not see any grand success from it and quit, authors can be (somewhat) divided into two camps:

1) publish one book and promote the hell out of it

2) publish one book, then another, then another, then another . . . leaving the marketing promotion machine to simply function as a funnel from one story to the next

It irrirates me when I see authors go gangbusters on a first novel, ranking in the top ten in several categories, only to have nothing else to follow it up with.

I am in the second camp.  I call it the silent approach.  I don't suggest publishing the way I have been, stories in several genres with no clear funnel from one to the next.  But I am changing it, and am in the process of creating several products to do just that: to lead readers from one to the next.

Also, I have a surprise for you.  I am adding something to Beholder's Eye.  I'll share what that is shortly.

I am around the 15,000 word count in the sequel to Beholder's Eye.  It's coming along great.

Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter too. That way you'll get updates on upcoming publications.

Happenings In The Outhouse 19-Sept-2014 / Do not try this (with your writing)

Let me warn you.  Do not try this with your writing, unless you are prepared and see no other way.  Well, first of all, if you see no other way, you haven't thought enough about the problem.  I have.  I am experimenting with something.

Industry experts (i.e. successful authors) warn newbies (i.e. unpublished writers or newly-published authors) not to do this.

But I'm going to give it a shot.

Wish me luck.

I have realized lately that I spend an awful lot of time editing.  Editing and not writing more new material.  This is not good.  Especially when I have so many stories to tell.

Here's my experiment: I will be writing new material in the mornings, when I typically work best, and during the way (at the day job) I will be editing.  Right now, I am several chapters into the new novel, so I'm not editing the pages I just wrote.  One day soon I hope to be.

That's what the experts say not to do.

But I'm going to do it.  I'll make a good run at it.  I'll keep you in the loop as to how it's working.

I am currently around the 14,000 word mark of the new novel, book two of the Central Division Series.  I also concluded an e-mail interview with a gentleman who has a website/blog where he features other authors.  My interview will be up soon, and I'll share the link with everyone when it goes live.

Also, don't forget to please subscribe to my newsletter for the latest updates.

Wanted: beta readers

If anyone is interested in reading some new material--FOR FREE!--and providing feedback to me, please e-mail me: marksrpeterson@gmail.com

My well of beta readers has gone fairly dry and I'd like to add some new readers.

If you'd like to help out, please e-mail me.  It would be much appreciated.

Also, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter.

Oh, before you go, I'd like to lay down a few ground rules in regards to becoming a beta reader.  I want honest feedback.  Also, the more specific on what you find that works and what doesn't, the better.  I don't want to hear, "Oh, it's really good." (okay, we all like to hear that, but I'm not a brilliant wordsmith that is in no need of editing).

No problem?  Good.

Happenings In The Outhouse 27-Jun-2014 / The final stretch for Killzone

Killzone: Book 1 of the Shadowkill Trilogy is nearing completion.

I have one final editing to do and then . . . it's on to publish.

And just because I already finished editing it, doesn't mean there wasn't anything to do.  Wrong!  In fact, I changed a lot of the way the story was told.  Much of the book is in present tense.  Yet, the bulk of the book was set in 2006, along with the prologue and epilogue were set in either 2009 or 2010.  When I went through the final edits by reading it out loud, I was struck by how confusing it was.

So I changed it.  The bulk of the book is in past tense.

Personally, I think it sounds a lot better.

I'm also striking out complete chapters too--well, one in particular.  It doesn't seem to fit and there's no clear point of view.

My plan is to have this book finished in 2-3 weeks.

What's next, you might ask . . . ?

I have a few things in the works.

As an aside, I got my official website, marksrpeterson.com, up and running.  Okay, not quite, but it's now an official Wordpress site, and in the upcoming weeks, I'll learn more on how to make it better.  It's just a starter, sample page right now.