October is Going to Fly By

What do writers call October? Pre-NaNoWriMo season. And that's just how I'm planning to treat it. Because I know that November will be an intense time trying to start and finish an entire first draft, I'm using October as one of those cleanup months. I plan to take all of those half-finish projects that have been lingering and finish them. I'm mostly talking about shorter works--poetry, short stories. But if there's a revision project I can tackle, I'll throw that on the pile too.

I've also been thinking about all of the pieces I have around that are finished but need an update. This includes my spec scripts--something that I haven't had the chance to use yet, but know that I should keep on hand.

First, I will have to fully abandon my sitcom spec and write a new one because the show I wrote it on is not television anymore. I didn't know that my drama spec needed an update until last Thursday. The script is for Law & Order: SVU so I thought I would have it around for a while as is--at least until the show went off the air. Nope, there's a couple of glaring twists they put in last week's premiere with Carisi getting a new job and Benson getting a new title. I scoured the internet for information on whether a slightly outdated script will still work, and it looks like it now has a six-month expiration date, then I should rewrite it. This script still didn't have that final polish (it was a few pages short), and I have had a second SVU storyline floating in my head for a while, so doing a rewrite won't actually be that bad.

But it does make one think: spec scripts are only used as calling cards, so how many of these scripts have been created only to be forgotten once it was used to get someone in the door? I bet there have been lots of great ideas left in the recycling bin...

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That's the plan for October. If you want to stay updated, watch this space, join me on Patreon, and make sure to check out what new items show up on Medium.

News and Notes from the Writing Desk: October Edition

It's October, folks. What does that mean around here? Snack-sized treats for the writer who can actually get stuff done. Other than that, no costumes or spooky things. Unless I ever get the nerve to start watching Castle Rock, but from what little I've heard, I doubt I could do it. I overthink once my head hits the pillow, and I replay all the scary things. Not just recent stuff either. If my mind gets on a roll, it goes from the last scary thing I've seen to the video from The Ring to the Wicked Witch of the West. Yes, I will admit it--I'm probably the only kid who hated The Wizard of Oz because she terrified me. Anyway... enough about that. Let's get to the notes:

Piles and Piles

I'm buried under submissions around here. I'm trying to get as many out as possible. For the submissions that contain anything from the poetry project, those have to be sent out by the first week in January so I don't have to move the released date to accommodate a publication that's still deciding. I don't think I have to worry about that. I've been getting my rejections at an average of 14-20 days. I still don't know how to take that when they've stated don't worry if you don't hear back before the end of three months. I'm not going to concern myself with the rejections, just getting the submissions ready to go back out.

The Wait is Almost Over

The wait for all things YA novel is almost over. I'm going to release the cover on Patreon on October 15th (now would be a great time to sign up at the $1 level so you don't miss it!). This novel is going to be different from what I've released before, not just because it's the first true YA I've tackled, but also because this is my test case for putting money towards the project. The cover was purchased as a premade product, but I like how it looks and it works well for the title, which is a little on the long side. I'm also going to hire an editor this time around, once the first draft is finished.

NaNo is Coming

And that brings me to my NaNoWriMo project for 2018. No surprise, it's going to be the YA novel. I've written a few thousand words already, but I know that I still need 50k on top of that, so it'll work well to get a draft that is not unwritten like everything else I do.

Now I'm off to find the biggest, baddest bag of candy I can appropriately ration for the rest of the month. Happy October!

It's been a busy August, but I thought I would check in to make sure that you know the next six weeks are going to be pretty awesome. As I gear up for the release of Haunting Melody in October, there's going to be plenty of fun leading up to it. Each week in September, you're going to be treated with cover releases, the synopsis, and much more. You can also be a part of the fun. If you've already read Melody of Love, I'll have a chance for you to get access to a pre-release copy of Haunting Melody (more details to come!). I may also give you a sneak peek on my next project, which I think many of you will enjoy.

Now... back my writerly juggling act!!

Death to (Most) Deadlines

Deadlines are a great tool for getting things done. But do they really help when they are picked at random? I've been talking for a few weeks about the writing calendar I put together for the end of the year. I had scheduled work for five different writing projects on it. I set firm deadlines for revising and even releasing some of the projects. But what did these deadlines mean when it came to the day it was to be something great and it just wasn't there yet?

Arbitrary deadlines don't help writing. I know that traditionally published authors probably have firm deadlines that can't be changed, but these people have a team backing them up. Indie authors don't always have that kind of support for each project (but kudos to the ones who do!). I know that my team of people I lean on is quite small, and they are not always available for every project. That just means I have to work harder to survive in the indie landscape. And that's why I'm declaring death to those deadlines I set. My five projects are not to the point where I would want them to be, and I'm not going to rush the process.

I did promise a novella written, revised and published by the end of October. That's not happening. I tried my best, but now I realized every project has it's own growth and development. Melody of Love was my success story--a novella written, revised and published within three weeks. Looking at that pace now, it seems crazy. For this followup novella, that pace just couldn't be kept. And since it is Halloween-themed, this novella won't see the light of day for another year. And that's totally okay.

I'm all for putting the pressure on to get a good product, but if a deadline doesn't feel right, don't force yourself to release something that just isn't ready. It won't help your writing career or the reputation of indie authors.

October's To-Dos and Shameless Promotions

The first full week in October and I started out kind of slow. I really needed a nap yesterday, but I persisted through sleepy eyelids to keep everything on track. My writing calendar is a more than a little full. This month I will:

• launch a book
• revise my project for Kindle Scout
• outline my 2015 NaNoWriMo project 
• write, revise and release a novella by the end of the month

I'm glad I didn't throw any short stories or poetry in there. Those projects are still waiting patiently for their turns.

I've also launched my Fiverr gig for anyone who wants a little help promoting their books. I'm running a book spotlight on Book Review Bin and I hope you find this affordable advertising within your marketing budget. I put up one of my books to provide a sample of what the spotlights will look like.

And since I'm in promo mode, don't forget that the ebook of Seeing What Develops is available for pre-order now until the 15th. The print version should be available from Amazon and Createspace by the 15th.