Why I'm Busting My Ass!

Not a lot of fishing for me this summer like in years past? Why? Because times have changed. Not only are there more publishing opportunities like Kindle Vella, but the macro-economic environment absolutely sucks. It's time to bust my ass, if I wanna keep up with inflation and actually get ahead.

Exercise!

If you're a writer you spend a lot of time sitting in a chair at your writing desk. You need to compensate for that by exercising. I work out for two hours per day, everyday!

Experimenting with Different Genres!

Sometimes it's fun to simply challenge yourself by writing in a genre you've never tried before. For years I stayed clear of Sci Fi because I didn't think myself capable. But now here I am 2K words into a space opera and well, it's all systems go Scotty!

Is Everyone Taking Speed?

It seems more and more fiction authors are putting in the major league pulp speed word count these days. I applaud you all. Content is king after all. We need to feed the beast or else!!!

Why I Don't Outline!

I don't outline my stories and novels because I want to be surprised by what happens next, just like a reader will be surprised. I trust my ability enough at this point to write an entertaining story beginning only with a title and going from there. That title is the seed that grows into the great oak!

Killing the Inner Bitch!

That inner bitch I'm talking about is anxiety. But it's also lots of other physical and psychological maladies that can pretty much destroy a sedentary person. If you think I'm just sitting in a chair writing all day, nothing can be further from the truth.

Editors: The Reality

When your editor suddenly leaves your publishing house, for whatever reason, it usually spells disaster for the writer. Here's why. And RIP James Caan. You were one of the good guys!

P Diddy!

P Diddy is one hell of an inspiration for me. Having grown up poor in Harlem he is now worth about a billion bucks. How'd he do it? First things first, he chucked the traditional publishing system way back in 1993 and started his own label, Bad Boy Records, where he enjoys total control.

Nonfiction vs. Fiction in the New Recession!

Recession usually spells economic calamity. We've entered into one presently, and largely it's been self-inflicted for numerous reasons. But what's the first thing to go in recessionary times? The advertising budgets which means magazines and newspapers will suffer. It also means writers will suffer. But if you're a prolific genre fiction writer, you can actually thrive during a recession.

Are You a Writing Addict?

If you're a writing addict like I admittedly am, you're probably guilty of a few things like wanting to write on your day off, forgetting to make money, and more. Oh, and you're probably divorced too. More than once. It's that damn word count. It always wants to come first.

Fun!

It only stands to reason that if you're not having fun writing your book, then the reader, if only on a subconscious level, will also not have fun. It's like dating someone new. You'll know pretty quickly if you're going to work out or not, because if it isn't fun, you're never going to have a fun relationship. The best bet is to bail while you have the chance.