I'm kicking off the New Year with a post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. It seemed like a good place to start for several reasons. First, the Admin for IWSG is announcing the winners of the IWSG anthology contest and you can find that here. Second, I think I more productive on Wednesdays than I ever am on Mondays.
Recently, I got a fan mail in my inbox that reminded me of why I write. I hope that you guys get fan mails like this because it was a little kick in the pants since I'd kind of lapsed on working on my sequel to Oculus, preferring instead to work on my Dungeons & Dragons game that I run every other week. My latest project for that was to do a map of my world in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet. It's really quite fun, and I've spent hours drawing on my map while watching television on my new 4K ultra-high definition 55-inch OLED (it's beyond fantastic). The fan mail was really one of the shorter ones I've gotten, and its message very simple:
"I've been reading Slipstream and Oculus the past couple weeks and now am desperate to finish the story. Loved the 1st chapter of Caledfwlch and wondered when a possible release date could be."
I read that and was like..."uh..." hmm. So I started corresponding with this fan and told him that I was about 95% done, and if he'd like, I could send him the rough draft so he could read it and then get back to me on what he thought. And he agreed to it! So yeah...I got myself a beta-reader. In addition, because I felt embarrassed for having not worked on it since May, I actually started working on it again by re-reading and editing what I'd gotten done. And now I'm all caught up, the story is refreshed in my head, and I feel like I can finish this thing by the end of this month. I guess I've been guilty of being one of those people that get on George R.R. Martin's case about taking so long between sequels (you may recently have heard that the Winds of Winter is not going to come out before season 6 airs on HBO). George is (of course) in a different league when it comes to writing, but I think I get it. I think I understand how time can just "go by" in a blink and before you know it, it's been years between sequels.
I admire writers like my friend Patrick Dilloway who are so incredibly disciplined that they can churn out forty books in just a few years. I think that kind of discipline is pretty rare, a gift really, and is a wonderful thing if you got it. And I know fans have gotta love that kind of discipline in their favorite author. It's something I need to work on for sure.
Anyway, this has been my Insecure Writer's Support Group post. The co-hosts for January are:
What a wonderful thing to happen. Sounds like 2016 is going to be your year!
ReplyDelete40 books in a few years - couldn't do it, but 40 stories, easy. :)
Cool; I was wondering if you were ever gonna publish the next episode in the saga. Good to hear its nearly finished.
ReplyDeleteIt's so weird to think that there are people out there that are actually waiting on the book. I always figured no one really cared. It makes me happy.
DeleteThose pesky fans! They have a funny way of motivating us.
ReplyDeleteNo stress, man. Some of us just don't move at a fast pace.
Welcome back and yay for fan mail. Good to hear you're going to work on it.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be a more productive writer, too. I have a lot of manuscripts languishing in the land of the incomplete and ignored.
ReplyDeleteAnd YAY for fan mail. I've gotten a couple—it's always a nice feeling.
Well, I haven't worked on Brother's Keeper in much longer than since May, but I've had other projects going instead.
ReplyDeleteIt sure is easy to get distracted, isn't it?
DeleteI like the sound of your resolve this coming year. I'm tackle similar goals, finish projects and start new ones. I really appreciate the blurb you offered my new release. It's being received well. Happy New Year, Michael! :)
ReplyDeleteDavid, I'd love to take you out to eat one of these days when you have some free time. It'd be fun to catch up. We could go someplace fancy.
DeleteI can't imagine writing tons of books in a year. I'm just not that disciplined, so I'll have to settle for what I know I can accomplish--one, maybe two good stories in those 365 days. Have a great 2016!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the beta reader! That's a wonderful way to get one!
ReplyDeleteGeorge RR Martin really needs to get off his duff already. Maybe now that the New York football teams are eliminated he'll have more time to actually do his job.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear that you're almost done with Caledfwlch. And congrats on the beta reader. I need to be looking for one or more of those myself. It's funny how fast the time is going by. I thought I'd have so many more books out by this point...but it's so much work. I hope The Winds of Winter does actually come out this year. I won't hold by breath though. Haha. Hope you had a good holiday.
ReplyDeleteThat kind of writing discipline is an art form. You and I just need our work to spend a little more time in the oven my friend. Funny enough I recently started writing a retelling involving MerryWeather from Sleeping Beauty. I am not a big fan of that Disney Classic but MerryWeather is my favorite character from there and in fairy kind. Glad you got a fan willing to read and give feedback. That is indeed a blessing.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about book 3. But we all go through those times when writing just goes fallow. Life happens.
ReplyDeleteHi, Michael...
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Lucky you! I can't wait to get a 4K TV, but 55inch is too large for my wall... Happy for you, though! I can do 50"... lol. It will have to wait, though the rehab on my loft cost a FORTUNE!!!! I need doors more. LOL.
Anyway, glad to hear you dived back into your writing. You are very lucky to have a fan base who really cares about your writing.... And I agree discipline is everything. I wish I had it. Not haven't written anything new in several years I am actually ashamed to admit it. But life always seems to throw up obstacles in my way and I need to use every ounce of energy to surpass them.
I wish you all the best for this year and that your writing shines!
I'm so glad you're writing again! And having a fan ask for more must be wonderful (I wouldn't know what that's like). Of course you deserve lots of fans. Meanwhile, I'm must plugging away at getting my two Charity MacCay books into print, and my intention/resolution is to have them published by April or May. If I were really smart I'd have a marketing plan to launch too, but since I'm terrible at that it won't happen.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty cool thing to happen. It must be a nice feeling to know there are people out there eagerly waiting for your next work. Good luck getting that book together.
ReplyDeleteWish you all the best for your projects that need finishing and to new ones as well.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.